Fiance denied tourist visa. How can we improve his chances next time?

[Liz_D 0]

My fiance applied for a tourist visa to come visit me in August but was denied. He is a citizen of Cameroon but is living as a student in Korea. The reason he was given is that he doesn't have enough social ties in Korea. He has been living in Korea for 5 years, goes to school, has a job, attends a church on a regular basis, has friends, etc. He has plenty of social ties, just not family. Is there any way for him to improve his chances when he reapplies? Will having our paperwork showing that we are working legally on his fiance visa help? Would having a letter from his church help? Just wondering how we can make his chances better. He definitely wants to reapply. We are having a baby in February and we both want him to be here for the birth.

[Dan & Jenni 457]

i believe he needs to show that he will return to Korea after his visit to you and a letter from school, his employer, church etc will all help to prove that he is not intending to stay in america with you.

[Operator 1,927]

This could be a tough nut to crack. He must prove to them that he's not planning to immigrate. Proving ties to Korea will be tough because it's not his homeland. If he owned property there and a high paying job with a contract it would be a different story. Now he is an expecting father and the mother is in the US. He may very well have every plan to go back to Korea after his visit but I don't think they will see it that way. I don't know if you submitting a K-1 petition will improve his chances or hurt them. I would worry about multiple visa denials if he re-applies and is rejected again.

I really feel for you and I hope someone comes along with a good answer.

Edited September 12, 2011 by Operator

[Ning 619]

My fiance applied for a tourist visa to come visit me in August but was denied. He is a citizen of Cameroon but is living as a student in Korea. The reason he was given is that he doesn't have enough social ties in Korea. He has been living in Korea for 5 years, goes to school, has a job, attends a church on a regular basis, has friends, etc. He has plenty of social ties, just not family. Is there any way for him to improve his chances when he reapplies? Will having our paperwork showing that we are working legally on his fiance visa help? Would having a letter from his church help? Just wondering how we can make his chances better. He definitely wants to reapply. We are having a baby in February and we both want him to be here for the birth.

When the facts surrounding you situation are applied to the criteria for a tourist visa he will never get one.

He has to prove beyond doubt he will return to Korea or Cameroon. Read the " strongest ties" rule & you will find that USCIS views all people with visas as intending immigrants.

This means his ties to you become stronger than they are to a country where he may live simply due to the pregnancy. Additionaly USCIS will find that you have petitioned for his fiancee visa. Those two facts alone are enough to cause denial. The previous denial will also be a factor.

Keep in mind that even if he was somehow approved for a tourist visa he would probably be turned away at the POE where they actually determin if he can enter.

The only way to know for certian is to pay the fee & submit to the interview. I am sorry to say this will be money & effort wasted in my opinion. He can apply again at any time & as often as he wants.

Edited September 12, 2011 by Ning

[Used to be broken 147]

My fiance applied for a tourist visa to come visit me in August but was denied. He is a citizen of Cameroon but is living as a student in Korea. The reason he was given is that he doesn't have enough social ties in Korea. He has been living in Korea for 5 years, goes to school, has a job, attends a church on a regular basis, has friends, etc. He has plenty of social ties, just not family. Is there any way for him to improve his chances when he reapplies? Will having our paperwork showing that we are working legally on his fiance visa help? Would having a letter from his church help? Just wondering how we can make his chances better. He definitely wants to reapply. We are having a baby in February and we both want him to be here for the birth.

Didn't you guys ever hear the song. "first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby carriage

Well previous OP was correct. It is futile to waste time and effort and money trying to get him a tourist VISA they will never approve it under the circumstances. Just file the K1 and be working on that.

Unfortunately you guys have untimely planned this pregnancy to eliminate the possibility that your baby daddy will be in the country with the two of you for its first few months of life.

Better luck on next pregnancy.

[Harsh_77 718]

To me your fiancé does not have enough ties to Korea.

All the reasons you have give or the ties you have given are not strong enough for which he would return back to Korea.

He has already expressed he has a fiancée in USA and he has long term interest in immigrating to US.

You are not discouraged from applying again, you can but it is going to be difficult for him to get the tourist visa.

Unfortunately pregnancy does not contribute to the critical reason for which he needs to be in US.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

You need to understand the the CO must assume that everyone applying for a Tourist Visa intends to immigrate. The applicant has to overcome that assumption without misrepresenting a material fact.

If would be very easy for him to marry you and then simply AOS if he is admitted to the US, the COs know this and it's part of their job to prevent it.

Even having the K-1 process already started doesn't do much to help overcome the initial assumption, in fact it actually proves that he as immigrant intent (even if not specifically for the intended trip) so it may actually work against him.

[brooks1380 0]

My fiancee is also Cameroonian but attends college in Malayasia.He tried to apply for a tourist visa back in January of 2011.Was denied for exact same reason,No substantial ties.I emailed and even visited the U.S.Embassy in Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia when I had to go visit him.Unless he has a job with contract,own property,it's almost impossible he will be approved.I talked to an immigration lawyer as well and they told me that Tourist Visa's are hard to obtain especially for Africans.My advise is for you to go to him.We are starting our K1 now.Wish we had started sooner.I have been twice to visit him.I actually had a layover in Seoul and got to see a little of it.Korea is a beautiful country what little I got to see.My advise if you are serious and can visit him,the next step would be to file K1.The tourist Visa is going to be impossible for him to obtain.