I have been reading some of the forum posts regarding my issue and wondered if anyone can offer some advice please?

I have long time friends in the US and have decided to study (in the US) to become an RN, it seems they are in much of a need for them as the UK is. I applied for a career break from my current job and have been putting everything in place to ensure I have the funds to pay for college, car, living expenses for the next 2.5 years. Once I graduate, I would be looking for work as an RN near to where my friends live. I did have an interview last September with a hospital who offered me a job as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) but the DHS would not grant a visa for anything less than an RN. The hospital did say they would be happy to offer me an RN position once qualified.

I visited the London embassy yesterday and they denied my student visa, giving me the 214b reason. Thinking about it now, I probably opened my mouth and gave them far too much info (house up for sale), didn’t demonstrate that I have strong ties to return to England, I have parents in Cornwall, brother and nieces and a nephew etc so I would be returning to visit.

My question is: Do I apply again? What is the likelihood of being denied as it would be so soon after the first application, do I look desperate to them? I’m trying to do this the correct way, get the proper qualifications, apply for the RN position once qualified etc, have sufficient funds to pay for myself but it seems my life decision is in their hands and there’s nothing I can do to change that. I definitely don’t want to overstay or marry an American just to get there, I want to do it properly if I can. The officer on the desk didn’t even look at my documents, he fired questions at me, didn’t like the answers and rejected the visa. I saw that he also rejected the two people before me, it was a Friday at 12pm, maybe he hadn’t fulfilled his quota of that week’s rejections?!

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks for reading.

I'm not surprised you were rejected. By your own admission your intention is to study, then eventually land a job in the US, and your house is up for sale. 'Having family in the UK' is not strong ties at all, so what exactly will make you return to the UK at the end of your studies?

Any further application will lead to a further denial unless your circumstances have changed significantly, and now you have also lost your ESTA access to the US because of the visa denial.

I wish people would take the time to ask before they do these things.

They aren't required to, and no, they don't have rejection quotas.

Lest you forget, the purpose of the officer is not to be on your side, it's to keep non USCs out of the US.

I didn’t know my ESTA would now be affected too..... I honestly thought I was going the right way about it. I realise the officer’s job is to keep potential illegals out of the US but I don’t want to be an illegal immigrant, I want to do it the right way!

So I may as well give up the plan then? Incidentally, what are strong ties if family isn’t sufficient?! Cars and houses can be sold via the internet, I wouldn’t have thought that would demonstrate a strong link to return?

Christmasoompa - what other routes (apart from marriage!) would there be that would be more successful?

No I don’t,I am in an emergency service but not nursing. The plan was to study and graduate as an RN, then the hospital where I take my studies have offered to take me on as an RN. I assume that would be the H-1B visa?

I just checked my ESTA status and it’s still as normal but I will see if I can update it.

The F-1 is a non-immigrant visa - talking about immigrating would likely not go over well.

It’s not that houses aren’t a strong tie. The problem is that you revealed too much information about your future plans that jeopardized your visa . F-1 is a non immigrant visa category, and unlike some other categories like H1, does not permit dual intent .

Unfortunately, your denial is entirely valid since you indicated plans to work/settle in US. It has nothing to do with quotas. The first rule of applying for a non immigrant visa is that you do not indicate any immigrant intent . This applies both to US and UK immigration . Despite now being a citizen of both countries now, I know this firsthand dealing with immigration of both too (long story).

With the note in your application record indicating your future plans, there’s probably no way to pursue them in the near or foreseeable future . As you said, houses and cars can be sold, if purchased again . Unlike a 221g RFE, it’s really hard to get around a 214b denial, short of substantial changes to your present circumstances and your US visit intentions. Trying once again in the near future will make things worse - it’ll indicate desperation.

Thanks sun burn, that was a very useful reply � ����� ����. His first question was “Why have you visited the same place so much?” I told him it was to visit friends and he said “What friends? How long have you known them, where did you meet?” I told him the truth, met in Mexico 7 years ago and they have a farm which I visit. He looked like he didn’t believe me straight away and once he said “So you expect me to believe that you’re going to pack up your life for 2.5 years to study at a little college in the middle of nowhere at your age?” I knew it was all over.

You don’t think there would be any point to trying again in April next year for Fall semester 2020? And what would be ‘substantial changes’ that would grant me a previously refused visa?!