ClaireMaya

Because I don't see why you want so badly to visit a friend's father you have never met before. People generally are not moved to great lengths to meet their friends' parents.

Unless this guy is your boyfriend, in which case you have left a lot out of your story.

The main point here is that my friend invited me over to teach him [on a friendly basis!] certain healing skills (that I happen to teach others too) so that he can take care of his dad more effectively while he's in and out of hospital all these months, becoming more and more physically frail.

[ Am I required to disclose my intimate sexual life, past present and future, to add to the story? LoL! Didn't know I should strip psychologically and sexually for visa purposes, I mean don't you think it all gets very private and intrusive after a point? (i.e. not you, the whole process. ]

Because I don't see why you want so badly to visit a friend's father you have never met before. People generally are not moved to great lengths to meet their friends' parents.

Unless this guy is your boyfriend, in which case you have left a lot out of your story.

I am a therapist, I travel short and long distances to teach and treat people. It's my spiritual duty to be of help when people seem to need me, not to mention when they call me for help.

And after so many times talking to this person and seeing him in my Skype screen, it's like I know him for years. And it's not that I want to travel so BADLY for HIM, but that I'd love to be there to help him and I wish I could. There's a difference. I hope you get what I mean. His son is not my boyfriend.

To the OP:

I do understand your frustration and can't really say anything other than I'm sorry. What I would do is try ESTA about 6 months after your most recent denial. It costs $14 to fill out, you can try as often as you like and you get an answer in seconds. Many members here have successfully been approved for the VWP after a previous B-2 visa denial. But it may take time.

And one more thing, do you have any idea if one has to attach documents (e.g. evidence proving ties, criminal record etc) when applying for ESTA (cause there's a Browse/Attach Documents field - what's that for?). Thank U !

Have you ever met the friends' father before?

Ι only met the son in person, in the past, when he was traveling in EU and became good friends. The rest of them I met them and know them through Skype and/or phone only. * Why?

it sounds as if you could not convince them that you don't have immigration intend. it will be hard to convince them unless your situation changes, so you will probably have a hard time getting any type of non-immigrant visa.

if and when you can travel with ESTA again is a complete mystery. no one knows how they decide that someone who was denied a visa can travel under VWP again.

it's not their job to offer you advice on what kind of non-immigrant visa to apply to. you could ask the seminar organizers for advice. if they do not give you an I-20 or I-20M-N you can not apply to F-1 or M-1. i guess then it should be a B-1 visa (not entirely sure).

from now on you will always have to answer YES.

Thank you. That's what I was thinking too. * YES, of course.

To the OP:

I do understand your frustration and can't really say anything other than I'm sorry. What I would do is try ESTA about 6 months after your most recent denial. It costs $14 to fill out, you can try as often as you like and you get an answer in seconds. Many members here have successfully been approved for the VWP after a previous B-2 visa denial. But it may take time.

Thank you so much, I might give it a try again.

That's a relief, thank you. That is a year (or so) from the initial WVP denial or from the latest B2 denial?

But again there is that question in the VWP, if one's has ever been denied a visa or entry, so how one's handle that then?

It should work longer term, a year or so.

The multiple B2 rejections will not help in the shorter term.

That's a relief, thank you. That is a year (or so) from the initial WVP denial or from the latest B2 denial?

You can start by reading this: http://travel.state.gov/visa/laws/telegrams/telegrams_2173.html then you may have to work on whatever it was that did not satisfied the approval of your visa.

Good luck to you.

Thank you!

She said she incorrectly answered ESTA.

Too late now.

I'm afraid so. Isn't there any way to be able to apply through VWP again? Will it be "locked" for the rest of my life?

Hi there,

I am sorry for some of the rude comments made above. Nobody should judge or assume facts let alone being aggressive. You may want to visit" www.uscis.gov ", there you can go through all forms and see what is applicable in your case.

Have you ever tried to contact a consular officer by e-mail explaining what you need and ask for the type of visa that you need? Also note that you need to be very short and strait to the point so they can help you with the present situation.

As for the others, Greece was admitted on 04.05.2010 to participate in the WVP, you don't know when she applied the first three times.

I will have to agree also that nobody gets a visa per say without an interview. I am Swiss and I came here a lot on WVP for business trips, shopping and leisure. Due to dual citizenships for many of travelers from the WVP and some of them with certain travel destinations, they issued for all WVP travelers a system that requires to register prior to the travel in order to receive the permission to enter the US. That being said even with a visa on the passport a traveler can be denied the entry in the US at the time of the arrival. This happened a few years back, it was posted on VJ.

Best regards,

Andrea

To be more specific:

I did emailed them asking very kindly what type of visa I will need in order to attend a 30-hours NON- ACCREDITED seminar on January. Their first reply was: "In response to your follow-up e-mail we would like to inform you that our reply remains the same with the previous ones." (NOTE: the previous answer was on August, explaining my b1/b2 application was refused under section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. (at least giving an explanation)).

I asked them again (what type of visa I will need in order to attend a 30-hours NON- ACCREDITED seminar on January). Their reply was: "In response to your e-mail we would like to inform you that we are unable to pre-determine the category of the visa that you wish to apply for. If you would like to reapply, you will need to make a new appointment with our office, fill out a new DS-160 and pay the application fee."

Can you please tell me, what am I supposed to understand from these replies?

Hi there,

I am sorry for some of the rude comments made above. Nobody should judge or assume facts let alone being aggressive. You may want to visit" www.uscis.gov ", there you can go through all forms and see what is applicable in your case.

Have you ever tried to contact a consular officer by e-mail explaining what you need and ask for the type of visa that you need? Also note that you need to be very short and strait to the point so they can help you with the present situation.

As for the others, Greece was admitted on 04.05.2010 to participate in the WVP, you don't know when she applied the first three times.

I will have to agree also that nobody gets a visa per say without an interview. I am Swiss and I came here a lot on WVP for business trips, shopping and leisure. Due to dual citizenships for many of travelers from the WVP and some of them with certain travel destinations, they issued for all WVP travelers a system that requires to register prior to the travel in order to receive the permission to enter the US. That being said even with a visa on the passport a traveler can be denied the entry in the US at the time of the arrival. This happened a few years back, it was posted on VJ.

Best regards,

Andrea

Hello ! I did emailed them twice asking what type of visa I'll need in order to attend a 30-hours NON- ACCREDITED seminar, but both their replies were vague without providing any answer, saying they cannot predetermine the type of visa for my trip. But isn't it their job to provide an answer? If they don't know, how am I supposed to know? I don't know...

LIFE is correct. NOBODY gets any type of US visa without an interview. What happens is that some people get easy interviews and others had/long interviews then they are either approved or denied. After approval DHL delivers your package to the address the recipient has given.

Considering you're from Greece and how it's economy is in shambles I'd deny you and many others too for fear you will not return home. And even if you have a visa, airport immigration may send on the next plane home if you appear to have ulterior motives other than visiting/legitimate legal business on a B1/B2 visa.

If you want to improve your chances to get a visa get married to your NON American citizen boyfriend, pop out some kids, get settled in a nice secure position at work for a few years, own some property wait a few years, pray your economy stabilizes and start to grow then reapply.

For your course study you need a regular F1 visa but you most likely will run into the same problems.

To be more specific, it's a 30-hours (4 days) certified informational seminar on my field of study and practice, more like a conference rather than a series of classes. Do I need a F visa for that? That's the only thing I want to know. Thank you.

Why are you comparing apples to organges, give me break.

A visa that was given out more than 10 years ago

A spouse visa is totaly different than a vistor visa.

a student visa does require going to the embassy/consular

Now talk to someone who has obtained a vistor visa after 9/11.

the last 2 cases are after 9/11.

I did the terrible mistake to fill it out incorrectly answering yes to question B. But I only have a traffic accident in my record, expunged about a decade ago.

I don't wanna stay more than 90 days. About a month a half really.

That might be incorrect (maybe not now, but in the future, tho I don't know how it is in Greece).

I dunno how it is in Greece, but in Poland, in 5-6 years, you'll be able to get a visa without an interview.

But you will have to meet some conditions...

http://poland.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant-visas/applicants-that-do-not-require-interviews.html

Tho I'm surprised the OP didn't use VWP since Greece participate in this program.

OP, maybe your friends weren't Greeks and they had a similar thing which will be effective in Poland in a couple of years?

My friends are Greek. Wealthy and upper class to be more specific. The one of them got a visa without an interview long before the VWP was introduced. The other was banned for years in the past when much younger (due to this intent immigrant suspicions we're talking about) but then got married, got a kid etc and got a visa without an interview. The other is a young boy going for studies in some university. They don't have a reason to lie to brag about it.

Hello and thank you for the F1 suggestion. But don't you think it's outrageous to go through all that marriage, kids stuff etc, in order to get a visa?

The visa denials may be more dealing with the fact that your country has a serious economy problem. Is there a reason you didn't use the VWP, were you trying to stay longer than the 90 days.

By the VWP program, do not give out physical visas,it gives notification after you have applied on-line.

I did the terrible mistake to fill it out incorrectly answering yes to question B. But I only have a traffic accident in my record, expunged about a decade ago.

LIFE is correct. NOBODY gets any type of US visa without an interview. What happens is that some people get easy interviews and others had/long interviews then they are either approved or denied. After approval DHL delivers your package to the address the recipient has given.

Considering you're from Greece and how it's economy is in shambles I'd deny you and many others too for fear you will not return home. And even if you have a visa, airport immigration may send on the next plane home if you appear to have ulterior motives other than visiting/legitimate legal business on a B1/B2 visa.

If you want to improve your chances to get a visa get married to your NON American citizen boyfriend, pop out some kids, get settled in a nice secure position at work for a few years, own some property wait a few years, pray your economy stabilizes and start to grow then reapply.

For your course study you need a regular F1 visa but you most likely will run into the same problems.

Hello and thank you for the F1 suggestion. But don't you think it's outrageous to go through all that marriage, kids stuff etc, in order to get a visa? C'mon!

Have you traveled outside of Greece to any other country, i.e UK, etc?

Been to Japan 3 times. To Australia once. To UK about 20 times. To India and Nepal 3 times. Been to Thailand, Burma, Germany, Ireland etc, most East West Europe countries. I showed them my old passport, cause I had to go and apply with a new passport.

I am not going to argue the point with your friends, but the US visa process is such that all petitioners are interviwed prior to be given a visa. Now the visa will be sent via DHL to their address, but they are interviwed prior to the fact.

What has changed in your situation since your intial interview,

Do you have a job to go back to?

What is your age?

Do you own property?

Do you have a responsiblity to family in Greece?

Are you a male or female?

I'm 35. Female. I run a registered educational center and company, paying taxes etc. I'm afraid I don't own any property, I share rent and utility bills for a house with my boyfriend, and I used to pay rent, bills for an office. I am not married. Obviously I cannot change my life or come up with false evidence to prove something has changed in order to qualify.

To the OP, what set of your circumstances have you changed on your 3 attempts to get a visa? Do you keep going back with the same story and same evidence expecting different results?

Perhaps the 1st and 2nd was the same, but the 3rd was different , and it was 4 months later.

No ones US visa just shows up at their house without an interview, so anyone who says that they have applied for a US visa and this is how it was handled is not being truthful.

The consular has the final say in whom they give US visas too, therefore if they are refusing you a visa then something has them concern.

Such as your age, your country economics, what is the chnace you would return if there is nothing for you to return for. The mere facts that the people you wish to visit are just friends. Taking classes, are not allowed on a visitor visa, your reasons don't agree with the type of visa you are requesting.

Just from your post, I can poke 100 holes, so think about a person whi sees these requests all day long. Your story probably sound just like the person who interviwed before you.

Hello and thank you for your answer. I know it sounds melodramatic and very common, but this how they make it !!

I'm afraid people do deliver US visas at their house without showing up for interview (2 best friends of mine and 1 client confirm it).

I was applying for B1/B2 to go meet friends and seeing the country - not to attend classes.

I NOW want to attend a class and I'd like to know if this course falls into the M type of visa or else what?

Thank you.

What do you do when the consular officers at your local office have obviously made it a habit refusing your B1/B2 applications (did it 3 times already) without any explanations and never giving any helpful advice, being aggressive towards you, never being satisfied with any of your answer, always look suspicious trying to prove you're lying, not checking the evidence you provide to prove your ties, and generally seem to be happy to bring you into a dead-end frustrated situation acting like they're having a personal problem with you? What is this power trip and abuse of power anyway?

Some friends invited me to their place on April and with this and that, I never managed to go visit them. In the meantime their father's health is deteriorating, he's in and out of the hospital the past few months, and he might be dying anytime cause he's old and unstable, and I really want to see him before he passes away and so he does; I'd love to be there to spend time with my friends and to help their father by offer him healing treatments we know it would be beneficial, but of course the consular officer "will never fall that sentimental reason"!

Next thing is I'd like to attend a 30-hours non-accredited course on my field of expertise that it takes place only in the US, and I don't know which type of visa I should apply for, and if I should apply at all, considering all this negative background. Of course the Consulate is not of any help and doesn't provide any answers of this nature, or more specifically they reply without providing any answers.

As if we didn't have enough problems, we have this guys making our life miserable with all these moronic bureaucratic nonsense. And it's even more infuriating when I hear people saying that they don't even show up for interviews at the Consulate and they just have their approved visas delivered straight to their house. What is this discrimination?

It's the most horrid experience I've had during my traveling life, and I have been to many places. I'd like to go see my friends and take some courses that are only available there, but I honestly get disgusted with the idea of having to get the consulate and talk to these people again.

Any ideas? Thank you!