In the past 4 weeks we have seen a strange and concerning trend from the California Service Center. Denials of Tourist visa extensions as well as student visa requests. Normally, the Service must issue a request for evidence or at least a notice of intent to deny, in order to allow the applicant an opportunity to explain. This trend looks like a a pattern to deny all such cases. Why are they doing this, we are still waiting to find out. The American Immigration Association Lawyers are reporting many denials of I-539s (COS from H-1B to B-1/B-2 or B-1/B-2 extensions) without RFEs (request for evidence) or NOIDs from the California Service Center since early January.
We ask readers to report such denials so we can forward this information to our association liason unit. AILA is collecting this for informational purposes to present to the Service Center, so we can stop this practice once and for all. Please email us your comments.