Hello, this is Matsui of IMS Legal Professional Corporation. Since the declaration of the continued state of emergency, appointments for U.S. visa interviews at the U.S. Embassy continue to be cancelled. Most recently, one of our client's appointment for an E visa was cancelled at the end of January. Luckily, we were able to reschedule the appointment for last week and he was able to attend the interview. However, the number of spaces available for interviews is much fewer than last autumn.
Appointments for B visas continue to pose difficulties, and some people have had to reschedule their appointments 2-3 times since spring. Even if the Embassy unilaterally cancels your appointment, this is treated the same as a cancellation for a personal reason -- at the moment, you are allowed to reschedule up to five times. After that, you will need to pay the Embassy application fee again to make an interview. It can be a bit frustrating, especially when it is not your fault.
Effects on ESTA applications
Recently, we have received a lot of inquiries about B visas from people who were denied entry to the U.S. In the past, the process to enter the U.S. usually went without any problems; but now, due to the low number of flights, it seems that the immigration process is taking increasingly longer. It seems to me that there have been many refusals of entry, especially in Hawaii, although I am not sure of the reason. Even one denial of entry makes you ineligible to use ESTA for the rest of your life, so please take caution.
The main reasons for being denied entry are 1) suspicion of employment, and 2) suspicion of intent to immigrate. This suspicion is determined from all angles, including what you say and do at Immigration, what you are carrying with you, your past history of entering and staying in the U.S., and what you have written in e-mails and on social networking sites. Once you are suspected of either of these, you will be thoroughly investigated.
Recommendation: get a copy of the interview
If you unfortunately happen to be denied entry, be sure to receive a copy of your interview at that time. The level of difficulty in obtaining another visa will depend on whether you have these records. It is not impossible to get a copy of the interview at a later date, but it takes time, and your request itself may be denied.
In December, I assisted a client, who had been denied entry into the U.S., in applying for a B visa. The Embassy interview took place about a month after the refusal of entry, and the applicant successfully received a visa. Not all who have been denied entry to the U.S. are able to obtain a visa so quickly, but if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
For more information, please contact us below ↓
https://imsvisa.support/en/contact/
