Seek Advice For Daughter's Denied B2 Visa

[josie]

I'm a Filipino leaving in Japan permanently for 10 years. My daughter 17 years old came here last June. Before she came here she lived in the Philippines for her study until she finished high school but for the last 3 years she will come here for her summer vacation. She has a long term visa here in Japan. Last June she moved here for good.

She wants to go to college in the US. I want to see the situation first in the US and the place where she will stay so we decided to apply for b2 visa last Sept. For the reason for visiting US we wrote for vacation and to make research for colleges. Result is I received 10 years multiple and her's was denied. The officer said she doesn't have strong tie here. Now that she's living here for 6 months now and working also, we want to reapply her visa. Do you think she will get a visa? Please advice us. Thanks so much!

[peace]

Usually visitor visa is difficult for very young,unmarried people because the officers think they won't come back. Please answer the following;
1.What was the place of stay in US you mentioned when you applied?
2.Do you have any relatives in US? On What visas?
3.What other questions she was asked at the interview? Please ask her to recall and post here.
4.Has she taken any tests like SAT, TOEFL? Did the officer ask for the test scores?
5.What kind of work is she doing in Japan? Is it a permanent, serious job or a casual job?
6.Are you able to afford her US education or will she be applying for financial aid?

I'm a Filipino leaving in Japan permanently for 10 years. My daughter 17 years old came here last June. Before she came here she lived in the Philippines for her study until she finished high school but for the last 3 years she will come here for her summer vacation. She has a long term visa here in Japan. Last June she moved here for good.

She wants to go to college in the US. I want to see the situation first in the US and the place where she will stay so we decided to apply for b2 visa last Sept. For the reason for visiting US we wrote for vacation and to make research for colleges. Result is I received 10 years multiple and her's was denied. The officer said she doesn't have strong tie here. Now that she's living here for 6 months now and working also, we want to reapply her visa. Do you think she will get a visa? Please advice us. Thanks so much!

[josie]

Thanks for your prompt reply. this the answers for your questions.
1.San Francisco
2. Yes. We have relatives there. Aunts and cousins. But i didn't mention that we have relatives there, though i wrote the name of my aunt for the question, names and address of contact in the US in the application form.
3.She was just asked, when did she arrived here in Japan. That's all. I was with her when she was interviewed.
4. Yes she took TOEFL TEST last August. She passed the required score. But we didn't show it to them.
5.She is working now in a factory in a semi-permanent contract.
6. We will pay for her study in the US.
Thanks.

Usually visitor visa is difficult for very young,unmarried people because the officers think they won't come back. Please answer the following;
1.What was the place of stay in US you mentioned when you applied?
2.Do you have any relatives in US? On What visas?
3.What other questions she was asked at the interview? Please ask her to recall and post here.
4.Has she taken any tests like SAT, TOEFL? Did the officer ask for the test scores?
5.What kind of work is she doing in Japan? Is it a permanent, serious job or a casual job?
6.Are you able to afford her US education or will she be applying for financial aid?

[peace]

In my opinion, a 6 month stay and a semi-permanent job are not enough to show ties to Japan, especially for a very young person. She should wait another 6 months, get a permanent secure job in Japan or enrol as a fulltime student in Japan, then the chances will be better.
Also; when your write purpose of visit, write one purpose not two--
like she wrote vacation and college research. Just write "going to visit
colleges" or " meeting friends and family".

Other option; Since her goal is to study in US, another way is for her to apply for a student visa from Japan, rather than the uncertain visitor visa. She should apply to the colleges she wants to attend after researching on the internet, there is plenty of info on the internet.
Since you have the funds to finance her studies, it will be easier than a visitor visa.

Thanks for your prompt reply. this the answers for your questions.
1.San Francisco
2. Yes. We have relatives there. Aunts and cousins. But i didn't mention that we have relatives there, though i wrote the name of my aunt for the question, names and address of contact in the US in the application form.
3.She was just asked, when did she arrived here in Japan. That's all. I was with her when she was interviewed.
4. Yes she took TOEFL TEST last August. She passed the required score. But we didn't show it to them.
5.She is working now in a factory in a semi-permanent contract.
6. We will pay for her study in the US.
Thanks.

[josie]

Thanks for your advice. Yes, we thought of applying student visa but we are worried that she will be denied again because her visitor visa was denied. And also we heard that even if you are accepted in a college in the US and have enough fund but if you can't satify the officer that you will go back after your study you will be denied. we don't want to make mistake again and have another "visa applied" stamp in her passport. How can we satisfy the officer?
We also thought of applying visa in the Philippines since she is a Filipino and lived there all her life.
Thank you for your time and effort. I really appreciate it. And it is really a big help for my daughter.

In my opinion, a 6 month stay and a semi-permanent job are not enough to show ties to Japan, especially for a very young person. She should wait another 6 months, get a permanent secure job in Japan or enrol as a fulltime student in Japan, then the chances will be better.
Also; when your write purpose of visit, write one purpose not two--
like she wrote vacation and college research. Just write "going to visit
colleges" or " meeting friends and family".

Other option; Since her goal is to study in US, another way is for her to apply for a student visa from Japan, rather than the uncertain visitor visa. She should apply to the colleges she wants to attend after researching on the internet, there is plenty of info on the internet.
Since you have the funds to finance her studies, it will be easier than a visitor visa.

[peace]

You are very right in saying that even for a student visa, you need to show that you will come back. But this factor should be less stringently applied than for a visitor visa, especially if you have good SAT scores, and a good high school academic record. This requirement can also be overcome by showing detailed future plans in home country after completion of US studies.Another way is to get a letter of a tentative job offer from a reputed employer at home.
But I suggest , you contact a student counsellor at the US educational foundation or an analogous US GOVT. body in Japan that advises japanese students wishing to study in US. These counsellors also advise on student visa issues.
Other way is to consult an experienced immigration attorney.

Thanks for your advice. Yes, we thought of applying student visa but we are worried that she will be denied again because her visitor visa was denied. And also we heard that even if you are accepted in a college in the US and have enough fund but if you can't satify the officer that you will go back after your study you will be denied. we don't want to make mistake again and have another "visa applied" stamp in her passport. How can we satisfy the officer?
We also thought of applying visa in the Philippines since she is a Filipino and lived there all her life.
Thank you for your time and effort. I really appreciate it. And it is really a big help for my daughter.