Question about Visitors visa and DS156 form

[yakker]

Hello Folks,

I have a question regarding my mother's visitors visa.

Back in 1986, her sister (US citizen) filed for her immigration visa (GC). This got approved in 1999. But at this time, my mother was no longer interested in pursuing GC. In early 2000, we got all the immigration paper work. We surrendered all this to the US consulate offices in Mumbai.

In 2009, she applied for a visitor visa. In the form DS156, there is a field "Has Anyone Ever Filed an Immigrant Visa Petition on Your Behalf?" She of course mentioned Yes.

Given this, the consular officer rejected her visitor visa application stating that immigration petition has been applied. She explained that the immigration package was surrendered 9 years back but it did not help.

Now, she wants to try for a visitor visa again. We asked for suggestions from US consular office in Mumbai and they basically only said to explain the case to the officer.

How should be proceed with this? On calling USCIS here, they suggested talking to the offices in India. Any help is appreciated.

thanks,

[immihelp]

Follow the consular officer's advice.

Try to explain that even though she had immigrant visa petition approved, she was not interested in settling in the U.S. and even today she has no such intentions (if that is accurate).