Visa denied

[nottoolong 1]

Well, after all this long wait, May's visa was denied yesterday. I haven't spoken with her yet, or got through by phone. She's still in Bangkok and coming home shortly. She called her friend in Chiang Mai and her and I e-mailed back and forth last night. May called her to let her know. The reason was that May couldn't answer the questions well enough in English and she has to learn it better. I honestly thought they would have someone interview her in Thai as well as English, (so I read) so I didn't push her as much as I should've to learn it more. Once May gets home and I see her on-line I'll know. I can contact the embassy and find out how long it will take to re-schedule, but I would think that all depends on when she learns English. Has this happened to anyone and how long does a re-schedule on average take?

Thank you.

[bigdog 376]

I am not familiar with the embassy standards, maybe they felt if they cannot communicate with her how can you? See the embassy reviews on VJ for more information. Sorry to here this and best of luck. Maybe you could best be served by an attorney to assist in the interview process? Although I hate to give away my money just for that, best of luck on your review.

Edited December 15, 2011 by bigdog

[bradphatcharin 0]

Sorry to hear about ur interview,,,maybe they gave her a 221g form like we had? I thought Phatcharin was denied to but then she handed me form and it said as long as we had more pictures and emails from when we talked and letter from her ex saying its ok with him for his daughter to leave to USA forever,,,Once we got letter the form said bring in documents and we did then she was approved!

I would contact ur gal asap and hope she got that form best of luck

Brad n Phatcharin

[MalaysianGirl 26]

Oh noes, I'm sorry to hear this. I hope you will be able to talk to your fiancée about the interview ASAP. May we know how you communicate with her, a mixture of English and Thai perhaps? I am not sure if lack of English language skills can be the sole reason for denial. Perhaps other VJ-ers can chime in.

[Penguin_ie 5,987]

I agree with the previous poster, I don;t think it was her lack of English as such, but more likely that they didn't understand how you two communicate.

[nottoolong 1]

Thanks for all the responses. Once I talk with her, I'll know a little better. We communicate with a mixture of each. When we see each other, it's much easier for us to understand (phone is very basic conversation). She can read when I type and then when I say things in English slowly. Then I'll also speak a little Thai as well. She actually has read a Valentine's card back to me last year. We also get help from her cousins here locally to me, as well as her friend in Chiang Mai when we need to. Maybe I should've wrote something (as suggested) along with all the paperwork that was presented to explain it better. I just thought she would've had someone interview her in Thai. Before I hear from her (tonight hopefully) and contact the embassy about average timeframes, I wonder how long this will take or what the best direction is? Some said to go there and marry her, but I remember that takes a lot longer and puts us back at square one. Might have to tell her we need to work with each other more on-line to learn. She did go to some English classes at the beginning of the year, but she didn't practice enough. I'll be seaching the forums for similar situations for sure.

[Penguin_ie 5,987]

I don't know how long things take, a lot of that will depend on what the actual paper refusal/ RFE form says. If you get a second interview, it would be good if you can fly there to be present, it count for a lot. There is one thing you mention that could be a big red flag making them more suspicious, namely that she has a cousin living near you and you communicate via the cousin sometimes. They could see this as you being paid to marry her to bring her to the USA and that it is really her family who want her to immigrate, not you. They may be asking for a list of all her family members in the USA together with adresses.

[nottoolong 1]

Yes, I'll see what was actually said tonight, so I'll have a better idea. I wanted to be there for the interview, but it was decided against because of all the upcoming expenses with bringing her children over later. Now I wish I pushed her more. Her cousin helped so much with all the translating, but I see what you're saying about her family here. Maybe May was too honest and that put up a red flag. But in case they were going to question that, I told her the towns where they all live beforehand. So we surely weren't hiding anything. But maybe they still thought something was in question. Again, I'll have to see what happened and then I'll also e-mail the embassy.

Thank you.

[Karee 4,189]

I don't know how long things take, a lot of that will depend on what the actual paper refusal/ RFE form says. If you get a second interview, it would be good if you can fly there to be present, it count for a lot. There is one thing you mention that could be a big red flag making them more suspicious, namely that she has a cousin living near you and you communicate via the cousin sometimes. They could see this as you being paid to marry her to bring her to the USA and that it is really her family who want her to immigrate, not you. They may be asking for a list of all her family members in the USA together with adresses.

Agreed. I doubt it was an outright denial. More likely 221g.

[Ning 619]

Yes, I'll see what was actually said tonight, so I'll have a better idea. I wanted to be there for the interview, but it was decided against because of all the upcoming expenses with bringing her children over later. Now I wish I pushed her more. Her cousin helped so much with all the translating, but I see what you're saying about her family here. Maybe May was too honest and that put up a red flag. But in case they were going to question that, I told her the towns where they all live beforehand. So we surely weren't hiding anything. But maybe they still thought something was in question. Again, I'll have to see what happened and then I'll also e-mail the embassy.

Thank you.

I dont think the denial has anything to do with her English. I was offered a chance to interview in either language for example. There is a Thai staff member at these interviews to help if needed.

I agree with Penguin that she may have said too much about the relatives. Too much info can be bad as not enough.

I do not agree that you being there would have changed anything. You wouldnt be allowed inside. In my own case my husband was allowed inside but this was several years back. Even though he was there they made it clear that I was being interviewed. At the end they asked some polite questions but the decision had been made.

You need more info from her to see what really went wrong. In some cases I know of they simply wanted some further documents & when provided they issued the visa.

[nottoolong 1]

Hello Ning,

I thought I read there would be someone available to help in Thai if needed. Maybe she did say too much about something then, because her cousin's parents were given travel visas and they could only basically say yes, no, and hello in English. May did e-mail me and said the woman was very serious and kept talking in English and said for May to learn more for the next time. From what May said, we didn't have enough evidence as well. I thought we had plenty. So maybe a combination of a couple things added up. They also want to know the role of her cousin, who helped a lot with the translating. This is what May attached in her e-mail last night -

Please submit significantly more evidence that this is a legitimate relationship.Please address the role of (May's cousin) in the relationship and how you communicate, since you appear unable to speak English and we have no reason to believe that the petitioner can speak Thai. Thank you

Maybe I should've wrote an additional letter (as suggested by Andy) to state some of these things. Though I did state in the 129F that I've started learning a little Thai (and May started with some English classes but ultimately didn't practice enough). We understand each other much better when we see each other on-line, and I speak a little Thai or type in English when she doesn't understand what I say. She read a card back to me at one time, so I know she can read English. It's just when spoken to that it's difficult for her. I spoke with her briefly after I read her e-mail last night by phone, and we're seeing each other tonight to talk more. I'll ask if she was given a 221g form too. I'll also be contacting the embassy on what kind of significantly more evidence they require. I have more e-mails I can use, as I didn't include everything as I thought what was given was enough. But it's not significantly more. I know I couldn't go into the interview, but I thought that just being outside might help. This is kind of mixed in the responses though. Maybe another visit over to her is something they want to see too. Again, once the embassy gets back to me I'll have a better idea. I want to see her regardless of what they want now, as I haven't touched her since November 14 of 2010.

So since this isn't an outright denial, I wonder how long it will take for another interview? I think we have a year? I'll have to check on that. I know it's all depending on what they say/want of course.

[Karee 4,189]

Hello Ning,

I thought I read there would be someone available to help in Thai if needed. Maybe she did say too much about something then, because her cousin's parents were given travel visas and they could only basically say yes, no, and hello in English. May did e-mail me and said the woman was very serious and kept talking in English and said for May to learn more for the next time. From what May said, we didn't have enough evidence as well. I thought we had plenty. So maybe a combination of a couple things added up. They also want to know the role of her cousin, who helped a lot with the translating. This is what May attached in her e-mail last night -

Please submit significantly more evidence that this is a legitimate relationship.Please address the role of (May's cousin) in the relationship and how you communicate, since you appear unable to speak English and we have no reason to believe that the petitioner can speak Thai. Thank you

Maybe I should've wrote an additional letter (as suggested by Andy) to state some of these things. Though I did state in the 129F that I've started learning a little Thai (and May started with some English classes but ultimately didn't practice enough). We understand each other much better when we see each other on-line, and I speak a little Thai or type in English when she doesn't understand what I say. She read a card back to me at one time, so I know she can read English. It's just when spoken to that it's difficult for her. I spoke with her briefly after I read her e-mail last night by phone, and we're seeing each other tonight to talk more. I'll ask if she was given a 221g form too. I'll also be contacting the embassy on what kind of significantly more evidence they require. I have more e-mails I can use, as I didn't include everything as I thought what was given was enough. But it's not significantly more. I know I couldn't go into the interview, but I thought that just being outside might help. This is kind of mixed in the responses though. Maybe another visit over to her is something they want to see too. Again, once the embassy gets back to me I'll have a better idea. I want to see her regardless of what they want now, as I haven't touched her since November 14 of 2010.

So since this isn't an outright denial, I wonder how long it will take for another interview? I think we have a year? I'll have to check on that. I know it's all depending on what they say/want of course.

That's a 221g. It's not a denial. I believe you can go back Mondays and Wednesdays between 1-3 pm to submit what they want. I don't know how she's going to overcome the English thing in a short time. Email the embassy. Subject line should be this:

IV Inquiry BNK2011xxxxxxx (xxxxxxx being your case number) You will have that number from the letter NVC sent you.

Email is visasbkk2@state.gov

[nottoolong 1]

Thank you Karee. I'll be seeing May tonight and will ask her about the 221g. This is a form isn't it, and would they have given it to her? I'll see tonight.

Yes, I'll be using the appropriate subject line when I contact them. I'll have to see what they really want. After reading the reply's, it has to be something other than but along with the English. I'll find out for sure if it was something she said. I will tell them she can read English but has difficultly when spoken to. Maybe we'll go on a crash English course together over the next couple months. I'm sure she'll be much better in a short timeframe as they probably made her nervous too.

[Ning 619]

Hello Ning,

I thought I read there would be someone available to help in Thai if needed. Maybe she did say too much about something then, because her cousin's parents were given travel visas and they could only basically say yes, no, and hello in English. May did e-mail me and said the woman was very serious and kept talking in English and said for May to learn more for the next time. From what May said, we didn't have enough evidence as well. I thought we had plenty. So maybe a combination of a couple things added up. They also want to know the role of her cousin, who helped a lot with the translating. This is what May attached in her e-mail last night -

Please submit significantly more evidence that this is a legitimate relationship.Please address the role of (May's cousin) in the relationship and how you communicate, since you appear unable to speak English and we have no reason to believe that the petitioner can speak Thai. Thank you

Maybe I should've wrote an additional letter (as suggested by Andy) to state some of these things. Though I did state in the 129F that I've started learning a little Thai (and May started with some English classes but ultimately didn't practice enough). We understand each other much better when we see each other on-line, and I speak a little Thai or type in English when she doesn't understand what I say. She read a card back to me at one time, so I know she can read English. It's just when spoken to that it's difficult for her. I spoke with her briefly after I read her e-mail last night by phone, and we're seeing each other tonight to talk more. I'll ask if she was given a 221g form too. I'll also be contacting the embassy on what kind of significantly more evidence they require. I have more e-mails I can use, as I didn't include everything as I thought what was given was enough. But it's not significantly more. I know I couldn't go into the interview, but I thought that just being outside might help. This is kind of mixed in the responses though. Maybe another visit over to her is something they want to see too. Again, once the embassy gets back to me I'll have a better idea. I want to see her regardless of what they want now, as I haven't touched her since November 14 of 2010.

So since this isn't an outright denial, I wonder how long it will take for another interview? I think we have a year? I'll have to check on that. I know it's all depending on what they say/want of course.

I am so sorry to see this happen.

I am sure she was just honest with them about everything but the officer may have read something into this that isnt correct. The info from the 221g will tell us what they want.

Karee is correct about the return times ect. Someone I know submitted the 221g info on those dates & was issued a visa within days.

It may be a good idea to have her tell them she plans on attending ESL classes as soon as she settles in the USA. She will do as we all have to learn this English language & have little problem getting the basics down. My ability improved quickly when I was in a better position to learn.

If you think it will help I will call her right away. Just send me a P M with some info.

[nottoolong 1]

Me too Ning. I was kind of numb when her friend e-mailed me. I'm sure she was honest too and trying to say the right things. I'll be talking with her tonight and I'll ask her about the 221g. Will she only receive it and could I request it to be sent to my e-mail too?

That's a good point about the ESL classes. She's going to take some when she comes, and I also should've included that in a letter as well. I will send you a PM with her number. I'll be explaining everything to her cousin too, but everything can help.

Thank you.