Maxine* has stood outside the US Embassy in Liguanea more times than she can count, documents in hand, wearing her Sunday best, heart full of hope.

But despite decades of trying, the 61-year-old has never secured the 10-year visa she’s dreamt of since the late 1980s.

“From dem time deh mi a apply fi mi visa and still no get it,” the Kingston resident told THE STAR, her voice a mix of fatigue and quiet defiance. She recalled her first application like yesterday. The fee was just $700.

“Dem time deh, yuh haffi pay yuh money same time and guh in. And if dem tell yuh no, yuh haffi wait whole year before yuh could try again. So if yuh apply inna January, yuh cyaah go back till next January,” she recalled.

Back then, Maxine said she applied every year without fail. But the rising cost has forced her to now skip two or three years before trying again. Her only success came in 2007, when she was granted a single-entry visa and flew to the US to visit her family. She stayed the full six months allowed, returning home just before the visa expired. Since then, she has applied only five more times, most recently in January 2024, but without luck.

“Mi did nervous like every time, but mi haffi try,” she said. “Mi carry mi documents, mi pension book, everything. Dem still she mi nuh show enough ties to Jamaica.”

According to Dr Shauna Chin, vice chair of the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council for the USA West/Midwest, that outcome isn’t surprising, especially for older applicants.

“That’s a very common question that doesn’t always have a straight answer,” Chin said. “It’s usually multifactorial. Most times, agents are going to look for stability and connection to Jamaica.”

Assets, employment, or dependent children can help demonstrate those ties, but they aren’t automatic approvals.

“There are circumstances when persons without those things do get approved. So, it’s difficult to say any one thing,” she added. She stressed that applicants often overlook how important it is to clearly state the purpose of travel.

“Are you going for a wedding? Visiting family? Sightseeing? There has to be a valid reason. That gives the agent context.” She also dispelled the notion that a letter of recommendation from a reputable person will guarantee approval. For retirees like Maxine, age can also work against them.

“The older you are, the more likely you’ll depend on support. If your family can’t supplement your income, then the state may have to. That’s part of the consideration,” said Chin.

And for someone whose adult children and grandchildren live in the US, consular officers may question the likelihood of them returning.

“It all boils down to: what is the incentive for you to come back to Jamaica? If that incentive is low, then the denial rate is going to be high,” said Chin.

According to the US Embassy, common reasons for denial include lack of strong ties to the home country (such as steady employment, family, or property), insufficient financial proof of self-support, previous immigration violations, or missing documentation, which may result in a Section 221(g) denial requiring follow-up.

“Mi nah run off. Mi just wah visit mi family and come home,” Maxine insisted, adding that she has no intention of giving up, as she longs to meet her grandchildren. (Jamaica Star, excluding headline)

*Name changed to protect identity.