Can my wife's father get an emergency tourist visa? [merged threads]

[CitizenJ 5]

My Chinese wife's mother just died so my wife is trying to get her father to come to America for the next few months in order to look after him during this difficult time (my wife is an a green card holder). As I understand, American visa offices in Beijing are currently closed due to the virus but do you know if there are any exceptions for emergencies? I ask because I assume this isn't just China specific - I assume that many American visa offices across many different countries are closed at the moment so am thinking the might be something people have experience with. Please let me know. Thanks.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

There are usually emergency appointments available. I am unsure however whether this situation would fall into such a category. These are usually granted for urgent reasons someone has to be in the US by a specific date for (urgent medical treatment unavailable at home, attending a funeral, etc). Can your wife travel there to look after him in the meanwhile?

 

 

Edited September 7, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[Cathi 5,610]

Doubtful.

[Boiler 43,433]

Usually she would be the one who would want to go there, funeral etc.

[CitizenJ 5]

3 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Usually she would be the one who would want to go there, funeral etc.

Ya, but I wouldn't be able to go with her since foreigners are banned from China right now. That's why we're trying to get her dad over.

[Boiler 43,433]

No harm having a go, just do not make any assumptions of success.

[Mystery 2020 30]

Does not sound like an emergency.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

1 hour ago, CitizenJ said:

Ya, but I wouldn't be able to go with her since foreigners are banned from China right now. That's why we're trying to get her dad over.

That’s not going to be an emergency reason as far as the consulate is concerned for issuing a visa. 
 

Also, assuming he gets a visa (again, I think this is doubtful), where is he going to spend the two weeks he needs to be in a non Covid banned country before entering the US?  Who will look after him wherever this is?

If he “needs looking after” honestly your wife should just go at least as a stop gap measure until you guys can figure out a medium term solution. (I know this is what I’d do if that were my parent anyway.) She’s from there right, it’s not like she can’t go back alone for a while?

 

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[aaron2020 11,651]

Hi,

 

Sorry, but this is not an emergency.  My wife died and I want to go to the US so my daughter can look after me is not an emergency.  It's a want.  

 

An emergency is I have to go ASAP because a love one is dying and this would be our last opportunity to see each other.  

You can try for tourist visa, but it's doubtful that the US Consulate will see this as an emergency.  

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

31 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

Hi,

 

Sorry, but this is not an emergency.  My wife died and I want to go to the US so my daughter can look after me is not an emergency.  It's a want.  

 

 

Actually when you phrase it like that (same situation from a different perspective) it even brings to light the possibility that any tourist visa would be refused. Does not sound like he has ties to home anymore.

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

15 hours ago, CitizenJ said:

My Chinese wife's mother just died so my wife is trying to get her father to come to America for the next few months in order to look after him during this difficult time (my wife is an a green card holder). As I understand, American visa offices in Beijing are currently closed due to the virus but do you know if there are any exceptions for emergencies? I ask because I assume this isn't just China specific - I assume that many American visa offices across many different countries are closed at the moment so am thinking the might be something people have experience with. Please let me know. Thanks.

I’m very sorry for both of your losses. I’m not sure if tourist visas ever qualify for expedite requests since they are for the purpose of tourism/visiting. From my perspective his chances of obtaining a visa seem very slim due to the lack of ties in his home country now and the fact that he would be a “good” candidate to turn around and adjust status now that he needs to be looked after.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

1 minute ago, Luckycuds said:

I’m very sorry for both of your losses. I’m not sure if tourist visas ever qualify for expedite requests since they are for the purpose of tourism/visiting. From my perspective his chances of obtaining a visa seem very slim due to the lack of ties in his home country now and the fact that he would be a “good” candidate to turn around and adjust status now that he needs to be looked after.

^ wife is a LPR, so her father cannot adjust (yet)

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

15 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

^ wife is a LPR, so her father cannot adjust (yet)

Thanks- missed that piece.

[Chancy 6,233]

15 hours ago, CitizenJ said:

My Chinese wife's mother just died so my wife is trying to get her father to come to America for the next few months in order to look after him during this difficult time (my wife is an a green card holder). As I understand, American visa offices in Beijing are currently closed due to the virus but do you know if there are any exceptions for emergencies? I ask because I assume this isn't just China specific - I assume that many American visa offices across many different countries are closed at the moment so am thinking the might be something people have experience with. Please let me know. Thanks.

 

Here is the list of qualifications that the US Embassy/Consulates in China would consider for expedited non-immigrant visa processing.  If you think that your father-in-law may qualify, the page also has instructions for how to apply --

 

https://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-niv-expeditedappointment.asp

 

[nastra30 1,980]

Op, your wife's father can go and try and see; that's the only way to know for sure if he will be given an emergency visa or not. I highly doubt he will be successful but the merit of the application is decided by the CO.