THE UNITED States Embassy's Consular Section is advising non-immigrant visa-seekers that they will now have to make new appointments if they show up late for their interviews.
The embassy said that despite the implementation of a customer-friendly application-by-appointment system three years ago, the number of applicants now disregarding their scheduled appointments "is wreaking havoc on the application process and slowing down visa delivery."
This prompted the advisory released yesterday, which also warned that applicants who disregard their appointments hereafter, will have to wait at least 10 more days before getting another chance to be interviewed.
The new appointment system replaced the previous which had people seeking to secure visa appointments enduring long lines and delays outside the embassy building. The new system involves applicants paying their fees and getting an appointment at a commercial bank and via the telephone.
But the US Embassy said that in addition to perennial lateness, many individuals were not filling out the application forms completely, leaving blank spaces that further delayed processing. The embassy urged all applicants to fill in all sections of the new application form, including those that are not applicable to them or require a "nil" answer.
Last month the US Embassy sent a notice advising visa applicants to get their photographs taken at a professional studio, to ensure that the pictures meet the requirements for use in an American visa. The embassy said that many applicants' photos have been rejected because they were taken with Polaroid cameras, were on the wrong background, were two dark or were the wrong size.
