US revokes diplomatic, tourist visas of Honduran officials

WWW.USAVISASONLINE.COM The United States is, perhaps, one of the only countries in the world that receives more than 9 million visa applications annually, from citizens of all nationalities, who wish to do business, live, work, study or simply visit the country.

It is very common, among circles of friends, families or employees, to consider the interview at the U.S. Consulate and the approval of the application for an American visa as "a matter of luck."

During their interviews with visa applicants, Consular officers evaluate all of the documents submitted, to be able to determine the granting, the refusal or the cancellation of an American visa. Any unreliable or false data clearly influences and, indeed, determines the decision to approve an application for a visa to visit the United States.

During the interview, a fixed set of security measures and legal and administrative procedures are put into operation to determine the granting or refusal of a visa, whether "immigrant" or "non-immigrant", and the “luck” factor is indeed relative, as each application and the circumstances surrounding it are unique, the results of which often give rise to a series of myths and false beliefs.
Such myths, false beliefs, and arbitrary comments and opinions are generally based on previous interviews and can negatively affect an applicant when he has to go for an interview to apply for an American visa, regardless of the type, whether it is “Tourist” or a “Resident” visa he is applying for.

It is quite clear that the views of the employees of unauthorized travel agents, friends and family members can, and do, affect the results of an application for a new visa or the renewal of a previously granted one. This triggers a series of conflicts, confusion, anger and stress when the request is denied, and the applicant then has no idea of what he should do or who to turn to for advice. Many unscrupulous people, who present themselves as “experts in U.S. visa applications”, take advantage of this situation of despair to make some money from the misfortunes of such unsuccessful applicants, regardless of their nationality, their creed or their political and socio-economic status. The mishandling of applications by such unscrupulous people can often drag other family members, from any geographic region of the planet, into unfortunate circumstances with regard to their relationships with the U.S. Consulate and its officers in their own countries.

When a foreigner appears at a U.S. Consulate to request a new visa or renew a previous one of any sort, he must submit the application form, duly filled-in, and accompanied by the relevant documents requested, to be able to have a personal interview with a consular officer, who will then determine whether the applicant is eligible or not for the visa being requested.

The Consular Officer reviews the application form and assesses the evidence available to ensure that the applicant has no intention of staying to live and/or to work illegally in the United States. As such, there are many factors that influence the granting or renewing of an American visa.

Past and present criminal activities, within or outside the U.S., will affect visa applications or renewals at any American Consulate in any geographical region of the world, irrespective of the applicant’s economic, social, religious, or political status.

Many foreigners who belong, have belonged or have collaborated with extreme “leftist” groups accused of terrorist activities anywhere in the world, or who belong or have belonged to religious sects that are identified as subversive, may find that their visa applications are rejected at any U.S. Consulate worldwide. On many occasions, not only have visa applications been refused, but even valid visas have actually been cancelled for people who really have no links at all to such organizations but appear to do so. Such a situation leaves the applicant annoyed and indignant, as he feels that his honor and reputation have been tarnished.

In fact, there have even been cases in which a foreigner’s valid U.S. visa has actually been cancelled, without any explanation and without his having had a previous interview with a consular official. The behavior of many foreign governments and their officials is scrutinized and evaluated by the U.S. State Department and certainly affects the granting of visas for such officials and other government employees of such countries. On the other hand, certain foreign political figures, who have had their applications for a U.S. visa refused or have had a valid visa cancelled, may sometimes be given permission to enter to the United States for specific government functions on behalf of their countries.

Requests for re-entry to the United States after deportation proceedings or cancellation of a U.S. visa at the moment of entry at an immigration check-point at an airport or land border-post, require adequate legal assistance for the applicant to be able to recover such a visa, and the waiting-time is undetermined. The applicant must be calm and patient until the case is settled by the Immigration Service of United States or by the U.S. Consulate in his country of origin or his country of residence.

= 0 A

During the interview at the U.S. Consulate, multiple factors, many of which are unknown to the applicant, will determine the granting or the refusal of his visa application, factors which often involve research processes at the consular level or by federal authorities in the United States. It is quite common for a Consular Officer to say to an applicant, "I´m sorry Sir, but we are awaiting a response from Washington."

As such, many foreign applicants for visas at U.S. consulates around the globe are frequently subject to a “special review process”, a situation that often worries and exasperates applicants who have urgent family or business matters to attend to in the United States, causing a series of economic and emotional inconveniences that mentally and emotionally upset even the strongest of individuals.

Immigration Officers at airports, seaports and land borders, after carrying out immigration inspection procedures on foreigners who wish to enter U.S. territory, may grant a visa for a minimum period of one day or a maximum of six month’s stay in the U.S.

HOW DOES ONE LOSE AN AMERICAN VISA?

The circumstances under which a valid American visa may be revoked are:

1 .- In the interview with the consular officer when he applies for the renewal of his still valid U.S. visa.

2 .- When the holder of a valid American visa is entering the U.S. through an airport, seaport or land border-post. The Immigration Officer in charge of the port has the authority to do so.

3 .- If the U.S. State Department issues a cancellation order.

The individuals who are most susceptible to losing their valid American visa in any country of the world, and even when they are on American soil, are the following:

1 .- Parents, sons or relatives of foreigners already living in the U.S., regardless of social, economic or religious considerations.
2 .- Businessmen and entrepreneurs.
3 .- Students and teachers.
4 .- Religious ministers of any belief.
5 .- Aviation pilots and merchant seamen.
6 - Politicians or former politicians.
7 .- Military personnel and policemen, or former military personnel and former policemen.
8 .- Individuals linked to narcotics trafficking, money laundering and their collaborators.
9 .- Individuals associated with groups linked to terrorist activities.
10 .- Individuals linked to the trafficking or theft of sensitive technology in any commercial, scientific or technological field.

CONSULAR BACK-LISTING OF FAMILIES

Because of misunderstandings with immigration officials at air, land and sea-ports, or due to the incorrect handling of visa applications, entire families might sometimes be black-listed and systematically refused visas or renewals.

Many foreign company executives, for example, move to the United States to work and to live there with their families, without having obtained all the necessary immigration requirements, such as the L1 intra-company visa, the H1 career visa, or a simple "residence" visa, among others, and hope to be able to arrange these documents once they have entered the country. When they are refused such visas and must return to their countries of origin or residence to deal with their local U.S. Consulates, they sometimes find that their original visa has been revoked and that their entire family has now been refused entry to the United States.

Sanctions and consular refusals of this type seriously affect the applicants’ businesses, both in their countries of origin and in the United States, and almost always disrupt their family life, their housing arrangements and the education of their children.

This may be a surprise to the US government, but the ability to travel to the great United States of America is not the most important thing in the world. Much more important to Hondurans citizens is to have dignity and pride in our country and our government. As Mauricio Villeda said (son of an couped president)....Freedom is worth more than a visa.

But Since they are at it...It may be usefull to list all the notables of Honduras that the US department may have to take their visas away...I think it will be a lot of paper work....

Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez (former papal candidate)
11 Catholic Bishops
At least some Catholic nuns (I've seen some in the marches and on TV)
Association of Evangelical Church leaders
Numerous other small church leaders
All of the ministers of the current government
Former Presidents Maduro, Flores, Callejas (others?)
Liberal presidential candidate Elvin Santos (accused by Zelaya)
National presidential candidate Pepe Lobo (accused by Zelaya)
Former Supreme Court President Vilma Morales
15 Supreme Court Justices (check these off the list)
Lower court judges who declared the actions illegal
At least 116 members of congress
President Roberto Micheletti (check!)
Attorney General (check!)
Human Rights Commissioner (check!)
All of the generals of Honduras' Armed Forces
Mayor of Tegucigalpa
Mayor of La Ceiba
Mayor of Choluteca
Many other Honduran mayors
Pastor Oswaldo Canales, Coordinator of National Anti-Corruption Council (CNA)
Juan Ferrera, former Coordinator of CNA
Mauricio Díaz, FOSDEH (a prime fighter against corruption)
Former Attorney General
17 Honduran Ambassadors fired by Zelaya because they chose allegiance to their country over allegiance to one man
Honduran Consuls fired by Zelaya (ditto the reason)
Most Honduran political analysts
All newspaper owners except one
Most television station owners (except those paid by Zelaya)
Most radio station owners (except those paid by Zelaya)

Then there is this list of 85 organizations who supported the ousting of Zelaya after the fact. [Slightly mangled English translation of their beautiful and patriotic letter] I don't have all the members names, but I'm sure that the US can find them.

1 .- Honduran Council of Private Enterprise - COHEP
2 .- Honduras Bar Association (all attorneys and judges?)
3 .- Association of Coffee Exporters of Honduras
4 .- Association of Freight and International Logistics Agencies
5 .- Honduras Hotel Association and Affliates
6 .- Association of Shipping Lines Companies and Representatives
7 .- Honduran Association of Distributors of Petroleum Products
8 .- Honduran Association of Motor Vehicle Dealers and Associates
9 .- Honduran Association of Banking Institutions
10.-Honduran Maquila Association
11.-Honduran Association of Animal Feed Producers
12.-Honduran Association of Coffee Producers
13.-Honduran Association of Cold Meat Processors
14.-Association of Women Business Leaders of Honduras
15.-Honduras Timber Association
16.-Media Association of Honduras
17.-Honduran-American Chamber of Commerce
18.-National Association of Artisans of Honduras
19.-National Association of Rice Millers Honduras
20.-Metal Mining National Association of Honduras
21.-National Association of Pork Producers in Honduras
22.-Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers of Honduras
23.-National Association of Radio Broadcasters of Honduras
24.-National Association of Poultry Farmers of Honduras
25.-National Aquaculture Association of Honduras
26.-National Association of Manufacturers ANDI
27.-National Association of Meat Packers
28.-Transformer National Association of Lumber
29.-National Association of Medium and Small Industries
30.-National Association of Private Universities of Honduras
31.-Sugar Producers' Association of Honduras
32.-Honduran Associated Advertising Agencies
33.-Pharmacy Owners Association
34.-Association of Private Security and Investigation
35.-Association of Private Telecommunication Companies
36.-Free Zone Association of Honduras
37.-Chamber of Housing Financing Institutions
38.-Advisory Center for Human Resources Development
39.-Honduran Chamber of Stock Exchange
40.-Honduran Chamber of Insurers
41.-Honduran Chamber of Equivalent Products
42.-National Chamber of Tourism of Honduras
43.-Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Atlantida
44.-Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Cortes
45.-Chamber of Commerce and Industry Progreso
46.-Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tegucigalpa
47.-Honduran Chamber of Business Consulting
48.-Honduran Chamber of the Construction Industry
49.-Honduran Council of the Oil Industry
50.-National Courier Association of Honduras
51.-CROPLIFE Honduras
52.-National Association of Drugstores
53.-Federation Chambers of Commerce and Industry
54.-National Customs Brokers Federation of Honduras
55.-National Federation of Agriculture and Livestock
56.-National Federation of Private School in Honduras
57.-Foundation for Investment and Development of Exports
58.-Poultry Producers of Honduras
59.-Microfinance Institution Network of Honduras
60.-Association of Coffee Roasters of Honduras
61.-Alliance for Change
62.-Honduras Alliance for Peace and Democracy
63.-City Hall Tegucigalpa
64.-Association for Liberty and Democracy
65.-Honduran Anticorruption Attorneys Bar
66.-Junior Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tegucigalpa
67.-National Economic Research Center CIEN
68.-National Anti-Corruption Council
69.-Foundation for Democracy Without Borders
70.-Permanent Forum of Civil Society
71.-Light Foundation
72.-Municipal Development Foundation FUNDEMUN
73.-Honduran Foundation of Children with Cancer FUNHNICER
74.-Generation X Cambio (1000s of citizens?)
75.-Young Industrials ANDI
76.-PINU Innovation and Unity Political Party
77.-Association for Justice of Honduras
78.-Union of Law Professionals UCPDD
79.-University José Cecilio del Valle
80.-Civic Union in Defense of Democracy
81.-Union Civic Democratic (1000s of citizens?)
82.-Armed Forces Reservists (1000s of citizens)
83.-Retired Military Officers Association of the Armed Forces
84.-Association of parents of public school (moms and dads)
85.-National Civic Association

But how to punish all the other Honduran citizens who support the constitutional government of Honduras led by Roberto Micheletti?
We've run across vegetable vendors on the street, small business owners, taxi drivers, teachers, waiters, housewives, college students, retirees, and more who support the new governmen....Oh, I forgot the US has already taken away all the economic help that could benefit them...