F2 Visa assistance required

[F2visa 0]

My husband is working in the US on an OPT visa till July 2015. I applied for an F2 Visa in March 2014 to be able to join him from July 2014-July 2015. My application was denied after a month of AP.

During the interview at the Karachi Consulate I was asked numerous questions about the wedding ceremony, which I answered truthfully:

Our "Nikah" (When the official documentation signing part is done) was held in December 2013. Rukhsati (The official reception after which i'd start LIVING with him) with was do be done once he graduated, in June 2014. Naturally, only then would I be able to join him. I was asked repeatedly about why my nikah nama was in English only (and not in Urdu, the local language). I told them (3 people interviewed me) the truth/fact that there is no such requirement/rule - it can be made in either languages and we chose English.

After being asked numerous questions about the nikah ceremony, where we had met, number of people who attended etc - I was asked to sign a "Sworn statement" confirming that I only had an english nikah nama and that my marriage was held on x date with x. My tourist visa, which I had obtained a few months earlier for the purpose of visiting my cousin in Chicago on my previous passport was "Cancelled with Prejudice", my Nikah Nama, marriage certificate and I-20 held for the period of AP and then returned with a 214(b) as the reason for denial. (even though I wasnt asked a single question about my or my husband's ties to the country throughout the interview)

I had the following documents on me during the interview

⦁ Copy of husband's I-20

⦁ Copy SEVIS fee payment

⦁ Husband's Job contract

⦁ Proof of a lot of funds from both of our bank accounts

⦁ Original Marriage Certificate (Legal marriage contract document issued by the Government of Pakistan)

⦁ Original Nikah Nama (local document that is signed by the bride and groom during the ceremony)

⦁ Proof of my employment in Pakistan

⦁a couple of pictures from the nikah ceremony

However the entire interview had revolved around the Nikah Nama only. No other document, other then the I-20 was seen.

My rukhsati took place in June 2014 and my husband and I lived together for a month, went for our honeymoon after which he recently left for the US.I am planning on reapplying for the F2 now. This time I will be introducing evidence from the rukhsati and honeymoon (lots of pictures) along with all the documents I had taken before. I am also thinking of getting a letter written from the marriage registrar confirming that there is no legal requirement of the nikah nama to be in "urdu" language, and that the document is authentic.

Will the fact that my Tourist visa was "cancelled with prejudice" impact my chances of obtaining any other visa for the US, and for any other country? I have a very strong travel history across Europe, UK, Far east, including my masters degree which I studied for from the UK. However I have never traveled to the US.

I deliberately did not travel on my tourist visa to go and visit husband in the US, as it would have been incorrect to travel with a different intent then the one that I held when I had applied for it. (I told that to the counselor during the interview, when asked about my previous tourist visa). But now I stand with one perfectly good visa cancelled and the new correct one denied.

Is there anything else I can do to make my case stronger? Need recommendations on how to proceed with my case.

Edited August 7, 2014 by F2visa

[Boiler 45,470]

Usually a visa would be cancelled without prejudice.

Did you apply for a B after the Nikah and if so what did you put down as your marital status?

[F2visa 0]

Cancellation withOUT prejudice I what I believed would should have happened too.

I had applied for B a before my Nikah.

[Boiler 45,470]

Rukhsati, does that need to be done for the marriage to be completed? Otherwise I am at a loss.

[F2visa 0]

Rukhsati is done culturally after the wife is able to "live" with the husband.. That cannot happen unless the wife has a visa to be able to do so. Hence Nikah is mostly done earlier to facilitate the rukhsati.

However now that the rukhsati is done and all that part is out of the way any way, that should be able to solve any concern they would have about the "legitimacy" of the marriage, hopefully?

[TBoneTX 45,267]

A recent post has been removed from this old thread, which is now closed to further comment. The poster has her own thread in the Student & Exchange Visitor Visas forum. Please wait for answers there.

VJ Moderation