Open letter to US Ambassador: Visa fee payment

I am compelled to write this open letter to you because I am inclined to believe that the US Consular section that deals with visa fee enquiries/complaints is either trying to defraud me of USA visa fees paid through GT Bank or they are demonstrating shear incompetence or both, in response to my very simple inquiry since October 4, 2023.

This inquiry has to do with how to validate NIV fee payments for my daughter and myself of USD160.00 each, made on Thursday, May 11, 2023, prior to the visa fees increment to USD185.00.

This is because the validation portal, as currently designed and in use, does not provide any option for paying the still valid old visa fee of USD160.00.

Your press release announcing "Non-immigrant Visa Fees Increase May 30 2023”, clearly states in part, in the second paragraph, that “Applicants who pay the visa fees before May 30, 2023, and schedule an interview within 365 days of the day payment is made are not affected by this change.”

Despite this assurance, the only fee displayed on your payment and validation portal is the new fee of USD185.00, making it difficult to make payment of a valid visa fee.

I have used all available channels: https://bit.lyUSEmbassyGhana; http://ustraveldocs.com/gh/en;and ConsularAccra@state.gov, with none of them assisting me in resolving the issue, other than using me as “ping-pong” by always referring me to the other.

There seems to be either an attempt to frustrate me, and thus, compel me to pay the new visa fee, which, to me, is tantamount to defrauding, or a show of incompetence by those responsible.

 In either case, it does not reflect positively on the credibility of the US Embassy.

I, therefore, appeal to you to ensure that those responsible comply with your press release, relating to the validity of the USD160.00 NIV fee for 365 days.

Henry Shirazu Alhassan (Ph.D; DBA).

E-mail: henry.alhassan@gmail.com