If you are applying for a United States visa, you are likely expected to attend an interview at a United States Embassy or Consulate overseas. At this step, a consular officer holds the authority to approve or deny your right to permanent resident status in the country, based on the standards established by federal law. If you make it up to this point but ultimately get rejected, you may feel confused and unsure how to rectify the matter, if possible. Well, for this, please follow along to find out what to do if your visa is denied at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate and how a proficient consular processing immigration visa lawyer in WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C. can help you get a second chance at obtaining status.
What happens if my visa is denied at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate?
Unfortunately, if a consular officer at a United States Embassy or Consulate overseas denies your visa application, you may not be granted access to enter the country legally. However, you may be allowed to reapply for a visa. To do so, you must first understand why you were deemed ineligible. The consular officer likely cited a specific section of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) for this. If you believe their concerns can be alleviated with further clarity, it is in your best interest to submit even more evidence.
It is worth mentioning that you must submit an entirely new visa application for this, not just supplemental evidence alone. This means also paying the visa application fee again without getting a refund for your previously paid one. Now, the time you must wait to go through this reapplication process may depend on the reason for the initial denial. This is why, again, it is important to understand this reasoning since the beginning.
Under what circumstances am I barred from reapplying for a visa?
To reiterate, the consular officer at a United States Embassy or Consulate may cite a specific section of the INA when denying you an immigrant visa. Now, you must take it upon yourself to review the INA and see whether these grounds make you ineligible to reapply for a visa indefinitely. Namely, you may be deemed permanently inadmissible if you were convicted of an aggravated felony, or if you were convicted of fraud or false claims to U.S. citizenship.
On another note, as incinuated above, there may be other circumstances in which you are temporarily barred from reapplying. For example, you may be subject to a five-year ban if you were removed upon arrival to the U.S. Or, a three-year ban if you had an unlawful presence in the U.S. for more than 180 days but less than one year. In conclusion, if you require further consultation, look no further than a talented consular processing immigration visa lawyer in WI, from Sesini Law Group, S.C. Schedule your initial consultation with us today.