Visa rejected (Moscow Embassy) - questions.....

[simoniff]

My friend's application for a visitor visa was rejected because they said that she could not prove strong ties, yet she brought A) property ownership papers B) bank statements C) marriage documents D) info about parents and sister E) lots of past visas/passports to Europe and Asia, many for periods of 1+ months. She said the officer did not look at anything she offered and refused her very quickly. He was apparently an unpleasant guy. She wants to try again, soon. Is there a better chance next time? What can she do a little differently?

[rayb]

Interviewers at the Moscow Embassy are a cynical bunch, with much justification from dealing with Russian applicants. Your friend's problem is that she is caught up in the general reluctance of interviewers to spend the time to really review individual applications. There's always a better chance of getting a better interviewer second time around if the first interviewer provided the worst possible outcome.

A majority of Americans, including diplomatic staff, have inherited a bias and suspicion of anything Russian, based on 50 years of U.S. media bias.

--Ray B

My friend's application for a visitor visa was rejected because they said that she could not prove strong ties, yet she brought A) property ownership papers B) bank statements C) marriage documents D) info about parents and sister E) lots of past visas/passports to Europe and Asia, many for periods of 1+ months. She said the officer did not look at anything she offered and refused her very quickly. He was apparently an unpleasant guy. She wants to try again, soon. Is there a better chance next time? What can she do a little differently?

[simoniff]

Interviewers at the Moscow Embassy are a cynical bunch, with much justification from dealing with Russian applicants. Your friend's problem is that she is caught up in the general reluctance of interviewers to spend the time to really review individual applications. There's always a better chance of getting a better interviewer second time around if the first interviewer provided the worst possible outcome.

A majority of Americans, including diplomatic staff, have inherited a bias and suspicion of anything Russian, based on 50 years of U.S. media bias.

--Ray B

Thanks for the response. I agree that there is of course justification in cynicism in dealing with Russians, given the history that the two nations have with each other, and quite frankly, the abuse of the system by Russians. So, yeah, it was a tough day for her, but I think she will wait some time and try again, and hope that next time they pay her documents some attention.

-s.i.