Mother-in-law financially challenged for visa.

[Caleb J 1]

Hey guys! So my mother in law wants to visit the U.S to see her daughter(she’s here as a permanent resident.)

 

She spoke to a travel agent who’s told her that her income will be insufficient and they’ll most likely deny her visa. Now I know that we can be the ones that’ll pay for her expenses. I know this won’t guarantee her visa being approved due to other factors involved(ties to country, etc). 

 

My questions are:

 

1. Do I need to send tax returns or will W2s suffice? 

 

2. Do we need so sign an affidavit of support for a tourist visa?

 

3. I’m home in the U.S, so can they accept any scanned (and signed) letters and documents or do they have to be original and signed?

 

4. Do I need to send supporting documents such as copies of birth certificate, U.S passport, driver’s license, etc? Does my wife as well(greencard, ID)?

[aleful 1,905]

hi

 

you don't do anything or send anything. she must qualify on her own merits. she must show strong ties to her country and that she will return

 

and that she has no intent to stay since she has a daughter who could eventually file for her once she is a US Citizen

 

so none of those questions are relevant for a tourist visa.

[Unlockable 7,306]

To answer your questions...

 

1. Nope

2. Nope

3. Nope

4. Nope

 

This is the biggest mistake people make when helping friends and family with tourist visa. You do nothing. They have to apply on their own. There is no sponsorship for a visitor visa. All of the stuff you want to send will not help, in fact, sometimes it actually her her chances because it shows you are capable to take care of her if she decides not to return to her country and live in the US illegally.

 

Evidence from family in the US does nothing. Think about it, if you want to go to China for a visit, due you have to provide all of that that you posted?

 

Best you can do is help her through the application process. You mother will just have to apply with evidence that show strong ties to her country. In other words, the interviewing officer wants to see evidence that she must return to Brazil. Not that she wants to come to the US. Have her apply and see. Sometimes the elderly are able to attain visitor visas.

 

[ItsSunny2Day 17]

Sending you a PM.

[CEE53147 559]

She should stay away from travel agents. If she wants advice, she should see a US immigration qualified attorney.

[T_P 872]

Well I was just waiting for someone to post something similar to this since I went through the exact same situation two months ago. Everything I saw online was exact what @NuestraUnion @aleful are saying BUT in my case I partially agree with that. 

 

Basically I`m a GC holder and wanted my mom and brother (youngish) to come and visit my family here (myself and wife, plus her parents). When I saw all these messages saying that she needs to qualify on her own, there is no sponsorship etc etc I basically almost decided not to pursue her visa anymore but wanted to try anyway. She come from a very simple family, never really travelled abroad, barely nationally, she would need help to fill out all papers, gather everything together etc....

 

Long story short, they were approved and that made me believe that if they were able to do it, anyone can and I will tell you why. My mom doesnt have anything "big" on her name, pays rent, doesnt have a permanent job etc etc....

 

She filled the DS and I reviewed with her everything online, we added that I was going to pay for her try, filled the family section pretty straight forward, got residence, bank statements and company letter proof....from my end, in addition to that I also wrote an invitation letter.

 

So, not only that, we`ve got the rent contract copy, my brothers school contract and a bunch of other papers that could potentially increase her chances of being approved.

 

The day before the interview, I review everything with her, made sure she understood every single paper in case the IO ask her something related. 

 

My moms and brother interview date. They both went, arrived 40 mins before, entered the line, was called to the interview. The IO agent asked where they were going to, how long, when I entered US and how andddd APPROVED. 

 

So I have quite a few points here to mention. While lots of people say that a GC or US Citizen cant really sponsor a B2 visa and whoever is coming needs to qualify on their own and as much as I (partially) agree with that, I also believe that everyone have a different story and that is why you should try it anyways. 

 

Make sure she is prepared and understand the visa process, make sure you collect as much as documentation you can from her side and your side (in my moms case, they didnt use any of my documentation I sent), wont hurt to have it all. Last but not least......

 

To your questions

1- No

2- No

3- They will accept digital docs, doesnt need to be original. I only sent copies

4- I did send my birthcertificate, bank statements, proof of residence etc....

 

Good luck and if you need anything else, send me a PM.

 

 

Ps: I hope that can help other people going through the same situation. And I am not saying that what was said before isnt true, I am basically saying that it is possible.

 

 

[LEISEROM 32]

As an observation my SIL comes here once every year and a half or so from Brazil and stays for a month. Has she ever had trouble getting a visa in the 30 years her sister has lived here. No. Has she ever overstayed. No. She is a self employed psycholgist. They see her comings and goings and there is no problem. 

 

Her husband comes less frequently. He has never had a problem. The one time he came he was the press secretary for a Brazilian Cabinet Minister. The US Immigration guy was impressed. He didnt use his official passport as it was a personal trip.

[Boiler 43,397]

Most people visit without issues, naturally we tend to see the outliers the unusual cases on here.