EXPERIENCING THE US EMBASSY VS JAPAN EMBASSY

 

FIRST IMPRESSION ( SERVICE )

It looked so different because there were many guards there.. and not what I expected when I entered the " visa " building in Surabaya 🏫.. karena susunan loketnya kurang menarik.. dan berisik. Kita " dipaksa" mendengarkan wawancara orang lain yang " disturbing".. kita mendengar yang mayoritas ditolak dan masalah satu per satu applicant. Yang ini menurut saya sangat tidak etis dan cukup membuat saya di tipe sponge 🧽 ini stress 😬 bolak balik toilet 🚽 🪠 pun tidak cukup mengatasi ketidaknyamanan saya.

Ada 6 loket.. loket 3 dan 4 untuk penyerahan passport dan bukti konfirmasi DS160.. loket 2 untuk wawancara. Saya datang yang wawancara masih di urutan 130.. sementara saya 141 dan sesuai jadwal seharusnya jam 10 siang. Saya sengaja datang di jam 9.30. Ternyata saya selesai di jam 12..jadi saya menunggu 2,5 jam di ruangan yang terkesan sempit dengan jumlah orang sekitar 20 orang. 

Baru mendekati saya selesai, loket 1 dibuka.. officer nya tidak ramah , menolak pengajuan visa saya. 

Berbeda dengan pengalaman saya di kedutaan jepang di Surabaya.  Di kedutaan Jepang tidak ada penjaga extreme di depan. Lalu saya masuk sangat disambut ramah dan diminta menyerahkan pasport. Ada ruang tunggu di lantai tersebut. Tapi kita juga bisa ke lantai 2 dan ada toilet dan ruang baca disana.. perasaan terasa adem dan nyaman :) saya diperlakukan sangat baik karena saya menggunakan elektronik visa waktu itu :) 

PERBEDAAN SIGNIFIKAN 

Penjaga Amerika banyak guards . Sampai ke lokasi wawancara total saya bertemu dari depan 2 + tengah 2 + keluar building 1 + masuk building 🏫 visa 1 = 6 orang. Sementara Jepang bagian depan tidak ada. Sampai ke lokasi saya bertemu 2 orang. ( Sistem pegawai yang efektif)

Sidik Jari Amerika meminta 10 fingers sidik jari. Sementara Jepang tidak. Sebenarnya ini termasuk menurut saya " tidak tepat " dan sidik jari adalah hal private apalagi jika ternyata berujung pada visa ditolak. Jepang tidak meminta sidik jari. Di luar dugaan , mereka percaya saya dan langsung meng acc :) 

Officers & Mentality pegawai Amerika untuk orang Indonesia ramah termasuk guardsnya. Tapi untuk officer nya seperti kita ini " tahanan ". Perlakuan dan judgement nya " berlebihan" untuk harga 3 juta / visa dan tidak di ACC. Not a good deal 🤝 at all. While di kedutaan Jepang, free 🆓 dan sangat ramah :) 

Back office ( how they respond email ✉️ 📨) di Kedutaan Amerika rarely reply and only by template.. Jepang sangat helpful dan sesuai dengan pertanyaan saya. Satu per satu dibantu ;) clear and easy to understand 

Communication officer di Kedutaan Amerika was bias / ambiguous.. I was asked I live with who. Should be do I have a house 🏠 🏡 under my name or assets.. led me into rejection. And sadly I have a house and assets but he asked I live with who. Misunderstanding happened.. also the officer punya hak prerogatif tentukan visa kita diterima atau tidak..kalau ' asumsi ' dia menyatakan tidak walaupun dokumen lengkap, tetap saja tidak akan diterima..

Is assumption a perfect way to judge the applicant? You can read here : https://palastrishop.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-us-visa-officer-judge-by-assumption.html

di Jepang sangat baik dan jelas komunikasi nya..

MY SUGGESTION 

Don't reapply or give max 2 times to apply..do you really need to go to America? There are many beautiful places. Some colleagues said to me that america has many problems and not in a good condition at this moment.. some people wanted to study and come as tourist and reapply 4-20 times.. it's the hell a lot of money 🤑 💰 

Pick another country who treat you like human being not prisoner/ villain and won't humiliate you and reject you based on " assumption" 

Spend your money wisely. For what you reapply? For a country who has a broken system about immigration while we want to come legal.. we're not the problems. But the illegal immigrants inside them are the problems..

Don't defend bullier if you're from Europe, the US embassy only charge you 41 USD and can be applied online. If you're from the third world 🌎, you'll get charged 185 USD + bad treatment. If you're from Israel, you have the highest Chance to get approved around 90 percent.. if you're aware that you're from the third world and you keep giving money 🤑 💰 to the bullier who just make all your efforts= 0 and reject your visa = stop giving them money 🤑 💰 

Use logic. Basically you feed the officer who treat you without respect..as we know it although I am the high calibre, they will treat European who is their ally better. Why I know this? Because my friends all over the world 🌎 and we see the difference / different treatment..

AFTER REJECTION 

January 18, I woke up from my night dream.. And I repeated January 17.. the dream said it's misunderstanding.. the officer question was : I live in which city 🏙️ 🌆 and with who. Said i live with ex husband. He wrote something. Thought he would give my visa. The big misunderstanding is he didn't ask am I the owner or the property or I have property under my name or no. Because I have and I have gold bars too. How come he thinks I wanna migrate. Now I understand that I should just give him picture of my gold bars, a property under my name, and a car under my name. I didn't know by stating living with ex husband made he thinks I don't have assets under my name and lead to visa rejection. It's simply misunderstanding.. because the question only 1. I will ask tour and travel for this case or attorney to make sure if I re apply everything will be fine. I will complete all my datas including the US contact. Also IF I decide to reapply I will make sure to give embassy notices about my ties / assets though email ✉️📨 to avoid such miscommunication. I emailed the embassy for clarification.. if they fail me, I won't reapply. If not because of my North node is there. I would even consider to reapply 

VISA REJECTION 

Today...for the first time I get rejected.. said 214b... no strong ties to my home country.

Why wanna come to the US? I said because I visited many places. I visited Macau Hongkong Japan and I want to visit America. Later Australia 🦘 🦘..

I am a member of rotary club and I said I want to learn with clubs in the US..he said I know you and rotary.

Travel history : I travelled to Japan and Hongkong and Macau 2016 and 2018.. now is 2025.. I wanted to show it and the officer said he doesn't want to check ✅ ✅ my documents 

I am co founder/ business owner with my ex husband as my partner: I wanted to show the officer my documents , yet he said he doesn't want to check ✔️ ✅ any of my documents 

Do I know Americans? In person no.. but I have many online friends. I mentioned I don't have the US contact because I just want to travel 🧳 and don't wanna bother them..

I live with my ex husband we have a house 🏠 together also I have a house with my family..under my name! But he only typed and said I must re apply 

RED FLAGS:

My number was 141 but they skipped my number and the interviewer was the person who reject almost all people in the room ( except people with 3-5 groups).. I can say 8 = rejected . 3 = accepted..

What shocked me was I am so fluent in English and 3 groups which accepted couldn't speak English well even they didn't understand the questions..

1.. a man with American's wife got rejected . And as I heard his wife only has 2-3 months left and he wants to visit his wife.

2.. all Indonesian females in that room => rejected 

3. 3 marketing from 2 different companies ( big ones) are rejected 

+ It's a big business. They rejected me = 3 millions IDR. 10 people= 30 millions IDR. Easy money just by rejecting people.. if a person apply 2-4 times,.they get so much money just from 1 person ( logically). 

I have business and a rotary member. A company is in Indonesia. I asked for explanations and he didn't give it.. they asked me to mail them..so I did.. ( just wait for 3 days response)

I need a logical explanation. You're free to reject me..but with clear explanation.. I was a lecturer.. it's the best to teach people rather than treat them like a dumb..

I told my ex husband and he said now the US put DEI people .. now I understand why incompetent person can be an officer.. Because they are officer because of diversity factor not because of their ability to have strong instinct differentiate people.. I feel sorry about america. But maybe it's the God's way. I wanted to visit Los Angeles and now it's still burning..

Maybe God don't want me die there.. that was the reason I got rejected. I am just shocked. People like me who just wanna learn about the Strong city 🏙️ 🌆 and want to come back with good history of travelling and good financial report ( he didn't even check my financial report. He DOESN'T WANT to check ✔️ ✅ any of my DOCUMENTS. This is silly to me. All I know..I must give documents as proves. Nothing is logic here... 

My friends in America said " it makes us mad when you want to enter legally.. they make it so difficult.. while so many illegal immigrants here.. it's sad. " :; it's true hahaha 🤣 because they rejected high quality people like me.. 

My main reason actually is about astrology, I want to check ✅ ✅ my energy there and if that's good, I want to make business and cooperation about business and rotary clubs. 

UNTUK BAHAN PERENUNGAN 

Apakah special nya Amerika sehingga membuat orang ingin kesana dan rela berkali-kali coba visa. Lalu, officer tetaplah manusia. Dia ada suka dan tidak suka ke seseorang sehingga membuat feeling atau adjustment tergantung pada " mood " dia saat itu.. menurut saya yang lulusan engineering, itu tidak pakai logika dan hanya berujung pada " asumsi " yang merugikan pihak yang innocent 😇 seperti case saya..saya mau kesana karena saya punya rute Singapore Malaysia Hongkong Macau Jepang.. berikutnya adalah Amerika lalu Australia 🌏 🦘 tapi karena rute Amerika ditolak. Sepertinya saya akan minta petunjuk alam mimpi untuk pindah rute.. mungkin ke Eropa atau kemana.

Walaupun orang memberikan semangat untuk apply orang, saya tidak masuk logika alasan penolakan visa. Betul kita pakai insting, officer diminta itu. Tapi kalau saya boleh perbaiki sistem. Ini yang akan saya lakukan:

🔫 Perbaiki sistem dalam di Amerika dengan menerapkan visitor overstay tidak boleh apply next visa / tidak boleh perpanjangan dan juga tidak boleh apply green 💚 card ( banyak kasus illegal immigrants disana lalu bisa dapat greencard karena sudah lama disana dan punya property disana)

:::: sistem ini bisa jadi solusi daripada menolak saya misalkan yang jelas kredibel tapi dianggap tidak kredibel dari feeling 🥺 

🔫 Baiknya cek dokumen peng apply visa secara kasar sehingga bisa menanyakan mana yang ga lengkap. Kebiasaan orang sini Lain dengan di Amerika. Saya pun begitu..dokumen saya rasa lebih kuat daripada ucapan. Tapi buat officer kok lebih kuat ucapan ya? Bukti yang disiapkan ditolak terus 

🔫 Buang uang 💸 💰 atau rejeki ke negara lain yang menghargai anda.. Jepang memperlakukan saya sangat baik :) 

INFORMATION:

Based on the letter, your visa was denied under **Section 214(b)** of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), meaning you did not sufficiently demonstrate non-immigrant intent. To strengthen your reapplication, consider the following suggestions:

### 1. **Enhance Proof of Ties to Home Country**:

   - **Employment**: Submit a letter from your employer confirming your position, length of employment, salary, and approved leave for your trip. If you own a business, include business registration documents and financial statements.

   - **Property Ownership**: Provide evidence of any property you own, such as a house or land, to show you have significant ties to your home country.

   - **Family Commitments**: Include documents that show you have immediate family members (parents, siblings) relying on you in Indonesia.

### 2. **Financial Stability**:

   - Submit bank statements, investment portfolios, or other financial documents showing that you are financially stable and can afford the trip without needing to stay longer than allowed.

### 3. **Travel History**:

   - If you have traveled to other countries and returned on time, provide copies of visas and entry/exit stamps as proof that you have adhered to visa requirements in the past.

### 4. **Clear Purpose of Visit**:

   - Include a detailed itinerary of your trip, showing where you will stay, what activities you plan to do, and specific return dates. If you have a friend or family in the U.S., include a letter of invitation from them, but ensure it emphasizes that your visit is temporary.

### 5. **Letter of Intent**:

   - Write a detailed letter explaining why you wish to visit the U.S., your planned duration of stay, and your commitments to return home. Emphasize your ties and responsibilities in Indonesia.

### 6. **Consult with a Visa Expert**:

   - It may be helpful to consult with an immigration lawyer or visa consultant who can guide you on how to address the issues noted in your rejection letter effectively.

### 7. **Reapplication Timing**:

   - While there is no specific waiting period, it’s advisable to reapply only after gathering stronger evidence or when there’s a significant change in your circumstances.

Preparing these documents thoroughly will increase your chances of success in the next application. If you need help drafting any documents or letters, feel free to ask!

🌺 

Being unmarried and without children can sometimes be viewed as a potential risk for overstaying in certain visa categories, as consular officers might perceive fewer strong ties to your home country. However, it's not necessarily an issue if you can demonstrate other compelling ties, such as:

1. **Professional Commitments**: Highlight any significant career responsibilities or business operations you manage in your home country.

2. **Property or Financial Assets**: Show ownership of property, financial investments, or other substantial assets that indicate your intent to return.

3. **Family Ties**: Emphasize close relationships with family members who remain in your home country.

4. **Community Involvement**: Mention any roles or obligations you have in local organizations or communities, such as your Rotary involvement.

Strengthening your application in these areas can help address concerns and improve your chances in a reapplication.

INDONESIA AND VISA 

The statement about "high demand and limited visas" refers to the fact that there are a large number of applicants for U.S. visas from countries like Indonesia, but the U.S. government only issues a certain number of visas each year. As a result, the visa application process becomes highly competitive. Here's a breakdown of why this happens:

1. **High Demand**:

   - **Popularity of U.S. Destinations**: Many people from countries like Indonesia want to visit the U.S. for tourism, business, education, and family reasons. The U.S. remains a popular destination for education (with many Indonesian students seeking to study there) and tourism (for example, visiting family or sightseeing).

   - **Global Demand**: The demand for U.S. visas is high worldwide, and countries like Indonesia contribute a significant number of applicants. This means that the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia receives a large volume of visa applications, especially during peak seasons (like summer or holiday periods).

2. **Limited Visas**:

   - **Quota System**: The U.S. has specific quotas for the number of visas it can issue to applicants each year. This quota varies depending on the type of visa. For example, there are limits on the number of immigrant visas, student visas, and tourist visas available each year.

   - **Resource Constraints**: The U.S. Embassy in Indonesia, like other embassies around the world, has limited resources in terms of personnel and capacity to process the high volume of applications. This means not all applicants can be approved, even if they meet the criteria.

3. **Competitive Nature**:

   - **Visa Processing**: When demand exceeds the available number of visas, applicants are evaluated more strictly. Only those who meet the criteria (like proving strong ties to their home country, financial stability, and a clear purpose for their visit) are more likely to be approved.

   - **Risk of Denial**: In high-demand situations, U.S. consular officers may be more cautious and conservative in issuing visas. If they have doubts about an applicant’s intentions or the risk of overstaying, they may deny the visa to ensure compliance with immigration laws.

4. **Longer Wait Times**:

   - As demand increases and more people apply, processing times for visas can also become longer. This is due to both the volume of applications and the embassy's limited capacity to handle them.

In summary, the combination of high demand and limited visas leads to a competitive visa application process. This is why applicants must present a strong case to increase their chances of approval. If you reapply, ensuring you meet all requirements and submit thorough documentation is essential.

STRENGTHEN 

If you feel that demonstrating stronger credibility and commitment is essential after a previous visa denial, it’s important to present a well-rounded, authoritative application. While "showing power" isn't about force but about demonstrating undeniable ties and a compelling reason to return to Indonesia, here are ways to do so:

### **1. Strengthen Your Case with High-Level Support**:

   - **Endorsements from Senior Figures**: Obtain letters from high-ranking officials in your Rotary club (such as the district governor) or from senior business leaders. These endorsements can highlight your significant role and responsibilities.

   - **Government Affiliation**: If applicable, secure a letter from a relevant government official or department that can vouch for your professional or community contributions.

### **2. Highlight Leadership Roles**:

   - **Rotary Leadership**: Emphasize your role as the Secretary and upcoming responsibilities as President-elect of Rotary in 2025. Show how your leadership is crucial for the club’s projects and that your presence in Indonesia is essential.

   - **Business Ownership**: Showcase your role as a co-founder of your company, detailing your strategic importance and ongoing projects that necessitate your return.

### **3. Comprehensive Documentation**:

   - **Detailed Itinerary**: Present a clear, organized itinerary that outlines the purpose of your visit, meetings, and events in the U.S.

   - **Proof of Financial Stability**: Provide robust financial documentation, including bank statements, property deeds, and business ownership documents, to show your stability and ties.

### **4. Address the Previous Denial**:

   - **Letter of Explanation**: Write a concise letter explaining any perceived shortcomings in your previous application and how you have addressed them. Highlight new evidence that strengthens your case.

   - **Visa Consultant’s Assessment**: Consider including a letter or statement from a visa consultant or immigration lawyer who can explain the improvements in your application.

### **5. Prepare for the Interview**:

   - **Confidence and Clarity**: Be prepared to confidently and clearly articulate your purpose of travel, ties to Indonesia, and reasons for returning.

   - **Reinforce Ties**: Emphasize your family, professional, and community obligations during the interview.

### **6. Additional Supporting Letters**:

   - **Invitation from U.S. Contacts**: If you have business or personal contacts in the U.S., include letters of invitation that explain the purpose of your visit and affirm your intent to return.

   - **Professional Organizations**: Letters from professional associations or community groups that rely on your leadership can also strengthen your case.

### **7. Consider Timing**:

   - **Reapply Thoughtfully**: Ensure you’ve addressed all potential issues before reapplying. Sometimes waiting and improving your situation can be beneficial.

By assembling a compelling, well-documented application that highlights your leadership, financial stability, and strong ties to Indonesia, you can present a stronger case to the visa officer.

CONSULAR SURABAYA 

That's great that you've already reached out to the consulate in Surabaya! Since you've taken that step, here are a few things you can do while you wait for their response:

1. Prepare for Their Feedback:

• If they request additional documentation or clarification, be ready to provide whatever is needed promptly.
• If they suggest waiting before reapplying, take their advice into consideration and ensure that any new application you submit addresses any concerns they raise.

2. Gather Additional Documents:

• While awaiting their reply, continue gathering and organizing documents that will strengthen your case, especially those that demonstrate strong ties to Indonesia, such as:
  • Updated financial statements.
  • Additional letters of support (from Rotary or your business).
  • Any documents that address previous concerns or improve your application.

3. Follow Up:

• If you don’t hear back within a reasonable timeframe (typically 1-2 weeks), consider following up politely to inquire about the status of your request.

4. Continue with Your Travel Planning:

• If you're planning the trip soon, be sure to keep any travel arrangements flexible in case your visa application timeline is extended. It will help you avoid additional stress if you need to adjust your travel plans.

By keeping communication open with the consulate and continuing to prepare, you'll be in a good position to move forward with your application when you're ready.

EVENTS

https://imexamerica.com/newfront/page/about-imex-america

https://www.thesmallbusinessexpo.com/city/las-vegas/

Officers don't check your documents📃

https://youtu.be/QNcMSn4nKH4?si=0iScwcc2CY-zrKVk :: talk like a peer and like a salesperson.. Explain and don't silent ✈️. 

Also here.. documents 📄 are the last thing they want to check 😔 ✅ 

https://youtube.com/shorts/0zfwuOxisM4?si=NaUl9cSPdEUrBZGz