The Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy, Devin Fox, has said the Consular uses a totally transparent and equitable fashion to all visa applicants.

Fox made the statement while presiding over the "Media Tour of Consular Section", at the Conference Hall of the US Embassy in Yaounde.The conference's objective was to educate the public on how the Consular operates.

Fox explained that they strive to apply US immigration laws fairly and expeditiously. He said although the US laws are sometimes complex and difficult to understand, they apply as humanly as possible and try to provide a clear understanding of reasons behind their decisions.

The Deputy Chief of Mission indicated that there are many internal controls designed to prevent visa abuses within the Embassy such as supervisory review of all decisions, surprise audits, required reporting and electronic surveillance.

He also indicated that "while consular officers are an integral part of the Embassy, their decision-making authority is fully independent of the Ambassador or any other official in Washington, and they cannot be compelled to issue or deny a visa.

Fox warned against document counterfeiters ("Doki men") who give and sell bad advice on how to present visa applications.He advised applicants that applying for a visa is a "straight forward and transparent process."

To him, accurate description of oneself helps for quick processing.Concerning the Diversity Lottery Program, he urged Cameroonians to personally complete applications to ensure that they are not victimised by con-artists or disqualified due to mistakes made by those assisting them.

Fox also called on applicants to plan ahead because waiting time for a non-immigrant visa appointment is currently two months due to extremely high summer demand.He said approved applicants normally get their visas the day after their interview, but some cases may require several weeks for processing.

He stressed on the consular's goal, which aims at good customer service by providing fair decisions in a courteous and efficient manner.A video on client education was projected to educate the public about the visa application process.