By Collins Odum
Applying for United States visa can be pressure-filled. But with the right approach it should be easy.
In his blog post, Collins Odum shares some interesting and eye-opening tips on how to go about this.
Mistake #1 – They were coached by an agent: This is the most common.
Some human being or company comes along, claiming that they know all the questions you could possibly be asked and that they have all the answers.
They then ask for outrageous amounts of money, as much as N350k to N400k. They then start boasting about all the people they have helped.
Next thing, you know, you are sold. These consular officers are well trained psychologists. You can’t fool them with some memorized answers. Most agents will also advise you to withhold some information during the interview which they think might lead to a denial.
This could be a very bad move. Consular officers are looking at the broader view of your whole situation not specific answers to specific questions.
Mistake #2 – Their interview doesn’t match their application: This is another common one Nigerians do without knowing. They write things in the application that they can’t solidly defend.
This is very fast way to be sent home. You should be able to boldly and confidently defend anything you put in your application. Congruency is key here. The visa officers may try to twist the questions or come from many different angles.
If it’s something you are not really sure about they will soon know. So, try to demonstrate confidence, enthusiasm and passion when answering questions. Go through your application well.
Make sure they are things you can confidently defend no matter how the questions are twisted.
Mistake #3 – They depend too much on documents: One very unique thing about US consular interview is that they rarely look at documents.
They concentrate on your as a person. Your answers, body language and interactions are all the documents they need.
Nigerians spend so much time trying to gather documents and make them look presentable. At the end of the day it’s not even touched.
Most people ask for letter of invitation for their folks abroad, with the hope that once the visa officers see that their visa will be approved. No letter of invitation guarantees anything.
The most important thing during US visa interview is your interaction. According to consular officers they can get so much information about the applicant in few minutes of interaction with the applicant than looking at your documents
Mistake #4 – they are using outdated 1998 strategies in 2019: Now here’s the raw gospel truth, No one has a guaranteed method for getting an approved visa except the person is a consular officer himself.