TRAINING OF CONSULAR OFFICERS

Q: I went into the US Embassy to apply for a visa. The officer was very rude and did not look at the documents I took time to prepare for the interview. I was denied and I do not understand what reasoning he used to make the decision since he made it so quickly. Can you explain why it is like this?

A: Consular officers are highly skilled and highly motivated professionals who have been entrusted with the great responsibility of ensuring that the border security of the United States is enforced. In order to meet the high demand for nonimmigrant visas in Jamaica, consular officers process several hundred applicants a day in as courteous and efficient a manner as possible. This process can be stressful for both officers and applicants alike.

Applicants, especially those to whom nonimmigrant visas are not issued, may sometimes feel that they were treated unfairly. The US State Department greatly values customer service and trains its consular officers to uphold the highest level of service for each applicant. Applicants can and should expect to be treated courteously no matter the outcome of the visa interview. Likewise, consular officers wish to be treated respectfully, no matter the outcome of the visa interview.

The consular adjudication process is rooted in US immigration law, and is not a capricious decision. The US State Department invests a considerable amount of its resources into the training of its consular officers. Every consular officer receives mandatory seven-week training in the application of US immigration law.

The training consists of consular courses taught by senior consular officers, group projects and case studies, and observation sessions at airports to learn how visa holders are processed at the port of US entry. Weekly examinations measure the consular officers' progress and document their mastery of US immigration law. Once the consular trainees have completed their exams, they graduate and are officially commissioned by the US president with approval of the US Congress, to represent the United States as consular officers.

Once consular officers are at post, they are immediately given valuable and extensive additional on-the-job training, and are mentored by more senior consular officers. All consular officers receive ongoing training in consular law application and interpretation throughout their careers.

At US Embassy Kingston, officers continuously strive to learn more about the Jamaican people and their culture. This knowledge helps officers to understand visa applicants better and appreciate their individual circumstances. With the training received, consular officers develop skills for listening and obtaining important information from visa applicants in a very short amount of time. Much information can be found on visa application forms and obtained during the interview so that it is frequently not necessary for consular officers to review documents. Applicants can be assured of a speedy, thorough, efficient and fair interview process.