Tengrinews.kz — The US Consulate General in Almaty has commented on a viral social media video featuring a man identified as the US Consul General discussing the reasons behind American visa denials.
Video garnered over a million views and sparked intense debate among users, many of whom shared their own visa interview experiences and disputed how visa decisions are actually made.
What the US Consulate General reported
In response to an inquiry from the editorial office, Ingrid Korsgard, Press Attaché at the US Consulate General in Almaty, explained that US officials utilize all available information when reviewing visa applications.
"We use all available information to ensure that visa applicants are eligible to travel to the United States, will comply with US immigration laws, and do not pose a threat to our country or our citizens. We also continue to conduct such vetting for individuals who have already been issued visas," the US Consulate General in Almaty stated.
They also recommended that applicants rely on official sources of information regarding the visa process.
"For the most up-to-date information on the US visa process, we recommend visiting travel.state.gov, as well as the official websites of the US Consulate General in Almaty and the US Embassy in Astana," noted Ingrid Korsgard.
Furthermore, the consulate refuted claims that the individual in the viral video is the US Consul General in Almaty.
"We can confirm that the person captured in the video and mentioned in the article is not the US Consul General in Almaty. A photograph of our Consul General in Almaty can be found on our ETA website," the diplomatic mission stated.
Background
The controversy was sparked by a video in which a man, introduced as a US Consul General, explains the visa interview process and the potential reasons for rejection. Posts based on the clip claimed that interviews typically last only two to three minutes because consular officers process a high volume of applicants daily.
The video also stated that visa decisions are primarily based on the applicant's answers during the interview rather than the documents they bring. According to the speaker, honest answers and accurate information are the most critical factors.
It was specifically noted that attempting to provide forged documents or deliberately misleading a consular officer would result in a visa denial. In some cases, as claimed in the video, this could lead to a permanent ban on entry to the United States.
Following the video's publication, users began actively discussing their own experiences of obtaining US visas in the comments section.
Some shared that they were only asked a few questions during their interviews and were rarely asked to show documents. Others, conversely, claimed that their documents were carefully examined, while some felt a decision had been made even before the interview began. Some users also wrote that they faced rejections without a lengthy interview.
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The original video was traced back to a post from May 9 last year, following a meeting regarding the operations of the US Embassy in Ghana. The speaker in the clip is Elliot Fertik, who was serving as the US Consul General in Ghana at that time.