First timer on B1 visa wants to visit relatives

[ramjane 0]

Hello friends,

I'm from developing country Nepal. I work at local NGO that works in education field for children from remote villages. There is one summit going to happen in USA from mid OCT and one US citizen has invited me for the summit. He lives in North Carolina and the idea is fly there(North Carolina), work with him for few weeks(non paid of course), fly to the summit attend summit and fly back to North Carolina and work for few weeks again and return. My sister and GF are also in near by states. Since it is close to North Carolina I'd like to visit them before or after the program.

Since travelling is extremely rare opportunity for me I've no idea on how this thing works.

1. Is it OK if I want to visit my sister and gf while I'm there? Do I have to mention this during interview or application process?
2. Will embassy be suspicious on granting visa if I'm going there few week earlier than when the program starts?
3. Do I need to present ticket while applying visa? If I do, and if I don't get visa won't I lose the ticket money?

My friend who is inviting me is retired man. He'll fill the form for sponsorship and I'll get invitation letter from summit. I'll also get letter from work indicating that I'm attending the summit. I'll also have land and bank account documents. Is there any document missing?

One more important thing is my gf(undergrad student) is PR holder and will soon be citizen (in two years time). Does this effect my application in any way? Based on search if my this application is denied, my K1 visa in future might have some trouble. My sister had filed for Asylum in her study visa and is currently living there. Will this also effect me? Or should I not mention this at all?

[CC90 90]

You generally can't do any "work", even if it's unpaid.

The sponsorship letter doesn't really mean anything and his commitment to you will not have any effect on your application.

You don't have to get a plane ticket before the visa application. In fact, it's strongly discouraged to do so.

Your sister and girlfriend could affect your application negatively, but to what extent is uncertain.

Unless you lie, getting denied for this visa is unlikely to have any effect on your K1.

[ramjane 0]

I don't mean *work work. I'm helping him in creating opensource educational learning material. We'll be planning, discussing and coding the same.

Doesn't one need sponsorship documentation? I test filled DS-160 and there was a field where it asked who will be paying for this. But no where in the whole process it asked me for additional support documents like letter from summit.

[CC90 90]

I understand what you mean, but you have to be very, very careful with your choice of words when it comes to this. "Work" and "tourist visa" don't go together.

No, sponsorship documentation is not required, but sometimes invitations help. Sometimes specifying that other people are paying can indicate that you don't have enough to support yourself and may not be able to return. Sometimes it's more advantageous the other way. It depends on the context.

At the end of the day, it's all about convincing them you will go back to Nepal and have ample reasons to do so. Conversely, ties to the US work against you.

Best of luck.

[Boiler 43,564]

My sister had filed for Asylum in her study visa and is currently living there. Will this also effect me?

If that does not kill it I have no idea what would.

[ramjane 0]

Will the embassy do background check of my sibling? She filed for Asylum because she couldn't return back. I'm not involved with politics at all and don't need any asylum.

I've bank balance of around $9,000 and my parents has around $15,000. We have land on my mother's name and also house. My ticket and living and all expenses are being beared by US citizen there who invited me for the summit. I want to present all this documents. Do I bring this documents during interview time? But I had seen in this forum that there should be an option to attach them in online application. I didn't see that while I filled the application for test purpose.

I searched but didn't find anywhere on checklist of documents for B1 visa. Any help would be appreciated, specially in the context of Nepal.

May God bless all your kind souls.

[Boiler 43,564]

You have to tell them about your sibling, how are you going to prove you will not do the same thing?

[ramjane 0]

I'll tell them that she is in student visa, which was true until recently.

I don't need to do such stuff as I'm not politically active here, will get chance to file for K-1 in near future. But as suggested earlier I should not tell this to embassy.

[CC90 90]

Right now, spouses of LPRs are current, so you could adjust status right away without her being a citizen. The consulate will know this (and perhaps you do too), so your intentions may not appear genuine.

Clearly they may not be if you come back to this thread just to post that you will be blatantly lying.

In any case, best of luck.

[Boiler 43,564]

But as suggested earlier I should not tell this to embassy.

Who suggested that? I see only the opposite.

[milimelo 4,226]

I'll tell them that she is in student visa, which was true until recently.

I don't need to do such stuff as I'm not politically active here, will get chance to file for K-1 in near future. But as suggested earlier I should not tell this to embassy.

And you don't think they know about your sister claiming asylum? I'd reconsider what you're thinking of writing down in DS-160.

[ramjane 0]

Right now, spouses of LPRs are current, so you could adjust status right away without her being a citizen. The consulate will know this (and perhaps you do too), so your intentions may not appear genuine.

Clearly they may not be if you come back to this thread just to post that you will be blatantly lying.

In any case, best of luck.

She is only student atm. So there is no one to sponsor me. I don't want to lie and risk my chance of getting K1 visa after 18 or so months.

Who suggested that? I see only the opposite.

All the people in this thread.

And you don't think they know about your sister claiming asylum? I'd reconsider what you're thinking of writing down in DS-160.

Instead of lying that I don't have a sister I think I should risk that I've sister and she is in US atm. If they ask what she is doing I'll tell her she is in student visa. She is also kind of independent and not close with the family. She didn't take our consent while taking asylum.

I'll collect all documents to show that I'll be returning home. Rest is on God now.

[CC90 90]

You understand that the only way you can mess up your K1 is by lying right? Your logic is completely wrong.

Getting denied for lack of ties will NOT mess it up.

[Boiler 43,564]

I can not see that ANYBODY except yourself suggested lying about your Sister.

[ramjane 0]

You understand that the only way you can mess up your K1 is by lying right? Your logic is completely wrong.

Getting denied for lack of ties will NOT mess it up.

OK. Then I don't have anything to worry on.

I can not see that ANYBODY except yourself suggested lying about your Sister.

Oh you mean this part. Well I'm not saying I want to lie. I've listed my sister in the form. If they ask I'll just tell them.