KAMPALA —Refusals on visa applications from Uganda due to fraud and misrepresentation are soaring, which the United States Ambassador Deborah Malac says is in part due to unscrupulous miss representation.
In a live Facebook address on Tuesday October 16, 2019, Ms. Malac said refusals due to applicants misrepresenting themselves – through fraudulent submissions, for instance – has nearly tripled in the recent past.
“There is high degree of fraud by Ugandans,” she said.
“Many Ugandans present fake information for Visas to the United States,” she noted.
Ms. Malac revealed that the number of fake applicants has greatly increased which has led to long delays in processing, particularly in Uganda.
“If we are not satisfied with the likely authenticity of information presented and therefore that an applicant does not meet the relevant instructions, an application may be declined,” she said.
In response to the increasing number of refusals for Ugandan applications, she said the US Embassy has rolled out an information campaign targeting Ugandans applying for US visas.
She further revealed that thousands of Ugandans apply to go to the United States each year for business, but many of them fall into the hands of people posing as middle men for U.S embassy visa officials.
“United States embassy officials have been working with Ugandan Police to arrest and prosecute suspects and applicants who present fraudulent documents,” said Malac.
The ambassador said they have been able to “turn” many of the arrested suspects.
“It is both in the embassy’s interest and that of the Ugandan government to have a fraud-free, fluid and a very easy process for everyone who has a legitimate application and good documents,” she said.
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs states that attempting to obtain a visa by the willful misrepresentation of a material fact, or fraud, may result in the permanent refusal of a visa or denial of entry into the United States.