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Are you familiar with the United States visa application process?
The better question is, would you like to travel to the United States from Ghana but don’t know the first step to take?
Well, here you are, the right place to get all the information you need.
First of all, have an understanding that a visa doesn’t necessarily warrant entry into the United States. It only ascertains that a United States Consular Officer has determined your eligibility to enter the United States for a specific purpose.
Doesn’t make sense? Please read till the end.
Types of United States Visa in Ghana
There are two types of Visas namely a Nonimmigrant visa and an immigrant visa.
Students, tourists, specialty workers, and business people are eligible for a Nonimmigrant visa. This means that you must leave the United States once your mission for which you entered the country is completed.
But, to qualify for this Visa, one would have to show their allegiance to their country to convince the Consular Officer that they’d leave after being granted a temporary stay in the US.
An immigrant visa, on the other hand, means that you are applying for admission to the United States as a legal permanent resident.
If this is what you have in mind, you’d need a family member who is a legal permanent resident or a US citizen to petition on your behalf.
Without these, you cannot acquire a United States Visa in Ghana.
How to Apply For the United States Visa In Ghana
Now, let’s discuss the six very simple steps to take to gain your Visa.
- Determine your Visa type
This first step questions whether you are travelling on an immigrant or a nonimmigrant visa.
Whichever you decide requires its qualifications.
If you are travelling on a Nonimmigrant visa as a student, you’d have to show proof that you have been admitted to a school. As a business person, you’d also need proof.
An immigrant visa would require you to have a “willing” relative who is either a US citizen or a legal permanent resident to petition for you.
- Payment of Visa Fees
Forging ahead to do payments for your Nonimmigrant Visa, bear in mind that prices range between 160 dollars to almost 300 dollars depending on your description.
If you are a Victim of Criminal Activity, a student, tourist or a journalist, you’re required to pay 160 dollars.
If you are an investor, a spouse of a US citizen, or a treaty trader, you’re eligible to pay over 200 dollars.
Payment can be made physically to the Guaranty Trust Bank or Online if you are an account holder.
You must then keep your payment receipt safe for further use.
However, note that once payment is made, it is neither refundable nor transferable.
- Complete a DS-160 Form
One would need to complete this DS-160 Form to provide personal information like name, date of birth, marital status, nationality, identification or social security number, etc.
This form is said to be a very crucial part of the Nonimmigrant visa process because once this form is submitted, no changes can be made.
This is why it is advised to carefully read the guidelines before completing the form. If need be, an immigration lawyer or a translator could be invited to help thoroughly complete this DS-160 form.
Once successful, you’d receive a DS-160 confirmation code.
- Schedule an appointment for Visa Interview
Before scheduling an appointment, you’d have to give a few more information. The system would need the applicant’s passport number, a Guaranty Trust Bank payment Receipt number, and a ten-digit DS-160 confirmation code.
With this, you can go ahead and schedule your Visa Interview appointment. Print out your appointment for further use. And continue the process of applying for a United States Visa in Ghana.
- Visit U.S Embassy Website
This website will provide you with information on the date and time for your Visa Interview. It is important to visit the “schedule my appointment” page to print out the documentation for the interview so that entering the Embassy would be made easy.
- Visit ConsularAccra@State.gov
Kindly visit this page for further instructions once your Visa is approved.
Final Words
Be cautioned that step 3 is deemed crucial because the information submitted would be raised in your Visa Interview.
It is for this reason that you need to carefully read the guidelines or call for the help of a translator or an immigration lawyer to be sure that you’re giving the right answers to your questions.
During the interview, giving answers that would counteract with what is on your DS-160 form could show incompetence on your part.
Aside from this caution, you’re good to go.
We hope that this article has been of great help in putting you at ease on how simple it could be to get a United States visa in Ghana.
We wish you the best. Kindly share your experiences with us in the comments box below and please don’t forget to share this article.
