Mystery 2020

15 hours ago, African Zealot said:

That statement is false. I know that from personal experience and data points from countless friends. My first B visa was for two months (?). There was no red flag with my application or profile. I was simply coming to represent my country at a tournament in Washington DC as a senior in college.

 

Similarly virtually all my friends who were first time applicants got about three months. We didn’t have any flags, we were simply young men/boys from developing economies with no travel experience to affluent western countries. I can even venture that the vast majority of first time applicants from Ghana (and most African countries) get three month visas. Doesn’t mean any flag.

 

And yes, I know what the Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual says 😊.

 

 

Have to laugh.. you say no flags but then state the biggest flags possible.. young men from developing countries with no travel experience. They are the flags and why you only got 3 months.

I'm assuming when you applied for the B1/B2 it was not approved on the day, but you had to wait a few months to get a waiver?

If so then you are not eligible to travel on the VWP for life. You will always have to apply for a B2.

In addition being arrested makes you ineligible to travel on the VWP.

https://uk.usembassy.gov/visas/visa-waiver-program/non-immigrant-visa-waiver-program-vwp/

When you applied for the extension you knew the maximum time that would be granted would be 6 months, which would allow you to stay until November.

Staying past November was a choice you made, knowing you would be overstaying whatever the result of your application was. That was nothing to do with the pandemic, that was your choice.

You need to leave the US.

I'm not sure why you are trying to play the victim, and expect to get special treatment when you seem to be taking no responsibility for your actions.

When you left the Philippines recently, you had to sign a BI declaration form which stated you understood the risks of traveling and accepted any possible delays that may happen due to the pandemic. This is now one of them. You accepted this possibility.

Also you could have returned a long time ago from the USA, it was entirely your choice to stay as long as you did. The lockdown in PH did not stop incoming flights for ROF.

To now think you deserve some free pass to get back to the US after staying there so long is ridiculous.

A waiver seems pointless as it's highly unlikely you would get a B2 again even without needing it.

If you have not met yet she can't be your girlfriend, not sure why you are calling her that.

Better you go to visit this potential romantic interest, spend some real time together not virtual, then decide whether to start a relationship.

Stopping adjustment of any sort while on a B2 would be a good start.

Then stopping petitions for family members apart from wife/husband should be next.

US would be a much better place.

One thing the UK has done right, no changing visa types while there as a tourist and no bringing long lost parents and siblings.

First question at my B2 interview was what is my job, length of service and salary.

With no job it's making it super easy for them to deny her.

Doesn't sound like something a genuine tourist would be doing tbh.

When asked for purpose of visit at the airport make sure you say the truth, 'to work from home' and see what the response is.

Let us know how it goes.

Answer the questions it asks.

What exact question are you having trouble with?

Slim to none.

It really depends.. are you going back home as planned even if you get married?

OP, I understand your frustration but there's one thing you really need to understand. There's no guaranteed way to get granted a B2 regardless of life circumstances, and it's that way on purpose. It gives the CO at the interview the power to decide for whatever reason they want whether to grant or deny. By law they assume every applicant has immigration intent.

I got a B2 visa a few years ago in my EU passport (live in UK, my EU country is not part of VWP). Asked the usual questions, approved no problem. My work colleague, who has the exact same job as me as well as the exact same salary, similar circumstances (Non EU passport but lived in UK same length as me) got denied for a B2. On paper we are the same, but he got denied and I didn't. Why? Who knows... Maybe because his passport is African.. or maybe the CO didn't like the way he answered the questions. It really doesn't matter though, the CO made the decision, whether it's fair or not, like they can.

The US has its rules, if someone wants to visit then they follow those rules and apply and find out if they can.

For your wife's specific case, having a USC husband made it harder for her. Is it fair? Probably not, but it's not up to us to decide how to grant or deny visas. If you don't like the law then do something to get it changed. Otherwise accept the facts.

What does an ESTA, pre authorization to visit the USA via the VWP have to do with Portugal?

This forum is for US tourist visas.

Makes no sense, they wanted an extra 6 months then why did they not leave after those 6 months?

Their visa has now been cancelled and they won't be back in the USA any time soon, if ever.

What on Earth is 'UA'?

You won't be getting another B1/B2 visa.

Waiting for Canadian passport is your only realistic option for visiting the USA again.

Nice story but there's nothing surprising in what you have posted, exactly what anyone would expect to happen.

Does not sound like an emergency.

When she is asked for purpose of visit, make sure she tells the truth which is to help look after the baby so you don't have to hire anyone else to do it.

So many things don't add up, fortunately they realised this too hence the RFE.

I can see a denial coming soon, and rightly so.

You are the perfect candidate to be denied entry and sent back.

4 hours ago, Ela S. said:

Yeah that’s what I meant by not having any available flights back because of closed borders. But all those countries that were refusing their own citizens weren’t doing it to tourists but citizens that had valid foreign visas. OP is here in the US on a tourist visa. Anyways, there currently are flights back to the PH.

Exactly. OP is abusing the system and the sooner these adjustments are banned the better.