ElQueso said:My poor wife felt humiliated. She cried off and on for days after, and until the last couple of weeks had refused to even try again.
El Queso, her agony is understandable. But, please explain to her, I know many people from 3rd world countries face this all the time from various embassies worldwide especially USA, Canada, UK and Schengen embassies!
The trick is to be very patient, calm, have paper work in order and apply again (after the officially required period) with all paper work. In 3rd world countries, their are lines of people standing all night in front of the embassy ( USA, Schengen, UK etc). So many of the embassy officials are used to treating people from poor countries with disdain! As if everyone trying to go for tourism is a potential immigrant! In many ways their belief is not unfounded. I have personally spent lot of time in NY ( and Argentina) in recent years and regularly used to keep housekeepers in NY when I was there. Most of my housekeepers in NY inevitably turned out to be people who had illegally immigrated! eg Had a Indonesian woman who came on a 3months tourist visa, 10 years ago and never went back. Had a Ukranian woman who came on a student visa and married a American to get a green card. Had a Moroccon woman who came on a 3 months tourist visa many years ago and never went back. etc etc
Of course, your wife's case is different. But US embassy would inevitably assume that she has married you to ultimately immigrate to USA ( and then get divorced). So henceforth, their attitude. I know, its NOT true in your case but US embassy officials have seen 100,000's of cases similar to your case where it does hold true!
Just a few years ago, a friend of mine a Canadian citizen married a woman from a poor country in Asia in a " arranged marriage" via their parents. The girl flew in with him to Canada ( via spouse visa or whatever visa, I am not sure). She lived with him for 1 month or so. And then she went to Canadian police and told her " the man beats me every night!" ( this was NOT true but he could never prove it). To cut long story short - She got divorced from him, court entitled her to a hefty alimony, gave her his house! And you know what she told the guy, why she did all this?! She told him " I married you because this was exactly what my perfectly planned aim was!"
The guy is shattered! Lost all faith in women all over the world! Lives like a recluse!
El Queso, dont get me wrong. Your case is NOT like this. But US embassy/ or all first world country embassies hear stories like these all the time and hence their negative approach.