Visa Waiver Program for Ukraine

[Rwlaird 18]

Special consideration on the backs of Americans. Nothing new here.

On the backs of Americans??? That's off-base. Allowing good people from Ukraine to come visit here and better establish business connections, visit friends and family, all while spending money all sounds good for our economy.

[Darnell 8,479]

The 3-percent rejection rate threshold should not be a barrier to expanding the program. The system is designed to filter out people who would be disproportionately inclined to overstay their visas to the Untied States for economic reasons and thus add to the population of undocumented people here. Visa rejections on those grounds are inherently subjective, based on underinformed and largely intuitive judgments of embassy and consulate personnel.

http://www.cato.org/publications/free-trade-bulletin/expand-visa-waiver-program-qualified-countries

I'm sorry, terribly sorry - but the demographics you've described, the 'anti'-of, describe many Ukrainian overstays. So, with a documented portfolio of folk who overstayed on purpose, HISTORICALLY, I not see Ukraine meeting the eligibility requirements for the program.

IMO, the petition would be a slap in the face, given that history.

OTOH, asylum status would be an easier thing to chase after, the DoS can issue that status any time they feel like it. I suggest you help them along, to feel like issuing a blanket coverage and soonish.

[Rwlaird 18]

Can you explain how giving VWP to Ukraine will help Ukrainian people with fighting against Putin and all the Russians who are invading Ukraine?

Maybe it's ignorance on my part, but I can't see the connection here.

Apart from giving people the easier way (than applying for B2 visas) to leave the country supposedly to visit the US, but never returning.

Helping the industrious and intelligent people of Ukraine travel more freely and expand their horizons would increase their understanding of the modern world and true democracy and solidify their opposition to kleptocratic rulers such as Putin.

[LibCampFireClub 635]

On the backs of Americans??? That's off-base. Allowing good people from Ukraine to come visit here and better establish business connections, visit friends and family, all while spending money all sounds good for our economy.

Fair enough. There's a long line out there with good intentions. I don't think you're going to get too much sympathy for those who have been patiently waiting in that line.

[Rwlaird 18]

I'm sorry, terribly sorry - but the demographics you've described, the 'anti'-of, describe many Ukrainian overstays. So, with a documented portfolio of folk who overstayed on purpose, HISTORICALLY, I not see Ukraine meeting the eligibility requirements for the program.

IMO, the petition would be a slap in the face, given that history.

OTOH, asylum status would be an easier thing to chase after, the DoS can issue that status any time they feel like it. I suggest you help them along, to feel like issuing a blanket coverage and soonish.

No doubt, the poor enforcement of overstays and all types of illegal immigration hurt all of us who navigate the system legally and respect our laws.

[Asia 2,499]

Allowing good people from Ukraine to come visit here and better establish business connections, visit friends and family, all while spending money all sounds good for our economy.

But what's stopping them from visiting the US, their friends/family now?

Is it forbidden to visit?

I don't think so.

[Rwlaird 18]

But what's stopping them from visiting the US, their friends/family now?

Is it forbidden to visit?

I don't think so.

A very poor application process. "B visas are adjudicated based on applicant interviews; the interviews generally last between 60 and 90 seconds.^[55] Due to time constraints, adjudicators profile applicants.^[55] Certain demographics, such as young adults, those who are single and/or unemployed, almost never receive visas.^[55] Adjudicators are evaluated on how fast they carry out interviews, not the quality of adjudication decisions.^[56] The validity of B visa decisions is not evaluated.^[56] "

Fair enough. There's a long line out there with good intentions. I don't think you're going to get too much sympathy for those who have been patiently waiting in that line.

I'm not looking for sympathy - just passing along a suggestion that those who are interested in may like to see.

[Asia 2,499]

No doubt, the poor enforcement of overstays and all types of illegal immigration hurt all of us who navigate the system legally and respect our laws.

I agree with that.

But what you can do?

How can you separate "good" people who won't abuse US visa system from the "bad" ones?

Most of the "bad" ones were good when they applied for visas. And after coming to the US, they saw modern world and decided not coming back to their origin countries.

And the rest "good" & "bad" people are punished for that. Nothing more, nothing less.

It's not ideal, but that's how it is.

[Asia 2,499]

A very poor application process. "B visas are adjudicated based on applicant interviews; the interviews generally last between 60 and 90 seconds.^[55] Due to time constraints, adjudicators profile applicants.^[55] Certain demographics, such as young adults, those who are single and/or unemployed, almost never receive visas.^[55] Adjudicators are evaluated on how fast they carry out interviews, not the quality of adjudication decisions.^[56] The validity of B visa decisions is not evaluated.^[56] "

How people who are unemployed can afford such expensive vacation which is a visit to the US?

When I applied for B2 visa, I was 32, single but with a stable work situation.

My female friends were less than 30, single with a stable work situation too.

We all got them without any issue.

Was it luck?

Maybe, who knows.

[Rwlaird 18]

I agree with that.

But what you can do?

How can you separate "good" people who won't abuse US visa system from the "bad" ones?

Most of the "bad" ones were good when they applied for visas. And after coming to the US, they saw modern world and decided not coming back to their origin countries.

And the rest "good" & "bad" people are punished for that. Nothing more, nothing less.

It's not ideal, but that's how it is.

For starters do not let anyone have a tourist visa for any longer than 3 weeks. That should be plenty. Now someone can get a tourist visa for 6 months, then get it extended for another 6 months, then apply for asylum.

How people who are unemployed can afford such expensive vacation which is a visit to the US?

When I applied for B2 visa, I was 32, single but with a stable work situation.

My female friends were less than 30, single with a stable work situation too.

We all got them without any issue.

Was it luck?

Maybe, who knows.

Maybe they can't. But maybe they're currently unemployed but have plenty of money in the bank. People should make their own decisions within the law.

[SAT 9,609]

How people who are unemployed can afford such expensive vacation which is a visit to the US?

When I applied for B2 visa, I was 32, single but with a stable work situation.

My female friends were less than 30, single with a stable work situation too.

We all got them without any issue.

Was it luck?

Maybe, who knows.

Did you bribe them with kielbasa?

[Darnell 8,479]

For starters do not let anyone have a tourist visa for any longer than 3 weeks. That should be plenty. Now someone can get a tourist visa for 6 months, then get it extended for another 6 months, then apply for asylum.

That's NOT the asylum status I was talking of, attempting to apply for it inside the USA.

[SAT 9,609]

Why are all my thuggy friends here?

[Darnell 8,479]

Cause maybe we see a power play for world domination and want to take advantage of it?

But Seriously, VWP status granting to any country with a history of overstays should fall flat on the floor, no further consideration. Also, IMO, the DoS (remember, NIV and IV are units of the department of state) can set asylum status for a country, and then things fly at the US Embassy/Consulate once the blanket status is set.

I dunno, folk doing business in Ukraine who want outside border business certainly not need to get it done in the USA - there's more business opportunities in Europe and SE Asia, and the money men have been going there first, doing business and handling business.

When this 'stuff' is tied into IV, I think it's stupid - there should be no linkage, whatsoever, with IV.

[Caryh 5,206]

Helping the industrious and intelligent people of Ukraine travel more freely and expand their horizons would increase their understanding of the modern world and true democracy and solidify their opposition to kleptocratic rulers such as Putin.

You can say the same things for most of the countries in the world with corrupt leaders and poor economies. This does not mean we should give them all VWP, our country would be flooded even worse with overstays than we currently are. Already the problem is too large in the USA, that we lack enough resources to deal with it. Estimated 12 million in the country illegally, and its estimated half of them came in legitimately and never went home when they were supposed to.