Bringing Parents to visit after refusal #1

[twofromtunja 0]

Hi All,

Any suggestions/ideas on the following conundrum?

A little background: My wife has been here about two years. (We will be completing the AOS paperwork soon). When she becomes eligible, she will apply for citizenship.

When she first moved here (permanently), her parents asked for a tourist visa and were denied at the embassy in Bogota. Here's my question - I know that after she becomes a citizen, we can apply for them to come here permanently. However, they just want to visit. Will it matter/help once my wife becomes a citizen if they apply for a tourist visa? I'm trying to decide if we should just apply as though they are moving here instead of the tourist visa route. Thoughts? (I know that in order to get a tourist visa they have to show evidence that they have strong ties to Colombia, etc. They had this information at the first interview but they weren't asked to show it).

Also - would it help if my wife or me attended the tourist visa interview?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Boiler 43,619]

They need to be able to address the reason for the prior refusal.

[diadromous mermaid 36]

AOS --> Citizen takes quite some years. Unless they come up with better evidence of an intent to remain residing in Colombia, they might have to be prepared to wait

Hi All,

Any suggestions/ideas on the following conundrum?

A little background: My wife has been here about two years. (We will be completing the AOS paperwork soon). When she becomes eligible, she will apply for citizenship.

When she first moved here (permanently), her parents asked for a tourist visa and were denied at the embassy in Bogota. Here's my question - I know that after she becomes a citizen, we can apply for them to come here permanently. However, they just want to visit. Will it matter/help once my wife becomes a citizen if they apply for a tourist visa? I'm trying to decide if we should just apply as though they are moving here instead of the tourist visa route. Thoughts? (I know that in order to get a tourist visa they have to show evidence that they have strong ties to Colombia, etc. They had this information at the first interview but they weren't asked to show it).

Also - would it help if my wife or me attended the tourist visa interview?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Mononoke28 134]

Also - would it help if my wife or me attended the tourist visa interview?

No. The COs don't care about your wife's status when it comes to their tourist visas.

Also - would it help if my wife or me attended the tourist visa interview?

Again, no for the same reasons.

Bottom line is, there is nothing for certain when it comes to these types of visas. They either get them or they don't. Sure, it sometimes helps to show strong ties in Colombia that will guarrantee their return, but in many cases, it doesn't even matter.

The best thing would be to try again, and again, and again until they get approved or until your wife becomes a US citizen and files for them.

Diana

Edited November 10, 2008 by Mononoke28

[twofromtunja 0]

Also - would it help if my wife or me attended the tourist visa interview?

No. The COs don't care about your wife's status when it comes to their tourist visas.

Also - would it help if my wife or me attended the tourist visa interview?

Again, no for the same reasons.

Bottom line is, there is nothing for certain when it comes to these types of visas. They either get them or they don't. Sure, it sometimes helps to show strong ties in Colombia that will guarrantee their return, but in many cases, it doesn't even matter.

The best thing would be to try again, and again, and again until they get approved or until your wife becomes a US citizen and files for them.

Diana

Thanks for the help...I was basically thinking that was the case but wanted to see if anyone thought I was missing something.

One point of clarification - Once my wife becomes a citizen, she can petition for her parents to come here as perm. residents, right? And parents fall into the same category as children, right? (i.e. they don't have to wait in "line" for as long, like brothers/sisters). Is that about a 12 month process from the time of filing to the granting of a visa?

Thanks for the help! Unfortunately, it seems like we'll end up petitioning her parents to come as perm. residents even though really they only want to come and visit...uggghhh...

[Mononoke28 134]

Yes, they don't have to wait for a visa number so their process should take about 12 months or so. Keep in mind that if they do get their permanent residency they can't stay outside of the US for more than 12 months. It's best if they keep it down to 6 months only. So that's one important factor to consider before filing.

Diana

[Boiler 43,619]

Yes, they don't have to wait for a visa number so their process should take about 12 months or so. Keep in mind that if they do get their permanent residency they can't stay outside of the US for more than 12 months. It's best if they keep it down to 6 months only. So that's one important factor to consider before filing.

Diana

Even that could be dangerous, better move only if they want to move to the US.

Medical Insurance anyone?

[kokobearus 4]

Yes, they don't have to wait for a visa number so their process should take about 12 months or so. Keep in mind that if they do get their permanent residency they can't stay outside of the US for more than 12 months. It's best if they keep it down to 6 months only. So that's one important factor to consider before filing.

Diana

Even that could be dangerous, better move only if they want to move to the US.

Medical Insurance anyone?

I know somebody who came here as a permanent resident cause her daughter petitioned her. But she don't really want to stay in the US for good so when she arrived here,after 8 months,she went to a field office and changed her PR to a tourist visa,and they did it so,that might be one of your choices.

[twofromtunja 0]

Yes, they don't have to wait for a visa number so their process should take about 12 months or so. Keep in mind that if they do get their permanent residency they can't stay outside of the US for more than 12 months. It's best if they keep it down to 6 months only. So that's one important factor to consider before filing.

Diana

Even that could be dangerous, better move only if they want to move to the US.

Medical Insurance anyone?

I know somebody who came here as a permanent resident cause her daughter petitioned her. But she don't really want to stay in the US for good so when she arrived here,after 8 months,she went to a field office and changed her PR to a tourist visa,and they did it so,that might be one of your choices.

I was wondering if anyone had ever tried that route...It makes sense that if someone got here as a permanent resident but then wanted to switch to a tourist that a field office might be able to help facilitate that.

Does anyone have any hints/stories about how hard it is to get a parent in as a PR? I know there are some income guidelines for the sponsoring person, but anything other than that? Does the intending incoming parent have to show that they are committed to leaving their home country?

[Mononoke28 134]

I've never heard of switching your immigration status from a Permanent Resident to a tourist but if anyone has more info on this, please share.

Bringing parents over as PRs is one the easiest things to do. Just file the I-130 for each one and then follow the instructions once the petitions are approved and process but the NVC. That's pretty much it for the process.

Diana

[sunrise2978 0]

Hi all,

I wanted to share my experience with US consulate regarding visa refusal for my parent.

I recently became US citizen (august 2008)

Back in the spring 2008 my mother apply for a tourist visa in US consulate office in Jakarta, Indonesia but was denied, although she has been in the us before in 2002 and only stay for 30 days, they cannot approve her visa application this time due to my previous history with us immigration.

My history:

I entered the us with a tourist visa in 2000 then went back home in time, I have never over stay. I went back to US in 2001 still with tourist visa then got married. the decision of marrying my husband at the time was so quickly. we were just friend before that. then we fell in love and decide to get married while I'm still in the US. We've got married within 1 month and 1 week after I came for the 2nd time. At the time I was had no clue about US immigration procedure. The bottom line is I didn't have any plan or intent to get married with a tourist visa when I entered the US.

Back to my mother visa application,

The US consulate had told me through email that they are suspecting my mother to do the same as me. they think that as soon they granted her a tourist visa, she will immediately immigrate to amerika and change her status to permanent resident later on in the US. Just like I did in the pass. They also told me that my mother did not have strong enough ties to her country even thou she has a house, her two other children, a bank account. And somewhat strong ties with the US. My father passed away 3 years ago and yes she didn't have a job, she never work her whole life and now she is an old women. But please remember that they had granted her a visa in the pass.

Then I thought at that time what if my mother give another try to re apply for a visa after I become citizen? in my mind it will be so ridiculous is they still deny her application. so I was very confident last week that my mother would get her visa.

O boy...I was wrong, they deny her again for the second time, still with the same reasons. regardless of my status has already changed from GC holder to citizen. My problem will be solve very easy (or will not easy after all after all of these mess??) if my mother willing to come and stay as a green card holder. I could sponsor her since I'm fully eligible to sponsor my parent (or can't I?) I knew that written somewhere as one of the benefits becoming us Citizen is; to sponsor your immediate relative. But unfortunately my mother do not want to live in the US and therefore I can't force her to do so.

So folks what do you think? Has anybody ever ask for help from any politician such of US senator or congressman?

I'm so pissed right now, as a US citizen I felt embarrassed to my own mother because of this. I felt there is no point of becoming citizen if I can't even bring her here to visit me. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciate it.

Hi All,

Any suggestions/ideas on the following conundrum?

A little background: My wife has been here about two years. (We will be completing the AOS paperwork soon). When she becomes eligible, she will apply for citizenship.

When she first moved here (permanently), her parents asked for a tourist visa and were denied at the embassy in Bogota. Here's my question - I know that after she becomes a citizen, we can apply for them to come here permanently. However, they just want to visit. Will it matter/help once my wife becomes a citizen if they apply for a tourist visa? I'm trying to decide if we should just apply as though they are moving here instead of the tourist visa route. Thoughts? (I know that in order to get a tourist visa they have to show evidence that they have strong ties to Colombia, etc. They had this information at the first interview but they weren't asked to show it).

Also - would it help if my wife or me attended the tourist visa interview?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Boiler 43,619]

Best bet would be to go and visit her. You can see the rest of your family at the same time.

Becoming a Citizen actually made the situation harder for a Visitor Visa.

[twofromtunja 0]

Best bet would be to go and visit her. You can see the rest of your family at the same time.

Becoming a Citizen actually made the situation harder for a Visitor Visa.

"Becoming a Citizen actually made the situation harder for a Visitor Visa." Why? This doesn't make sense. If she is able to financially support her mother, she could file for her to come as a PR and she would get to "skip" to the front of the line and immigrate.

You're right - the best bet is to go and visit her. However, I certainly understand wanting to have a mother come and visit. Telling someone to go and visit their mother is infinitely easier, but come on...are you a CO? Because that, sadly, seems to be the answer many people get because it's "easier." Meanwhile, honorable and law-abiding foreign parents are left to feel like pariahs and second-class citizens because COs seem to look for any reason to deny.

I plan to wait for my wife to become a citizen, pay the exorbanant fee for my mother-in-law to immigrate as a PR, have her stay for a month or so, and then she'll abandon her PR status by returning to her home country. Stupid, yes. Necessary because of immigration roadblocks? Yes. Maddening when confronted with the millions of illegal immigrants? Yes. Welcome to the USA!!!

[Boiler 43,619]

"Becoming a Citizen actually made the situation harder for a Visitor Visa." Why? This doesn't make sense. If she is able to financially support her mother, she could file for her to come as a PR and she would get to "skip" to the front of the line and immigrate.

PR's can not sponsor parents, Citizens can.

You're right - the best bet is to go and visit her. However, I certainly understand wanting to have a mother come and visit. Telling someone to go and visit their mother is infinitely easier, but come on...are you a CO? Because that, sadly, seems to be the answer many people get because it's "easier." Meanwhile, honorable and law-abiding foreign parents are left to feel like pariahs and second-class citizens because COs seem to look for any reason to deny.

She wants to see her mother, could wait forever for her to come here.

Probably more an isssue with the system, the CO's know that too many forget to go home and there is no effective system to make them.

I plan to wait for my wife to become a citizen, pay the exorbanant fee for my mother-in-law to immigrate as a PR, have her stay for a month or so, and then she'll abandon her PR status by returning to her home country. Stupid, yes. Necessary because of immigration roadblocks? Yes. Maddening when confronted with the millions of illegal immigrants? Yes. Welcome to the USA!!!

Well you got to vote for them. I did not.

[twofromtunja 0]

"Becoming a Citizen actually made the situation harder for a Visitor Visa." Why? This doesn't make sense. If she is able to financially support her mother, she could file for her to come as a PR and she would get to "skip" to the front of the line and immigrate.

PR's can not sponsor parents, Citizens can.

I know PRs can't sponspor parents. Citizens can. Maybe I misunderstood. What I was saying was that when she becomes a Citizen, it shouldn't be MORE difficult for her mother to obtain a visa. In reality, it probably doesn't matter. However, if anything it should be better that she's now a citizen because the a rationale could be that "if the citizen really wanted her mother to immigrate, she could file and the mother could immigrate legally," rather than applying for a tourist visa and then planning to overstay.

You're right - the best bet is to go and visit her. However, I certainly understand wanting to have a mother come and visit. Telling someone to go and visit their mother is infinitely easier, but come on...are you a CO? Because that, sadly, seems to be the answer many people get because it's "easier." Meanwhile, honorable and law-abiding foreign parents are left to feel like pariahs and second-class citizens because COs seem to look for any reason to deny.

She wants to see her mother, could wait forever for her to come here.

Probably more an isssue with the system, the CO's know that too many forget to go home and there is no effective system to make them.

I plan to wait for my wife to become a citizen, pay the exorbanant fee for my mother-in-law to immigrate as a PR, have her stay for a month or so, and then she'll abandon her PR status by returning to her home country. Stupid, yes. Necessary because of immigration roadblocks? Yes. Maddening when confronted with the millions of illegal immigrants? Yes. Welcome to the USA!!!

Well you got to vote for them. I did not.