B2 visa in my tricky situation.

[Iskender 0]

Reason: I want to travel next year to US for ~2 weeks to attent a festival, also my birthday, just to CA. I was not thinking about actually but, hey ya, I'm turning 1/4 of a century so since a week I'm trying to plan my trip...

Passport: Romania

 

Issues:

Here it starts the problems.

1. I've quit my job in mid 2016 to... travel.

2. I'm young 

3. Since then I've been traveling in 13 countries without to return home but two of them aren't "good friends" of US (Iran and Iraq) and 3 other are also in Middle East. Three more asian countries will be added until the visa application moment. If I will... Tho, my travel history include UAE, Japan, Korea as "developed countries". In Europe, there's no records except social media.

4. I'm not in my home country... I'm not a resident of the place where I am now, nor of the place where I'll be during my visa application. I think that will be in Singapore, Malaysia or Philippines.

5. Parents are divorced for my entire life, mom and bro in Japan dad in Romania. And in DS-160 will be a bit weird to state the close relatives as they have Japanese last names now... , and of course if I really want to move somewhere I would be able to do it to Japan, easy easy and legal. But I don't want to move anywhere, I'm just hanging around where the weather is good and the ocean warm enough (things on which CA kinda sucks :)) I've checked... )

6. (and worst) I don't have a proper job, but I have income. I'm working online but pretty chaotic so I earn this month for the next 3-4, then take a break. My work needs patience, lots of patience... A laptop and internet. 

7. I'm also blogging (in romanian, less in english) but I've got a nice instagram account. Ya I know they're stalkin' prior to the interview 

8. I don't know anyone in the US, no relatives there; 

9. I have to apply for my visa quite in advance (~5-6 months before) to know if I'm planning and book Asia-Europe-US-Asia or Asia-Europe-Asia. After the trip, I'll be back to Asia (winter is coming). Before, I'll be back home for a week or two (weddings). So, I can't apply in my home country as I'll be there a month before the time I should be in US.

 

Well, prior to this idea I was thinking that I'm totally ineligible to travel to US anytime soon, not even bothered too much about. And even if I get rejected, I don't know if I would be very sad. Well, I wanna give it a try.

 

Any advice is welcome,

 

Merry Christmas from Philippines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[az2014 381]

Sounds like a long shot. Not much advice to give apart from apply and find out. You can only show the ties you have, it is what it is. Let us know the result.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Apart from the description being a long shot chance, generally you can’t apply for US  visas in countries you’re not resident in.

[Boiler 45,658]

No harm applying, agree best to do it in your home country.

[Iskender 0]

I can't in my home country. I mean, I can but I would miss going this year, so there won't be any reason anymore...

I'm going to RO for 2-3 weeks in August. In September I should be in US and early October back to Asia.

So, booking one way flights are expensive, I have to respect some airline fare rules to book as multicity with codeshares to get the tickets (Singapore-Bucharest-SFO-Singapore) below $1500.

So, I can not book SIN-RO-SIN hoping to get the visa then book RO-SFO-SIN hyper overprices as that would happen max 2 weeks before the intended departure date  

 

 

[Boiler 45,658]

Do not book any flights involving the US without visa in hand.

[Iskender 0]

I know this, and I never book flights in advance of a visa.

 

What I'm saying, if I apply next month and surprisingly get accepted I can book the flights.

If I apply in August, would be useless as I can't book flights before a week and expect to be on a resonable fare for US and back to Singapore...

Edited December 26, 2017 by Iskender

[Boiler 45,658]

You can apply whenever you want.

[Dashinka 24,591]

Here is what it says on the US Traveldocs website.  It doesn’t exactly fit your situation since you are not a PR in the countries you are visiting.  As other have said, all you can do is try.

 

Good Luck!

 

Q.7 If I am a third-country national living in the India, can I apply for a nonimmigrant visa in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad or Kolkata?

Applicants are generally advised to apply in their country of nationality or residence. Any person who is legally present in India may apply for a visa in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad or Kolkata. However, applicants should decide where to apply based on more than just convenience or delay in getting an appointment in their home district. One thing to consider, for example, is in which consular district the applicant can demonstrate the strongest ties.

There is no guarantee that a visa will be issued, nor is there a guarantee of processing time. If refused, there is no refund of the application fee.

 

http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-gen-faq.asp#qlistb1b2

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

I personally knew people who tried to apply for a B2 outside their country of residence and the consulate refused to interview them and told them they needed to go home to do it. Not sure if it happens everywhere, but it certainly can happen.

 

anyway I think this is moot. No fixed ties to anywhere and an internet-based business that travels with the OP, I’d be very surprised if he/she gets a visa. Even without the visits to Iran etc to complicate it.

Edited December 26, 2017 by SusieQQQ

[TNJ17 1,329]

Yeah it sounds like a long shot. You need to show strong ties to your home country and without a job in your home country that sounds impossible to be honest. Also you said your family isn’t in your home country so that doesn’t help with the showing strong ties. You can always apply, but contrary to those who say there’s no harm in applying, there kind of is. Because if you apply and get denied, that will be on your record if you ever decide to apply again in the future and they will see you were once denied. Even though that does not disqualify you from applying future times it does look bad. So think long and hard about this trip before you apply. 

Edited December 26, 2017 by TNJ17

[usmsbow 802]

13 hours ago, Iskender said:

Reason: I want to travel next year to US for ~2 weeks to attent a festival, also my birthday, just to CA. I was not thinking about actually but, hey ya, I'm turning 1/4 of a century so since a week I'm trying to plan my trip...

Passport: Romania

 

Issues:

Here it starts the problems.

1. I've quit my job in mid 2016 to... travel.

2. I'm young 

3. Since then I've been traveling in 13 countries without to return home but two of them aren't "good friends" of US (Iran and Iraq) and 3 other are also in Middle East. Three more asian countries will be added until the visa application moment. If I will... Tho, my travel history include UAE, Japan, Korea as "developed countries". In Europe, there's no records except social media.

4. I'm not in my home country... I'm not a resident of the place where I am now, nor of the place where I'll be during my visa application. I think that will be in Singapore, Malaysia or Philippines.

5. Parents are divorced for my entire life, mom and bro in Japan dad in Romania. And in DS-160 will be a bit weird to state the close relatives as they have Japanese last names now... , and of course if I really want to move somewhere I would be able to do it to Japan, easy easy and legal. But I don't want to move anywhere, I'm just hanging around where the weather is good and the ocean warm enough (things on which CA kinda sucks :)) I've checked... )

6. (and worst) I don't have a proper job, but I have income. I'm working online but pretty chaotic so I earn this month for the next 3-4, then take a break. My work needs patience, lots of patience... A laptop and internet. 

7. I'm also blogging (in romanian, less in english) but I've got a nice instagram account. Ya I know they're stalkin' prior to the interview 

8. I don't know anyone in the US, no relatives there; 

9. I have to apply for my visa quite in advance (~5-6 months before) to know if I'm planning and book Asia-Europe-US-Asia or Asia-Europe-Asia. After the trip, I'll be back to Asia (winter is coming). Before, I'll be back home for a week or two (weddings). So, I can't apply in my home country as I'll be there a month before the time I should be in US.

 

Well, prior to this idea I was thinking that I'm totally ineligible to travel to US anytime soon, not even bothered too much about. And even if I get rejected, I don't know if I would be very sad. Well, I wanna give it a try.

 

Any advice is welcome,

 

Merry Christmas from Philippines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#3- I doubt visiting Iran and Iraq makes any difference. If you visited northern Iraq (Kurdistan), definitely not an issue. 

#4- As others have said, you should be a resident of the country where you're applying for the visa. 

#5- Unimportant

#7- Unimportant

#8- Unimportant

#9- Sorry, you will probably have to apply from your home country in order to have any shot at getting a visa. 

Edited December 27, 2017 by usmsbow

[Chewbacca 18]

I would contact the US embassy of your home country or the country that you're planning to apply for the visa and ask about the possibility of getting the visa outside your home country (if they had any rule against that). I had to renew my student visa once outside my home country (I was traveling in Europe) and it was fine. It was risky because if they had denied my visa I wouldn't be able to enter the USA again and I would have to go back to my country. Also I applied for a visa to visit Vietnam while I was in Cambodia, and it was okay. I know that they are not as strict as the american embassy, but I think it's not an unusual situation. The American Embassy in Singapore probably had applications from people backpacking around the world, and the fact that you've been visiting many countries is a plus. The most important thing is to show that you have enough money to support yourself while you're visiting the USA. So bank statements will be important in your application. First time I received a visitor visa to the USA I was just in college and I only sent my mom's tax return to show that she had enough money to pay for my trip since I did not have a job. 

Edited December 27, 2017 by Chewbacca

[TNJ17 1,329]

2 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

The most important thing is to show that you have enough money to support yourself while you're visiting the USA. So bank statements will be important in your application. First time I received a visitor visa to the USA I was just in college and I only sent my mom's tax return to show that she had enough money to pay for my trip since I did not have a job. 

That’s not true. The most important thing is you have to show strong ties to your home country so you can convince them that you’re not just gonna abuse that visa and stay for good. You do have to show you have money to support your entire trip but honestly the most important thing would be showing ties, a job, properties, family, which the OP has already said he has none. So super long shot here. 

[Chewbacca 18]

14 minutes ago, TNJ17 said:

That’s not true. The most important thing is you have to show strong ties to your home country so you can convince them that you’re not just gonna abuse that visa and stay for good. You do have to show you have money to support your entire trip but honestly the most important thing would be showing ties, a job, properties, family, which the OP has already said he has none. So super long shot here. 

Not everyone in the world wants to immigrate to the USA. And if all those requirements were necessary I wouldn't have received my first visitor's visa to the USA since I did not have a job or properties, just a family (not husband or kids) which I believe that the OP also has in her home country.