Latecomer's Visa Rejection Woes

[gonenative]

Last November I tried bringing my girlfriend to the States on a tourist visa. It was my first try at such a thing. I naively dove straight into preparing various supporting documents with the simple assumption that "honesty is the best policy". I prepared financial sponsorship documents and instructed my gf to describe the situation exactly as we perceived it , including the nature of our relationship. The result of all that work was a rude and abrupt rejection. I contacted a local senator's office who forwarded my complaint to the embassy. We got a response which was of little actual help, but it encouraged us to apply again. The second interviewer was polite but still gave the same rejection.

I came to Thailand in January and my gf applied to study the summer in an English language program in the States. She was accepted to the school so we applied again for her visa - this time a student visa. We figured we had a stronger case this time since (1) my gf is a English teacher for Thai students, (2) the period of study coincides with a break in the school term. Other than that we followed the same strategy as before in that I was her official sponsor and we described our relationship as boyfriend/girlfriend. The result was a third rejection.

I hadn't discovered this forum before making our previous interview preparations, else I think our situation would be better than it is now. From those experiences and now reading this forum, I now know the probable reasons for rejection were (1) we described our relationship as boyfriend/girlfriend, (2) I don't have a work permit for Thailand (even though I am here several months every year).

We still would very much like to spend the summer together in the USA where she can study English and meet my friends and family. I am thinking about applying yet again. However I fully realize we need to change our strategy. My questions are as follows: Will these three rejections (all since last November) make it nearly impossible for her to obtain a tourist or student visa any time soon? Does the embassy keep notes that they refer to from one interview to the next? If my gf finds another sponsor (probably one of her relatives) then can she feasibly deny our relationship at the next interview? I mean, if she's asked about it can she say we "broke up"? (actually our relationship goes through rocky periods, and is doing so now, so by the time the interview rolls around this very well might be the truth!). Is her applying using another sponsor a good idea, or is the situation at this point pretty much hopeless? (I mean, will we need to wait until we're ready to "tie the knot" and apply for a fiancée visa.)

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[backflip]

Honesty is the best policy and not every one who wants to get a visa will get one. I'm sure that the embassy has another take on the rejection. Perhaps: "this guy hasn't seen this woman in a year, and he considers her as a 'girlfriend'", but I could be mistaken. Rather than guess as the "probable" cause for rejection, why not find out the real cause? Notes and applications from previous visa attempts are used in subsequent visa attempts.

[britmaveric]

Wording of the rejection is key, if you don't address their concerns, ie reasons for rejection then I'm sure you will continue to be rejected.

[brahmburgers]

it might help to reinforce reasons why she would want (need) to return to Thailand after a visit to the States. Along with that, it helps to represent her as coming from a well-heeled and/or respectable family. I've known at least two young Thai men who were able to get U.S. visas, and each came from respectable families. Granted, the embassy will look upon men differently than women, because women (especially young and attractive) are more likely to not return.

[soic]

I put together a letter and I've used it, and given a washed copy of it to my friends to use. It's always worked and helped in each instance. I used it in Hungary, and some friends have used it in Romania, Thailand and Kuwait, we've all been successful on the first try. Except for the guy in Kuwait, I offered to write one for him and he said no thanks. He was rejected, then came to me, and I wrote this one for him. When he went to the Embassy, he said that they looked at his paperwork, set it aside, looked at the letter, and then kept referring to the attached documents. He then set the letter aside and told him... "this is what I'm going to do". He gave him a one year multi-entry visa, and told him that if they returned to Kuwait each time during that year, he would give her a 10 year multi-entry visa when that one expired. It's not a guaranteed cure, but it has worked for me and my friends. Make sure that your visa paperwork is correct, and make sure that you can document the ties that you/she has to Thailand, with supporting documents, and you shouldn't have any problems. I can send you a copy if you PM me.

Good Luck!

[gonenative]

Honesty is the best policy and not every one who wants to get a visa will get one. I'm sure that the embassy has another take on the rejection. Perhaps: "this guy hasn't seen this woman in a year, and he considers her as a 'girlfriend'", but I could be mistaken. Rather than guess as the "probable" cause for rejection, why not find out the real cause? Notes and applications from previous visa attempts are used in subsequent visa attempts.

As I mentioned in my original post, I am in Thailand several months every year. My gf had plenty of proof along with her at the interviews that we have met recently. The interviewer was not at all interested in that proof. I've done the best I could to find out the "real" cause for rejection. But the problem is that the interviewers are not particularlly forthcoming about the real cause. Everytime we have received the standard issue "214(" refusal with no further explanation. It's especially frustrating since my gf had loads of evidence of ties along with her, none of which the interviewer was interested in seeing.

Edited April 1, 2007 by gonenative

[lopburi3]

The reason for rejection is more than likely the fact you are a couple, she has no strong reason to return to Thailand, and in the view of the officer the most likely reason for her travel to the US is to marry you and change her status. I see no reason that another application would be approved with the record now on file. The number one concern for issue of a tourist type visa is that the person using it will return. She has a rather low paying job and I suspect low savings if you are acting as a sponsor and has indicated a relationship with someone with ties in the USA rather that in Thailand or another country. Sorry but believe the worst factors were highlighted in first application and see no evidence that would change an officers mind.

But you could get an officer who feels that if you have put this much effort into the process and continue with your efforts perhaps it really is an honest vacation type request. But the try for student status kinds of shoots you in the foot and adds to the suspicion this is for entry to country for a long term stay in my view.