eruben

Yeah, of course there's no mechanism currently in place. If there was I certainly would have done it. But there definitely COULD be a mechanism if that's what the government wanted to do.

Of course there are mechanisms in place....if you get arrested and post bail, there's clear systems of when you do or don't get your money back. Don't follow the rules, and the government keeps your money. Quite a good way to enforce, if you ask me. So someone sponsors their mother, mother overstays, and the government keeps their posted money and sponsor complains and wants to challenge their loss of money? Good luck with a case, when you as an informed party signed a contract stating you are sponsoring a relative to visit the US, and if they overstay you're financially responsible. By the way, for my wife's green card application, I signed a document stating I'm financially responsible. So that process to make sure immigrants dont come to America and then claim welfare is in place and apparently working well enough.

I'm all for enforcable penalties for people who knowingly violate contracts.

Noah Lot, I agree with most of your proposed policies. I'd gladly trade harsher penalties for a more fair and expanded system. To answer your doubt about me caring about my MIL violating the terms of her visa, I would respond by saying I'd happily post a bail, or pay a penalty, or whatever other means would be necessary to ensure she sticks to her visa. Keep the money or throw me in jail if she doesn't, that will make sure she leaves . But citizens can't sponsor a visitor, unfortunately. Under the present circumstances, it looks like I would be more likely to be successful in bringing my MIL here by sponsoring her for immigration, versus having her simply apply to visit. Pretty silly situation, if you ask me.

I spoke to someone who does this professionally a couple of years ago, they have a web site etc and you send out invitations and they log on to participate, Not skype much higher standard.

It seems whatever you choose to do there will be many people not able to attend so it sounds an ideal solution.

Boiler - can you sent me the info of this service? Thanks

How about live video?

Obviously we will try to get pictures/video from the ceremony to anyone not attending. But for all the parties, speeches, hugs, dances...skype just isn't going to do for us. We have the time, the money, the effort...why can't her mother be part of the ceremony?

Sounds like. you need to marry in Brazil

And my side? What about all my friends and family, who can't or won't make it to Brazil? What if their visas to Brazil get denied because they're assumed to be intending immigrants too? The obvious solution is to LET A MOTHER VISIT THE US FOR HER DAUGHTERS WEDDING

Aadryian, you said "When I really think about it, the interviewers in their minds had an easy 'No' for your MIL. Fair shots are out of the question considering that your MIL recently began working at her current job, has a sick elderly husband, an adult son and has a daughter who will most llikely become a USC in 3 years (to COs, your MIL could choose to stay until your wife has completed a I-130 petion for permanent residence which is a B2 violation)."

My MIL has worked at her job for 33 straight years. She got promoted recently, that's why it's her "new position" and she misunderstood the question at her first interview. She has a few more years of work left before she gets a pension for life. Trust me, she has no intention of giving that and her great life in Brazil up to come to America and struggle here. But the officers obviously don't care to think about it that way, they aren't using their heads. This isn't a court of law where people actually look at the evidence and its credibility. It's like a unfair dictatorship, with no checks and balances as far as I can tell.

Yes, my MIL is desperate for a B2. Why shouldn't she be, as this is her only chance to be part of her daughter's wedding? Waiting a couple of years to try again obviously isn't an option since the wedding is taking place in two months.

Update: my wife's mother interviewed for a B-2 tourist visa again this morning, and was denied for a second time. We are very sad, angry, and unsure of our next steps. Below are the details.

Her mother went back to the US Consulate in Recife. By chance, she was assigned the same woman officer as her first interview on April 4. This woman (I'll call her the "first woman") recognized her and said "why are here you here again?" My Mother-In-Law (MIL) explained that she brought new documents showing evidence of her ties to Brazil-proof of job, rental contract, etc. The first woman said the same person could not do the interview again, and therefore brought her to another woman (I'll call her the "second woman") to do the interview. The first woman had a short conversation with the second woman, probably about how my MIL was rejected before.

The second woman interviewed her, but like the interview with the first woman, the second woman didn't want to see the documents that my MIL brought. Instead, the second woman started questioning why my MIL's husband and son aren't coming with her to America for the wedding. She said her husband is too old and sick to travel, and her son is studying for the bar exam. My MIL offered to present documents as supporting evidence (including a doctor's medical note) but the woman interviewing said she didn't want to see them. Then the woman said "I have to deny your visa". MIL asked "why, why? I have all the documents. What do you want?" The woman said "The denial reason is in the letter". The letter the second woman gave my MIL was the same letter as she got the first interview, a standard form saying she needs evidence of ties to overcome the presumption of the applicant being an intending immigrant. My MIL told the interviewing woman "I already got this letter, so I brought more documents! Look at them! What am I missing?" The woman wouldn't answer, and said "you have to leave, I have other people to interview".

This process and interview seemed grossly unfair. The interviewing officers continue to ignore the documents my MIL bring to the interview. My wife and her mother are devastated that she was rejected again. What are our possible next steps? If letters and appeals wont work, is there a way to contact a supervisor? I truly believe that if given a fair shot, my MIL should receive a visa. Please please help!

No, it will not help becuae it is mentioned to not make travel plans until the visa is issued. Also, the first leg of a plane ticket can be used and the return leg canceled, so it is no guarantee of your MIL return. You must look at it like the IO. What will cause your MIL to return to Brazil? Son, husband, property, job. What would be reasons to remain in the US? SIL, daughter. Does your MIL speak any English?

Here is what happened the first time my now wife applied for a tourist visa from Kazakhstan. She went to the interview and was denied. She reapplied after a mutual friend wrote a letter to her congressman and gave her an invitation letter rather than my invitation letter. She went to the interview and was approved. Difference between first application and second was the invitation letter, the congressman being contacted, and a different IO. All other proof of ties were the same. It might be they wanted to see if she was willing to spend another $131 for the application fee. Who knows. We are waiting for my MIL's interview next Friday. We'll see what happens. I have my fingers crossed as she has evidence of ties, but are they strong enough?

Good luck,

Dave

Thanks for the story, Dave. I see similarities. I think perhaps the different IO officer makes the biggest difference, since it is so arbitrary. My wife's mother does not speak English. She has a steady job in Brazil, so I can't imagine why that is not enough of a tie to Brazil. She's never been to America and never cared, the only reason/tie she has here is to attend the wedding. Completely common sense, but that's not how the IO officer she got looked at it.

Right, but we can take this argument anywhere. No amount of money or property or ties proves anyone will do anything. Her mother could have all the ties in the world to Brazil on paper and stay in America anyway. Or someone could have no ties but love their country and of course come back. I'm wondering whether an airline ticket back will show further evidence of her intent not to overstay her visa. If so, then we can buy a refundable ticket. If not, then no point in bothering.

Will buying a plane ticket, showing that we can afford the money, and also showing a plan to return, help? Bringing the ticket to the interview should increase the chances right? And if it's still denied, we can cancel the ticket to get a refund, maybe minus a fee? We are willing to take that risk. But will it help the chances of passing the interview, even a little bit?

Thanks...

Do you think hiring an immigration lawyer/writing letters to the US Consulate through my congressmen would help?

Thanks for the responses. She will try to reapply but there is not much more evidence she can provide than she already did (proof of employment, letter from her boss, rental contract, none of which they even asked to looked at).

Only thing she can do is keep trying and try to bring some more evidence showing ties to Brazil. Neither you, nor someone else can do anything here.

I think she was actually denied for the section "214(b), do not have enough ties..."

So my wife's mother should just reapply? What kind of evidence can we give? Should she focus on proving there is a wedding, or focus on showing she has a son, husband, job, house in Brazil, etc?

I'm a US citizen living in Washington D.C. with my Brazilian wife. She's from Recife, and was studying in the US on a student visa. We just got married and she just got her green card in America. We are having a wedding ceremony in the US in June, and we desperately want her mother (who lives in Recife) to be able to attend the ceremony. Her mother went to the US consulate in Brazil today with all the paperwork to apply for a tourism visa, but she was denied!

They didn't give a reason for why the tourism visa was denied. Her mother has a husband, family, property, job etc in Brazil so I can't see why she would be seen as a threat to visit the US. We assume it may have been because she answered the question "how long have you been working?" with "since February". They may have misinterpreted that as she's only worked in her life for the last couple of months, which makes her a risk to flee to the US. This of course is not true - her new job started in February but she's worked her whole life before that. Could that answer have been why she was denied? Was there some other likely reason? And most importantly, what can we do? Is there an appeals process, should she apply again, and is there anyone I can contact to help?

Thank you for ANY assistance you can provide.

-Eric