7 ms·

Creating jobs? Still keep humiliated at the U.S. embassy abroad.

36 points by golubevpavel 13y ago

I'm a foreigner. I'm running my own IT company in San Francisco, CA. I established it in in 2011. We made over $5,000,000 in 2 years. And sent significant checks to IRS. And created new jobs. And enhancing economy. But keep humiliated at the U.S. embassy abroad. Last time my wife was getting a visa in June, only 2 months ago. Her interview lasted 4 hours, not including 2 hours of line. So after 6 hours she ran out of the embassy, fell on my shoulders and started crying and I could not stop her crying. Then we she calmed down, she just said "Never, never I will go to this awful country, I hate it!" During the interview little girl was accused in lying, they threatened her with jail (Stop lying us, you will go to jail now), they were behaving disrespectfully, they laughed at her. And eventually her visa was approved. She got her L2 visa So after few days she calmed down and we moved to San Francisco to develop my business. We both felt in love with this city, got a car, rent an apartment, bought furniture, I leased a new office, hired new employees. We almost forgot about that terrible fact. But 2 weeks ago my wife went back to Belarus to see her parents. And the nightmare has began all over again. I was waken up tonight with a phone call from my wife, calling me after her embassy interview, crying again. Same story! Again consul looked at her Belarussian passport and laughed at her. While laughing he said to his colleague: "Hahaha, they can't even fake documents in proper way". Then he told her, that she was lying and did not want to listen to her. And eventually rejected her visa. And what do I have to do know?

philiphodgen 13y ago
1. Immaturity at US Embassies is unfortunate and it happens. Sometimes sadistic immaturity. I hear reports of this from my clients. I'm not saying all State Department people are like that. Probably just a few. But there are enough to make the USA look like a club populated by petty teenaged tyrants. 2. Get an immigration lawyer to help you. It may be futile but at this point you don't have a choice. 3. My operating hypothesis is that citizenship is merely a business problem to be solved for an increasing number of people. The 19th/20th Century notions of Motherland/Fatherland and (gasp) Homeland are increasingly outmoded for people like you. If you want to disrupt something, disrupt passports.
- golubevpavel 13y ago
  Indeed, I hired a lawyer from the very first moment, long before I submitted my first paper for review. She says, that everything will be fine and she can handle it. But still my girl is alone in unfamiliar city and she must be scared and I can't imagine what's in her mind right now.
  - stfu 13y ago
    But still my girl is alone in unfamiliar city and she must be scared and I can't imagine what's in her mind right now. She is an adult (I hope). Don't treat her like a 12 y/o, otherwise you condition her into showing that same level of emotional stability.
- golubevpavel 13y ago
  To disrupt a passport you basically have to disrupt the whole political system of the world first. It might be possible, but not in our lives, I'm afraid.
userulluipeste 13y ago
By insisting to be there you're only asking for it. You enforce the high-demand/bad-attitude relation. Find another place for business development, job-creating, and tax pay. One that might actually be grateful and respectful for what you do.
- golubevpavel 13y ago
  It's not me, who _needs_ to run a business in the U.S. It's U.S., which _needs_ more income to its federal budget and more jobs to be created. My business is completely online and can hire people to serve it anywhere.
  - thesmileyone 13y ago
    What do you care about the US' needs? If you can run a business anywhere, then do so somewhere a little less strict surely? I know the UK could do with your business, we are too busy giving money left right and centre to people who can't be bothered to work - it is only a matter of time until the pot empties.
    - golubevpavel 13y ago
      I think you are making a very good point.
TheOsiris 13y ago
this story is made up, folks. immigration 101: L2 visas are granted for 1-year initially and then for 2-years afterwards. so the OP's claim that his wife went back to the embassy after just 6-weeks of getting her visa is nonsense. also, we're supposed to believe that his Belarussian wife, who went to visit her parents in Belarus, who has a Belarussian passport is now alone and in an unfamiliar Belarus? (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6353620 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6353620) this makes zero sense on all levels. There's never a state dept official that's this stupid and unprofessional. they can be rude nut never this far. saying a passport is fake by just looking at it and accusing someone of lying like that would never happen. I've had my fair share of interactions with state dept officials
- jedmeyers 13y ago
  L2 visas are granted together with L1-A/B visas which are 3+2+2 or 3+2 years respectively, not 1 year initially. And you cannot get a US visa in Belarus: "We apologize for the inconvenience, but due to the decision by the Belarusian government in 2008 requiring the U.S. Embassy to reduce its diplomatic staff from 35 Americans to 5, the Embassy was technically forced to suspended full visa processing services indefinitely. Residents of Belarus whose applications do not fall under the above categories should make arrangements to apply for a nonimmigrant visa at another post."
  - TheOsiris 13y ago
    Is this 3+2+2 time new or something? My dad got 2 separate L1's (separate companies different years) and first one was always 1 year. My uncle just got his 2 or 3 years ago, and was also granted a 1 year L1.
    - jedmeyers 13y ago
      It looks like L1 visa has different rules for citizens of different countries. If your dad is from Mexico, that might be the reason why he got it for 1 year. For citizens of Belarus it's 3+2(+2).
  - 13y ago
jedmeyers 13y ago
"Hahaha, they can't even fake documents in proper way" - what kind of documents was he looking at? As far as I know the only document required for L2 visa is a marriage certificate and in my case no one actually looked at it. So I really doubt the described situation actually happened.
- golubevpavel 13y ago
  They looked at her passport and a marriage stamp in that passport.
  - jedmeyers 13y ago
    I see no reason for them to say that. Given that she have already had L-2 visa issued and she should have had a marriage certificate with her. And may I ask why did she go to Moscow for a visa and not to Kyiv?
    - golubevpavel 13y ago
      It's a common practice to say things like that in the embassy. She went to Moscow, Russia, because US embassy in Minsk, Belarus is not issuing visas and Belarus citizens have to go to another country to get a visa. Kyiv is not a part of Belarus. It is a capital of another country Ukraine. So it does not matter where she goes, to Kyiv or Moscow. Both cities are not part of Belarus.
      - jedmeyers 13y ago
        "So it does not matter where she goes, to Kyiv or Moscow. Both cities are not part of Belarus." - it does matter. Kyiv is cheaper to stay and US consuls are usually more friendly.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
golubevpavel 13y ago
Some people think, that the whole story is made up. Please let me answer your questions, so that you have no doubts it's 100% genuine. Q: Your wife went to see her parents. Why you say she is scared and alone in unfamiliar city. A: Becuase there's no way to get a visa in Belarus. You have to go to Moscow. Q: The story is made up, because emabassy in Belarus is not issuing visas. A: Right. That's why if your parents live in Belarus, you have to go to another country, like Russia, to have an interview and then stay about a week in a hotel, waiting for your passport. You can't go back to Belarus, because they keep your passport at the embassy and not giving it back to you right away, even if you passed interview and your visa was granted. Q: Why did you apply for a new visa if your previous was issued only 2 months ago? A: Both L1 and L2 visas are linked to your blanket petition. Petition is another document, issued by USCIS for 1 year. You can't get a visa, which expiration date is longer than your petition expiration date. My petition was approved in August 2012, but I received it in fact only in spring (after more than 6 months). And then, when I received it, it took several more months to make final preparations for the movement, so we were able to get a visa for her only in June (which expired in August according to petition expiration) and moved to the U.S. right away after that. And again, petition has been extended already, but I only received it in August, even though it has been extended since April.
zerr 13y ago
USA is one of the most shitty "partner" to rely if you're a foreigner. So in the first place, why SF? There are lots of great places in Europe to do business.
- golubevpavel 13y ago
  Huge part of Silicon Valley and US economy depends on immigrants like me. I agree. There are many other great places to do business. Do you think I should suggest and recommend foreign entrepreneurs (who are ready to invest their money and time in american economy) to invest in other great places?
greendata 13y ago
what's you company?
- golubevpavel 13y ago
  http://alfaproductions.com http://alfaproductions.com

36 points by golubevpavel 13y ago

philiphodgen 13y ago

1. Immaturity at US Embassies is unfortunate and it happens. Sometimes sadistic immaturity. I hear reports of this from my clients. I'm not saying all State Department people are like that. Probably just a few. But there are enough to make the USA look like a club populated by petty teenaged tyrants. 2. Get an immigration lawyer to help you. It may be futile but at this point you don't have a choice. 3. My operating hypothesis is that citizenship is merely a business problem to be solved for an increasing number of people. The 19th/20th Century notions of Motherland/Fatherland and (gasp) Homeland are increasingly outmoded for people like you. If you want to disrupt something, disrupt passports.

golubevpavel 13y ago
Indeed, I hired a lawyer from the very first moment, long before I submitted my first paper for review. She says, that everything will be fine and she can handle it. But still my girl is alone in unfamiliar city and she must be scared and I can't imagine what's in her mind right now.
- stfu 13y ago
  But still my girl is alone in unfamiliar city and she must be scared and I can't imagine what's in her mind right now. She is an adult (I hope). Don't treat her like a 12 y/o, otherwise you condition her into showing that same level of emotional stability.
golubevpavel 13y ago
To disrupt a passport you basically have to disrupt the whole political system of the world first. It might be possible, but not in our lives, I'm afraid.

userulluipeste 13y ago

By insisting to be there you're only asking for it. You enforce the high-demand/bad-attitude relation. Find another place for business development, job-creating, and tax pay. One that might actually be grateful and respectful for what you do.

golubevpavel 13y ago
It's not me, who _needs_ to run a business in the U.S. It's U.S., which _needs_ more income to its federal budget and more jobs to be created. My business is completely online and can hire people to serve it anywhere.
- thesmileyone 13y ago
  What do you care about the US' needs? If you can run a business anywhere, then do so somewhere a little less strict surely? I know the UK could do with your business, we are too busy giving money left right and centre to people who can't be bothered to work - it is only a matter of time until the pot empties.
  - golubevpavel 13y ago
    I think you are making a very good point.

TheOsiris 13y ago

this story is made up, folks. immigration 101: L2 visas are granted for 1-year initially and then for 2-years afterwards. so the OP's claim that his wife went back to the embassy after just 6-weeks of getting her visa is nonsense. also, we're supposed to believe that his Belarussian wife, who went to visit her parents in Belarus, who has a Belarussian passport is now alone and in an unfamiliar Belarus? (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6353620 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6353620) this makes zero sense on all levels. There's never a state dept official that's this stupid and unprofessional. they can be rude nut never this far. saying a passport is fake by just looking at it and accusing someone of lying like that would never happen. I've had my fair share of interactions with state dept officials

jedmeyers 13y ago
L2 visas are granted together with L1-A/B visas which are 3+2+2 or 3+2 years respectively, not 1 year initially. And you cannot get a US visa in Belarus: "We apologize for the inconvenience, but due to the decision by the Belarusian government in 2008 requiring the U.S. Embassy to reduce its diplomatic staff from 35 Americans to 5, the Embassy was technically forced to suspended full visa processing services indefinitely. Residents of Belarus whose applications do not fall under the above categories should make arrangements to apply for a nonimmigrant visa at another post."
- TheOsiris 13y ago
  Is this 3+2+2 time new or something? My dad got 2 separate L1's (separate companies different years) and first one was always 1 year. My uncle just got his 2 or 3 years ago, and was also granted a 1 year L1.
  - jedmeyers 13y ago
    It looks like L1 visa has different rules for citizens of different countries. If your dad is from Mexico, that might be the reason why he got it for 1 year. For citizens of Belarus it's 3+2(+2).
- 13y ago

jedmeyers 13y ago

"Hahaha, they can't even fake documents in proper way" - what kind of documents was he looking at? As far as I know the only document required for L2 visa is a marriage certificate and in my case no one actually looked at it. So I really doubt the described situation actually happened.

golubevpavel 13y ago
They looked at her passport and a marriage stamp in that passport.
- jedmeyers 13y ago
  I see no reason for them to say that. Given that she have already had L-2 visa issued and she should have had a marriage certificate with her. And may I ask why did she go to Moscow for a visa and not to Kyiv?
  - golubevpavel 13y ago
    It's a common practice to say things like that in the embassy. She went to Moscow, Russia, because US embassy in Minsk, Belarus is not issuing visas and Belarus citizens have to go to another country to get a visa. Kyiv is not a part of Belarus. It is a capital of another country Ukraine. So it does not matter where she goes, to Kyiv or Moscow. Both cities are not part of Belarus.
    - jedmeyers 13y ago
      "So it does not matter where she goes, to Kyiv or Moscow. Both cities are not part of Belarus." - it does matter. Kyiv is cheaper to stay and US consuls are usually more friendly.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

golubevpavel 13y ago

Some people think, that the whole story is made up. Please let me answer your questions, so that you have no doubts it's 100% genuine. Q: Your wife went to see her parents. Why you say she is scared and alone in unfamiliar city. A: Becuase there's no way to get a visa in Belarus. You have to go to Moscow. Q: The story is made up, because emabassy in Belarus is not issuing visas. A: Right. That's why if your parents live in Belarus, you have to go to another country, like Russia, to have an interview and then stay about a week in a hotel, waiting for your passport. You can't go back to Belarus, because they keep your passport at the embassy and not giving it back to you right away, even if you passed interview and your visa was granted. Q: Why did you apply for a new visa if your previous was issued only 2 months ago? A: Both L1 and L2 visas are linked to your blanket petition. Petition is another document, issued by USCIS for 1 year. You can't get a visa, which expiration date is longer than your petition expiration date. My petition was approved in August 2012, but I received it in fact only in spring (after more than 6 months). And then, when I received it, it took several more months to make final preparations for the movement, so we were able to get a visa for her only in June (which expired in August according to petition expiration) and moved to the U.S. right away after that. And again, petition has been extended already, but I only received it in August, even though it has been extended since April.

zerr 13y ago

USA is one of the most shitty "partner" to rely if you're a foreigner. So in the first place, why SF? There are lots of great places in Europe to do business.

golubevpavel 13y ago
Huge part of Silicon Valley and US economy depends on immigrants like me. I agree. There are many other great places to do business. Do you think I should suggest and recommend foreign entrepreneurs (who are ready to invest their money and time in american economy) to invest in other great places?

greendata 13y ago

what's you company?

golubevpavel 13y ago
http://alfaproductions.com http://alfaproductions.com