Felicia Osei Cries Out Over Visa Refusal, Appeals for Government Intervention
- Felicia Osei is trending in the wake of her video, where she expressed concerns about visa acquisition pressure in Ghana
- She lamented that after going through rigorous visa processes, applicants are only to be denied visas on the grounds that they might not return
- Social media users who took to the comment section of the video have shared varied opinions on the comments made by the Onua FM host
- US-based immigration lawyer Akua Poku opens up on factors considered before visa approval by the embassy
Ghana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!
Ghanaian media personality Felicia Osei has taken to social media to share her frustration over the visa application process.
In a video on TikTok, the presenter at Onua FM raised concerns about the stringent scrutiny when it comes to visa application procedures.
Source: UGC
According to her, an applicant desirous of relocating abroad should be willing to provide information such as source of funds, marital status, and purpose of visit, coupled with the tedious documentation process.
“Just because you want to travel, you will be subjected to a lot of questions, like what is your salary, how much do you have in your bank account, are you married, do you have any property. After all these questions, they then deny the visa because of doubts on whether you will return to your country.”
She therefore expressed worry about how an applicant, after going through all those processes, can be denied a visa because he or she will not return to their country of origin.
Felicia Osei then called for government intervention to ensure that the visa application process is not too tedious.
“For me, I suggest that every applicant should have a guarantor. Once they fail to return as envisaged, then they hold the person responsible.”
“The government should intervene in the process and ensure that we can add a guarantor or two sureties when applying for a visa.”
The concerns of Felicia Osei come at a time when the US State Department named Ghana as one of the top African countries with high visitor visa refusal rates.
Ghana has, meanwhile, ranked 16th, with Somalia taking the first spot. South Sudan came in second, while Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal took third, fourth, and fifth places, respectively.
At the time of writing this report, the video had generated over 14,000 likes and 200 comments
Source: Facebook
At the time of writing this report, the video had generated over 14,000 likes and 200 comments.
Visa officer considers funding & nonimmigrant intent
US-based immigration lawyer Akua Poku, speaking to YEN.com.gh, explained that a visa officer, upon the issuance of a visa, would seek to find out whether the applicant has adequate financial support and plans to return home.
“Approval of your visa depends on demonstrating nonimmigrant intent as well as financial independence. Officers must be satisfied that the applicant will not rely on unauthorized employment or otherwise violate their status.”
Watch the TikTok video below:
Reactions to Felicia Osei’s concern on visa approvals
Social media users who took to the comment section of the video have commended the Ghanaian media personality for speaking about the increased rate of visa denials for Ghanaians by various embassies.
@qweenbec2 stated:
“This was me last year October. I remember when mine was refused because they said the money in my account wasn’t enough, so they are not sure I will return.”
Nana Akwasi Agyemang stated:
“And you still say there is a certain heaven that this same white man told you about, and you can go there, but it’s very difficult to go into his country.”
Cleo_patra stated:
“It’s a nice idea. The questions are too much oo hmmmm… they should consider some of us. Some of us are not good at answering questions oo.”
Nana_Akwasi added:
“I’m fed up mpo with this traveling thing. Your suggestions are perfect though.”
E stated:
“This was me last year June. I remember when mine was refused because they said they are not sure I will return.”
Man with a full scholarship denied a visa
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a Ghanaian man who had received scholarship funding to pursue a PhD studies was denied a visa.
According to the visa officer, clarity and confidence matter in short interviews, adding that missing a question could break momentum.
He advised him to answer questions confidently during his next visa interview.
Source: YEN.com.gh
