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Sad Truth about Tourist Visas (for ACBlessing)

I hardly ever post to this board, but it's really sad to see all the stories of people being denied tourist visas and the debates that follow.

First, AC, You don't know me or anything, but I visit this board quite often. I just don't post much in it as over the past few months the quality of people's content has really degraded. When I started browsing it over a year ago, I thought it was the best Colombian board out.

You and I have a couple of things in common (beyond both being addicted to Colombian beauties, I'm currently married to my 2nd, who's a keeper). I'm an IT manager, you're in the IT field. I'm a GS working on a naval base, you're part-time navy. I Just find that rather interesting.

Back to the point, most of the people now posting on this board simply don't know jack. They just spin a lot of BS or personal opinions. True, some are very knowledgeable/helpful (and you gotta love Elmo as a true Colombian), but for the most part advice given here would result in bad times for most Colombia newbies.

The simple fact is there is no way to guarantee a successful "interview" for a tourist visa. It is indeed a crap shoot. Each year every country is allotted a specific number of tourist visas to enter the U.S. The numbers are not the same for every country. They also aren't based on population or any other common denominator (although, a country's rep. on overstays can play a part).

Given that there's a specific number allotted for the year, how does it get broken down to who gets approved and how to spread "approvals" throughout the year? This seems to be some dark secret only known to the masters of the universe (or visa section dept. heads in each embassy). I get my information directly from a "friend" who does indeed work at a U.S. embassy approving/denying visas.

Before the doors open to the public each day, while the unfortunate folks wait in hundred-deep lines outside, the number of approvals for the day is already known. Each person knows how many he/she will approve. Qualifications/requirements/logic for obtaining a visa be damned. That person in the window knows before you pull out any documents whether you're approved or not. Of course, he/she may change their mind from time to time as it is obvious to approve a visa for an old, rich lady with lots of prior trips to the U.S. These are the rare times documents are actually given a decent look. They will also approve/deny folks simply due to their looks. I know specifically that female interviewers have denied visas to pretty Colombian girls simply for being pretty out of jealosy. If the interviewer is male and got laid the night before, chances could be improved. The bottom line is that the applicant's fate is already known. There's nothing the applicant can do besides hope that they are at the right window at the right time and that the "interviewer" is in the right mood and has approvals left to give.

By DaveS on Jan 9, 2005, 01:28 in Friendly Talkzone.

Gomezman5 says on Jan 9, 2005, 04:07:

Dave. I think........ There is a lot of truth to what you just wrote. As we communicate among ourselves on this board, and hear the story of others who have been able to and not been able to obtain visas, it really makes you wonder if at the interview, a person can really make a difference in the result.

I think you pretty much set it well. There are exceptions. A phone call from a politician, with some influence sometimes works. For example, A friend of mine who had worked for the Mexican consulate in Houston was able to get his Colombian girl friend a visa. When the average wait for your appointment at the embassy was over a year, he got it for her in less than a week. When she arrived at the embassy, there were no questions, she was told everything was in order, and that she should come back in a week to pick up her passport and the visa. So. see, even in that instance, it was predetermined that she would get a visa.

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kernow62 says on Jan 9, 2005, 05:10:

I am just curious. If it is such a crapshoot getting a tourist visa, how do some folks get them each and every time? An example, my wife has three aunts who regularly make the trip to the USA together, this must mean that by some quirk of good fortune the 3 of them applying for tourist visas all happen to get approved, each and every time.

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isaactraveler says on Jan 9, 2005, 05:56:

they arent getting approved, they are renewing I think they just have to keep traveling and renewing the visas. Angelica's ex brother-in-law had one, then he let it lapse, so now he cant get one after 2 tries

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greenday says on Jan 9, 2005, 06:03:

actually, they are not "renewing". Tourist visas are usually good for a period of time, for example, 5 years, 10 years. I have a Colombian girlfriend who has a tourist visa which she obtained in 2000 and it expires this year (5 year visa). I have a Peruvian girlfriend who has a 10 year tourist visa. The only time one renews their visa is after it expires.

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isaactraveler says on Jan 9, 2005, 06:10:

ahhhh, well maybe it is establishing a pattern maybe then he should have been traveling more, to prove that he goes and returns. who knows then?

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Gomezman5 says on Jan 9, 2005, 08:02:

Kenow I did not mean to imply it's a crapshoot I did not mean to imply it's a crapshoot....not at all. A statistical examination is in order here. You have start with the premiss that a distinct majority of the population is poor, by American standards. Many of them that come here, overstay their alloted time as designated on their form I-94. That fact and that fact alone would allow one to conclude that if anything, the embassy is not doing a good enough job at scrutinizing it's visa applicants.
Therefore, since a lot of the population is poor,and many people who do get a visa come here and overstay and/or stay period, you have to conclude that most people are simply going to get denied a visa.

But, certain people clearly have tremendous financial resources, that the embassy knows with a high degree of certainty, that these people will return should a visa be issued to them. I know the owner of a huge travel agency in Cali, where my friend works. He has about 17 employees and 2 hugh homes in Colombia. Do you think he would ever be denied a visa??? Of course not. He travels the entire world, and there is not a developed safe country in the world this man has not been to.

No, I don't think the proccess is arbitrary. I just think that since most people are poor or bordering near poor, (by American standards)it's these borderline cases that are determined based on a gut feeling of a embassy counsellor official, deciding things arbitrarily.....So I think yes, it is very possible that when a hot looking colombiana comes if for her interview, and the counsellor official interviewing her is not so.....shall we say attractive, she might, as Dave suggests above, be somewhat envious, and out of spite, deny this girl hot Colombiana her visa. I really don't think that that is beyond the realm of possibility.

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utopiacowboy says on Jan 9, 2005, 08:20:

I agree with DaveS and I do think it is arbitrary. When my Colombian brother-in-law cannot get one even though he already has tourist visas to the EU and Australia and owns several apartments in Bogota along with a large finca. He is a law professor at a prestigious university. Meanwhile I meet a pretty young Colombiana with a sister in Miami who has no job, no money, no nothing in Colombia and she gets one! It's gotta be arbitrary.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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Skippy says on Jan 9, 2005, 10:16:

Mexico ????? Why on earth does Mexico make Colombians get a visa? They have the same problems as Colombia if not worse. Who made Mexico judge and jury for Colombia. How crazy is that. Not trying to start any anti - Mexico conversation, just a comment.

Yup

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utopiacowboy says on Jan 9, 2005, 11:00:

Believe it or not, Mexico has its own immigration problems with Central and South Americans coming up from the south. A Colombian citizen can get easily get a tourist visa to Mexico if he/she is a legal resident of the US. Still there's paperwork to be done.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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ACBlessing says on Jan 10, 2005, 13:56:

DaveS Hello and sorry for the delay as I just got back from reserves. That's a pretty neat parallel about IT and Navy. The only deviation is that I've been reassigned to a priority one combat group full time now and we're getting ready for deployment...crap. Well that makes for an interesting twist insofar as the K1 app goes.

Oh, I'll be in San Diego soon so if you work there, send me a private email and maybe we can connect. There is one other guy on this board too I'll be meeting there becuase he's in the same boat, pun intended, as I.

Thank you for your input into the visa problem but one quick question arose for me... some people here say there isn't a lottery type system in use for Colmbia but if there is as you say...why do they keep interviewing if the lottery slots have all been given?

Alex Blessing, Spokane, WA USA
alex at acblessing.com
www.acblessing.com

Just plain poor

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tzion says on Jan 10, 2005, 14:07:

Don Negro: it's easy to get in anywhere if you know how. I know of at least ten different ways (legal, semi-legal and illegal) to get into the US and I'm not even a terrorist or "immigrant." Can you imagine what those "in the know" can do, then? It just goes to show that the DHS measures are ineffective. Basically, when there's a will there's a way, and that applies to immigration as much as to anything else.

--Michael

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miamimike says on Jan 10, 2005, 16:14:

Colombia is not included in the Current Visa Lottery ACBlessing--Colombia is NOT included in the current Visa Lottery and this is evidenced by the Info on their Web Site I am leaving(got to type it in your browser as it won't be "hot")The reason given by the US state dept.is that Colombia has sent more then 50,000 immigrants to the USA in the last 5 years.Read lots of "Overstays"-people on Tourist Visas who simply did NOT comply with the return clauses in their Visas and stayed here. Miami is full of such people.Check it out yourself at this Official US Government Website. A lot of Rumors get perpetuated in the "street" and put people in all kinds of deep doo-doo. Http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/ - 31k - Jan 9, 2005 - Cached - Similar pages

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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DaveS says on Jan 11, 2005, 01:18:

Clarification miamimike is right about Colombia not being a part of the "lottery" system. What I was referring to is separate from the "lottery" visas. That's a whole different game and process. I was specifically discussing tourist visas, of which a certain number are allotted each year.

By the way, I'm not in SanDog, though that's the only part of Cali that I like. I live/work in Japan.

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carldecolorado says on Jan 12, 2005, 09:24:

I am very sorry to hear about the VISA Hey

I just got back from Armenia the other day and did not get a chance to see that your Novia's Visa was denied. I am really sorry to hear that. As you recall my girlfriend has her interview in March and we are already braced for the answer to be no. If she does get the Visa, the plans are for her to come out here for Christmas in the Rockies and get to meet my parents. If that does not work out, I will just be flying down there again to see her and her family for the holidays.

Question I have for others on this board is this, should she be honest about her reasons for wanting to visit Colorado or rather short with answers? It seems that in this thread there are 2 different opinions.

Carl

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miamimike says on Jan 12, 2005, 09:40:

Clarafication DaveS--to make sure we are on the same page. Immigration says that Colombia is NOT included in the Visa Lottery(for permenent residency) and an overiding factor is that so many Colombians who have RECIEVED Tuorist Visas Overstay. Essentially, they are saying these "Overstays" have bumped Colombia out of the Visa Lottery. True, this not fair as the lawbreakers have ruined the Oppurtunties for 100s of law-abiding colombians who otherwise may have had a shot at immigrating here legally and permently. Blame the Visa Overstayers, not the US Embassy on this one!

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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utopiacowboy says on Jan 12, 2005, 15:09:

Carl, it doesn't matter what she says. They probably are not going to ask her anything. Just look at her application and say she is denied.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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