Visiting USA

[jb]

I see it as a political, more than a social problem.  I admit I am not an expert, but the rules seem skewed.  I think the same laws should apply to everyone.

You are wrong, it is not political,,, it is commercial.  If you have business, investments, or money in the bank,,, visas are not a problem.

[acctBill]

Maybe next the US will adopt a more humanitarian policy.  This is not meant as dig towards the US.  But I have seen visas easily gained from MANY countries (Columbia, Indonesia, Honduras) for single women coming as tourists.  Eastern Europe visas to the US are still much harder to get from what I read here.

In case any one forgot, this is just an opinion based on what I have seen in my experience.  Not trying to start an argument.

Seeker you'll also find out that tourist visas for places like the UK or Schengen zone countries (Europe) are also harder to get than for countries like Columbia, Indonesia, Honduras etc.  The reasoning is very simple the chances of overstaying a visit to Europe or the US are far higher than overstaying a visit to Columbia, Indonesia or Honduras.  England has tens of thousands, probably hundreds of thousands, of illegal immigrants from eastern Europe and other countries that require visas to visit England.  

If England and the rest of Europe didn't have or enforce visa rules these countries would soon have millions, probably tens of millions, of illegal immigrants.  After all if you have a choice of living in poor conditions in Russia or Ethiopia or poor conditions in France or the UK which would you choose?  

[Seeker]

You are wrong, it is not political,,, it is commercial.  If you have business, investments, or money in the bank,,, visas are not a problem.

And the differential between money and reality is politics.

Commercial brought us here.  To this point it has been the rule.  Of course, people that can live by those rules are not my favorite people.  Blame it on a socialist/Taoist/Sufi rebellion I went through in my youth, and still hold close to my heart.  Either way, it is political...  the rules are made by the few.  The rest of us try to become better people as we learn, and realize the rules are opportunistic for those that make them, and have no real bearing on reality.  Some of us see a better world, and hope that it can be.  If not, at least we will have tried.

[Seeker]

Seeker you'll also find out that tourist visas for places like the UK or Schengen zone countries (Europe) are also harder to get than for countries like Columbia, Indonesia, Honduras etc.  The reasoning is very simple the chances of overstaying a visit to Europe or the US are far higher than overstaying a visit to Columbia, Indonesia or Honduras.  England has tens of thousands, probably hundreds of thousands, of illegal immigrants from eastern Europe and other countries that require visas to visit England.  

If England and the rest of Europe didn't have or enforce visa rules these countries would soon have millions, probably tens of millions, of illegal immigrants.  After all if you have a choice of living in poor conditions in Russia or Ethiopia or poor conditions in France or the UK which would you choose?  

Poor?  I think your views are limited, and I intend no insult by that.  But the countries I mentioned (and people of them) have far more reasons to want to leave where they live than a Ukrainian or a Russian (at least to go this distance, with rules as they are).  That is why I chose them as an example.  It was not all inclusive, but a sample... an example.

Oh, and my knowledge (as limited as it is) comes from them, the people I mentioned...

And this is not just a guess, but personal experience.  Sometimes I am just guessing, but this time I know the people that I speak of.

[acctBill]

Poor?  I think your views are limited, and I intend no insult by that.  But the countries I mentioned (and people of them) have far more reasons to want to leave where they live than a Ukrainian or a Russian (at least to go this distance, with rules as they are).  That is why I chose them as an example.  It was not all inclusive, but a sample... an example.

Oh, and my knowledge (as limited as it is) comes from them, the people I mentioned...

And this is not just a guess, but personal experience.  Sometimes I am just guessing, but this time I know the people that I speak of.

Seeker I take no insult from your comments but I have seen over the last 15+ years what poor conditions in places like Russia means.  I've been in Russian apartments that are less than 400 sq. feet and have 4+ occupants and haven't been painted or had any maintenance done in years.  Then I've seen some really bad conditions, especially true during the financial crisis in the late 1990's.  It was even worse outside of the large cities.  

Prior to the recent economic downturn in Europe eastern Europeans in the UK such as Russians use to queue up for work in the construction industry in much the same way as Hispanics do in Los Angeles and other American cities.  The Russian men were making far better wages working illegally in the UK than they could in Russia.  It's been a very long time since I've been to Central or South America so I will defer to you on those countries but the facts remain that without restrictions on Russian entry in to the US and Europe there would be significantly more Russians illegally in the US and Europe than there are now and even more planning on moving.

[Seeker]

Seeker I take no insult from your comments but I have seen over the last 15+ years what poor conditions in places like Russia means.  I've been in Russian apartments that are less than 400 sq. feet and have 4+ occupants and haven't been painted or had any maintenance done in years.  Then I've seen some really bad conditions, especially true during the financial crisis in the late 1990's.  It was even worse outside of the large cities.  

Prior to the recent economic downturn in Europe eastern Europeans in the UK such as Russians use to queue up for work in the construction industry in much the same way as Hispanics do in Los Angeles and other American cities.  The Russian men were making far better wages working illegally in the UK than they could in Russia.  It's been a very long time since I've been to Central or South America so I will defer to you on those countries but the facts remain that without restrictions on Russian entry in to the US and Europe there would be significantly more Russians illegally in the US and Europe than there are now and even more planning on moving.

The world is a much bigger, and therefore, smaller place than we grew up in, like you, I am just trying to make sense of it.  It is a very big, almost (if not) an impossible task.

And I remember LA... Damn I miss it.  The mountains and REAL beaches the most.  Sorry for going off topic.

[Gylden]

In order to avoid the usuall confusion over this visa question, see the link here.


http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=11458.msg224523#msg224523


On the above thread you will find links to some of those stats. It can be by now they have newer stats, but in another part of the same government web site you will clearly be able to see that the rate of approval for visas are getting better over the more recent years.

Adjusted Visa Refusal Rate for Tourist and Business travelers

http://travel.state.gov/p...f/refusalratelanguage.pdf

For 2009:

Russia 4.9%
Ukraine 36.8%

[SFandEE]

Maybe next the US will adopt a more humanitarian policy.  This is not meant as dig towards the US.  But I have seen visas easily gained from MANY countries (Columbia, Indonesia, Honduras) for single women coming as tourists.  Eastern Europe visas to the US are still much harder to get from what I read here.

I agree that this is a policy of ill will.  The US clearly has a liberal visa policy towards some nations--they are evident and yet towards cultures like Russia and Ukraine a far more aggressive policy that denies access to our culture and the benefits to both communities.

At this time I still believe in borders, but not borders that do not exist for some communities and do exist for others.  Kind of a reverse form of the velvet rope or perhaps more appropriate face control.  I do love face control--I will love it as long as I still get in !!

[Seeker]

I agree that this is a policy of ill will.  The US clearly has a liberal visa policy towards some nations--they are evident and yet towards cultures like Russia and Ukraine a far more aggressive policy that denies access to our culture and the benefits to both communities.

At this time I still believe in borders, but not borders that do not exist for some communities and do exist for others.  Kind of a reverse form of the velvet rope or perhaps more appropriate face control.  I do love face control--I will love it as long as I still get in !!

My problem is the double standard, in this situation and others.  All should be treated same, and have to conform to the same standards.  Whatever they might be.  Even if I don't agree with them!  The rules should be applied without prejudice towards all people.

[BC]

Now THAT'S funny. Guy comes around talking out his arse and someone comes around and puts him in his place and he cries to papa. It seems I've seen this before...when I was 9. Grow up big guy.

Boy oh boy, now thumping chests.. maybe a good ol pileup will calm things down?

Anyway, back to visas..

I contend that those applying for a tourist visa for it's intended purpose won't have much difficulty receiving one regardless Shengen or US.  At least that's been our experience.  We'll be applying for a second US tourist visa for my wife and daughter later this year.  AM brings RU wife and family into the US legally without a K visa..

The folks at the consulates certainly have developed a good 'nose' for sniffing things out IMHO.

[Daveman]

Topic was split to remove unrelated posts.  I'm sure you guys will figure it out where they went. 

[Ranetka]

Seeker I take no insult from your comments but I have seen over the last 15+ years what poor conditions in places like Russia means.  I've been in Russian apartments that are less than 400 sq. feet and have 4+ occupants and haven't been painted or had any maintenance done in years.  Then I've seen some really bad conditions, especially true during the financial crisis in the late 1990's.  It was even worse outside of the large cities.  

Prior to the recent economic downturn in Europe eastern Europeans in the UK such as Russians use to queue up for work in the construction industry in much the same way as Hispanics do in Los Angeles and other American cities.  The Russian men were making far better wages working illegally in the UK than they could in Russia.  It's been a very long time since I've been to Central or South America so I will defer to you on those countries but the facts remain that without restrictions on Russian entry in to the US and Europe there would be significantly more Russians illegally in the US and Europe than there are now and even more planning on moving.

In my seven years in the UK I met 1 (one) Russian man working illegally in constraction industry and another couple I thought had fake IDs. All these people you think as "Russians" in reality are perfectly legal citizens on Lithuania, Estonia etc etc etc...

Shengen visas or UK visa are dead easy for Russian nationals, in my time consulate quoted 2% as their reject rate.
I know of no-one not able to get a visa for their Spanish holiday.

[acctBill]

In my seven years in the UK I met 1 (one) Russian man working illegally in constraction industry and another couple I thought had fake IDs. All these people you think as "Russians" in reality are perfectly legal citizens on Lithuania, Estonia etc etc etc...

Shengen visas or UK visa are dead easy for Russian nationals, in my time consulate quoted 2% as their reject rate.
I know of no-one not able to get a visa for their Spanish holiday.

Ranetka being a Russian national I'm sure that you are able to find out what's going on in the Russian community in the UK better than me.  According to the UK media as of several years ago the numbers of illegal Russians and other illegal eastern Europeans working in the UK numbered in the tens of thousands and probably greater.  One undercover operation by a UK news show televised the living quarters and the working conditions for these men and women.  

As for the Shengen visas and UK visas being dead easy for Russian nationals perhaps some Russians have a special tour operator they use or special contacts but I've not found that to be the case.  In my time in the UK my wife and I meet a number of Russians who had family who couldn't get a visa to visit the UK.  These individuals had no visa violations on their records, had the necessary funds, had a job in Russia and had family to return home to, yet were denied a visa.

True my wife and I also meet some Russians who seemed to have no problem getting a UK or Shengen visa even though their circumstances were no different than those refused a visa. The decisions by the UKBA really seemed arbitrary.  As for Spain, it is my understanding that it was an easy target for a Shengen visa as of several years ago.  

[Ranetka]

Ranetka being a Russian national I'm sure that you are able to find out what's going on in the Russian community in the UK better than me.  According to the UK media as of several years ago the numbers of illegal Russians and other illegal eastern Europeans working in the UK numbered in the tens of thousands and probably greater.  One undercover operation by a UK news show televised the living quarters and the working conditions for these men and women.  

As for the Shengen visas and UK visas being dead easy for Russian nationals perhaps some Russians have a special tour operator they use or special contacts but I've not found that to be the case.  In my time in the UK my wife and I meet a number of Russians who had family who couldn't get a visa to visit the UK.  These individuals had no visa violations on their records, had the necessary funds, had a job in Russia and had family to return home to, yet were denied a visa.

True my wife and I also meet some Russians who seemed to have no problem getting a UK or Shengen visa even though their circumstances were no different than those refused a visa. The decisions by the UKBA really seemed arbitrary.  As for Spain, it is my understanding that it was an easy target for a Shengen visa as of several years ago.  

Firstly I found about every Eastern European in media is being referred as Russian for some reason, which is annoying.

Secondly if you are talking about several years ago then yes I agree. Several years ago Poland, Lithuania< Estonia were not in EU and I met a lot of illegal immigrants from there. They are all legal now.

I hear Russian language in my little town everytime I go shopping. However it is always spoken with Lithuanian accent, half of Lithuanian population is ethnically Russian. Say, when I go out with my friend Rasa we speak Russian but none of us is illegal< I am a British citizen and she is Lithuanian.

And I do not understand what are other East European contries you are referring to? I met some Ukrainians, I thik the rest i in EU anyway? Overwhelming majority of Uk immigration is from EU, they used to be working illegally using tourist or student visas to enter but right now Poles etc are here totally legal and proper and do not need any visas.

I am really surprised to hear about your friends problems, I have a very different experience.

[ML]

My problem is the double standard, in this situation and others.  All should be treated same, and have to conform to the same standards.  Whatever they might be.  Even if I don't agree with them!  The rules should be applied without prejudice towards all people.

SFandEE

I agree that this is a policy of ill will.  The US clearly has a liberal visa policy towards some nations--they are evident and yet towards cultures like Russia and Ukraine a far more aggressive policy that denies access to our culture and the benefits to both communities.

- - - - - -

You two are still missing the point.

It is the actions of citizens of various countries who have had high 'overstay' rates that causes subsequent appliers to have difficult time to get visa.

All cannot be treated the same from different countries, because those from some countries have shown their total disdain for living within the rules of the visas they do obtain.

[CanadaMan]

I contend that those applying for a tourist visa for it's intended purpose won't have much difficulty receiving one regardless Shengen or US.  At least that's been our experience.  We'll be applying for a second US tourist visa for my wife and daughter later this year.  AM brings RU wife and family into the US legally without a K visa..

I respectfully disagree.

First of all, you yourself are not applying for a tourist visa for its intended purpose.

Bringing your wife/family over is not a legitimate tourist visa application.
Tourists come to see the country/sites, not visit a loved one.

And your optimistic perspective of obtaining a visa is like Gylden's.
When one has been successful in applying for visas, one's views become colored differently from those who have been denied them.

I have a balanced experience from both sides of the fence, so I am more realistic about what to expect. I know what it's like to be turned down and also what it's like to be successful. Yes, country of application does matter, big-time. Also, financial status matters big-time. As well, visa type applied for matters big-time.

[CanadaMan]

Shengen visas or UK visa are dead easy for Russian nationals, in my time consulate quoted 2% as their reject rate.
I know of no-one not able to get a visa for their Spanish holiday.

Ranetka, how did these people apply for their Schengen visas?
Did they use travel agents or did they apply for them on their own?

[SFandEE]

SFandEE

I agree that this is a policy of ill will.  The US clearly has a liberal visa policy towards some nations--they are evident and yet towards cultures like Russia and Ukraine a far more aggressive policy that denies access to our culture and the benefits to both communities.

- - - - - -

You two are still missing the point.

It is the actions of citizens of various countries who have had high 'overstay' rates that causes subsequent appliers to have difficult time to get visa.

All cannot be treated the same from different countries, because those from some countries have shown their total disdain for living within the rules of the visas they do obtain.

I was not specific enough about my reference towards US government disparities between visa policies towards different countries.  I believe, my opinion, the US government has actively chosen not to enforce visa policy towards the nations of Central America.  They have a different visa policy towards citizens of the FSU.  The US government does not care about Central Americans overstaying/not having visas.

Maybe if FSU citizens do want to work in our hotels, restaurants, homes, golf courses and build our homes we should increase visas and allow them to overstay their visas with the same passive attitude as towards other nations.

The US government treats people who do not have visas differently from other countries.  It is complex and sure the FSU visitors only realistic port of entry is an airport, but can it be argued that the US has different visa policy for selfish reasons not just whether or not citizens from another country are more compliant with visa rules?

It would not surprise me that the governments of the FSU do not want tourist visas readily given to EU and America so as to minimize flight, although times have improved in FSU and maybe this is less of a risk now.  Clearly Mexico relies on the US government visa policy being enforced the way it is and actively inserts itself in maintaining the status quo.

I am sure this is rambling--but hopefully something is cogent.

[Ranetka]

Ranetka, how did these people apply for their Schengen visas?
Did they use travel agents or did they apply for them on their own?

Majority of people buy package tours so makes sense for travel agent to handle the visa as well. A few friends of mine prefer saving money and applied themselves. Before I got the Uk passport I always handle all my visas myself, all travel agents do is just to passing the papers from me to the embassy.

never employed a solicitor to handle any of my uk visas either, never had that much money to waste ha ha.

sometimes i think something must be wrong with me, never asked my ex to help with work or finding friends or visas, never needed help with managing finances (he was much worse then me)...may be that's why we divorced.

[Faux Pas]

I was not specific enough about my reference towards US government disparities between visa policies towards different countries.  I believe, my opinion, the US government has actively chosen not to enforce visa policy towards the nations of Central America.  They have a different visa policy towards citizens of the FSU.  The US government does not care about Central Americans overstaying/not having visas.

Maybe if FSU citizens do want to work in our hotels, restaurants, homes, golf courses and build our homes we should increase visas and allow them to overstay their visas with the same passive attitude as towards other nations.

The US government treats people who do not have visas differently from other countries.  It is complex and sure the FSU visitors only realistic port of entry is an airport, but can it be argued that the US has different visa policy for selfish reasons not just whether or not citizens from another country are more compliant with visa rules?

It would not surprise me that the governments of the FSU do not want tourist visas readily given to EU and America so as to minimize flight, although times have improved in FSU and maybe this is less of a risk now.  Clearly Mexico relies on the US government visa policy being enforced the way it is and actively inserts itself in maintaining the status quo.

I am sure this is rambling--but hopefully something is cogent.

What the bottom line brass tacks of the issue is, is the amount of support any given group can gain the both the US House and the Senate. That is where these laws are made, along with the decision to enforce them or not.Latinos have quite a strong voice there as evidenced by the passage of Arizona's recent immigration bill

[acctBill]

Firstly I found about every Eastern European in media is being referred as Russian for some reason, which is annoying.

Secondly if you are talking about several years ago then yes I agree. Several years ago Poland, Lithuania< Estonia were not in EU and I met a lot of illegal immigrants from there. They are all legal now.

I hear Russian language in my little town everytime I go shopping. However it is always spoken with Lithuanian accent, half of Lithuanian population is ethnically Russian. Say, when I go out with my friend Rasa we speak Russian but none of us is illegal< I am a British citizen and she is Lithuanian.

And I do not understand what are other East European contries you are referring to? I met some Ukrainians, I thik the rest i in EU anyway? Overwhelming majority of Uk immigration is from EU, they used to be working illegally using tourist or student visas to enter but right now Poles etc are here totally legal and proper and do not need any visas.

I am really surprised to hear about your friends problems, I have a very different experience.

Admittedly I tend to refer to anyone who lived under the flag of the former USSR as Russian.  As my wife as told me many times it is wrong but really nobody other than a member of that group or someone married to one is going to understand the difference between Russian and Ukrainian and who other than Russians and their spouses has heard of Kyrgyzstan, much less been there? 

As for the other eastern European countries true Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Baltic countries are in the EU within the last 6 or 7 years.  That still leaves the countries of the former Yugoslavia, Albania, Belarus plus of course Ukraine and Russia. Then well technically not eastern Europe the rest of the countries of the former Soviet Union such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgzstan and the others.  True these countries are in Asia but I've found that few people who aren't from the region understand the difference.


 

[Ranetka]

Admittedly I tend to refer to anyone who lived under the flag of the former USSR as Russian.  As my wife as told me many times it is wrong but really nobody other than a member of that group or someone married to one is going to understand the difference between Russian and Ukrainian and who other than Russians and their spouses has heard of Kyrgyzstan, much less been there? 

As for the other eastern European countries true Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Baltic countries are in the EU within the last 6 or 7 years.  That still leaves the countries of the former Yugoslavia, Albania, Belarus plus of course Ukraine and Russia. Then well technically not eastern Europe the rest of the countries of the former Soviet Union such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgzstan and the others.  True these countries are in Asia but I've found that few people who aren't from the region understand the difference.


 

The difference is a bit bigger than between English and Irish.

I  can understand someone who does not know call every east european Russian but I am surprise to hear you just do not bother.

How long does your wife live in the UK? Does she work? I had to grow a bit of a thick skin explaining people that no, russian people do not eat swans, no, russian people do not take all the council housing, no russian people do not do benefit fraud, no russian people do not take anybody's job...
rusians are no better then polish of course but I just find it a bit easier when I am not associated in any way with illegal and desperate people.

[BC]

I respectfully disagree.

First of all, you yourself are not applying for a tourist visa for its intended purpose.

Bringing your wife/family over is not a legitimate tourist visa application.
Tourists come to see the country/sites, not visit a loved one.

And your optimistic perspective of obtaining a visa is like Gylden's.
When one has been successful in applying for visas, one's views become colored differently from those who have been denied them.

Bringing wife and family over is legitimate.  We go to a business convention, head to my parents for another week, see a few relatives and then hop on a plane back home.  Since the paperwork we supplied to back up intent to return was quite complete, bank statements, tax records, property deeds, business ownership records etc etc there were enough 'ties to the homeland' to justify the visa.  I doubt we'll have any trouble this year either and probably won't need to even go to the interview.  Even though I myself did not require a visa, the consular officer probably looked at my intent of returning first and foremost..

Next week MIL, FIL are here in Schengen territory for the fourth and third time respectively bringing along my wife's brother in law for his first visit.  Visas issued without any problem.

I do know a couple that were denied a Schengen visa, they had a prior visit to EU, but then were denied for a subsequent trip, this time without a sponsor.  Their banking was done offshore since UA banks were unstable at the time, rent an apartment, were self employed with no children left behind at grandmother's and the minimum of funds in the form of travelers checks..

A part of my business is evaluating insurance claims. After the first thousand or so you really start to get the hang of things and learn to 'smell a rat' almost as a sixth sense.  The CO's at the consulate process many thousands per month and are quite likely very good at what they do.  Not perfect, but the full planeloads of tourists heading here and to the US attest to the fact that the system does work.

There are probably other criteria also used at consulates..  Lets take a country that has 5 flights to the US per day, lets say with a passenger capacity of 1250, of which 50% are expected to be returning US citizens, and another 25% business passengers with multiple entry visas.. (yes they can figure out such fairly accurately now days even calculating flight capacity via other countries).. Lets say they start getting 'hit' with 2000 new visa applications per day.. - Such might well be cause to raise the bar in the visa application process resulting in a higher denial ratio.

If I read jb's posts correctly he was basically saying that if the intent of the visit is valid and you have your duckies in a row chances of denial are minimum.

[acctBill]

The difference is a bit bigger than between English and Irish.

I  can understand someone who does not know call every east european Russian but I am surprise to hear you just do not bother.

How long does your wife live in the UK? Does she work? I had to grow a bit of a thick skin explaining people that no, russian people do not eat swans, no, russian people do not take all the council housing, no russian people do not do benefit fraud, no russian people do not take anybody's job...
rusians are no better then polish of course but I just find it a bit easier when I am not associated in any way with illegal and desperate people.

Of course if I was speaking with someone from the former USSR I would use the correct terminology but if I'm speaking with a typical Brit or Canadian or American who can't find Russia on a map trying to explain the difference between the countries of the former USSR I've found to be a waste of time.  Sometimes if the person is interested and I have the time explaining the difference and answering questions makes for an interesting time.  As you said trying to change someone's mind about their preconceived beliefs can be annoying.

My wife was born in Moscow and sent to England by her parents in 1994 (edit should be) 1993 to learn English.  She already spoke some Soviet style English but as she said once she was in England she found it didn't take her far. She learned English and earned a degree in finance in the UK and got her UK citizenship.  She always worked and after we married stopped working when our oldest was born and then went back to work after maternity leave.  Seven years later she had twins and with 3 kids that's pretty much ended work because we really couldn't see paying someone else to look after our kids.  

Now we're in Canada for my job.  When the twins start school next year she plans to go back to work but for the moment she's just getting settled and helping the kids adjust to Canada.  

[CanadaMan]

Bringing wife and family over is legitimate.  

Yes I agree that bringing your wife and family over is legitimate.
I didn't deny that.

What I said was that bringing your wife/family over is not a legitimate *tourist* visa application.

There is a very important distinction between the two.

Look, we're basically in agreement about this whole process.

Canada is just as strict as the U.S. in their visa process. There are differences here and there. Canada used to have fiancee visas but abandoned them a few years ago unfortunately.

In Canada you apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). When you fill out the application form you indicate whether the intent of the visit is for:
a) Tourism
b) Business
c) Other

You also *must* indicate the Name, address and relationship of any
person(s) or institutions you will visit.

So if the real intent is to visit someone (your wife, husband, family, boyfriend, girlfriend etc.) you must state this in the application.

So whether you check off Tourism or Other, you are still obliged to mention who you will be visiting, if that is the intent of your visit.

This is where the whole matter of honesty comes down to (at least for the Canadian applications).

In your particular case, once you had managed to get your first one or two visas, the rest become almost a formality.

The first one or two visas are key.

What did you say the purpose of the visit was for your first visa application and what ties did your wife/family have to the FSU when they applied?

If I read jb's posts correctly he was basically saying that if the intent of the visit is valid and you have your duckies in a row chances of denial are minimum.

Not really.
A poor single woman from the FSU can have the most honest, sincere intentions to visit a boyfriend in the U.S./Canada etc. and then return home but getting a visa for this is still next to impossible if the application is completely truthful.