ozymes:
Sorry to disagree with you. Background checks are carried out.

I have many friends in the U.S at the moment.
How?
Majority of them even lied in their application they also lied during the interview process but yet the visa was issued.
If real background check was done then the lies would have been detected on the spot.

mrprolifik:


In my own case I applied for a renewal via drop box and was sent an email to appear at the embassy . On the day of the appointment when it was my turn with the VO I saw on myfile a small note which says payment of reciprocity fee. I already knew my Visa had been approved even before any conversation with the VO. He only asked how my last visit went and approved the Visa and told me to go pay the fee at the cashier.
What I am trying to pinpoint here is that everybody's case is unique and sometimes decisions has already been made before you show up at the embassy just like my own case. Whatever you fill in your Ds160 is very important and a decision can be made with such info.

There are 3 main papers on a V.O's table. The denial paper which is coloured, white paper for successful visa and reciprocity fee paper.
How did you know reciprocity fee paper was specifically for you just because it was on the V.O table?

When Nigerians hear of 'background checks',they think it's this petty thing of stalking applicants social media,day to day life,doctor who presented himself as a business man,LOL! They don't care about those details about you! What they want to know,Are you a terrorist? scammer? are you on any wanted list? interpol,fbi,etc! i personally don't think they run background checks on all applicants but they most definitely has placed/searched names of issued visas in their datas before placing the sticker on your passport! It's Yankee! common!

skdfu747:


I have many friends in the U.S at the moment.
How?
Majority of them even lied in their application they also lied during the interview process but yet the visa was issued.
If real background check was done then the lies would have been detected on the spot.

skdfu747:


There are 3 main papers on a V.O's table. The denial paper which is coloured, white paper for successful visa and reciprocity fee paper.
How did you know reciprocity fee paper was specifically for you just because it was on the V.O table?

Didnt you get the point where I wrote the paper was attached to my File?

What year & month was this?

mrprolifik:


In my own case I applied for a renewal via drop box and was sent an email to appear at the embassy . On the day of the appointment when it was my turn with the VO I saw on myfile a small note which says payment of reciprocity fee. I already knew my Visa had been approved even before any conversation with the VO. He only asked how my last visit went and approved the Visa and told me to go pay the fee at the cashier.
What I am trying to pinpoint here is that everybody's case is unique and sometimes decisions has already been made before you show up at the embassy just like my own case. Whatever you fill in your Ds160 is very important and a decision can be made with such info.

UhnNah:
What year & month was this?

This happened 2 months ago but not in Nigeria for the records. Though I am Nigerian and unmarried

UhnNah:
When Nigerians hear of 'background checks',they think it's this petty thing of stalking applicants social media,day to day life,doctor who presented himself as a business man,LOL! They don't care about those details about you! What they want to know,Are you a terrorist? scammer? are you on any wanted list? interpol,fbi,etc! i personally don't think they run background checks on all applicants but they mostly definitely has placed/searched names of issued visas in their datas before placing the sticker on your passport! It's Yankee! common!

Thank you that is the fact.

mrprolifik:

This happened 2 months ago but not in Nigeria for the records. Though I am Nigerian and unmarried

I thought so because I have never experienced or seen V.Os keeping anybody's file on their desk both in Abuja and Lagos.

In Nigeria V.O tables are always cleared.

Is it not possible that since then, they have now started background checks? In the past social media accounts weren't needed, now they are. Things change and they are not obliged to inform the public of these changes

skdfu747:


I have many friends in the U.S at the moment.
How?
Majority of them even lied in their application they also lied during the interview process but yet the visa was issued.
If real background check was done then the lies would have been detected on the spot.

groovychik:
Is it not possible that since then, they have now started background checks? In the past social media accounts weren't needed, now they are. Things change and they are not obliged to inform the public of these changes

There might have been some changes.

skdfu747:


Decision is never made before appearing for interview.
Too many Nigerians have abused their visas using conference and seminars. Unfortunately they no longer trust conference format.

On point

wuki:


Why not just show up for a visa interview without filling out DS160 ahead of time? What is the point of filling out a DS160 exactly? You might as well argue that the consulate *solely* relies on what the candidate has to say during the interview. What about other countries, like the U.K, that have no interview process at all? They just take your application, read it and then issue a visa right away. I guess I don’t understand what you mean when you say the idea of a background check is a fallacy. Already, there are minor clues on the form, like asking applicants for social media info. You could rationalize and make yourself feel good about it; but background check is no secret: don’t be misinformed and please don’t mislead others.

Here’s a link to one of the types of background checks they conduct:

https://fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R43589.pdf

Do your research if you’re interested on this topic

You get time.... you should stop explaining things like this to people, they choose to think that way, let them be.

mrprolifik:


In my own case I applied for a renewal via drop box and was sent an email to appear at the embassy . On the day of the appointment when it was my turn with the VO I saw on myfile a small note which says payment of reciprocity fee. I already knew my Visa had been approved even before any conversation with the VO. He only asked how my last visit went and approved the Visa and told me to go pay the fee at the cashier.
What I am trying to pinpoint here is that everybody's case is unique and sometimes decisions has already been made before you show up at the embassy just like my own case. Whatever you fill in your Ds160 is very important and a decision can be made with such info.

una get time, no need to derail the thread... let's move on.

Some of you should take time to google your name and social media handle, small thing maybe the reason for your denial. Most time they will not grant visa to any applicant who abuse his/her Govt everyday on Social Media.

mrprolifik:


In my own case I applied for a renewal via drop box and was sent an email to appear at the embassy . On the day of the appointment when it was my turn with the VO I saw on myfile a small note which says payment of reciprocity fee. I already knew my Visa had been approved even before any conversation with the VO. He only asked how my last visit went and approved the Visa and told me to go pay the fee at the cashier.
What I am trying to pinpoint here is that everybody's case is unique and sometimes decisions has already been made before you show up at the embassy just like my own case. Whatever you fill in your Ds160 is very important and a decision can be made with such info.

This settles it.

Checks are carried out on the info on your DS160. That's why they ask you to fill and fill and fill.

The checks give a summary of your visa eligibility before you appear for interview.

Checks are automated. Certain parameters and queries pick keywords and flag them. Eg Agents using a particular US Home address for 200 applicants. Or a fresh graduate going for a seminar designed for experienced engineers. The checks also cross reference with previous applications, denials, abuse, interpol, crime, Canada, fbi and your hate speech on social media or the soft spot for religious extremism, etc.

These checks are automated. The DS160 portal runs this for the consulate and VOs use.

All the typing they do while you are there is a transcript of your application either in support of your DS160 or highlighting the conflicts between the DS160 info and what your answers to the questions are.

This is my understanding of it.

fkj950ax:
Checks are carried out on the info on your DS160. That's why they ask you to fill and fill and fill.

The checks give a summary of your visa eligibility before you appear for interview.

Checks are automated. Certain parameters and queries pick keywords and flag them. Eg Agents using a particular US Home address for 200 applicants. Or a fresh graduate going for a seminar designed for experienced engineers. The checks also cross reference with previous applications, denials, abuse, interpol, crime, Canada, fbi and your hate speech on social media or the soft spot for religious extremism, etc.

These checks are automated. The DS160 portal runs this for the consulate and VOs use.

All the typing they do while you are there is a transcript of your application either in support of your DS160 or highlighting the conflicts between the DS160 info and what your answers to the questions are.

This is my understanding of it.

Thank you and your brain is working and I've said something like these around 2016.

skdfu747:


Thank you that is the fact.

I agree with you about that background check thing, I don't really think they do that for NON-immigrant, sometimes the consular will tell you to excuse him/her for a min then she comeback and bombard you with a lot of question, I have a lot of friend in d state who lie in their application if truly a back ground test is done I don't think they will be many Africans in the state...
Background test is done for Immigrant
My opinion tho

fkj950ax:
Checks are carried out on the info on your DS160. That's why they ask you to fill and fill and fill.

The checks give a summary of your visa eligibility before you appear for interview.

Checks are automated. Certain parameters and queries pick keywords and flag them. Eg Agents using a particular US Home address for 200 applicants. Or a fresh graduate going for a seminar designed for experienced engineers. The checks also cross reference with previous applications, denials, abuse, interpol, crime, Canada, fbi and your hate speech on social media or the soft spot for religious extremism, etc.

These checks are automated. The DS160 portal runs this for the consulate and VOs use.

All the typing they do while you are there is a transcript of your application either in support of your DS160 or highlighting the conflicts between the DS160 info and what your answers to the questions are.

This is my understanding of it.

it was estimated last year that about 14million pple apply for US visa last year (globally) are you telling me that they checks those large number of people also??

Spanishmilf:
it was estimated last year that about 14million pple apply for US visa last year (globally) are you telling me that they checks those large number of people also??

That number is no big deal when you reduced it to per day probably 200 applicant per day (Nigeria, India, China and Mexico have the largest number of US visa applicant).

fkj950ax:
Checks are carried out on the info on your DS160. That's why they ask you to fill and fill and fill.

The checks give a summary of your visa eligibility before you appear for interview.

Checks are automated. Certain parameters and queries pick keywords and flag them. Eg Agents using a particular US Home address for 200 applicants. Or a fresh graduate going for a seminar designed for experienced engineers. The checks also cross reference with previous applications, denials, abuse, interpol, crime, Canada, fbi and your hate speech on social media or the soft spot for religious extremism, etc.

These checks are automated. The DS160 portal runs this for the consulate and VOs use.

All the typing they do while you are there is a transcript of your application either in support of your DS160 or highlighting the conflicts between the DS160 info and what your answers to the questions are.

This is my understanding of it.

It seems this matter is not being put to rest so I'm going to quote the following from the doc I linked in my post from the previous page:

"Consular officers use the Consular Consolidated Database (CCD), a biometric and biographic database, to screen all visa applicants. Over 143 million records of visa applications are now automated in the CCD, with some records dating back to the mid-1990s. Since February 2001, the CCD has stored photographs of all visa applicants in electronic form; since 2007, the CCD has begun storing 10-finger scans. The number of visa cases in the CCD surpassed 100 million in 2009, including 75 million photographs."

"In addition to indicating the outcome of any prior visa application of the alien in the CCD and comments by consular officers, the system links with other databases to flag problems that may have an impact on the issuance of the visa. These databases linked with the CCD include DHS’s Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) results, and supporting documents."

Hope this topic can be finally put to rest and people can move on.

skdfu747:


Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab popularly referred to as the "Underwear Bomber", is a Nigerian man who, at the age of 23, confessed to and was convicted of attempting to detonate plastic explosives hidden in his underwear while on board Northwest Airlines Flight 253, en route from Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan, on Christmas Day, 2009.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umar_Farouk_Abdulmutallab

Tell me what background check was done on this individual.

The Umar Farouk incident introduced more stringent security checks that evolved over the years. Majority of the security checks now aim to be proactive rather than reactive.

As for the US Visa application, i believe that there are background checks but not all will yield actionable Intel. In this case the visa officer has to rely heavily on the interview to make a decision. This is where People who are skilled in deception hoodwink the Visa officer. Many unsuspecting VOs have fallen victims to sweet talking to the jeopardy of their career.

Maybe that's why some interviews are so brief. They take their decision before you can sweet talk them into taking a chance on you.

wuki:


It seems this matter is not being put to rest so I'm going to quote the following from the doc I linked in my post from the previous page:

"Consular officers use the Consular Consolidated Database (CCD), a biometric and biographic database, to screen all visa applicants. Over 143 million records of visa applications are now automated in the CCD, with some records dating back to the mid-1990s. Since February 2001, the CCD has stored photographs of all visa applicants in electronic form; since 2007, the CCD has begun storing 10-finger scans. The number of visa cases in the CCD surpassed 100 million in 2009, including 75 million photographs."

"In addition to indicating the outcome of any prior visa application of the alien in the CCD and comments by consular officers, the system links with other databases to flag problems that may have an impact on the issuance of the visa. These databases linked with the CCD include DHS’s Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) results, and supporting documents."

Hope this topic can be finally put to rest and people can move on.

Thank you.

NothingDoMe:
The Umar Farouk incident introduced more stringent security checks that evolved over the years. Majority of the security checks now aim to be proactive rather than reactive.

As for the US Visa application, i believe that there are background checks but not all will yield actionable Intel. In this case the visa officer has to rely heavily on the interview to make a decision. This is where People who are skilled in deception hoodwink the Visa officer. Many unsuspecting VOs have fallen victims to sweet talking to the jeopardy of their career.

Maybe that's why some interviews are so brief. They take their decision before you can sweet talk them into taking a chance on you.

Another angle, thank you.

Where's my guy @Omobendel ?

If there is truly background test on every applicant in which am not convinced enough, then all my uncles and friends wey dey yankee suppose no dey yankee at all, the rate of visa misused by applicant should reduce drastically
People like invictus obi suppose no enter yankee
That one na scammer from Nigeria..
Have you heard about this done agent
An elederly person will help you collect your visa..
If you don't believe then you have not seen or heard anything.
Abeg no come for me, am not feeling fine

wuki:


It seems this matter is not being put to rest so I'm going to quote the following from the doc I linked in my post from the previous page:

"Consular officers use the Consular Consolidated Database (CCD), a biometric and biographic database, to screen all visa applicants. Over 143 million records of visa applications are now automated in the CCD, with some records dating back to the mid-1990s. Since February 2001, the CCD has stored photographs of all visa applicants in electronic form; since 2007, the CCD has begun storing 10-finger scans. The number of visa cases in the CCD surpassed 100 million in 2009, including 75 million photographs."

"In addition to indicating the outcome of any prior visa application of the alien in the CCD and comments by consular officers, the system links with other databases to flag problems that may have an impact on the issuance of the visa. These databases linked with the CCD include DHS’s Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) results, and supporting documents."

Hope this topic can be finally put to rest and people can move on.

This quote has nothing to do with background check. This is just mainly data storage.
Which can include photograph, biographic data, bio metric data and all 10 finger prints.

skdfu747:


This quote has nothing to do with background check. This is just mainly data storage.
Which can include photograph, biographic data, bio metric data and all 10 finger prints.

Have you bothered to read the entire report? I suspect you have a misunderstanding of the term "background check" so let's return the same report:

"For some years, consular officers have been required to check the background of all aliens in the “lookout” databases, specifically the Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS) database, which contained over 42.5 million records in 2012. Consular officers use name searching algorithms to ensure matches between names of visa applicants and any derogatory information contained in CLASS. DOS reports that about 70% of the records in CLASS come from other agencies, including DHS, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). DOS also employs an automated CLASS search algorithm that runs the names of all visa applicants against the CCD to check for any prior visa applications, refusals, or issuance."

Anyway, I rest my case here -- this entire cycle is tangential to the scope of this forum so best this topic be directed at the appropriate quarters.

skdfu747:


Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab popularly referred to as the "Underwear Bomber", is a Nigerian man who, at the age of 23, confessed to and was convicted of attempting to detonate plastic explosives hidden in his underwear while on board Northwest Airlines Flight 253, en route from Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan, on Christmas Day, 2009.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umar_Farouk_Abdulmutallab

Tell me what background check was done on this individual.

As at the time he committed the crime, he was not a known terrorist and not on any of the databases. He already had an existing multiple entry visa that's one of the reasons why his handlers selected him for the assignment. Anyone with that same name or similar name will have an extremely difficult time getting a visa or even boarding a flight pretty much anywhere in the western world

wuki:


Have you bothered to read the entire report? I suspect you have a misunderstanding of the term "background check" so let's return the same report:

"For some years, consular officers have been required to check the background of all aliens in the “lookout” databases, specifically the Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS) database, which contained over 42.5 million records in 2012. Consular officers use name searching algorithms to ensure matches between names of visa applicants and any derogatory information contained in CLASS. DOS reports that about 70% of the records in CLASS come from other agencies, including DHS, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). DOS also employs an automated CLASS search algorithm that runs the names of all visa applicants against the CCD to check for any prior visa applications, refusals, or issuance."

Anyway, I rest my case here -- this entire cycle is tangential to the scope of this forum so best this topic be directed at the appropriate quarters.

These terms are not new to me.
I know what Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS) is.
I can even give an example of what Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS) is used for.

For instance when a U.S visa is revoked the data of the individual is added to Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS) so when the individual appears for an interview the V.O would normal request for the passport. As soon as the V.O runs the passport an alert will display on the computer screen notifying the V.O that the individual has a record on Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS).
The background check they are referring to in that quote has to do with people that have existing records with DOS and mostly people with travel records to the U.S.

An average Nigerian individual without any criminal record or without travel history which is a fresh U.S visa applicant defiantly has no record with the U.S except for information the new applicant provides on the DS 160 form.
So this is where the lope hole is. The U.S has no way of mining data from a Nigerian citizen living in Nigeria because such systems do not exist in Nigeria so it is impossible to do any real background check in advance especially for new visa applicants.

For old visa applicants that have history Yes background check can be done but for new visa applicants there is no system to process background checks on them within Nigeria.

I have an invitation letter from a US citizen to visit and spend 2weeks in America, I heard Nigerians are been denied visa to US, how true is it pls?

Thank you.

Candybright:

Make sure you are not changing your dates after booking.