Between paying $131 for a US visa application and trying your luck in the slot machines, I’d choose the latter. At least with legalized gambling, you get a free Coke and a sandwich. Not with the d*ickheads-in-residence at the NIV Unit of the US Embassy in Manila who go through their job without rhyme and reason. I actually thought being a “diplomat” was a distinguished, honorable profession until you encounter them in real life (okay, I dated one of their ilk in my younger years, but that’s another story!)
Cases in point: they don’t maintain eye-to-eye contact. All they care about is making notes on their computer screen
They talk to their counter seatmates (and laughing at that!) while Filipino visa applicants are there in front of them, waiting for their fate to be decided.
Some of them actually use headsets with microphones so that the rest of humanity can hear the interrogation and humiliating comments they subject Filipino visa applicants to. Comments that are uncalled for and unwanted, like this personal encounter I had with a certain Mr. Norman Culbertson (???) who told me to get a fiancee visa when I was clearly JUST applying for a vacation!
It would have been better if Mr. Culbertson just denied me up front and put the X on that blue slip, but no, he rattles on further to say: “if your boyfriend is serious with you, why don’t you tell him to get you a fiancee visa? You don’t even have to apply for it, we will process it for you.”
Well heck, Mr. Culbertson, I detest your insinuation. An engagement (as you proposed) is different from the real purpose of my travel, which is a booty call vacation! You also forgot that I don’t have to get a fiancee visa when I can aim straight for a spouse visa 😛 or go apply for the dang journalist visa. You keep a one-track mind and nitpick on my love life and clearly disregard the fact that I’ve had two US visas, Schengen visas, the Japan, China, South Korea visas yadda yadda yadda. Clearly, I don’t have the character or inclination to settle out of the country soon? And the fact that I’ve shown you the 10-year mortgage contract to the house I just bought in Manila as well the full custody of three minor children means that am really not exchanging my life in the country for anywhere else – right here, right now.
Shortly after this post came out, a friend called to agree with me on what I pointed out here. She told me of this family of eight who owned a building in Makati and got denied , and just because they wanted to go see Disneyland! That’s more than $1000 in visa fees down the drain.
It is a pity really. There’s no place for honesty in these US visa interviews; in fact, honesty can get you nowhere. The fact that I have an American boyfriend lends me highly suspect as a potential immigrant, but other more compelling proofs I presented (previous visas etc.) would have excluded that possibility as well.
As reader Doug, an American, commented in my other US Embassy post: “If some of the other countries had the same rules we had for immigration, very few Americans would get through any embassies unless they were ready to lie through their teeth. No, it’s not a perfect world, but some people actually tell the truth, and stereotypes and bias should not be the guideline for inclusion, as it is only the vehicle for exclusion. American embassies should not serve to exclude but to include based on real, accurate facts, not on innuendo.”
MY conclusion is that : the US Embassy Manila’s NIV Unit has no directly measurable standards and benchmarks for granting US tourist visas. It is based merely on the gut feel and false psychology of their dumb*ss visa officers whose sense of judgment are, more often, erroneous and skewed. They don’t even take a moment to ask for vital documents to prove your case and study them, the kind of scrutiny that your $131 deserves. And that is why I say it is almost like a scam.
Paging US Embassy Manila Non-IMmigrant Visa chief Karen L. Christensen, hope you read this and get your act together. The officer who insulted me by saying I should get a fiancee visa deserves the supreme karma of being assigned to the US Embassy in Afghanistan. 😀
How very rude for them to suggest such a visa for all to hear? I am appalled. And they tell us to be honest with our travel reasons? Geesh.
@ Noemi, I was sooo mad with that unwanted comment from the US Embassy officer that I couldn’t drive straight 🙁
Oh my. And there I was thinking of applying for a visa soon. A friend told me that now is the best time to apply. Could just be a rumor. 😐
$131 is still $131! The least they could do is to take our applications seriously.
It’s unfortunate that you had to go through all of this. But I don’t know if writing about it would work to your advantage either. But if it did, congrats. After the the hassle, I don’t know why you would still want to go there anyway. It’s just the US! 😛
Jerome,
It IS just the US, but the point was for Anna to join me on my vacation, and meet my family – clearly, that didn’t happen :'(
Instead, I split my vacation between two families, and spent altogether too much time in Dubai’s terminal and Dubai hotels, as a result.
There’s no way I’d apply for a fiancee Visa for Anna, only to become an absentee husband – won’t end my contract until September ’09, which means two vacations a year, spaced at six-month intervals. Ugh.
What’s a boyfriend and girlfriend to do? Now, we’re both wishing we’d tried the journalist Visa opportunity we’d found way back in May :'(
The only silver lining here so far is strengthening our resolve and keeping our relationship healthy, if only to prove our NIV Manila pundits way wrong.
@$$-clowns 😛
Hi Mr Z,
Very tough for both of you. I’m just worried about Ajay writing about it the way she did. I don’t know, some people are paranoid about writing bad stuff about their bosses on their blogs for fear that these people can get back at them, so what’s gonna keep the US govt from looking for more evidence to keep her away from your country? I remember a Filipino friend who lambasted an embassy officer in Laos (I think) and she had a hard time going to the US ever since. I mean, she felt insulted, and she talked back, and applied for US visa here in the Philippines, and wondered why she was still denied. And I also wondered why she even bothered applying again. But anyway, goodluck to both of you. 🙂
I won’t be harassed. & you call America the GREATEST democracy in the world?? – replying from my iPod
Fairness in Visa processes and entrance interviews is not the hallmark of greatness – it’s our economic prowess, and stubborn, unilateral approach to world politics.
Of course, you’ll never witness the great Democracy in action, if you never visit her shores again.
Gotta love that DHS.
Fiancee vise is a lot faster than spousal visa though. It’s less than a year but with a 90 days visa expiration. You have to get married atleast not later than 70 days and you won’t have that filipino wedding with all your friends and relatives will be there.
when I was interviews for a K1 visa, they looked at all our documents, including photos. The consul whom we were assigned to asked questions though not even document based. It lasted 10 minutes with simple personal questions. But that may also be because I have my fiance with me on the interview. (A strategy we thought of)
Tourist visa is almost impossible to get. Petitioning relatives alone takes 10 years in waiting.
I feel your pain.
This blogging and saying things that it’s not correct just because they’ve been denied on their visa application…So normal for someone who can’t handle being rejected.
You as a visa applicant should provide a “legit” documents and those consul officer sometime they don’t bother looking at the documents since it’s almost always applicants give them a fraudulant documents. They do not spend too much time on one person since they have to interview hundreds of visa applicants a day! All you have to provide is a very strong ties here in the Philippines. They give thousands of visa a week and a lot of those visa applicants went “TNT”!!! Go figure!
You can’t call them names and blog it to the world…you do that you’ll likely to get refuse, again…they do take notes and it’s stays in the system! Whether you’re from a prominent family, a celebrity or a politician some of them get refuse, too. Joseph Strada the dingbat ex pres was denied.
wow what a comment.a no brainer. how do they know if they documents are genuine if they do not even bother to look at them.
Do they have ESP?
Not because one presents fraudulent document, everyone is guilty of the same.
i can sense you are not a Filipino. I have also ESP.
we cannot figure because you do not provide the figure. say how many of the 1000 go TNT? You are psychic too?
SHEESH.
Hi Analyn,
Did you try to speak up for yourself and reason out? I moved to the States in 1996 at 23, while I still love the Philippines, I know I would still have a better life in recession era USA than back home. It’s just a cycle really, anyway, that is not the point. Having moved here at an early age, I learned that you will never get what you want in the US if you never fight for it and stand up for yourself.
If you are feeling looked down upon, ie. the consul avoiding eye contact, you should have called his attention, say “hey mr., look me in the eye,” I am going to try to reason to you and you should hear what I have to say, yada yada yada, and then 1. I am … 2… so on and so fourth. Just don’t be overly aggressive and remain calm, remember, inside the embassy, you are in theory outside of the Philippines and in the US teritory.
The next time you go to your interview, do not be intimidated. Get your money’s worth, if you have to recite your entries in your blog do so, but never say “yes sir, I understand” and then bitch in your blog.
I really don’t know why some people here are worried that I’ll be declared a persona non-grata when I owe nothing to America, I am not itching to go there and I plan to retire and die in my country 😀 My boyfriend can follow me if he must. Besides, there are other countries in the world who will be more welcoming.
Dave, what you told me is applicable in a normal setting, not in the embassy setting where you are given a time limit and the consul almost always never changes his mind once he makes the decision.
I still believe that the US Embassy NIV Unit does an injustice to Filipinos and is not doing the work it’s supposed to do. I am not speaking for myself alone, or blogging for my own benefit. I am articulating the sentiments of others who have been treated the same.
And oh, this is my blog, so I can pretty much bitch here when there is reason for it. Believe me, I will bitch only when there is ample reason. If you don’t like what you read, don’t read me.
Annalyn,
don’t let your emotion get the better part of you. That’s just how it is, a lot of people get denied visa, some are given the stamp. Try again next time and reason out. It’s not like they advertise for your hard earned $131, they did not convince you to pony up the bucks, you decided you want to go to the US instead of Europe where there is so much more to see. So there, people get denied sometimes even the filthy rich ones, your ego is making you sound bitter. It’s your blog though …
All,
The anger and frustration come from a lack of transparency in the selection process, and the criteria cited by Embassy sources, on the website itself, seems heavily discounted.
Ajay has three children she loves dearly, and her intent is to raise them in Manila.
Ajay also just purchased a new home, and a condition of the home loan is continued employment with her Philippine employer, PAGCOR. PAGCOR benefits are nothing to sneeze at, in the Philippines.
Yet, this isn’t enough to guarantee her return? I can’t see a life reliant on her Stateside relatives being enough to move her to leave three children and a new home.
You have to admit, this is quite a leap of logic for anyone, much less an NIV official.
Why the tourist Visa? I only get two vacation periods a year, and with over fourteen months out of the States, it was time to return home. With Ajay in my life now, I didn’t want to spend a year alone, in a new relationship.
How could I put in for a K1, when am due to return to Iraq? Could never be the absentee husband in a new marriage, that’s nuts.
Of course, there’s no way to present this on the Embassy forms, and no way I can be present for the interview, either. If I had known, I would have applied when we first met.
This should help to explain some of the bitterness and frustration, I think. How would you feel, if you presented $130 and your time for an driver’s license, were never spoken to directly by the clerk, and they laughed and joked with others, while denying you, 300 seconds later?
I poke over here every once in a while, since I know Mr. Z. from way back.
The bias at the embassy probably runs deep if the front line representatives can get away with that behaviour consistently as implied. Therefor, it would serve no purpose to complain to a supervisor or up their local chain-of-command, someone needs to light a fire under the backsides from a little higher up.
My suggestion (and I know virtually nothing about the Philippines, so take some of it, at least, with a grain of salt) is twofold. Personal blogs – and even political blogs, to a degree – don’t really have the reach and heft, or power, that traditional media still commands – at least outside the younger generations and youth. An exposé or documentary of sorts in local traditional media can then be used to attract attention to the issue from non-local media in a manner that most blogs just will not be able to manage.
And for the second part of the push, I would suggest that Mr. Z. try what he can as well, though it might be a bit harder to do so from Iraq. Well-reasoned letters -to-the-editor in hometown and respected national papers would be a good start. I’d also advise writing or filing a formal complaint with the US State Department, whichever division manages foreign embassies. And, capping it off with a letter (not email, not phone call) to one of his Congressmen (Representative from home district, or a State Senator – might want to spend a bit of time looking up voting records and the like, but Representatives tend to take their constituency a bit more seriously than Senators do, in part due to the shorter terms in office and in part due to the smaller constituency).
Heck, try writing to one of the American investigative journalism shows (I don’t watch television to know which are reputable, so bear with me if an example is inappropriate) like 60 Minutes or Dateline, and see if you can’t get them interested in an exposé/documentary that will reach an American audience as well. With an aspect of the current political climate being both change and repairing America’s image abroad, this actually might be an ideal time to do so?
No guarantees that it will do any good for your personal situation, or that it would have any immediate impact on the embassy or those seeking visas through them, but from my understanding, a lot of big changes start from little steps.
Good luck, and I’m sorry that we have such poor people representing us in our embassies abroad.
–autumn
Hey Autumn,
Well-reasoned, and effective advice. Going to the air waves is definitely a last resort, but I do appreciate the other advice. Too bad you’re busy coding games, think you’d be useful in the NIV Section in Manila!
Thanks for the visit,
Mr Z
Sometimes it’s all about appearance and the way you present yourself. They probably thought you are a maid or a probinsyana mail order bride with old, fat and balding fiancé, and you wouldn’t wait for the fiancée visa because your intention is to jump the gun and ditch your ugly boyfriend? Plenty of possibilities just one scenario. Really, you are lucky you’re allowed entry in Hong Kong without a domestic help visa. Now if you look like Gretchen Barreto, certainly, you wouldn’t have a problem. Pandora’s box honey. Truth hurts really. Marry your fiancé before he meets a more exotic one.
Tsk. Tsk. Longkat, I pity you. Because you’re probably the one who looks like a maid or probinsyana with the ugly boyfriend 😀 A fat, matronly bitch wasting internet time for want of true friends or a semblance of a social life. You can’t even give your real name or email because you’re such a COWARD.Be thankful that am not deleting your email. How low can you go???
Now go, open your mouth and give that fat and balding visa officer a good head 😀
hello ajay, i just read this. US visa approval is purely subjective. sorry to say that, but that is the truth. i may be one of those lucky few who got approved. the first time i applied, however, i was denied. the consul focused on my post-grad studies in education and not my ultimate purpose which is to spend a short vacation in the states. nakakainis talaga yung mga ganyan.
Mines is a simple story. I was assigned to the Philippines with the military. I left a son there and after several years, with the help o the American Redcross, was able to locate him and is mother. He is now 23 years old and for the past six years I have tried to get him to the US, especially to meet his grandparent. His Grandfather died without ever meeting his only grandson. Now his Grandmother is going through cancer treatment and we fear she will never meet her grandson. As of yesterday, 9/16/08 he was again denied a visa to come to the US. Someone explain this to me? What makes this so ironic, I adopted a daughter while there in the Philippines and she has enjoyed growing up in the US and as an adult in very successful. Why cant I get my natural son here? Is this too much to ask? Karen L. Christensen, answered a complaint to Senator Isaksons office, and led us to believe that she would assist in securing his visa all to no avail. I cant afford to keep spending money for nothing. Can somebody tell me what has to be done to get him here? Can anyone forward this posting to the attention of Mrs, Christensen, Chief, Non-immigrant Visa Unit, maybe she isnt aware of what is going on, with her people. I can be reached at wendell@neomastino.com I hate to post my email publicly but I have reached the ends of my wits. We have been trying for six years without success. Thanks
Long story, I lived in the Philippines many years ago. During that time, I met a young woman name Vicky Martinez. Vicky was an accounts representative for the Manila Hilton Hotel in 1983. After returning to the US, I lost contact with Vicky. I have tried for may years to locate Vicky without success. I have contacted the Hotel that has changed names and they act as though it is a joke, but I am desperate and sincere in my efforts. Vicky was very outgoing and a beautiful person. I currently have a son in Manila attempting to locate Vicky and his sibling without success. If anyone can assist, it would be greatly appreciated. There is a special reason why we are trying so hard to locate Vicky and if you assist, I assure you you will be rewarded for you efforts This is no joke and I can be contacted at ccypohio@yahoo.com. Serious email only. This is a free email site that can be shut down at any time so please be serious!
OO nga
mari replied:
hello ajay, i just read this. US visa approval is purely subjective. sorry to say that, but that is the truth. i may be one of those lucky few who got approved. the first time i applied, however, i was denied. the consul focused on my post-grad studies in education and not my ultimate purpose which is to spend a short vacation in the states. nakakainis talaga yung mga ganyan.
>>> HELO MARI, JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, THE 2ND TIME U APPLIED U WERE APPROVED, AND THAT TIME U WERE TAKING UP POST GRAD IN EDUCATION? MASTERAL BA OR CERTIFICATE? IM PLANNING KC TO APPLY US VISA A 3RD TIME (AFTER 2 DENIALS),& RIGHT NOW IM ALSO TAKING UP POST GRAD IN EDUCATION. its really hard for me coz my parents are immigrants. and the author of this article is right, they dont keep eye contacts,parang u wana say something but parang nagdadalawang isip ka kc parang busy sya sa computer screen nya…..
Hi everyone! I got denied twice last year for a tourist visa, my boyfriend that time was a military contractor and we just want to meet his family and be together during his vacation..we it didn’t work that way..BOTH CONSUL ON MY INTERVIEWS THINK I WILL ABANDON MY SON!?! They also suggested a fiancee visa..we didn’t have enough time for that coz he was working in Iraq that time.
What he did is he stopped working in Iraq, we got married here in Phils. last January and he went back to US and file a Spouse visa including my son..well this time the CONSUL wont have any reason for them to DENY me..We’re still waiting for the approval..
But well..MONEY will always be an issue in all LEGAL PROCESSING..maybe that’s the way life goes..well I’M HAPPY NOW, I don’t care if it’s US, I just wanna be with my husband anyway 😉
Goodluck to everyone..keep trying!!!
HAY NAKO, HINDI TININGNAN ANG AKING BANK ACOUNT SUCH AS PASSBOOK, SABI NYA I AM NOT QUALIFIED DUE TO SOCIO ECONOMIC STATUS, HALER,,,,, I HAVE BUSINESS FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS AND I HAVE ALMOST 1.3 MILLION IN BDO, CGURO NA INGGIT YUNG CONSULATE PANO KASI NAG HIHIRAP NA ANG KANILANG BANSA, NA KARMA NA SILA NGAYON DAHIL SA PANG DEGRADE NILA SA ATIN.. WHERE INFACT KUNG HINDI DAHIL SA LIBO LIBONG APLICANTE EVERY MONTH PAYING 131 DOLARS WE ALREADY CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR ECONOMY SO MUCH . HOY MGA TAGA US EMBASSY SOON MAS MAHIRAP PA KAYO SA FILIPINO….. A NEW WORLD GOVERMENT THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED SOON WILL MAKE A AMERICA A CASH LESS SOCIETY AND WILL SURRENDER THEIR SUPPREME POWER TO THE UNITED STATES OF EUROPE… PLS READ THE BOOK TITLED ” THE LAST DICTATOR ” ITS A BIBLICAL THING… I AM JUST WAITING FOR THAT MOMENT NA HINDI SA LAHAT NANG PANAHON AY NAKAKA LAMANG ANG MGA BONEHEAD WHITE TRASH NA YAN, AKALA MO KUNG SINONG MGA MAGAGALING SA TUTUUSIN NGA MA SOCIAL PA ANG ATING LIFFESTYLE NATIN DITO KAYSA SA KANILA… MAG PA SALAMAT YANG MGA YAN KASI DITO SILA NAPADPAD SA PILIPINAS THEIR LIVE A LUXURIOUS LIFE MADE BY FILIPINO ACCOMODATION AND HOSPITALITY.. DOON NGA SA AMERIKA PARA SILANG MGA ALILA DOON TRABAHO NANG TRABAHO. HINDI KO PARIN MA INTINDIHAN KUNG BAKIT AYAW NILA TAYONG PAYAGAN MAKA PUNTA DOON WHERE IN FACT ANO NAMAN ANG GAGAWIN KO DUN EH AKO NGA I HAVE 23 EMPLOYEES AKO ANG BOSSING.. HAY NAKO
wasnt able to spend christmas 08 with my only son 🙁 i was denied! first time and twas the lonliest christmas i ever had
ajay
tama ka siguro same consul ang ng interview sa atin ang sungit! 2times ako na denied the reason 214b last year!. ang hirap sa kanila hindi nila tintingan ang mg ducomento i intend to give the documents that have but he told that i dont need it., how they can conclude that i dont have family ties here . Abcourse this is my country i have strong family ties, i love being with my friends, family and my work. i want to vsit U.S. for a vacation and see my family friends a well! but they conclude with no sense! nakakainis talaga yun ganun situation kung sino pa ang my honest intensions sila pa ang minamalas sa approval ng visa. dpat hindi sila mag rely sa data ng computer nila they to check everything, pictures, employment cetification,and soon then that the time yung consul mag decide na hindi ka talga pwed! anyway that life some times there a frustration.
i think kumikita ng malaki ang us embassy sa atin everytime na pini-failed tayo sa ating mga interview? sna mali ako?. thank’s AJAY!
HELLO PO ,,I ALSO SAW THE RUDENESS AND HOW UNPROFESSIONAL THE PEOPLE WERE THERE..I APPLIED FOR A K-1 VISA GOT APPROVED BUT I ALSO WITNESSED HOW SOME PEOPLE WERE BEING TREATED ,,THEY ASK YOU TO BE HONEST SO THEY CAN TAKE YOUR 110 DOLLARS AND TIME IN A MATTER OF MINUTES ..I THINK THEY SHOULD RE EVALUATE HOW SOME OF THE COUNSELORS ARE REVIEWING HONEST PEOPLES DOCUMENTS .NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE YOU DIDNT MAKE THIS COUNTRY TO BE CHARGING HARD WORKING PEOPLE AN ENTRANCE FEE WHEN ITS SUPPOSED TO BE FREE !!!! I HOPE AFTER ALL THE LONG HOURS OF WAITING AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE WAY TO GET THAN 110 DOLLARS THEY WILL GET TREATED RIGHT ,,GOOD LUCK TO WHOME EVER IS APPLYING
For the second time my visa got turned down for grounds of no social ties – Faimly – house – business all here – what more social ties can you have – they should be honest and not lie – they have a quota of visas and when they have given out that quota no more visas – OK this I understand – but if your quota is gone then STOP INTERVIEWING AND TAKING OUR MONEY………………… The guys there are more corrupt than any governement on this planet……. They take the money that people work hard for when they cannot give anything back – if a shop was to do this then they would end up in prision…. so why can we not take the same action against these individuals after al this is theft……..
The US Law state the Theft is:
Generally, a person commits the crime of theft of property if he or she:
1.Knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of his or her property;
2.Knowingly obtains by deception control over the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of his or her property; or
3.Knowingly obtains or exerts control over property in the custody of a law enforcement agency which was explicitly represented to the person by an agent of the law enforcement agency as being stolen
I applied for a J1 visa because I’ll be participating in the 2010 Work and travel program, the consul in the US embassy-manila denied my application twice because I have low grades daw. I was crying for 3 days kasi merong nakakalusot na wala namang pinasa sa kanilang respective courses, my case is hopeless. I gave up na, spent thousands of dollars just to have my dreams crushed by that disrespectful unreliable consuls. galit na galit ako kasi unfair ang mga decisions nila!
check this out, her reason for travelling to U.S. is to attend the CPAs Conference, she was given 10 years visa, lucky!……. Ni Hindi Hinanapan ng PRC Card… eh hindi naman CPA ang kakilala ko.
05/25/2010
this refers to the u.s. embassy, n.i.v. section. as for me, the united states or their embassy (sick) is NOTHING but a bunch of foolish american (sick) staff! am not anti american but they act they own the whole planet, they think they are superior (SHIT)! did you know in their country, state of the union (usa) there are some “states” who wants to separate fro uncle sam? haha because they cannot govern well all the 52 states (correct me if i am wrong w/ 52- states) like the state of texas, (texas republic), state of florida, key west, (conch republic) this is the very first state who seceded in the union as well state of nevada and others. if you were ask me where in the place abroad would you like me to migrate..? well frankly speaking, i better choose european union or canada or australia better that the united states! u.s.a. is no good to place for a living…so you there guys better think next time you plan to travel broad and exclude in your itenerary the u.s.a. haha poor uncle sam!
Hi. I am actually planning to apply a US VISA anytime soon but i got afraid of all your comments. I might failed. I just wanna know if i don’t pass the interview can i apply for it all over again until i succeed? Please answer. Thank you.
Dave,
I did what you suggested to Analyn when I applied for a tourist visa to attend a conference when i was still based in Japan. The more that the consul got irritated at me…Actually, I was told he had a hard time believing that I will only go there to attend a conference because FILIPINOS ARE LIARS, he said. “The majority of professionals who go there on a tourist visa never come back.” I reasoned out. I told him how can he generalize that? Did he have facts about Filipino professionals in Japan who went to the US on a tourist visa and never come back? I showed him my newly signed contract from a Japanese employer. I said I will never exchange my stable job in Japan for anything…I was already earning approximately 4,000 dollars a month and for somebody with simple needs like me it was more than enough. I even showed him my two bank accounts. Plus, I was already working for a Japanese government. To make the story short, the consul didn’t like that I answered back when he told me that “Filipinos are liars.” My visa was denied. I applied again here in Manila and the same thing happened. I guess I was blacklisted…Don’t know if I can ever go visit my sister in the States…Missed her much. Never seen her since 2005.
I agree with you 100%. I reasoned out. I argued with the consul when he told me he has a problem with me because I come from the Philippines (I applied for a US tourist visa in Japan). Nothing came out of it…but a denied visa.
This is what happened. I remember it very well because I just couldn’t believe the anecdotes I’ve heard from my friends about how unreasonable some US consuls could be actually happened to me, too. At first, I was just shocked. I was speechless… I couldn’t believe my ears when he said, “Honestly, I have a problem with you because you come from the Philippines.” He said this as soon as he took a hold of my passport. Then, he continued on saying that. “Filipinos are liars. The majority of Filipino professionals who went to the US on a tourist visa never came back…” I told him that if I were in the Philippines, I would’ve understood him perfectly but I was already in Japan and working for the Japanese Board of Education…How could he doubt my motives? When I applied for the visa I already have a Schengen visa and a UK visa because I went there to present a research paper. My purpose to go to the US then was also to present a paper…And when you hear that some people who have every intention of staying in the US get a tourist visa, …nakakapanghina…Kasi these are the pople who make visa application for honest individuals difficult. Sometimes I think the US consuls grant visas to random individuals…Sorry ka lang kung di ka napili at random…Ganun ba yon?
Hahaha. Very well said. Love it! And for the record, my meztisa girlfriend was also denied a visa…The consul didn’t even interview her. He just looked at her…then denied her visa. She even came from a prominent family in the Visayas. Spanish clan.
Apply ka lang. Kasi it’s not about the documents you present. It’s a matter of luck. Kung nataon kang ikaw ang napili nila (at random) ok ka. Nothing to worry about.
Ok lang yan, Sam. Don’t lose hope. Ako nga twice na ring na-denied. And to think when I first applied for a visa I was working for the Japanese Board of Education in Kansai, had a Schengen visa, a UK visa and a 3-year working visa for Japan. Pero na-denied pa rin. Wala naman kasing criteria yan sila for choosing who will get the visa or not. Ang selection nila random lang naman, e. Parang lotto. LUCKY PICK! Hehehehe.
Go and figure this one out:
I am a Canadian born citizen (and Israeli Citizen as well) living for 10 years in the Philippines. I have fully legal ACR-Icard as a Permanent Resident in the Philippines. This is my home.
My wife is a Filipina and our son has dual Citizenship; both Filipino and Canadian.
My wife’s parents immigrated to the USA six years ago. Last year we sent them airtickets as a gift to visit us in the Philippines, which they did. This year my Father-in-law was unable to leave work for a 3 week visit, so we chose to visit my in-laws in the USA instead.
SO…..you would think they would grant my 33 year old wife a Tourist Visa to the USA for a mere two week visit….accompanied by her Canadian husband and Canadian son (we all permanently residing in the PI) to see my in-laws.
Nope! what about my son’s and my canadian passports, my wife’s Canadian Temporary Resident Visa, bank documents showing we had over $120,000 USD in Philippine banks, along with a 10-year banking history current with 6 different banks that she brought along in her package of documents? They didn’t even look at it.
They stated; “we have no assurance that if granted a tourist visa, you will leave the USA and return to the Philippines.”
My wife replied; “Of course you don’t! You didn’t even agree to look at the damn documents that assure exactly that! Ya right! I will somehow abandon my Canadian husband and son and hide in the USA from my parents! Ya right!”
Racist stupid embassy people. I sent (by courier) an application to the Canadian Embassy for my wife’s Temporary Resident Visa, and within 4 days they sent back the package, along with her neatly-stamped visa sticker in her passport. No hassle. When I visited the Canadian embassy to apply and pick up my son’s Canadian Passport and citizenship, it was clean, polite, friendly, courteous, and I was in and out in less than 45 minutes. A total of ten minute wait in a comfortable sofa in the reception area on the 8th floor.
Hurray to Canada! Shame on the USA!
I had a recent bad experience with the US embassy. I will be traveling to US to take my Exam in May. I have paid for my authorization to test, exam schedules and yung employer ko nagsend na din ng letter of intent and employment offer para lang makatake ako ng exam.
During my interview, pagharap ko pa lang sa consul(babae, black, window 39, Feb. 10 2011, between 10:00-11am), sinabi na agad sa akin “I DO NOT NEED TO SEE ANY OF YOUR PAPERS!” Wow! at first akala ko hihingin niya later, then tinanong ako a few questions, sinabi na agad na I CANNOT GRANT YOU A VISA ‘COZ YOU DID NOT ESTABLISH ENOUGH TIES BLAH BLAH BLAH! Papano niya nasabi iyon hindi man lang niya tiningnan papers ko kahit isa man lang! Tapos tinanong ko kung papano niya nasabi iyon kasi sasabihin ko sa employer ko why I got denied, sabi sa akin GOOD, TELL THEM I SAID SO! —WTF!
Grabe! I don’t believe it! I am going there to take the exam in Physical Therapy para pagpumasa ako my employers will get me a work visa para alagaan ang mga matatanda nila. I don’t understand itong mga nasa embassy na ito. Here we are Filipinos trying to get jobs in their country para magalaga ng kanilang mga ayaw alagaan tapos pahirapan pa! BS!
You’re telling him that you can’t call the officers names and blog it to the world when you yourself call Joseph (it’s Estrada by the way) a dingbat? Yes they give thousands of visas a week and a lot went TNT… go figure?!? That’s the mere proof of their incompetency in evaluating people who are being honest and who are being honest ehem liars, carrying with them their fake documents and all… putting into jeopardy those applicants who are telling the truth.
Kudos to that!
Damn ajay this happened to me too, this guy who had the mic was actually sort of good loooking but DAMN what an asshole. He even gave me the hand (as in, talk to the hand it never listens) when I was trying to explain things or adding information. I didnt once interrupt him, he interrupted me. He obviously looked at me like as if I was an insect, ready to be crushed.
I flew 2 hrs from Davao and stayed in a hotel right in front of the embassy, I spent so much just for 2 minutes of his “im sorry”. He didnt care that i had trips to Australia before or my dad was actually working in an embassy. I couldnt tell him..as he gave me his “hand”.
I’d also like to add, this guy had the microphone too. DAMN.
lollllllll good reply
Oh yeah, why are they using microphone to give comments, so people can hear how eloquent or intimidating or great they are with how they give comments on applications of filipinos? Is that it? Come think of it when you interview supposed to be private and confidential. Oh yeah that only shows their insecurity and perhaps scared? Darn it.
my daughter now sits here in philippines without a valid passport ; thanks to ds3053. . her thai mother gone 5 years but i do have lawyers contract with the mother giving me costody. my daughter is an american citizen . they will not renew herUSA passport . i have contacted OIG to file a complaint.