Tourist Visa for my Mom

[Sherryll T. 3]

Hi there! So my mom finally agreed to come to US for a visit. I just want to ask you guys if what window at USEM (Philippines) can she ask for an interpreter? she can understand & speak english as well but she prefer to use her native language for her to be comfortable with her interview. Any help or knowledge on this is highly appreciated. Thanks everyone!

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

1 hour ago, Sherryll T. said:

Hi there! So my mom finally agreed to come to US for a visit. I just want to ask you guys if what window at USEM (Philippines) can she ask for an interpreter? she can understand & speak english as well but she prefer to use her native language for her to be comfortable with her interview. Any help or knowledge on this is highly appreciated. Thanks everyone!

She can ask for a interpreter as soon as she gets to the first window. But you would be surprised that some COs can speak Tagalog pretty good. 

Edited June 5, 2019 by Cyberfx1024

[Sherryll T. 3]

3 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

Can she ask for a interpreter as soon as she gets to the first window. But you would be surprised that some COs can speak Tagalog pretty good. 

Thank you so much:) I will tell her that.

[Falcon Cara 377]

They normally ask petitioner if they would like an interpreter,  if they don't she can request one.

 

Furnish her with a letter stating she is coming to see you and also a letter stating you are willing to pay her expenses while in the USA.

 

My buddies wife just got her mother and father in USA on Wednesday, I asked then what they furnished and they gave a letter offering to pay any expenses for them.  I have seen too many approved tourist visas from Philippines where US Citizens family members offer to cover expenses.

[SalishSea 16,769]

3 hours ago, Falcon Cara said:

They normally ask petitioner if they would like an interpreter

There is no petitioner for B visas.

[Falcon Cara 377]

1 hour ago, Jorgedig said:

There is no petitioner for B visas.

Incorrect

 

The person applying for a Tourist visa is the petitioner

 

Let me help you out:

 

pe·ti·tion·er

/pəˈtiSH(ə)nər/

noun

noun: petitioner; plural noun: petitioners

1. a person who presents a petition to an authority in respect of a particular cause.

   "petitioners gathered about 70,000 signatures for the initiative"

   • Law

     a person who makes a formal application to a court for a writ, judicial action in a suit, etc.

     "the claim by the petitioner for spousal support is dismissed"

[Boiler 43,427]

Applicant would the appropriate word.

[SalishSea 16,769]

8 minutes ago, Falcon Cara said:

Incorrect

 

The person applying for a Tourist visa is the petitioner

 

Let me help you out:

 

pe·ti·tion·er

/pəˈtiSH(ə)nər/

noun

noun: petitioner; plural noun: petitioners

1. a person who presents a petition to an authority in respect of a particular cause.

   "petitioners gathered about 70,000 signatures for the initiative"

   • Law

     a person who makes a formal application to a court for a writ, judicial action in a suit, etc.

     "the claim by the petitioner for spousal support is dismissed"

Funny that the embassies don't refer to B visa applicants as petitioners, eh? 😉

[geowrian 22,335]

Invitation letters and/or promises to pay expenses are not factors considered for a tourist visa.

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]

19 minutes ago, Falcon Cara said:

Incorrect

 

The person applying for a Tourist visa is the petitioner

 

Let me help you out:

 

pe·ti·tion·er

/pəˈtiSH(ə)nər/

noun

noun: petitioner; plural noun: petitioners

1. a person who presents a petition to an authority in respect of a particular cause.

   "petitioners gathered about 70,000 signatures for the initiative"

   • Law

     a person who makes a formal application to a court for a writ, judicial action in a suit, etc.

     "the claim by the petitioner for spousal support is dismissed"

We all know immigration has different definitions to normal life (think of the difference between a “child” and a “son or daughter” in an immigrant petition, for example).

 

From the horse’s mouth:

 

Petitioner:  A U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident family member or employer (or the employer's agent) who files a family-based or employment-based immigrant visa petition with USCIS.

 

Applicant (Visa): A foreign citizen who is applying for a nonimmigrant or immigrant U.S. visa. The visa applicant may also be referred as a beneficiary for petition based visas.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/glossary.html#A

 

moving on....

 

 

 

 

[Falcon Cara 377]

7 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Invitation letters and/or promises to pay expenses are not factors considered for a tourist visa.

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."

Don't pay any attention to that for a Tourist VIsa in PHilippines.  It like where they say you need a I-134 for a K1 but hasn't asked for it for over 3 years.  I used to also believe it was a waste of time doing invitation / or writing support letters, but now I am firm believer that it helps or makes a difference.

 

I have seen over a dozen people mostly family my wife family members or my friends who have married Filipinos who's parents got approved who had documentation from US family members stating they would take care of expenses.    The parents I can see them getting approved since they are older and not going to overstay. 

 

I have seen numerous of her cousins mainly females in their early 20's get approved for Tourist Visas in the last 18 months, just because they had letters and support documents from US Citizens, My wife sister is same range and has traveled to Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand on numerous occasion was denied a Tourist Visa and she had no supporting documents from a US Citizen.  She will apply again and I will send a letter stating I will cover her expense, I think this will be the key to success.

[Unlockable 7,306]

34 minutes ago, Falcon Cara said:

Don't pay any attention to that for a Tourist VIsa in PHilippines.  It like where they say you need a I-134 for a K1 but hasn't asked for it for over 3 years.  I used to also believe it was a waste of time doing invitation / or writing support letters, but now I am firm believer that it helps or makes a difference.

 

I have seen over a dozen people mostly family my wife family members or my friends who have married Filipinos who's parents got approved who had documentation from US family members stating they would take care of expenses.    The parents I can see them getting approved since they are older and not going to overstay. 

 

I have seen numerous of her cousins mainly females in their early 20's get approved for Tourist Visas in the last 18 months, just because they had letters and support documents from US Citizens, My wife sister is same range and has traveled to Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand on numerous occasion was denied a Tourist Visa and she had no supporting documents from a US Citizen.  She will apply again and I will send a letter stating I will cover her expense, I think this will be the key to success.

Yet there is no shortage of people (including Filipinos) who provide such documents that don't get approved. Type in the words "didn't even look at the documents" in the search section on this board and you will find countless posts provide such documents are not a key factor in the decision.

 

I have also seen people on here who you would think would not get a visitor visa but end up approved. I saw many post where people were denied multiple times but approved the last time they applied. Still with no invitation letters or affidavit of support. And even if the people you witnessed were approved, are you even 100% sure that it was because of said documents? Were those documents even looked at or did the applicants simply have it along with them when they got the visa?

 

Point being, yes, there will cases where somebody will get a visa if they have a letter with them. And there will be cases where somebody will get a visa if they wear mix matched socks at an interview for good luck. If you want to do it, go for it. But it truly does not mean it was the deciding factor, as pointed out by @geowrian from the official US government website.

 

In fact, here is the direct link to the US Embassy for the Philippines non-immigrant visa instruction page. No where does it instruct to bring evidence of support nor invitation letters. Itineraries, yes, but not invitation letters from family.

http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph/ph-niv-visaapply.asp

 

Even the DS-160 application itself does not have a place for someone to submit such documents...

https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/

[geowrian 22,335]

Nothing supports the long time myths of sponsoring a tourist visa, that a financial sponsor helps your case, or that an invitation letter carries any weight.

Some people get approved with them. Many get refused with them as well.

The CO doesn't even have a way to verify the authenticity of either item on the spot, and there are people available right down the road from the Manila embassy that can provide said documents.

 

There is no actual evidence it impacts the process, and the only official sources state that it does not.

[Falcon Cara 377]

15 minutes ago, Unlockable said:

Yet there is no shortage of people (including Filipinos) who provide such documents that don't get approved. Type in the words "didn't even look at the documents" in the search section on this board and you will find countless posts provide such documents are not a key factor in the decision.

 

I have also seen people on here who you would think would not get a visitor visa but end up approved. I saw many post where people were denied multiple times but approved the last time they applied. Still with no invitation letters or affidavit of support. And even if the people you witnessed were approved, are you even 100% sure that it was because of said documents? Were those documents even looked at or did the applicants simply have it along with them when they got the visa?

 

Point being, yes, there will cases where somebody will get a visa if they have a letter with them. And there will be cases where somebody will get a visa if they wear mix matched socks at an interview for good luck. If you want to do it, go for it. But it truly does not mean it was the deciding factor, as pointed out by @geowrian from the official US government website.

 

In fact, here is the direct link to the US Embassy for the Philippines non-immigrant visa instruction page. No where does it instruct to bring evidence of support nor invitation letters. Itineraries, yes, but not invitation letters from family.

http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph/ph-niv-visaapply.asp

 

Even the DS-160 application itself does not have a place for someone to submit such documents...

https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/

The general rules for Philippines for getting approved, the rich and elderly  have a pretty good shot of getting a tourist visa.  Young and single is a uphill battle and probably not going to happen.

 

I was a firm believer that supporting documents don't help like invitation and letter stating the US citizen would take care of expenses if needed,  over the last couple years I have changed my mind and seen too many young and mostly females in the mid 20's who were single get approved for a Tourist Visa and support letter from US citizens seem to be the key reason.  They come from what I would call middle to upper middle class in the Philippines.

 

 

[Unlockable 7,306]

21 minutes ago, Falcon Cara said:

The general rules for Philippines for getting approved, the rich and elderly  have a pretty good shot of getting a tourist visa.  Young and single is a uphill battle and probably not going to happen.

 

I was a firm believer that supporting documents don't help like invitation and letter stating the US citizen would take care of expenses if needed,  over the last couple years I have changed my mind and seen too many young and mostly females in the mid 20's who were single get approved for a Tourist Visa and support letter from US citizens seem to be the key reason.  They come from what I would call middle to upper middle class in the Philippines.

 

 

OK.

 

I understand that. I see what you are saying. And trust me, I am not saying you shouldn't do or believe what makes you happy. I respect people's right to think independent and freely.

 

....

 

...it's just that....

 

....

 

...it's just seems in the last two sentences.... you connect the approvals of said young Filipinos to support letters from a US citizens, more than their socio-economic status; which in the Philippines, "middle to upper middle class" can be a huge social advantage.

 

 

Again, I am not trying to take anything away from what you think. We are just looking at the same picture but have different views of it.