B2 VISA for Wifes Sister in Uganda

[GregandNatty 195]

My wife got her green card last summer and is here in the US.  We had a baby this spring and she wanted to see about getting her sister our here for a bit on a tourist VISA.  I know that typically getting a tourist VISA for a Ugandan is very difficult.  Are the chances better for my wife's sister since it is her sister and not just some friend?   

 

Thanks!

[Boiler 45,658]

Her sister applies for a visitor visa, nothing to do with your wife.

 

Most Consulates have long waits for applicant’s 

 

Her sister’s situation will determine being issued a visa.

[mushroomspore 3,044]

5 minutes ago, GregandNatty said:

My wife got her green card last summer and is here in the US.  We had a baby this spring and she wanted to see about getting her sister our here for a bit on a tourist VISA.  I know that typically getting a tourist VISA for a Ugandan is very difficult.  Are the chances better for my wife's sister since it is her sister and not just some friend?   

 

Thanks!

A B2 visa is specifically for tourism. Lots of foreigners who have US citizen or green-card family members are often seen as a higher risk of overstaying and violating the B2 visa. Your sister-in-law needs to show evidence that she will return home, which means showing proof of her job, family (if she has one), responsibilities back in Uganda that absolutely require her to leave the US when it's time for her to do so. When consular officers look at a B2 visa application, they operate on the presumption that the applicant has intent to stay in the US. The burden is on the applicant to overcome that presumption.

[GregandNatty 195]

4 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Her sister applies for a visitor visa, nothing to do with your wife.

 

Most Consulates have long waits for applicant’s 

 

Her sister’s situation will determine being issued a visa.

 

I understand their are long wait times.  This is not an issue since it would just be a huge bonus if her sister could come out at all. 

 

I guess I was just trying to gauge if it's worth the time.  Given what I know now, after going through the spouse visa process, I would say most Ugandans would get denied in less than 2 minutes of the interview starting just because of all the fraud from there.  

I guess I thought that having her sister with a baby here would give a very valid reason for a visit, but I guess you are saying that doesn't matter. 

Edited July 5, 2022 by GregandNatty

[Boiler 45,658]

I doubt anybody has been refused for not having a valid reason to visit after all most visitors are just regular tourists.

 

No real reason for you to get involved, her money her time.

[GregandNatty 195]

16 minutes ago, Boiler said:

I doubt anybody has been refused for not having a valid reason to visit after all most visitors are just regular tourists.

Sub Saharan Africa has some of the highest Tourist Visa rejection rates of anywhere in the world.  I guess it's rather subjective if this rate is due to alot of lying or the interviewers just deny alot more there than other places.  Given what I've read/heard, I believe it's the latter

 

 

 

Quote

No real reason for you to get involved, her money her time.

Really?  It means alot to my wife and I care alot about my sister-in-law?   Isn't helping family members what family does for each other?   Crazy.....

Edited July 5, 2022 by GregandNatty

[carmel34 3,639]

10 minutes ago, GregandNatty said:

Really?  It means alot to my wife and I care alot about my sister-in-law?   Isn't helping family members what family does for each other?   Crazy.....

Best advice you can give your SIL is what you have been given here--that the key to getting a B2 visa will be her own strong ties to Uganda: steady job, career commitments, ownership of property, and other reasons she may have to convince the officer that she will be more likely to return after a brief visit, such as a travel record to other countries for brief visits (UK?).   Good luck, hopefully she will get a visa to visit you.  Sounds like she already knows how difficult it will be.  

[mushroomspore 3,044]

11 minutes ago, GregandNatty said:

 

 

Really?  It means alot to my wife and I care alot about my sister-in-law?   Isn't helping family members what family does for each other?   Crazy.....

In the legal sense, Boiler is right that you and your wife have no jurisdiction or influence in your sister-in-law's B2 visa application. A common misconception is that US citizens think that if they write a letter "vouching" for the B2 applicant, then it has some sway or influence in the final decision. It does not. As noted, your sister-in-law must provide evidence of her responsibilities in Uganda that will compel her to return home. The B2 application also has "nothing to do with you and your wife" in the sense that you cannot attend the B2 interview for your sister-in-law. Your sister-in-law needs to face the consular officer on her own and be able to explain her circumstances in her own words.

[Boiler 45,658]

34 minutes ago, GregandNatty said:

 

Really?  It means alot to my wife and I care alot about my sister-in-law?   Isn't helping family members what family does for each other?   Crazy.....

How can you help? Of course there are some situations you can help family members this is not one of them

 

What I have seen is family members get in the middle and then get blamed when it had nothing to do with them.

[GregandNatty 195]

31 minutes ago, Boiler said:

How can you help? Of course there are some situations you can help family members this is not one of them

With my wifes IR1 VISA, I literally did everything except attend the medical exam and the interview.   Her IR1 interview lasted 3 minutes.  I had dozens, if not hundreds, of hours in all the docs and supporting info. 

 

When she attempted a B2 visa before we started the IR1, the interview was over with  denial in 30 seconds.

 

Most of the work happens before the interview and I would imagine the interviewer has their mind mostly made up before the interview starts.

 

So, there's quite alot I can do having access to modern PCs and reliable internet that's not common in Uganda. 

 

 

 

Quote

 

What I have seen is family members get in the middle and then get blamed when it had nothing to do with them.

I highly doubt my SIL would blame me if I helped her and she was denied.  

Edited July 5, 2022 by GregandNatty

[Boiler 45,658]

So your wife is familiar with the B process, pretty simple, still do not understand what your involvement is supposed to be.

[Cathi 5,771]

Boiler is right, she applies and is approved on her own merits and her merits alone.  Having family members in the U.S. works against the ability for some people to obtain a B2 because it gives them a reason to overstay and/or never leave. You can thank others who have gone before her for abusing their B2 privileges, that's why it is difficult to obtain a B2 from her neck of the woods. No need to be angry at Boiler, he's just being truthful. Don't shoot the messenger, as they say. Good luck to your SIL!

[JeanneAdil 6,552]

1 hour ago, GregandNatty said:

With my wifes IR1 VISA, I literally did everything except attend the medical exam and the interview.   Her IR1 interview lasted 3 minutes.  I had dozens, if not hundreds, of hours in all the docs and supporting info. 

 

When she attempted a B2 visa before we started the IR1, the interview was over with  denial in 30 seconds.

 

Most of the work happens before the interview and I would imagine the interviewer has their mind mostly made up before the interview starts.

 

So, there's quite alot I can do having access to modern PCs and reliable internet that's not common in Uganda. 

 

My thinking also/  My MIL was denied at her 1st interview when Adil just had a green card/  the CO gave her a typed letter (English on one side and Arabic on the other) saying denied. it was dated day before the interview.   What i do not understand is she could not have AOS'd to stay with him just on green card.   and now,  she is here on approved tourist visa and he is a USC so we could AOS for her to stay doesn't make sense to me 

 

 

I highly doubt my SIL would blame me if I helped her and she was denied.  

 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

4 hours ago, GregandNatty said:

Sub Saharan Africa has some of the highest Tourist Visa rejection rates of anywhere in the world.  I guess it's rather subjective if this rate is due to alot of lying or the interviewers just deny alot more there than other places.  Given what I've read/heard, I believe it's the latter

 

 

 

 

Um, that’s totally not an accurate statement. First, sub Saharan Africa is not homogeneous (some countries in it actually have refusal rates under 10%). Uganda’s is 39%, which is fairly high, but nowhere near as high as some other countries (outside sub Saharan Africa) with 65% and upwards refusal rates. The data are published, you can verify for yourself. https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY21.pdf

 

That aside,  if 39% are refused, well more than half get visas. It will totally depend on your SIL’s ties to home. Yes interviews are usually very brief, because usually they have what they need to know in the application form. 
 

 

Edited July 5, 2022 by SusieQQQ

[SalishSea 17,926]

11 hours ago, GregandNatty said:

Sub Saharan Africa has some of the highest Tourist Visa rejection rates of anywhere in the world.  I guess it's rather subjective if this rate is due to alot of lying or the interviewers just deny alot more there than other places.  Given what I've read/heard, I believe it's the latter

 

 

 

Really?  It means alot to my wife and I care alot about my sister-in-law?   Isn't helping family members what family does for each other?   Crazy.....

I think you're missing the point being made:  it isn't a lack of reason to visit, it is a lack of reason to return to home country.  This is the crux of what tourist visas are adjudicated on.  It is ironic, but having close ties in the US is not a plus when t comes to getting a visa.