For an individual to be granted a US visa, he/she must provide proof that he/she is coming back to the Philippines. These documents include land titles, car registration, bank statements, tax returns, photos of the family and the like.
This situation gives me butterflies. Oh boy.
By the way, this visitor visa website is very helpful. It talks about Indian case studies but the scenarios are the same regardless of the country.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Visa interview tips
Labels: Interview tips, Visa
Posted by Mari at 4/25/2008
6 comments:
I remember the denial letter a friend showed me. It cited section 214(b) of the immigration code... It caused me great sadness to think people who are self-sufficient, and good money makers are not able to just buy a ticket and come to this country.
But, for such a number, 214(b) I now understand is one of tyhe most frequently cited reasons for visa denial
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/denials/denials_1361.html
Thank you for your blog
hi keith,
there are people who deserve to be given a US visa but unfortunately, unable to get one. reasons vary and the applicants are really at the mercy of the consul. it's tough when one gets a denial letter.
the key thing here is to prepare for the interview.
and likewise, not to lose hope.
thanks for visiting.
i had one of the weirdest interviews; i was passing by LA on my way to mexico so i thought of visiting some friends there and applied to renew my US visa. bad timing. it was just a year after 9/11 and people were so paranoid! plus, i had applied from tokyo instead of from manila. get this: the consul started asking me questions in spanish to verify whether i was really going to mexico. duh! in the end i had to pay 50 dollars for bodyguards at the LAX airport en route to mexico. sheesh. the close guard they kept on me even caused me to miss my flight! grrr!
caryn - and you have to pay the bodyguards? wow.
each interview is absolutely a different kind of experience. plus, the consul that will conduct the interview is also a great factor in securing a visa. i've had two and neither one of them looked at my documents.
We invited our granddaughter as a "plain" visitor, all expenses paid -not a tourist. She had her interview yesterday and the poor girl, 20 yrs. old was denied for no sufficient reason - ties, and her salary as a restaurant server did not please the consul. She was applying as a visitor, why in the hell would they ask her how much she earns. She wouldn't even dream of going on tour by herself becaused she can't afford it. She didn't want to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity where somebody will shoulder everything for her, from plane tickets, board and lodging for free.
Why can't these people see the logic and the difference between a visitor and a tourist?
hi anonymous,
are all financial documents in place? have you provided your granddaughter all necessary papers that will show that you are able to finance her trip? how long has the granddaughter been working?
imo, if the applicant doesn't have sufficient ties (both economic and family) here in the philippines, the consul would most often than not deny visa application. i do not want to make a sweeping generalization here because each case is different.
in my first B2 visa application, i was denied, too, on the grounds that i didn't have sufficient professional ties in the phils. despite 9 years of professional experience and money in the bank the consul still grilled me. the line of questioning focused on my graduate studies which is totally unrelated with the purpose of my trip. she thought that i will seek teaching employment in the US.
anyways, better luck next time.
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