Bring my Colombian wife to visit the US

[barry123 0]

Hello, I am a US Citizen and I have been living in Colombia for a couple years. I have a Colombian wife. I want to bring my wife to visit the US and meet my family. However I have been advised that unless she is a land owner or have a long held professional job in Colombia (reason to return)  , she will be denied. She has neither.  I have been told that it is not a factor  that she is married to a US citizen. Can someone please confirm or provide advice? I am looking for any way that I can bring my wife to visit the US. My mother is 90 years old and would like to meet my wife before it is too late.

Thank you

[Crazy Cat 41,979]

Being married to a US citizen is very much a factor which the consulate officer will consider.  It is a strong tie to the US.  By law, everyone who applies for a visitor visa is already assumed to have immigrant intent.  It is illegal to enter the US as a visitor with the intent to stay and adjust status.  It will be her responsibility to overcome that assumption of intent.  She can apply for a B2 visa, but she may or may not succeed.  You have only the $160 application fee to lose. 

Edited February 13, 2022 by Crazy Cat

[JeanneAdil 6,543]

with a US spouse and no strong ties to her country,  the CO may assume she has intent to stay and adjust status in the US 

that why they may deny a tourist visa

[millefleur 5,047]

Even being a land owner or having a good job in this case is not always a sure fire way to get approved. Even you as the USC living abroad is often not even considered.

 

30 minutes ago, barry123 said:

I have been told that it is not a factor  that she is married to a US citizen.

It's a HUGE factor, that's the main reason they will assume she wants to adjust and stay. Unfortunately there's nothing you as the USC can do, your wife can try and apply and see what happens. It costs $160 to find out. Best of luck but just have realistic expectations about the odds.

[Boiler 45,657]

The only people who can advise is the Consulate when they interview your wife, perhaps there are positive factors not mentioned, only way of knowing is to apply and see.

[George & Roth 1,485]

My fiancé was denied a tourist visa. No land owned and her job was not really a strong tie.

 

Plus she was engaged to me, that makes them suspect we were intending to just stay in the USA and we did not have enough evidence to convince them otherwise. You can try but just be prepared for rejection as it is very difficult. 

[Boiler 45,657]

Did they ask about land ownership?

[barry123 0]

Thank you everyone for the realistic advice. Our outlook is very dismal but I will go ahead and apply. It makes me very sad that my country will probably  not allow me to bring my wife for a visit. All the more reason for me to stay in Colombia where they have allowed me to stay because I am married to one of them.

[barry123 0]

On 2/13/2022 at 3:48 PM, George & Roth said:

My fiancé was denied a tourist visa. No land owned and her job was not really a strong tie.

 

Plus she was engaged to me, that makes them suspect we were intending to just stay in the USA and we did not have enough evidence to convince them otherwise. You can try but just be prepared for rejection as it is very difficult. 

But there is a fiance visa, so that if you are in the US, you can bring your foreign fiance in order to get married. Or maybe that was not your situation?

[barry123 0]

And the things is, I have no intent to return to the US to live, but as it is pointed out, they will assume we do. Why would i want to return to the US to live when I have a wonderful life in Colombia for 30% of the cost of living? LOL!

[George & Roth 1,485]

19 minutes ago, barry123 said:

But there is a fiance visa, so that if you are in the US, you can bring your foreign fiance in order to get married. Or maybe that was not your situation?

No, I lived and worked in Cambodia and was not returning to the USA when we wanted to visit in 2013. I stayed from 2012-2017, was hoping to take some vacations to USA not to stay here. Rejected the tourist visa so we just vacationed in Hong Kong instead. 
 

Later we did k-1 when it was appropriate and we did want to move to USA, she came over in 2018. 

Edited February 15, 2022 by George & Roth