B2 - Ukraine( Kiev)

[Joe_&_Nadiya 1]

hello VJ's members!

Long story in short. My husband and I want to invite my mother here, to visit us. She already had two interviews in Kiev and all was unlucky. The first interview (12/03/2010) was good, the officer was nice and polite to her, but she didn't show strong ties to Ukraine. In 1,5 months we decided to re-schedule her interview and she've got more evidences, but this time the officer was rude, mean to her and ignored to review any documents what she brought. It took less than 5 minutes and she was denied again without any explination WHY?. Like he said there were no changes since the first interview. She was trying to give him all documents but he ignored to review it. We are very disappointed with this situation, but still attend to get a tourist visa ( B2) for my mother asap.

Now we have a letter for Concular General - Kathleen Hennessey of Americian Embassy in Ukraine with explanation about this situation and give my mother another interview. But we don't have her direct contact email address and phone number. We found email addresses of Embassy, but we do want to contact her directly.

We do appreciate any help or advice.

Thanks, Joe and Nadiya.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

hello VJ's members!

Long story in short. My husband and I want to invite my mother here, to visit us. She already had two interviews in Kiev and all was unlucky. The first interview (12/03/2010) was good, the officer was nice and polite to her, but she didn't show strong ties to Ukraine. In 1,5 months we decided to re-schedule her interview and she've got more evidences, but this time the officer was rude, mean to her and ignored to review any documents what she brought. It took less than 5 minutes and she was denied again without any explination WHY?. Like he said there were no changes since the first interview. She was trying to give him all documents but he ignored to review it. We are very disappointed with this situation, but still attend to get a tourist visa ( B2) for my mother asap.

Now we have a letter for Concular General - Kathleen Hennessey of Americian Embassy in Ukraine with explanation about this situation and give my mother another interview. But we don't have her direct contact email address and phone number. We found email addresses of Embassy, but we do want to contact her directly.

We do appreciate any help or advice.

Thanks, Joe and Nadiya.

Not to be too personal Nadiya, but how old is your mother? I know several couples whose parents have received visas but they were all older, over 60 years old in every case. If your mother is a younger woman and has family here that would support her, she may be considered a greater risk of illegal immigration.

I have also heard of people providing an I-134 affidavit of support, and letter of invitation though technically she does not need it and must "stand on her own"

[Boiler 43,425]

Mentioned on the other thread that they did supply I 134 etc, which generally is not a good idea.

Also they may see her coming as unpaid child care.

[Harsh_77 716]

On top of it each country has a limit like you can apply for visitor visa twice and if they are rejected twice, you cannot again apply for another year or two or something like that.

So does not matter if you found the name of the Counsular General - letter to her would not do any good. Her team is there to evaluate the situation and grant visa at their discretion.

[Joe_&_Nadiya 1]

Not to be too personal Nadiya, but how old is your mother? I know several couples whose parents have received visas but they were all older, over 60 years old in every case. If your mother is a younger woman and has family here that would support her, she may be considered a greater risk of illegal immigration.

I have also heard of people providing an I-134 affidavit of support, and letter of invitation though technically she does not need it and must "stand on her own"

well, she is 56 years old. She is devorced since 1987. And she never remarried again or lived in civil marriage. My mom said that at the same day a 65 year old woman got a visa. She told that she wants to visit her son-in-law and a grandson. Her daughter died here. And an officer asked to go to another room to fill out some documents for visa. She was approved. With mom, the case is similar, only difference is I am alive. And an officer didn't want to listen to her at all.

[Joe_&_Nadiya 1]

On top of it each country has a limit like you can apply for visitor visa twice and if they are rejected twice, you cannot again apply for another year or two or something like that.

So does not matter if you found the name of the Counsular General - letter to her would not do any good. Her team is there to evaluate the situation and grant visa at their discretion.

many tourist visas are denied in Ukraine, every day. I don't know why. It's not like 50/50. More cases are denied than approved.

We found her name and sent an email, just waiting for any answer from Embassy.

[Joe_&_Nadiya 1]

Mentioned on the other thread that they did supply I 134 etc, which generally is not a good idea.

Also they may see her coming as unpaid child care.

but what to do if Ukrainian salary is too low. It's impossible to get a ticket for month salary. That's why we provided this affidavit of support. She doesn't have bank account. She is a retired teacher, still working at school. We knew it that officer pays attention on it, but he didn't say anything till he saw that she is divorced. Yea, she looks like a potentinal immigrant, but they didn't look at her evidence to prove ties with Ukraine. The first time, an officer was nicer and listen to her, making own desicion. That's fine, she was denied because of not enough evidence. But on the second time, she had everything, but an officer didn't look at it at all. Even he didn't want to listen to her, ignored her. Just gave her the same paper why she was denied "Not enough evidence". How? If he chose not to at it!

[Boiler 43,425]

but what to do if Ukrainian salary is too low. It's impossible to get a ticket for month salary. That's why we provided this affidavit of support. She doesn't have bank account. She is a retired teacher, still working at school. We knew it that officer pays attention on it, but he didn't say anything till he saw that she is divorced. Yea, she looks like a potentinal immigrant, but they didn't look at her evidence to prove ties with Ukraine. The first time, an officer was nicer and listen to her, making own desicion. That's fine, she was denied because of not enough evidence. But on the second time, she had everything, but an officer didn't look at it at all. Even he didn't want to listen to her, ignored her. Just gave her the same paper why she was denied "Not enough evidence". How? If he chose not to at it!

More likely 4 months it would seem.

Probably one of the reasons why so many do not go home.

[Noel194 53]

I had the same problem with my mother in law. I called my US Senator and he sent an email to the Embassy. Next interview approved in 5 minutes. Maybe I got lucky.

[Dakine10 5,452]

On top of it each country has a limit like you can apply for visitor visa twice and if they are rejected twice, you cannot again apply for another year or two or something like that.

So does not matter if you found the name of the Counsular General - letter to her would not do any good. Her team is there to evaluate the situation and grant visa at their discretion.

Never heard of that before. There is no limit in Kiev. My MIL applied in 3 consecutive months the 1st time she got a B2 (in 2001).

From the US embassy website - "The Consular Section no longer has a separate application procedure for applicants who have been denied recently. Anyone who wishes to apply for a U.S. visa may request an appointment at any time, regardless of the outcome of or time elapsed since his or her last application. Applicants who have been denied a visa should follow the normal application procedure."

[Dakine10 5,452]

but what to do if Ukrainian salary is too low. It's impossible to get a ticket for month salary. That's why we provided this affidavit of support. She doesn't have bank account. She is a retired teacher, still working at school. We knew it that officer pays attention on it, but he didn't say anything till he saw that she is divorced. Yea, she looks like a potentinal immigrant, but they didn't look at her evidence to prove ties with Ukraine. The first time, an officer was nicer and listen to her, making own desicion. That's fine, she was denied because of not enough evidence. But on the second time, she had everything, but an officer didn't look at it at all. Even he didn't want to listen to her, ignored her. Just gave her the same paper why she was denied "Not enough evidence". How? If he chose not to at it!

We have gone through this process twice for my mother in law and twice for my father in law in Kiev. Every time we prepare a huge list of evidence and every time the consular officer ignores most of it. I almost feel they have made their decision before the interview.

My mother in law was denied the first time right after our daughter was born in 2001 because they suspected she was coming to help with child care. A month later she was denied without a reason given, and a month after that she was approved. Nothing changed between the second and third month except there was a different officer.

My father in law first applied in 2002 and was approved without any problems. Both got their second B2's without any problems. The only change the second time around was that they had retired. They were both in their late 50's the first time they were approved.

[Joe_&_Nadiya 1]

We have gone through this process twice for my mother in law and twice for my father in law in Kiev. Every time we prepare a huge list of evidence and every time the consular officer ignores most of it. I almost feel they have made their decision before the interview.

My mother in law was denied the first time right after our daughter was born in 2001 because they suspected she was coming to help with child care. A month later she was denied without a reason given, and a month after that she was approved. Nothing changed between the second and third month except there was a different officer.

My father in law first applied in 2002 and was approved without any problems. Both got their second B2's without any problems. The only change the second time around was that they had retired. They were both in their late 50's the first time they were approved.

the single thing we didn't mention on her application is that she is retired. Should we?

I had the same problem with my mother in law. I called my US Senator and he sent an email to the Embassy. Next interview approved in 5 minutes. Maybe I got lucky.

yes, I guess you did I hope the third time we will get lucky.

[Boiler 43,425]

There is no we.

What has she previously put down as her occupation?

[Joe_&_Nadiya 1]

There is no we.

What has she previously put down as her occupation?

what do you mean "there is no we" ?

Her occupation is a teacher, over 30 years till now.

[Dakine10 5,452]

There is no we.

As far as filling out the forms, we always do it as "we". By having the online form in English only, it almost certainly has to be done as "we". In fact it's mostly "me".

My inlaws would have a hard time doing the paperwork themselves if the form was in Russian. Having it in English pretty much assures that we fill it out for them. Which is why USCIS gives the option to do that.