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ty_chris

Disappointed! Tourist visa denial

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Filed: Timeline

Hello,

Recently my wife, 5 year old daughter and I had applied for US Tourist Visas to visit my wifes married sister living in Michigan. We had our interview on 10 April this month at the US Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan where I live, which was conducted by an American lady. We came with great anticipation but went home very disappointed after the interview. My wife was looking forward to visiting her youngest sister after almost 10 years. She used to live in Canada with her elder married sister and father. She then got married to an American citizen in 2012 and moved to the US. They shuttle back and forth between Canada / US frequently while her husband works in the US.

What was really disappointing was that we were not even given a chance to prove that we were just going to visit and return. After a series of routine questions about job, salary, family etc a letter was given to us by the lady telling us that we could not get the tourist visas and our passports returned. This letter mentions 214 (b) as the reason, which means that she was not convinced that we will return to our home country.

Frankly speaking, we have no reason to stay back illegally in the US. We have a happy life here in Karachi living with our family/relatives. My father who is now 88 years old is also being supported by me and my younger unmarried sister too. We also have own property (our apartment) in our name, my car, investments in my fathers name which prove our strong ties to our home country.

The surprising part was that we were not given a chance to prove our intention to return home, with required documents that we had including bank statements. Do they have a way of accessing our info to know beforehand our personal details??

I would really appreciate your advice and what I should do next. We really want to apply and get a 5 year multiple to visit and return home. I may state that many of my friends / relatives got 5 year multiple visas without any hassle recently. Just a few qs and thy were done. Why weren't we so lucky?? :(

Thanks once again.

Tyrone

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: United Kingdom
Timeline

She can try meeting her sister in Canada.

November 14th, 2013: She's here!

December 12th, 2013: Picked up marriage license.

December 14th, 2013: Wedding

6gai.jpg

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
Timeline

Canada is nice.

As an aside how do you prove that you would return?

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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Filed: Timeline

We would love to but a canadian visa is even more difficult to obtain here. Near to impossible. The canadian consulate doesn't grant visas very easily as compared to the U.S.

How do I prove I will return??? Well she didnt give us a chance to explain and just handed back our passports. At least she could have asked for dicumentary proof. We have our apartment, car, my family to return to.

Edited by ty_chris
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Filed: Other Country: Canada
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We would love to but a canadian visa is even more difficult to obtain here. Near to impossible. The canadian consulate doesn't grant visas very easily as compared to the U.S.

How do I prove I will return??? Well she didnt give us a chance to explain and just handed back our passports. At least she could have asked for dicumentary proof. We have our apartment, car, my family to return to.

You're kidding me right? It's far easier to obtain a visa to visit Canada.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
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We would love to but a canadian visa is even more difficult to obtain here. Near to impossible. The canadian consulate doesn't grant visas very easily as compared to the U.S.

How do I prove I will return??? Well she didnt give us a chance to explain and just handed back our passports. At least she could have asked for dicumentary proof. We have our apartment, car, my family to return to.

I also thought Canada was easier.

Cars and Apartments can be sold, what documentary proof or returning did you have?

When I moved I thought I was going to have to get my family to sell my car, still have my apartment.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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An entire family going to the US to visit a relative is always going to spark suspicion. Maybe your wife and child should try again and you stay. That would give them more ties to their home country. Unfortunately you are paying for the sins of those that have gone before you. I hold my breath ever time a relative of my wife's wants to visit and has to go get a tourist visa. Kazakhstan has just recently issued a 5 year visa so the US MAY also issue a 5 year visa--we have not tried since they started the multi-year visa so for us it has been a visa every time someone wants to visit. Some times it is approved and others it is not. There is no rime or reason that I can see. For us, we supply all documentation with the passport and application. The "interview" is to pick up the passport with or without the visa in it. The decision is made long before arrival at the Consulate in Almaty.

I would say most people who live in Kazakhstan would not want to give it up to live in the US. I would love to go and live there, but most workers at an Embassy or Consulate think everybody wants to move to the US and that is in fact the rule they must follow--everyone is a potential immigrant until THEY PROVE otherwise. Now how does one prove you would rather live in a country with a lower standard of living compared to the US (I am talking about wages and money issues not other things that people consider when deciding on a country or job, etc)?

You can apply as many times as your money allows. For my wife, we applied two weeks later with the same information and the second time she was approved. It does help if all those involved have had visas before to show that they returned as required.

Dave

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You have provided too much proof, by doing this, the consul would definitely have a suspicion. Try next time and be a little subtle, besides the embassy already knows everything about you even before the interview. My cousin and her friend applied for a tourist visa back in the 90's and her friend only shows that she works at the bank and with a little savings and she got approved, on the other hand, my cousin showed everything she has and yet she got denied.

Sometimes, it's also all about luck to get interviewed by a consul who happened to start his or day with a good cup of coffee ^_^.

Dec 15,2009 - Assigned interview date on January 24,2010!!

Jan. 24, 2010 - Interview!! Approved

Jan. 28, 2010 - VISA received

Mar. 03,2010 - POE, New York (JFK)

Apr. 12,2010- CA ID

May 20,2010- CA Driving License

May, 25,2010-Wife told me that she is pregnant ^_^

Jan.25,2011- Our daughter was born

Lee and Jen + Karenza

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Filed: Timeline

No i'm not kidding its very difficult to get a visa to Canada from here. As most ppl from here have migrated to canada and many ppl trying for visit visas have been refused.

Boiler, the US refuasl letter I received clearly states that the applicant must show strong ties that they will return to their home country. Such ties are professional, work, school, family and social links. The letter also states that one way of demonstrating it is to show that you have a residence in a home country which you have no intention of abandoning. I have my own apartment in my name. I fullfil that requirement. Secondly I have a permanent job for the last 4 years and also my wife for the last 7 years. What other documentary proof or returning would you suggest to show????

Thanks Dave&Roza for your advice ...I think it was just bad luck and we will probably apply again.

Lancelotte25, I didnt try to hide anything as the application form requested all these details and I had to provide them under oath. Besides it was a consular officer who took the interviews. How does the embassy know everything before hand? Do they have access to all our information? Probably it was just bad luck :(

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Mexico
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after 9/11 visas to Canada became a lot harder to get.

I-129F: Sent 9/5/2014
I-129F: Arrived at Lewisville 9/8/2014
I-129F: NOA1 Text message/mail 9/11/2014
I-129F: Alien Registration Number Changed 9/16/2014
I-129F: Request to correct on document or notice assigned to an officer for response 10/25/2014
I-129F: Name Change request made 10/31/2014
I-129F: NOA 2 Text message/mail 4/6/2015

I-129F: NOA 2 Hardcopy 4/9/2015

I-129F: Sent to NVC 4/13/2015

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: United Kingdom
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I have my own apartment in my name. I fullfil that requirement.

An apartment isn't something you own and very easy to abandon once you're in another country.

November 14th, 2013: She's here!

December 12th, 2013: Picked up marriage license.

December 14th, 2013: Wedding

6gai.jpg

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Filed: Timeline

An apartment isn't something you own and very easy to abandon once you're in another country.

Well this is what their letter stated "one way of demonstrating strong ties to one's home country, is to show that you have a residence in a home country which you have no intention of abandoning."

Why would one want to abandon his property and forego a huge chunk of money to settle in a foreign land?

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Filed: Other Country: United Kingdom
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Well this is what their letter stated "one way of demonstrating strong ties to one's home country, is to show that you have a residence in a home country which you have no intention of abandoning."

Why would one want to abandon his property and forego a huge chunk of money to settle in a foreign land?

The letter is the standard one that everyone who is denied under 214b gets, I have three myself and will probably get a fourth in the near future.

Even though the letter talks about proof of ties there is no document in the world that will guarantee you will return home and by law they must presume that EVERY APPLICANT wants to live in the States.

As for why would anyone forego their property and lose a chunk of money to live in the US?

Unfortunately too many people have done exactly that, left property, jobs, relatives, friends behind to live the 'American Dream'.

People have even left children behind with the plan to bring them over later.

It truly is down to how much the interviewing officer believes you on the day.

August 2000: We start e-mailing. I'm in Bosnia, she's in Florida

October 29th 2000: She sends me e-mail asking if I would marry her

October 29th 2000(5 seconds later): I say yes

November 2000: She sends me tickets to Orlando for when I get back

December 6th 2000: Return from Bos

December 11th 2000: Fly to Orlando, she meets me at airport

December 22nd 2000: I fly back to UK

January 3rd 2001: She flies to UK (Good times)

Mid February 2001: Pregnancy test Positive

Mid February 2001: She flies back to US

March 2001: Miscarriage, I fly to US on first flight I can get

May 2001: I leave US before my 90 days are up

June 2001: I fly back to US, stopped at airport for questioning as I had only just left

September 2001: Pregnancy test Positive again

September 2001: She falls sick, I make decision to stay to look after her as I am afraid I may have problems getting back in.

April 16th 2002: Our son is born, we start getting stuff together for his passport

March 6th 2003: We leave US for UK as family

Early April 2003: Family troubles make her return to US, I ask Embassy in London about possibilities of returning to US

April 16th 2003: London Embassy informs me that I will be banned from the Visa Waiver Program for 10 years, my little boys first birthday

June 13th 2006: I-129f sent

August 11th 2006: NOA1 Recieved

After our relationship breaks down she admits to me that she had never bothered to start the application process

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
Timeline

Could you not rent or sell your apartment?

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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Filed: Timeline

The letter is the standard one that everyone who is denied under 214b gets, I have three myself and will probably get a fourth in the near future.

Even though the letter talks about proof of ties there is no document in the world that will guarantee you will return home and by law they must presume that EVERY APPLICANT wants to live in the States.

As for why would anyone forego their property and lose a chunk of money to live in the US?

Unfortunately too many people have done exactly that, left property, jobs, relatives, friends behind to live the 'American Dream'.

People have even left children behind with the plan to bring them over later.

It truly is down to how much the interviewing officer believes you on the day.

Wow thanks MacUK that is a superb reply. It seems that this what they all think. I guess its luck on that day as many ppl I know got it without much scrutiny by the visa officer. I guess mine was just not convinced :(

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