scrubbedexpat099

The lady doth protest too much, methinks

They have the discretion to issue a visa, they chose not to exercise it.

Booking without knowing if your spouse could enter the US seems a bit silly. The visa application is the first item, not the last.

I do not know for certain, but my impression is that they decide before you get to the counter.

Bomjeito

Just a small question - if trips to the US are that important as a couple, why doesn't she naturalize as a UK citizen and be done with it?

I realize you are angry at the situation, but I don't think DoS is out to deny this one Indian lady for any reason at all.

ConOffs are trained to suspect. They are also trained to watch movements, facial expressions, pauses, etc. I have a number of friends who actually ARE in the consul sections of the foreign service (this is different from direct USG hires to the State Department.)

I was once working attached to an Embassy in xxx country. I do know that the rate of tourist visas DENIED was about 90%. All could provide proof to return to xxx, and more.

Being married to a Brit or other westerner in the VWP means nothing. Of those 90% denied in that particular county, some were even WORKING for the DoS, Peace Corps, USDA and other US government agencies!

Its not at all about being married, or having something to come back to, or what nationality is the husband/wife that CAN travel to the USA freely - its more about the individual.

You may want to investigate it further on the denial - do you know your wife and her family for the extent of her life? Her family name could have brought something up, albeit wrongly.

Besides, lots of nice places to holiday... sorry that happened.

JAJ

Perhaps it's time for your wife to change her citizenship from Indian to British?

Marocco

Perhaps she doesn't want to lose her Indian citizenship.

texto

It is a long process getting naturalized, get passport and then get an overseas citizenship of India Visa stamp - you are looking at 1-1.5 years for whole process. On top of that you've got to consider the assets, relatives you've got back there etc. etc. That's something to consider for future with proper planning ..

It was about this US trip (not trips) - primary purpose is to go the US open for which I have the tickets. Also happens to be our first trip to that part of the world - so a bit disappointed.

crg

You can blame all of the other people, including some Indian citizens, who enter on a visa and decide not to leave for your problem.

As for your question about if the US wants tourists to boost the economy, yes they do. They want tourists. They just weren't sure that your spouse had the intention to be a bona fide tourist.

I wonder how many real tourists have to come spend money to offset the economic impact of one bad visa issued to someone with other ideas who comes to the US to deliver a premature infant at taxpayer expense or drop 5 kids into public school.

Another thing to consider is that the visa is usually valid for 10 years. They need to be convinced that the applicant won't move into the US illegally within the 10 year period. She has already left one country presumably to benefit her situation. What's to guarantee she may not do so again? Were you from India originally? How did you two end up in the UK? Did you apply before coming to the UK, or visit and stay? Plenty of people leave India for the UK, and then try for Canada or the US. Some will say they should just issue the visa for a shorter period but the consulate's manual cautions not to do that. If they are so concerned that the 10yr could be abused, they should deny the application.

It's unfortunate that this had to happen to you, but the decision is not so agregious considering the broad situation.

Marocco

UK naturalisation took less than five weeks for me three years ago.

If it takes very long to get an OCI stamp and her passport is not available during this time, she can always apply for a second British passport.

texto

That situation is everywhere - UK, France, Germany, Spain ... etc. There are illegal immigrants everywhere but these countries are much more fair in deciding whether the application is genuine or not based on documentary evidence.

Never ever been denied anywhere else but in the US .. and this is for tourism for god's sake. They have more illegal immigrants because of them issuing a 10 year visa I think. I can't imagine European countries issuing a 10 year tourism visa!!

meauxna

I appreciate your frustration, but what sort of different information would you like at this point? You can argue with us, but we do not make the rules or issue the visas. People here have been very generous in explaining the possible reasons for the denial.

Note also that none of it is going to change your wife attending the tennis this year.

texto

Thanks mod and all for your input. Please close this thread.

GeoffM

It would have taken my wife about 3 months, had the Home Office sent her the right forms.

The point is, they haven't been convinced it is simply for tourism. You can't really compare European countries - different laws, different policies, different immigration rules - some better, some worse. (And, yes, the UK does have a 10-year multiple entry tourism visa - the MIL currently has a 2-year one which will probably go up to 5 years eventually).

texto

Sorry for bumping this thread up but I wanted to thank everyone for their advice. My wife applied (second time) after exhaustive preparation/research on the internet and was granted a B2 tourist visa. When I look back, I know exactly what we did wrong - it was our lack of preparation.

I will post something on a new thread to help people prepare for a B2 visa.

Thanks again!

anuny

Enjoy US Open. Spend generously in NYC

E3only

OCI stamp takes 4-6 weeks max.

xxtraloud

can you please explain what you did differently this time? It's still BS that you weren't accepted the first time. I think it has to do a lot with the country of origin. But it's still a process that it's way over too subjective on who's at the desk. Can't they reduce this huge grey area?