abujaniv:
Hello everyone, and thanks for your questions.

Regarding the Dropbox program, you do not need to wait until your visa has expired to renew it. For more on the Dropbox program, please visit this website: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/niv_dropbox.html.

Regarding student visas -- During your interview, the Consular officer will ask you questions to assess a range of factors and determine whether you qualify for the visa. Not having traveled abroad previously does not necessarily disqualify you for a visa. It's a good idea to be prepared to discuss how your previous academic expereince has prepared you for the degree you want to pursue in the United States and how you will pay for that degree.

flodave:
Another writer has asked about what he can do regarding having falsely claimed he has a relation in the U.S. Again, we cannot comment on individual cases, but we would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to please be honest in any interactions with the U.S. government. We take fraud and misrepresentation very seriously, and misrepresenting yourself to get a visa can have life-long consequences.
so my question is how does an applicant know if he's banned or not allowed to apply in the future for misrepresentation because other embassies will clearly state if that is the case. Instead of one to keep wasting time and resources.

cherie24:
Dear VO,
I applied for a visa last year and during thr interview, i was asked if i was preggy and i said no - i wanted to go for a training and vacation for 3 weeks. I got the visa and then i realised (family and friends) said i could give birth there, couple of weeks later, i wrote a mail to them declaring the preggy. 1 week after, i was called and the VO said she appreciates me coming forward but that it would have been best if i admitted when she asked. I was ashamed. so the visa was revoked and she wrote 221B on it ( if i remember correctly). I am now beyound scared. Please i would like to know if this is a ban. what are my chances of getting a visa if i request? when do you think i can do that? - is there a time line?.. Any further info will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Regards

abujaniv:
Greetings,

Applicants must have at least six months validity on their passports at the time of application. Consider renewing your passport before your visa interview.

While the majority of our applicants are approved, we must unfortunately refuse others due to a lack of strong ties to Nigeria. “Ties" are the various aspects of your life that bind you to your country of residence: your possessions, employment, social and family relationships.

Applicants without prior international travel are not automatically refused visas. Prior travel is just one factor we consider when discerning whether or not an applicant is qualified for U.S. visa. When an applicant answers truthfully that they have no prior travel, this enables the interviewing officer to move on to another line of questioning that may or not result in visa issuance. Adding fake travel stamps and/or visas to your passport will only result in an automatic denial and in some circumstances, a lifetime ban on traveling to the United States called 6(C)(i).

About Letters of Invitation:
You may provide a letter of invitation or support. However, this cannot guarantee visa issuance to a foreign national friend, relative or student. Visa applicants must qualify for the visa according to their own circumstances, not on the basis of an American sponsor's assurance.

Subsequent Applications after a Refusal:
Applicants are refused for different reasons. If you are refused a visa be sure to read the denial letter that you received at the conclusion of your interview. This letter will tell you whether or not you are eligible to reapply. A 6(C)(i) refusal is a permanent ineligibility for fraud and misrepresentation. One should be very careful before engaging in any actions that could be misconstrued as being a misrepresentation or fraud.

When someone is denied for a lack of ties to Nigeria or under section 214(b), these applicants have the legal right to reapply. In these situations, the applicant must pay another fee, submit a new application, and schedule a new interview. The applicant ‘s subsequent interview would be with a different interviewing officer if possible.

Applicants with prior refusals should be prepared to show further evidence of their ties or how their circumstances have changed since the time of the original application. It may help to answer the following questions before reapplying: (1) Did I explain my situation accurately? (2) Did the consular officer overlook something? (3) Is there any additional information I can present to establish my residence and strong ties abroad?

So is there a 90-day ban on reapplying after a 214(b) refusal?
No. The consular officer will reconsider a case when an applicant reapplies, if an applicant can show further convincing evidence of ties outside the United States. Unfortunately, some applicants will not qualify for a nonimmigrant visa, regardless of how many times they reapply, until their personal, professional, and financial circumstances change considerably.

Please note that very few of these decisions are overturned within 90 days because it is very hard to build stronger ties to Nigeria in less than 3 months. It takes time to build stronger ties- months or even years. An applicant can influence an officer to change a prior visa denial only through the presentation of new and convincing evidence of strong ties.