Wedding Guests

[ghunt2121 1]

So the next hurdle is getting people here from my fiancée´s country (Colombia) for the wedding. We've already decided to do a civil wedding fairly quickly for the advantages of being married and ot avoid any problems with the AOS process.

But then we want to have a church wedding when we can arrange for a few important people to be here. We really want one of her very good friends to be here to be her bride's maid. The woman tried once already and was denied. I don't quite understand why she was denied; she owns a small business, her husband is a school teacher of many years, they have two children and own a small home. She said that the consul asked her twice why her husband wasn't going with her -- we both thought that that was a strange thing for him to focus on.

But anyway... any advice that would help us get someone like that here for the wedding would be appreciated. She is thinking that it would be better to apply for some dort of a family visa, to bring the whole family here, but then onyl use it to come here herself; that doesn't sound like a useful approach to me. But then I didn't think she'd have a problem in the first place, given that she has, in Colombia, a husband, a house, a job/business and two children. Go figure.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

So the next hurdle is getting people here from my fiancée´s country (Colombia) for the wedding. We've already decided to do a civil wedding fairly quickly for the advantages of being married and ot avoid any problems with the AOS process.

But then we want to have a church wedding when we can arrange for a few important people to be here. We really want one of her very good friends to be here to be her bride's maid. The woman tried once already and was denied. I don't quite understand why she was denied; she owns a small business, her husband is a school teacher of many years, they have two children and own a small home. She said that the consul asked her twice why her husband wasn't going with her -- we both thought that that was a strange thing for him to focus on.

But anyway... any advice that would help us get someone like that here for the wedding would be appreciated. She is thinking that it would be better to apply for some dort of a family visa, to bring the whole family here, but then onyl use it to come here herself; that doesn't sound like a useful approach to me. But then I didn't think she'd have a problem in the first place, given that she has, in Colombia, a husband, a house, a job/business and two children. Go figure.

There's no such thing as a "family visa" for visitors. There are some other types of non-immigrant visas, like work visas, that allow family members to come with the primary visa holder. There just isn't anything similar for visitors.

They probably asked why her husband wasn't coming with her because they suspected she was either already divorced or was ditching her husband, and planned to stay in the US, perhaps by marrying a US citizen. They really should eliminate the AOS option for visitors who marry a US citizen. It would make getting tourist visas so much easier for so many people. Anyway, I digress...

Unless her circumstances have changed substantially, it's unlikely they'd approve her if she tried again. One possibility that's similar to what you suggested would be for her AND her husband and children to apply for B2 visas. If the visas are approved then her husband can stay and she can go by herself. Be aware that having a visa doesn't guarantee entry. CBP could still refuse to allow her to enter if they believe she's going to try to immigrate.

[Eric-Pris 1,602]

Unfortunately, you will probably have to do without many of the people you are thinking of inviting from Colombia. The reality is that very few people can actually get a visa from a developing (poor) country. Most of the invitees wil probably not be able to get visas. That's just the reality.

About the friend... if she applies alone, it looks like she may be ditching her family to find an American, especially if she's good looking. Actually, being a young (under 30) female from Central/South America hurts your chances for a tourist visa because they assume you will stay and try to hook an American man. If she applies with the whole family, they may think she's moving the whole family up north. Her best chance is probably to apply with the husband (both coming to wedding), but without the kids. Even though family is not considered "ties" (as told to my wife and I by IO in Costa Rica), it will look better if they left the kids behind.

[Penguin_ie 5,986]

All she can do is try again, and if she has the money, applying for tourist visas for the whole family is a good idea.

Another option would be to have the church wedding back in Colombia, after your wife has her greencard.

[TBoneTX 43,058]

have the church wedding back in Colombia, after your wife has her greencard.

This may be simplest, si man, and it will certainly ensure that the most people from her side will be able to attend.

[Mononoke28 134]

There's no such thing as a "family visa" for visitors. There are some other types of non-immigrant visas, like work visas, that allow family members to come with the primary visa holder. There just isn't anything similar for visitors.

They probably asked why her husband wasn't coming with her because they suspected she was either already divorced or was ditching her husband, and planned to stay in the US, perhaps by marrying a US citizen. They really should eliminate the AOS option for visitors who marry a US citizen. It would make getting tourist visas so much easier for so many people. Anyway, I digress...

Unless her circumstances have changed substantially, it's unlikely they'd approve her if she tried again. One possibility that's similar to what you suggested would be for her AND her husband and children to apply for B2 visas. If the visas are approved then her husband can stay and she can go by herself. Be aware that having a visa doesn't guarantee entry. CBP could still refuse to allow her to enter if they believe she's going to try to immigrate.

I couldn't say it any better.

Diana