My ESTA was denied at Shannon airport, and the officer questioned me in a separate room for many hours. They made me sign a sworn statement because something on my phone didn’t make sense to them. They didn’t believe me, and they canceled my ESTA. The officer told me to go to the consulate, saying they would issue me a visa.

I went to the consulate, not expecting any problems, but the officer barely looked at me and denied me. I waited about eight months, went back again, still confused and shocked by the whole experience. This time, I was denied, but the officer told me I was being denied on 214(b) grounds, saying I did not have enough home ties.

At this point, I decided to contact a lawyer. I spoke to Caro, who went through everything with me. She reviewed the sworn statement and said I would need a waiver. We put the waiver application together, and she explained the law, advised me that the officer at the consulate had to recommend the waiver, or I would be back to square one. I went to the consulate, knowing the law. I had a fight on my hand because the officer didn’t wish to recommend the waiver.

Eventually, he agreed and forwarded the waiver to the Washington office that adjudicates waivers. About eight months later, I got confirmation from the consulate that they were approving my waiver and asked me to courier my passport to them. The entire experience was draining because it took so long, and I didn’t know where I stood. But I trusted Caro because she knew the law and told me from the beginning to be patient.

I now have a 10-year tourist visa, and I know how to deal with officers when I am traveling into the United States as Caro has gone through the documents to take with me each time I travel.