Visitor Visa - Chances of Approval

[millefleur 5,035]

17 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

MANY have claimed this.  (See above:  "none, nope, zero chance").  I haven't seen actual data (or even much anecdotal evidence from people here who personally experienced it), but in our personal experience, the husband had absolutely NO problem getting a B-2 from a VWP country.

I believe the point still stands that it is risky to apply for a B when one has the VWP. If the OP wants to take that risk, they are free to do so. The thing to remember is there is no guarantee and it does depend on strong ties. The OP may not have such strong ties that your husband had. It just hugely differs from applicant to applicant. OP being a fresh grad with no job back home could be risky compared to the situation your husband was in.

 

I'm also not sure that the "it’s about making use of a visitor visa in the years ahead" argument that the OP stated will win over the CO. If the OP can go to the US on ESTA in the meantime, he can always come back later and apply for a B whenever that "years ahead" plan gets closer. But who knows, no one can know for sure until they apply and find out.

Edited February 26, 2019 by millefleur

[SalishSea 16,769]

Just now, millefleur said:

I believe the point still stands that it is risky to apply for a B when one has the VWP. If the OP wants to take that risk, they are free to do so. The thing to remember is there is no guarantee and it does depend on strong ties. The OP may not have such strong ties that your husband had. It just hugely differs from applicant to applicant. OP being a fresh grad with no job back home could be risky compared to the situation your husband was in.

 

I'm also not sure that the "it’s about making use of a visitor visa in the years ahead" argument that the OP stated will win over the CO. If the OP can go to the US on ESTA in the meantime, he can always come back later and apply for a B whenever that "years ahead" plan gets closer. But who knows, no one can sure for sure until they apply and find out.

Yep, and I did mention the significant differences between his case and ours...

[DuncanWilson 4]

1 minute ago, millefleur said:

I believe the point still stands that it is risky to apply for a B when one has the VWP. If the OP wants to take that risk, they are free to do so. The thing to remember is there is no guarantee and it does depend on strong ties. The OP may not have such strong ties that your husband had. It just hugely differs from applicant to applicant. OP being a fresh grad with no job back home could be risky compared to the situation your husband was in.

 

I'm also not sure that the "it’s about making use of a visitor visa in the years ahead" argument that the OP stated will win over the CO. If the OP can go to the US on ESTA in the meantime, he can always come back later and apply for a B whenever that "years ahead" plan gets closer. But who knows, no one can know for sure until they apply and find out.

It would be nice to secure the non-immigrant visa early on for ease, but I’m not prepared to risk VWP benefits.

[millefleur 5,035]

Just now, DuncanWilson said:

It would be nice to secure the non-immigrant visa early on for ease, but I’m not prepared to risk VWP benefits. 

I think that's a sensible choice. Best of luck with your travels!

[aleful 1,905]

4 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

Not true.  My husband is from a VWP, and he applied for (and received) a B-2 with NO problems.  It does happen.  

hi

 

whoever said it never happens? I was answering the OP particular case, zero chance for the OP

 

Nobody here has claimed it doesn't happen, the OP doesn't have a job, unmarried, no strong ties to his country, but he understood and he is smart enough to have gone with ESTA

 

 

[Gonzala 9]

4 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

He had been over here on the ESTA, and POE was a tiny little island here in Washington state (we were coming in via Canada), and they clearly were not used to processing ESTAs or passports other than Canadian, LOL.....at least that's how it felt.  Also, he wanted the option to be able to stay for longer than 90 days.

 

He is in his 50s and had strong ties to New Zealand at the time (kids, property, job), but also was totally honest about having a GF in Seattle.

 

I know you are young and your situation is different, but I get tired of VJers claiming that no one from a VWP country EVER gets a B-2.  I promise it happens.  😊

A friend of mine from Germany also got a B-2 visa without any problems. He had been in Iran (with a travel group) and therefore couldn't apply for ESTA. I think if your reasons for needing a visa are reasonable, it is possible.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

B2 refusal rate for British nationals is around 20%, which seems pretty high, but a bunch of those applications would be from people whose background makes them ineligible for ESTA, and a bunch of those in turn would have the same factors making them ineligible for a visa (previous overstay, criminal record etc). Those who are applying with solid reasons, like Gonzala’s friend (same for a friend of mine who worked with an NGO in countries across MENA that made her ineligible for ESTA) are generally fine. And there was a British couple on VJ a while back who ended up getting something like 9 months total on a B because they were riding or hiking (don’t recall all the details) all the way up the west coast from mediocre to Canada. And OP like these might well be fine for a B in a few years’ time, but applying for a B visa now because you want to hike the Appalachians in 2021 would likely seem suspect. (And renewing ESTA really isn’t a big deal.)

[USS_Voyager 1,971]

Hey hey hey, what’s with all this Iowa bashing? Are you guys just jealous that you don’t have 10 feet of snow in the winter or is it because of all the corns we have? Oh I know, you’re just mad because you don’t get the workout by waking up at 4:00 am spending two hours shoveling the driveway and digging your car out of the snow...

[David & Diana R 1,005]

36 minutes ago, USS_Voyager said:

Hey hey hey, what’s with all this Iowa bashing? Are you guys just jealous that you don’t have 10 feet of snow in the winter or is it because of all the corns we have? Oh I know, you’re just mad because you don’t get the workout by waking up at 4:00 am spending two hours shoveling the driveway and digging your car out of the snow...

Lucky we live Hawaii.

[USS_Voyager 1,971]

36 minutes ago, David & Zoila said:

Lucky we live Hawaii.

I hate you with a passion 

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

57 minutes ago, David & Zoila said:

Lucky we live Hawaii.

Don't rub it in

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

Heh heh and then there are those of us who get the best of both worlds with the California double (and yes I do know people who have done this  I don’t surf, so not me)