My US Visa Appointment Experience Please Help

[HumbleRefugee]

Hello all,

today I had my US Tourist visa appointment at Bosnia with Canada Travel Document.

Because of the waiting times in Canada I took an appointment at Bosnia.

so when I approached the interviewer first question he asked was
“You used your first visa to claim asylum in Canada, why should we give you another one?”
I kindly explained the situation that I had the visa since 2014 but did not abuse it until 2018 and had multiple entries to the US without abusing it and after 2018 because of the situation in my country I had to do that. I said I am sorry for that.

then he said “yes you should be sorry for that because you will never have an us visa again”

Then I did not respond or say anything because I understood that he was already made up his mind so just waited for him to refuse me and send away.

after couple minutes he asked me emphatically on the microphone “when did you enter Canada ILLEGALLY?” He asked this question in a way every other person in the waiting room could hear even though he knew the answer already since I entered this info on the form.

after this question he literally threw my travel document at me looking like I disgust him. Then he told me laughing “here is your permanent visa ban from United States”
On the paper it says

You were refused, or found ineligible, for a visa under section 212(a)(6)(C)(i) because you attempted to receive a visa or enter the United States by willfully misrepresenting a material fact or committing fraud. This is a permanent ineligibility, so every time you apply for a visa, you will be found ineligible for this reason.

You will be advised by the consular officer if you can apply for a waiver of this ineligibility. Review Waivers of Ineligibility for more information.

What is meant by misrepresentation of a material fact?

Misrepresentation means that you falsely presented facts and were not truthful in an attempt to receive a visa or enter the United States. A fact is considered material, as it pertains to this section of the INA, when, had the truth been known, you would not have been eligible to receive a visa or enter the United States.


So according to him I lied to him during the interview or shown him false/fake documents but we only talked for 20 seconds and he never looked at any other documents so it is not possible for me to do fraud. I was wondering if there’s a way to report this?

also my friend was in the same situation, he crossed the border as soon as he got the visa and when he reapplied with RTD he got the visa again no problem. Please help

 

[scylla]

Hello all,

today I had my US Tourist visa appointment at Bosnia with Canada Travel Document.

Because of the waiting times in Canada I took an appointment at Bosnia.

so when I approached the interviewer first question he asked was
“You used your first visa to claim asylum in Canada, why should we give you another one?”
I kindly explained the situation that I had the visa since 2014 but did not abuse it until 2018 and had multiple entries to the US without abusing it and after 2018 because of the situation in my country I had to do that. I said I am sorry for that.

then he said “yes you should be sorry for that because you will never have an us visa again”

Then I did not respond or say anything because I understood that he was already made up his mind so just waited for him to refuse me and send away.

after couple minutes he asked me emphatically on the microphone “when did you enter Canada ILLEGALLY?” He asked this question in a way every other person in the waiting room could hear even though he knew the answer already since I entered this info on the form.

after this question he literally threw my travel document at me looking like I disgust him. Then he told me laughing “here is your permanent visa ban from United States”
On the paper it says

You were refused, or found ineligible, for a visa under section 212(a)(6)(C)(i) because you attempted to receive a visa or enter the United States by willfully misrepresenting a material fact or committing fraud. This is a permanent ineligibility, so every time you apply for a visa, you will be found ineligible for this reason.

You will be advised by the consular officer if you can apply for a waiver of this ineligibility. Review Waivers of Ineligibility for more information.

What is meant by misrepresentation of a material fact?

Misrepresentation means that you falsely presented facts and were not truthful in an attempt to receive a visa or enter the United States. A fact is considered material, as it pertains to this section of the INA, when, had the truth been known, you would not have been eligible to receive a visa or enter the United States.


So according to him I lied to him during the interview or shown him false/fake documents but we only talked for 20 seconds and he never looked at any other documents so it is not possible for me to do fraud. I was wondering if there’s a way to report this?

also my friend was in the same situation, he crossed the border as soon as he got the visa and when he reapplied with RTD he got the visa again no problem. Please help

This is really a US immigration question. I'll respond again later today and will give you a link to a US immigration forum where you should post your question. This is where you'll get the best info on your next steps.

The decision is typically made before the interview and the interview is a formality. This is why the agent didn't look at your documents. This is quite normal.

There is most likely nothing you can do challenge or change the officer's decision. But again, that question is best asked on a US immigration forum. I'll send that link later today.

 

[canuck78]

Hello all,

today I had my US Tourist visa appointment at Bosnia with Canada Travel Document.

Because of the waiting times in Canada I took an appointment at Bosnia.

so when I approached the interviewer first question he asked was
“You used your first visa to claim asylum in Canada, why should we give you another one?”
I kindly explained the situation that I had the visa since 2014 but did not abuse it until 2018 and had multiple entries to the US without abusing it and after 2018 because of the situation in my country I had to do that. I said I am sorry for that.

then he said “yes you should be sorry for that because you will never have an us visa again”

Then I did not respond or say anything because I understood that he was already made up his mind so just waited for him to refuse me and send away.

after couple minutes he asked me emphatically on the microphone “when did you enter Canada ILLEGALLY?” He asked this question in a way every other person in the waiting room could hear even though he knew the answer already since I entered this info on the form.

after this question he literally threw my travel document at me looking like I disgust him. Then he told me laughing “here is your permanent visa ban from United States”
On the paper it says

You were refused, or found ineligible, for a visa under section 212(a)(6)(C)(i) because you attempted to receive a visa or enter the United States by willfully misrepresenting a material fact or committing fraud. This is a permanent ineligibility, so every time you apply for a visa, you will be found ineligible for this reason.

You will be advised by the consular officer if you can apply for a waiver of this ineligibility. Review Waivers of Ineligibility for more information.

What is meant by misrepresentation of a material fact?

Misrepresentation means that you falsely presented facts and were not truthful in an attempt to receive a visa or enter the United States. A fact is considered material, as it pertains to this section of the INA, when, had the truth been known, you would not have been eligible to receive a visa or enter the United States.


So according to him I lied to him during the interview or shown him false/fake documents but we only talked for 20 seconds and he never looked at any other documents so it is not possible for me to do fraud. I was wondering if there’s a way to report this?

also my friend was in the same situation, he crossed the border as soon as he got the visa and when he reapplied with RTD he got the visa again no problem. Please help

Agree this is really a US immigration issue. Would imagine going to the Bosnian office probably increased the likelihood of rejection/ban. Assume you aren’t Bosnian. It is very unusual for someone with an RTD to go to offices abroad to get a US visa especially a country like Bosnia. Unfortunately when you use a visa for other purposes than the ones stated on the original application and when it was done relatively recently there is always a risk of visa denials in the future. We also know very little about your case, your status in Canada, whether you are employed, savings, property, your reasons for travel to the US, etc.

 

[HumbleRefugee]

Agree this is really a US immigration issue. Would imagine going to the Bosnian office probably increased the likelihood of rejection/ban. Assume you aren’t Bosnian. It is very unusual for someone with an RTD to go to offices abroad to get a US visa especially a country like Bosnia. Unfortunately when you use a visa for other purposes than the ones stated on the original application and when it was done relatively recently there is always a risk of visa denials in the future. We also know very little about your case, your status in Canada, whether you are employed, savings, property, your reasons for travel to the US, etc.

my brothers are in US. I applied for B1/B2 visitor visa to see them. I applied from Bosnia because Canada offices have around 460 days wait time. I was not the only one that came to bosnia just for visa application. There were at least 3-4 people from another country said that they came to bosnia because the wait time was 3 calendae days. I heard them when I was waiting for my interview. Since I have RTD you should make the guess about my situation in Canada. I am either protected person or PR but I will tell you that I am a permanent resident and will be citizen next year probably around these months.
I really did not go there expecting for an approval but at least a normal communication. The guy looked like I disgust him and he threw my travel document. He also laughed at me while banning me from applying to visas. It was really humiliating at that point. He was having fun with me. It was a sad experience.

oh also another thing I should have added is I was wonderig if anyone else had a similar experience with US embassy when applying with RTD. Like someone crossed the border like me and then applied for visa again

 

[Buletruck]

Hello all,

today I had my US Tourist visa appointment at Bosnia with Canada Travel Document.

Because of the waiting times in Canada I took an appointment at Bosnia.

so when I approached the interviewer first question he asked was
“You used your first visa to claim asylum in Canada, why should we give you another one?”
I kindly explained the situation that I had the visa since 2014 but did not abuse it until 2018 and had multiple entries to the US without abusing it and after 2018 because of the situation in my country I had to do that. I said I am sorry for that.

then he said “yes you should be sorry for that because you will never have an us visa again”

Then I did not respond or say anything because I understood that he was already made up his mind so just waited for him to refuse me and send away.

after couple minutes he asked me emphatically on the microphone “when did you enter Canada ILLEGALLY?” He asked this question in a way every other person in the waiting room could hear even though he knew the answer already since I entered this info on the form.

after this question he literally threw my travel document at me looking like I disgust him. Then he told me laughing “here is your permanent visa ban from United States”
On the paper it says

You were refused, or found ineligible, for a visa under section 212(a)(6)(C)(i) because you attempted to receive a visa or enter the United States by willfully misrepresenting a material fact or committing fraud. This is a permanent ineligibility, so every time you apply for a visa, you will be found ineligible for this reason.

You will be advised by the consular officer if you can apply for a waiver of this ineligibility. Review Waivers of Ineligibility for more information.

What is meant by misrepresentation of a material fact?

Misrepresentation means that you falsely presented facts and were not truthful in an attempt to receive a visa or enter the United States. A fact is considered material, as it pertains to this section of the INA, when, had the truth been known, you would not have been eligible to receive a visa or enter the United States.


So according to him I lied to him during the interview or shown him false/fake documents but we only talked for 20 seconds and he never looked at any other documents so it is not possible for me to do fraud. I was wondering if there’s a way to report this?

also my friend was in the same situation, he crossed the border as soon as he got the visa and when he reapplied with RTD he got the visa again no problem. Please help

Most likely the reference to misrepresentation pertains to your previous visa. The fact you used entry to the US in order to cross to Canada is likely the root cause.

At this point, becoming a citizen won't make any difference to the ban. Seems they have made it permanent. A Canadian passport won't change that.

 

[scylla]

Most likely the reference to misrepresentation pertains to your previous visa. The fact you used entry to the US in order to cross to Canada is likely the root cause.

At this point, becoming a citizen won't make any difference to the ban. Seems they have made it permanent. A Canadian passport won't change that.

I agree that the misrepresentation is related to the previous visa.

 

[canuck78]

my brothers are in US. I applied for B1/B2 visitor visa to see them. I applied from Bosnia because Canada offices have around 460 days wait time. I was not the only one that came to bosnia just for visa application. There were at least 3-4 people from another countrt country said that they came to bosnia because the wait time was 3 calendae days. I heard them when I was waiting for my inteSince I have RTD you should make the guess about my situation in Canada. I am either protected person or PR but I will tell you that I am a permanent resident and will be citizen next year probably around these months.
I really did not go there expecting for an approval but at least a normal communication. The guy looked like I disgust him and he threw my travel document. He also laughed at me while banning me from applying to visas. It was really humiliating at that point. He was having fun with me. It was a sad experience.

The majority of people don’t travel so far to get a visa to visit the US. Many traveling that far are for work permits at least family reunification with dependents in the US. It’s unfortunate but many visa offices across the world are not the most friendly of places especially in locations that don’t have as friendly relations like Canada and the US. In places where approvals are much lower and in offices where employees face a lot more fraud the environment is a bit different but in general US immigration is not known to be friendly or welcoming. I have heard stories of people applying for US citizenship for their children in Canada being interrogated and being treated very coldly and applicants being quite shocked at how extreme the process was. Although you would have had to wait going to the Canadian offices may have lead to less criticism of your application. Still puzzled as to why you traveled to Bosnia if you expected a refusal. Given current levels of asylum claims in the US the US may be taking a harsher approach in general to people who have used their US visitor visa to seek asylum in Canada. Impossible to say. I am sure everybody in the offices was preoccupied by their own case and wasn’t judging you in any way.

I’m sure there is a way to challenge the ban although not sure about the success rate or cost. You would need to consult a U.S. immigration forum. Would suggest that anyone else just wait for an appointment in Canada for the best chances of success versus going abroad. The longer you are in Canada and if you have a Canadian passport that tends to help getting a visa although never guaranteed. Longterm employment, property ownership, good savings, etc. also help getting a visa to the US.

 

[HumbleRefugee]

I agree that the misrepresentation is related to the previous visa.

I see thanks for the response. I got confused because the description on the website was a little misleading.

 

[HumbleRefugee]

The majority of people don’t travel so far to get a visa to visit the US. Many traveling that far are for work permits at least family reunification with dependents in the US. It’s unfortunate but many visa offices across the world are not the most friendly of places especially in locations that don’t have as friendly relations like Canada and the US. In places where approvals are much lower and in offices where employees face a lot more fraud the environment is a bit different but in general US immigration is not known to be friendly or welcoming. I have heard stories of people applying for US citizenship for their children in Canada being interrogated and being treated very coldly and applicants being quite shocked at how extreme the process was. Although you would have had to wait going to the Canadian offices may have lead to less criticism of your application. Still puzzled as to why you traveled to Bosnia if you expected a refusal. Given current levels of asylum claims in the US the US may be taking a harsher approach in general. Impossible to say. I am sure everybody in the offices was preoccupied by their own case and wasn’t judging you in any way.

I’m sure there is a way to challenge the ban although not sure about the success rate or cost. You would need to consult a U.S. immigration forum. Would suggest that anyone else just wait for an appointment in Canada for the best chances of success versus going abroad. The longer you are in Canada and if you have a Canadian passport that tends to help getting a visa although never guaranteed. Longterm employment, property ownership, good savings, etc. also help getting a visa to the US.

Thanks a lot for the reply. I was trying to say that I am okay with refusal, that wouldn’t bother me if the officer treated me like a human by saying “ I did not expect approval”

I was wondering if I can enter US with my Canadian passport next year when I become citizen, would this prevent me from entering there?

 

[scylla]

I see thanks for the response. I got confused because the description on the website was a little misleading.

I'll send you the US forum link in a few hours. I'm not at home and don't have the link saved to my phone. You'll get the best advice there on options to try to overtutn the ban.

 

[scylla]

Thanks a lot for the reply. I was trying to say that I am okay with refusal, that wouldn’t bother me if the officer treated me like a human by saying “ I did not expect approval”

I was wondering if I can enter US with my Canadian passport next year when I become citizen, would this prevent me from entering there?

You need to get the ban overturned before you go anywhere near the US border. It will still apply once you are a Canadian citizen.

 

[HumbleRefugee]

I'll send you the US forum link in a few hours. I'm not at home and don't have the link saved to my phone. You'll get the best advice there on options to try to overtutn the ban.

Thanks a lot I will be waiting for your response.

 

[canuck78]

Thanks a lot for the reply. I was trying to say that I am okay with refusal, that wouldn’t bother me if the officer treated me like a human by saying “ I did not expect approval”

I was wondering if I can enter US with my Canadian passport next year when I become citizen, would this prevent me from entering there?

The ban is on your personally so the Canadian passport won’t change your ban. You’ll need to consult a US immigration lawyer about options and whether it is worth the expense based on chance of overturning the ban. There will likely be more information on likelihood of overturning bans, whether you need a lawyer or you can apply on your own and still be successful, etc. on US immigration sites.

 

[scylla]

Thanks a lot I will be waiting for your response.

Here's the main link to the US immigration forum:

https://forums.immigration.com/

I would recommend that you post your question to the B Visa section of the forum. See the link below. Make sure you quote the full refusal code that you were given (the one you mentioned in your first post here). That's probably the most important information for people on the US immigration forum to give you advice on what you can / cannot do.

https://forums.immigration.com/forums/general-b-visa-and-related-issues.172/

Good luck.

 

[HumbleRefugee]

Here's the main link to the US immigration forum:

https://forums.immigration.com/

I would recommend that you post your question to the B Visa section of the forum. See the link below. Make sure you quote the full refusal code that you were given (the one you mentioned in your first post here). That's probably the most important information for people on the US immigration forum to give you advice on what you can / cannot do.

https://forums.immigration.com/forums/general-b-visa-and-related-issues.172/

Good luck.

Thank you for your help and response. Will do that.