"Person paying for trip" if funds will be provided by me to applicant in advance?

[michaelg1 0]

Hello, I'm a US citizen and my girlfriend (university student) is filling out the DS-160 to apply for a B2 visa to visit me in the US for 2 weeks in October. She currently has just enough savings in her account to cover airfare (about $1000). She will be staying with me and I will cover any/all additional expenses during the visit.

Since she has enough money to cover the air tickets, should she put "self" as the person paying for the trip? Or, since her savings is just barely enough to cover the tickets, and I will be covering all other expenses, should she name me as the person paying for the trip? Would I be "friend", "other", or US petitioner? Would it be beneficial or detrimental to have me appear as the person funding her trip? I also intend to provide a letter of invitation/sponsorship if that will help.

We have heard that it is best to show a bank account statement with funds well in excess of the total cost of a visit. I plan to wire money to her account to bring the total up to about $5000. Would the incoming wire transfer record within 6-8 weeks of her interview be detrimental to her application? Or would it still be better to have this appear, but then a larger total savings in her account?

Thanks!

MG

[Cathi 5,611]

if asked she must tell the truth and say that you are her boyfriend. never lie to immigration. There is no such thing as sponsorship or an invitation letter for a b-2., I am not sure why people continue to think there is or where they got the idea in the first place. The person applying must apply and be approved on their own merits and their merits alone.

Edited July 12, 2016 by mimolicious

[michaelg1 0]

Yes, the plan is not to lie and she will definitely be up front about all the facts, but it can be seen as her paying for the trip or me paying for the trip depending on how you look at it.

So we are trying to determine the best selection to make on the DS-160 form, and then if asked for details by the interviewer she will provide all the facts.

Thanks!

MG

[zorus40k 21]

Hello, I'm a US citizen and my girlfriend (university student) is filling out the DS-160 to apply for a B2 visa to visit me in the US for 2 weeks in October. She currently has just enough savings in her account to cover airfare (about $1000). She will be staying with me and I will cover any/all additional expenses during the visit.

Since she has enough money to cover the air tickets, should she put "self" as the person paying for the trip? Or, since her savings is just barely enough to cover the tickets, and I will be covering all other expenses, should she name me as the person paying for the trip? Would I be "friend", "other", or US petitioner? Would it be beneficial or detrimental to have me appear as the person funding her trip? I also intend to provide a letter of invitation/sponsorship if that will help.

We have heard that it is best to show a bank account statement with funds well in excess of the total cost of a visit. I plan to wire money to her account to bring the total up to about $5000. Would the incoming wire transfer record within 6-8 weeks of her interview be detrimental to her application? Or would it still be better to have this appear, but then a larger total savings in her account?

Thanks!

MG

Nature of funds > amount of funds, it doesn't matter when you wired money, big money flow into her account before interview is always very suspicious.

is she employed in her homecountry? What about other strong ties?

Also if they find out you're boyfriend she has huge chances to get denied depending on the officer and her other evidence, because of possible immigration intent.

[NikLR 13,220]

The letter will hinder if not completely blow her chances of a visa. I wouldn't bother with that part at all. Just be truthful in your answers and I don't suggest wiring her a large sum of money she can't honestly say she's earned herself.

[michaelg1 0]

Nature of funds > amount of funds, it doesn't matter when you wired money, big money flow into her account before interview is always very suspicious.

is she employed in her homecountry? What about other strong ties?

Also if they find out you're boyfriend she has huge chances to get denied depending on the officer and her other evidence, because of possible immigration intent.

I was not intending to sneak money into her account, but rather show that she has enough money on hand in her name to not become a "burden of the state" for the duration of the trip. Is it better to not wire the money and just state that I will be supporting her while in the US?

It seems that either way, she should state me as the "person paying for trip" regardless of whether I transfer money to her account, correct? Would I be a "friend", "other", or "US petitioner"?

She is not employed in her home country but studying to become a medical doctor (still has several of class and training left).

The letter will hinder if not completely blow her chances of a visa. I wouldn't bother with that part at all. Just be truthful in your answers and I don't suggest wiring her a large sum of money she can't honestly say she's earned herself.

But if the officer is already aware that I am paying for the trip, due to my name being stated in the DS-160 as the person paying, would it not still be better to provide a signed letter of invitation/sponsorship so that the officer can check and validate the fact?

Thanks for the quick and helpful feedback!

MG

[Boiler 43,506]

Which Country?

[aaron2020 11,651]

All visitor visa applicants are legally presumed to have the intent to immigrate. This presumption can be overcomed by showing strong ties to the applicant's country so that it's unlikely that the applicant would illegally immigrate if granted a visa.

You are not a strong tie to her home country. You are a tie to the US and a reason why she might immigrate. Marry a USC and stay.

An invitation letter is not considered in granting a visa. An invitation letter from a boyfriend can be a reason to deny the visa because the boyfriend is a strong tie to the US.

Moving money into her account sure looks like you are making it seem like she has money. If the money is going to be spent in the US, then why do you have to send it to her and incur wiring fees? To fatten her bank account for the interview.

[JFH 12,189]

I don't know why people are reluctant to reveal the country where the visa applicant is from. Seems to be a common thing here. It would be helpful to know so that people with experience of that embassy can advise.

Anyway, you are her boyfriend. Not her friend. Not "other". And there is no petitioner for a visitor visa. If you start referring to yourself as a petitioner then there is every chance she will be denied. Petitioners are for immigrant visas so they will know that you have been brushing up on how to immigrate.

If you are covering her costs in the USA there's no need to wire the money to her. The CO at the embassy will be very much aware of how much money the average student has at their disposal in that particular country. They know every trick. And that one is the oldest trick in the book.

Edited July 12, 2016 by JFH

[zorus40k 21]

check this link also to see her chances by the average statistics

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY15.pdf

[canadian_wife 1,791]

What country is your girlfriend from? And yes it matters.

What ties does your girlfriend have to her home country? This matters more than if you wire money into her account vs. just paying for everything once she gets to the U.S.

Does she have a job? Does she rent an apartment or have a mortgage?

Good luck

Edit to add - You are not a "U.S. petitioner". You are the boyfriend of a person applying for a tourist visa. There is no petition involved.

Edited July 12, 2016 by canadian_wife

[michaelg1 0]

I don't know why people are reluctant to reveal the country where the visa applicant is from. Seems to be a common thing here. It would be helpful to know so that people with experience of that embassy can advise.

Anyway, you are her boyfriend. Not her friend. Not "other". And there is no petitioner for a visitor visa. If you start referring to yourself as a petitioner then there is every chance she will be denied. Petitioners are for immigrant visas so they will know that you have been brushing up on how to immigrate.

If you are covering her costs in the USA there's no need to wire the money to her. The CO at the embassy will be very much aware of how much money the average student has at their disposal in that particular country. They know every trick. And that one is the oldest trick in the book.

What country is your girlfriend from? And yes it matters.

What ties does your girlfriend have to her home country? This matters more than if you wire money into her account vs. just paying for everything once she gets to the U.S.

Does she have a job? Does she rent an apartment or have a mortgage?

Good luck

Edit to add - You are not a "U.S. petitioner". You are the boyfriend of a person applying for a tourist visa. There is no petition involved.

Certainly, if it helps she is a Philippines national, we met during a scuba diving trip -- we realize the odds are against us for US travel visa but she honestly not applying for this visit with any intent to immigrate and is on track to become an MD at her university in Manila. Whatever the odds we have decided to give it our best effort.

As a full time student she does not have a mortgage or job at the moment, but she does rent her own apartment. She covers her cost of living through a combination of monthly remittance from her father who is working abroad, as well as her own savings from working part time before. Her ties are mostly familial ones, as would be expected for a student, her mother and brothers and large extended family of aunts and uncles and cousins all live in the Philippines still. She does not have any family living in the US.

So I will not bother wiring any money and just plan on covering expenses when she arrives. It seems that it would be best for her to name me as "the person paying for the trip" despite her covering the airfare? And in that case there is no"boyfriend" selection in the drop down menu, so would it be "friend" or "other", with a verbal explanation of the relationship if asked by the officer?

As for the invitation letter, it seems the jury is still out as to whether this would help or hinder? If providing one I would basically just be using it to assure them that I am willing to cover costs of her stay during the two weeks in the US, if they did in fact wish to read it.

Thanks for all the thoughtful insight!

MG

[NikLR 13,220]

It hinders. Everytime someone mentions they included an invitation letter it is always saying their girl/boyfriend or fiancé(e) has been denied their tourist visa.

[aaron2020 11,651]

How is the jury out on the invitation letter? No one here thinks it's a good idea.

[arken 4,197]

The invitation letter means nothing to the CO. In our country, US embassy has in fact banned to bring the invitation letter for visitor visas. The embassy directive says any such things if brought in will be taken by the security.