V-in-V (Indonesian Blogger in Saigon)

Just read this piece from Chao-Vietnam:

Getting that ever elusive visa to the US, regardless of visa type, can be daunting at best.  I have seen friends, students, and clients get turned down by the US Consulate, some repeatedly.  Looking at the forms given to them by the US Consulate, most were not given a visa since they were unable to prove they would return to Vietnam.  Others were turned down because there was a concern they could not provide the necessary financial means to stay in the US, ie tuition and book fees.  A couple girls were turned down because their English skills were very low (When a Vice Council asked the girl how many wheels a car had, she replied, “I am fine, thank you”).

Many of the above DID want to stay in the US.  I meet student after student, who did obtain visas, whose sole intention was to stay in the US.  That is why their parents paid high tuition fees to send them to the university I worked for in the past.  They got their visas are in the US now.  Not a single student from this program has returned to Vietnam yet.

It is sad but it seems that those who come from well-to-do families have no problems obtaining visas to the US.  I see it with my students all the time.  To this date, I only know two students who were rejected but it was based on a technicality.  They will get their visas in the future.

The ones who were rejected seemed to come from lower middle class families or are nouvo wealth meaning their incomes cannot be traced (nouvo wealth have a tendency to hide their wealth for tax reasons).

For the two Vietnamese family members from the story, they should be allowed to visit their ailing relative.  If they had come from wealthier families, there is a chance they would have received their visas.  If anyone wants to argue this, just have the Department of Homeland Security check the social economic background of all Vietnamese entering the US (and other countries as well).

The policy of granting US visas in Vietnam, and around the World, is not fair.  Thus, at times, there needs to be exceptions made especially now when many of the overseas Vietnamese are starting to age rapidly.

These are just my opinions coming from an American who has lived overseas for nearly 8 years (out of 37) of his life.

Read the full article here -> http://chao-vietnam.blogspot.com/2009/04/visa-rules-widen-rift-between-vietnam.html

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