Applying for a U.S. Visa in Hong Kong: Results of a State Department Inspection

The State Department’s Office of Inspections has reviewed visa-related operations at the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong, and here are the key findings:

* The consular section provides services in an “efficient, customer friendly manner.”

* The 2011 workload included about 3600 immigrant visas and 65,000 nonimmigrant visas. The post is not busy.

* Most nonimmigrant visa applicants are qualified, and the issuance rate exceeds 95%. Hong Kong is not a high-fraud post.

* English is the primary language used during interviews; Cantonese 10-12% of the time; and Mandarin only 5%.

Is this consistent with your experience in Hong Kong?