visa rejection in Chennai Consulate

[aggie]

My parents aged over 65, and my sister over 30, went for visitor visa interview at the Chennai consulate. When they were in the line, they were asked me to produce only form DS156 and passports to the white lady in the counter. They said that everyone had only them, and they kept the other documents in their hand. It seems like the verification of the documents is done in a different counter.

They were interviewed by this white lady. The said that the four applicants
before them in their line were rejected, and she seemed arrogant from the
beginning.

The white lady looked at their applications, and asked how long they're going to stay. They replied 3 months. Then she asked, "for...". My dad said, 'tourism
and visiting places like .. '. She asked, who's in US? My dad replied 'my son'. She was like, 'are you going to see your son or for tourism'. He replied that he's going for tourism purpose and to see places. She was like 'You drive??' showing a hand sign of holding a steering wheel. My dad said that My son will drive us around. she started writing down stuff as if she decided. Her questions were arrogant and sarcastic. My dad was afraid whether she had made any decisions and said that he had painfully prepared a lot of documents etc for the interview. She didn't ask for or see any other documents than their passports and DS156. Now, the white lady started screaming 'you're lying.. you're cheating'.etc. My dad tried to say something, and she just said 'get out'.

My parents are so frustrated about this. I've no clue why they rejected their
visa. The sample DS156 form from immihelp.com says that we can write the purpose as tourism and to visit son. So, why can't we have both as reason? My folks aren't very good in English either, but they had to go cuz they didn't get any tamil appointment dates to come here during summer.

I made all the documents precisely the way it was suggest in this website. I make more than 70K, and had good bank balance. I mean, everything was perfect. My dad has a house in India, and my sister had a place too to prove that they've property. But, their interview didn't come to this point at all. No one saw all these documents that we collected with great effort.

What can we do now? I had reserved their airticket to leave India in 2 weeks.
Can we try mumbai consulate now? Or, is it possible for them to get canadian visa, and then apply for Us visitor visa from canada?

Another weird thing is that the took all the Demand drafts (3 per applicant), and never returned anything. Will they send the Visa Issuance Fee drafts to our mailing address?

[pons1]

That is how it is;Mostly they decide on the basis of the answers to the first few qs and NOT your documents.

They should wait for a period of say 6 months and apply at the same consulate with a Tamil appointment. There are several posts here about people getting visas in their second, third or even 4th attempts; so there is always hope. And they prefer that you apply at your home country and not from canada.

"Visiting my son" should have been the reply. Because that is the primary reason for their visit. They would not have gone sightseeing US if you were
not there.

[veena_swsh]

Hi,
They cannot go to Mumbai Consulate. It used to be possible to go Delhi or Calcutta IF AND ONLY IF they do not have a prior rejection and candidates are fluent in English. Therefore in your case, they have to go back only to the Chennai Consulate. But going immediately will only show desparation. So hold on for a while and take an appointment after 6-7 months. Careful when you fill the DS 156.

[Vp18]

Tourism/Visiting daughter/son

My mother and sister had an appointment last week at Chennai consulate. I think they had same white lady interview them. She asked what was the purpose of the visit. My mom said, Tourism and Visiting my daughters. Then she corrected my mom saying that, your first answer should be 'Visiting my daughters' and then Tourism. My mom laughed and agreed. Then she said to my mom, please tell your friends who come to get their visas - their first answer should be visiting son/daughter and then the Tourism. I hope this helps people who are preparing their parents/family for the interview.

Vp18

[sp1974]

I am sorry to hear that your parents were not treated well. I understand what kind of pain might have passed on them. Thats the reason I call them 'pseudo gods'.

It is true what the other gentleman is saying that your parents should have told visiting you as primary reason and then tourism. As a matter of fact that not many Indians go abroad for tourism purpose. So it is an open secret that tourism is always the second priority (Imagining that how depressed our moms become when they do not see their kids).
Every one including consular people know that this is a random filter and yet it is the most effective one. It is quite unfortunate that your parents were victims of her arrogance. It is just luck and wish that they should never see her.

So what matters here (after going through several experiences including my parents) that CONFIDENCE and straight forward reasoning is the key factor besides a strong application.

The odds rejection are hight when :
1. peple mumble about their purpose, their sons/daughters VISA status in US.
2. weak application
3. inconsistency in filling application and described matters
4. Not knowing on which VISA their kids are on in US
5. Any...any ...clue that reflects your desire to stay...

Although many people are aware of this fact, my strong message is to every one who is applying for visitors visa is that : Confidence in whatever we say...For instance my friends parents obtained their B2 visa by telling they are coming to US to assists with their Daughters pregnancy.. .They got the visa. Many people warned them not tell that, however to say the truth, they said it but with confidence that they will not stay in US for an extra of 24 hrs.
so please make your applications strong, train your parents to be confident and that they should not fear consular officers. We are all in a free country and India is our country and they should not fear any one. If you fall under legally correct lines, you have the right to get what governament offers its people.

Best of luck to every one. I might not be suggesting any more, because in this mail I have said every thing I wanted to say.

A BIG THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU and IMMIHELP Administrators and peers, for providing a nice resource for lay people like me. Before sponsoring my parents VISA I was shaky, but after going through every line of Immihelp forum, now I became a pro and helped my mom to obtain VISA.

Thank you again and best of luck to invite your loved one legally in to the one other free country.

[LISAP]

Passport Not Received

I think the same white lady interviewed my parents ,even my parents answered for tourism and visit my son...,so she said "oh you wanted to see your son ,say that" and took all passport and dds and said we will process your application . It has been more than 4weeks but no reply untill now i dont have any idea what should i do.