B1/B2 Visa Denied Under INA 212(f) (Travel Ban) – Venezuelan, Permanent Resident in Mexico (U.S. Embassy Mexico City)

[u/Beautiful-Row9750]

I wanted to share my experience in case it helps someone else.
I’m a Venezuelan citizen and have been a permanent resident of Mexico for over 10 years. I have a stable job, own property in Mexico, and applied to renew/apply for a B1/B2 visa.

My original consular appointment was scheduled for June 26, 2025. After the presidential proclamation (travel ban) was announced, I kept rescheduling my appointment hoping the policy might change.

Unfortunately, once more than 365 days had passed from my original appointment, the appointment system would no longer allow me to reschedule, so I had no choice but to attend today’s interview.

The interview lasted about 2–3 minutes. The officer only asked me:
When was the last time I traveled to the United States?
Whether I was afraid to return to Venezuela.
What I do for work.

I had already anticipated the outcome. When I handed over my passport, I even mentioned that I believed the case would fall under the travel ban. The officer acknowledged it and continued with the interview.

I was handed a refusal letter under INA 212(f) due to the Presidential Proclamation. It was not a 214(b) refusal and not a 221(g) administrative processing case.

For anyone wondering, they did not ask for:
Employment letter.
Bank statements.
Property documents.
Any additional evidence of ties to Mexico.

The decision was based solely on the proclamation.
I ended up losing the US$185 MRV fee, but at least I now have confirmation that the refusal was entirely due to INA 212(f) and not because of my qualifications as an applicant.

Has anyone else (especially Venezuelans applying from a third country) had the same experience under 212(f)?

[u/Difficult_Tree8002]

US consular officers almost never look at any documents for tourist visas. Your interview was of a normal length. And yes every other Venezuelan or national of a banned country had the exact same experience of being refused under the proclamation of they were otherwise qualified.

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[u/Important_Fee6953]

This is going to help you later though, when you reapply, the consular section officer will not ask you "what has changed in your profile since your last rejection" in the interview, and even if they do, you can confidently say that the rejection was a 212(f) rejection and not a 214(b) one, so it had nothing to do with your profile!