$480 Ripoff at US Embassy in Manila for Tourist Visa With NO Real Interview Given! Scam Report!

[Winston]

Update:

Dianne's interview at the US embassy for a US tourist visa tanked. They got a mean american lady bitch who told them not to speak and only answer a few questions. After a minute or two she gave them a blue rejection letter. Dianne is pissed and disappointed. She didnt even get one second to present the stuff in her portfolio that i prepared. And diannes mom was nervous and quiet. It seems most filipinos there got rejected with the blue slip. They were lined up like a cattle call. Hundreds of them. Each paid 160 usd for a one minute interview just to get rejected. What a scam. Why charge that much for nothing?

Im thinking of filing a complaint with the BBB. It'll probably come to nothing but its worth a try.

Especially since the blue rejection letter mentioned presenting their strong ties to their home, which they were never even allowed to do. Very unfair.

Is there another government agency i can complain to?

I told M and my WhatsApp group about it. Here's what M replied to me about it:

As I stated before they don't care about flattery and whatnot, only status, education level, monetary status and savings investments. Imagine interviewing thousands and thousands of Filipinos trying to game the system, that's what I do. So interviewers get sick of their fake BS. They probably should be rotated around to different countries more often rather than get jaded by interviewing majority scammers all the time. That's why most guys have to marry a Filipina to get them to the states. Also Filipinos are the number 1 ethnicity to overstay visas so they are doubly cautious giving visas, since employees may get docked for ones that make it though but don't return. That's the way the system is, Filipinos in general are untrustworthy and the government is super strict giving visas. You either have to marry Diane or you have to have Angelo go to high school in the states then when he has enough years of residency at 18 years or older sponsor her to immigrate to the states but trump may change the immigration laws when he gets elected so she probably should go to school to learn a trade or something to make it easier for her. Or you could fly to Mexico and cross the boarder like all the illegals do, that's probably easier.

Rock:

Maybe you can ask Mr. S about that. I’m sure BBB has absolutely no power over a State Department agency like a US Embassy so don’t waste your time on that. Check on Google to see if there is any place you can lodge a reasonable complaint or inquiry. Ask Mr. S.

Winston:

Yeah but i can also file complaint with amnesty international and ACLU and other US govt departments. Maybe the US embassy headquarters in america. I believe i can cite them for human rights violations because they were not allowed to speak during the interview or present any materials. That's not an interview. An interview is a two way street. The interviewee is allowed to present evidence to support their case.

Even in a police interrogation the cops will let u show them information that will help them solve the case. But this was far lower than that in that they werent allowed to present anything.

See the blue rejection letter they received below. Notice the last paragraph. It says that they can present materials to support their case if they reapply. However they were not even allowed to do that. Thats an achilles heel and WEAKNESS right there that i can exploit right? Their own words on the blue paper incriminate them. Read the last paragraph and see.

Also if we pay 160 usd per person, which in this case was 480 dollars they should at least give them 10 min interview to present their case. Not just one or two minutes! Dont u agree? Thats highly unfair and unreasonable. For 160 they should have been treated far better than that. Why pay 160 just to be treated like crap and disrespected? And not even allowed to speak or given a chance to present your materials?

You see what i mean? So this is very unfair, unreasonable and a violation of human rights. I do feel there is a legitimate complaint and dispute to be filed here. Dont you?

What government agency do u know that u can file a complaint at?

I know the BBB has no authority over a government agency. However it can damage the reputation of an organization right? So they may have a representative reply in a bbb thread right? Because the bbb will try to contact them to reply and discuss a resolution.

What about ripoffreport.com? Or amnesty international? Or the ACLU? In america a human rights violation is serious and a hot topic. So i may have sway in that area.

Heres the blue rejection letter. Read it and you will see that it can be used against them.

To M:

Even so M. They should not charge 160 usd for a one minute interview in which the applicants arent even allowed to speak or present materials. Thats not an interview. Thats crap. For 160 dollars they should at least be given a chance to present their materials. Someone is getting rich off this obviously. Why cant they give u even 5 min to present your materials? Like the blue letter claims you can do? That rejection letter incriminates them because they did not do what it claims.

M:

Does Diane have a profession? How much money does she make? How much in assets does she have? Does she own any property in her name? The letter states she was denied due to not showing proof of enough material assets to want to return to PI. I think the interviewer reviewed financial and decided there wasn't enough grounds to proceed with the interview further. That fee to pay for the time of the interviewer they're salary and all that plus the processing of the paperwork and all that. Only Filipinos that are married, own property and other assets plus other financial ties are given visas. My landlord was denied a visa and he has a brother who is a doctor in Florida. I'd say less than a third or more of Filipinos applying for visas are probably not granted. Why don't you fly her to Taiwan and have her apply there? They might be less strict at the consular there than applying in Philippines.

Also complaining about it won't do any good cause it's not in America and she isn't American. You should do research regarding who got visas and who didn't and determine if they there's anything that can be done to make the interview better next time. Like I said I'd try it in Taiwan I'm sure the interviewers are less jaded there than in PI. From interviewing Filipinos myself, they get a bit monotonous and I'm sure people doing it are voted with the whole process. The average Filipino is very boring to talk to, the only nationality that comes close are Cambodians, they're lame also.

Winston:

The fat lady interviewer seemed to make up her mind at the get go. Diannes mom owns a house too but she wasnt allowed to mention it.

I guess i could apply her a fiancee visa too. Steve neese told me that on a fiancee visa she can stay in the USA for 3 months and come back and no one will be penalized or blacklisted for it. The process takes 6 to 8 months though. So its a long waiting period.

Also diannes mom may be eligible for an immigrant visa next year when diannes sister risalyn in las vegas becomes a US citizen. However risalyn cant apply immigration for dianne, only her mom. Siblings cant do that anymore unless theyve been citizens for 5 years. My moms sister applied immigration for us back in 1977 but the laws were probably different back then.

Can angelo apply immigration for dianne? Some websites say he has to be 21. Others do not. Dianne said the US embassy website said he didnt have to be 21. I asked her to send me a link. Still waiting on it.

Btw i dont remember in the application if it asked if u had property. So diannes mom had no way to tell them that she had a house. And the interviewer never asked if she owned property. She just asked diannes mom about her job.

Diannes mom can't speak english or answer questions. And dianne didnt train them to answer questions like i asked her to. So Dianne answered for her. That looked bad.

I dont understand why the interview cant be in Tagalog. Why english only? U dont need to know english to get a tourist visa. Taiwanese and Japanese dont need to know english yet they can get a tourist visa just by showing up in america. So thats also not fair.

Do u think if dianne did the interview again without her mom and sister, that she may pass? Or is it a waste of time to reapply?

M:

I'd do it without her mother and sister, yeah answering questions for her mother is not good way to pass an interview... Why you guys do it that way?

Winston:

I told dianne to practice interview with her mom and sister. Her mom got nervous and froze. I should have rehearsed with them the night before. ive never heard her mom utter a complete sentence in english. I wanna see if she can. Such as "i own a catering business and also own a house too. One thats fully paid off and debt free." I doubt dianne really rehearsed with them. She probably just told them what to say but didnt make them say it in english

M:

Always do interviews solo unless mandated. Not speaking English doesn't make one look good. Remember each nationality will have different requirements probably.

Winston:

They should do the interviews in tagalog. Theres no need to add a layer of difficulty. Its not a college entrance exam.

M:

They're going to America on a tourist visa so they should know basic English, that's part of the criteria. Every country does that unless it's an open visa agreement with the states.

Winston:

But dianne doesnt have assets or job either. Even if i put a bank account in her name there's no way to mention it on the application or interview unless the interviewer asks for a bank balance statement.

A Taiwanese doesnt need to know english to get a tourist visa though. So thats not consistent.

M:

Then she can't get a visa. Like I said she'll probably either do the fiance route or wait until Angelo is old enough to sponsor her.

Winston:

What if she interviewed alone and got a male interviewer? I heard american men are nicer there. They got a fat american bitch interviewer.

M:

Well you can try and roll the dice but not guaranteed.

I heard though that they assign the same interviewer to reapplicants but since they were a group she may be able to get a different one.

Winston:

What can dianne do to impress the interviewer?

M:

Dress nice, speak good English, positive body language, get a full time job or be enrolled in school somewhere maybe.

Winston:

That bitch interviewer said "don't speak unless youre spoken to". So how can she bring up that shes a student? Shed have to interject and interrupt him. Lol

I was hoping the passport stamps of her trips overseas would help too. But no chance to present it.

M:

That's more for western countries like Australia, New Zealand or Canada or Europe.

[Winston]

Update:

Dianne's interview for US tourist visa at the US embassy tanked. It was a huge disappointment and lasted only 2 or 3 minutes. They weren't even allowed to speak unless spoken to. What a waste of money. $160 for each of them, $480 for all three of them - Dianne, her sister and mom - just for a lame quick interview in which they weren't allowed to speak or present documents or evidence to support their qualification for the tourist visa. What a scam and ripoff, totally unfair and unreasonable and improper. I never heard of such an "interview" before. An interview is supposed to be a two way street and the interviewee is supposed to be allowed to present their case. Didn't even happen in this case.

I'm gonna write a complaint letter about this and send it to as many agencies and organizations as I can. See my new complaint thread about it here:

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=40447

@Contrarian Expatriate, what do you think?

[CannedHam]

Update:

Dianne's interview for US tourist visa at the US embassy tanked. It was a huge disappointment and lasted only 2 or 3 minutes. They weren't even allowed to speak unless spoken to. What a waste of money. $160 for each of them, $480 for all three of them - Dianne, her sister and mom - just for a lame quick interview in which they weren't allowed to speak or present documents or evidence to support their qualification for the tourist visa. What a scam and ripoff, totally unfair and unreasonable and improper. I never heard of such an "interview" before. An interview is supposed to be a two way street and the interviewee is supposed to be allowed to present their case. Didn't even happen in this case.

I'm gonna write a complaint letter about this and send it to as many agencies and organizations as I can. See my new complaint thread about it here:

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=40447

@Contrarian Expatriate, what d@Contrarian Expatriate

I wouldn't even bother writing them. In the event that someone of importance actually receives it, they will happily wipe their ass with your heartfelt letter and move on with their day. Millions of people have found themselves in your wife's shoes and it's only become harder to get a tourist visa.

Applying for a tourist visa as a filipino(a) is a waste of time and money. Most of the time the interviewer has already made up his mind based on things like income, address, marital status, occupation and so on. The chance that the interview changes the outcome is very small. Filipinos are absolutely notorious for overstaying their visas, working under the table while "visiting", or hunting for a husband while they arrive in the US. It's no shock that it's so difficult to get a tourist visa as a filipino.

And I agree it's bullshit that a rejection causes the applicant to be out the entire $160 !! WTF ! I understand if they only kept $80 for the interview and then charged $80 for the actual visa processing, but $160 in many countries is a shit ton of money!

[Contrarian Expatriate]

Update:

Dianne's interview for US tourist visa at the US embassy tanked. It was a huge disappointment and lasted only 2 or 3 minutes. They weren't even allowed to speak unless spoken to. What a waste of money. $160 for each of them, $480 for all three of them - Dianne, her sister and mom - just for a lame quick interview in which they weren't allowed to speak or present documents or evidence to support their qualification for the tourist visa. What a scam and ripoff, totally unfair and unreasonable and improper. I never heard of such an "interview" before. An interview is supposed to be a two way street and the interviewee is supposed to be allowed to present their case. Didn't even happen in this case.

I'm gonna write a complaint letter about this and send it to as many agencies and organizations as I can. See my new complaint thread about it here:

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=40447

@Contrarian Expatriate, what do you think?

Absolutely horrible news, but not all that uncommon an experience with a woman who is not married. Consular Officers have broad latitude and are extremely subjective about denials. I would say there was something in the visa application that sealed the deal, most likely her single status. Certain countries have high overstay rates and single females tend to be seen as the riskiest of all.

I would recommend Dianne apply, get accepted and enroll in a some educational institution to get a student visa at some point if you don't want to marry her. The 90 day fiance visa is an option and you can of course refrain from getting married and just have her return before the 90 days run out.

Sorry things did not work out as hoped, but hers is a very common experience.

[Winston]

Ok here is the letter of complaint I composed for the US Embassy in Manila. What do you guys think? Do I have a legit case and complaint? If so, how should I proceed? Should I just email it to as many organizations and agencies as I can that deal with disputes and complaints, such as the BBB? Or what?

"Dear US Embassy, Dept of Immigration:

I would like to file a formal complaint about the tourist visa interview you gave my girlfriend and her sister and mother, which I believe was very unfair, unreasonable, improper and does not even fit the definition of an “interview” and was a ripoff too at $160 a person. I believe I have legit reasons for complaining. So please hear me out.

Please forward this letter of complaint to your director and management staff, not just a lowly cleric or secretary. This letter is also being sent to Amnesty International, the ACLU, the Better Business Bureau, RipoffReport.com and other consumer websites, major newspapers in Manila, and the Embassy headquarters in the United States, aka Dept of Foreign Services and other government agencies.

I would like a logical point-by-point response please, from a real THINKING representative, and not receive a dumb useless form letter from a lowly clerical staff stating something like, “sorry you were disappointed, but that’s our policy” etc.

Anyhow, I would like to file a complaint and dispute and violation of human rights. Recently, my Filipina girlfriend, her sister and mother, interviewed at your embassy in Manila for the B1/B2 nonimmigrant visa to the US (aka tourist visa). When they told me what happened, we realized how unfair, unreasonable and horrendous it was and how they were treated.

The so called “interview” lasted only two or three minutes, and they were NOT even allowed to speak one second unless spoken to, and NOT even allowed to present the material in their portfolio – which contained a list of documents that support their qualification for the visa and demonstrate their STRONG TIES to the Philippines – which took me hours to put together for them (long nights in front of the computer and copy center to print out all the supporting documents) yet wasn’t even allowed to be shown! All for nothing!

The interviewer – a mean cold white American woman who signed her initials as SS on the blue rejection slip (which was ironic since her behavior was exactly that of an SS Gestapo agent) – refused to see any of the supporting documents in the organized professional portfolio, and refused to listen to any info they tried to volunteer.

Yet get this: They paid $160 USD per person for this? WTF? The three of them paid $160 each, which comes out to 160 x 3 = $480. Almost 500 dollars! All for a one or two minute interview in which they were not even allowed to speak unless spoken to, and treated like animals or slaves! WTF? No one would pay that much money for a one or two minute interview that’s unfair and bogus and which they aren’t even allowed to speak or present their case! Get real man. Would YOU (the person reading this) want to do that? Of course not. That’s friggin beyond ridiculous, unspeakable, and travesty of justice and human rights! It’s also a total SCAM too!

Everyone knows that during an interview, the interviewee is normally allowed to present his or her case to demonstrate why they are a good candidates for the position, in the case of a job interview for example. Because an interview is a two way street, not a one way interrogation. And in fact, even a police interrogation is more reasonable and fair than this was, because during an interrogation, the cops are glad to allow a suspect to present any material or info that would help them solve the case of course. But in this insulting tourist visa “interview” the candidates are not even allowed to do that! Geez.

For $160 per person, or $480 in this case, the interviewee should have at least have been given 5 or 10 minutes to present their case, supporting documents, portfolio, etc to try to prove why they should qualify to receive the tourist visa, and to prove that they have strong ties to their home country and would likely return from a trip or vacation to America without overstaying illegally. Gee whiz. Imagine paying nearly 5 hundred dollars and not even allowed to speak or present your case! Nothing could be more unfair or unreasonable than that. And not allowing someone to speak on their own behalf is an abuse of their civil rights, not to mention totally disrespectful, and treating them as though they were animals or slaves or something! Gee whiz. That’s so insulting and dehumanizing.

I’m sorry but this really takes the cake for being “beyond ridiculous”, so I gotta report it and let the world know about it. I can’t let this go unpunished and unexposed. I’m putting this letter on my blog, and sending it to the BBB, human rights organizations like ACLU and Amnesty International, consumer websites, RipoffReport.com, major newspapers in Manila, and other government agencies. I gotta do that because if I sent this letter to the US Embassy in Manila only, I’m likely to receive a form letter stating “sorry but that’s our policy” only. Not justice. So I gotta involve as many third party authorities and agencies/organizations of influence, as possible, in the hopes that it may reach a sympathetic ear or a person who cares about fairness and justice. This totally unjust and insulting behavior of the US Embassy in Manila, Philippines, should be made public and exposed, so the right people can take action to remedy or correct their unjust and dehumanizing process.

Now look. I don’t mind if they get rejected or don’t qualify according to the interviewer’s criteria. But for God’s sake, at least give them 5 or 10 minutes to present their case in a PROPER interview, and show their supporting documents to the interviewer (which I spent hours preparing for them). The supporting documents include proof of income, monetary transactions, home ownership, affidavit of support (form i-134), photocopies of many overseas passport stamps demonstrating a proven track record of not overstaying while traveling abroad, invitation letters that are well written and persuasive, etc. Then, if they still don’t qualify, then fine, at least they tried their best and presented all the material they could to support their case. But NO! They were not allowed to speak unless spoken to, and not allowed to present anything! Not even for a second! Instead they were put into a line of hundreds of Filipino applicants, like a mass cattle call, with impatient interviewers who were anxious to get them all out of the way as quickly as possible. How rude! Excuse me but for 160 dollars per person, they DESERVED to be treated far better and far more humanely than like cattle! Duh! Think about it please.

Furthermore, the blue rejection letter they received (see below) by the bogus “interviewer” is self-incriminating. By issuing it, the embassy shot themselves in the foot, because it is an Achilles heel that can be used against them. See the last paragraph in the blue paper. Notice how it says that one can “present new materials with the application” to justify their eligibility for the tourist visa, thus insinuating that this interview process allows the applicant to present material to support their qualification, when in REALITY, my party was NOT ALLOWED to present anything at all! GOTCHA! BUSTED! Thus this letter is self-incriminating, as the actual “interview” did NOT allow what it claimed to allow! Therefore I am including it below, as evidence to support my legitimate complaint. Please read it.

Obviously, we did NOT sign any contract nor did we ever agree to such a bogus “interview” in which we were not even allowed to speak or present material to present out case. Thus there is a BASIS of complaint here, regardless of your “policy”.

I hope for God’s sake, you don’t presume that because you are a government agency, that you are in an authority position and therefore can do anything you want and get away with it, including actions which are unfair, unjust, unreasonable, and mean-spirited - as in the case with this bogus improper “interview”. I hope you aren’t approaching this with a “might makes right” kind of attitude, in which you do not have to justify anything you do because you are “the law” and no one has any power over you except a higher governmental authority. Because that would really suck. It would be immoral, shameless and dishonorable if you think that you can do anything unjust or unreasonable and get away with it, simply because you are in a position of authority. I hate people with that kind of attitude. It’s immoral, unspiritual and ungodly, and disgusting as well. So I hope that is not your attitude here. You can’t just “shit on people” just because you can get away with it. That’s a horrid attitude and needs to be exposed and I hope karma comes to bite you on the butt for it, or the judgment of God is cast on such an attitude.

In summary:

Your interviewer was very improper, mean-spirited, unreasonable and did NOT provide a proper interview. My party was NOT even allowed to speak unless spoken to, and NOT allowed to present important materials (which I spent a lot of time preparing) to support their case. Nothing on your website warned us of the unfair, one-sided, unreasonable, mean-spirited nature of this interview. My party NEVER agreed to it, either orally or in any contract. They assumed, as everyone else did, that they would get a fair and reasonable interview in which they could present their case, which is how interviews are usually done. Thus we have a LEGIT case of COMPLAINT and DISPUTE here.

This letter will be sent to the BBB, Amnesty International, the ACLU, RipoffReport.com, major newspapers in Manila, and other government agencies that handle complaints of this nature. I hope you guys apologize and try to resolve this fairly and reasonably.

Proposed Resolution

My proposed resolution would be one of the following:

1. Refund the $160 per person we paid for this bogus insulting “interview” that was nothing like a real interview, for the reasons stated above. And apologize for the rude improper conduct of the interviewer.
2. Allow them to retake the interview but this time have a PROPER interview with a reasonable interviewer (not the same one) willing to hear their case who will allow them to present all their supporting documents and portfolio (which I spent a lot of time preparing) and give them a REASONABLE amount of time to do so. Like a real interviewer would. Also if possible pay for their transportation and accommodation costs too, of course, since the previous bad unreasonable interview was not their fault, but the fault of the embassy staff. At $160 a person and hundreds of applicants, obviously someone is getting filthy rich off this, so covering their travel costs would of course be nothing to them.
3. Or do #2 but have the interview by webcam or phone, by a reasonable interviewer who is willing to do an honest PROPER interview.

Either way, I’d still like an embassy representative to reply to my letter of complaint point-by-point in a logical reasonable manner, and not just send me a dumb useless form letter that states “sorry but that’s our policy” like organizations are eager to do.

Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,
Winston Wu"

[Winston]

Ok I posted my long complaint letter to the US Embassy here:

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=40447&p=327129#p327129

What do you think? Should I send that out to as many places as I can, including my blog here? And post it on complaint websites too, such as RipoffReport.com and the BBB website?

Does the letter make a strong legit case of complaint and dispute?

[CannedHam]

Stopped reading after:

I believe I have legit reasons for complaining. So please hear me out.

To be quite frank, you wasted a lot of time. This is going to go absolutely nowhere. They will wipe your ass with your letter and throw it in the trash. You think you're the first person that got screwed by a US embassy? Embassy decisions are for the most part, untouchable. No lawyer, no appeal, no lawsuits, nothing. The only thing you can do is re-apply and hope that things turn out better. Or apply for a different type of visa.

And I agree with you 100%. The whole system is f***ed. An anonymous state department employee once reported how they made their decisions. Basically, 99% of the decision was made before the interview. Things like income, address, marital status, job, kids, education, and assets were the big deciding factors. The interview was just a formality.

I'd honestly let this go, as unfair as it is, and focus on finding another path forward. I only say thing because any second you spend "fighting" with the embassy is a second wasted.

Good luck - WINNIE THE WU!

[Winston]

Rock showed me this site for the Dept of State Attorney General, where one can file a complaint of the nature I described above. I'll post it below for reference.

https://www.stateoig.gov/

https://www.stateoig.gov/contact

https://www.stateoig.gov/hotline

[Winston]

Rock showed me this site for the Dept of State Attorney General, where one can file a complaint of the nature I described above. I'll post it below for reference.

https://www.stateoig.gov/

https://www.stateoig.gov/contact

https://www.stateoig.gov/hotline

[Winston]

Stopped reading after:

I believe I have legit reasons for complaining. So please hear me out.

To be quite frank, you wasted a lot of time. This is going to go absolutely nowhere. They will wipe your ass with your letter and throw it in the trash. You think you're the first person that got screwed by a US embassy? Embassy decisions are for the most part, untouchable. No lawyer, no appeal, no lawsuits, nothing. The only thing you can do is re-apply and hope that things turn out better. Or apply for a different type of visa.

And I agree with you 100%. The whole system is f***ed. An anonymous state department employee once reported how they made their decisions. Basically, 99% of the decision was made before the interview. Things like income, address, marital status, job, kids, education, and assets were the big deciding factors. The interview was just a formality.

I'd honestly let this go, as unfair as it is, and focus on finding another path forward. I only say thing because any second you spend "fighting" with the embassy is a second wasted.

Good luck - WINNIE THE WU!

Isn't is possible that someone at the embassy in a managerial position might see my complaint and decide it's legit and give them another free interview? Maybe that interviewer lady acted improperly? I heard the American males at the embassy are nicer than the American females, especially toward Filipina females, since modern men tend to be nicer than modern women for some reason.

Also what if I file a complaint with the BBB? If so, the BBB would ask the embassy to reply personally to my complaint right? Aren't they likely to reply on the BBB form? Wouldn't the embassy have a representative at least read my complaint and discuss it with me or justify what happened? And maybe issue an apology too?

Still $160 for that was a ripoff especially since our party was not allowed to present their case and supporting documents proving STRONG TIES to the Philippines.

Even if none of my complaints make any difference, still we should expose what happened right? Since it was a travesty and very rude and unfriendly and improper. Maybe someone higher up will see it and apologize or take action or offer another interview? Especially if they see that my complaints are legit?

[CannedHam]

Stopped reading after:

I believe I have legit reasons for complaining. So please hear me out.

To be quite frank, you wasted a lot of time. This is going to go absolutely nowhere. They will wipe your ass with your letter and throw it in the trash. You think you're the first person that got screwed by a US embassy? Embassy decisions are for the most part, untouchable. No lawyer, no appeal, no lawsuits, nothing. The only thing you can do is re-apply and hope that things turn out better. Or apply for a different type of visa.

And I agree with you 100%. The whole system is f***ed. An anonymous state department employee once reported how they made their decisions. Basically, 99% of the decision was made before the interview. Things like income, address, marital status, job, kids, education, and assets were the big deciding factors. The interview was just a formality.

I'd honestly let this go, as unfair as it is, and focus on finding another path forward. I only say thing because any second you spend "fighting" with the embassy is a second wasted.

Good luck - WINNIE THE WU!

Isn't is possible that someone at the embassy in a managerial position might see my complaint and decide it's legit and give them another free interview? Maybe that interviewer lady acted improperly? I heard the American males at the embassy are nicer than the American females, especially toward Filipina females, since modern men tend to be nicer than modern women for some reason.

Also what if I file a complaint with the BBB? If so, the BBB would ask the embassy to reply personally to my complaint right? Aren't they likely to reply on the BBB form? Wouldn't the embassy have a representative at least read my complaint and discuss it with me or justify what happened? And maybe issue an apology too?

Still $160 for that was a ripoff especially since our party was not allowed to present their case and supporting documents proving STRONG TIES to the Philippines.

Even if none of my complaints make any difference, still we should expose what happened right? Since it was a travesty and very rude and unfriendly and improper. Maybe someone higher up will see it and apologize or take action or offer another interview? Especially if they see that my complaints are legit?

Are you kidding? The BBB is a f***ing joke. Go to any immigration forum - there are dozens, hundreds, thousands, 100s of THOUSANDS, of Filipinas who have been insta-denied tourist visas without any chance to plead their case. No one at the embassy will reply, nothing will be done, life will go on, so it's really best to let it go. I've spenthundreds of hours reading into immigration law, brought my mainland Chinese wife over here (I'm quite familiar with the process), and a family friend of ours is an immigration attorney. If you think federal agencies like USCIS are untouchable, wait until you deal with an embassy/consulate LOL. Even if you get a congressman on your case, there's no guarantee the Dept of State (who run US embassies) will play along. Winston, I only tell you this because you've start one of the best damn website, and I'm trying to prevent you from wasting time on fruitless pursuits. Whatever you do, I wish you the best of luck.

[Winston]

CannedHam,
Even though you're probably right, still you shouldn't let such unfair treatment and bad practices go unexposed. Even if this US embassy is untouchable, still the least you can do is expose what they did and let the universe take care of the rest. The BBB does not allow filing of complaints about government agencies, but I'm sure Ripoff Report does. At least you can file a complaint there. It's better than nothing. If you do nothing, then in effect you are sending a message to them that what they did is ok and they can do that to anyone they want, that they can mistreat and ripoff anyone they want. That's not the kind of message you should send them. If you expose them, at least they get some consequence for what they did, even if it doesn't accomplish anything. You see what I mean?

Don't you agree that wrongdoing should at least be exposed and documented, even if no action can be taken about it? It at least sends them a message that what they did was not ok right? It's a matter of principle. What i mean is, at least you can do your little part against injustice and let the universe or the world do the rest. Better than doing nothing and allowing it to go unpunished or unexposed, which would be like condoning it.

[CannedHam]

CannedHam,
Even though you're probably right, still you shouldn't let such unfair treatment and bad practices go unexposed. Even if this US embassy is untouchable, still the least you can do is expose what they did and let the universe take care of the rest. The BBB does not allow filing of complaints about government agencies, but I'm sure Ripoff Report does. At least you can file a complaint there. It's better than nothing. If you do nothing, then in effect you are sending a message to them that what they did is ok and they can do that to anyone they want, that they can mistreat and ripoff anyone they want. That's not the kind of message you should send them. If you expose them, at least they get some consequence for what they did, even if it doesn't accomplish anything. You see what I mean?

Don't you agree that wrongdoing should at least be exposed and documented, even if no action can be taken about it? It at least sends them a message that what they did was not ok right? It's a matter of principle. What i mean is, at least you can do your little part against injustice and let the universe or the world do the rest. Better than doing nothing and allowing it to go unpunished or unexposed, which would be like condoning it.

The thing is they are not actually committing any wrongdoing per US law. They are free to deny a visa for any reason whatsoever.

And I don't agree that "it's better than nothing". If you value your time at $0 then yes, I guess you have a point. But getting things to change is going to require a huge change in mindset of the US gov't and revision of numerous laws. Good luck doing that under the current administration.

It's bullshit how so many Mexicans and Central Americans jump the border, or file a bogus asylum claim at a land crossing, and are let in. Or the hoards of muslim "refugees" that get an all expense paid trip to the US and an immediate green card. Yet Filipinas who are christian, hardworking, speak English, take the time to do things right with visas, have a sponsor to pay for her expenses... get the shaft. It's a f***ed up system.

You're probably better off contacting your congressman or senator or getting this out into some mainstream podcast or YouTube channel or so on, rather than the BBB or Yelp. But again, you're just going to be adding to the mountains and mountains of similar reports. Because most Americans don't have to deal with visas at all, you're not going to get much empathy from the general public.

[Winston]

CannedHam,
Even though you're probably right, still you shouldn't let such unfair treatment and bad practices go unexposed. Even if this US embassy is untouchable, still the least you can do is expose what they did and let the universe take care of the rest. The BBB does not allow filing of complaints about government agencies, but I'm sure Ripoff Report does. At least you can file a complaint there. It's better than nothing. If you do nothing, then in effect you are sending a message to them that what they did is ok and they can do that to anyone they want, that they can mistreat and ripoff anyone they want. That's not the kind of message you should send them. If you expose them, at least they get some consequence for what they did, even if it doesn't accomplish anything. You see what I mean?

Don't you agree that wrongdoing should at least be exposed and documented, even if no action can be taken about it? It at least sends them a message that what they did was not ok right? It's a matter of principle. What i mean is, at least you can do your little part against injustice and let the universe or the world do the rest. Better than doing nothing and allowing it to go unpunished or unexposed, which would be like condoning it.

The thing is they are not actually committing any wrongdoing per US law. They are free to deny a visa for any reason whatsoever.

And I don't agree that "it's better than nothing". If you value your time at $0 then yes, I guess you have a point. But getting things to change is going to require a huge change in mindset of the US gov't and revision of numerous laws. Good luck doing that under the current administration.

It's bullshit how so many Mexicans and Central Americans jump the border, or file a bogus asylum claim at a land crossing, and are let in. Or the hoards of muslim "refugees" that get an all expense paid trip to the US and an immediate green card. Yet Filipinas who are christian, hardworking, speak English, take the time to do things right with visas, have a sponsor to pay for her expenses... get the shaft. It's a f***ed up system.

You're probably better off contacting your congressman or senator or getting this out into some mainstream podcast or YouTube channel or so on, rather than the BBB or Yelp. But again, you're just going to be adding to the mountains and mountains of similar reports. Because most Americans don't have to deal with visas at all, you're not going to get much empathy from the general public.

Yeah CannedHam, sure they didn't do anything illegal. But that doesn't mean what they did was right or moral or fair. You don't understand my point. My point is that what they did was UNFAIR. Plus, it did not fit the definition of an "interview" because an interview is like a two way street of communication, not a one way INTERROGATION where the person isn't even allowed to speak! Do you see what I mean?

So technically, this did not even fit the definition of an "interview". That will be the basis of my complaint too, besides it being unfair. Either way, don't you think this should be exposed, even if it accomplishes nothing? Don't I have the right to expose something unfair and immoral and unreasonable? It's a matter of principle too, not just results.

And who knows, when you do stuff like this, sometimes the universe or higher forces or angels help you out you know? There are higher powers you know. History is filled with examples of it. We are not in an atheistic godless universe as science has told you. Did you know that at Valley Forge, just as George Washington was about to give up, he supposedly received a visit from an angelic being who showed him that he must press on because he is destined to win the war and not give up? The being showed him a map of the future USA and what it would look like after independence too. One of Washington's officers mentioned this account in his diary. But Washington never made it public. And during the War of 1812 when British troops burned down the White House, all of a sudden in the middle of Summer a huge tornado came out of nowhere and attacked the troops? When has a tornado came upon the White House, especially during Summer? Obviously higher forces were mad and intervened. There are countless incidents and accounts like this, suggesting that yes, sometimes higher powers to help and intervene, and will help you win against probability, if it's meant to be that is. You gotta take that into account too.

[Winston]

Just sent this letter to the US Embassy in Manila:

"Dear US Embassy Dept of Immigration Services:

My name is Winston. I am sending these invitation letters for ********* (Application ID: **********) with her application for a US Tourist Visa (aka B1/B2 nonimmigrant visa). Although her interview occurred last June, she NEVER got to present this invitation letter during the interview, because her interviewer was cold, mean, rude and overly controlling, and did NOT allow her to even present this letter, nor any of the materials in the portfolio I prepared for her, during their very brief two minute “interview”. Instead, she was told not to speak unless spoken to, which was more like a military interrogation than an interview!

Thus the interviewer and embassy staff did NOT get to see my invitation letter, which was a pity, because my letter contains several strong arguments and reasons why she would not overstay her visa in the US, including several lines of evidence of her intent to return to her home country, which after all is what you guys are looking for, as you claim on your website. Thus this letter is RELEVANT and important to her case and application, and therefore SHOULD have been READ by a decision-maker, for it could have made a difference in the decision process had it been read properly and considered.

Therefore, since I spent hours preparing this invitation letter for her, I didn’t want it to go to waste or be for nothing, so I’m sending it now. Better late than never, as they say. Especially since the interview was unfair and improper, and relevant info was NOT considered by the interviewer. (which I’ve listed in the invitation letter below)

So I ask that you please forward this letter to an interviewer or managerial staff in the immigration dept, and inform them that this letter was obviously meant to be READ, as it contains some good verifiable and tangible EVIDENCE and logical reasons demonstrating her intention to return to her home country and not overstay her tourist visa or obtain illegal employment in the US, which I believe may have made a difference in the decision process had it been properly read and considered.

Therefore, I ask your staff to read it and reconsider their decision, since it was not based on all available evidence, due to the rude, abrupt interviewer who did NOT even let her present the evidence and materials in her portfolio she had to corroborate her case, but instead interrogated her for only two minutes with brief questions which was very unfair and improper. Especially for the hefty $160 fee, for which should have at least been given a reasonable interview and consideration, based on all the supporting documents and evidence she had to present to support her qualification, but which she was NOT allowed to present. This was a travesty and I ask that you please try to help correct it.

I take full responsibility for this letter of complaint and wish to be the contact person to receive any responses to it. Thanks.

Sincerely,
Winston Wu

Attached in PDF files: Invitation Letters for Dyan and her family from Winston and sister Rizalyn + PDF with Images of Dyan's passport stamps"