This is too much to even believe

[meauxna 15]

vicki---this is pretty shocking (duh).

But a glimmer of hope--- maybe they are trying to rattle his cage one last time. Maybe Bala shouldn't do anything too drastic at home just yet.

Doesn't it seem that IF they really thought they had a fraud case, that the petition would be denied? That the visa application would be outright denied? Why would they continue to have this discussion with him?

Can you get on the horn and the the CO to give you some further information? As in, an official response?

I think user Jaci might have some insight for you.

[vartan 0]

here is a site of all the US Embassies around the world. Find the one your fiance went to gather that info just in case. Maybe write the ambassador at the embassy? I dont know just tossing out ideas.

http://usembassy.state.gov/

Edited July 7, 2006 by vartan

[no name 1]

Vicki, I'm so sorry.

I do agree that you need to get a lawyer. And I might add that Sen. DeWine's offfice has been extremely helpful to me in chasing up IMBRA answers...ask for Ellen.

[William33 110]

As someone else mentioned, you may want to try a call to the Consular Officer.

That failing, one other option would be for you to actually go to the Embassy personally and plead the case. A bit extreme perhaps, but the effort would certainly clear up any doubt about a fraudulent case.

As you wave your ticket in hand, who in their right mind would believe anything other than legitimacy?

Sorry to hear that happened to you all. Best wishes in resolving it.

[dwar49 0]

First of all let me say how sorry I am about what happened. I also agree that the only way to resolve this is retain an attorney immediately and contact your congressman and senator.

I do have a couple of questions though. First I must admit my lack of knowledge concerning Hindu customs, but what doesnt make sense to me is, With him being 30 years old, and already having decided not to tell his family about your relationship (which would seem to me that he had already decided to go againest their wishes) how would the embassy feel that they were in position to blackmail him? And if they were what would they stand to gain or accomplish?

I may be wrong here but APs are normally lengthy because of issues with background checks and police records, not the validity of the relationship.

Has anyone else ever heard of USCIS attempting to call the petitioner after the first interview? Also has anyone ever heard of an embassy being concerned with how a benificiaries family felt about a relationship. Especially since he is a 30 year old man?

There is something here that doesnt make sense. If everything was on the up and up with your fiancee why was he put in an AP for 8 months in the first place? That is the real question here.

[JenT 0]

I'm so sorry to hear this.... what a nightmare! How vulnerable something like this makes you feel.... Don't give up... fight for him!!!

Jen

[William33 110]

Just to put things into perspective, their are several hundred thousand attempts at visa fraud every year worldwide.

With that in mind, some Consular Officers are extremely aggressive in their attempts to find the fraudulent applications. Obviously in this case, the line was crossed. Senators or Attorneys may help, but there will be a significant delay. A direct appeal by the petitioner may yield the desired results more expeditiously.

Their is risk involved, no doubt. Consulting with an Attorney would be a good first step. But a call to the Consular Officer would not hurt either.

First of all let me say how sorry I am about what happened. I also agree that the only way to resolve this is retain an attorney immediately and contact your congressman and senator.

I do have a couple of questions though. First I must admit my lack of knowledge concerning Hindu customs, but what doesnt make sense to me is, With him being 30 years old, and already having decided not to tell his family about your relationship (which would seem to me that he had already decided to go againest their wishes) how would the embassy feel that they were in position to blackmail him? And if they were what would they stand to gain or accomplish?

I may be wrong here but APs are normally lengthy because of issues with background checks and police records, not the validity of the relationship.

Has anyone else ever heard of USCIS attempting to call the petitioner after the first interview? Also has anyone ever heard of an embassy being concerned with how a benificiaries family felt about a relationship. Especially since he is a 30 year old man?

There is something here that doesnt make sense. If everything was on the up and up with your fiancee why was he put in an AP for 8 months in the first place? That is the real question here.

[desert_fox 32]

.....delete......

Edited July 8, 2006 by desert_fox

[cfosterart 0]

Vicki,

Which embassy in India is Bala working with? Chennai? New Delhi? Mumbai?

I'm only wondering because I am in a similar situation. My fiance is 34 and he is going against his family's wishes. Family wishes in India (regardless of religion) are a huge deal. I can see some disgruntled government worker simply trying to cause trouble for someone. For this reason and many more, I planned on flying to India to attend my fiance's interview. I am due a trip back anyway!

Also, I noticed you had written that your fiance is hindi (which is a language) but I'm sure you meant Hindu.

Good luck!

cfosterart

[vicki/bala 0]

First of all let me say how sorry I am about what happened. I also agree that the only way to resolve this is retain an attorney immediately and contact your congressman and senator.

I do have a couple of questions though. First I must admit my lack of knowledge concerning Hindu customs, but what doesnt make sense to me is, With him being 30 years old, and already having decided not to tell his family about your relationship (which would seem to me that he had already decided to go againest their wishes) how would the embassy feel that they were in position to blackmail him? And if they were what would they stand to gain or accomplish?

I may be wrong here but APs are normally lengthy because of issues with background checks and police records, not the validity of the relationship.

Has anyone else ever heard of USCIS attempting to call the petitioner after the first interview? Also has anyone ever heard of an embassy being concerned with how a benificiaries family felt about a relationship. Especially since he is a 30 year old man?

There is something here that doesnt make sense. If everything was on the up and up with your fiancee why was he put in an AP for 8 months in the first place? That is the real question here.

First off let me begin by saying Thank you to everyone who replied.

If you have read the list of "red flags" you will see that it is a red flag if the familiy is not aware of the relationship. When Bala went to interview in Nov. its one of the things they asked him.. He was honest in saying NO they were not aware. I was called at 5 a m and questioned for nearly an hour by this same man. He also asked me if Bala's family knew. I told him NO. He then asked me "why dont they know?" I told him honestly, they would not approve and as far as that goes I have family members that will never accept Bala, but we are both adults , we have a right to choose whom we want to love. He never questioned further. We knew it would be a mark against us but we wanted to be truthful right from the begining.

Bala is the youngest in the family. Its a joint family, the family owns their own businesses and he has been managing one of the offices since he gratuated college. But all the money is controled by the eldest bro (his father is deceased).. In their culture the eldest is ruler of the family. They would never agree to him marrying me and that is why he didnt tell. He had planned to tell them every thing as soon as he got here, but he just wanted to keep peace with them all until then.

And to someone who posted about them not denying us yet. YOu are absolutely right, they have no proof to deny us else they would have done so by now. Eight months and they couldnt find anything. And No we have NOT been on security checks. WE have called the DOS monthly since AP began and have always been told that No security checks have ever been issued for us.

We alreay have our senator involved. I contacted them a month ago and they contacted embassy on 9th of June. Two days later the embassy called balas home and spoke with his bro, then called him for this second interview. Im wondering if we p***ed them off by contacting the senator?? After all they had not made a move on our case in 8 months and suddenly this.

"There is something here that doesnt make sense. If everything was on the up and up with your fiancee why was he put in an AP for 8 months in the first place? That is the real question here"

If you have been a member any time at all you would know we are not the first case this has happened too. India is notorious for giving people problems when it doesnt agree with their culture.

Thanks every one !!

[desert_fox 32]

I do have a couple of questions though. First I must admit my lack of knowledge concerning Hindu customs, but what doesnt make sense to me is, With him being 30 years old, and already having decided not to tell his family about your relationship (which would seem to me that he had already decided to go againest their wishes) how would the embassy feel that they were in position to blackmail him? And if they were what would they stand to gain or accomplish?

I may be wrong here but APs are normally lengthy because of issues with background checks and police records, not the validity of the relationship.

Has anyone else ever heard of USCIS attempting to call the petitioner after the first interview? Also has anyone ever heard of an embassy being concerned with how a benificiaries family felt about a relationship. Especially since he is a 30 year old man?

There is something here that doesnt make sense. If everything was on the up and up with your fiancee why was he put in an AP for 8 months in the first place? That is the real question here.

Let me try again......

Sorry that this happened...but unexpected??

Once the petition leaves Homeland Security...its in the hands of the State Dept. Its in the hands of the US Consulate...and not the Embassy...although a Consulate is under the jurisdiction of the Embassy.

Consulor officers have free reign on deciding which relationships are valid...they can be very subjective in their judgements.

Here is a petitioner that sets off several red flags....difference in age, religion, customs, met on internet....etc....and maybe language...and who knows what else. Off course they will question the validity of the relationship. Her mistake was not being there to support him at the interview even though they may not even ask her a question. The point being that this is not IAW with the norms of the culture there...and they will be suspicious and play games....some are hard facts and others are bluffs. They are under no obligation to give out a visa and need to be convinced.

Get on a jet plane and go there.....ask for another interview...convince em....live there for six months if you have to...but they need to be convinced.

of course....this is just my observation of what I read in many forums here....but I bet Im close.

[vicki/bala 0]

Vicki,

Which embassy in India is Bala working with? Chennai? New Delhi? Mumbai?

I'm only wondering because I am in a similar situation. My fiance is 34 and he is going against his family's wishes. Family wishes in India (regardless of religion) are a huge deal. I can see some disgruntled government worker simply trying to cause trouble for someone. For this reason and many more, I planned on flying to India to attend my fiance's interview. I am due a trip back anyway!

Also, I noticed you had written that your fiance is hindi (which is a language) but I'm sure you meant Hindu.

Good luck!

cfosterart

(smile) for four years Bala has been telling me the same.. Hindi is language Hindu is religion..

He is going thru chennai embassy...

does anyone know who I should ask for at the consulate if I should call and try to speak to someone about this issue?

[vicki/bala 0]

Let me try again......

Sorry that this happened...but unexpected??

Once the petition leaves Homeland Security...its in the hands of the State Dept. Its in the hands of the US Consulate...and not the Embassy...although a Consulate is under the jurisdiction of the Embassy.

Consulor officers have free reign on deciding which relationships are valid...they can be very subjective in their judgements.

Here is a petitioner that sets off several red flags....difference in age, religion, customs, met on internet....etc....and maybe language...

So they have a right to flat out lie?? NO asian man has answered my phone? And I sure dont live with anyone. And If you and I blackmail someone isnt that a federal offense??? They are above this?? I think you missed the point here.........yes we had the red flags and we were willing to let them investigate freely.. we hid nothing from them.. in eight months they couldnt find proof or else they would have denied us and not resorted to lies and blackmail.....They would not even look at our proofs, we had names of MY friends that we stayed with in India when I visited there. WE had pages and pages of phone bills. We have years worth of emails and conversations, train tickets, flight tickets, hotel bills (in both our names )..pictures...they didnt want to see them .....he said "do you think a few photos or converstations prove a relationship?? Is this doing their job?? someone please tell me if im being unreasonable here or seeing this in the wrong way..........

vicki

vicki

[CarolineM 0]

i wish I had some magical advice, but all I can say is I am so sorry. I am so sorry that anyone has to go through this.

[desert_fox 32]

I didnt miss the point...I can see exactly what is happening. You point being that they can resort to blackmail...sure they can....they can bluff all they want...try to get him to withdraw his visa petition. You guys just didnt present a convincing case nor had the chance. You set off too many red flags. Im just a realist...sorry...buts its obvious to me as an outsider. . Go there and live there for six months...that should convince them.