B1/B2 denial - Independant worker

[Hortense 0]

Hello everyone!

 

I an French and I just got rejected a B1/B2 visa for the second time. I wanted to follow a short professional training course for 3 months and travel another month and that's why I asked the visa instead of staying on my ESTA (HUUUGE mistake...); 

 

I thought that I was rejected the first time because I didn't bring any documents about my ties to France. 

With a lawyer, I prepared a folder containing: 

- My PhD diploma

- A medical certificate about my mum getting a treatment for a breast cancer (she is ok... :) )

- A property title about an appartment in Paris

- The registration of my company (6 months earlier with the real beginning of the activity 1 month ago)

- My plane tickets

- My bank statement

- The curriculum of the training

- My travel plans for 26 days

- SOme of my recent published papers

 

I mentinonned that I was a consultant at the first meeting and that I would stay at my boyfriend"s place (who is American). 

 

The second time, the lady berely looked at the documents, and told me that my situation hadn't change and that she was sorry but she couldn't accept the demand. SO it's more about "my situation". 

 

I would like to understand what is blocking in my situation. My lawyer told me to wait 6 more months. My plans about my course is ###### up anyways (as well as my ESTA...) but I would like to know if I could visit my boyfriend for few weeks in vacation at some point. And what should change about my "situation". Is it the fact that I have an American boyfriend? Or my company doesn't exist for long enough? 

 

Thank you for your help!

 

 

[Boiler 47,592]

Very difficult for someone eligible for the VWP to get a B, I assume your plans fell within the scope of a B, not sure what you mean by training.

 

Certainly try ESTA, with 2 recent denials may come up refused in which case follow the Lawyer's advise and try again in 6 months.

[SusieQQQ 11,588]

Yeah I reckon American boyfriend + self employment is what the issue is. Hard to know exactly of course.

[arken 4,199]

My guess on what the CO thought:

If you can be away from your self-employment for 4 months, you can as well not return and stay in the US with your bf and/or pursue immigration steps. So no material change in both interviews.

 

How it affects:

i suppose you have to apply for new ESTA if you want to visit your BF but will likely be denied because of your B1/B2 denial. 

[Hortense 0]

6 minutes ago, arken said:

My guess on what the CO thought:

If you can be away from your self-employment for 4 months, you can as well not return and stay in the US with your bf and/or pursue immigration steps. So no material change in both interviews.

 

How it affects:

i suppose you have to apply for new ESTA if you want to visit your BF but will likely be denied because of your B1/B2 denial. 

Thank you all for your replies!

 

Is the Esta going to be denied permanently? I can't find the info online... 

[arken 4,199]

not like permanent denial, same as visitor visa case, you apply for it, you’ll know. You could get approved too but denial likely based on the trend after visa denial.

[Boiler 47,592]

In most cases a denied ESTA for something like this will be approved eventually. Not all of those with denied visa's are denied ESTA.