This is a hot discussion going these days about H1B extensions, the interesting part is CNN is supporting and bringing the issue into the lime light. Read the following post which is replicated from the CNN ireport webpage. Go and make your stand in the CNN ireport webpage . A victim wrote to CNN like this...
Hello CNN,
What will happen when the law is used legally to ruin people lives? When the law is used to do crime?
Don't you think that Consulates decision to not to issues a Visa to a person can't be a crime?
Yes, its a crime and its happening. The US Consulate Visa officers abroad has no sense and shows no respect to human life. They are ruining Highly Qualified Skilled Specialists life.
The story behind is: When an IT specialists working in USA from 4 years on H1B Visa and wants to return to home to see his family abroad, can't go back to USA as Visa officer thinks the person is staying illegally in USA and he doesn't have any job and they rejects his/her Visa or delay for more than 4 months to let him/her go back to his work.
How come the IT specialists paying 33% of his salary in taxes yearly, almost 2000 USD per month and 24000 USD per year can be a jobless in USA? Even after submitting all kinds of supporting documents showing proof of job or work, Visa Officer feels the person is jobless or criminal and he can't go back. When a person stays in USA, he will at least have a rented home to stay, a car to travel, insurances and other liabilities to pay. How he will settle the payments for them, if he/she doesn't hold the job because of immegration delays? I have lost everything my new car, my home with rent 1500$/month, my furniture, electronics items back in USA as I could not go back. I hate these policies. The Visa officers are similar to criminals. When USCIS approves a petition for extention why should Visa officer rejects the application without asking USCIS, or with no valid reason? Why can't they call client and check if the person is really working or not?
Please raise a voice against this legal crime and theact against humanity. Like me there are thousands of people who got affected because this and paid heavy price, for not doing any crime or illegal work. Some people have approached Senators, some filed petition in white house but nothing is working. Consulates needs to review the application/status first before doing any rejection. My client back in US is a US govt. and they got surprised by the decision. If you are going first time its ok but if some one is staying there and has liabilities at least they should issue a temp Visa to settle it.
CNN, please make this as a News.
from hearts of,
An Ex-American Resident.
!God Bless America!
Following are the readers comments :
Indian 17354 :
I am also one of the victim leaving all my assets and things behind in US when came to India on a 3 weeks vacation with family, can u believe the VO without even looking at the application rejecting upfront and then later realizing it is a renewal. It happened in my case clearly. Suffered with school going Kids to get them admitted in the middle of the academic year. Struggled to sell my assets in the US for 7 months with a huge loss. Damage of household items due to a flood inside the house in our absence.
I think its a mind set that every H1 Employee does not have job in US in spite of showing proof of tax paid for several thousands of $. American employees whom we worked with always appreciated our presence and contribution whole hearted. But the govt still thinks that H1 is the reason for unemployment in US. Its surprising a developed country govt thinking like this. But however we can keep writing all this, but what we lost is lost and we have to keep moving ahead. It is just a way of getting vote from Americans as if the govt is struggling to get back the lost job.
I am also one of the victim leaving all my assets and things behind in US when came to India on a 3 weeks vacation with family, can u believe the VO without even looking at the application rejecting upfront and then later realizing it is a renewal. It happened in my case clearly. Suffered with school going Kids to get them admitted in the middle of the academic year. Struggled to sell my assets in the US for 7 months with a huge loss. Damage of household items due to a flood inside the house in our absence.
I think its a mind set that every H1 Employee does not have job in US in spite of showing proof of tax paid for several thousands of $. American employees whom we worked with always appreciated our presence and contribution whole hearted. But the govt still thinks that H1 is the reason for unemployment in US. Its surprising a developed country govt thinking like this. But however we can keep writing all this, but what we lost is lost and we have to keep moving ahead. It is just a way of getting vote from Americans as if the govt is struggling to get back the lost job.
Lucked Out:
I spent three agonizing weeks away from family and kids. I simply lucked out, thanks to support from my client manager in terms of returning the visa officer's call.It would not always work out for everyone but a strong client letter and client backing could help.
After 9 years in this country and 3 visa renewals already, I wasn't expecting this to happen.
Appreciate the blog and hope CNN can take this up!!
Please do realize that we are also contributing to the tax revenues and Social security and might not ever take advantage of any of the entitlement or welfare programs.
Behishebb:
Having gone through same horrible experience I can certainly relate to this. I have been working for an employer building software for past 8 years. I have been to India and other countries over the years. I have BS / MS degree from a good school and have other necessary awards and skills required for the job. That itself being a reason for being paid top notch dollars above ad beyond industry. Yet when I went for my visa renewal to Delhi as Mumbai consulate was closed for renovation, i had the most horrible experience of my life. Having already gone through visa renewals three times, i was expecting a smooth procedure just like every other time. After just two questions rather than checking any of the documents i had with me I was asked to submit them. When the documents were submitted, in 3 weeks they asked me to submit company's financial info. Having an employee stuck abroad and asking for confidential financial info of the company wasn't a pleasant surprise for the management, after some convincing they relented and released the info to the embassy directly. Embassy would simply deny to accept the FedEx package claiming that applicant, as in me, has to bring in the info in person. Again, there was a need to travel back to Delhi, for convincing more people, go through more hassles and much more pain, and finally FedEx would release the package to me though it was marked for the embassy literally just next door. Finally after submitting the documents, traveling to Delhi three times, and waiting for 15 weeks the visa was issued without any reasons for the delay, without any apologies for the trouble caused. The documents submitted were exactly the same as those submitted to USCIS with visa renewal petition. The pain of not knowing what will happen next, the uncertainty, the fear that some officer was having a bad day and could entirely ruin your career and family life was disgusting. And lastly, knowing you have done nothing wrong, have followed all rules, knowing that no one in the world cares and will do anything to better it, and overall the total helplessness in the whole situation saddens me the most.
Whats your stand??
Friends whats your stand on this topic? Do you agree that US Consulate procedures are not fair? Write your opinions in the comment section below.
Whats your stand??
Friends whats your stand on this topic? Do you agree that US Consulate procedures are not fair? Write your opinions in the comment section below.
Read all comments in the CNN ireport page
Courtesy: CNN ireport
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4 comments:
nice post
I Hope US government will soon understand our hardships and amends its policies in favor to us
I am also a victim of these criminals (visa officers) didnt even check my documents and said i am not eligible for non imigrant visa.. when i have asked for a reason for the rejection he didnt even give me reply and said dont waste my time.. and asked the next person to come.. dis is so ridiculous and arrogant behavior of the vo.. hope dis shld end
Balu@ I appreciate your time.Im sorry for such an bad experience. If any resolution to be taken, the voice has to be raised from a huge community.
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