Philippines passport B2 visa application

[EatBulaga 465]

My wife's Mom is trying to start the B2 tourist visa application.

She has property in the Philippines and receives her husband's monthly pension.

About how much should she have in the bank account?

[Boiler 47,031]

Vacationing in the US is not cheap, the airfare will be substantial, I suppose a lot will depend on her plans, how long she will be staying, what she wants to do, sort of places she likes staying etc etc.

[EatBulaga 465]

35 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Vacationing in the US is not cheap, the airfare will be substantial, I suppose a lot will depend on her plans, how long she will be staying, what she wants to do, sort of places she likes staying etc etc.

 

The purpose is to visit us. We can provide a letter of sponsorship if that will help.

 

But we were wondering how much do most Philippines B2s have in their bank accounts for the US consulate to approve with strong ties to home country?

[Boiler 47,031]

You can’t sponsor a tourist visa, you sponsor immigrant visas.

[EatBulaga 465]

14 minutes ago, Boiler said:

You can’t sponsor a tourist visa, you sponsor immigrant visas.

I understand. We are her family reason to visit the US, however we can help her to prove that.

 

How much do most Philippines B2 visas need in their bank accounts to prove they have ties back to their home country and have enough to visit families in the US?

Edited Monday at 09:16 PM by EatBulaga

[top_secret 2,661]

They won't even look at her bank certificate, statement, deeds, titles or any documents she brings to the interview other than her passport.  There is no magic bank balance that is helpful at all. Realistically it all hinges on how convincingly she can verbally discuss her circumstances in the Philippines.

[EatBulaga 465]

12 minutes ago, top_secret said:

They won't even look at her bank certificate, statement, deeds, titles or any documents she brings to the interview other than her passport.  There is no magic bank balance that is helpful at all. Realistically it all hinges on how convincingly she can verbally discuss her circumstances in the Philippines.

 

Many of the YouTube B2 guides suggest collecting evidence of ties to the home country. Whether verbally or backed by documents, how to best prepare for the consulate interview?

[Boiler 47,031]

49 minutes ago, EatBulaga said:

How much do most Philippines B2 visas need in their bank accounts to prove they have ties back to their home country and have enough to visit families in the US?

How is a Bank Account proof of a tie?

 

Enough depends on their plans as mentioned above.

 

From a practical point of view I assume she is not in a position to increase her balance anyway, it is what it is.

Just now, EatBulaga said:

 

Many of the YouTube B2 guides suggest collecting evidence of ties to the home country. Whether verbally or backed by documents, how to best prepare for the consulate interview?

 

Review the questions asked in the DS 160

[top_secret 2,661]

US Embassy Manila operates on the assumption that it is trivial to produce a convincing forgery of almost any document in the Philippines.  Since they have no time to properly authentic any certificate, statement, deed, title or anything else other than a Philippine passport at a B2 visa interview, they attach no significance whatsoever to those documents and won't even look at them.  Anyone could say or document any bank balance they want.  It's meaningless to the embassy.  It's all about the interview and the DS160.  To pass one must seem like they have the overall circumstances that merits a visa.  How they say the get the money in the bank is more important than money in the bank.

[EatBulaga 465]

2 hours ago, Boiler said:

How is a Bank Account proof of a tie?

 

Enough depends on their plans as mentioned above.

 

From a practical point of view I assume she is not in a position to increase her balance anyway, it is what it is.

 

Review the questions asked in the DS 160

 

Having a bank account shows some ties to assets in the home country and financial stability.

 

She is in a position to save for the travel--if more bank balance is expected by the consulate, then more time is required to save up for the travel.

 

2 hours ago, top_secret said:

US Embassy Manila operates on the assumption that it is trivial to produce a convincing forgery of almost any document in the Philippines.  Since they have no time to properly authentic any certificate, statement, deed, title or anything else other than a Philippine passport at a B2 visa interview, they attach no significance whatsoever to those documents and won't even look at them.  Anyone could say or document any bank balance they want.  It's meaningless to the embassy.  It's all about the interview and the DS160.  To pass one must seem like they have the overall circumstances that merits a visa.  How they say the get the money in the bank is more important than money in the bank.

 

According to ChatGPT, proving financial stability is one of the DS-160 questions proving ties to the home country.

 

Merits of the visit is seeing family. But if the foreign traveler does not have sufficient financial, then consulate may assume the purpose of visit is to work, which is grounds for denial.

 

Deepseek has an interesting result:

 

200K PHP to 500K PHP for 1-2 week visit.

500K to 1M PHP for 1 month visit. 

 

If the travel cost is subsidized by US family, then the US family proof of bank balance of 500K. 

Edited Tuesday at 12:59 AM by EatBulaga

[W199 429]

4 minutes ago, EatBulaga said:

 

 

If the travel cost is subsidized by US family, then the US family proof of bank balance of 500K. 

 

When the embassy asks her, "How or who will you pay for the trip"?  What will she answer?

 

[EatBulaga 465]

6 minutes ago, W199 said:

 

When the embassy asks her, "How or who will you pay for the trip"?  What will she answer?

 

She will bring some cash, but she will stay with her daughter and son-in-law for food, lodging, transportation, travel insurance and some other expenses. 

Edited Tuesday at 01:10 AM by EatBulaga

[Boiler 47,031]

I remember entering the US and was asked how much I had on me, less than $20 in USD but like everyone else I had CCs.

 

Begs the question how many people visiting the US do not have Bank Accounts, must be very few.

[top_secret 2,661]

A Filipino retiree who has a child living legally in the US is by definition "well off" by Filipino standards.  In many cases it may be best to just highlight how good the Filipino parent has it in the Philippines based on that simple fact.  The Embassy may get it.  The Embassy could care less about bank balance.  Europe, Japan, Korea Australia, and other "visa nations" place a high significance on actual bank balance.  US only cares about how could they get the money, not what money they have.

[EatBulaga 465]

6 hours ago, Boiler said:

I remember entering the US and was asked how much I had on me, less than $20 in USD but like everyone else I had CCs.

 

Begs the question how many people visiting the US do not have Bank Accounts, must be very few.

 

Yes. Does the consulate or CBP not care how much are in the bank accounts?