The United States Embassy in Ghana has witnessed a significant uptick in the number of visa applications from Ghanaian nationals, with figures showing a threefold increase since 2019.
The surge in demand for US visas has caught the attention of the American Consul General in Ghana, Elliot Fertik, who acknowledged the flattering trend.
However, the spike in applications has posed challenges, leading to a backlog in processing.
To address this issue, the US Embassy has announced plans to transition all visa applications to a new system starting August 16, aiming to streamline and expedite the process for applicants.
Mr. Fertik highlighted the need for additional resources to manage the growing demand, stating, “What is driving the backlog is visa demand, and I’ve said before that the number of visa application fee payments in 2023 is triple that of 2019.”
He expressed optimism that the new system would enhance efficiency and help reduce the backlog.
Efforts are already underway to tackle the backlog, with a significant increase in the processing of visa applications, particularly for students.
Mr. Fertik revealed that this summer alone, 65% more visa applications for students were processed compared to the same period in 2023.
In a bid to further improve visa services, the Embassy will transition to a new visa services provider effective August 26, 2024.
As part of this transition, access to the current provider’s website and services will cease on August 16, 2024.
During the transition period from August 16 to August 26, applicants will not be able to make new visa appointments, cancel or reschedule existing appointments, or access customer service.
However, all current non-immigrant visa interview appointments will remain valid.
Applicants with interviews scheduled on or before August 16 are advised to review their appointment details and contact customer service if necessary.
Those with interviews scheduled between August 16 and August 26 must print their appointment confirmation letters before August 16 and are encouraged to attend their scheduled interviews.
For applicants with interviews scheduled for August 26 or later, they must print their appointment confirmation letters before August 16 and create new user accounts on the new visa services website starting August 26.
