tourist visa

Rikito says on Mar 26, 2009, 05:28:

Go to the upper right hand corner of this page and do a search on Tourist Visa. 85% of U.S tourist visa applications are declined. In your search you will find some recent posts no more than 2-3 weeks old that will help you. There are a number of things that she (not you) has to complete in her application. The Immigration folks look at all of the information together and make a decision on the whole. One item won't get her in and one item won't keep her out. This includes the mandatory interview. Poorbutsnappy has a good read on the 50/50 part. The Mexican Visa does NADA for her. Just read the rules and put together a package of information that is being requested. It needs to be well completed and documented and truthful.

People in here can tell you about friends they know who got a Visa and hardly did anything to warrant a Visa and others who did everything exactly the way it was asked, they had an attorney (which is unnecessary for a Tourist Visa) and they were more qualified than anyone to get the Visa and they did not. Go figure.

There is also a site you can go to: www.visajourney.com for additional information.
Good luck

...and so it goes

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on Mar 26, 2009, 07:29:

If she can show STRONG ties to Colombia possible other wise slim and none. Apply under the caveat nothing ventured nothing gained,

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on Mar 26, 2009, 07:50:

At this point just the visa fee-no plane ticket, hotel, etc.

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rikito says on Mar 26, 2009, 09:19:

Poorbutsnappy, I have been told directly by ICIS that the reason Colombians have such a difficult time getting a Visa is basically thiere won fault. More than any other contry in the past 15 years, Colombians overstay thier Visa's, cause problems when they are here, and continually provide false and misleading information. I retired from the Department of Commerce at NOAA and I was able to talk about this with ICIS in Washington, D.C. when my wife was denied a Visa.

However, that being said I completley agree with you that the ICIS should allow hot Colombianas in automatically. It would sure help the American female gene pool.

...and so it goes

0 funny, 0 helpful.

DiegoRey says on Mar 26, 2009, 18:29:

My wife (Colombiana) was denied a tourist visa 2 weeks ago. The interview: 1 minute. Other documents requested by the NIV unit's website were never examined. Quick reason for denial? I own property in the US. Yet, we have an apartment here and much of my "stuff" is here. Her dependent son lives with us. Their suggestion: Apply for an immigrant visa (read: spend another $800 and wait for 8-12 months). All this while she has no intention of immigrating. NIV unit is cold and condescending despite their claim of "every consideration under the law." They are a disgrace to the USA. They chose not to renew a tourist visa for an optician acquaintance, who works FT. What is going on with the NIV unit?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on Mar 26, 2009, 20:43:

People from countries that play by the rules don't need visas to visit the US (although why they want to visit this shit hole is beyond me!). We know plenty of Colombians who have been here illegally for years. They came on tourist visas and never went back. I despise the embassy in Bogota but Colombians have brought a lot of this on themselves.

When my wife's family was here, one of her brothers saw a truck with an ad on it advertising for drivers and he starts asking questions about it. I told him, buddy, don't even think about it. I made sure that I told them all that life was miserable here and no Colombian could be happy living here.

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.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rikito says on Mar 27, 2009, 06:27:

utopiacowboy you have some interesting bitterness about the U.S. Like tomtom, I have lived all over the U.S. and found the country to be one of the most diversified countries I have ever lived in. Like some others in here; any problems that I had were usually brought on by me. I would love to hear what states you consider a "shit hole."

There are many countries that have much less restrictive Visa rules applying to them than Colombia. Why? Mainly, because of treaties or Free Trade Zones that require this. Colombia and Uribe refuse to do anything about correcting the human rights abuses that permeate the very core of Colombian culture especially the wealthy and aristocratic.

Poorbutsnappy, what countries are you aware of that have more than one Embassy? When I was in the UK, I tried to help my wife get a Visa and had to go to London from Aberdeen. There are Consulates in most countries which include Colombia, but I am not aware that any Consulate can approve a Visa except for some very unusual emergency Visa's. I do agree with you about the Mexican's. For this the U.S. shows how duplicitous they are. They allow Mexican's to come and stay and unless they commit a crime no one will ever know if they are citizen's or not. I have known Mexican's in Colorado that openly tell you that they do not have a Visa and that they are illegal and have been for the past 15 years.

The U.S. reaps what it sows. I think they would be much better off letting Colombian's and other SA people in the U.S., but politics controls all of this stuff. Just look at what is happening on the U.S.-Mexican border now. Is the U.S. doing anything to stop the flow? Hell no...just enough to make the evening news. Bush did very little because he likes them working in the U.S. for meager wages. Obama will do less because he wants the one thing he needs more than anything...the vote.

...and so it goes

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Wastelandlive says on Mar 29, 2009, 09:41:

Two thoughts:

The criteria that grant other countries "visa waiver" status can likely be found on the internet, but it generally comes down to economics. It's common sense. We don't have huge problems with British or French overstays because they are developed nations... people aren't fleeing poverty.

I'm sorry, but that's still the reality in Colombia, however much you and I love that place.

Lastly, Payner, I'd differ with one piece of advice given you. A Mexican visa, if used correctly, IS helpful to your friend's application for a US visa. From what I've learned, prior travel to other countries demonstrates both liquidity - poor Colombians aren't taking vacations in Acapulco - and ties: if they returned from that trip, instead of hiring a coyote to smuggle them in, or remaining in Mexico... perhaps they really aren't trying to immigrate.

It's not a slam dunk, but it's helpful. Maybe you two should hook up in Mexico for the first go around, and try for the US tourist visa later.

Wasteland

0 funny, 0 helpful.