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Post by nickdanger on Jul 9, 2016 17:20:09 GMT -5
Does anyone know if Colombianas are finding it easier to receive tourist visas this year, and if so, are the numbers of visas being issued increasing?
Also, where did this stupid rumor about a "letter of invitation" begin? Several Colombianas I know seem to think that if they receive a letter of invitation that a visa would be almost automatic!
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Post by livinginmedellin on Jul 9, 2016 17:49:08 GMT -5
Refusal rates for US B-visas (tourist visa) in Colombia last year was 15.52%. See: travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY15.pdfThe US is not really looking for "invitation letters". They are looking for reasons the visa applicant will return to Colombia - such as having property, a job, bank account, enrolled in school, children in Colombia and so on. The key is to have evidence during the interview process that the visa applicant will return to Colombia. Basically the embassy is looking for strong connections to Colombia.
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Post by elexpatriado on Jul 9, 2016 18:04:46 GMT -5
This is all BS since I know Colombianas who have been refused and they have a job, money in the bank, professionally educated, and are leaving their son back home.
Yet there are the younger ones that have no job. no money, no bank account, and nothing to come back to and they get "rubber stamped".
I understand that there most of the US embassy interviewers these days are male Colombian Americans.
Nick, I think with the type of girls you hang around with, there is nothing to worry about. Just tell them to bring a pair of Knee Pads to the interview..
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Post by livinginmedellin on Jul 9, 2016 18:19:56 GMT -5
I know several Colombians that have received tourist visas. I also know someone that used to work in the embassy in Bogotá. He said beyond evidence it also helps if the visa applicant can show the agent they have visited some other countries and have returned to Colombia via the stamps in their passport - especially European countries.
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Post by scumbuster on Jul 9, 2016 18:42:50 GMT -5
Nick, I think with the type of girls you hang around with, there is nothing to worry about. Just tell them to bring a pair of Knee Pads to the interview.. Ouch...That was pretty harsh.
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Post by búfalo on Jul 9, 2016 21:55:27 GMT -5
My 2 cents.
Letter, always heard of it from Colombians but I never heard from anynone actually doing it as gotten a visa because of it.
I know plenty undeserving that got it and vice versa. Just seems lately almost everyone gets approved. Several in my wife's family have no money and got it. Some are here now. They said tjey have some money but they don't check.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2016 11:40:03 GMT -5
They usually don't like brand new, clean passports. They like it with stamps. Like LM stated. I mean, that's I least what I heard several times from some European embassies employees at the times when Europe was still requiring visa to Colombians. And it makes sense. They don't want more illegals, and even less poor illegals. Now, are they giving visas to prepagos? Even though they don't have payslips to show, they have money, and they have their business in Colombia where they can freely run their business. So why not? It sounds a practical decision to me.
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Post by bickmed on Jul 13, 2016 13:37:28 GMT -5
''''He said beyond evidence it also helps if the visa applicant can show the agent they have visited some other countries and have returned to Colombia via the stamps in their passport - especially European countries''''
When my wife went for her visa the first time, we were engaged and had been together for 6 years. We had everything laid out as evidence (which the interviewer would not even look at) and visits together to many countries including return tickets to Australia for which we were going to pass through the USA.
Beside being a rude clown, the interviewing officer actually had the gall to state that, in his opinion, she had so many stamps in her passport because she was hunting to see where the best place to move was, and denied the visa (he kindly granted a transit visa so she could at least pass through the airport).
What really got my wife was a friends mother, who had entered as an illegal many years before and was subsequently deported, went soon after to apply and was granted her visa.
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Post by redriver on Jul 13, 2016 15:27:45 GMT -5
We just returned from Bogota this past weekend and my wife was granted a visa. It was interesting standing on the lot across from the embassy and seeing a group of people waiting to enter. While I was waiting, I noticed a couple in the crowd where one guy was an older looking hippie type, and the woman with him was young in her twenties with tattoos and pink colored hair. I struck up a conversation with the man, and he stated he was from Florida going through a divorce, and that this was the second time for his girlfriend to apply. When she returned, she stated that she was denied a visa.
I may be wrong, but I think that appearance counts when you go for your interview. But also, I think that they pretty much know ahead of time who's going to be approved. Wondering if the embassy looked into the guy's background and saw he was still married?
My wife's relative applied three times before he was finally approved. He and his wife gave good jobs, a son here in Colombia and yet my wife's sister who had no job was granted a visa on her first attempt. So basically I have no clue on what you can do to improve your odds of being granted a visa?
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Post by colombiana on Jul 15, 2016 15:57:23 GMT -5
My Colombian aunt was able to get a tourist visa for the US even though she doesn't have a job or bank account. My uncle who went to the embassy on another day wasn't able to get a tourist visa even though he has a job and property in Colombia. Seems like going to a casino to get a US tourist visa - it is like the luck of the draw and some people that shouldn't get a visa get one.
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Post by mudd on Jul 15, 2016 16:46:44 GMT -5
yeah i would like to know how the idiots in the embassy determine who gets a visa and who doesnt, i have known people with assets, job, real estate denied while other with nothing get a visa.
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Post by sedelen on Jul 19, 2016 20:05:57 GMT -5
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