Dishonesty in visa application could lead to lifetime US travel ban — Embassy

The Embassy of the United States in Ghana has warned that providing false information or fake documents during a visa interview could lead to a lifetime ban from entering the country.

Consular General Elliot Fertik issued the caution while speaking to the media in Accra on Friday, May 9.

He stressed that any attempt to lie or mislead consular officers will not only result in a visa denial but could also trigger more serious consequences.

“If you do not tell the truth to the consular officer, or if you present false documents, you will not get the visa. And it’s possible there will be even more severe penalties, such as a lifetime ban,” he warned.

Fertik also noted that decisions on visa applications are largely based on what applicants say during their interviews and not just the documents they provide.

“The visa interview is going to be fairly short—two to three minutes. We have to process a lot of people in a short amount of time,” he said.

“Officers make their decisions primarily based on what you say during the interview. This is important because, in general, the officers very rarely look at the documents you bring,” Fertik added.