I am a permanent resident here (have been here for 6 years); I am graduating from law school next month. My mom is in Russia; she is 58, a widow, but gainfully employed, has two apartments, good income, and my brother with his family. She has already been denied a visa once (4 years ago). What are her chances of getting a visa to come to my graduation, and what can I do to help the process?

I would really appreciate your advice!

Basically, you can try again. The tourist visa is a crapshoot.

On the one hand, she has a valid reason to return and a good reason to come visit you. (Graduation.) However, the flip side of that is now that you're graduating from law school, maybe mom needs to come here so you two can make a new life together in the States.

The one suggestion I have is for you to fill everything out yourself and then send it to her to submit to the embassy. It only takes a couple days for the interview, so make sure you fill it all out together and send it in one big packet. That way she's ready to go, and that way it looks more like you petitioning for her to visit instead of her asking to visit. I recently got a visa for my sister-in-law this way. I don't know if it was because I did it, but I think it couldn't have hurt. When you have someone in the States "asking" if their relative can come visit them, it's a lot different than someone in Russia "asking" if they can go visit their relative in the States.

Who knows. The only thing you can do is try again. It seems they've been a little more apt to grant visas lately, so that could be in your favor.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how it works out for you.