FrankCastle

Just wondering if anyone had any experience of the long term implications of having an intra-company work VISA denied (L1) in terms of travelling/transit for vacation in the US in the future?

Recently had an L1 denied and I've been told it's unlikely I'll ever be approved for an ESTA (and use of the VWP) again. The "solution" being to be apply for a tourist VISA at the consulate.

Has anyone had any previous experience around this? Or advice say if after 5 years this may be deemed so far in the past that it's possible i would get my ESTA approved?

Tried to do a search but can't find anything on what actually happens going forward (if someone could point me to a post then great)

Noorah101

Having a visa denied doesn't mean you can never use the VWP again. It just means you have to check "yes" to the question on ESTA about having a visa denied. If ESTA comes back approved, you can travel.

The more time you put between the visa denial and the ESTA application, the better your chances of approval. Probably want to wait 6 to 12 months minimum.

Rene

S Folinsky

General comment: the L-1 category has a "petition" with CIS followed by a "visa" issued by a consulate. If the "petition" is denied, then no "visa" has been denied.

It is common for people to refer to all immigration authorization as a "visa." However the definition is quite narrow.

FrankCastle

Thanks Rene - this does give me some peace of mind! I was hoping that might be the case and not a permanent black mark against me that would be machine read and automatically adjudicated on.

Folinsky - understood. I had my application denied at the consulate following the interview (received my forms back with "denied" ticked and then some commentary on the reason for the VISA denial).

But agreed there sounds like a lot of confusion around at what point a rejection is a VISA denial as opposed to a petition denial.

Anyhow - in lighter news we won't be giving up on this one. Trying again for a different visa. But still was good to know about any longer term impacts on my record.

Noorah101

Just curious, what was the reason for the L-1 denial?

And why do you capitalize the word "visa"?

Rene

FrankCastle

The capitalizing was my bad (not intending to shout it ) - I'll stop that now.

Denied because it was deemed not clearly approvable. (poor articulation on my part as to what I'd be doing in the US which led to a bit of a misunderstanding)

Certainly wish i'd looked at this site before.

Rete

LOL VISA is a credit card while visa or Visa is a document issued by the US Consulate.

S Folinsky

Ah. The famous 214(b) denial. Which tells you pretty much nothing.

FrankCastle

And my online status still remains in "Administrating Processing". Been almost 2 months now so I'm wondering if that's going to be a perpetual state.

tom169

Online case statuses are flaky and unreliable.