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mexigrl

Nov 18, 2003, 1:05 PM

Post #1 of 21 (1945 views)

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Frustrated and Sad - anything to do?

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Hi everyone,

I just received a call from Juan Carlos, my boyfriend in Mexico
City, and he was denied his US Visa. He had everything in order but
was denied due to income. The US Consulate says that he needs to
make $1000 US per month and, because he is a waiter, he makes less
in salary. Including tips with his salary he is just at that
amount. Of course he explained this - asked if they could call the
Sheraton to verify what he makes etc. Of course they also know that
people in service industries live off their tips. He provided bank
accounts, credit statements, letters from employers, housing bills
etc. - all in perfect order. He was only applying for a visitors
visa.

It makes me very angry at our country and the insistence that we
have that everyone who comes to visit wants to live here. I also
would assume that most people who want to come here to stay would
cross the border in some illegal way - rather than follow the proper
channels. He was with some others today that were also denied - he
said about 75% are denied. It really sets up for people to do
things illegally to get here - no wonder people run the border.

He can't go back for 6 months and I feel so powerless. None of my
contacts are in the US Consul, unfortunately. His contacts are with
the Mexican consul since his family used to own an airline in
Mexico. I suppose there is nothing we can do - and I just need to
vent to all of you.

Thanks for listening,

Laurianne

David Eidell

Nov 18, 2003, 2:07 PM

Post #2 of 21 (1916 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Frustrated and Sad - anything to do?

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You are absolutely correct, but the issue also connects to professional businessmen, doctors, and other "affluent" Mexicans who wish to enter the United States in order to shop or visit. They "should" be accorded an exalted status afforded to visiting Japanese businessmen for instance that clearly shows that their being in the US is clearly appriciated. US Customs does a pretty thorough job most times affording a degree of inhospitality that would enrage a US citizen should the treatment tables be turned around against Americans. My opinion is that the only difference between Mexican dollars and other dollars is blatant racism. Maybe what is needed is an "Inspector General" of US Customs and The Border Patrol, who would clandestinely submit themselves as "ringers" to the process and have authority of penalizing federal agents who overstep their authority (I guess that I should also believe in the tooth fairy, right?)

jodielyn

Nov 18, 2003, 4:17 PM

Post #3 of 21 (1893 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Frustrated and Sad - anything to do?

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Laurianne,

Please do not feel alone. Our family is in a similar situation. My daughter's boyfriend has been denyed 3 times and now we are awaiting a call about an appointment for the 4th time. He is a student now at a college in Hermosillo, and we are hoping that they will look upon his school enrollment as a favorable change. We only want him to come to visit for Christmas. He does not want to live here or move here or stay here. It stinks! And... our government is making mucho dinero off of this Visa racket they are running... $100 US every time and they deny 75% of them... hmmm... do the math! We ought to be ashamed... i am!

Today we are contacting someone in our senators office to see if they can get him an earlier appointment than December18th!

The only thing that will help now is prayers and luck.

Again... my opinion... the whole racket stinks!

Jodie

"He upon whose heart the dust of Mexico has lain will find no peace in any other land." (Malcolm Lowry)

Georgia

Nov 18, 2003, 4:37 PM

Post #4 of 21 (1882 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] There is plenty you can do

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What the immigration people want to assure themselves of is that the applicant has enough ties with Mexico that he or she will return. If they own real property, a car, have a bank account of long standing, etc. and a good job, it is likely they will return. In spite of such a showing, some are denied.

What do you do then? If there is a US citizen connection, the US citizen should go to the office of his/her local congressman and ask for assistance. Unlike most consulates in the world, the US consulates in Mexico have "congressional interest desks." These "interest desks" handle cases more directly and with more care.

This is not to say that anyone who has someone in the US going to a congressman will be granted a visa. The showing of a likelihood of return to Mexico is still required. But the paperwork and interview will be handled with much more care and a different approach.

Good Luck.

raferguson

Nov 18, 2003, 9:30 PM

Post #5 of 21 (1844 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Frustrated and Sad - anything to do?

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It is all driven by concerns about people getting a visa to the US, and never going home, which happens all the time. I remember reading about people who got visas to attend a wedding, and just stayed.

It is about money, not race. If you are a upper middle class Mexican, then the assumption is that you are going to go home to your good life in Mexico. If you are a lower middle class Mexican, or a poor Mexican, the assumption is that you may decide to stay once you are in the USA, since you can certainly make much more money in the USA.

Another factor is demographics. Young people are more likely to immigrate than senior citizens, men more likely than women, etc, so your boyfriend looks like another potential immigrant. Even his type of employment, may work against him, as Mexicans are often waiters in the USA. If he did some unusual type of work, with few jobs in the USA, like translating from Nahuatl to Spanish, the official might look at his application differently.

The fact that millions of Mexicans are in the USA illegally shows that there is a real problem. Of course, there are people from other parts of the world who overstay their visas, just not as many. Americans have resisted getting national identity cards, which is one potential way of controlling who is allowed to stay and work in the USA.

Obviously, there is a big difference between a Mexican getting a US visa (difficult) and an American getting a Mexican tourist card (a formality only). But Americans going to Mexico generally spend money and go home, while Mexicans are more likely to stay in the USA. From a financial standpoint, Mexico cannot afford to make it as hard for Americans to visit Mexico, as the USA makes it for Mexicans to visit the USA. US tourists are a big source of income and foreign exchange to Mexico.

Of course it is frustrating, but the governent official is only doing his job. I certainly do not forsee the issue of illegal immigration getting better anytime soon, with no political will to actually change anything by any politician. Almost no one wants to open the borders, but the politicians don't want to offend anyone by actually cracking down, so nothing will change.

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

mexigrl

Nov 18, 2003, 9:41 PM

Post #6 of 21 (1840 views)

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Re: [raferguson] Frustrated and Sad - anything to do?

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I appreciate the thoughts - and they are all good ones and I do understand them. There is nothing fair about the decision - and it certainly makes me understand why so many people are here illegally. I might be wrong but I would guess that many of those that go for visas to visit the USA and follow all the proper channels are not going to overstay their visas. In part because once they do it all legally they can be tracked in/out.

Juan not only provided all documents, and I have checked and rechecked and can't find anything that he didn't provide, he also takes care of his elderly mother and disabled brother - he runs the home, all bills are in his name, as is his car, bank account, etc. I don't know what more he could do. Now he is forced to have to come up with more and more - nothing is really good enough. I also can't explain why they gave him a visa before and not now.

I know I am taking this personally - as I am sure anyone else here would. I think charging people over $100 for the courtesy of being denied a visa is also highway robbery. Basically, the US consul takes the money and then denies the visa because the person doesn't make enough money????

I will try to follow up and see if anyone I know has contacts with state reps/congress and see if they can help in any way. At this point it is not monumental as he was flying here to help me drive to SMA for the next few months. My family really wanted to meet him and I wanted him here for a few days first but I realize it's not life/death.

Thanks for the responses - I know I'm probably beating a dead horse but I want to explore all options.

Cuidate,

Laurianne

Madam ZZ

Nov 18, 2003, 11:58 PM

Post #7 of 21 (1827 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Frustrated and Sad - anything to do?

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I could be retracing your steps, but as the child of immigrants -and god knows INS has to have changed in the last 51 years- here is a suggestion based on past history and knowledge of current law: 1) go your Congressman's office staff and ask for help. You may want to suggest "writing for him" as a guest, which is in essence a statement that you will pay his bills and send hiim back 2) do the same through INS channels independently in your closest city with an INS office 3) While you are at it, get him enrolled inticipation of the visit in a community college's ESL program - it will serve him well when he returns and may qualify him for a student visa because it would improve his employability in Mexico's tourism industry. Well, those are just some thoughts, but it is time to take it out of the hands of Mexican officials, IMHO. By the way, #1 was suggested to me by my maid, who wants to see the USA on one of my trips back after I make the move. It now looks like April/May. I bought a "compound" in Isla Mujeres that is just screaming B &B! and the other businesses!

sandykayak

Nov 19, 2003, 6:48 AM

Post #8 of 21 (1799 views)

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Re: [raferguson] Frustrated and Sad - anything to do?

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Venezuelans line up for hours and hours at the US Embassy in Caracas to apply for visas to visit the US.

Many are denied for the same reason being discussed. The political and economic situation is so bad in Ven. that many are staying in the US illegally.

Interestingly, I've heard of two families who after struggling in the US for more than a year (one is an attorney working in a pizza parlor) are thinking of returning to Venezuela next year.
Sandy Kramer
Miami, Fla & El Parque

alex .

Nov 19, 2003, 9:31 AM

Post #9 of 21 (1767 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Its all about perceived risk

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What is the liklihood that the applicant will return home before the visitor visa expires? Young people/ students are high risk, since they are ambitious and invincible. Someone who has a home,career, business, healthy bank account, those sorts of ties to Mexico are more likely to succeed in the visa application process. Single moms have it difficult, even with the prerequisites. I personally have received a marriage proposal in exchange for visa sponsorship on several occassions. On one occassion when I explained that I am already married, the bride- to- be stated matter of factly that she can treat me much better than my wife does, and recommends divorce. Another example : Some of my wife's relatives have stated that their "retirement plan" is to immigrate to the US and get on Welfare. They calculate that they can receive benefits on the order of 6 to 7 times their present salary, more with a passel of kids, for not working at all. The INS (now the USCIS) is faced with this stuff everyday, makes it tough on the honest folks.
Alex
http://uscis.gov/graphics/faqs.htm

(This post was edited by alex . on Nov 19, 2003, 9:35 AM)

mexigrl

Nov 19, 2003, 1:22 PM

Post #10 of 21 (1736 views)

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Re: [alex .] Its all about perceived risk

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Alex,

What you said is exactly true - and that's why I am confused. Juan had a visa a number of years ago that expired. He followed all the rules, it was never revoked. Now he is 40 yrs old, takes care of his mom and brother, has all the other "essentials" and was refused. Really makes no sense (and even less to me because I'm frustrated about it).

MadameZZ -

Congrats on the new space - let me know how things go. I will miss my dear Yucatan Peninsula and the Caribbean this winter, you never know I might head over for a little vacation! I have been advised that contacting a congressperson is a good route to go. I'm working on that now.

Gracias!

Mexigrl

Georgia

Nov 19, 2003, 2:15 PM

Post #11 of 21 (1719 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Frustrated and Sad - anything to do?

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Your state congressman can't help you. Go to your US Congressman - the one who goes to Washington. There should be a local office.

alex .

Nov 20, 2003, 8:04 AM

Post #12 of 21 (1643 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] There's always the fiancee visa...

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sounds like you're headed toward matrimony anyway. The catch is: you must be prepared to live together in Mexico if the visa is denied again. For me it was easy to roll the dice that way as I'm comfortable in both countries.
Alex

mexigrl

Nov 20, 2003, 9:57 AM

Post #13 of 21 (1629 views)

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Re: [alex .] There's always the fiancee visa...

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Alex,

Can they deny the fiancee visa unless there are special circumstances? We have talked about it but he really wanted to get his visa on his own and then we could go from there. They denied him purely on the basis that his "salary" (not including his tips which is most of it!) was too low to visit the US (that sound wrong to me even as I type it!). Since he had a visa before I'm still confused by it all. My mother knows their US Congressman so we will follow that route and see if it helps.

I love Mexico but don't know about spending my life there - I have Multiple Sclerosis and really need the treatment and research options here in the US. MS is not a disease that is well known or treated in Mexico. For now I am doing well but certainly no guarantees.

Thanks for the info

Mexigrl

HHERRINGTON

Nov 20, 2003, 10:05 AM

Post #14 of 21 (1627 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] There's always the fiancee visa...

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"Can they deny the fiancee visa unless there are special circumstances? "

Being marrried to a US Citizen does not guarantee a visa for the foreign spouse. If you are thinking that marriage will solve the visa problems I suggest that you do some serious research to prevent another dissapointment.
----------------------------------------------------

Life is too complicated to be expressed in one liners.

jodielyn

Nov 20, 2003, 10:28 AM

Post #15 of 21 (1622 views)

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Re: [HHERRINGTON] There's always the fiancee visa...

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[Being marrried to a US Citizen does not guarantee a visa for the foreign spouse]

h... can you expand on this? I was under the understanding that if you married in Mexico and then applyed for the Visa to move to the US... that it was much easier than a Visa of any other kind...

Jodie

Carron

Nov 20, 2003, 10:37 AM

Post #16 of 21 (1616 views)

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Re: [jodielyn] There's always the fiancee visa...

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No. Indeed, it may only complicate things further.

Marlene

Nov 20, 2003, 10:49 AM

Post #17 of 21 (1612 views)

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Re: [jodielyn] Not always the case

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Good advise. I know of an American that did the big wedding here not so long ago, and when he tried to get a visa to take his new bride north shortly thereafter she was flatly denied. They suffered a great disappointment as it had been assumed that this would be an easy process. Research done ahead, may save some upset later on. Incidentally, it is also a lengthy process for a Canadian to relocate to the USA under similar circumstances.

alex .

Nov 20, 2003, 1:40 PM

Post #18 of 21 (1592 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] the difference is that you are the sponsor

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when you are petitioning for him, the acceptance criteria is based on YOUR ability to provide for HIM. Could work if your are a career gal with means. See the form I-864. Also research the new version of the "K" visa, this allows you to be together in the US while the paperwork is slogging along.
Alex

jerezano

Nov 21, 2003, 4:27 PM

Post #19 of 21 (1526 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Its all about perceived risk

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Hello,

By all means contact both your State Senator of your party and your district representatives to Congress. But don't get your hopes too high. Our Texas Senators and Congressmen get so many requests for assistance that they usually drop the letter into the nearest wastebasket. Jerezano.

mexigrl

Nov 22, 2003, 7:24 AM

Post #20 of 21 (1480 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Its all about perceived risk

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Good thing it's a Massachusetts congressman, they probably don't get so many requests for Mexico. I can imagine that in Texas it's a daily request.

Cuidate,

Mexigrl

anna

Nov 22, 2003, 10:01 PM

Post #21 of 21 (1423 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Frustrated and Sad - anything to do?

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Wow

Am I ever happy i live in Canada! My mexican husband was able to visit Canada on a visitors visa (6mos)before we were married.(he was only 21yrs at the time!) He didn't have to show money or anything, just his return ticket. We even were able to extend his visa for another six months without too much trouble. We tried multiple times to get a US visa so we could visit his sister and my grandparents but were refused untill after we were married and he was a landed immigrant in Canada. Then he was given a 10 yr visa to the US! Guess then the US figures your really do want to stay in Canada and you are not a risk! Incidently I am also a US citizen so I suppose now we could move to the US, if we wanted to. Ha! Instead we are headed to Mexico in a couple weeks to live there. You should think about living in Mexico, at least parttime, there are very good hospitals and doctors there, I am sure you could find one that would be able to help you when you are there. I understand what it is like to live far from the one you love! Don't let them get you down, what is important is that you are together if you want to be together!! Good Luck!

Anna