F1 refusal, no specific reason

[Awesomesoccerfan 0]

Hello,

I am from Bangladesh and i applied for my F1 Visa interview on 14 July.My sponsor lives in the US and has a yearly income of over 200k$.I took his bank statement, income tax returns, sponsor letter and Affidavit of Suppor(Form I-134) signed by him.But i somehow forgot to take the signed sponsor letter that states his willingness to sponsor! I was really nervous but i spoke as freely as i could.

The interview went something like this:

VO:Can I see the confirmation page and passport?

ME:Sure

VO:Can i see your I-20?

ME:Yeah, sure

VO:California State University? Why CSU?

ME: I applied to about 6 universities, i heard back from 4 of them and CSU chose me.

VO:You'll be doing bachelors?

ME:Yes

VO:Who'll be sponsoring you?

ME:My father's friend

VO:Why is he sponsoring you?

ME:He is my father's friend.He's more financially stable than my father.

VO:Yes, but why is he sponsoring you

ME:(I paused a bit) He said he was willing to sponsor and so i didn't ask many questions

VO:What does he do?

ME:He's involved in hospitality business

VO:Can you describe what he does?

ME:He has/owns chains of motels, restaurants.

VO:His bank statement?

ME:Yea sure

VO:Can i see the sponsor letter

ME:(I didn't have it!) I have his income tax returns if you want(there was lots of chaos and don't think he noticed)

VO:Can i see the tax returns?

ME:(I gave it to him)

After having flipped the first page of the 30+ page doc he said

VO:His income is only 30,000$ a year and according to your I-20, you need at least 32,000$ a year so i don't see how he can sponsor you

ME:(I was completely taken aback) I think his income is over 200,000$ a year.I can show you the affidavit of support if you want

VO:Can i see the affidavit?

ME:(I gave him the affidavit)

VO:Whats his name?

ME:[i uttered his name but i could barely understand what i said(I was really shocked about how it all went so far)and he asked again and i said a tad more clearly this time.]

VO:He has a family of 4?(yes)[He went through the affidavit which stated that he had an asset of over 1mil$]He then returned the documents and went back to his screen.After about 2 mins he said he can't issue the visa right now.He gave me this white leaflet with a few sections i.e 214 or sth and basically a FAQ, and my passport.

I was completely devastated by that and so i couldn't even ask to get a written statement.I want to apply again with a different sponsor from my country before my I-20 expires.It seems they emphasize on the relationship with the sponsor quite a lot.What did i do wrong? Will this denial affect my future chances? Can this stop me from getting a visa at all? I am really shattered right now :/

[MUXAGIRL 69]

Well, seems like your F1 was a really long shot in this case. Indeed, why is a "friend" of your father sponsoring you? Who is so selfless in this day and age as to fork out $32,000/yr for four years plus extra to send someone else's kid to college? It all sounds very fishy and not convincing at all. I mean your sponsor is not even your uncle or any relative.

From the sound of it he does not sound like a hugely wealthy philanthropist either who can throw his money around and sponsor a whole bunch of kids if he pleases.

$200k/ year before tax is not much after tax, you are looking at about $120K after tax, plus he has four kids, plus I am sure other obligations. How can he fork out $32k out of it to send you to college who is not even his relative?

Your chance of getting F1 and getting to the US is if you use your own family money and assets or get a bank loan or qualify for a scholarship which pays for everything or wait till grad school when it is easier to get a fellowship.

[MUXAGIRL 69]

Just to add to my above post, there were reasons to deny our visa. They probably were

(1) the CO did not believe your sponsor was financially capable of supporting such a big financial burden for four years with his current income and his own family obligations with four kids.

(2) the CO was not convinced why a non relative would sponsor you and what is your relationship with this person. Why would that person be fully committed for a four year financial burden. He can easily withdraw his support ruining your career mid- degree.

(3) the CO probably thought without proper financial support you will work off campus for cash to support yourself which is against the F1 visa terms.

(4) Yes, in future when you apply for visa again, this visa denial is going to come up. But it is not a visa ban. It is just a denial because your application was not convincing. If you come up with a convincing enough application with proper financial support, I see no reason why you won't be granted a student visa.

[jan22 2,898]

And, just to add to the previous posters -- what they said was correct -- there was a specific reason why the visa was denied. It was section 214b of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It is frequently referred to as having to show "ties" to your home country that would require you to return. It is that -- but the other reason 214b can apply to a case is when you do not meet the qualifications for the visa category that you are applying for. A student visa (F1) requires that you have proof of liquid assets to pay for the full cost of the first year of studies and a proven income stream that will fund the remaining years. You did not submit convincing evidence of the ability to pay for your program of studies.

[Boiler 43,425]

I would make sure you have the money for your schooling in your own bank account.

I would also focus on why you want to do this course and why you want to do it in the US and how it will help you when you return home.

[MUXAGIRL 69]

I agree with Boiler. If you can spend from pocket, there are many other countries who offer equally good education and will gladly give you visa if you prove funding and they are not rigid at all when it comes to visa etc. for example Australia. Also, being a student in the US does not give you any advantage whatsoever when it comes to your future if you don't do exceptionally well there.

Many countries like Australia or New Zealand or Sweden, Denmark etc award people points when they apply for permanent residency if they have been students in their country. There is no such thing in the US at all. If you are in a science or engineering program, you should look into European countries particularly Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

[canadian_wife 1,791]

$32,000 every year for four years is a lot to ask of someone. When I got my F1 visa I made sure I had the money in my account to show that I could pay for the classes. It was difficult but I made it work.

Also, when asked why I chose my university, I didn't reply with "well, I applied and they accepted me". I made sure to tell them the qualifications of the school that I was attracted to, the quality of the teaching staff, the research opportunities that were available, and the nation wide recognition the school has. If you apply again, I suggest you do a bit more research on the school to answer the question accordingly.

good luck

[Boiler 43,425]

Certainly is a lot of money but seems he has someone prepared to hand it over.

[Merrytooth 5,748]

Probably to work in the chains of motels, restaurants as exchange

[Awesomesoccerfan 0]

The sponsor is legit.He's willing to pay for the whole of my education.Besides, i think i'd have applied for scholarship next year(since i ran out of deadline this year) and the 32k$ would have reduced to at least 20-25k$.Since I'm 19 and unemployed, wouldn't it raise a few eyebrows if i had so much money in my bank account? The problem is in convincing the CO about the case.I am a bona fide student( the CO didn't ask for my transcripts).How do I show 'strong ties' to my country other than telling them my family lives here in my country?

Thanks for all your replies

[Boiler 43,425]

I would say the opposite, without a lot of money education in the US would be out of reach.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

If you are in a science or engineering program, you should look into European countries particularly Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

And like a lot of foreigners in Scandinavia, you'll always been seen as the other and someone who invaded their countries at the behest of their liberal governments. What a fantastic idea going to a country where most people in the back of their minds really don't like you being there. I've had people literally say to my face that because I was white, I wasn't really an immigrant and I was welcome, as though it were no big deal to cooly say something like that in ordinary conversation.

Even being white and Northern European, you get a lot of flack for daring to intermarry with the native stock and your native spouse is instantly seen as someone with something wrong with them. Your children, if not blond (or light brown) haired and blue eyed, will be teased and again, seen as the other, like something less than the native children.

Plus, the points system has been overhauled a little recently and I wouldn't doubt it would happen again.

Oh, for the record, our pizza man in Denmark was a foreigner with impeccable Danish and English skills (something easier for Arabic speakers than others because of the guttural sounds) , a Palestinian, who had earned an engineering degree in Denmark. Couldn't find work, had to make pizza for a living.

I wouldn't be selling Scandinavia as some sort of paradise.

[Boiler 43,425]

Did he marry a Dane, or does Pizza delivery get you a visa?

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Did he marry a Dane, or does Pizza delivery get you a visa?

Humanitarian visa basically.

[canadian_wife 1,791]

The sponsor is legit.He's willing to pay for the whole of my education.Besides, i think i'd have applied for scholarship next year(since i ran out of deadline this year) and the 32k$ would have reduced to at least 20-25k$.Since I'm 19 and unemployed, wouldn't it raise a few eyebrows if i had so much money in my bank account? The problem is in convincing the CO about the case.I am a bona fide student( the CO didn't ask for my transcripts).How do I show 'strong ties' to my country other than telling them my family lives here in my country?

Thanks for all your replies

I guess my question is, and probably the CO's, why is this man willing to sponsor you, what is he getting out of the deal?

good luck