B1 Visa Denied For Conference

[Chap]

Hey Guys,

Today, my visa application for a B1 visa to the US was refused. The reason given was section 214 (b) of the US Immigration Act. I want your advise on what needs to change in future applications (obviously not this year, but in the 2018). Following is the transcript of my interview:

Q: What's your purpose for visiting the U.S?
A: To attend the Adobe Max Creative Conference. You can see the letter of invitation Adobe sent me in those documents (my documents were with the interviewer).
[Interviewer glances at invitation letter]
.

Q: Where is it held?
A: Las Vegas

Q: Have you attended conferences like this before?
A: No.

Q: What's your age?
A: 25 years

Q: Where are you employed?
A: I'm a freelance Graphic Programmer. I maintain an account at Upwork.com and also gets clients independently. I have presented my Upwork Certificate of Earning for your information.
[I point to the certificate of earning. Officer looks at the document and mis-interprets that I'm working for Upwork]

Q: I thought you said you don't work anywhere?
A: No, I don't. I'm paid as an independent contractor.
[Officer looks closely and agrees]

Q: You got paid $10,000 last year?
A: Through Upwork, yes. But I'm getting clients through GitHub and Twitter as well.

Q: How long are you planning to stay in the US?
A: 5 days. I have attached my hotel booking information and flight information.

Q: Have you traveled to other countries before?
A: No

Q: This is your first time?
A: Yes.

Q: Are you married?
A: No.

Q: Thank you for applying. Your visa application has been rejected and here's a letter detailing the reason
[hands-over letter with the 214 (b) section]


Obviously marrying is out of the question. But other than that, anything else I can do to convince the officer that I don't plan to stay in the U.S.?

[inadmissible]

How much is this trip going to cost you? How much money do you earn each year?

Consular officers are skeptical of young applicants who have few ties to their home abroad spending substantially all their savings on a trip to the United States

[Trinity71]

Hey Guys,

Today, my visa application for a B1 visa to the US was refused. The reason given was section 214 (b) of the US Immigration Act. I want your advise on what needs to change in future applications (obviously not this year, but in the 2018). Following is the transcript of my interview:

Q: What's your purpose for visiting the U.S?
A: To attend the Adobe Max Creative Conference. You can see the letter of invitation Adobe sent me in those documents (my documents were with the interviewer).
[Interviewer glances at invitation letter]
.

Q: Where is it held?
A: Las Vegas

Q: Have you attended conferences like this before?
A: No.

Q: What's your age?
A: 25 years

Q: Where are you employed?
A: I'm a freelance Graphic Programmer. I maintain an account at Upwork.com and also gets clients independently. I have presented my Upwork Certificate of Earning for your information.
[I point to the certificate of earning. Officer looks at the document and mis-interprets that I'm working for Upwork]

Q: I thought you said you don't work anywhere?
A: No, I don't. I'm paid as an independent contractor.
[Officer looks closely and agrees]

Q: You got paid $10,000 last year?
A: Through Upwork, yes. But I'm getting clients through GitHub and Twitter as well.

Q: How long are you planning to stay in the US?
A: 5 days. I have attached my hotel booking information and flight information.

Q: Have you traveled to other countries before?
A: No

Q: This is your first time?
A: Yes.

Q: Are you married?
A: No.

Q: Thank you for applying. Your visa application has been rejected and here's a letter detailing the reason
[hands-over letter with the 214 (b) section]


Obviously marrying is out of the question. But other than that, anything else I can do to convince the officer that I don't plan to stay in the U.S.?

The issues that probably caused the denial, you probably cannot change in a year. You are young, do not have strong ties to home country, so no spouse and children, no permanent job in the home country, and probably do not yet own any property. You freelance meaning you can work for anyone anywhere and get clients through worldwide applications and could do so in the U.S. if your plan was to immigrate. Also, that conference is probably not considered a good enough reason to travel and you have never traveled outside your home country before.

I am not sure what country you are coming from, but if it's a high risk immigration country for the U.S., that just makes it that much harder. The 214 (b), or the "general denial" means it's not one specific reason necessarily... but they feel you would be an immigration risk, even if you're not. Unfortunately, there are a lot of possible reasons they feel you would be and most of them you cannot do anything about really.

If something again comes up here in the U.S., all you can do is apply again. Good Luck to you in the future.

This is my opinion and not legal advice. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk.

Trinity71

[Chap]

How much is this trip going to cost you? How much money do you earn each year?

Consular officers are skeptical of young applicants who have few ties to their home abroad spending substantially all their savings on a trip to the United States

Thanks for your reply.
Total amount I earn per year comes to about $15,000. The ticket for the conference was around $600. The hotel booking cost around $500. The flight cost is about $600. This conference is quite important to me because it will allow me to find new clients and I will be able tell new clients (I meet on the internet) that I have been to this conference.
But I guess you're right, there is not much tying me to home (Sri Lanka).

- - - Updated - - -

The issues that probably caused the denial, you probably cannot change in a year. You are young, do not have strong ties to home country, so no spouse and children, no permanent job in the home country, and probably do not yet own any property. You freelance meaning you can work for anyone anywhere and get clients through worldwide applications and could do so in the U.S. if your plan was to immigrate. Also, that conference is probably not considered a good enough reason to travel and you have never traveled outside your home country before.

I am not sure what country you are coming from, but if it's a high risk immigration country for the U.S., that just makes it that much harder. The 214 (b), or the "general denial" means it's not one specific reason necessarily... but they feel you would be an immigration risk, even if you're not. Unfortunately, there are a lot of possible reasons they feel you would be and most of them you cannot do anything about really.

If something again comes up here in the U.S., all you can do is apply again. Good Luck to you in the future.

This is my opinion and not legal advice. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk.

Trinity71

Thanks you. Guess I need to either join a company or create my own company because re-applying, right? By the way, I'm from Sri Lanka - not quite sure whether it's high immigration risk.