Thailand -> US B2 for Parent

[Eddie & Yana 2]

Hello everyone! Just wanted to say thank you, because you guys helped me get my fiancé over here 7 years ago! Since then she's become an American citizen, we have a beautiful baby girl, and she is amazing. We've been back once to visit her family in Thailand, and now her mom wants to come and stay with us for a month. Here's the situation though:

 

My mother in law is from a hill tribe in Thailand. She has a common-law husband, and three other children in Thailand, none of which are dependents anymore. She has never had a tax paying job, literally living in a village surviving in a community. Her husband isn't applying or coming to visit, because he is not the father of my wife (whose father died ~10 years ago). She also speaks the tribal language Lisu, and very little Thai.

 

We've filled out the I-134 information, and believe that's going to be sufficient, however what we are concerned about is her language ability to communicate with the interviewer.

 

Do they speak English to her? Do they speak Thai? Do we need to hire a translator to translate? If so, to what language? She has super limited Thai.

 

I also hope the fact that she's leaving her husband and her house in Thailand, and maybe that she comes from such a dramatically different culture, and the majority of her children are in Thailand will show that she's going back (which she will).

 

Thanks so much for the help and insight here!

[Crazy Cat 39,218]

The interview can be conducted in her language.  Good luck in getting a tourist visa.  It will not be easy due to the assumption of immigrant intent.

[britishandusa 446]

You do not need to fill out the I-134. She does not plan to stay so why fill it out? She needs to apply for the tourist visa on her own merits, not yours. It will actually hurt her chances of a tourist visa that way.

[geowrian 22,335]

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visitor.html

"Note: Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant's residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa. If you choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember it is not one of the factors used in determining whether to issue or deny the visa. "

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

For those not familiar with Thailand, how common is her dialect? There are always native official language speakers available that she can interview with, but if the language she speaks is very localized and not an official language there may not be anyone who can speak it there. Regardless, the important information is all on the visa application form anyway and the interview probably won’t change whatever decision they have reached beforehand looking at that.

[Boiler 43,429]

Please let us know how it goes.

[Eddie & Yana 2]

Her language is not super common, it would be like finding someone who spoke Navajo in America. There are lots of people, but not around everywhere. There is a slightly higher chance, because there are more tribal people around Chiang Mai. We are sponsoring her trip over here, but her husband, her kids, and her house are in Thailand. We live in a little two bedroom apartment, and entirely different culture and language. She is later in years (60), why would she stay?

[Unlockable 7,306]

13 hours ago, Eddie & Yana said:

 We live in a little two bedroom apartment, and entirely different culture and language. She is later in years (60), why would she stay?

That is a good question. It is the same question we wonder when people who have spouses, kids, and a home in their own country but still use a nonimmigrant visa to come to the US and stay. It happens more than you think and it is the reason why it is difficult for people in some countries to obtain visitor visas.

 

Also, thanks for clearing up the part about sponsoring her trip and not the visa. As you know, there is no official sponsoring of a visitor visa, which is why the I-134 is useless. When you say sponsoring, you are stating that you are just paying for her trip.

Edited October 25, 2018 by NuestraUnion

[Boiler 43,429]

VJ is full of people who have changed their minds.

[Crazy Cat 39,218]

In fiscal year 2017, the B visa refusal rate was only 20.15%........so there is hope...good luck.

[John951 54]

On 10/24/2018 at 3:37 PM, britishandusa said:

You do not need to fill out the I-134. She does not plan to stay so why fill it out? She needs to apply for the tourist visa on her own merits, not yours. It will actually hurt her chances of a tourist visa that way.

How could it be a negative ? If anything I would think it would be a positive.

[geowrian 22,335]

1 hour ago, John951 said:

How could it be a negative ? If anything I would think it would be a positive.

Why would it be a positive?

[John951 54]

Just now, geowrian said:

Why would it be a positive?

Like I said IF ANYTHING it would show that if anything happened this person would not be a burden on the state.... Now can you tell me how it would be a negative to supply an i-134 and letter of invitation ? 

 

I'm not saying supplying those docs help with the visa but I want to know why it's a negative ? 

[geowrian 22,335]

1 minute ago, John951 said:

Like I said IF ANYTHING it would show that if anything happened this person would not be a burden on the state.... Now can you tell me how it would be a negative to supply an i-134 and letter of invitation ? 

 

I'm not saying supplying those docs help with the visa but I want to know why it's a negative ? 

If she has somebody willing to cover her costs while there (even go so far as providing tax returns and/or pay stubs and such to them), there is incentive not to leave. Having ties to the US is by far much more likely to be an issue (214b refusal) than public charge concerns for a tourist visa.

 

But beyond that, my view is it's best to follow the official statements of DOS: neither will be considered.

[John951 54]

6 minutes ago, geowrian said:

If she has somebody willing to cover her costs while there (even go so far as providing tax returns and/or pay stubs and such to them), there is incentive not to leave. Having ties to the US is by far much more likely to be an issue (214b refusal) than public charge concerns for a tourist visa.

 

But beyond that, my view is it's best to follow the official statements of DOS: neither will be considered.

That's if that put much weight on a i-134 as keeping someone in the U.S.. Maybe a person has strong ties to their home country and they are just poor and from a poor country and would need whomever they are visiting to pay for ticket's etc.

 

Plus on the DOS website they state " If you cannot cover all the costs for your trip, you may show evidence that another person will cover some or all costs for your trip."  How are you suppose to show you evidence you will help with costs ? On a simple letter ? A promise to buy plane tickets ? Wouldn't an Affidavit of support be more evidence to show you willingness to cover costs ? On the i-134 you can make the statement as to the reason of the i-134, plane tickets, hotels. travel insurance, as seen on VJ guidelines.