3 rejections, 4th interview in 2 days, please help

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Hello guys, here is my experience with B1/B2 visitor visa in the US embassy – Cairo:

I got rejected 3 times so far

I am a dentist and finished my internship in last November. I had booked an NBDE – 1 exam (that is only held in the US and Canada and is the 1^st step in equivalency process).

travel history: born and raised in the UAE (till age of 18), then only traveled to another gulf country in the last 5 years.

marital state: single

my total income: 4600 EGP (approx 470USD)

my brother (sponsor) income: 80,000 USD per annum

1^st trial:

My parents and I had booked an appointment as a family.
Our plan was for me to write the exam, and then go on a tourist journey for 2 weeks. Our only issue that my dad (he is retired and has his own business) where he deals with cash most of the time not using his bank account, so there is not much deposits or withdrawals on the account.
So we deposited around 12,000 USD and issued (Final Credit certificate) from the bank instead of a bank statement.
here is some of the interview:

VO: why are you having this exam?
ME: I was born and raised in the UAE, so I am planning to boost my CV by having NBDE examinations in order to get back to work in the Gulf.

VO: have you traveled as a family before?
ME: other than to the UAE, only to Saudi Arabia.

VO: what do you work?
ME: I am a dentist with 2 jobs, the first is in the public sector (ministry of health) and the second is in a private dental practice. My total individual monthly income was 4600 EGP

VO (turned to my dad and spoke in Arabic): what do you work?
DAD: I am retired, worked as (…) in the gulf, now own my business.

VO: total income?
DAD: around 20,000 EGP monthly.

We got rejected because she said:

-the final credit is not showing monthly income (unlike the bank statement), she also misunderstood that the credit is all what my dad has got (not just the amount of money deposited for travel expenses), and said that we're going to spend half of this money in this journey.

- we haven't traveled abroad as a family together before (despite the fact that we lived abroad for around 2 decades).

- she said my plan was built on getting back to a gulf country, while she needs a plan based on getting back here to home country! (which I find weird, as their concern should be to ensure I am not staying in the US, regardless of my destination out of US soil)

She was very aggressive and never gave us the chance to explain.

2^nd trial:

It was around a week after the 1^st appointment.
VO was really nice, listened to whatever I needed to explain.
She did a lot of typing on the computer, asked her colleague (VO next to her) about something during the interview.

things I changed:

- we altered our plan and I applied alone this time, and travel period was supposed to be 1 week only.
- This time I said I am having the exam also to improve my CV, but not to go to a Gulf country, but instead to have a good reputation and compete better in the market (as competition is tough among private dental practices) as I am a future faculty staff member (demonstrator) and that would enhance my CV. I changed my plan based on last VO rejection.

this time felt closest to approving, but after a lot of typing: she REJECTED the visa.
the only comments she made:

- Bank account is "current" not "investment" type, and that I DIDN’T GET!,
- "no enough ties". She answered my question about why I was rejected.

3^rd trial: that was around 2 months after second appointment.

things I changed:

- I had my brother (living abroad, working as a sales manager in an international company) sponsor me, introduced his very good bank statement and letter of sponsorship.

- Reasoning behind me having the exam was almost the same as second appointment, except I added that my faculty would not grant me a scholarship, so I am doing these exams on my own expense.

She was also really nice and polite, but rejected me as well.

ME: may I know the reason of the rejection?
VO: its written in the paper.

ME: yeah bnut these are just general reasons, why specifically was I rejected? Was it a financial reason?
VO: no financially its okay, but there might be no enough ties.
ME: I had documents you didn’t ask me to show any (I had my car and my apartment documents).
VO: Its okay I have the profile, and its mostly social ties, sorry I have the next candidate.
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Now my 4^th interview is after 2 days, the reason why I am applying again and again is because I paid for the exam and its going to expire in 11 days if you don’t show up in the exam and its nonrefundable.

things I added this time:

- I booked a conference on the same date of exam but extending 2 to 3 days after it, and had it's invitation letter.

- I got a paper showing I am in the process of being a faculty staff member.

what do you think I can do differently this time?

your input is highly appreciated.

[az2014 381]

Wow.

I can smell your desperation to enter the USA just by reading your post.

I am sure you dont actually need to do any exam in the US to do your job in your home country.

[Georgia16 2,858]

You seem desparate to go to the US. They don't believe you will return.

Your brother can't sponsor you.

[millefleur 5,035]

It seems really odd that there's an important dental examination held in two countries where it will be hard for a lot of people to get visas to take them? Oh wait, because it seems like that's for dentists who want to work/study in the US. Right?

You should never pay or anything or buy tickets for a country in which you do not have a visa to yet (unless it's refundable.) That's just general common sense for any country when you're planning your trip. That includes exams, universities, etc....just because you paid for fees/services in that country doesn't automatically guarantee a visa.

Edited October 10, 2016 by millefleur

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Wow.

I can smell your desperation to enter the USA just by reading your post.

I am sure you dont actually need to do any exam in the US to do your job in your home country.

okay, regardless of you being mean to answer in this way, instead of coming up with something useful, I HAVE MY REASONS:

I booked for a non-refundable exam as I didn't see these difficulties in obtaining the visa coming, that's hands down a mistake,. But thats why I re-applied 2 times because exam is going to expire.

Besides, who said I wouldn't be able to do my Job here?, It's fair for everybody to boost their CV , except for potato couches of course,

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You seem desparate to go to the US. They don't believe you will return.

Your brother can't sponsor you.

thanks for your reply

It's just my exam is going to expire and thats why im re-applying, I'm not doing it without an URGENT reason.

I am sorry is this a guess or an info, that my brother can't sponsor me? as I know he can as long as he provides sponsorship letter.

[Georgia16 2,858]

thanks for your reply

It's just my exam is going to expire and thats why im re-applying, I'm not doing it without an URGENT reason.

I am sorry is this a guess or an info, that my brother can't sponsor me? as I know he can as long as he provides sponsorship letter.

It's a fact. No one can sponsor you for a visitor visa. It has to be on your own merits.

You have a job but what else would make you return to your home country? That's the way they look at it, they don't care about any exam you change it with the family trip and then exam and your brother "sponsor" you which he can't but also shows family in US

[secoooooo 0]

It seems really odd that there's an important dental examination held in two countries where it will be hard for a lot of people to get visas to take them? Oh wait, because it seems like that's for dentists who want to work/study in the US. Right?

You should never pay or anything or buy tickets for a country in which you do not have a visa to yet (unless it's refundable.) That's just general common sense for any country when you're planning your trip. That includes exams, universities, etc....just because you paid for fees/services in that country doesn't automatically guarantee a visa.

thanks for your reply.

well, let me tell you sth, These examinations add up to your CV out of the US, esp in the gulf countries in the middle east, So, even If I had the chance, in a completely legal manner, to pursue university their for equivalence later on, that DOES NOT, BY ANY MEAN, REPRESENTS AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OR PROCEDURE. It's my money that I pay for THEIR schools. But it's just not that easy to get accepted into schools there so there's got to be plan B after all.

More than one of my friends did these examinations, and they're still here in Egypt.

My point from the post was not to justify why im going, but to see if anyone has a suggestion other than giving up.

[secoooooo 0]

It's a fact. No one can sponsor you for a visitor visa. It has to be on your own merits.

You have a job but what else would make you return to your home country? That's the way they look at it, they don't care about any exam you change it with the family trip and then exam and your brother "sponsor" you which he can't but also shows family in US

I got 2 jobs, house,car and most importantly: two parents to take care of.

my brother is not in the US, he is in Kuwait.

I did say that I have an exam from day one, so i didn't "change" my 1st reason, It was supposed to be along with the family trip.

again, thanks for your concern.

It's a fact. No one can sponsor you for a visitor visa. It has to be on your own merits.

You have a job but what else would make you return to your home country? That's the way they look at it, they don't care about any exam you change it with the family trip and then exam and your brother "sponsor" you which he can't but also shows family in US

I got 2 jobs, house,car and most importantly: two parents to take care of.

my brother is not in the US, he is in Kuwait.

I did say that I have an exam from day one, so i didn't "change" my 1st reason, It was supposed to be along with the family trip.

again, thanks for your concern.

[millefleur 5,035]

thanks for your reply.

well, let me tell you sth, These examinations add up to your CV out of the US, esp in the gulf countries in the middle east, So, even If I had the chance, in a completely legal manner, to pursue university their for equivalence later on, that DOES NOT, BY ANY MEAN, REPRESENTS AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OR PROCEDURE. It's my money that I pay for THEIR schools. But it's just not that easy to get accepted into schools there so there's got to be plan B after all.

More than one of my friends did these examinations, and they're still here in Egypt.

My point from the post was not to justify why im going, but to see if anyone has a suggestion other than giving up.

My guess is that since the exam is mainly for people who want to work/study in the US, they just simply don't trust that your ultimate goal is tourism/visitor.

I can see how a CO would interpret that as intent to immigrate. Adding US-required credentials to your foreign CV and then telling them it's merely for boosting your CV in your home country sort of doesn't add up to the (already skeptical) CO's. They are trained to reject everyone who seems like they aren't just going over for a quick vacation romp/temporary business conference....sometimes having "set plans" outside of tourism/conferences (like yours) hurts your chances even more.

I know it's lame, but this is just how it is. Plenty of people on this forum have had family members' tourist visas rejected (including me) and we just learn to deal with it. There often is little we can do to overcome the skepticism of the CO's.

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My guess is that since the exam is mainly for people who want to work/study in the US, they just simply don't trust that your ultimate goal is tourism/visitor.

I can see how a CO would interpret that as intent to immigrate. Adding US-required credentials to your foreign CV and then telling them it's merely for boosting your CV in your home country sort of doesn't add up to the (already skeptical) CO's. They are trained to reject everyone who seems like they aren't just going over for a quick vacation romp/temporary business conference....sometimes having "set plans" outside of tourism/conferences (like yours) hurts your chances even more.

I know it's lame, but this is just how it is. Plenty of people on this forum have had family members' tourist visas rejected (including me) and we just learn to deal with it. There often is little we can do to overcome the skepticism of the CO's.

Yeah I guess you're right, nothing much we can do about it

do you think telling them that "my plans are the same, but If I got a chance to pursue dental school in the US, I will", will make things worse or better?

[millefleur 5,035]

Yeah I guess you're right, nothing much we can do about it

do you think telling them that "my plans are the same, but If I got a chance to pursue dental school in the US, I will", will make things worse or better?

From my experience, the more information you tell them about your intentions/plans in the US, the higher the chance of rejection for a visitor visa. The general feeling I get is that they issue tourist visas only to people who just want to have a fun vacation in the US (or are going for a specific business trip with beginning and end dates) and basically have no interest in the US other than that specific trip.

You can always keep applying, but the chances seem very slim for a visitor visa. You might want to start looking into any other possible visa options if you want to take the exam/study. I don't have any experience with said visas, you can try posting in the "What visa do I need" forum here, maybe other users might know more about such things.

[millefleur 5,035]

OH, I forgot to add: what was the reason for the rejection? I'm assuming you you a 214(b)? They give out grey pieces of paper here with that number and an explanation for the rejection.

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OH, I forgot to add: what was the reason for the rejection? I'm assuming you you a 214(b)? They give out grey pieces of paper here with that number and an explanation for the rejection.

yes exactly, it was 214(b)

[Ash.1101 1,755]

Yeah I guess you're right, nothing much we can do about it

do you think telling them that "my plans are the same, but If I got a chance to pursue dental school in the US, I will", will make things worse or better?

Do you really think it would help if you say that?

THEY don't know if you get a chance, but if you tell them "Well if I get a chance, I will" is basically saying "If the chance arrives, I'm totally staying whether you like it or not" or "I'm totally staying even if I'm not suppose too!".

You coming to the US on a tourist visa is for you to tour, it's not for business because you don't need this test to practice dental work in your home country.

I don't see you getting a visa, 4 tries in and you're not doing it for "visiting reasons" or even for "business reasons", you're doing them for reasons that would help you peruse a career in the US one day. That's not something the visitor visa covers.

And are you saying that you only make 400 something USD a month or a year? Either way both are EXTREMELY low, and there's no way they would let you in on that income.

If they looked at that, there's no reason to think you wouldn't stay in the US as you should have little to no money to even get back to your own country.

Also about the NBDE:

National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) is the United States national dental examination for students and professionals in dentistry. It is required for licensure in the United States and may also be required when applying for postgraduate studies in dental specialities after completing a dental degree. Foreign-trained dentists also must take the NBDE in order to earn admission into advanced standing programs in US dental schools.

Honestly if your CO does a little bit of googling that takes a couple of seconds, they'll find that you're not just trying to boost your CV for the gulf, but for the US.

You may have a better chance getting a student visa, taking some courses and then taking this exam, at least you're being somewhat honest about why you want in the US.

Edit: As a note, you can keep applying for all the visas as you want. But they can see all these applications and the outcome of all these interviews. You don't know what was put in the system by your past CO's, which stinks because it could be why the CO interviewing you gives you a big fat no.

Something has to change, either you have to be trying to come into the US for reasons that would equate to you NOT looking like you're going to want to stay. Right now, taking a test that licenses you in the US and helps you go to US schools, just makes you look like you want to stay.

Edited October 10, 2016 by Ash.1101