Unmarried Women Have More Trouble Getting US Visa

Adriana Smirnova, 19.02.2014 11:08

The opportunity to get a three-year entry visa to the USA has spurred interest in tourist visits to the country. However, there are still some pitfalls in the process of getting the US visa, knowing which will help travel companies send their tourists to the States with little to no trouble.

A surge in interest in tourist trips to the USA is one of the trends of the season. This positive momentum is upheld by both a diverse excursion program of the country and a streamlined visa regime. This was announced during a presentation of travel programs for the USA, which took place in St. Petersburg and was organized by travel company ‘Avatar’, reports the TRN correspondent.

However, a number of important points need to be taken into account when applying for a US visa. Bruce Turner, US consul general of St. Petersburg, told the local travel companies about them. According to him, when it comes to issuing visas, there exist some ‘stereotypes’.

For one thing, an interview with a visa officer is the crucial step in getting a visa. According to the consul general, during the interview “it is important to be honest and demonstrate your determination to come back to Russia after visiting the US”. This determination can be corroborated by having a permanent job, business, real estate, family and/or children.

Turner confirmed the information that it was harder for unmarried women to get a visa, which had been voiced earlier by tour operators. “Indeed, under certain circumstances it is true. Such a candidate needs to demonstrate that she has a good job or is studying at a good university, in other words – that she has an incentive to come back to Russia,” he said.

As for the confirmation of a tourist’s financial income, the diplomat said that there was no exact number that would guarantee a ‘pass’. Turner also said that if visas were being issued to a group, it also did not guarantee that each member of the group was going to get one.

“In any case, be it a group tour or something else, a Russian citizen needs to convince a visa officer that his or her purpose of visit to the US is tourism,” noted the consul general.

“Expect questions on the purpose of your visit and the duration of stay from a customs officer at the airport,” he said, adding that even if you have a three-year visa, a single stay must not exceed 6 months, and it is important to observe these regulations. If for some reason you need to extend your period of stay in the US, then you must notify immigration authorities in advance.

According to the diplomat, 35 visas were issued in St. Petersburg in 2013. This number will be reduced in the future by virtue of extending the validity period of visas. Mr. Turner also added that 9% of the applicants were denied a visa.