Bringing mom over for longer than 6 months

[Mrs D. 13]

Good afternoon folks,

I just started looking into our options but have not been able to really dig into it yet. I was wondering if you would share your thoughts on the subject.

My hubby and I will be having a baby in about 6 months and I would really like my mom to come over to help us out. We are moving pretty far from my husband's family, he works some long hours and I will not have anybody around. I will also have to return to work as soon as possible and I thought having my mom here would be a great solution for everybody. The problem is - it sounds like visitors visas are issued for 6 months at a time max and we would like to have her here for longer than that.

We have no intension on having her settle here - she would not want to anyway, but a year or two would be a great help, especially since I really want the baby to speak Russian and have family around instead of a sitter.

I was wondering if getting her a temporary worker visa would be an option? Kind of like an au-pair.. We would have to support her anyway - why not call it a salary...

Or is a visitor's visa still an option?

What do you folks think?

Thanks a lot for your time

[canadian_wife 1,791]

Being your child's care giver is not a classification of work visa. She cannot come over here as your babysitter

To be an au-pair, she'll have to apply through a certified agency and even then the red-tape is lengthy

Visitors visa is likly your option' however, they will not admit her for 2 years. she'll be admitted, at most, for 180 days. Then she may apply for an extension but must provide a valid reason, again caring for your child is not likely enough reason to grant her an extension

However. she may use her tourist visa, stay for the allotted time, and then try for re-entry after she leaves

Good luck

[Mrs D. 13]

Thank you very much for your input!

That's what I was afraid of - I should know by now it could not be that easy

Hubby thinks it would still be great if she could come over even for a few months.

One more quick question - from the moment a visitor's visa is issued, how long is it normally valid for entry? (so we can try to time it right)

[bryn&ellen 13]

I have a friend who lives in Maryland, her mom entered the US in a tourist visa. Her mom was only allowed to stay 6 months, so before her stay expires, they applied for an extension and her mom got approved so she was able to stay a year with my friend to help taking care of the two grandchildren.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

"taking care" especially if the parent leave to work during it is work and illegal on a visitors visa. Even though it usually isn't caught it can lead to some big troubles.

[Penguin_ie 5,986]

With tourist visas, it's normally a ten year multi-entry, ie once issues, she can use it anytime within the next ten years, as long as she spends more time out of the USA than in.

I agree with the others- try for a tourist visa, have her stay the 6 months and BEFORE it expires, you can request an extension.

[Mrs D. 13]

Thanks a lot everyone for your replies!

[Zee Bee 61]

With tourist visas, it's normally a ten year multi-entry, ie once issues, she can use it anytime within the next ten years, as long as she spends more time out of the USA than in.

I agree with the others- try for a tourist visa, have her stay the 6 months and BEFORE it expires, you can request an extension.

For some countries it is 5 years (like Ghana) depending on the reciprocity schedule: http://travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_3272.html

[Mrs D. 13]

Thank you - much appreciate it!

For some countries it is 5 years (like Ghana) depending on the reciprocity schedule: http://travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_3272.html

[Jojo92122 1,924]

Thank you very much for your input!

That's what I was afraid of - I should know by now it could not be that easy

Hubby thinks it would still be great if she could come over even for a few months.

One more quick question - from the moment a visitor's visa is issued, how long is it normally valid for entry? (so we can try to time it right)

A visitor visa can be valid for one entry until a certain expiration date or a visa good for multiple visits over a year, 5 years, or 10 years. It is up to the discretion of the Consular Officer and the particular US Embassy/Consulate.

[rika60607 215]

Yeah, and better not breath a word about "helping with a grandchild" - her tourist visa would be automatically denied, as it is illegal to help with the grandchildren in the US if grandparent is not work-authorized.