US visa problems

Last June 14, my wife and I (Stephania née Zammit) applied for visas at the American Embassy in Floriana as we planned to spend our honeymoon in San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

The visas were issued and we left for San Francisco on October 5. Upon arrival we were stopped by the immigration officers, who said that I had a problem with my visa. My wife's visa was issued as classification 'B1/B2' and mine as classification 'C1'. As we applied for the visas together we did not think of analysing them before we left Malta, although we did not know what classifications B1/B2 and C1 meant.

We were held by the immigration officers for four hours as the officers claimed that I had been issued with a visa for a "crew member" or a passenger "in transit". They told us we were lucky we were not being sent back to Malta. My visa control number 20051875450001 was instantly "cancelled without prejudice" and a temporary waiver visa was issued "FINS#17845123". At San Pedro Perth in Los Angeles, the officers again told me that I had the wrong visa.

Back in Malta I spoke to Michael Troje, the consul at the US Embassy, who did not accept responsibility, saying my visa was correct.

Why was my visa issued with a different code to my wife's (20051875460001)? It seems there is a clear inconsistency between the American Embassy in Malta and the US Department of Homeland Security.

I would also like my visa renewed correctly without incurring any additional fees.