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I have questions but will give the exact situation below. On the bottom are my questions -- some, I suppose you wouldn't need to know the situation.
My friend, who is from Croatia, is trying for a tourist (B2) visa. I'm giving all details because I hope this might in the future be useful to someone else after all is said and done as well.
Our applicant is a single childless 30-year-old female from Croatia. She speaks excellent English and gave her first interview in English. She would like to travel to the US to make use of the vacation days she's saved up, and ideally experience the holiday season in the US with some friends from Dec. 20 through Feb 10. She has not been to the US before.
As of this point, she has been rejected, the first time with no specified reason other than "not sure why you'd want to stay with people you'd never met before" (they know each other only through the internet, and the first time she only had a letter from that woman's family with a copy of IDs), and the second time, under 214(b), insufficient ties to Croatia.
On the last attempt, here is the information that was provided:
VISA APPLICATION FORM:
* Stated the person she was staying with is a married, retired woman with whom she is friends, but who has not met her in real life. They've known each other that way for two years, though.
* Stated she'd be paying for most of the major expenses.
EVIDENCE PROVIDED [at second attempt]:
* Official bank statement, from three weeks prior, showing a simple balance of currency equivalent to $8717, and a statement a total credit card limit of about $6500. Stamped and signed by authorized bank persons.
* Official statement from job at the Zagreb bank (has worked there 2.5 years) showing average monthly pay of around $838.
* Letter from her boss stating that the days she plans to be gone are her authorized paid vacation days, that she is expected back to work after that, and that she'll continue to be employed there.
* Notarized letter from her wealthy father listing his property, stating that she has access to those things and will, upon his death, inherit a third of everything on the list.
* Letters of invitation from three acquaintances/friends in the US. All of these pledged a place to stay, at least for a portion of her trip, and basic things like being showed around basic hospitalities.
One is from a husband and wife in California, who is a research assistant at a college and provided a bank statement showing $30k/year. This letter is notarized. Our applicant met them on a mutual vacation in Vienna and hit it off, but the letter makes no reference to this and there is no proof, as it was a chance encounter.
One is from a retired woman (and, by reference, her family) in Minnesota. They became friends through an internet game have talked on the phone/webcam/exchanged gifts for over two years. This letter is also notarized. The woman's husband owns a small business, but there is no reference to this in the letter or its previous version. This is the person listed on the visa application as where our applicant will be staying, since it's limited to one small writing space.
The final one is from a 29-year-old female friend who lives in NYC. This one mentions meeting in Ibiza, Spain, where she owns a home. This can be proved if necessary. Our applicant met her during a trip to Ibiza. There was no proof provided of this. Proof can be provided that our applicant has been to Spain, though, if necessary. This letter is not notarized.
Notes: The applicant is planning to visit multiple places in the US. Many typical tourist places. Basic travel plans were provided.
The first interview seemed more focused on where the applicant was going, and the interviewer seemed suspicious about just about everything, especially that she was going to stay with someone she'd "never met before." Remember that at the first meeting, only one letter of invitation was provided, from the entire family of the retired woman's husband.
The second interview seemed to go very well, and it was apparently a shock to be denied. The interviewer seemed most focused on her monthly salary, and mostly went over the legal documents provided.
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Our applicant is now applying a third time, and has the previous evidence to be able to provide, as well as the following additional supplements:
ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE FOR PLANNED THIRD ATTEMPT:
*A special stamped, signed form from the University of Zagreb school of Political Science, stating that our applicant is actively enrolled for her fourth year of college. This special form is issued only for US tourist visa purposes and is barcoded, signed and dated and is a government form.
* A second simple bank balance sheet, from 1.5 months (dated Nov 9) after the first one, now showing a balance of about $7,100 US. Credit card limits are the same. Stamped and signed by the bank parties.
* Notarized letter from applicant's mother, stating that she owns a 100m2 apartment in the center of Zagreb in which the applicant and brother happily lives, and that she is aware of applicant's travel plans and is confident she'll come back. Mentions younger sister (no longer lives with them, but is close).
* Notarized letter from applicant's grandparents stating that they lived with applicant for much of life. Both are very elderly (87, 78) Grandfather is unfortunately a stroke victim now and cannot walk, read, or write and has trouble speaking. Grandmother recently had a stomach surgery. Both require regular care, which applicant provides. All stated in the letter, notarized.
* Medical forms from the hospital showing evidence of the above maladies.
* Pictures of applicant with grandparents, mother, father, family and siblings, and the kids for which she babysits (next mentioned)
* Letter from applicant's uncle, stating that applicant is close to, and provides babysitting when needed for their two young children and earns a bit of pocketmoney from this. Notarized.
* Pictures of applicant in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Hungary and Austria as evidence of past international travel. Newest passport is also stamped for Austria.
* Another letter of invitation, this from a retired husband and wife from Hawaii, stating that they met in Croatia inviting applicant to stay at their place in Hawaii or spend time with them in Minnesota, when they'll also be staying with the family of the retired woman from whom applicant has a letter. Not notarized.
* Pictures of the applicant together with the above husband and wife in Croatia, including a couple in which they are holding their passports and IDs, which show that they are the same people by which the letter is written.
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I now ask your advice for how to proceed with the third attempt.
QUESTIONS:
* Should the "name of person you're staying with" be changed to any of the other people from whom the applicant has letters? Would it be bad to have it be different from the other two times? How does one indicate that the applicant is planning to visit, and likely stay with, multiple people in different cities?
* Is it a problem that the intended period of travel is 51 days? Would chances be meaningfully increased with a shorter period? A shorter vacation is a lot better than none at all.
* Is it a bad thing that the applicant has so many letters of invitation? Should any pieces of evidence definitely be left out or not provided this time?
* Should all the above listed evidence be provided along with the application form and required documents, that are handed to the clerk who collects application folders, or should some (if so, which) be provided during the interview with a consulate officer, as additional proof (the application-collecting clerks in Croatia tend to reject documents that seem redundant to them)?
* Are there any things the applicant should try to do differently or which she could likely provide, which would help?
* Is it a bad thing that the applicant speaks very good English? Should she try to avoid using it during the interview, if this next interviewer is someone new?
* What do you think the applicant's chances are, given the above?
Thank you so much. Any and all advice, tips, facts and experiences are appreciated. Time is unfortunately running out for my friend to be able to use her long-saved vacation days in the way she'd like to, because of the way Europe arranges its mandatory vacation days, so I'm trying to help the best I can. I also hope this will help other people, too.
My friend, who is from Croatia, is trying for a tourist (B2) visa. I'm giving all details because I hope this might in the future be useful to someone else after all is said and done as well.
Our applicant is a single childless 30-year-old female from Croatia. She speaks excellent English and gave her first interview in English. She would like to travel to the US to make use of the vacation days she's saved up, and ideally experience the holiday season in the US with some friends from Dec. 20 through Feb 10. She has not been to the US before.
As of this point, she has been rejected, the first time with no specified reason other than "not sure why you'd want to stay with people you'd never met before" (they know each other only through the internet, and the first time she only had a letter from that woman's family with a copy of IDs), and the second time, under 214(b), insufficient ties to Croatia.
On the last attempt, here is the information that was provided:
VISA APPLICATION FORM:
* Stated the person she was staying with is a married, retired woman with whom she is friends, but who has not met her in real life. They've known each other that way for two years, though.
* Stated she'd be paying for most of the major expenses.
EVIDENCE PROVIDED [at second attempt]:
* Official bank statement, from three weeks prior, showing a simple balance of currency equivalent to $8717, and a statement a total credit card limit of about $6500. Stamped and signed by authorized bank persons.
* Official statement from job at the Zagreb bank (has worked there 2.5 years) showing average monthly pay of around $838.
* Letter from her boss stating that the days she plans to be gone are her authorized paid vacation days, that she is expected back to work after that, and that she'll continue to be employed there.
* Notarized letter from her wealthy father listing his property, stating that she has access to those things and will, upon his death, inherit a third of everything on the list.
* Letters of invitation from three acquaintances/friends in the US. All of these pledged a place to stay, at least for a portion of her trip, and basic things like being showed around basic hospitalities.
One is from a husband and wife in California, who is a research assistant at a college and provided a bank statement showing $30k/year. This letter is notarized. Our applicant met them on a mutual vacation in Vienna and hit it off, but the letter makes no reference to this and there is no proof, as it was a chance encounter.
One is from a retired woman (and, by reference, her family) in Minnesota. They became friends through an internet game have talked on the phone/webcam/exchanged gifts for over two years. This letter is also notarized. The woman's husband owns a small business, but there is no reference to this in the letter or its previous version. This is the person listed on the visa application as where our applicant will be staying, since it's limited to one small writing space.
The final one is from a 29-year-old female friend who lives in NYC. This one mentions meeting in Ibiza, Spain, where she owns a home. This can be proved if necessary. Our applicant met her during a trip to Ibiza. There was no proof provided of this. Proof can be provided that our applicant has been to Spain, though, if necessary. This letter is not notarized.
Notes: The applicant is planning to visit multiple places in the US. Many typical tourist places. Basic travel plans were provided.
The first interview seemed more focused on where the applicant was going, and the interviewer seemed suspicious about just about everything, especially that she was going to stay with someone she'd "never met before." Remember that at the first meeting, only one letter of invitation was provided, from the entire family of the retired woman's husband.
The second interview seemed to go very well, and it was apparently a shock to be denied. The interviewer seemed most focused on her monthly salary, and mostly went over the legal documents provided.
----------
Our applicant is now applying a third time, and has the previous evidence to be able to provide, as well as the following additional supplements:
ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE FOR PLANNED THIRD ATTEMPT:
*A special stamped, signed form from the University of Zagreb school of Political Science, stating that our applicant is actively enrolled for her fourth year of college. This special form is issued only for US tourist visa purposes and is barcoded, signed and dated and is a government form.
* A second simple bank balance sheet, from 1.5 months (dated Nov 9) after the first one, now showing a balance of about $7,100 US. Credit card limits are the same. Stamped and signed by the bank parties.
* Notarized letter from applicant's mother, stating that she owns a 100m2 apartment in the center of Zagreb in which the applicant and brother happily lives, and that she is aware of applicant's travel plans and is confident she'll come back. Mentions younger sister (no longer lives with them, but is close).
* Notarized letter from applicant's grandparents stating that they lived with applicant for much of life. Both are very elderly (87, 78) Grandfather is unfortunately a stroke victim now and cannot walk, read, or write and has trouble speaking. Grandmother recently had a stomach surgery. Both require regular care, which applicant provides. All stated in the letter, notarized.
* Medical forms from the hospital showing evidence of the above maladies.
* Pictures of applicant with grandparents, mother, father, family and siblings, and the kids for which she babysits (next mentioned)
* Letter from applicant's uncle, stating that applicant is close to, and provides babysitting when needed for their two young children and earns a bit of pocketmoney from this. Notarized.
* Pictures of applicant in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Hungary and Austria as evidence of past international travel. Newest passport is also stamped for Austria.
* Another letter of invitation, this from a retired husband and wife from Hawaii, stating that they met in Croatia inviting applicant to stay at their place in Hawaii or spend time with them in Minnesota, when they'll also be staying with the family of the retired woman from whom applicant has a letter. Not notarized.
* Pictures of the applicant together with the above husband and wife in Croatia, including a couple in which they are holding their passports and IDs, which show that they are the same people by which the letter is written.
-----------------------
I now ask your advice for how to proceed with the third attempt.
QUESTIONS:
* Should the "name of person you're staying with" be changed to any of the other people from whom the applicant has letters? Would it be bad to have it be different from the other two times? How does one indicate that the applicant is planning to visit, and likely stay with, multiple people in different cities?
* Is it a problem that the intended period of travel is 51 days? Would chances be meaningfully increased with a shorter period? A shorter vacation is a lot better than none at all.
* Is it a bad thing that the applicant has so many letters of invitation? Should any pieces of evidence definitely be left out or not provided this time?
* Should all the above listed evidence be provided along with the application form and required documents, that are handed to the clerk who collects application folders, or should some (if so, which) be provided during the interview with a consulate officer, as additional proof (the application-collecting clerks in Croatia tend to reject documents that seem redundant to them)?
* Are there any things the applicant should try to do differently or which she could likely provide, which would help?
* Is it a bad thing that the applicant speaks very good English? Should she try to avoid using it during the interview, if this next interviewer is someone new?
* What do you think the applicant's chances are, given the above?
Thank you so much. Any and all advice, tips, facts and experiences are appreciated. Time is unfortunately running out for my friend to be able to use her long-saved vacation days in the way she'd like to, because of the way Europe arranges its mandatory vacation days, so I'm trying to help the best I can. I also hope this will help other people, too.
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