Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Emmanuel Victor Smith, has advised visa applicants to pay close attention to their appearance when attending interviews, especially as preparations intensify ahead of the upcoming World Cup.

Speaking in an interview with Adom News, he explained that while visa appointment timelines can typically stretch up to a year, the situation is different given the tournament’s time-bound nature, which is just weeks away.

“Normally, visa appointments can be given one year ahead of time,” he said.

“But because of the World Cup, which is time-bound, they have to interview all applicants before the tournament starts, and the World Cup is just about a month away, so they were rushing, but the procedure is the same,” he explained to Abena Opokua Ahwenee.

Ambassador Smith stressed that visa officers are primarily interested in ensuring applicants have strong ties to their home country and will return after their visit.

“What the interviewing officer expects from you is the same thing,” he said, adding that for countries like the United States, officers want to be convinced applicants will not overstay.

“If you want to travel to America, which has about 50 states, the officer would want to be sure you are tied to Ghana and will come back,” he noted.

He further explained that applicants who are employed or well-established in Ghana are more likely to meet that requirement. However, the situation may be different for applicants without stable ties.

“So take someone who is gainfully employed, for instance, in Ghana; you will definitely come back to Ghana,” he said.

“But others are hustlers, and they are just going to try,” he added.

The Ambassador also underscored the importance of dressing well for interviews, saying presentation can influence perception.

“So I advise people to look good and dress well when going for visa interviews,” he stated. “Don’t wear tattered clothes because how will you get the visa? You will be denied the visa.”

He urged applicants to present themselves properly and show seriousness of purpose.

“Dress properly, and I expect that people would have good intentions, not that they are coming to hustle,” he said.

Mr. Smith also referenced his experience with immigration enforcement in the US, saying it reflects how seriously authorities treat migration issues.

“I have seen how the ICE operates here,” he noted. “They tackle people to the ground in shopping malls, and you find people running for their lives. How can you live like that?”

He added that enforcement has recently eased but expressed uncertainty about what to expect during the World Cup period.

“It is now that they have calmed down, and I don’t know if it will be the same during the World Cup. They also feel people are destroying their country. So, if you have nothing to contribute to America, then you stay in your home country,” he cautioned.