IMPORTANT : Visa Problem
Jul 19th 2004, 4:31 pm
#1
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 14
IMPORTANT : Visa Problem
Hi,
Iam a member of ISKCON Temple center at Juhu and am providing my services, [both technical and devotional], to it since 1998 without any monetory benifits. Also, as a secondary occupation Iam working as a Software Programmer in a Pvt. Ltd. company with the permission of my Spiritual Master (Guruji) in order to gain knowledge and experience in the field of computers so that I can use that knowledge and experience gained, for providing my technical services to ISKCON in a more professional way.
ISKCON Temple center at Baltimore requires my services and has sponsored me and my local temple center has told me to go and help the temple center at Baltimore.I had my interview on 19th/July/2004.But I was refused visa on grounds that I being a software programmer how can I go on R1 visa.I fail to understand why was I refused on this basis because I being a member of ISKCON am going to U.S. to render my services to the ISKCON center at Baltimore without any monetory benefits and that's the reason I applied under R1 visa.
I will be very grateful to anyone who could kindly guide me if I do not fall under R1 visa category then under which visa category do I fall?
P.S. In ISKCON Society, Members can work for ISKCON Projects and also work at a full range of jobs and businesses much like the general population.
Awaiting you reply.
Thanking You.GOD Bless You.
Iam a member of ISKCON Temple center at Juhu and am providing my services, [both technical and devotional], to it since 1998 without any monetory benifits. Also, as a secondary occupation Iam working as a Software Programmer in a Pvt. Ltd. company with the permission of my Spiritual Master (Guruji) in order to gain knowledge and experience in the field of computers so that I can use that knowledge and experience gained, for providing my technical services to ISKCON in a more professional way.
ISKCON Temple center at Baltimore requires my services and has sponsored me and my local temple center has told me to go and help the temple center at Baltimore.I had my interview on 19th/July/2004.But I was refused visa on grounds that I being a software programmer how can I go on R1 visa.I fail to understand why was I refused on this basis because I being a member of ISKCON am going to U.S. to render my services to the ISKCON center at Baltimore without any monetory benefits and that's the reason I applied under R1 visa.
I will be very grateful to anyone who could kindly guide me if I do not fall under R1 visa category then under which visa category do I fall?
P.S. In ISKCON Society, Members can work for ISKCON Projects and also work at a full range of jobs and businesses much like the general population.
Awaiting you reply.
Thanking You.GOD Bless You.
Jul 19th 2004, 6:57 pm
#2
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 571
Re: IMPORTANT : Visa Problem
Originally posted by rajjs
Hi,
Iam a member of ISKCON Temple center at Juhu and am providing my services, [both technical and devotional], to it since 1998 without any monetory benifits. Also, as a secondary occupation Iam working as a Software Programmer in a Pvt. Ltd. company with the permission of my Spiritual Master (Guruji) in order to gain knowledge and experience in the field of computers so that I can use that knowledge and experience gained, for providing my technical services to ISKCON in a more professional way.
ISKCON Temple center at Baltimore requires my services and has sponsored me and my local temple center has told me to go and help the temple center at Baltimore.I had my interview on 19th/July/2004.But I was refused visa on grounds that I being a software programmer how can I go on R1 visa.I fail to understand why was I refused on this basis because I being a member of ISKCON am going to U.S. to render my services to the ISKCON center at Baltimore without any monetory benefits and that's the reason I applied under R1 visa.
I will be very grateful to anyone who could kindly guide me if I do not fall under R1 visa category then under which visa category do I fall?
P.S. In ISKCON Society, Members can work for ISKCON Projects and also work at a full range of jobs and businesses much like the general population.
Awaiting you reply.
Thanking You.GOD Bless You.
Hi,
Iam a member of ISKCON Temple center at Juhu and am providing my services, [both technical and devotional], to it since 1998 without any monetory benifits. Also, as a secondary occupation Iam working as a Software Programmer in a Pvt. Ltd. company with the permission of my Spiritual Master (Guruji) in order to gain knowledge and experience in the field of computers so that I can use that knowledge and experience gained, for providing my technical services to ISKCON in a more professional way.
ISKCON Temple center at Baltimore requires my services and has sponsored me and my local temple center has told me to go and help the temple center at Baltimore.I had my interview on 19th/July/2004.But I was refused visa on grounds that I being a software programmer how can I go on R1 visa.I fail to understand why was I refused on this basis because I being a member of ISKCON am going to U.S. to render my services to the ISKCON center at Baltimore without any monetory benefits and that's the reason I applied under R1 visa.
I will be very grateful to anyone who could kindly guide me if I do not fall under R1 visa category then under which visa category do I fall?
P.S. In ISKCON Society, Members can work for ISKCON Projects and also work at a full range of jobs and businesses much like the general population.
Awaiting you reply.
Thanking You.GOD Bless You.
As you are working with ISKCON (Harey Rama) in Juhu Bombay It seems to me that Baltimore branch filed R Visa petition for you then the petition that was approved by USCIS in USA it was sent to you and you went to US consulate Bombay for Visa stamping and they refused the Visa.
It seems to me that the Visa officer suspected that you would go to US on R visa just to find other job because of your education and IT background. R visa is issued to Priests for Hindu temples; Sikh Gurudwaras in US to perform religious activates like to do Puja. In your case they thought that you are in IT and are just using R visa to go to US.
P.S. In ISKCON Society, Members can work for ISKCON Projects and also work at a full range of jobs and businesses much like the general population
------ But R visa does not allow you to do other jobs it is only for religious duties to be performed in US.I dont know what you said at the time of interview in US consulate Bombay
Jul 20th 2004, 12:50 am
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 114
Re: IMPORTANT : Visa Problem
Originally posted by rajjs
Hi,
Iam a member of ISKCON Temple center at Juhu and am providing my services, [both technical and devotional], to it since 1998 without any monetory benifits. Also, as a secondary occupation Iam working as a Software Programmer in a Pvt. Ltd. company with the permission of my Spiritual Master (Guruji) in order to gain knowledge and experience in the field of computers so that I can use that knowledge and experience gained, for providing my technical services to ISKCON in a more professional way.
ISKCON Temple center at Baltimore requires my services and has sponsored me and my local temple center has told me to go and help the temple center at Baltimore.I had my interview on 19th/July/2004.But I was refused visa on grounds that I being a software programmer how can I go on R1 visa.I fail to understand why was I refused on this basis because I being a member of ISKCON am going to U.S. to render my services to the ISKCON center at Baltimore without any monetory benefits and that's the reason I applied under R1 visa.
I will be very grateful to anyone who could kindly guide me if I do not fall under R1 visa category then under which visa category do I fall?
P.S. In ISKCON Society, Members can work for ISKCON Projects and also work at a full range of jobs and businesses much like the general population.
Awaiting you reply.
Thanking You.GOD Bless You.
Hi,
Iam a member of ISKCON Temple center at Juhu and am providing my services, [both technical and devotional], to it since 1998 without any monetory benifits. Also, as a secondary occupation Iam working as a Software Programmer in a Pvt. Ltd. company with the permission of my Spiritual Master (Guruji) in order to gain knowledge and experience in the field of computers so that I can use that knowledge and experience gained, for providing my technical services to ISKCON in a more professional way.
ISKCON Temple center at Baltimore requires my services and has sponsored me and my local temple center has told me to go and help the temple center at Baltimore.I had my interview on 19th/July/2004.But I was refused visa on grounds that I being a software programmer how can I go on R1 visa.I fail to understand why was I refused on this basis because I being a member of ISKCON am going to U.S. to render my services to the ISKCON center at Baltimore without any monetory benefits and that's the reason I applied under R1 visa.
I will be very grateful to anyone who could kindly guide me if I do not fall under R1 visa category then under which visa category do I fall?
P.S. In ISKCON Society, Members can work for ISKCON Projects and also work at a full range of jobs and businesses much like the general population.
Awaiting you reply.
Thanking You.GOD Bless You.
D.
Jul 20th 2004, 2:39 am
#4
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 14
Re: IMPORTANT : Visa Problem
Originally posted by denno
The consulate may also have taken the view that you would have been doing a job for free (provide technical services) that the temple would otherwise have had to pay an American to do. That is a big no-no to them.
D.
The consulate may also have taken the view that you would have been doing a job for free (provide technical services) that the temple would otherwise have had to pay an American to do. That is a big no-no to them.
D.
So what's the option for me now? Please help me out.
Thanks. GOD Bless You.
