Why was my friend denied a B1/B2 Visa?

[lilstar 4]

On august 5, 2023 my friend was denied a b1/b2 visa but it's not clear why. She told 100% truth and answered all questions honestly, The officer asked her a question, where do you meet your friend? she answered, Facebook on a tourism page. She said he asked the question again, where did you meet your friend and she responded with the same answer. She said the officer then made a comment that it is dangerous. Also on her ds160 she had it listed that she wanted to visit the USA under b1/b2 visa. He asked the standard question, Why do you want to visit the USA? she replied that she wanted to visit to tour a university and there she would take a test to see what classes she needed to enroll into to learn English. The test does not result in an Academic credit, it's just a placement test. He replied that she lied her on ds160 because it listed that she wanted to tour the USA because she choose the B1/B2 visa and not the student visa.

 

I am very confused because it is allowed to tour a University and take a short course on a b1/b2 visa as long as it doesn't result in a credit? so why would he say that. The student visa is if you are already enrolled in classes, why would she do that if she doesn't even know what classes she would need to take.

 

Additional details:

 

Her goal was to take the placement test on her visit to the USA, then go back to Madagascar and apply for a student visa to USA.

 

She has a job and is enrolled in school in her home country and has already completed her Bachelors Degree in Tourism. So she has strong times to her home country and yes she has those documents present and no he did not look at them.

 

Her country is Madagascar.

 

her native language is French, and he spoke in French with her.

 

But she got the standard section 214(b) as the reason for her denial.

 

Her friend is also a female, who she would be staying with in the USA as well pay for the trip.

 

So why did she get denied, because he claimed she lied on her ds160 even though she didn't?

Because he doesn't like where she met her friend?

 

 

 

[Crazy Cat 41,813]

10 minutes ago, lilstar said:

On august 5, 2023 my friend was denied a b1/b2 visa but it's not clear why. She told 100% truth and answered all questions honestly, The officer asked her a question, where do you meet your friend? she answered, Facebook on a tourism page. She said he asked the question again, where did you meet your friend and she responded with the same answer. She said the officer then made a comment that it is dangerous. Also on her ds160 she had it listed that she wanted to visit the USA under b1/b2 visa. He asked the standard question, Why do you want to visit the USA? she replied that she wanted to visit to tour a university and there she would take a test to see what classes she needed to enroll into to learn English. The test does not result in an Academic credit, it's just a placement test. He replied that she lied her on ds160 because it listed that she wanted to tour the USA because she choose the B1/B2 visa and not the student visa.

 

I am very confused because it is allowed to tour a University and take a short course on a b1/b2 visa as long as it doesn't result in a credit? so why would he say that. The student visa is if you are already enrolled in classes, why would she do that if she doesn't even know what classes she would need to take.

 

Additional details:

 

Her goal was to take the placement test on her visit to the USA, then go back to Madagascar and apply for a student visa to USA.

 

She has a job and is enrolled in school in her home country and has already completed her Bachelors Degree in Tourism. So she has strong times to her home country and yes she has those documents present and no he did not look at them.

 

Her country is Madagascar.

 

her native language is French, and he spoke in French with her.

 

But she got the standard section 214(b) as the reason for her denial.

 

Her friend is also a female, who she would be staying with in the USA as well pay for the trip.

 

So why did she get denied, because he claimed she lied on her ds160 even though she didn't?

Because he doesn't like where she met her friend?

 

 

 

Most B2 visas are denied because the applicant cannot overcome the assumption of immigrant intent (not enough strong ties to home country).  It sounds like that is the reason.  That "learn English in the USA" might have sounded like a weak reason. 

Edited August 14, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[lilstar 4]

3 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

Most B2 visas are denied because the applicant cannot overcome the assumption of immigrant intent (not enough strong ties to home country).  It sounds like that is the reason.  That "learn English in the USA" might have sounded like a weak reason. 

Thank you

[Boiler 45,447]

Just make sure I have this correct, she met somebody on Facebook and her friend from Facebook is paying for her trip to the US?

[Ontarkie 14,217]

Before I met my  now husband for the first time. I was turned back at the border. I was told it was too risky for me to go to Arkansas to meet a guy I didn't know and met on a video game. She was determined to not let me through and that was her reason. She kept going on about what would I do if he turned out to be crazy. I told her I would get on the next bus out and the whole point was to meet him where he was because I didn't want to bring some crazy guy to my kids. I needed to check things out. Then she said I needed 1k cash for every week I was going to stay there. I wanted to go for 2 weeks. It did not matter that I had credit cards or money in the bank. I do truly think she wanted to protect me from some crazy Hillbilly. 

[SalishSea 17,802]

9 hours ago, lilstar said:

On august 5, 2023 my friend was denied a b1/b2 visa but it's not clear why. She told 100% truth and answered all questions honestly, The officer asked her a question, where do you meet your friend? she answered, Facebook on a tourism page. She said he asked the question again, where did you meet your friend and she responded with the same answer. She said the officer then made a comment that it is dangerous. Also on her ds160 she had it listed that she wanted to visit the USA under b1/b2 visa. He asked the standard question, Why do you want to visit the USA? she replied that she wanted to visit to tour a university and there she would take a test to see what classes she needed to enroll into to learn English. The test does not result in an Academic credit, it's just a placement test. He replied that she lied her on ds160 because it listed that she wanted to tour the USA because she choose the B1/B2 visa and not the student visa.

 

I am very confused because it is allowed to tour a University and take a short course on a b1/b2 visa as long as it doesn't result in a credit? so why would he say that. The student visa is if you are already enrolled in classes, why would she do that if she doesn't even know what classes she would need to take.

 

Additional details:

 

Her goal was to take the placement test on her visit to the USA, then go back to Madagascar and apply for a student visa to USA.

 

She has a job and is enrolled in school in her home country and has already completed her Bachelors Degree in Tourism. So she has strong times to her home country and yes she has those documents present and no he did not look at them.

 

Her country is Madagascar.

 

her native language is French, and he spoke in French with her.

 

But she got the standard section 214(b) as the reason for her denial.

 

Her friend is also a female, who she would be staying with in the USA as well pay for the trip.

 

So why did she get denied, because he claimed she lied on her ds160 even though she didn't?

Because he doesn't like where she met her friend?

 

 

 

She was rightly denied for weak ties to home.

[SalishSea 17,802]

24 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Just make sure I have this correct, she met somebody on Facebook and her friend from Facebook is paying for her trip to the US?

Perhaps the officer thought the OP was in danger of being trafficked or engaging in prostitution.

[Redro 4,611]

9 hours ago, lilstar said:

I am very confused because it is allowed to tour a University and take a short course on a b1/b2 visa as long as it doesn't result in a credit? so why would he say that. The student visa is if you are already enrolled in classes, why would she do that if she doesn't even know what classes she would need to take.

-You are allowed to tour schools. But, only certain types of courses are allowed on B1/B2- like yoga or cooking class or a class that is under 18 hours a week. But, many people look online to research what type of classes they want to take before going to school. 

Additional details:

 

Her goal was to take the placement test on her visit to the USA, then go back to Madagascar and apply for a student visa to USA.- What type of placement test? Many international students apply for classes with English test scores and/or SAT/GRE/ACT. I know some English schools will have placement tests but that is once you've been accepted. 

 

She has a job and is enrolled in school in her home country and has already completed her Bachelors Degree in Tourism. So she has strong times to her home country and yes she has those documents present and no he did not look at them. -But she was telling the CO she was thinking of giving all that up to go study in the US. 

 

Her country is Madagascar.

 

her native language is French, and he spoke in French with her. - I'm assuming she was planning on going to school in the US to study English. Why the US? Why not a cheaper country like South Africa? Or studying English online for a few months. 

 

But she got the standard section 214(b) as the reason for her denial.

 

Her friend is also a female, who she would be staying with in the USA as well pay for the trip. -What proof did she have the friend was female? What type of evidence did she have that this was a friend helping her travel to the US and not a someone paying her for some type of work?

 

So why did she get denied, because he claimed she lied on her ds160 even though she didn't? -Going to the US to travel vs going to the US to look at potential schools are two very different goals. 

Because he doesn't like where she met her friend? - The CO is protecting her. This could be a potential human trafficking issue. Most people would not allow a stranger to pay for them to travel to a foreign country without expecting some type of string attached. 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 15, 2023 by Redro

[Timona 4,207]

Not sure why people want to spend $$ learning English in USA while you can learn online and for free. I use Duolingo to learn Spanish. It's free. Should I go to Spain to learn Spanish? I don't understand people sometimes. 

 

Additionally, you can go learn in Europe or even in African countries that speak English. Why USA?

[JeanneAdil 6,489]

College placement test are done on 1st year students/  that is those already enrolled

A foreigner can do the Toefl English test online 

• Many colleges require placement tests for incoming first-year students.
• Placement tests assess your English, reading, math, and foreign language skills.
• College placement test results determine your first-year English and math classes.

[lilstar 4]

19 hours ago, Boiler said:

Just make sure I have this correct, she met somebody on Facebook and her friend from Facebook is paying for her trip to the US?

That's correct, People meet people from the internet all the time to date etc. However this is someone she has know for a while now.

[lilstar 4]

Exactly why  she needed a visitor visa before enrolling. This school doesn't allow you to take the test online but in person on there computers. 

[lilstar 4]

You don't understand people sometimes because you can't relate to people sometimes. Not everyone has the ability to learn another language like you were able to using an app. Some people need a classroom setting. An USA was chosen because she would roommate with her friend who lives in USA.  

[Boiler 45,447]

10 minutes ago, lilstar said:

That's correct, People meet people from the internet all the time to date etc. However this is someone she has know for a while now.

They have physically met?

[lilstar 4]

No, they haven't. However she had the friends bank statement, so i don't think a trafficker would allow an officer to see personal information if that was the goal.

 

  Listen, i never said the officer was right or wrong for denying her. I was more focusing on what exact reason the officer denied her for. Did her feel like because she met someone online it wasn't safe?, was it because the officer claimed she lied on her ds160?, even though she didn't. Was it because of the 214(b) despite her having strong ties to her home country?