helpmeplease123

I am having a serious panic about getting denied an F1 visa today, it was really not clear why and I am at a loss of what to do now, whether to reapply or give up - I just keep kicking myself wondering if I said something wrong and would really appreciate anyones thoughts or advice!

Here is the story:
In April of last year, I on a whim applied to an MBA program in California and was accepted, applied for and got my visa in August. Then when the time came to head off to America I realised that I just wasn't convinced that I was doing the right thing and so returned the I20, gave up my place and didn't use my visa. I have since decided for sure what I want to do, which is a public administration masters. Most of the schools that I want to apply to have either prerequisites or preferences that candidates have done economics/finance type classes but as part of my undergraduate degree I didn't take anything like that (I studied psychology) and so to try and mediate that, I applied for and was accepted into a community college in America starting in January, where I was planning to study for these credits and have completed them all in time to start a masters program in August next year.

So everything is sorted and fast forward to today, I went to my visa appointment and was denied the F1 visa for what I was planning to do. There was no financial issues or anything to do with ties to England (in fact he asked me nothing to do with either) but my denial was still under section 214(b). So I am not entirely clear on why I was denied the visa. I was in complete shock when he said no that I can't quite remember what he said but something to the effect of the visa being no problem if I was applying for an actual degree but that it was hard to grant a visa based on what I was planning to do.

This makes me think I didn't explain why I was doing it well, which is so frustrating but I just can't figure out where it went wrong... the jist of the conversation was him asking what I wanted to do, at which point I explained prerequisites for masters etc. him asking what masters I wanted to do, which i answered and then asking if I had been accepted to one. I said no, I haven't, I am in the process of applying now to schools in the US and UK (and maybe here I offered too much information) said that this 6 months course was also going to be helpful for me to get to know the American education system and whether it is a right place for me to do my masters. He then asked about the visa I already had and I explained that I had realised before going that it just wasn't the best fit for me and that I shouldn't go and that public administration was the right course. It was then that he said he was giving my passport back and couldn't grant me a visa.

Sorry for the mammoth post but I am so freaked out right now, I (maybe naively) assumed I would get the visa and didn't create any kind of back-up plan and would appreciate anyones comments.

Thank you!!

lisa67

Well who know, but maybe he was wondering why you'd need to come to the US to do the undergraduate courses when you could probably do them in the UK?

It really doesn't matter what he was thinking, he's made his decision and you need to have a plan to move forward.

helpmeplease123

Thank you very much for your response.

It isn't possible to take undergraduate level courses without enrolling in a degree in England from the research i've done, which is why I decided to go to the US and also because I wanted to know if I could handle 2 years away from home before commiting to a 2 years masters program. I have looked endlessly for colleges here but they only offer more vocational courses or full 3 year undergraduate programs. All I need is one semesters worth of economics and finance classes which I am comfortable I can do well in.

I wanted to know whether there was an obvious problem with my application or whether I maybe just explained myself poorly, in which case I would consider reapplying and trying to explain my goals better this time.

scrubbedexpat099

Can you do them online?

helpmeplease123

Thank you for answering.

I think I could find online classes but I was really trying to avoid doing that, as I am currently enrolled in some online classes and it's pretty unpleasant compared to having a real life professor and classes to go to. If there is no way for me to attend the college then it's what i'll have to do though.

scrubbedexpat099

The trouble with what you are doing is that it is also a well known route by others who shall we say do not have education at the forefront of their motivation.

ian-mstm

Perhaps you need to think more outside the box. Why can't you enroll in a 3-year undergrad program, take the courses you need, and then leave? There's nothing written that says you must finish the degree program. Then... you have the courses you need, and you can apply for the MBA program in the US.

Ian

helpmeplease123

Thank you both for your responses.

Boiler - I see what you mean. I guess I was just assuming that due to where I am from, they wouldn't think of that as possibility (in that the US is no more economically stable than the UK) but I suppose they probably aren't allowed to do that. I also thought that as I was granted a visa already once and chose not to use it, it showed that I wasn't just trying to get any way into the country.

ian-mstm - that would be a good way to get the courses, although I don't think there's one set degree here that would cover what I need and in terms of getting it done in time to start a masters in September 2012 rather than delaying, I would almost prefer the online route.

If I could get a letter from one of the Universities i'm applying to saying that they have these prerequisites, say USC for example, do you think that might help my chances if I were to reapply in a week or so? Would it go some way to explain my motives beyond just wanting to get in the country?
I don't want to do anything to affect my chances of getting a visa for a masters program were I to decide to go to America next fall, as I am still applying to them. Would a second visa denial look worse than just one? Or does it not make any difference at this point?

Thank you again everyone for all of your help!

scrubbedexpat099

From what I have seen Community College is seen more as a cheap shack up visa.

Then there was the Social Worker who was married but was going to spend 2 years in the US for reasons that never became really clear, except her excuses made no sense. I was leaning to child care but was never sure.

I do know that having a Degree and then wanting to go to Community College in the US is going to cause a great deal of scrutiny.

From a practical point of view an examination course that is going to be particularly focused on US practice, well why would that be of great worth in your home country compared to one that dealt with your local practices?

helpmeplease123

I'm not sure I understand what you mean about an examination course? I want to do my masters in public administration and in the US because there are far more programs in the US than UK and the programs are much more established and ranked higher.
The classes I wanted to take now to help my entry into the program are along the lines of microeconomics, macroeconomics, financial accounting and some political science - just one semesters worth of 12 credits.

retzie

Is there no such thing as a Graduate Diploma in the UK? In Oz, at least, this is the "I have a degree, but didn't major is something very useful, so let's try this again" route. If there's no purpose built diploma/certificate, I will echo Ian's suggestion of enrolling in a bachelors with a view to leaving.

I would certainly try to get your prerequisites sorted in the UK. Apart from anything else, anecdotal evidence around here shows there's little chance someone with a bachelors will be granted a visa for a 'lesser' qualification in the US.

Whichever way you jump, I suggest you let go of your timeline - this sounds like it could be negotiated reasonably easily, but too many constraints and it will all fall down.

helpmeplease123

Thank you. We do have diplomas but they last a year and are above undergraduate level, so I wouldn't really qualify to take one in say economics without any economics or maths background. It's not so much that my degree wasn't useful more that the elective system is different in the UK and we don't really get to take any, whereas in the US I could've majored in Psychology, as I did in the UK but still taken classes outside this field.

I really wish i'd known this was going to happen, i'm worried that it may now affect my getting a visa for my masters as they'll start out suspicious - it's also frustrating that although he didn't mention anything about not having strong ties to home, that seems to be the denial I was given. I really never considered that my reasons for going weren't clear, kicking myself now.

I am now worried because of that that I will have a problem getting a new ESTA - would I be denied if I applied for a new one to take a holiday in say 3 months time?

ian-mstm

You must reapply - and there's no way to know, in advance, what will happen when you apply for ESTA. You will have to declare the visa denial... and it might make a difference in whether or not you're approved. The only way to know for sure, is to apply.

Ian

helpmeplease123

Thank you for all of your advice.
I am starting to calm down a bit now and realise that I had a set back but hopefully it shouldn't affect my masters chances too much, as I will take classes online and get a new job in the mean time. Just really difficult to deal with as I had my heart set on going and as is probably clear from my desperation and maybe the officer suspected although didn't question - my boyfriend of 3 years who was living in England up until recently had his visa expire here recently and had to go back to the US where he is from. That is in no way why I was doing what I was doing, as I have clear goals for my future, however it was why I was never considering taking the courses online or in England, as if I am going to do them anywhere, I wanted it to be where he is. Obviously now the prospect of not being able to see him for many months is terrifying. Thank you for the opportunity to vent all of that!

ian-mstm

If there's anything I've learned over the 14 years I've been following this forum and its earlier incarnation, it's that desperation leads people to make very poor decisions.


Ah... and now the truth comes out!


Perhaps not... but it's likely the answer to your original question - why your visa was denied.


I'll admit it's an inconvenience... but terrifying? Perhaps it's time to think outside the box again... meet up in Canada! Or... consider marriage.

Ian