B1/2 is a racket!

[blank0 2]

This tourist visa process is ridiculous! My wife immigrated from Thailand (with help from this forum-thanks) in 2008 and has been a citizen since 2012. We followed the process flawlessly. There are no black marks on our record. She wants to bring her Sister for an 8 day visit in April. We filled out the DS-160 and her Sister met all of the stated requirements. She has no black marks on her record either. She has a good job, money in the bank, and a secure residence. The woman who interviewed her in Bangkok was rude and dismissive. She asked 4 questions and quickly denied her visa. Her Sister had supporting documents from her boss that the interviewer wouldn't even look at. When she asked why she was denied the interviewer said that she was not allowed to tell her. #######?!?! I have been in email and phone contact with the embassy and getting nowhere. Only told that we are welcome to apply again, and pay another $160.! This is just not right. If there was a problem we need to know what it was so we can fix it. How are we to proceed. It really looks like they are simply generating revenue with these applications. In reading through what I could find here we are not alone. If anyone has any pertinent information to offer please share.

Thanks, Jim

[Mollie09 1,543]

What kind of pertinent information are you looking for? Your SIL sounds like a single female from Thailand, a country not known for easy tourist visa applications. The consulate doesn't have to give you a reason for denying her, and they charge you $160 for reviewing her application regardless of result. It's the consular officer's job to decide whether or not they believe she will use her visa for tourism purposes, they don't have to review any documents provided, and it is solely at their discretion to approve or deny it.

[Amit&Julie 180]

Blame all of the other people from Thailand who abused tourist visas and overstayed or didn't go home at all. They make it harder for everybody else. Best thing she can do is strengthen her ties to Thailand, if possible, and try again later, but there are no guarantees.  

[Boiler 43,543]

There are no stated requirements to obtain a B.

Edited February 19, 2019 by Boiler

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

"..met all of the stated requirements.."

What requirements? 

 

The fact is, your sister in law (as with every other B2 applicant) has convince the CO she will return home. If a visa is denied, she obviously did not convince the CO. She could blame many other Thai (and all other) nationals before her who were granted a B2 and either forgot to return home, or overstayed, or changed status to something else after entering on a B2. She does get the opportunity to reapply, and she can. 

 

No one forced her to spend $160. She fully knew the risks of denial. 

Edited February 19, 2019 by WeGuyGal

[carmel34 3,531]

Any B2 visa applicant who has family (or a romantic interest) in the US has a very hard time overcoming the intent to immigrate hurdle, especially from countries where there is a history of B2 visa abuse by others.  The information that she has a sister in the US will be on any DS-160 that she completes when applying for a future B2 visa.  The requirement to show strong ties to return to Thailand will have to be extra-convincing in her case because of this.  Often the officer considering the application does not even consider additional evidence, they simply go by what is on the application form.  Another DS-160 with the same information as the last one is likely to be denied.  Unfortunately, this is the reality of trying to get a tourist visa from countries like Thailand.  My husband, who is waiting in Brazil for a CR-1 spousal visa, does not even apply for a B2 to visit me in the US, even though it would be great if he could, because we know he will most likely be denied so why spend the $160?  So I go and see him in Brazil, or we meet in other countries outside the US.  Most likely, your sister will have go to Thailand to visit her family if they can't get a B2 to visit her in the US.  

[millefleur 5,037]

You aren't the only one who has been angered by family members not receiving a visitor visa.

 

It is common that CO's do not ask to look over supporting documents. The only time I've ever personally heard of that happening is when the B visa is for a very specific event and not for visiting family.

 

In certain countries, being a single unmarried female often makes it harder. Also, in regards to any "black marks" on your record, that would not even be considered at all during the visitor visa process. It is entirely up to the applicant as an individual and the decision is made based on their DS-160 application and the interview alone.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

3 hours ago, bigsky said:

This tourist visa process is ridiculous! My wife immigrated from Thailand (with help from this forum-thanks) in 2008 and has been a citizen since 2012. We followed the process flawlessly. There are no black marks on our record. She wants to bring her Sister for an 8 day visit in April. We filled out the DS-160 and her Sister met all of the stated requirements. She has no black marks on her record either. She has a good job, money in the bank, and a secure residence. The woman who interviewed her in Bangkok was rude and dismissive. She asked 4 questions and quickly denied her visa. Her Sister had supporting documents from her boss that the interviewer wouldn't even look at. When she asked why she was denied the interviewer said that she was not allowed to tell her. #######?!?! I have been in email and phone contact with the embassy and getting nowhere. Only told that we are welcome to apply again, and pay another $160.! This is just not right. If there was a problem we need to know what it was so we can fix it. How are we to proceed. It really looks like they are simply generating revenue with these applications. In reading through what I could find here we are not alone. If anyone has any pertinent information to offer please share.

Thanks, Jim

As the others have said, what “stated requirements “?  There is no such list. She wasn’t able to convince the CO of what she needed to know, as simple as that. Before I immigrated, I successfully applied for 4 B visas for myself (the first two were only granted for one year each); my husband 2; older kid 2; younger kid 1. That’s 9 successful B visas for me and my family, over a period of years and different personal situations when applying. And all of those while I had a parent in the US, the last set for all of us while there was a petition pending. It’s not a “racket”, if it was we’d have been out too I’m sure.

 

3 hours ago, Amit&Julie said:

Blame all of the other people from Thailand who abused tourist visas and overstayed or didn't go home at all. They make it harder for everybody else. Best thing she can do is strengthen her ties to Thailand, if possible, and try again later, but there are no guarantees.  

I would tend to agree with this in general, although Thailand’s refusal rate is relatively low, at 22% so I don’t think that plays a big role in this instance. There must have been something specific in the sister’s application they didn’t like. 

[nastra30 1,998]

Hmm, visitor's visa is one those visas where countries are 'punished' when people tend to overstay. Let's just say the CO was not convinced.

Edited February 20, 2019 by nastra30

[Chris Duffy 1,256]

I agree a Visitor Visa is mostly a scam.  Seems like for some countries only the old people and wealthy can obtain a Tourist Visa

[Unlockable 7,306]

In my personal opinion, I think people place too much expectation and high hopes when it comes to non-immigrant visas. I can see if it was an immigrant visa. But too many times we see people practically lose it when they are denied something like a B1/B2 when that type of visa is never guaranteed. One should approach applying for a B2 with cautioned expectation.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

11 minutes ago, NuestraUnion said:

In my personal opinion, I think people place too much expectation and high hopes when it comes to non-immigrant visas. I can see if it was an immigrant visa. But too many times we see people practically lose it when they are denied something like a B1/B2 when that type of visa is never guaranteed. One should approach applying for a B2 with cautioned expectation.

At the same time, we see silly overreactions in the face of personal denials. Things like - it’s all a money making racket, or someone here claiming that 80% of people at a particular embassy are denied and that the official data showing it’s actually a third of that are lies. 🙄 

Around 7 million B visas are issued annually. That’s a lot of successful visas.

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

I read many online forums where people freely admit to lying and carrying fake documentation to secure a B-visa. Some are desperate to get a visa, come what may. 

 

Therefore, COs have to be cautious about each applicant. No ties to home, no visa. COs are the first line of defense!

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

DId OP's timeline flag change from Thai to Tajikistan? 

[Boiler 43,543]

9 minutes ago, WeGuyGal said:

DId OP's timeline flag change from Thai to Tajikistan? 

Yes