Brother in Law is visiting

[kud 0]

My Brother in Law's Visa was approved today. Looking forward to his visit.

[mox 298]

My Brother in Law's Visa was approved today. Looking forward to his visit.

Hey congrats. Did he have to jump through a lot of hoops to do it? How many times did he have to apply? Just curious myself, as there will undoubtedly be family wanting to visit us too.

[kud 0]

My Brother in Law's Visa was approved today. Looking forward to his visit.

Hey congrats. Did he have to jump through a lot of hoops to do it? How many times did he have to apply? Just curious myself, as there will undoubtedly be family wanting to visit us too.

1st interview. They asked him why he is traveling without his family. We of course know why not . So he said son is in college, Wife has to work and he is the only one with vacation. And questions like this.

[mox 298]

My Brother in Law's Visa was approved today. Looking forward to his visit.

Hey congrats. Did he have to jump through a lot of hoops to do it? How many times did he have to apply? Just curious myself, as there will undoubtedly be family wanting to visit us too.

1st interview. They asked him why he is traveling without his family. We of course know why not . So he said son is in college, Wife has to work and he is the only one with vacation. And questions like this.

Ahhhh, so he's got immediate family staying behind. As I understand, that makes it a lot easier to get the visa. Very cool, should be a lot of fun!

[slim 1,514]

I just sent a sponsorship packet to my sister in law. I'll update about hers probably next week or so. Good news that your brother in law got his.

[Kotenochek 0]

my friend says i should have a permanent green card before i can invite my mum for visit is it true/even if my husband supports?

[Satellite 1]

my friend says i should have a permanent green card before i can invite my mum for visit is it true/even if my husband supports?

Once again let me explain this common misconception. You DON'T invite anyone and you DON'T really sponsor anyone for a tourist visa. Each applicant applies on their own and gets the visa based on their own ability to prove he or she will return to Russia. Getting a tourist visa is really two pronged. (1) You must have a valid reason to get one (i.e. you are visiting family, going to Disneyland, etc.) and (2) you are not an intending immigrant. Everyone seems to focus on the first. The so called invitation and sponsorship. Instead their attention should be on the second prong. Showing that you have a green card or not has little influence on a valid reason to travel to the US. You can be illegal here for all they care, the purpose of THIS family member is to visit his or her family. As for sponsorship it is a dual edged sword. (1) it helps explain where the non-immigrant will be staying and where the funds for the trip will come from, but on the other hand, it discloses the fact that the applicant is unable to pay for his or her own journey. Thus putting the second prong in jeopardy.

There is also a question on the DS-156 which asks if the applicant has any immediate relatives in the US, (e.g. children or spouse), once again this is a double edge sword because immediate relatives are a source which can sponsor the applicant in his goal of overstaying his or her visa.

Edited December 13, 2007 by Satellite

[slim 1,514]

Satellite makes excellent points above.

When you "sponsor" someone to get a tourist visa, they're really "sponsoring" themselves and you're just telling the government that you're going to ensure they don't become a public charge during their stay.

When someone applies for a visa to come visit you, it's a different visa than the one where you need to be an LPR for a while and then sponsor your relatives. That's for actual immigration. That's if you want them to come here and live in the U.S. and get their green card too....... And that takes YEARS!!!

If you want your folks or brother or another relative to come "visit" you, then they must apply for their own "visitor" visa which, in Russia, means proving strong ties and an intent to return to home. If that can't be done, it doesn't really matter how rich the person in the U.S. that they're going to visit is. That could end up hurting them, as Sat said. "OK. So you have no job, live in a crummy little apartment and are going to visit your rich brother in the U.S. for only a month?" (You see how that looks to the C/O.)

Really, the "visitor" visa has a lot more to do with the applicant and their current status than the "sponsor" here in the States. If you want your parents to come visit, have them apply (ensuring they can prove strong ties to return home after seeing you) and say you'll "sponsor" (actually, your hubby will sponsor) them while they're here via the I-134.

[slim 1,514]

Just an update -

Visa approved for visit within 90 days.

My wife's sister related she had about a two-minute interview and they asked:

So, when and where are you going?

Why do you want to go?

What are you going to do while you're there?

Why do you want to come back?

When are you coming back?

OK. Visa approved.

I feel like we had a pretty good "sponsorship packet" filled out and all she had to do was sign her name and show up, but according to the girls, there's a relatively new C/O in Vladivostok and he's been pretty easy on the visitor visa approvals lately. She did have proof of apartment ownership and university registration so maybe that helped as well. Plus, it was strictly set up as a "holiday visit" for two weeks.

I don't know it it helped or not, but we had a plan and we stuck to it. Visa issued, so obviously it worked. Uncertain if it worked for our reasons or just because the new guy is nicer than the old one. Either way, it seems it may be getting easier to get visitor visas for single Russian girls.

I'll post more once I get the complete debrief.

[kud 0]

Just an update -

Visa approved for visit within 90 days.

My wife's sister related she had about a two-minute interview and they asked:

So, when and where are you going?

Why do you want to go?

What are you going to do while you're there?

Why do you want to come back?

When are you coming back?

OK. Visa approved.

I feel like we had a pretty good "sponsorship packet" filled out and all she had to do was sign her name and show up, but according to the girls, there's a relatively new C/O in Vladivostok and he's been pretty easy on the visitor visa approvals lately. She did have proof of apartment ownership and university registration so maybe that helped as well. Plus, it was strictly set up as a "holiday visit" for two weeks.

I don't know it it helped or not, but we had a plan and we stuck to it. Visa issued, so obviously it worked. Uncertain if it worked for our reasons or just because the new guy is nicer than the old one. Either way, it seems it may be getting easier to get visitor visas for single Russian girls.

I'll post more once I get the complete debrief.

Congratulations, enjoy having a Guest

[slim 1,514]

Congratulations, enjoy having a Guest

I don't know how much I'm going to enjoy it but some of my buddies sure are looking forward to it! "Dude, when's her sister coming???"

[kud 0]

Congratulations, enjoy having a Guest

I don't know how much I'm going to enjoy it but some of my buddies sure are looking forward to it! "Dude, when's her sister coming???"

LOL

I know the feeling, even so in my case it's "Does she have a Sister".

[slim 1,514]

I've also been asked to arrange several "expeditions" to Russia. Only problem is everyone wants to go but nobody wants to pay! "So she's coming here soon, right?"