Tweet
B1/B2 Visa Problem. :(
Hi guys,
This is my first post so i would like to greet to you all.
I come to this forum due to having problems with obtaining a visa for the United States..their automated helpline has been absolutely useless not to mention expensive, and the Visa officers i have seen have been incredibly unhelpful. I will try to provide as much information as possible..
I'am partaking in a 4-6 month unpaid work experience scheme with an animal charity in the United States. I am receiving no payment, funding, or support ..my trip is entirely self funded. and essentially voluntary. The scheme is cleaning various enclosures of animals, learning training techniques, essentially work with captive, rescued animals. They also so work in the local community in order to educate.
The Organisation is - 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law.
It is a completely voluntary program. Working for captive exotic species - rescued from laboratories, circuses and former movie and show animals.
Now..it gets dicey here because the scheme is referred to as an "internship" by this charity. However it is not in the traditional sense. I'am not part of an institution, School or fellowship or doing a masters.
It is solely to provide me more experience to come back the the UK and be able to find a job in my relevant field.
I had an interview at the Embassy which lasted all of ten minutes and i was stamped with a 221g form. The visa officer said that i had applied in the wrong category of visa and i needed to apply for one that allows internships. When i asked what Visa category I best fit into, she just said "I don't know that. you will have to go away and find that out yourself, and apply under the right category."
When i reviewed the categories again at home. There is not one that fits what I'am going to do any clearer. Internship categories such as J-1 require you to have School ID codes and references and sponsorship from your institutions of education..so i cant even apply for these.
After all this I felt that I should re-submit all my documents with a open letter explaining the situation and my case, with further documents including letters from the charity I'm going to indicating the fact that they are not supporting me financially what so ever and it is a voluntary program.
i also included this excerpt taken from their own website. -
If you are participating in a voluntary service program which benefits a U.S. local community, and you can establish that you are a member of, and have a commitment to, a particular recognized religious or nonprofit charitable organization, you may be eligible for a B-1 visa if the work performed is traditionally done by volunteer charity workers; you will receive no salary or remuneration from a U.S. source, other than an allowance or other reimbursement for expenses incidental to your stay in the United States; and you will not engage in the selling of articles and/or the solicitation and acceptance of donations.
A voluntary service program is an organized project conducted by a recognized religious or nonprofit charitable organization to provide assistance to the poor or the needy, or to further a religious or charitable cause.
If your proposed activities as a voluntary worker are not exactly as described, you will require either an exchange visitor (J-1) or temporary worker (H-2B) visa.
After a week of waiting my documents were sent back with another 221G with no name or signature of who looked at them just a sentence that said i must apply for a category that allows internships..
To me it seems they have seen the word internships and are just rejecting it on that basis. neither the officer in my interview, or i suspect the officer reading my documents has bothered to read any of the evidence i have provided..the documents were send in a plastic display folder which looked completely untampered with.
i was wondering if anyone has any sort of advice as to what to do as i just want to better myself in order to work in this country. Now i will possibly loose my place on this programme. If i cannot get this rectified.
I have now been issued 221g once at interview and once through the mail.. I find this quite concerning.
Thank you so much to anyone who reads this or can possibly advise..
This is my first post so i would like to greet to you all.
I come to this forum due to having problems with obtaining a visa for the United States..their automated helpline has been absolutely useless not to mention expensive, and the Visa officers i have seen have been incredibly unhelpful. I will try to provide as much information as possible..
I'am partaking in a 4-6 month unpaid work experience scheme with an animal charity in the United States. I am receiving no payment, funding, or support ..my trip is entirely self funded. and essentially voluntary. The scheme is cleaning various enclosures of animals, learning training techniques, essentially work with captive, rescued animals. They also so work in the local community in order to educate.
The Organisation is - 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law.
It is a completely voluntary program. Working for captive exotic species - rescued from laboratories, circuses and former movie and show animals.
Now..it gets dicey here because the scheme is referred to as an "internship" by this charity. However it is not in the traditional sense. I'am not part of an institution, School or fellowship or doing a masters.
It is solely to provide me more experience to come back the the UK and be able to find a job in my relevant field.
I had an interview at the Embassy which lasted all of ten minutes and i was stamped with a 221g form. The visa officer said that i had applied in the wrong category of visa and i needed to apply for one that allows internships. When i asked what Visa category I best fit into, she just said "I don't know that. you will have to go away and find that out yourself, and apply under the right category."
When i reviewed the categories again at home. There is not one that fits what I'am going to do any clearer. Internship categories such as J-1 require you to have School ID codes and references and sponsorship from your institutions of education..so i cant even apply for these.
After all this I felt that I should re-submit all my documents with a open letter explaining the situation and my case, with further documents including letters from the charity I'm going to indicating the fact that they are not supporting me financially what so ever and it is a voluntary program.
i also included this excerpt taken from their own website. -
If you are participating in a voluntary service program which benefits a U.S. local community, and you can establish that you are a member of, and have a commitment to, a particular recognized religious or nonprofit charitable organization, you may be eligible for a B-1 visa if the work performed is traditionally done by volunteer charity workers; you will receive no salary or remuneration from a U.S. source, other than an allowance or other reimbursement for expenses incidental to your stay in the United States; and you will not engage in the selling of articles and/or the solicitation and acceptance of donations.
A voluntary service program is an organized project conducted by a recognized religious or nonprofit charitable organization to provide assistance to the poor or the needy, or to further a religious or charitable cause.
If your proposed activities as a voluntary worker are not exactly as described, you will require either an exchange visitor (J-1) or temporary worker (H-2B) visa.
After a week of waiting my documents were sent back with another 221G with no name or signature of who looked at them just a sentence that said i must apply for a category that allows internships..
To me it seems they have seen the word internships and are just rejecting it on that basis. neither the officer in my interview, or i suspect the officer reading my documents has bothered to read any of the evidence i have provided..the documents were send in a plastic display folder which looked completely untampered with.
i was wondering if anyone has any sort of advice as to what to do as i just want to better myself in order to work in this country. Now i will possibly loose my place on this programme. If i cannot get this rectified.
I have now been issued 221g once at interview and once through the mail.. I find this quite concerning.
Thank you so much to anyone who reads this or can possibly advise..
Comment