Frequently Asked Questions
What are the consequences of committing fraud to obtain a visa?
Sometimes visa applicants commit fraud in an effort to obtain a non-immigrant visa or an immigrant visa. Misrepresentations can range from overstating one's income to falsifying employment or family relationships, such as pretending to be the spouse of a U.S. citizen or saying that you work for a company that does not exist. Committing fraud is a very serious offense with grave consequences. Presenting false or misleading information during the interview can cast doubt on the validity of your entire application and result in a permanent refusal. The Consular Section sees many otherwise qualified applicants who wrongly believe that making false statements or presenting fraudulent documents is the only way to obtain a visa.
For the person committing fraud, the consequences are extremely serious. If you commit fraud, you may be found permanently ineligible for a visa to enter the United States. In addition, a person found guilty of knowingly and willfully falsifying or concealing a material fact or using a false document may be fined a considerable fee and/or sentenced to jail time. Permanent residents (those with green cards) who have engaged in fraud may be deported or lose their opportunity to become U.S. citizens. Even U.S. citizens who obtained their immigrant visas through fraud may lose their U.S. citizenship and be deported.
The Consular Section's Fraud Prevention Unit aggressively pursues fraud, and those willfully committing fraud are likely to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
My friend/travel agent/relative is filling out my visa application for me. Will that present any problems for me?
It is important to remember that you are responsible for all information you give to the consular officer during your interview. If another family member, friend, or legal representative has filled out the application or acquired the documents on your behalf, double check them to be sure that they are true and correct before appearing for your visa interview. If you pay someone else to get documents for you, the documents you receive may be false and cause you to permanently become ineligible for a U.S. visa or be denied entry into the United States.
I have a visa interview coming up soon for my immigrant visa and I am unable to get an updated birth certificate in time. I heard that there are persons who can get me the document quickly. Should I choose to obtain one using this faster method?
No. Please do not attempt to purchase a fraudulent document of any kind to present during your interview. While the U.S. Embassy requires applicants to come prepared for the interview, presenting a document that was fraudulently obtained or that contains information that is not correct can result in your being found permanently ineligible for a U.S. visa and prevent you from ever going to the United States. Instead, please explain your circumstances during the interview and the interviewing consular officer will discuss any missing documents that you may still need to acquire in order to successfully complete your immigrant or non-immigrant visa processing. You will then be given an opportunity to legally obtain the missing documents you need.
I was arrested/detained by the police or law enforcement a while ago, if I only received a fine, should I mention this during my visa interview?
If you have had problems with the law in the anywhere in the world, in United States or with U.S. immigration authorities in the past, chances are that the U.S. Embassy either already knows about it, or will discover it before you are interviewed for your visa. Be honest during your interview and tell the consular officer about any brush with the law. In many cases a waiver may be available for applicants who have made mistakes in the past, so be sure to answer questions on any legal problems completely and truthfully.
How do I know if a website is from the U.S. Government?
Internet sites ending in the ".gov" top-level domain suffix are official government websites. To find more than 200 U.S. Embassy and Consulate websites, visit the Department of State's Websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions. Official U.S. government email addresses also end in “.gov,” and any visa-related correspondence coming from an address that does not end with “.gov” should be considered suspect.
Some websites and emails try to mislead customers and members of the public into thinking they are official U.S. government websites. These websites are designed to appear official, and often have images of the U.S. flag, U.S. Capitol, White House, or Statue of Liberty. What these websites and emails are missing is the “.gov” suffix on their addresses. Remember that anything that does not end with “.gov” should be considered suspect.
The main U.S. government websites containing official visa and immigration information, including free information and forms, are: