If you mentioned that you had a girlfriend in the US, then that would be the main reason why they refused you, not because you don't have strong ties to your home country. When immigration officials discover this little but crucial bit of info, unfortunately, it is used against the individual and they automatically assume you would want to stay in the country illegally. They see this equation:

foreigner + US girlfriend = illegal immigrant

Where foreigner in this case is ANY nationality, not just Brits. They see you as a threat to illegal immigration, no matter how many financial documents you show them that you will not recourse to public funds, etc. They just see that equation and nothing else. Sad, but true.

On the other hand, you did not need to apply for a 6 month visa at all, since you can enter and leave anytime you wish as long as it is no more than 90 days. That is a privilege not all people enjoy. With you applying for a longer stay visa, that triggered them to think you have plans of satying there illegally. Don't even try to think that by applying for a K-1 (fiance visa) that they will trust you. A lot of K-1 applications get turned down as well.

My suggestion for you is, wait a few months, roughly around half a year. And then just go to the US with your visa waiver bit. MAKE NO MENTION of any girlfirend in immigration, and just say that you are there for a holiday, visit friends, etc. Anything, except mentioning a girlfriend.

Should you wish to marry your girlfriend, just go there and get married under civil rites. That is considered legal in the US. Afterwhich, your new wife can apply you a SPOUSE VISA instead.

 

I totally understand!

Hello rararabbits!

I totally understand why you are angry and disappointed! I am in the same exact situation except that I am French. I've been back and forth between countries for the past year. My boyfriend is a US citizen. 2 months ago I decided to apply for a 6 months visa as the custom officers were more and more skeptical about my situation...My visa got denied for the same excat reasons and in the same circumstances as you. No "strong ties", no explanation at all, no answers to my questions on what I should change to get a visa...Fully pissed off, I decided to go anyway eventhough the immigration officer had told me that I would be automatically refused under the Waiver Program.
Well, that happened!
I left 2 weeks later and got deported at Boston aeroport! I can't tell you if it was only because of the fact that they saw that I had been denied for a visa before, but it definitely had something to do! They kept me in their office for more than 2 hours, didn't know exactly what to do with me (yep! the wonderful "human factor"!) and then tried as hard as they could to find a "good" reason to deport me : they found out that I had overstayed 1 hour during a trip to the US from September to December...Trust me, that's bullshit! But you can't say anything...or they get really pissed off!
This time, they told me that I was definitely forbidden to enter the US under the Waiver Program, but that supposely I could try to come back with a visa!! Well, hard to get a visa when you have all those evidences that , for them, you fucked up several times in the past!
So now, I talked to a lawyer who advised me to not even try to get another tourist visa and to try a student visa or an internship visa...But it would be hard anyway now to convince the Ambassy that I'm not trying to get in the US any way I can find and then stay illegaly! I've been here (Paris) for 2 months now..and I miss my boyfriend so much!!!
I'm waiting to make an appointment to get a student visa as I registered in UCLA for the summer...
There is no rule about how much time you can spend or not between two trips to the US, trust me! The thing totally depends on who you talk to and if this person is in a good mood or not this day!! Anyone, even a lawyer will tell you that! And that's why it is so annoying!!
Polkasweetie is right. They just don't like the fact that you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend in the US. It is whey too dangerous for the them!

Don't hesitate to contact me if you need more information! I've been dealing with this shit for a while now, so maybe I could help you!

xxxxxooooxxxxxx