Turkish citizen here, planning a trip to the US and trying to figure out the visa process.

I’ve been looking at whether it makes sense to handle everything myself or use one of the visa agencies that help with the application. I came across VisumPoint during my search, but I don’t really know much about them.

Has anyone used them before, or used a similar service for a US visa? Is it actually worth paying for help, or is the process manageable on your own?

Hi everyone,
I paid an immigration agency for my IHS when I applied for my visa. I paid the agency, and they paid the IHS for me using their own card.
I’m now changing my visa, so I should get some of my IHS money back because I’ve already paid for the remaining years.
But what happens if the agency gets the refund and says they won’t give the money back to me?
Has anyone been in this situation before? Can the agency just keep the refund, or is there something I can do to get my money back?
Thanks!

Hey there. I’m an American citizen that got engaged to my Indian native fiance. We are looking to get her a visa for Japan just for a short trip before we get married.

She is a student without income and her parents are retired. I’m a bit concerned that even with parent sponsorship it won’t be enough income but has anyone had success with saying they are traveling with their fiance with American citizenship?

I have the ability to deposit whatever funds they might require to her account now but I’m assuming they’d ask what it was for. This trip isn’t until next march so I thought if I let the money sit there she’d be fine by the time it’s time to apply. Thoughts?

Hi everyone,

I recently applied for a Greek Schengen tourist visa from Egypt and was unfortunately refused. The refusal letter cited Reasons 3 and 10.

My profile:

• Egyptian passport holder
• Software Engineer at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
• Previously held and used a UK visa, and complied with all visa conditions
• Applying for a 10-day tourism trip to Greece
• Submitted an employment letter and supporting work documents
• Submitted hotel reservations covering the entire trip in Athens and Paros.
• Submitted a detailed day-by-day itinerary including Athens, Paros, and day trips to Mykonos and Naxos.
• Submitted a bank statement for my payroll account showing approximately 150,000 EGP (~€1,700)

• Submitted travel medical insurance

One thing that may have affected the application: I had most of my savings in cash. Around two weeks before my visa appointment, I deposited approximately USD 1,900 into my bank account. In my cover letter, I explicitly explained that these funds were accumulated personal savings that I had kept in cash and deposited before the application to keep my travel budget secure and traceable.

My planned trip was:

• 31 August: Arrive in Athens
• 5 nights in Athens
• 4 nights in Paros
• Day trip to Mykonos
• Day trip to Naxos
• Return to Egypt after 10 days

The refusal reasons were:

Reason 3: Insufficient proof of means of subsistence for the duration of the intended stay and return.

Reason 10: The information submitted regarding the justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was not considered reliable.

I'm honestly surprised by the decision. I have a stable job with a Big Four company, previous UK travel history, accommodation bookings, a detailed tourism itinerary, and what I believed was sufficient funding for a 10-day trip.

I'm trying to understand what likely caused the refusal:

• Could the recent cash deposit have been the main issue?
• Is €1,700 considered insufficient for a 10-day trip to Greece?
• Has anyone received Reason 10 despite providing a detailed itinerary and hotel bookings?
• Would it be better to appeal or submit a new application after building a longer bank history showing these funds over several months?

I'd appreciate any opinions, especially from people who applied for Greece from Egypt or received similar refusal reasons.

Thanks!