Tourist visa rejection

[Aquarelka 1]

My husband is USC (H1>GC>USC during 10 years), I am a LPR (J1>F1>GC during 5 years), we have a 8 weeks old baby.

My mom applied for B1 visa in Moscow and was rejected last week. We all are frustrated by that. We do not know why it happened. My mom is widowed, she owns 2 apartments in Russia, has a job, has another child and grandchild in Russia. She brought all these evidences to her interview, but was not asked any at all. She was only asked how her daughter got to the USA, and if she has another child in Russia. And got rejected.

Yes, my mom has never been abroad.

The officer did not ask her about any evidences she had with her.

She is eager to apply again next week, she wants to come here to see her son-in-law whom she has never seen. And her grandchild.

I know getting a visa is like a lottery. But what are her chances if she applies again immediately? It does not say there is a waiting period, it says she can apply as many times as she wants. But of course it is costly and if she has no chances we will wait.

Any thoughts on the topic are welcome. Thank you!

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

Think.

What are the Immigration people afraid of? That somebody from Russia would stay in the US, correct? In fact, those folks are trained to assume that anybody who wants to travel to the US is not ever going to come back to the bad, cold, and communist Mother Russia, even if that's completely nonsense.

Hence, they want to see overwhelming ties to Russia, and zero ties to the US.

As you stated, the I.O. didn't even touch the ties-to-Russia part, as your mom probably told them that she has a daughter and a grandchild in the US. Thus, she basically has a wonderful support system in the country where she should have no ties to. Do you understand that kind of reasoning? If you do, you'll understand why she won't get a visa, now that they know and it's all in her file.

By the way, the B1 is a business visa.

[Neonred 3,454]

My step-daughter was denied a visa so I e-mailed the embassy and explained the situation and asked them about it. Had to ask them twice, but I finally got a decent response and they told me what she needed to do at the interview. Second time was no problem and she was given a 2 year B-2 visa.

[Henykat 16]

Think.

What are the Immigration people afraid of? That somebody from Russia would stay in the US, correct? In fact, those folks are trained to assume that anybody who wants to travel to the US is not ever going to come back to the bad, cold, and communist Mother Russia, even if that's completely nonsense.

Not only trained to assume that nobody wants to leave the US and go back home, but by law they are required to have this presupposition no matter what citizenship the visa applicant holds. I assume it is because once someone is here and wants to stay it's too late for CIS to do anything about it.

[Aquarelka 1]

Yes, I know that they consider every person a potential immigrant. And I understand that my mom got lost at the interview, everything was so fast and so new for her. She even did not realize when it was over.

Is there any point in applying for it second time in a couple weeks?

Is it a good idea for her to show "ties" to Russia when not asked about it?

[Boiler 43,588]

I doubt that there would be a change in the response to an immediate re-application.

But no downside.

Failing that organise a trip to see her.

[Noel194 53]

I had this happen in Kiev with my mother-in-law I will tell you that you will have a different officer on the next interview apparently the same officer cannot interview you twice so maybe that will help. I had my US Senator send an email to them embassy before the interview. I was told that he had no influence but 15 minutes after they approved her visa the embassy emailed my Senator telling him that they had approved the visa. So somebody was watching.

[Aquarelka 1]

Thanks everyone, we will give it another try.

[R&W 5]

My mom just got denied too. Frustrating. Somehow I wanted to give it another try and contact my senator. But somehow too, I may just go to IR-5 petition route, longer and more expensive, but has little risk.

[Dakine10 5,452]

My mother in law got denied a B2 in Kiev the first time she applied, about 9 years ago. It was kind of similar in that our daughter was just born, and my MIL was denied without them looking at any evidence. She managed to talk to a supervisor a couple of days later and he told her she was denied because she made the statement that she wanted to visit AND help us take care for her grandaughter for 3 months. According to the supervisor, this was sufficient reason to deny the visa and probably why they did not need to look at any further evidence.

She applied again 1 month later and said that she wanted to visit us for 3 months and they looked at the evidence and B2 was approved without any problem. She has her apartment, husband and job in Sevastopol but no other children. We never really knew if it was luck, different interviewer, said the right words, or the evidence they didn't look at the first time. It did help a lot that she was able to find out the reason for the first denial.

Anyway I don't think it hurts to try a second time shortly after the first. Maybe a different interviewer will help. The cost and time is the only downside. It would get expensive after a while.

[Aquarelka 1]

Update:

My mom applied second time 3 weeks later and had her interview 6 weeks later after the first interview. She had the same documents with her. They hardly asked any questions again and got her approved!!!!!!!!!!! YeaH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are really exciting to see her here for Christmas and New Year! Thanks everyone! This forum is priceless!

[Stanley Hermosill 1]

Congratulations! Just goes to show that sometimes it's a matter of getting lucky, ie. is the interviewing officers having a good day or not. A well assembled application helps him have a good day - Congrats!

[Stanley Hermosill 1]

I think JustBob pretty much hit the nail on the head with this one. Her ties to the US are too strong, and once she's in, it will be hard to get her out if she doesn't want to leave. And she might just decide to live with her daughter in the US - this is a common case.

[Dancob 1]

Congratulations to Aquarelka, and hope you enjoy the time with her on christmas.

And don't bother on reading those negative comments from some immigrants that believe they know everything, At the end your outcome shows they were totally wrong.

Again Congratulations for your relative's visitor visa.

[Fandango 1,439]

Think.

What are the Immigration people afraid of? That somebody from Russia would stay in the US, correct? In fact, those folks are trained to assume that anybody who wants to travel to the US is not ever going to come back to the bad, cold, and communist Mother Russia, even if that's completely nonsense.

Hence, they want to see overwhelming ties to Russia, and zero ties to the US.

As you stated, the I.O. didn't even touch the ties-to-Russia part, as your mom probably told them that she has a daughter and a grandchild in the US. Thus, she basically has a wonderful support system in the country where she should have no ties to. Do you understand that kind of reasoning? If you do, you'll understand why she won't get a visa, now that they know and it's all in her file.

By the way, the B1 is a business visa.

advice fail.

OP congrats!