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Not sure if anyone has experience with getting a US visa for someone from a "high risk" country, but thought I'd give this a go. So a bit of background, I am living in Cambodia and a good friend of mine, a Cambodian national, is trying to get over to the US to visit her friends (another Cambodian national and her American husband) for 3 weeks. Her friends have offered to pay for the entire trip. She has just been refused a visa for the third time, and honestly we're struggling to see why. As a note I am a UK national and have arranged visas for the UK for other people in the past without any issue. This is the list of documents she provided (copies and translations were provided where applicable): Holiday Details Invitation letter from her friend Letter to the embassy from her friend Letter to the embassy from a lawyer Ticket itinerary Personal Details Passport photos Birth certificate Family book Family photos Criminal record check Personal reference letter Education Details Bachelor's degree certificate High school certificate Certificates for various other courses (English, computer skills) Receipt for a Masters degree (due to start in October) Confirmation letter about Masters degree from Employer Financial Details Land/House ownership document Vehicle registration card Work contract Proof of employment letter Bank statements Sponsor Details Scans of friends passports Friends marriage license Friends bank statements Photos of her and her friends (from their previous visits to Cambodia) Previously she was rejected because she didn't provide enough evidence that she would be returning to Cambodia. According to her, this time they asked her the usual questions, but didn't even bother checking her documents. Any ideas? Could the fact that she's been refused twice before be affecting things?
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Aug 22, 2015 06:51
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 02:49 |
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I'm guessing she triggered the "foreign nationals trying to pull in their friends and family" alert. People do occasionally invite their family from the old homeland on a tourist visa and then they disappear. And yeah if you fail a visa request once it's not likely to go through the second time. I think she may be screwed until she finishes that degree and has a stable and good enough job to not be seen as an immigration risk. Maybe she can apply for a visa in Canada and they can meet up there for some group holidays? Do not attempt to cross over the land border though that's one of those "smart" ideas people get that ends up a massive pain in the rear end.
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Sep 2, 2015 11:11
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Phnom Penh is a notoriously bad post for B visas, and unfortunately for your friend adverse consular decisions are not subject to any appeal.
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Sep 2, 2015 15:03
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Thanks both, yeah I've been in touch with a couple of people and the general consensus is that she's probably stuck for a few years. Her friends do come to Cambodia each year anyway but it's still a real shame for her.
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Sep 3, 2015 05:58
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Let me ask a stupid question. Can she go apply at the US embassy in Bangkok? And, if so, would it go through a different channel or would everything hinge on the original decision back at the embassy in the Phnom Penh?
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Sep 3, 2015 09:06
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Good question, I have no idea  I have a feeling she considered applying in Bangkok before but I'll check with her. I would have thought it wouldn't make a different where you apply but who knows?EDIT: Also I've been advised that she could get black listed permanently if she keeps trying over and over, so it's looking like she'll wait anyway. Don't really want to risk that. Tytan fucked around with this message at 09:37 on Sep 3, 2015 |
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Sep 3, 2015 09:34
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ReindeerF posted:Let me ask a stupid question. Can she go apply at the US embassy in Bangkok? And, if so, would it go through a different channel or would everything hinge on the original decision back at the embassy in the Phnom Penh? A Cambodian national resident in Cambodia without Thai dual-citizenship applying for a visa in Thailand probably puts you on another computer-filtered shitlist. Why would anyone do that if they weren't trying to trick the process.
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Sep 3, 2015 11:15
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peak debt posted:A Cambodian national resident in Cambodia without Thai dual-citizenship applying for a visa in Thailand probably puts you on another computer-filtered shitlist. Why would anyone do that if they weren't trying to trick the process.
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Sep 3, 2015 12:45
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ReindeerF posted:A non-zero number of Cambodians (it's among the largest groups of foreign residents for obvious reasons, after Burmese and Laos nationals, I think) live and work here, some are married to Americans. That's why they would do that. Hence why peak debt said "Cambodian resident in Cambodia".
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Sep 3, 2015 15:49
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peak debt posted:A Cambodian national resident in Cambodia without Thai dual-citizenship applying for a visa in Thailand probably puts you on another computer-filtered shitlist. Why would anyone do that if they weren't trying to trick the process. They permit third-country nationals to apply for visas in Bangkok, although discourage it. I've sent clients seeking different kinds of visas (especially E-2s) consulate-shopping, but can't see any advantage for a Cambodian national not resident in Thailand to do this for a B-2. Sorry I don't have any positive suggestions here, OP. This is what we call consular absolutism - sometimes you just can't get there from here with US visas. Unless your friend is on a watchlist, there's not likely to be any prejudice to applying again, and again.
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Sep 3, 2015 15:53
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Saladman posted:Hence why peak debt said "Cambodian resident in Cambodia". The larger question isn't, " Why would you do that?" it's, "Is there a system in place that blackballs you if you do." I would bet at minimum the record is shares and the answer is yes, but I have yet to hear direct knowledge that this is the case from anyone with experience in the embassy here.
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Sep 3, 2015 16:11
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ReindeerF posted:The larger question isn't, " Why would you do that?" it's, "Is there a system in place that blackballs you if you do." I would bet at minimum the record is shares and the answer is yes, but I have yet to hear direct knowledge that this is the case from anyone with experience in the embassy here. State Department missions to various countries generally set their own policies in regard to whether third-country nationals can apply for which visas. I posted a link above from the US Embassy-Bangkok where they say that it is permitted, but not encouraged. I'm not aware of any agency-wide policy blackballing applicants for forum-shopping.
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Sep 3, 2015 16:17
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