Was my visa refused?

[Robbie 1]

Hi guys, a week ago I applied for B1/B2 visa in Paris. I'm going (hopefully) to the USA to meet people from my IT project. The woman in the embassy didn't understand the concept of remote work and asked me billion questions, then put my application "On Hold" to check further. On the ceac website, I see the status as "Refused", but the date of update is the same as the date of my appointment, so I'm not sure if it's final decision or not. Of course all other people going with me for the same purpose got their visas right away in other embassies.

 

On the document I got from the embassy, it was said that they will contact me when the case is solved. They didn't so far.

 

Yesterday I got an email that my documents are being sent back to me now. Is there any chance my visa application was actually accepted? I'm not sure how this ceac website works, I have at least two ideas:

 

1) My application was Refused, but this is the initial status when it's put on Hold. They "changed" it from Refused to Refused, so the "update date" wasn't changed.

2) My visa is accepted, because otherwise they would have contacted me to request additional proofs and the ceac is just not showing the final decision.

 

Do you guys know how trustworthy ceac status is?

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

CEAC site can be glitchy sometimes but generally is correct.

 

If they are sending back documents and all and CEAC says "Refused"... sounds like they refused the tourist visa to me.

 

No other complications in your application? Previous travel history? Good job at home (know you mentioned IT but yea), strong ties to return back? You're a French citizen or a citizen of another country living in France? 

[Robbie 1]

I am not a French citizen, I'm just travelling and stopped by in France, I guess that could be a potential problem for them.

 

Another reason is that I said that the company will pay for my trip, I just thought it's a better answer, but it's probably not. The woman even asked me things like "how much will they pay you?" like it had any connection to my trip. I am working from my own country, remotely, I just happen to go and meet these people.

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

Just now, Robbie said:

I am not a French citizen, I'm just travelling and stopped by in France, I guess that could be a potential problem for them.

 

Another reason is that I said that the company will pay for my trip, I just thought it's a better answer, but it's probably not. The woman even asked me things like "how much will they pay you?" like it had any connection to my trip. I am working from my own country, remotely, I just happen to go and meet these people.

 

Stopped by in France? As in how? A tourist visa from somewhere, work visa, student?

 

Also what country are you from originally(citizen of)?

[Crazy Cat 42,046]

I agree that it sounds like a final refusal.

1 minute ago, Robbie said:

I am not a French citizen, I'm just travelling and stopped by in France, I guess that could be a potential problem for them.

 

There you have it!!!   It sounds like you were given a final refusal........why didn't you apply from your country?  Did you answer truthfully about who is paying for the trip?

[Robbie 1]

I am from another EU country, travelling across Europe currently.

[Robbie 1]

1 minute ago, missileman said:

I agree that it sounds like a final refusal.

There you have it!!!   It sounds like you were given a final refusal........why didn't you apply from your country?  Did you answer truthfully about who is paying for the trip?

Because I'm travelling and didn't want to waste time for entire process in my country. I thought it's XXI century already, but probably not for them.

 

Yes, I answered truthfully.

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

3 minutes ago, Robbie said:

I am from another EU country, travelling across Europe currently.

 

Main issue is you're applying for a B2 visa for the US from a country you're not a citizen of. You can't just go to another country and apply for that like that. You have to do it from your home country, unless you are in the other country (France for example) with legal status such as a work visa, student visa, ect. Not just traveling or touring. That is probably main issue they have. Think of it like, if someone if from Philippines where it is extremely hard to get a US tourist visa, but they manage to get a tourist visa to France, then try applying for a US visa from there to "bypass" the Philippines embassy. Just doesn't work like that.

Edited August 23, 2018 by Ben&Zian

[Crazy Cat 42,046]

3 minutes ago, Robbie said:

I am from another EU country, travelling across Europe currently.

In which country are you a citizen?

[Robbie 1]

3 minutes ago, Ben&Zian said:

 

Main issue is you're applying for a B2 visa for the US from a country you're not a citizen of. You can't just go to another country and apply for that like that. You have to do it from your home country, unless you are in the other country (France for example) with legal status such as a work visa, student visa, ect. Not just traveling or touring. That is probably main issue they have. Think of it like, if someone if from Philippines where it is extremely hard to get a US tourist visa, but they manage to get a tourist visa to France, then try applying for a US visa from there to "bypass" the Philippines embassy. Just doesn't work like that.

I agree, but European Union is different in theory.

[Robbie 1]

5 minutes ago, missileman said:

In which country are you a citizen?

Poland.

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

Just now, Robbie said:

I agree, but European Union is different in theory.

 

While it is the EU... the visa you apply for is for the US. Generally speaking the "rules" of the EU don't really apply to how the US handles things. 

 

Other than that, perhaps again because you're traveling, they don't feel you're very settled and seem perhaps to be a risk in violating the terms of the B2 not just with "remote" work but just not returning.

 

Your best bet is to get back to your home country and apply from there for the B2.

[Unlockable 7,315]

3 minutes ago, Robbie said:

I agree, but European Union is different in theory.

If the European Union was a different theory you wouldn't be looking at a refusal right now.

[Robbie 1]

That's what I'm going to do if it's indeed refused. Aren't all these assumptions they make a little old-fashioned? If I'm not settled, I won't be settled there neither haha.

 

I am settled though, I just love travelling.

[Roel 7,193]

You can only apply for a US visa either in your home country or the country where you're a legal resident.

 

You can't just go "visa shopping" in any country you're currently staying..

 

So that was the main reason you were refused.

Second reason, sounds you were planning on working in the US.