Misrepresentations

• Should I use a travel agent or other advisor to help me apply?
• Is it better to say that I am going for business in stead of tourism or to see relatives?
• Shouldn't I conceal the fact that I have close relatives in the United States, that I have applied to immigrate, and that I have a prior visa refusal?

Should I use a travel agent or other advisor to help me apply for my visa?

The matter is a personal decision for each applicant. However, in most cases it is not necessary for applicants to hire a travel agent to assist with a visa application. Travel agents will often charge large sums of money on the promise of enabling the traveler to bypass the visa interview. Our experience shows that many applicants are coached by intermediaries to provide answers that are misleading. While the truthful answers would not have harmed the application, the discovery of a misleading answer often puts the entire application in doubt.

The U.S. Embassy or Consulates do not endorse or have a “special relationship” with any individual or business that offers advice or assistance with the visa process. No one can guarantee the issuance of a visa to you. All U.S. government forms are free.

Beware: Many visa applicants lose money or are permanently barred from the United States as a result of presenting misleading information and fraudulent documents provided by visa consultants.

I have heard that it is better to say that I am going for business than for tourism or to see relatives. Is this true?

No. Tell the truth. If an applicant's ties to China are adequate to overcome the presumption of immigrant intent (INA section 214b), a tourist visa will be issued. Problems arise if applicants mislead the interviewing officer as to their intent in visiting the United States. Once a misrepresentation is made, it will be difficult to believe other information supplied by the applicant.

Shouldn't I conceal the fact that I have close relatives living in the United States, that I have an application to immigrate on file, or that I have previously been refused a visa? What are the consequences if an applicant conceals or misrepresents information or submits fraudulent documents to the Consulate?

The risks of fraud are serious. Applicants who provide incorrect information, conceal relevant facts, or misrepresent their cases may become permanently ineligible to enter the United States. All approved applications are checked against computer records to see if certain information on the application was truthfully presented. It is common in China for an applicant to have relatives in the United States or a petition to immigrate on file. These factors by themselves will not necessarily prevent approval of your application.

Misrepresentation of these facts, however, risks causing your application to not only be refused but for your to become permanently ineligible from ever entering the United States.