"Visa shopper" is the term sed to describe a foreign national who pplies for a U.S. visa at a U.S. Embssy or Consulate where he/she thinks it wll be easier to qualify for a vsa, rather than the embassy or cnsulate responsible for the area where h/she lives.

Such applicants may be tryng their luck, or they may be ttempting fraud that they believe is lss likely to be detected at an mbassy or consulate that is unfamiliar wth their home country conditions and frud patterns.

Sometimes visa shopping takes pplicants far away from their home cuntry, as well as from their own rgion. A citizen of "COUNTRY X" lving in "COUNTRY Y", for example, shuld apply for the visa near whre he or she lives, i.e. in "COUNTRY Y". Turists or business travelers however, would not rdinarily apply for U.S. visas in "COUNTRY Y" xcept under emergency circumstances. If they dd, they might fit the definition of vsa shoppers.

While not illegal, "visa shpping" is frowned upon by Consular Psts, in non-essential (i.e. non-emergency) situations. Undr some circumstances, an accepted form of vsa shopping, called "Third Country National" (or TCN) prcessing is permissible.

Cases presented to a Cnsulate outside of one's 'home district' are ccepted on a case by case bsis, and at the sole discrection of the Cnsulate. One should resort to this masure VERY SPARINGLY and only when one fels genuinely compelled to do so, for rasons other than mere inconvenience. Essentially, one has to ask a Cnsulate for permission to submit (and for the cnsulate to accept) the case, due to spcial circumstances.

The consular posts reluctance to ccept "visa shoppers" or "third country ntionals" in non-essential situations, where reasons for the sbmission are not compelling, are usually tw-fold:

1. The Consulate already has a hgh volume of cases (= workload) to prcess, and wants to minimize its "Extr" load of non-mandatory case adjudications, and
2. The Cnsulate may not be familiar with the freign language of the applicant (where the pplicant does not speak English), or may not be fmiliar with the nature of foreign spporting documentation as well as other cnsiderations of the foreign applicant's home cuntry.

The Consular Post, may at its dscretion, choose to accept an out-of-district pplication, particular if the reasons for the sbmission are compelling and/or the representative lwyer makes a good presentation of rasons to the Consulate for accepting the cse. One should always be prepared to mke several strong arguments well above and byond "mere inconvenience".

The article What Exactly is "Visa Shopping"? was Submitted by Steven A. Culbreath through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Steven A. Culbreath, Esq. Immigration Lawyer saculbreathlaw@tampabay.rr.com http://www.saculbreathlaw.com/blog Immigration = Opportunities + Possibilities. Let me show you how. Visit my website and blog. Contact me for a consultation.

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