Previous visa denials effect on ds-260

[GTB 1]

Hi all,

 

So my wife and I are preparing her ds-260 and there is the question on it about previous visa denials.  My wife (who is Vietnamese) when she was younger had some issues with student visas.  She had applied 2 times and was denied both at the interview.  Her third attempt they granted the visa.  She then (unfortunately) lost her passport and had to apply again.  She was denied three more times at the interview and then ultimately accepted on the fourth.  She then used that visa to go to the United States to study (which is where we met!).  Now we are back in Vietnam and getting ready for consular possessing and I am a little nervous about this being an issue.  We have TONS of bonafides so I am not too concerned, but I was just hoping to get some opinions on what we might expect when the interview comes and if this will be a major sticking point/how to prepare for it.

 

Thanks so much in advance!

 

Brenden

[SalishSea 16,745]

4 minutes ago, BrendenGerber said:

Hi all,

 

So my wife and I are preparing her ds-260 and there is the question on it about previous visa denials.  My wife (who is Vietnamese) when she was younger had some issues with student visas.  She had applied 2 times and was denied both at the interview.  Her third attempt they granted the visa.  She then (unfortunately) lost her passport and had to apply again.  She was denied three more times at the interview and then ultimately accepted on the fourth.  She then used that visa to go to the United States to study (which is where we met!).  Now we are back in Vietnam and getting ready for consular possessing and I am a little nervous about this being an issue.  We have TONS of bonafides so I am not too concerned, but I was just hoping to get some opinions on what we might expect when the interview comes and if this will be a major sticking point/how to prepare for it.

 

Thanks so much in advance!

 

Brenden

Should not be an issue at all.  Just answer the Q honestly.

[GTB 1]

Thanks for the reassurance, I'm sure it won't be an issue, but this process really has a way of bringing out the paranoia! Fingers crossed it all goes okay 🙂

[Crazy Cat 39,180]

36 minutes ago, BrendenGerber said:

Thanks for the reassurance, I'm sure it won't be an issue, but this process really has a way of bringing out the paranoia! Fingers crossed it all goes okay 🙂

Previous non-immigrant visa denials are not normally an issue if the reason for the denials was lack of ties to home country....Just list them if required.

[JulianaSteve 25]

36 minutes ago, BrendenGerber said:

Thanks for the reassurance, I'm sure it won't be an issue, but this process really has a way of bringing out the paranoia! Fingers crossed it all goes okay 🙂

Paranoia is the base of this process haha don't worry, you are not alone! 

 

Like @Jorgedig said her just need to be honest. They know everything what happened with her visas before.

 

You are doing the correct way to get the visa so now is just wait and waaaaaait.

 

Good luck

[Sparkle Sparkle 913]

Waow denied 5  times lost a passport with approved visa once....it mus have been a struggle 

[African Zealot 1,452]

1 hour ago, BrendenGerber said:

Hi all,

 

 She had applied 2 times and was denied both at the interview.  Her third attempt they granted the visa.  She then (unfortunately) lost her passport and had to apply again.  She was denied three more times at the interview and then ultimately accepted on the fourth. 

Talk about perseverance. More evidence that consular officers are many times shooting in the dark. A true game of chance. 

[Crazy Cat 39,180]

3 minutes ago, Ray.Bonaquist said:

Talk about perseverance. More evidence that consular officers are many times shooting in the dark. A true game of chance. 

or lack of ties to home country.

[African Zealot 1,452]

8 minutes ago, missileman said:

or lack of ties to home country.

She demonstrated lack of ties to the homeland in four interviews and got denied then miraculously could demonstrate ties in two interviews and get approved around the same time? 🤔

Edited February 20, 2020 by Ray.Bonaquist

[WandY 430]

The consulate in Saigon is a tough one. Get there early (7 a.m.) and make sure the guards see your U.S. passport - that (and the letter) will get you in. Don't drag/bring a bunch of stuff with you.  Don't talk to any of the scammers sitting outside the consulate. There are a ton of them and they will try to get money out of you or give you bad info. DO NOT TALK TO THEM!  You may have to wait for a long time inside (2 hours), or maybe not. The place is chaotic. Sit there and look happy, not nervous. Don't give info to others in the room. I think the American being there is almost a guarantee of success. You will be fine.

[GTB 1]

9 hours ago, Ray.Bonaquist said:

She demonstrated lack of ties to the homeland in four interviews and got denied then miraculously could demonstrate ties in two interviews and get approved around the same time? 🤔

Right, she basically had the same application every time and it was approved 2 out of 7 times. Her ties didn't change at all.  The interviewers never gave her a reason why she was denied either.  Makes me sad to think of so many other people struggling through immigration, but at least there are many success stories in the end too.

 

4 hours ago, WandY said:

The consulate in Saigon is a tough one. Get there early (7 a.m.) and make sure the guards see your U.S. passport - that (and the letter) will get you in. Don't drag/bring a bunch of stuff with you.  Don't talk to any of the scammers sitting outside the consulate. There are a ton of them and they will try to get money out of you or give you bad info. DO NOT TALK TO THEM!  You may have to wait for a long time inside (2 hours), or maybe not. The place is chaotic. Sit there and look happy, not nervous. Don't give info to others in the room. I think the American being there is almost a guarantee of success. You will be fine

Thanks for the advice. I have experienced the scammers many times, though I'm surprised they let them hang around the embassy! Good tip about showing the passport, thanks! Hopefully everything will go smoothly; thanks everyone for the reassurance!

Edited February 21, 2020 by BrendenGerber

[SalishSea 16,745]

3 hours ago, BrendenGerber said:

7 times

That might be the VJ record for NIV applications.