Applying as a group or individually

[Alianza Terps 12]

Hello everyone,

My in-laws are going to apply for tourist visas to come to our wedding celebration. My husband came on a K1 visa and we have been legally married almost a year now. We are finally having our wedding celebration this Summer.

My mother-, father-, and sister-in-law live in Peru and are all applying for visas to come to our wedding. Would it be better for them to apply together as a group or each apply individually? If they apply in a group and one of them gets denied or fails to show strong ties, will the whole family then get denied?

My sister-in-law is 30 years old and has a solid job with a good salary. Mother-in-law is in her 50's and has had the same job for over 20 years. Father-in-law is around 60 and has been shifting jobs for the past few years.

They own cars and property. All of their family and friends (and their puppy!) live in Peru.

We are going to provide them each with a letter of invitation (or one group invitation) and wedding invitation to show proof of the event. Do you think it is also necessary to provide them with venue contracts or other event planning related items?

Please provide us with any advice or information that you think will help increase their chances of getting approved for a tourist visa. We really appreciate your time and help!!!

Thank you!!!

[canadian_wife 1,791]

IT does them no good for them to prove why they must visit the US so your venue contracts are unnecessary.

Group or whole, I don't think it matters. If your FIL applies to attend his son's wedding the immediate question will be "why isn't your wife going?" and then the cat is out of the bag, although the family didn't apply together, it will be clear that they are all planning on going together

Good luck

[Alianza Terps 12]

Thank you for your input. Do other people agree that evidence of the wedding and contracts are not necessary?

My FIL does not have as strong of ties (such as steady or long term employment) as my SIL and MIL. If he is denied the visa, will my SIL and MIL will be denied too?

Again, thanks for any help or advice on this matter.

[Noah Lot 387]

if they try to 'divide and conquer' (that is, apply separately in order to fool the VOs into thinking that these people are unrelated and going off by themselves)...well consider this....I have heard that many consulates around the world have some special software that alerts them to applicants applying from the same address, and going to the same destination....and if they 'ring the bell'...what will they say? This sort of thing could easily make the VOs draw the wrong conclusion...that something is not right, that all of this effort to evade the truth has some other purpose...and what do you think the outcome is likely to be?

What is wrong with applying together and telling the truth?

[Noah Lot 387]

Imagine this scenario: your MIL applies alone, is asked why her husband is not traveling to this event, and she makes up some silly story about him being ill or 'too busy' at work, etc....then, two weeks later, he shows up...and is asked why his wife isn't going to this event...and he makes up some silly story...but meanwhile, the VO does a quick bit of research and finds out instantly that the MIL was just at the consulate two weeks ago, and had told a different story....this would be a great way to (a) have the FIL denied and (b) have the MIL's visa revoked....because the VO will ask him/herself....why all the phony stories to get a visa? The VO does NOT have to prove that these two were up to something....mere suspicion will suffice....a word to the wise....stop playing games and trying to out maneuver the VOs...because when you do not succeed, the penalty is a loss of credibility that could take years to regain.....

[Alianza Terps 12]

Thank you for your advice. No one had any intention of providing a phony story or anything to that nature. We are just trying to make sure we are doing and considering everything to the best of our ability to increase their chances of getting the visa. Deception or lying was never an option nor intention.

Does anyone know whether if one person in a group gets denied if the whole group is automatically denied??

Again, we are just trying to be informed and prepared

Edited April 23, 2012 by Alianza Terps

[Noah Lot 387]

Thank you for your advice. No one had any intention of providing a phony story or anything to that nature. We are just trying to make sure we are doing and considering everything to the best of our ability to increase their chances of getting the visa. Deception or lying was never an option nor intention.

Does anyone know whether if one person in a group gets denied if the whole group is automatically denied??

Again, we are just trying to be informed and prepared

If there is no deception, why are you considering having them apply separately? That is not logical.

As far as one member being denied affecting others, well, that depends....if one presents fake docs, those of the remaining members of said group will be placed under a microscope.

Now, sometimes, two adults may be approved, but their young adult child (18-20-ish) might be denied due to lack of ties or other reasons that have nothing to do with the parents.

Again, trying to fool the VOs with the 'divide and conquer' strategy may easily backfire and then what?

Writing letters apologizing will only fill their wastebaskets....

[Boiler 43,433]

There is no Group application.

[Peter&Jaime 1]

Good luck. It's hard to get tourist visas to the USA for Peruvians.

[Alianza Terps 12]

If there is no deception, why are you considering having them apply separately? That is not logical.

As far as one member being denied affecting others, well, that depends....if one presents fake docs, those of the remaining members of said group will be placed under a microscope.

Now, sometimes, two adults may be approved, but their young adult child (18-20-ish) might be denied due to lack of ties or other reasons that have nothing to do with the parents.

Again, trying to fool the VOs with the 'divide and conquer' strategy may easily backfire and then what?

Writing letters apologizing will only fill their wastebaskets....

While I appreciate your advice, you posts can come off slightly abrasive and assumptive. The reason that I'm asking this question is to help my family make good, informed decisions. It is not necessarily easy to coordinate the complicated schedules of everyone with their work and other obligations so that they attend the embassy at the same time but we would like to know if there are consequences if they attend as a group or if it looks favorably or not by doing so. From the previous posts, I believe that answer is that it does not really matter since they will be telling the consulate they are traveling together anyway, but they should try to go to the interview as a group.

No one is presenting fake documents and that does not really answer my question.

More related to my question is in the second part of your post - I would just like to know if the denial of one person would then affect the approved visas of the other adults in the interview. Perhaps there is no good answer for this since it is all up to the discretion of the officer anyway...

[aaron2020 11,651]

Thank you for your advice. No one had any intention of providing a phony story or anything to that nature. We are just trying to make sure we are doing and considering everything to the best of our ability to increase their chances of getting the visa. Deception or lying was never an option nor intention.

Does anyone know whether if one person in a group gets denied if the whole group is automatically denied??

Again, we are just trying to be informed and prepared

There are no "group" visas. Every visitor visa applicant is evaluated based on his/her circumstances. Each apply on their own merits even if all the applications are submitted together.

[Noah Lot 387]

While I appreciate your advice, you posts can come off slightly abrasive and assumptive. The reason that I'm asking this question is to help my family make good, informed decisions. It is not necessarily easy to coordinate the complicated schedules of everyone with their work and other obligations so that they attend the embassy at the same time but we would like to know if there are consequences if they attend as a group or if it looks favorably or not by doing so. From the previous posts, I believe that answer is that it does not really matter since they will be telling the consulate they are traveling together anyway, but they should try to go to the interview as a group.

No one is presenting fake documents and that does not really answer my question.

More related to my question is in the second part of your post - I would just like to know if the denial of one person would then affect the approved visas of the other adults in the interview. Perhaps there is no good answer for this since it is all up to the discretion of the officer anyway...

First, you did not state that they planned to tell the VOs that they are planning to travel together...you just asked is it somehow better if they apply separately...and all too often people have done this to try and give a false picture of a given situation; hence my response.

Second, I never said that any of your family members are planning to bring fake docs...I mentioned this because again, many people have applied as a family unit, but one member (often the parent) has offered a fake bank statement or invitation from a non existent business or convention...doing this could compromise everyone...

Third, most group applications are people going for sporting events (karate, other sports) dance groups, singing, etc..(and many of those groups in developing countries are filled with imposters, in which case one bad apple could spoil the entire group's chances)

Families applying together are typically interviewed separately (except H/W)...all adult (18+) children would be interviewed separately most of the time (kids no)...other relatives applying on the same day would be dealt with separately...

your original post made it sound as though the separating of the family is being considered to give the VO a false picture...that is not wise, hence my response....if, however, each family member acknowledges during their own interview that everyone eventually plans to travel together, that is fine....

Do not be surprised if the young adult relative is denied while your parents are approved...this could easily happen.

INconsistent answers from your parents (one of them) could affect the outcome...

rememeber, the VOs do not have the luxury of spending inordinate amounts of time with each applicant....and first impressions are vital.

[Alianza Terps 12]

First, you did not state that they planned to tell the VOs that they are planning to travel together...you just asked is it somehow better if they apply separately...and all too often people have done this to try and give a false picture of a given situation; hence my response.

Second, I never said that any of your family members are planning to bring fake docs...I mentioned this because again, many people have applied as a family unit, but one member (often the parent) has offered a fake bank statement or invitation from a non existent business or convention...doing this could compromise everyone...

Third, most group applications are people going for sporting events (karate, other sports) dance groups, singing, etc..(and many of those groups in developing countries are filled with imposters, in which case one bad apple could spoil the entire group's chances)

Families applying together are typically interviewed separately (except H/W)...all adult (18+) children would be interviewed separately most of the time (kids no)...other relatives applying on the same day would be dealt with separately...

your original post made it sound as though the separating of the family is being considered to give the VO a false picture...that is not wise, hence my response....if, however, each family member acknowledges during their own interview that everyone eventually plans to travel together, that is fine....

Do not be surprised if the young adult relative is denied while your parents are approved...this could easily happen.

INconsistent answers from your parents (one of them) could affect the outcome...

rememeber, the VOs do not have the luxury of spending inordinate amounts of time with each applicant....and first impressions are vital.

:thumbs: