Tourist visa for elderly

[xwind 10]

We'd like my mother in law in the Philippines to come visit us and our new baby, but we're unsure what things could help her qualify for a B2 visa, or if it's even practical to apply. So I'm hoping to get some advice on how to proceed. Some facts:

• She's from a poor family. Nothing saved in the bank, no owned land or property, no job.
• She is old, mid-80s. I doubt age matters, but if anything, she's not physically able to work, and probably only has a few years left to live. We'd like for her to see the U.S. even just once in her lifetime.
• She's never travelled outside of the Philippines. Never owned a passport until about a year ago.
• She lives with my wife's family, which is huge, many children and grandchildren and in-laws all living under the same roof. My mother in law relies on us and a few of her working children for financial support.
• Obviously if she came to the U.S., we would buy her plane ticket and cover all of her expenses while living with us.
• She is the master of their household. She manages bills, tends to grandchildren, and keeps the peace during family quarrels. So she wouldn't want to be gone for too long, but there's no way to prove that.

 

As you can see, she doesn't have much to prove she won't overstay. She definitely can't work, and she would rather spend her final days in the Philippines with the majority of the family. Again, no way to prove these things.

 

We've heard stories of the embassy going easy on really old people during the interview, and that the older they are the higher the chance they'll simply be approved. I'm not sure if that's true or how often that happens though.

 

What do you think? Should she still try applying?

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

She should definitely try (not sure if they are processing b visas yet, I don’t think so). Sounds to me like she just needs to be sincere and she should be ok. 

 

[Boiler 45,666]

Travel Insurance could be an issue at that age.

[jskibo 588]

Manila still not processing B visas so hope your expected timeline is far out in the future

[Adventine 3,201]

There's no guarantee of anything, so you might as well try. Last I heard, the US embassy in Manila still isn't doing routine tourist visa interviews. Be prepared for a long wait to get an appointment.

[Teknodude 53]

Can I ask a question and put a different slant on it?  

Does your old mother have a real desire to see where you live, your life in the USA?  I see you mention you want her to see the USA, at least once in her lifetime and that can be a dream come true.  

 

I ask because I see so many of these stories about elderly parents desperate to get to the USA. 

But if it was my old mother - I’d be making efforts as a healthy middle aged guy, to travel to see her, so she didn’t have the stress and worry about visa applications, long haul travel etc.  

I know everyone is different, and work commitments, not easy traveling with a baby etc, but maybe think about traveling to see her, rather than the other way round.  

 

Just an alternate point of view - but I’m sure you and your mother have reasons for her needing to come to the USA, and she wants to see your life there, rather than the other way round.  But sometimes you need to face reality and be practical….   

 

But I do hope it works out for you, and she sees her grandchild one way or the other, which I hope should be the ultimate goal, regardless of where.  

[Joe Kano 327]

In Philippines the older the better chance of getting approved for a tourist visa

 

Go ahead and apply and get in line

[xwind 10]

On 7/22/2021 at 5:23 PM, Teknodude said:

Can I ask a question and put a different slant on it?  

Does your old mother have a real desire to see where you live, your life in the USA?  I see you mention you want her to see the USA, at least once in her lifetime and that can be a dream come true.  

 

I ask because I see so many of these stories about elderly parents desperate to get to the USA. 

But if it was my old mother - I’d be making efforts as a healthy middle aged guy, to travel to see her, so she didn’t have the stress and worry about visa applications, long haul travel etc.  

I know everyone is different, and work commitments, not easy traveling with a baby etc, but maybe think about traveling to see her, rather than the other way round.  

 

Just an alternate point of view - but I’m sure you and your mother have reasons for her needing to come to the USA, and she wants to see your life there, rather than the other way round.  But sometimes you need to face reality and be practical….   

 

But I do hope it works out for you, and she sees her grandchild one way or the other, which I hope should be the ultimate goal, regardless of where.  

I don't believe my mother in law is desperate or even has a desire to come to the U.S. This is more my wife's wish actually. She wants to show her mom around and let her mom experience what life is like outside of the Philippines even just once. Prior to the pandemic we used to visit every summer. But due to our new baby, we're the ones grounded for a bit, so she was hoping maybe her mom could come help us out if there even was a slim chance. I know with the pandemic and travel restrictions, it's making everything extra crazy, so this was always just a shot in the dark, but it's nice to see that some of you think we might as well go ahead and try and get in line.

[Chancy 6,241]

14 hours ago, xwind said:

due to our new baby, we're the ones grounded for a bit, so she was hoping maybe her mom could come help us out if there even was a slim chance.

 

Note that babysitting is considered work, not allowed with a tourist visa.  And the consul officers in Manila know that it's common for US-based Filipinos to ask their relatives to apply for tourist visas, hoping to get free help with child care.

 

On the other hand, this seems like an appropriately touristy thing to do --

 

14 hours ago, xwind said:

She wants to show her mom around and let her mom experience what life is like outside of the Philippines even just once.

 

[aratamorne 165]

We just had my MiL's tourist VISA approved.  We were able to get her an emergency interview because her grandson is turning 6 and his mother, my wife's sister, has not been able to get him.  With the quarantine requirements, she can't take enough time off work.  Wrote a letter to the embassy and we were able to get an emergency interview.  She was approved last night.  Just waiting on her passport and then the boy's mother is buying them the tickets to fly.

 

So it is possible to get a tourist visa, just need to put a proper spin on why it needs to be granted emergency status.

 

She is in her 70s, owns her land, a tricycle that she has a driver for, and the requisite sari-sari that is on every block in the Philippines.  Aside from her grandkids info and her daughters info, they never asked anything about her finances.  Entire interview took all of 5 minutes.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

6 minutes ago, aratamorne said:

We just had my MiL's tourist VISA approved.  We were able to get her an emergency interview because her grandson is turning 6 and his mother, my wife's sister, has not been able to get him.  With the quarantine requirements, she can't take enough time off work.  Wrote a letter to the embassy and we were able to get an emergency interview.  She was approved last night.  Just waiting on her passport and then the boy's mother is buying them the tickets to fly.

 

So it is possible to get a tourist visa, just need to put a proper spin on why it needs to be granted emergency status.

 

She is in her 70s, owns her land, a tricycle that she has a driver for, and the requisite sari-sari that is on every block in the Philippines.  Aside from her grandkids info and her daughters info, they never asked anything about her finances.  Entire interview took all of 5 minutes.

Can you clarify - the mom is resident in the US? Is the boy a USC?

[aratamorne 165]

The mother is a permanent resident, married to a USC, residing in the US.  The grandson is a USC, born in the Philippines, completed CRBA in 2018.  

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

6 minutes ago, aratamorne said:

The mother is a permanent resident, married to a USC, residing in the US.  The grandson is a USC, born in the Philippines, completed CRBA in 2018.  

Thanks. So very specific set of circumstances that worked for her.

[Joe Kano 327]

12 hours ago, aratamorne said:

We just had my MiL's tourist VISA approved.  We were able to get her an emergency interview because her grandson is turning 6 and his mother, my wife's sister, has not been able to get him.  With the quarantine requirements, she can't take enough time off work.  Wrote a letter to the embassy and we were able to get an emergency interview.  She was approved last night.  Just waiting on her passport and then the boy's mother is buying them the tickets to fly.

 

So it is possible to get a tourist visa, just need to put a proper spin on why it needs to be granted emergency status.

 

She is in her 70s, owns her land, a tricycle that she has a driver for, and the requisite sari-sari that is on every block in the Philippines.  Aside from her grandkids info and her daughters info, they never asked anything about her finances.  Entire interview took all of 5 minutes.

First Emergency Tourist Visa Interview I have heard about.

 

Did she say how many CO were interviewing people? 

 

Some guy got his spousal approved last week at the US Embassy in Manila and said they only had 2  CO doing interviews for spousal visas.

 

 

[Chancy 6,241]

13 hours ago, aratamorne said:

The mother is a permanent resident, married to a USC, residing in the US.  The grandson is a USC, born in the Philippines, completed CRBA in 2018.  

 

The US embassy in Manila does seem to be quite accommodating to families with USC minor children needing to fly from the Philippines to the US.  That reason was actually listed last year as a qualification for K1 visa interview expedite.  Apparently, it also works in 2021 for B2 visa emergency appointments for companions.  Unfortunately not applicable to the OP's situation.