Tourist Visa for Family Right After Becoming a US Citizen

[SalishSea 16,772]

6 minutes ago, SilentOdyssey said:

 

Nonsense. Nigeria and the Philippines among other consider high risk for immigration fraud. You are right to cast your fear but put them aside.

 

Consular officers do approve non-immigration visa (NIV) at US Embassy Manila . My wife and I have a friend who travel to United States more than often. Look at the bright side, those Filipino often granted NIV once the applicant is able to demonstrate ability and desire to return their homeland. In fact US Embassy Manila highly encourage them to do so. The Embassy has strong tie with Filipino entertainers and celebrities to promote America tourism and traffic. See here,  

 

I think you’re misunderstanding the issues at hand with the OP’s case...

[Major 24]

You can’t sponsor your mum and siblings for visitors visa..,US government don’t recognize that route. The most you can do is to send them invitation letters to initiate the process but they’re the ones who are saddle with the responsibility of proving their strong ties back home.

 

Sadly though, you becoming a USC deems the chances of approval for your other siblings (considering immigration fraud) but I think your mum has a better chance of been approved, considering her age, business and travel history. Get them to put in their visa applications at intervals, let’s say 6months intervals, with those having better chances applying first..,hopefully things will work out fine.

[Dashinka 23,247]

45 minutes ago, Major said:

You can’t sponsor your mum and siblings for visitors visa..,US government don’t recognize that route. The most you can do is to send them invitation letters to initiate the process but they’re the ones who are saddle with the responsibility of proving their strong ties back home.

 

Sadly though, you becoming a USC deems the chances of approval for your other siblings (considering immigration fraud) but I think your mum has a better chance of been approved, considering her age, business and travel history. Get them to put in their visa applications at intervals, let’s say 6months intervals, with those having better chances applying first..,hopefully things will work out fine.

I would think this would be a bigger issue for the mom as opposed to the siblings considering the mom could stay and adjust as an immediate relative. 

 

To the OP,

 

Regardless, it sounds like all have some form of ties to Nigeria and some have decent travel histories.  Like @Boiler stated, all they can do is apply.  Yes, they will have to disclose they have a relative who is a USC living in the US and that may in fact impact their application, but only the CO can say how much impact it would have.

 

Good Luck!

[NikLR 13,220]

Siblings couldn't legally immigrate for 10+ years.  Mom could stay and adjust status.  Her's is the trickier tourist visa.  

Worst that can happen is a denial.  Then maybe you can meet them in a 3rd country if you aren't able to visit them in Nigeria. 

[Dashinka 23,247]

21 hours ago, 837465 said:

Before I start, I'd like to mention that I recently got approved for naturalization, and the knowledge I have received from this community was MAJOR. 

 

So, I (27m) visited Nigeria (where I was born) last month to see my family for the first time after 10 years of studying and working across 7 different countries in the Americas.

Unfortunately, my trip was very short-lived and all of our plans went out the window because I got very ill. Apparently, my immune system was always bound to not be very repellent to illnesses in Nigeria after such a long absence.

Long story short, I'd like to invite my mother, and 4 siblings to come stay with me for 2 weeks, however, I am not sure that would be such a great idea given the fact that I recently became a citizen and this might be misconceived as intent to immigrate.

FYI: I know I cannot technically sponsor them in the eyes of the US govt, but I am financially capable and will [alongside my wife] be responsible for them in the US.

I will try to list their ties to Nigeria [and some negatives] in the hope that I could get some insight to what's weak/strong and their chances of getting approved [Yes, I know nobody can say for certain who will get approved, however, I am a logical man, and I'd like to weight their chances]

Also, are there any other documents/ties we should consider providing ?

 

Mother (55):

Owns a huge international business back home, and goes on a lot of business trips (probably 50x in the last 10 years to 3 different countries)

Owns A lot of assets (including my late father's assets)

Permanently lives in Nigeria.

 

Brother #1 (21):

Just graduated college with a degree in Economics

Never left the country

Has always been groomed to take over mother's business because of his 'ridiculous' business mind, and actually spends ALL of his time assisting mother with running the business.

On parent's will to inherit some assets

 

Brother #2 (23):

Dropped out of a Naval college cos he wants to own and run his own business

Currently working on a property renovation project for me

Never left the country

Got denied a visa to Korea for a business trip with mother

May be getting married soon in Nigeria to a Nigerian he probably got pregnant [complicated]

On parent's will to inherit some assets

 

Sister #1 (25):

Currently in Med school in China (for about 3 years now)

Married to an Australian Permanent Resident and visits Australia quite often.

Aside from China, and Australia, she has been to one other country in Asia.

On parent's will to inherit some assets

 

Sister #2 (31):

Graduated college a few years ago.

Currently owns and runs a small business in Nigeria

Only been to one other country: the UAE

Not married but engaged to a Nigerian in Nigeria

On parent's will to inherit some assets

 

 

 

 

Just an FYI, when you mom and siblings do apply and fill out the DS160, make sure they do not follow the advice of any agents that say to represent themselves as married when they are not.  For some reason, I seem to be seeing a few more threads where someone applying for a B2 were advised to claim they were married on the application when they were not, then in the future when applying for a K1 or CR1 it becomes an issue.  I am not suggesting your mom or siblings want to immigrate to the US, but if they ever do in the future...

 

Good Luck!

[Major 24]

3 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

I would think this would be a bigger issue for the mom as opposed to the siblings considering the mom could stay and adjust as an immediate relative. 

 

To the OP,

 

Regardless, it sounds like all have some form of ties to Nigeria and some have decent travel histories.  Like @Boiler stated, all they can do is apply.  Yes, they will have to disclose they have a relative who is a USC living in the US and that may in fact impact their application, but only the CO can say how much impact it would have.

 

Good Luck!

I get your drift too..,but from what I’ve heard, they approve visas of older people with strong ties back home than younger folks because they can’t go there to start their lives all over again especially when you’ve built it to a very good extent back home. 

 

FYI, the mum can’t adjust her status to Immediate Relative while still in the US, it won’t be approved, she’ll need to go back home and wait for the Immediate Relative Visa to be approved first before stepping her foot back in US as a Lawful Permanent Resident. 

 

He should just get them to apply for the Visitor Visa and hope the CO smile back at them when they smile.,but notwithstanding, they’ll need to prove their case individually. 

[geowrian 22,335]

3 minutes ago, Major said:

FYI, the mum can’t adjust her status to Immediate Relative while still in the US, it won’t be approved, she’ll need to go back home and wait for the Immediate Relative Visa to be approved first before stepping her foot back in US as a Lawful Permanent Resident. 

Why can't she? What exactly prevents her from doing so?

Edit: Note that they would adjust to a Permanent Resident. Immediate Relative is just the category (IR-5 specifically) that they would qualify.

Edited January 21, 2020 by geowrian

[Crazy Cat 39,261]

12 minutes ago, Major said:

FYI, the mum can’t adjust her status to Immediate Relative while still in the US, it won’t be approved, she’ll need to go back home and wait for the Immediate Relative Visa to be approved first before stepping her foot back in US as a Lawful Permanent Resident. 

Actually, a person cannot enter the US with the intent to stay and adjust status.  However, an immediate relative (of a US citizen) who is already inside the US can legally adjust status.

Edited January 21, 2020 by missileman

[837465 0]

10 hours ago, SilentOdyssey said:

 

Nonsense. Nigeria and the Philippines among other consider high risk for immigration fraud. You are right to cast your fear but put them aside.

 

Consular officers do approve non-immigration visa (NIV) at US Embassy Manila . My wife and I have a friend who travel to United States more than often. Look at the bright side, those Filipino often granted NIV once the applicant is able to demonstrate ability and desire to return their homeland. In fact US Embassy Manila highly encourage them to do so. The Embassy has strong tie with Filipino entertainers and celebrities to promote America tourism and traffic. See here,  

 

I guess the key here is being able to "demonstrate ability and desire to return their homeland"... Now, I am only trying to make sure they are rightly perceived as such.

[Major 24]

1 hour ago, missileman said:

Actually, a person cannot enter the US with the intent to stay and adjust status.  However, an immediate relative (of a US citizen) who is already inside the US can legally adjust status.

If she can legally adjust status to an Immediate Relative of a USC upon entry with her visitor’s visa , then they shouldn’t deny her the visa in the first place because there won’t be any case of presumed immigration fraud. That’s also the reason I said the mum stand a better chance of been approved. 

 

I’ve heard of cases of this sort first hand. My neighbors whose daughter is a USC, got visas to visit and they spent over a year plus in US (mind you they’re aged; the man is in his early 70s’ while the wife should be in her 60s’) but the sibling, a young girl who has applied several times, got denied several times. 

Edited January 21, 2020 by Major

[837465 0]

6 hours ago, Major said:

You can’t sponsor your mum and siblings for visitors visa..,US government don’t recognize that route. The most you can do is to send them invitation letters to initiate the process but they’re the ones who are saddle with the responsibility of proving their strong ties back home.

 

Sadly though, you becoming a USC deems the chances of approval for your other siblings (considering immigration fraud) but I think your mum has a better chance of been approved, considering her age, business and travel history. Get them to put in their visa applications at intervals, let’s say 6months intervals, with those having better chances applying first..,hopefully things will work out fine.

Yes, exactly!

 

Others have mentioned that she might also have the worst chance of being approved because I could submit a petition for her that would not take years to get approved unlike my siblings.

I appreciate your opinions on the matter... Aside mother and sister #1, who 'seems' has the next best chance in your opinion?

[837465 0]

5 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

I would think this would be a bigger issue for the mom as opposed to the siblings considering the mom could stay and adjust as an immediate relative. 

 

To the OP,

 

Regardless, it sounds like all have some form of ties to Nigeria and some have decent travel histories.  Like @Boiler stated, all they can do is apply.  Yes, they will have to disclose they have a relative who is a USC living in the US and that may in fact impact their application, but only the CO can say how much impact it would have.

 

Good Luck!

Thank you!

 

I see your point, and I understand that we really cannot predict the CO's actions, however, I am not confident in having all of them apply at the same time... especially with me being a USC

[Major 24]

16 minutes ago, 837465 said:

Yes, exactly!

 

Others have mentioned that she might also have the worst chance of being approved because I could submit a petition for her that would not take years to get approved unlike my siblings.

I appreciate your opinions on the matter... Aside mother and sister #1, who 'seems' has the next best chance in your opinion?

If her status can be adjust to immediate relative upon entry with a visitor’s visa, then, there’s no immigration fraud as I have suggests to @missileman because they know the route is possible but I doubt that if they’ll still want her to remain in US once you put in a petition for her. 

 

In in my opinion, I think your mum stands a better chance of been approved for visitor visa as I have seen something like this first hand. I know the family personally, it’s not a hear say or something of such. And the funny thing is that they don’t even have strong ties back home the way your mum do, all they have is a house and the parents got approved for visitor visa but the daughter did not. 

Edited January 21, 2020 by Major

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

24 minutes ago, Major said:

If she can legally adjust status to an Immediate Relative of a USC upon entry with her visitor’s visa , then they shouldn’t deny her the visa in the first place because there won’t be any case of presumed immigration fraud. That’s also the reason I said the mum stand a better chance of been approved. 

 

 

You’re missing the point. AoS is legal but entering with intent to do on a non immigrant visa, isn’t. However for an immediate relative category this is forgiven (not even looked at at interview actually) so the point of denial on suspicion of intent is either at visa stage or actually at POE - a visa doesn’t guarantee entry.

 

for every story you have about a parent being granted a visa I can find you one in these very forums where a parent, sometimes with very strong ties, has been denied.

Edited January 21, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[geowrian 22,335]

9 minutes ago, Major said:

If her status can be adjust to immediate relative upon entry with a visitor’s visa, then, there’s no immigration fraud as I have suggests to @missileman because they know the route is possible but I doubt that if they’ll still want her to remain in US once you put in a petition for her. 

Entering on a tourist visa with intent to adjust status is immigration fraud (INA 212(a)(7)(A)(i)(I)).

Adjusting status from a tourist visa if already in the US is permitted.

 

The issue is that if they believe she will do AOS as a means to bypass the immigrant visa process abroad, then she is ineligible for the tourist visa. Under the INA, the CO must presume she intends to immigrate until she shows otherwise (INA 214(b)).