Christopher Zimmer, Visa Consul at the US Embassy in Banjul, has informed journalists that 34 fraud cases in the US visa application were detected at the embassy.

Mr. Zimmer made this revelation, during the course of a media tour at the Consular Section of the US Embassy on Wednesday.

He told journalists that the detection of the fraud incidents was supported by the embassy’s computerized fraud prevention programme, coupled with a reliable database that contains personal information and finger prints of pervious applicants. He asserted that most of the incidents involved fake identities.

He said all the US embassies around the world have access to a powerful database that contains useful information on previous applicants, saying “even if you had applied in another country, we will be able to confirm at the embassy here. We have access to records. With our new programmes, we can access information on any applicants, if he or she had applied at any US embassy around the world. That is very possible”.

He admitted that these stiff programmes on US visa applications were introduced in the aftermath of the gruesome incident on 11 September, 2001, when hijackers used passenger aircrafts to launch attacks on the US soil.

Mr. Zimmer pointed out that about 6,000 people applied for visas in 2005/2006. Out of this, he continued, 2,737 were issued with the US visas. He disclosed that there had been 30 per cent drop in the number of US visa applications. He blamed this on events, such as the African Union Banjul Summit, the stringent measures on visa application, and illegal migration.

The US Banjul Embassy Consul Zimmer described honesty of applicants as central in a successful visa processing. “You have to be honest; otherwise, it can cause you problems down the road. US visas are issued based on demand and qualification,” he said, noting that “I try to give the people the benefit of the doubt. But sometimes, people conceal information about themselves”.

He then displaced rumors that visa could be arranged on behalf of individuals. According to him, this myth holds no grain of truth. “No one can arrange a visa for you. It’s not true,” he stressed.

Commenting on students’ visa application, Mr. Zimmer said education in the US is expensive. He said it could cost about US$10,000 for one to be admitted into a community college, coupled with a cost of living approximately about US$7,000. He revealed that some students are found with incongruous facts. “A student could claim he is being sponsored by his uncle, who does not bear the same surname with his (student) mother. You could also see an applicant with a bank statement with a balance of D7, 000. But within a short period, the amount jumps to D700, 000. These are some of the things that have been discovered,” he said, adding that “one has to convince the Consul that you will return home to serve your country, after acquiring the skills and knowledge that are not available here.”

He then complained about some notaries who attempt to authenticate unrealistic documents to enable applicants’ access visa. He informed journalists that his embassy would consult with the Gambia Police Force and the Immigration authorities to address some of these problems.

He pointed out that illegal attempts, such as fake identities, to obtain visa can result in a permanent refusal of visa to the United States.

On what the embassy does with the visa application fee of US$100 for each applicant, Mr. Zimmer pointed out that the money are used to process visa, support a wide range of civil society programmes, among others.

Mr. Zimmer assured that his embassy would do its best to make visas access to Gambians. He then used the opportunity to inform Gambian parents whose children are US citizens, to send their children living in the country to school to improve their language. He said The Gambia is a society, where education is highly accessible.