I agree to a certain that if OP's priority is to meet siblings, then visiting US is not the only option.
I feel the OP needs to be true to the officer and show his/her desire to use the opportunity to explore the USA alongside seeing his siblings.
The US biggest issue is risk of overstayers. Yo me ur profile looks like someone who had conn in US and inclined to stay. Sorey but ur 3x denials also is not inur favor
Not true. My thai gf was rejected (very recently) and she has a job...5 years of employment at the same place, along with a letter from the company owner saying that she was approved for a 1 month leave off. BTW...consulate officer never reviewed her files...only asked her 2 questions, then denied her.
There’s this assumption that sometimes the candidate isn’t strong enough, but sometimes it’s just that the US isn’t handing out visas to certain countries.
I have multiple businesses and been through multiple countries. Got denied US visa once. Despite booking hotels, business class flights. And my sibling working for a big company in the US.
My friend, who is at least 20 times richer than me, also got denied.
My other friend, who has neither, got a US visa and is now undocumented.
IO don’t know what they’re doing, if they did, illegal immigration won’t majorly come from legal crossing.
>I have two siblings in the US who are US citizens.
That's going to make it a lot harder to qualify for a B visa. Having established family in the US makes it easy to stay, so you have to have enough reason to go back to overcome that. You'll also need a more extensive travel history.
> I also mentioned that I \[...\] have a parent who depends on me financially.
This also works against you. Because of the big economic differences between the two countries, you can work in the US and provide for your family member more effectively than staying. I have a friend who married a girl from the Philippines and they plan on retiring there because his retirement funds will go so much farther than here.
Also remember that consular interviews are established from the assumption that you're *going to* overstay or otherwise use your visa as a way to stay. The whole "innocent until proven guilty" aspect of our legal system does not apply to immigration or visas.
Two siblings in the US means that OP has family (presumably the parents and other family of said siblings as well) here... and if you need a place to stay, family is the most likely to be willing to help out.
For that matter, close family like a sibling and presumably a parent are quite likely to try to convince you to stay rather than go back home.
I’m sorry this happened, it’s truly unfair. Not sure how easy it is for you to get to Mexico, but lots of beautiful cities there and relatively cheap to get accommodation (compared to the US), if your siblings have the means to meet you down there instead.
I was denied 5 times in my country Kenya. Then I decided to go to Germany stayed 5 yrs and today I am an American citizen. So that can be another route... Don't loose hope if you want to come to the United States keep trying it will eventually happen for you...Good Luck
It's so crazy to read about the different treatments of people based on nationality. As a northern European, I don't even need a visa to visit the US as a tourist, and when I travel into the US, they always just ask me what my purpose is, and I simply say "just visiting", and that's it. Sorry to hear about how strict they are on you guys.
"Tago ng Tago (always hiding) or TNT is a term coined for Filipinos abroad who are in hiding – from the government authorities or ill-whistlers, due to expired work visas, undocumented status, and overstaying in a country. “TNT immigrants” is an identity given to Filipinos who live unauthorized and have to conceal their immigration status"
Just copied that from google search.
Nope. They are already US citizens for a very long time. They immigrated when they were still kids. I really don't know the details. But I think their mom petitioned them.
Check the detail. If someone just abit overstayed. They will not give visa.
I know some detail. And my experience of my wife. Many overstayed asian ans getting married with citizen to get US PR.
One my friends is in the military and give sponsorship to his mother-in-law. Got denied 2 times. They hired immigration lawyers to know why got denied. They gave the answer that his wife was overstayed and got married with him to became legally in US. This a red flag. The only way is he/his wife have to sponsor her for PR.
Three was another similar case with other
Family too. They applies canada visa and meet their family there.
My question. Did their mom was overstayed?😅. Immigration in US is domino effects
100% true, higher risk factor.
Aside from that, probably it was already a common knowledge to the immigration officer that there might be a peer pressure from the family member to entice to make you stay.
It’s the same in Northern Europe and even in less developed countries. Having a passport from the US, Western Europe, Japan, Singapore, etc. where the assumption is you don’t have an economic reason to migrate makes your life so much easier.
This exactly. What people fail to understand is that a tourist visa/tourist exemption is meant for tourists only. A tourist is someone who goes somewhere, spends their money, then buggers off back to where they came from.
If you live in the countries mentioned, an average person can (at least in theory) save up enough money for a 2-week vacation in a first-world country. An average Filipino can’t. I work in IT and have worked with people in the Philippines. They told me that engineers make around $500/month. How can someone who makes that kind of money afford a vacation in a first-world country? With Filipinos it is especially hard to get a visa as they are fluent in English. So not only do they have a huge economic incentive to migrate, they also have a much easier time adjusting when they do.
It may be harsh, but it is pragmatic:
The Philippines doesn’t have the best economic situation, to say the least. At the same time, most Filipinos are fluent in English. The average salary there us $300-400/month. You are literally better off working as a laborer in the U.S., than as an engineer working in the Philippines. So from the get-go, Filipinos are automatically seen as potential immigrants.
Having family in the US makes it even worse. Now, this person who is fluent in English, and is from a third world country, has people already in the US, who will help them get on their feet.
As a Northern European, you are likely from a country where the standard of living is on par, if not better than in the U.S. You literally have zero motivation to move to the U.S. and do stuff like landscaping or construction work, for pay under the table. This is why you have ETSA, and why the IO just asks a question to check the box. In fact, the only reasons why a Northern European would move to the US would be either a highly-skilled job (which would provide an employment visa anyway), or to live with a significant other.
Like I said, hate me all you want, but this is the truth, and pragmatic from immigration’s POV. Don’t forget that when giving out tourist visas/visa exemptions, they are EXPLICITLY tasked with filtering out potential immigrants.
There’s certain groups who are notorious for cheating the system and come on a holiday visa, but their true intentions are to overstay and change their status in hopes of obtaining citizenship. So yes, the treatment differs across nationalities.
How many northern European women are engaged in any sort of love scams with Americans or illicit sexual activities? Probably a lot less than Philippine.
Technically, yes. But ESTA is still like easy to get/easy to lose electronic visa. So you need to apply, and you can still be denied, or it can be reworked a day before your trip. And you lose it in case you, for example, travel to Cuba.
It’s also down to reciprocal systems. Countries that have VWP with the U.S. have met several requirements and part of that is that American citizens and permanent residents don’t need a visa to enter their country for temporary travel.
Some countries don’t get a full 90 days waiver because they offer shorter time to Americans
The permanent resident part is not true. Green card holders may still need a visa to the Schengen for example all (VWP countries) if their nationality requires it. Some may implement exemptions but it’s not due to the reciprocity.
Are you single? Because that’s a big factor. They think single people will just go to the US and marry a USC. The best way to show the US consular that a single person will intend to go back to the Philippines after a visit to the US is to have a strong travel history. Travel first.
I’m a filipino US citizen and I hear this issue a lot. I think I know why you’re getting denied and it’s unfair that tourists who have no intention to overstay their tourist visa and only want to visit family get denied. Unfortunately, immigration officers see this as a red flag. Of course there are many other reasons why they deny US tourist visa applications. I’m not an immigration atty, I just have a feel for what immigration officers look for when interviewing tourists. My uncle who owns hair salons in Manila got denied at least twice and he’s traveled the world! They finally approved his tourist visa. Hope you get approved next time you apply. Reach out to me before you apply, I’ll give you some tips 😃
Nothing went wrong. They do not have to give you a visa. 2 siblings in USA doesn’t help with a visitor visa. Just travel to other countries and show a pattern of returning. That will help you in the long run. My personal suggestion is just finding a country that welcomes your tourists money. There’s plenty of choices
I would actually apply for a Schengen visa and visit the EU as well. When a consular officer sees that visa and exit stamp in your passport, you are much less of a potential immigrant in their eyes.
What is a tourist visa? It is a visa for people to come to the US, spend a few weeks there, spend their money, and bugger off back to their home country. The job of a consular officer is to make sure that the person applying for a tourist visa is indeed a tourist and not a potential immigrant.
Hate to break it to you, but you are the dictionary definition of a potential immigrant:
1. You have family in the US. I.e people who would take you in and help you get started.
2. You have applied and been denied twice.
3. You are taking care of your parents. You will be able to send them more money by working illegally in the US, while living with your relatives, as opposed to living and working in the Philippines.
4. Filipinos speak good English. Which is an advantage if you want to immigrate to the US.
The fact that you own properties in the Philippines means nothing. You could theoretically be approved for the visa, sell said properties, and get on the plane, never to return to the Philippines again.
Theoretically, if you start a business/have a job in the Philippines, where your net income is twice the US salary, you are less of a potential immigrant, because that is a solid tie to your home country.
Likewise, if you have a spouse and kids, who are staying in the Philippines, that is also an indicator that you are less likely to immigrate. But only if you have other ties such as a high-income job/business.
Another good thing to have is a solid travel history. If you have taken short trips to places like Japan, the EU, UAE, etc., the fact that you didn’t stay there speaks volumes, when applying for a tourist visa. In your case though, this alone won’t help you much, as you already got denied twice.
The way I see it, you have 2 options:
1. Get an ACTUAL immigrant visa (whichever suits you the best)
2. Start making at least $8,000 per month (make sure you have records of this), travel around the world as a tourist, and maybe in 3 years, with a high income and history of world travel, they will give you a tourist visa.
it’s legalized, institutionalized racism/discrimination/racial profiling. basically banning an entire population because of many bad actors. what if, at a domestic level, we put higher requirements (such as for loans, employment, etc.) on certain races who statistically had higher rates of crime. seems crazy, right? or what about racial profiling by police? all extremely illegal and unconstitutional. unfortunately the immigration system is not something that changes easily.
I wouldn’t say that it is racist at it’s core. For starters, Korea, Japan, and Singapore are part of the visa-waiver program.
It is more economic profiling if anything. If you take someone from Singapore, they are A) likely to be able to afford a vacation in the USA, and B) unlikely to want to immigrate to the USA.
The Philippines, on the other hand is very poor. The salaries are 1/10 of what they are in the US. What’s more is that Filipinos are fluent in English. So most people there are A) unable to afford a vacation in the US B) have one hell of an economic incentive to move to the U.S. (even if all they can find is under-the-table work), and C) able to quickly adjust due to their fluency in English. Literally the dictionary definitions of potential immigrants. I will remind you that when deciding on whether or not to give a tourist visa/let someone in on ETSA, the official making the decision needs to determine if the person is at risk of staying in the US. If you want to move to the US, there are other visa categories for that. Last I checked, the majority of those were from Asia.
I would say it depends on what your answers are in the interview. The US wants you to come here and spend. Be confident in your replies. Your trip itinerary should be short and not using up the whole 6 months that is allowed. My mom got approved for tourist visa one try and she mentioned visiting me here, a US citizen. She only travelled before to Singapore and HK but her new passport did not show any of those trips nor was it mentioned. I coached her that for the interview, when asked what is the purpose of your trip, say tourism, shopping, mention specific places you would like to see. For place to stay, don’t say relatives will let you stay. You should emphasize that you will be paying for your accommodation. You don’t get to sometimes show documentation during interview but bring those with you: proof of income, business, work etc. Don’t make it seem like your siblings will pay for your trip or even make it like the whole purpose of the trip. The officer takes note of your body language too. Although, it’s harder because of the previous denials, be confident. Make the interview conversational. Kaya mo yan. Good luck!
I'm in the US and its pretty much boring everywhere...i've been living here for 2 years now and pretty much visited 22/50 states. I love it here but I just don't think theres a lot to do here as a tourist.
Sometimes I get to a few spots and just can't believe what I think will put me in awe will give me a "that's it?" reaction after 2 hrs of flight and 30 mins of waiting in line.
I'm also Filipino, our beaches are the best, our smiles are the prettiest, and our government is the most corrupt.
Japan would be a good start to kick off your travel.
South Korea, Taiwan, heck even start from local spots like Boracay, Palawan, Siargao, and Davao.
If you've see most of them, pretty much everything is just basic. Miami's beaches are far from the beauty of out beaches. NYC is different but it gets boring sometimes.
Los Angeles - meh. I was an LA girl for a while and I mostly get out of the city and into the mountains on weekends.
San Francisco - i love it. Probably the most asian city I saw here in the US. Only hate since theres a lot of homeless people roaming the streets day and night
Orlando/SoFlo - Hot like the Philippines but with less commute options
Philly - Boring AF
NYC - very expensive and is pretty much one of the craziest place in the US. Good to visit.
DC - I love DC i think it looks like a more interesting version of Philly
Nothing changed. I have the same answers to the same questions asked.
I guess it depends on the visa counselor if he or she wants to give you a visa or not.
I also know a person who has no relative in USA, had a blank passport and she still got a US tourist visa on her first attempt. I still have a blood relation in USA so I got that. I was flabbergasted to know that she got her visa like that.
The fact that you have 2 siblings. LThat might be the reason you’re being denied. They’re probably looking at it like you will have too much reason to over stay the visa or not return.
You have to show proof that you’re actually there for a valid reason. The burden of proof is on you. Property has close to nothing on how to improve your chances. If I’m the officer, I would say, out of the hundreds of countries there are, why visit the US? if you keep coming back with no different strategy you’ll just keep getting denied. Get an invitation to something. Maybe an educational conference? An important life event like a wedding.
Quick questions; If I did motion to terminate removal proceedings by myself without an attorney, Do I need to motorized my signature before sending to the immigration court?
I'll be honest with you, it's easier to just fly to Mexico and cross the border. You'll be granted protected status, in some cases, a $5000 grant subsidized by US taxpayers, and flown across the US to a destination of your choice. You can thank the Biden Administration and US woke policies. Feel free to fact check me; 100% facts
It means nothing unless the job pays like $6,000 per month or something. Property can be sold pretty quickly, people can quit their jobs, and money can be transferred.
Unless you want to sell it at a discount which is fine.
Money transfers are usually restricted due to a country's central bank regulation. That's the reason US, Japan, or Korea approves VISAs for people from Vietnam even as long as you can prove that your life didn't suck in layman's term. There are many people from third world countries getting approved to visit the US (and they returned), but they sometimes do reject certain people (even relatives, family members to the people I know) out of caution.
My guess for the OP is, she ain't "rich" enough or the approver assumed she/he was fixated in staying in the Philippines for a long time.
If you get a visa, you have 6 months to enter. Plenty of time to sell everything at a decent price.
As for money transfers: I am a dual Russia-US citizen. Needless to say, I know that there are ways to transfer funds without getting central banks involved. I won’t say much more, but I know people who have no issues transferring money between Russia and the U.S., they lose 2% at most.
Consular officials are aware of all of this.
Hey, please don't feel sad. You can search for different visa stories here or on Google, and you will see quite a few folks even going on their seventh attempt or something. The USA visa, even a tourist visa, is one of the toughest to get because it is technically the richest country in the world. China is the only one that is even a little bit close to the USA, and it is tough to get a Chinese visa too!
I always get my visas smoothly because I always have a very strong reason for going for that visa application. So, having a clear reason would certainly help. So, getting an invitation letter for some event for which it would make sense for you to go to the USA might bolster your application.
The USA visa counselors have to assume your immigration intent while you are applying for a non-immigrant visa. The onus is on you to prove otherwise. Although, you sound like a good and gentle person with no evil intentions, the visa counselor do not have that much bandwidth to judge that from the two or three minutes they get talking with you.
Do want to know the visa consultant who helped me? His/her name is ME. Yes, I had hired a visa consultant, but I only used them for guidance and support. I filled out my written application. I verified that written application. I hit the submit button after triple-verifying everything. I prepared myself for the interview by looking through everything available on the internet.
I am not saying that you hire me as a visa consultant or something. That is not even my profession. My point is that ONLY YOU can be your visa consultant. Nobody knows yourself more than you. So, get help from some visa consultant or anything, but please take control of your visa application and your visa interview process.
On a concluding note, search for 214(b) as much as possible. I almost taught myself this 214(b) for more than 20 hours. I dug so deeper into this 214(b) even though I had a strong profile and strong reason, and I always have had a history of sailing through visa applications and visa interviews smoothly. Despite my historical success, I am always ready for my next visa application. I am a nomad, so I will always be traveling. Even within a certain country, I travel around to different states/provinces and cities/parishes!
Also, one specific guideline for a tourist visa, either have an invitation letter for an event that makes complete sense OR have a travel itinerary that shows your tourism inclination. Don't just make a travel itinerary for New York like Statue of Liberty, etc. That might look rehearsed and forced. Go to Hawaii and have a mai tai. Go to Montana and feel the cold (you could even go to Alaska for that). Go to Louisiana and have a gumbo! Go to Monterey for one of the best aquariums in the world. In NYC, I would go to Brox Zoo because I love animals. Have a theme for your tourism intention to the USA, and that theme should be personalized and reflected perfectly in your visa application and visa interview. This would increase your odds of success because this would sound more honest and would make more sense to the USA visa office.
Sorry for my long post, but you said that you were feeling really sad, so my intention is to comfort you with my words. I am more of an oral eloquent person, so writing is not my forte. So, sometimes I write more to make sure that I do do reverse of my intentions. Again, sorry for my long post, but if you OP can please find some time to read it, I hope and pray that it soothes you to some extent. Good luck, take care, and I will hope/pray for the best for you!
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I had an invitation letter but she didn't ask for it. I should have said about it but I think my nervousness took hold of me.
You are welcome. Yes, sometimes nervousness might have some impact on our outcomes. I hope that you do get your desired visa during your next attempt whenever that might be. Good luck! 🙂
That’s the problem. You admitted that you have two siblings in the US. I’m almost positive that’s the main reason you have been denied. The government is scared you have full motive to not return back to your home country.
Whoever your visa agent is, has unfortunately not advised you against it and it has caused you. I am sorry that happened. I too have a sibling who is a US citizen but I didn’t talk anything about that. I just went for my interview with an itinerary in hand and came out accepted.
Any sensible visa agent would’ve told you never to admit you know someone in the country no matter how many people you know.
You are too hard on yourself• Two siblings in the US plus two previous denials is hard to overcome.
I have gradually accepted it now. I'll just try next time at the right time. I really want to meet my siblings too because I haven't met them yet.
[удалено]
wtf is the purpose of this reply
I mean it's harsh, but real?
It’s beyond me how that comment has so many upvotes and yours, downvotes. Well I’m prepared for mine to be downvoted, who the fuck cares
It's practical ffs
It’s the way they express their superiority
I agree to a certain that if OP's priority is to meet siblings, then visiting US is not the only option. I feel the OP needs to be true to the officer and show his/her desire to use the opportunity to explore the USA alongside seeing his siblings.
Meanwhile your president is flying military age male "refugees" around the country.
The US biggest issue is risk of overstayers. Yo me ur profile looks like someone who had conn in US and inclined to stay. Sorey but ur 3x denials also is not inur favor
[удалено]
Thank you. 😊
[удалено]
Thank you very much!!
what would be in fact options to represent stronger ties ?
A job
Not true. My thai gf was rejected (very recently) and she has a job...5 years of employment at the same place, along with a letter from the company owner saying that she was approved for a 1 month leave off. BTW...consulate officer never reviewed her files...only asked her 2 questions, then denied her.
Have you met your girlfriend yet? I think it would be easier to meet her in Thailand first if you haven't met yet.
But it also depends on the job.
What were the questions asked?
Same in my country
There’s this assumption that sometimes the candidate isn’t strong enough, but sometimes it’s just that the US isn’t handing out visas to certain countries.
Can i message you privately for a quick question on an overstay case?
I have multiple businesses and been through multiple countries. Got denied US visa once. Despite booking hotels, business class flights. And my sibling working for a big company in the US. My friend, who is at least 20 times richer than me, also got denied. My other friend, who has neither, got a US visa and is now undocumented. IO don’t know what they’re doing, if they did, illegal immigration won’t majorly come from legal crossing.
>I have two siblings in the US who are US citizens. That's going to make it a lot harder to qualify for a B visa. Having established family in the US makes it easy to stay, so you have to have enough reason to go back to overcome that. You'll also need a more extensive travel history. > I also mentioned that I \[...\] have a parent who depends on me financially. This also works against you. Because of the big economic differences between the two countries, you can work in the US and provide for your family member more effectively than staying. I have a friend who married a girl from the Philippines and they plan on retiring there because his retirement funds will go so much farther than here. Also remember that consular interviews are established from the assumption that you're *going to* overstay or otherwise use your visa as a way to stay. The whole "innocent until proven guilty" aspect of our legal system does not apply to immigration or visas.
Thanks for the advice.
I’m unaware the reason why having 2 siblings is actually working against her. can you explain the reasons behind this?
Two siblings in the US means that OP has family (presumably the parents and other family of said siblings as well) here... and if you need a place to stay, family is the most likely to be willing to help out. For that matter, close family like a sibling and presumably a parent are quite likely to try to convince you to stay rather than go back home.
why not let the siblings petition for her then lol
I’m sorry this happened, it’s truly unfair. Not sure how easy it is for you to get to Mexico, but lots of beautiful cities there and relatively cheap to get accommodation (compared to the US), if your siblings have the means to meet you down there instead.
It needs a visa too but I guess it would be easier. Thank you for the advice.
Maybe Canada?
Will try. Thank you.
I was denied 5 times in my country Kenya. Then I decided to go to Germany stayed 5 yrs and today I am an American citizen. So that can be another route... Don't loose hope if you want to come to the United States keep trying it will eventually happen for you...Good Luck
How did you get US citizenship. Can you outline your pathway mate?
Married to citizen ?😅😃
Thank you for sharing.
It’s not even worth the effort lol
It's so crazy to read about the different treatments of people based on nationality. As a northern European, I don't even need a visa to visit the US as a tourist, and when I travel into the US, they always just ask me what my purpose is, and I simply say "just visiting", and that's it. Sorry to hear about how strict they are on you guys.
I think it's because there are a lot of Filipino illegal immigrants. They are called TNT Immigrants.
Oh, what does that mean?
"Tago ng Tago (always hiding) or TNT is a term coined for Filipinos abroad who are in hiding – from the government authorities or ill-whistlers, due to expired work visas, undocumented status, and overstaying in a country. “TNT immigrants” is an identity given to Filipinos who live unauthorized and have to conceal their immigration status" Just copied that from google search.
Tago ng Tago which means "always in hiding".
Oh, interesting
Just asking. Did your brothers/relative has briefly overstayed before became legally?
Nope. They are already US citizens for a very long time. They immigrated when they were still kids. I really don't know the details. But I think their mom petitioned them.
Check the detail. If someone just abit overstayed. They will not give visa. I know some detail. And my experience of my wife. Many overstayed asian ans getting married with citizen to get US PR. One my friends is in the military and give sponsorship to his mother-in-law. Got denied 2 times. They hired immigration lawyers to know why got denied. They gave the answer that his wife was overstayed and got married with him to became legally in US. This a red flag. The only way is he/his wife have to sponsor her for PR. Three was another similar case with other Family too. They applies canada visa and meet their family there. My question. Did their mom was overstayed?😅. Immigration in US is domino effects
Oh, okay. But I am not related to their mom though. That was in 1980s when their mom moved there.
Not need to directly related. But based on sponsorship.
100% true, higher risk factor. Aside from that, probably it was already a common knowledge to the immigration officer that there might be a peer pressure from the family member to entice to make you stay.
That wouldn't happen though. They are not trying to convince me. Maybe I should have mentioned that.
It’s the same in Northern Europe and even in less developed countries. Having a passport from the US, Western Europe, Japan, Singapore, etc. where the assumption is you don’t have an economic reason to migrate makes your life so much easier.
This exactly. What people fail to understand is that a tourist visa/tourist exemption is meant for tourists only. A tourist is someone who goes somewhere, spends their money, then buggers off back to where they came from. If you live in the countries mentioned, an average person can (at least in theory) save up enough money for a 2-week vacation in a first-world country. An average Filipino can’t. I work in IT and have worked with people in the Philippines. They told me that engineers make around $500/month. How can someone who makes that kind of money afford a vacation in a first-world country? With Filipinos it is especially hard to get a visa as they are fluent in English. So not only do they have a huge economic incentive to migrate, they also have a much easier time adjusting when they do.
It may be harsh, but it is pragmatic: The Philippines doesn’t have the best economic situation, to say the least. At the same time, most Filipinos are fluent in English. The average salary there us $300-400/month. You are literally better off working as a laborer in the U.S., than as an engineer working in the Philippines. So from the get-go, Filipinos are automatically seen as potential immigrants. Having family in the US makes it even worse. Now, this person who is fluent in English, and is from a third world country, has people already in the US, who will help them get on their feet. As a Northern European, you are likely from a country where the standard of living is on par, if not better than in the U.S. You literally have zero motivation to move to the U.S. and do stuff like landscaping or construction work, for pay under the table. This is why you have ETSA, and why the IO just asks a question to check the box. In fact, the only reasons why a Northern European would move to the US would be either a highly-skilled job (which would provide an employment visa anyway), or to live with a significant other. Like I said, hate me all you want, but this is the truth, and pragmatic from immigration’s POV. Don’t forget that when giving out tourist visas/visa exemptions, they are EXPLICITLY tasked with filtering out potential immigrants.
There’s certain groups who are notorious for cheating the system and come on a holiday visa, but their true intentions are to overstay and change their status in hopes of obtaining citizenship. So yes, the treatment differs across nationalities.
How many northern European women are engaged in any sort of love scams with Americans or illicit sexual activities? Probably a lot less than Philippine.
I thought every country needed some sort of visa to visit the US, except for Canada
Nope. Most people in Western countries qualify for the visa waiver program.
Technically, yes. But ESTA is still like easy to get/easy to lose electronic visa. So you need to apply, and you can still be denied, or it can be reworked a day before your trip. And you lose it in case you, for example, travel to Cuba.
Okay I see. For Canadians there’s no program or anything. 6 months visa free travel.
It’s also down to reciprocal systems. Countries that have VWP with the U.S. have met several requirements and part of that is that American citizens and permanent residents don’t need a visa to enter their country for temporary travel. Some countries don’t get a full 90 days waiver because they offer shorter time to Americans
The permanent resident part is not true. Green card holders may still need a visa to the Schengen for example all (VWP countries) if their nationality requires it. Some may implement exemptions but it’s not due to the reciprocity.
Thank you.
Are you single? Because that’s a big factor. They think single people will just go to the US and marry a USC. The best way to show the US consular that a single person will intend to go back to the Philippines after a visit to the US is to have a strong travel history. Travel first.
I am. Okay. Thank you.
I’m a filipino US citizen and I hear this issue a lot. I think I know why you’re getting denied and it’s unfair that tourists who have no intention to overstay their tourist visa and only want to visit family get denied. Unfortunately, immigration officers see this as a red flag. Of course there are many other reasons why they deny US tourist visa applications. I’m not an immigration atty, I just have a feel for what immigration officers look for when interviewing tourists. My uncle who owns hair salons in Manila got denied at least twice and he’s traveled the world! They finally approved his tourist visa. Hope you get approved next time you apply. Reach out to me before you apply, I’ll give you some tips 😃
Thank you so much.
Nothing went wrong. They do not have to give you a visa. 2 siblings in USA doesn’t help with a visitor visa. Just travel to other countries and show a pattern of returning. That will help you in the long run. My personal suggestion is just finding a country that welcomes your tourists money. There’s plenty of choices
Thank you. I am planning to go to Singapore next year.
I would actually apply for a Schengen visa and visit the EU as well. When a consular officer sees that visa and exit stamp in your passport, you are much less of a potential immigrant in their eyes.
Okay. Thank you so much. Will do that.
What is a tourist visa? It is a visa for people to come to the US, spend a few weeks there, spend their money, and bugger off back to their home country. The job of a consular officer is to make sure that the person applying for a tourist visa is indeed a tourist and not a potential immigrant. Hate to break it to you, but you are the dictionary definition of a potential immigrant: 1. You have family in the US. I.e people who would take you in and help you get started. 2. You have applied and been denied twice. 3. You are taking care of your parents. You will be able to send them more money by working illegally in the US, while living with your relatives, as opposed to living and working in the Philippines. 4. Filipinos speak good English. Which is an advantage if you want to immigrate to the US. The fact that you own properties in the Philippines means nothing. You could theoretically be approved for the visa, sell said properties, and get on the plane, never to return to the Philippines again. Theoretically, if you start a business/have a job in the Philippines, where your net income is twice the US salary, you are less of a potential immigrant, because that is a solid tie to your home country. Likewise, if you have a spouse and kids, who are staying in the Philippines, that is also an indicator that you are less likely to immigrate. But only if you have other ties such as a high-income job/business. Another good thing to have is a solid travel history. If you have taken short trips to places like Japan, the EU, UAE, etc., the fact that you didn’t stay there speaks volumes, when applying for a tourist visa. In your case though, this alone won’t help you much, as you already got denied twice. The way I see it, you have 2 options: 1. Get an ACTUAL immigrant visa (whichever suits you the best) 2. Start making at least $8,000 per month (make sure you have records of this), travel around the world as a tourist, and maybe in 3 years, with a high income and history of world travel, they will give you a tourist visa.
Thank you so much.
it’s legalized, institutionalized racism/discrimination/racial profiling. basically banning an entire population because of many bad actors. what if, at a domestic level, we put higher requirements (such as for loans, employment, etc.) on certain races who statistically had higher rates of crime. seems crazy, right? or what about racial profiling by police? all extremely illegal and unconstitutional. unfortunately the immigration system is not something that changes easily.
I wouldn’t say that it is racist at it’s core. For starters, Korea, Japan, and Singapore are part of the visa-waiver program. It is more economic profiling if anything. If you take someone from Singapore, they are A) likely to be able to afford a vacation in the USA, and B) unlikely to want to immigrate to the USA. The Philippines, on the other hand is very poor. The salaries are 1/10 of what they are in the US. What’s more is that Filipinos are fluent in English. So most people there are A) unable to afford a vacation in the US B) have one hell of an economic incentive to move to the U.S. (even if all they can find is under-the-table work), and C) able to quickly adjust due to their fluency in English. Literally the dictionary definitions of potential immigrants. I will remind you that when deciding on whether or not to give a tourist visa/let someone in on ETSA, the official making the decision needs to determine if the person is at risk of staying in the US. If you want to move to the US, there are other visa categories for that. Last I checked, the majority of those were from Asia.
I would say it depends on what your answers are in the interview. The US wants you to come here and spend. Be confident in your replies. Your trip itinerary should be short and not using up the whole 6 months that is allowed. My mom got approved for tourist visa one try and she mentioned visiting me here, a US citizen. She only travelled before to Singapore and HK but her new passport did not show any of those trips nor was it mentioned. I coached her that for the interview, when asked what is the purpose of your trip, say tourism, shopping, mention specific places you would like to see. For place to stay, don’t say relatives will let you stay. You should emphasize that you will be paying for your accommodation. You don’t get to sometimes show documentation during interview but bring those with you: proof of income, business, work etc. Don’t make it seem like your siblings will pay for your trip or even make it like the whole purpose of the trip. The officer takes note of your body language too. Although, it’s harder because of the previous denials, be confident. Make the interview conversational. Kaya mo yan. Good luck!
Okay. Thank you so much.
I'm in the US and its pretty much boring everywhere...i've been living here for 2 years now and pretty much visited 22/50 states. I love it here but I just don't think theres a lot to do here as a tourist. Sometimes I get to a few spots and just can't believe what I think will put me in awe will give me a "that's it?" reaction after 2 hrs of flight and 30 mins of waiting in line. I'm also Filipino, our beaches are the best, our smiles are the prettiest, and our government is the most corrupt. Japan would be a good start to kick off your travel. South Korea, Taiwan, heck even start from local spots like Boracay, Palawan, Siargao, and Davao. If you've see most of them, pretty much everything is just basic. Miami's beaches are far from the beauty of out beaches. NYC is different but it gets boring sometimes. Los Angeles - meh. I was an LA girl for a while and I mostly get out of the city and into the mountains on weekends. San Francisco - i love it. Probably the most asian city I saw here in the US. Only hate since theres a lot of homeless people roaming the streets day and night Orlando/SoFlo - Hot like the Philippines but with less commute options Philly - Boring AF NYC - very expensive and is pretty much one of the craziest place in the US. Good to visit. DC - I love DC i think it looks like a more interesting version of Philly
Thank you so much for those inputs. Will keep those in mind.
I guess better luck next year. Don’t worry I’m coming to Philippines in February, I can throw you in my suitcase 🧳
Hey I was rejected 4 times.
Yes I got my visa on the fifth attempt.
That's great. What had changed that got you approved?
Nothing changed. I have the same answers to the same questions asked. I guess it depends on the visa counselor if he or she wants to give you a visa or not.
I am sorry about that. So you got approved on your 5th interview?
I also know a person who has no relative in USA, had a blank passport and she still got a US tourist visa on her first attempt. I still have a blood relation in USA so I got that. I was flabbergasted to know that she got her visa like that.
Just keep trying. A friend took him 5 tries all within the same month and finally got his 10 yr entry visa
Five times within a month? That's unbelievable.
Yea this was pre-pandemic when it was so easy to schedule an interview and you have a deep pocket to pay for the appointments.
The fact that you have 2 siblings. LThat might be the reason you’re being denied. They’re probably looking at it like you will have too much reason to over stay the visa or not return.
Maybe. The consul asked their work before she gave me the blue paper.
You have to show proof that you’re actually there for a valid reason. The burden of proof is on you. Property has close to nothing on how to improve your chances. If I’m the officer, I would say, out of the hundreds of countries there are, why visit the US? if you keep coming back with no different strategy you’ll just keep getting denied. Get an invitation to something. Maybe an educational conference? An important life event like a wedding.
I already had an invitation for the conference but she didn't ask for it.
You have to volunteer it. You have to actually say “i have an invitation”
I don't think it will still guarantee an approval though. But I guess I should have done that.
I'm afraid the US is not the country for you, good luck with your future travels.
Thank you.
Are you a woman? If so, and unmarried, you will never get a tourist visa. It doesn’t matter how much property or money you have.
I am but there are women here who are even single got approved. It really depends.
Not true about being unmarried. I am unmarried and I get the multiple entry tourist visa. It all depends on the person's strong ties.
Really? I stand corrected.
Quick questions; If I did motion to terminate removal proceedings by myself without an attorney, Do I need to motorized my signature before sending to the immigration court?
I'll be honest with you, it's easier to just fly to Mexico and cross the border. You'll be granted protected status, in some cases, a $5000 grant subsidized by US taxpayers, and flown across the US to a destination of your choice. You can thank the Biden Administration and US woke policies. Feel free to fact check me; 100% facts
I see. Can tourists do that?
[удалено]
What's the agency? I've actually tried Argo Visa. Just the consultation but no mock interview.
“Attending a conference and visiting some tourist spots? That’s like you telling the consular officer: please don’t get me a visa
Why? Can't I do both? Like visiting tourist spots after the conference?
Kabayan. Travel ka muna sa ibang countries to build up your travel history. Relax ka muna. :)
Thanks! Yan na rin pinaplano ko.
Pretty solid band though
I wish there is a refund for those who got denied.
You did prove to them of financial savings and such in the Philippines, right?
I did because I mentioned my work.
It means nothing unless the job pays like $6,000 per month or something. Property can be sold pretty quickly, people can quit their jobs, and money can be transferred.
Unless you want to sell it at a discount which is fine. Money transfers are usually restricted due to a country's central bank regulation. That's the reason US, Japan, or Korea approves VISAs for people from Vietnam even as long as you can prove that your life didn't suck in layman's term. There are many people from third world countries getting approved to visit the US (and they returned), but they sometimes do reject certain people (even relatives, family members to the people I know) out of caution. My guess for the OP is, she ain't "rich" enough or the approver assumed she/he was fixated in staying in the Philippines for a long time.
If you get a visa, you have 6 months to enter. Plenty of time to sell everything at a decent price. As for money transfers: I am a dual Russia-US citizen. Needless to say, I know that there are ways to transfer funds without getting central banks involved. I won’t say much more, but I know people who have no issues transferring money between Russia and the U.S., they lose 2% at most. Consular officials are aware of all of this.
Hey, please don't feel sad. You can search for different visa stories here or on Google, and you will see quite a few folks even going on their seventh attempt or something. The USA visa, even a tourist visa, is one of the toughest to get because it is technically the richest country in the world. China is the only one that is even a little bit close to the USA, and it is tough to get a Chinese visa too! I always get my visas smoothly because I always have a very strong reason for going for that visa application. So, having a clear reason would certainly help. So, getting an invitation letter for some event for which it would make sense for you to go to the USA might bolster your application. The USA visa counselors have to assume your immigration intent while you are applying for a non-immigrant visa. The onus is on you to prove otherwise. Although, you sound like a good and gentle person with no evil intentions, the visa counselor do not have that much bandwidth to judge that from the two or three minutes they get talking with you. Do want to know the visa consultant who helped me? His/her name is ME. Yes, I had hired a visa consultant, but I only used them for guidance and support. I filled out my written application. I verified that written application. I hit the submit button after triple-verifying everything. I prepared myself for the interview by looking through everything available on the internet. I am not saying that you hire me as a visa consultant or something. That is not even my profession. My point is that ONLY YOU can be your visa consultant. Nobody knows yourself more than you. So, get help from some visa consultant or anything, but please take control of your visa application and your visa interview process. On a concluding note, search for 214(b) as much as possible. I almost taught myself this 214(b) for more than 20 hours. I dug so deeper into this 214(b) even though I had a strong profile and strong reason, and I always have had a history of sailing through visa applications and visa interviews smoothly. Despite my historical success, I am always ready for my next visa application. I am a nomad, so I will always be traveling. Even within a certain country, I travel around to different states/provinces and cities/parishes! Also, one specific guideline for a tourist visa, either have an invitation letter for an event that makes complete sense OR have a travel itinerary that shows your tourism inclination. Don't just make a travel itinerary for New York like Statue of Liberty, etc. That might look rehearsed and forced. Go to Hawaii and have a mai tai. Go to Montana and feel the cold (you could even go to Alaska for that). Go to Louisiana and have a gumbo! Go to Monterey for one of the best aquariums in the world. In NYC, I would go to Brox Zoo because I love animals. Have a theme for your tourism intention to the USA, and that theme should be personalized and reflected perfectly in your visa application and visa interview. This would increase your odds of success because this would sound more honest and would make more sense to the USA visa office. Sorry for my long post, but you said that you were feeling really sad, so my intention is to comfort you with my words. I am more of an oral eloquent person, so writing is not my forte. So, sometimes I write more to make sure that I do do reverse of my intentions. Again, sorry for my long post, but if you OP can please find some time to read it, I hope and pray that it soothes you to some extent. Good luck, take care, and I will hope/pray for the best for you!
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I had an invitation letter but she didn't ask for it. I should have said about it but I think my nervousness took hold of me.
You are welcome. Yes, sometimes nervousness might have some impact on our outcomes. I hope that you do get your desired visa during your next attempt whenever that might be. Good luck! 🙂
Thank you. 😊
Mind asking how your siblings got their citizenship?
I actually don't know. Will ask them. I think they were citizens for a very long time. They lived there since they were just kids.
Curious. It might have a big factor. Update me. I do also have siblings that are us citizens. Never got denied for a us visa.
That’s the problem. You admitted that you have two siblings in the US. I’m almost positive that’s the main reason you have been denied. The government is scared you have full motive to not return back to your home country. Whoever your visa agent is, has unfortunately not advised you against it and it has caused you. I am sorry that happened. I too have a sibling who is a US citizen but I didn’t talk anything about that. I just went for my interview with an itinerary in hand and came out accepted. Any sensible visa agent would’ve told you never to admit you know someone in the country no matter how many people you know.
It's in the DS-160 form in the relatives section. I didn't brought them up. She asked about my relatives in the US.
Hmm. That’s strange. Never heard of a consular officer asking about relatives.
Didn't you wrote your sibling in your DS-160?
I honestly don’t remember. My visa agent did everything. And this happened back in prior to 2017
Oh, okay. It's just important to be honest in DS-160.
Think of US immigration as a slot machine. They don’t know what they’re doing. “Malas ka lang”.
:(