Seeking help from congressmen or senators?

[meaganissillay 0]

Hi all- wondering if anyone has experience reaching out to congressmen or senators for assistance with obtaining a B-2 tourist visa. I know that ultimately the deciding factor is the applicant's ties to his or her home country-- but I'm just curious if anyone has tried presenting a case to a congressman or senator? What was your experience like? Were they able to assist you, or was it a waste of time?

I recently reached out to my congressman's office and was told that they could provide a "visitor visa support letter" should my boyfriend decide to reapply for his B-2 visa (he was denied in Sep 2015). Not sure if this will even make much difference on a future application, but I guess it couldn't hurt the application?

Thoughts...?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

What country? Why was he denied?

[Merrytooth 5,748]

What country? Why was he denied?

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/598609-tourist-visa-request-denied-how-long-to-wait-before-reapplying/#entry8176561

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Ah, thanks Merry.

OP: I don't think a congressperson would help much. They can't force an embassy to approve and they don't know your boyfriend, or you personally.

[meaganissillay 0]

What country? Why was he denied?

He's in Nicaragua. He wasn't given a specific reason when he was denied- just that he didn't meet the qualifications, so we assume that his ties to Nicaragua weren't strong enough to justify his travels. After consulting with some people on this website it also seems like I could have messed it up for him-- I had written a letter assuming financial responsibility for the trip (which I understand now probably did more harm than help).

He hasn't applied again yet. We are at the point right now where we are just trying to think of what we can do differently to present a better case for him. Many people have recommended taking other trips to put some stamps in his passport, forgoing the invitation letter from me the next time around, etc.

We have been invited to a wedding in Alabama in early March, so we are toying with the idea of him applying again.. but as of right now we are just looking for ideas to help build up his application (or I guess not screw it up this time).

[Boiler 45,581]

Visitor Visa Support Letter sounds like toilet paper.

[meaganissillay 0]

Visitor Visa Support Letter sounds like toilet paper.

Could be. I guess that's why I am trying to see if anyone has experience reaching out to local/state government or if it's a waste of time.

[millefleur 5,046]

In my experience, they base it on merely the application itself (they don't even look at any supporting evidence you bring to the actual interview) and once I met a CO officer here casually, and I asked him: "How do you decide who gets tourist visas and who doesn't?" and he told me that they decide by just looking at/judging the person at the interview and that "Some people just look trustworthy and others don't"....yeah, not really helpful!

You can try to prepare as much as you want, it still does not (and cannot) guarantee an automatic 'yes.' There's always a risk of rejection, from my experience. Best of luck.

Edited October 6, 2016 by millefleur

[Boiler 45,581]

Could be. I guess that's why I am trying to see if anyone has experience reaching out to local/state government or if it's a waste of time.

If you have a Senator who knows him and can write a personal letter saying what a fine upstanding chap he is, I do not see any harm.

[Cathi 5,760]

Stop and think about that you've asked. How could a congressperson possibly help your boyfriend get a visitor visa? They can't. Your boyfriend must apply and be approved on his own merits and his owns merits alone. He must prove he has strong ties to his home country and prove he can financially pay for the trip on his OWN. The visa has nothing to do with you and sending a letter stating you're going to finance the trip works against him, not to mention having a US girlfriend works against him. They want a guarantee he will return home. How can a congressperson you've never met prove that?

[YecaCruz 379]

He's in Nicaragua. He wasn't given a specific reason when he was denied- just that he didn't meet the qualifications, so we assume that his ties to Nicaragua weren't strong enough to justify his travels. After consulting with some people on this website it also seems like I could have messed it up for him-- I had written a letter assuming financial responsibility for the trip (which I understand now probably did more harm than help).

He hasn't applied again yet. We are at the point right now where we are just trying to think of what we can do differently to present a better case for him. Many people have recommended taking other trips to put some stamps in his passport, forgoing the invitation letter from me the next time around, etc.

We have been invited to a wedding in Alabama in early March, so we are toying with the idea of him applying again.. but as of right now we are just looking for ideas to help build up his application (or I guess not screw it up this time).

Hi I'm sorry that I can' t answer your question directly about getting the congressman involved but I would like to share with you our experience in trying to get my husband's brother a tourist visa to come to our reception.

First is just overcoming the country itself. In the past there was a lot of fraud with visas (especially with the religious worker's visa) so when you fast forward today it just makes it THAT much harder to any kind of visa. Second is that it's still considered the 2nd poorest country in the western hemisphere despite the huge improvements I've personally seen over the years in traveling there in economy and poverty gap. So the whole "prove that you've got the money to travel" will be a big factor.

My bro-in-law has a full ride scholarship to UNI studying telecommunications. Lives at home with mom, little sister, and grandma. All his family is in Nicaragua, except for his big bro in the US (family = strong tie?)

He's a really smart kid. One would think, "who would be foolish enough abandon something like that"? Apparently our gov't would; as if it isn't just as easy to abandon wives/kids, houses, and jobs but heck what do I know.

I say all that to say that overall it is very difficult to get any kind of visa to the US from Nicaragua. I have known friends there since I first went to Nic in 2001 with some of the seemingly strongest ties one could imagine and were still denied. There's certainly nothing to say to not try again and I don't want to discourage you. It's a harsh reality though. It's way easier for you to go visit him, which is what I had to do.

Does he have a steady job or at least a bank account to show that he would have the "funds" for travel? I would suggest that he work towards those.

I don't mean to discourage you, again, but I just wanted to shed some light with the experience and the people that I know from Nicaragua (my favorite country in the world, by the way). Good luck - you never know either - you may just get a break!

Edited October 6, 2016 by JJGussiaas (Gush)

[Boiler 45,581]

He is a waiter.

[YecaCruz 379]

My bro-in-law has a full ride scholarship to UNI studying telecommunications....

Correction: he goes to UCA

[Cheezees 1,514]

Unless there is a personal relationship I don't understand how a US congressman or senator would be involved with another country's embassy ruling. I don't believe US senators work for non-US citizens who are abroad.

[Boiler 45,581]

It is not the Senator, some intern in the office that has to deal with the enquiry.

So what would you do, give them a standard letter fill in the name and they go away happy, or spend a lot of time trying to explain realities to somebody who does not have a clue?