Monday, August 15, 2016

Still no tourist visa for Victor

Another discouraging update on this 20+ year battle.

As many friends suggested, I tried contacting my political representatives. I had no luck with either my Congressman, Xavier Becerra, or Senator Barbara Boxer.

From Boxer's staff's stock reply:

... It is up to the interviewing Consular officer to consider all the evidence and conclude whether or not the applicant has compelling social, economic and familial ties to leave the United States at the end of a temporary stay....
(emphasis added) Of course, that's our problem: the interviewer does not consider all the evidence! Everyone who does agrees that Victor should get a tourist visa, but that's only my friends and readers. Sigh.

Disqualifying a tourist visa applicant based solely on income is stupid. But as long as that's the rule, it should be part of the application information: "If your income is less than <this amount>, you will not receive a tourist visa."