Visitor Visa for Mom denied, advice on next step requested

[Schuller]

Thanks for taking the time to take a look at this!

 

I am a US citizen, my wife is a Chinese citizen with US permanent residence as of 11/2008 (K1 visa US entry 3/2008, lifted condition 2/2011). She wanted her mother to visit our home for three months and also tour the US. Mom is in her mid/late 50¡¯s retired and living with husband who is steadily working. They live in Guangzhou, my wife is an only child and Mom and Dad have a new home, and lots of other family in the Guangzhou area: parents, siblings, cousins, nephews, nieces.

 

Mom had the interview today for the B2 visa, she was denied. We prepared her support documents by roughly following the advice of this post.

 

Does anyone have any advice on how to resolve this and get the visitor visa? From what I understand it is likely due to daughter being only child and Mom never traveled anywhere before¡­ However after you review the interview transcript below, you will find they didn¡¯t review any of Mom¡¯s China based financial information, property owned or extended family. So does the VO just see "only child" and "Mom never traveled" and give automatic denial?

 

Transcript of B2 US visa interview that took place April 17^th, 2012 in Guangzhou consulate:

[start interview, conducted in Mandarin]

VO: Why are you going to US?

Mom: To visit my daughter, tour the US and shop.

VO: Do you have any other children?

Mom: No.

VO: Did you visit any other country before?

Mom: No.

VO: What does your daughter do for a living?

Mom: Works in financial industry.

[VO looked up some information in computer, supposedly looking up daughter¡¯s info according to Mom (not sure exactly what this was¡­ perhaps just looking at the e-filed DS-160 application?) VO didn¡¯t review any evidence provided during interview.]

VO: Your application is rejected.

Mom: Why?

VO: I don¡¯t have to tell you that.

[End interview]

[warpedbored]

What an asshole. Best advise I can give is to try again and emphasize all the reasons she will return to China.

Good luck.

[dnoblett]

Yep, try again, I have seen some having to try 3 times, and getting on third application.

[Schuller]

Thanks for the advice guys, we will have to give it another try. I will post results.

[knloregon]

Wait a minute... This can't be happening!! Gary Locke, US Ambassador to China, late last year issued a press release detailing how tourist visas to the US from China, are a slam dunk, and how there are about as many approved as burgers sold at McDonalds! (see CFL archives..)

[Randy W]

Yes, but what percentage of that is actually MEAT?

[omvillage]

Wait a minute... This can't be happening!! Gary Locke, US Ambassador to China, late last year issued a press release detailing how tourist visas to the US from China, are a slam dunk, and how there are about as many approved as burgers sold at McDonalds! (see CFL archives..)

 

I'm guessing they've loosened things up for tour group visas, whereas unstructured trips still come under more scrutiny.

 

Still pretty ridiculous

Edited April 18, 2012 by omvillage (see edit history)

[david_dawei]

I wonder if GUZ is harder for the visitor visa given all that they see there for IV and students already... Her reply to "why visit" should be a little better though.

[Eric]

I wonder if GUZ is harder for the visitor visa given all that they see there for IV and students already...

My in-laws interviewed and received their B-2s from the GUZ consulate. They thought that their interview was easy and also said that pretty much everyone who interviewed for B-2s the same day that they did were also approved. My wife also has several cousins who received B-2s from GUZ without any problems. So based solely upon our family's experiences I would say no.

Edited April 23, 2012 by Eric (see edit history)

[yuehan123]

Hard as it is to accept, it is still all about the money.

 

That is, how much money does Mom have, and still earn, in China? It doesn't matter if mom and dad own their own house.

 

It matters not how much money the sponser(s) have. That's a direct quote from the Chengdu staff's e-mail on my wife's parent's failed attempt there.

 

And yes, we failed several times at GUZ, were rebuffed (denied an opportuntiy to apply at Shanghai & Bejing, even though the new rules say you can apply "anywhere" and finally denied again at Chengdu.

 

Once denied, the applicant will be denied until something SIGNIFICANT changes.

 

Oh, yes, sure, I agree- try and try again. You might make it.