Invitation letter

[mendeleev 68]

So, we would like for kids and grandchild to come to the US to visit us. (I wasn't able to sponsor my stepson because he was over 21 when we started our visajourney.)

They tell us that we should send them an invitation letter. As I understand it, such a letter has next to no utility but we'll write one if it will help them feel more confident. Both the step son and his ex-wife, both of whom we would be please to have visit us have traveled abroad in recent years. But one of the current (brand new) passports has no foreign travel stamps. The young grandchild has traveled abroad (Bulgaria, Turkey, that sort of thing) with parents and Russian grandparents on vacations.

Here are the questions:

1. Have any of you written invitation letters to facilitate visits from relatives and, if so, what did you say? I imagine including text on providing for their full support and ensuring their return to Russia so that they can legally visit us in future.

2. Are any of you aware of tourist visa denials for individuals with a history of foreign travel (and associated return to Russia) but with no such travel on the current passport?

[Ning 619]

So, we would like for kids and grandchild to come to the US to visit us. (I wasn't able to sponsor my stepson because he was over 21 when we started our visajourney.)

They tell us that we should send them an invitation letter. As I understand it, such a letter has next to no utility but we'll write one if it will help them feel more confident. Both the step son and his ex-wife, both of whom we would be please to have visit us have traveled abroad in recent years. But one of the current (brand new) passports has no foreign travel stamps. The young grandchild has traveled abroad (Bulgaria, Turkey, that sort of thing) with parents and Russian grandparents on vacations.

Here are the questions:

1. Have any of you written invitation letters to facilitate visits from relatives and, if so, what did you say? I imagine including text on providing for their full support and ensuring their return to Russia so that they can legally visit us in future.

2. Are any of you aware of tourist visa denials for individuals with a history of foreign travel (and associated return to Russia) but with no such travel on the current passport?

The most important aspect of these tourist visa is not the reason for the trip. It always hinges on what absolutely compels the person to return. They must understand how to comply with the strongest ties rule. This means they must demonstrate what factors force them to return. All people with a tourist visa are considered intending immigrants. This must be offset with evidence that indicates they are not able to do so.

You can write whatever you want but it has little bearing on the actual outcome. You for example have no means to ensure the U S govt someone will do anything.

[southernman 29]

I recently wrote 2. One for my MIL and one for my wifes friends. Just keep it basic and state who you are and a law abbiding citizen. State they will be staying with you and all expensives will be paid and provided by you. Also state that you will promise that all visitors will return to their country prior to visa expiration dates. I had them notoarized but it's not needed.

In both cases the consular officers did not even want them or look at them but both were approved.

As for your second question. Many citizens from the RUB countries are denied every day. Some for valid reasons and some unknown reasons. Good luck.

Edited October 27, 2013 by southernman

[Ning 619]

I recently wrote 2. One for my MIL and one for my wifes friends. Just keep it basic and state who you are and a law abbiding citizen. State they will be staying with you and all expensives will be paid and provided by you. Also state that you will promise that all visitors will return to their country prior to visa expiration dates. I had them notoarized but it's not needed.

In both cases the consular officers did not even want them or look at them but both were approved.

As for your second question. Many citizens from the RUB countries are denied every day. Some for valid reasons and some unknown reasons. Good luck.

There can be some problems created by the info provided in such letters. Indicating someone will provide the money required for the trip may appear to make it seem that the person cant afford the trip therefore may become a burden. I know people mean well but this has contributed to problems in the past.

Notaries verify signatures and have nothing to do the content of a document.

As we see here the C O wasn't interested in these letters. This is because anyone can say anything but it doesn't mean its true nor is it required as part of the visa process.

The unknown reasons are usually due to the inability to comply with the strongest ties rule.

Then again we see here some people certainly are granted tourist visas and only by attempting will people find out what will happen in their case.

[southernman 29]

They tell us that we should send them an invitation letter. As I understand it, such a letter has next to no utility but we'll write one if it will help them feel more confident. Both the step son and his ex-wife, both of whom we would be please to have visit us have traveled abroad in recent years. But one of the current (brand new) passports has no foreign travel stamps. The young grandchild has traveled abroad (Bulgaria, Turkey, that sort of thing) with parents and Russian grandparents on vacations.

I agree, letters are not really needed but if a loved one feels more confident then why wouldn't a USC take 5 minutes to write one?

[Ning 619]

I agree, letters are not really needed but if a loved one feels more confident then why wouldn't a USC take 5 minutes to write one?

Every decision is a personal one. These letters have sometimes proven to be the exact reason for a denial because of the content. Such as saying someone other than the applicant will pay the costs. Its sounds good to you and I but not to the C O.

The O P will in the end do as they think is correct. The applicant has one chance to be granted or denied a visa. These cases are often decided before the applicant ever steps up to the window so there is very little chance to explain. To me this means every move must be calculated but the applicant has little experience nor time to do so.

The confidence the applicants seek should be based in the most accurate knowledge of the subject rather than in a letter that may not be used or contributes to the denial.

[southernman 29]

I kind of agree with what you are saying but I think it depends on the situation, country embassy and the facts. If a retired 76 year old woman is barely able to survive day to day in her own country how is she expected to pay for a trip and survive in the US without financial support for up to 3-6 months? Wheather the CO reads an invitation letter or believes it is their own choice. I just think it's a good idea to give them a choice. If the applicant is denied because of whatever reason at least you know that they (CO) had as much info has you could give them. Under no circumstance can I see this action hurting the applicant in THIS case.

[Boiler 43,588]

Much better if they pay their own way, if they can not you already are on the back foot and have no option to say you will bear the costs.

[southernman 29]

You honestly think a CO expects a 76 y/o retired woman to pay her own way and survive in the US for 3-6 months without financial help from her family there? It would be dishonest to pretend that she was capable of this and I really don't think a CO cares who buys her airline ticket and where she stays as long as they believe she won't overstay. How they determine that is anyones guess.

[Ning 619]

I kind of agree with what you are saying but I think it depends on the situation, country embassy and the facts. If a retired 76 year old woman is barely able to survive day to day in her own country how is she expected to pay for a trip and survive in the US without financial support for up to 3-6 months? Wheather the CO reads an invitation letter or believes it is their own choice. I just think it's a good idea to give them a choice. If the applicant is denied because of whatever reason at least you know that they (CO) had as much info has you could give them. Under no circumstance can I see this action hurting the applicant in THIS case.

It certainly does depend on the exact facts surrounding the case. That includes the age and circumstance of the applicant.

I this case I think the letter would help contribute to a denial so we disagree on that point. Given a choice the C O will deny the visa.

A 76 year old in the situation you describe may not be granted such a visa simply because she may need the support of the USC and stay to survive.

[Ning 619]

You honestly think a CO expects a 76 y/o retired woman to pay her own way and survive in the US for 3-6 months without financial help from her family there? It would be dishonest to pretend that she was capable of this and I really don't think a CO cares who buys her airline ticket and where she stays as long as they believe she won't overstay. How they determine that is anyones guess.

The determination is made based on her ability to provide clear evidence that she MUST return. Why would she want to return to a life such as you describe? Who would want to send her back?

[southernman 29]

My 76 y/o MIL was just issued a visa. No ties whatsoever to her country. No family, no job and only an apartment. They approved her in about 5 minutes without wanting to see any evidence or invitation letter. So not every case is cut and dry and most desisions don't make sense. BTW, she will return to her country prior to her visa expiration date because it is the law and she has no desires to live here.

To the OP..sorry for hijacking your thread, I am done here.

[mendeleev 68]

No worries, southernman, I've been around here long enough to know that highjacking occurs and thought it was 50/50 that someone outside RUB, who cannot know RUB-specific consular matters, would highjack the threat. Highjackings need not last forever, though.

I remain interested in learning whether other RUB-folk have addressed these questions in recent years. It is clear that there's been a very substantial liberalization of both tourist and business visas form FSU citizens in the past four or five years compared to the previous US regime. This leads to my interest in learning what RUB folks, especially those with Russian relatives, have had with these issues. In particular, I'm interested whether the previous differences in approval rates between Ekaterinburg and Moscow continue, since this might influence where we decide to apply.

(I remember needed to have a rather eminent Russian research chemist whose work in Russia I sponsored and paid for get denied three times under the Bush regime until he was inexplicably approved the fourth time when I needed him to visit my R&D labs here in the States to transfer technology we had paid for to our domestic laboratories. The Bush regime had a real problem with Russians in general and with supporting us utilitizing them to advance US business interests that we seem to have gotten over these days.)

[vbtwo 54]

2. Are any of you aware of tourist visa denials for individuals with a history of foreign travel (and associated return to Russia) but with no such travel on the current passport?

Yes, I know someone from Ukraine that was denied having a brand new passport with no stamps in it. They asked if person traveled outside the country, person said yes and stamps in old passport. They said to also bring old passport next time and denied.