how likely to approve a visitor's visa?

[Torete 121]

I'm going to the Philippines this January and meeting a girl. I recently came into some money from the sale of a collectors car and returned the invite for her to come visit me. I'll be paying for both the trip and her stay here. She's currently unemployed after resigning for a four year stretch in a call center. How likely is the visa to get approved and is there anything we can do to help insure that it gets approved? I still plan on and have the tickets to go there in January.

Hi Skidroe,

I can't tell you "how likely is the visa to get approved..." but I can provide you with this link:

http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY13.pdf

Scroll down until you reach the Philippines. This is "The Adjusted Refusal Rate - B-Visas only by Nationality Fiscal Year 2013"

I agree with a number of VJ posters, it may be difficult if not impossible to obtain one but it will cost $160USD to find out.

Good luck and please let us know if you're successful.

Regards

[Torete 121]

Spent 2 years in the Philippines, (Cebu) and there are two things that are 99.9% impossible.,.,.,as I have seen many forgien men there visiting, potential wives, as, if you get a "good Filipino wife" there is none better in the world!!! Mine is fantastic! She came here 4-24-13, married 6-22-13.

Getting a tourist visa, you must have at least 250 to 400 thousand pesos, in the bank, and own property.,.,.and then the questions are endless as to "why" you want to come to the USA. The other thing is a "divorce".,.,.,.,.,which is impossible, as it does not exist there, and what is called an "annnulment".,.,.,,is possible.,.,.,but 3-5 years, thousands of dollars, and things like adultry, dessertion etc., mean nothing.,.,.,,the spouse must be proven to be virtually "out of his mind" when they married for an annulment is approved.,.,.,.,.,

BEEN THERE.,.,.,saw all of this, KNOW what I am talking about on this one!

Tourist visa, from a "comon person"..,.,.,.,.,.impossible! Sorry, for being the delivery of bad news, but "been there, done that!!!"

Raven52,

(Zero disrespect intended) Could you cite where: "...you must have at least 250 to 400 thousand pesos, in the bank and own property" are listed as one of the requirements to demonstrate "evidence of ties"? I'm asking because my MIL has significantly more in her banking accounts and I don't believe it had any influence in the CO's decision. In her case, the documents she did bring weren't asked for. As has been articulated ad nauseum by other members, there isn't any document that can't be disproved, which includes deeds to land etc. Once again, (respectfully) I've personally not read other threads where obtaining an annulment has any bearing on the CO's decision to either issue or not issue a visa.

Regards

[Ontarkie 13,918]

~~Off topic comments removed, post constructively or do not post~~

Edited August 29, 2014 by Ontarkie

[RhettVoe 281]

money in a bank account is far from the only item under consideration by the COs....money can be withdrawn from the account, 5 minutes after visa issuance, so it does not represent a significant tie or reason to return to one's own country after visiting...it may (may) allay concerns about the applicant working illegally as a tourist, but that's about all.

[raven52 233]

Torete,

When I said two things in the Phils. that are 99.9% impossible was a tourist visa, with the requirements I posted, and my post is "corrrect!!!" I assure you.,.,how do I know? I was there two years, and saw 4 people I personally knew, try for a tourist visa, and 1 was granted as she was part owner of the resort I stayed at, and "she personally told me, she was told she would need the amounts posted in a cretible Philippine bank, to get her visa. The other 3 people were told.,.,.,"you have no ties to come back to this country, denied!!! Been there, seen that!

As for the second thing, annulment" it was merely used as something that I also personally witnessed, by a friend of mine.,.,.,,and I saw what was involved.,.,it was merely a statement, added to the tourist visa. Just try to get one without what I told you what you need, and you would see I am exactly right.,.,.,.,and I did say 99.9%.,.,.,.,.so there is also a chance.,.,(no disrespect meant) and by the way this annulment was started in 2012, and is still on-going.,.,.,.,(no dis-respect meant)

[raven52 233]

RhettVoe,

Totally disagree! The lady I know who was part owner of the resort I stayed at told me she had to "freeze" an amount she did not specify, until she returned from the visa, and it was a substantial amount! And, no,..,.,you declare 250,000 pesos in a bank, get the visa, take the money out.,.,., "THEN.,.,.,.,try to depart!!!" You would go no-where! The money is "froze" until you return, and honor the tourist visa.,.,.,other types of visas may be different.,.,.,..,I speak of a "tourist visa only!" (from the Philippines)

You are simply mistaken in your post.,.,.,.,been there, experienced it!

[RhettVoe 281]

Sorry, but a CO cannot order a bank account frozen...so your so called experience or knowledge about this is totally false...how to disprove me? Let's go to the embassy Manila's website and find the 'frozen funds' requirement in order to get a tourist visa....ready????...no CO from the US of A can tell an applicant what to do with their time or money, other than regulate to some extent their behavior while inside the embassy...the US of A cannot tell people what to do with their money...the Dept of State has no authority to order somebody to freeze their bank accounts, nor do they accept maintenance of status bonds...you either overcome 214b or you don't, and freezing bank accounts is NOT part of the deal.

[RhettVoe 281]

this copied from the Embassy Manila website, under 'non immigrant visas' and 'evidence of ties'..

"

Posting of Bonds

There is no provision in the law that allows for the posting of bonds as a guarantee of return. Moreover, this is not considered as familial, social, economic or professional ties that can affect the applicant’s eligibility for a visa."

I rest my case.

[Torete 121]

Torete,

When I said two things in the Phils. that are 99.9% impossible was a tourist visa, with the requirements I posted, and my post is "corrrect!!!" I assure you.,.,how do I know? I was there two years, and saw 4 people I personally knew, try for a tourist visa, and 1 was granted as she was part owner of the resort I stayed at, and "she personally told me, she was told she would need the amounts posted in a cretible Philippine bank, to get her visa. The other 3 people were told.,.,.,"you have no ties to come back to this country, denied!!! Been there, seen that!

As for the second thing, annulment" it was merely used as something that I also personally witnessed, by a friend of mine.,.,.,,and I saw what was involved.,.,it was merely a statement, added to the tourist visa. Just try to get one without what I told you what you need, and you would see I am exactly right.,.,.,.,and I did say 99.9%.,.,.,.,.so there is also a chance.,.,(no disrespect meant) and by the way this annulment was started in 2012, and is still on-going.,.,.,.,(no dis-respect meant)

Kindly reference the link (citation) I provided FOR THE OP, whereby one may see actual statistical proof...albeit in regards to visa refusal vice issuance percentages.

The OP shouldn't have to rely on "99.9%" of the time guesses.

Gotcha! Your statements lack any citation or background to prove or disprove your comments.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Torete

[Boiler 43,518]

You can look up B2 refusal rates for a given Consulate, but not sure what that tells you, UK for example is quite high.

You want to know the figures for people with similar case to you, which may be high or low depending.

[dvc 11]

I thought that the refusal rate data was only as discrete as combined b1/b2 (which is even murkier). If you found a b2-only publication please share the source.

[RhettVoe 281]

The refusal rate at a given embassy is not really the issue,...what matters (to the COs) is the percentage of the population in the country they are working who abuse or violate the terms of a tourist visa...(which will then affect the refusal rate....the higher the rate of abuse, the higher the refusal rate will be)

[raven52 233]

Torete,,

To me you have little knowledge, as your time line is not even filled out, so I would firmly say you "have not been " to the Philippines, I spent 2 years there!

So, you wanting a specific "site" that says about what is needed for a tourist visa, is "proof that you are going to come back to the country, when the visa is expired! It does not exist!

To me, this is common sense, BUT all decisions is at the whim of the officer doing the interview, but what officer is going to grant some 25-30 year old, single woman, to come to the USA.,.,.,.1. Who is not a property owner.,.,., 2. Has significant land or monetary holdings in the Philippines. And yes, they will freeze a certain amount of your bank accout until your return.,.,.,..,"""What is so hard for you to understand common sense, and talking to someone who has spent significant time there, and saw many things..,.,..,.,last time, I am telling you, believe what you what, makes """"""""""""absolutely NO difference to me""""""""" as you just want to see a decision an officer would make.,.,.,.,.and they have the final say.,.,..,.,.Please use your common sense about this!

Your "grade school" comment of "gotcha".,.,..,.,was childish, and un-necessary!!!! And moderators, I did not start this, Torete did.

[Boiler 43,518]

And yes, they will freeze a certain amount of your bank accout until your return.,.,.,

Who will do this?

[RhettVoe 281]

The Seven Dwarfs? Bernie Madoff?....but certainly not the Dept of State....how can a US entity order a citizen from another country to hold their bank account as hostage, awaiting their return from the US? Bottom line: they cannot...there is NO legal mechanism by which the DoS can 'order' a visa applicant to freeze some funds as some sort of bond (apparently the poster who believes otherwise did not go to the embassy's website, where such a procedure is listed as an unavailable and useless option...hard to understand why somebody would think otherwise, in view of the facts.

Love to see undeniable proof of this fairy tale...does such a "requirement" exist in other countries???? In fact, no such requirement exists in any country, for the simple reason above...the US of A has no power or authority over citizens from other countries....