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I have a good friend who would like to visit me in the USA. She is a Ukrainian citizen but is married to a German citizen and has lived in Germany for seven years. She would like to bring her five year old German-born son to visit also. They wish to visit for ninety days or less. I would like to learn exactly what is necessary to make this happen, and where to start.

I would greatly appreciate any information that anyone can provide, thank you.

She needs to apply for a tourist visa at a US consulate in Germany. Not sure if you can do this through the mail, but she can make an appointment by calling the call center. If she is a legal permanent resident of Germany and has an invitation/welcome letter from you (original signature) it would be very much easier for her to be approved. Her husband and son do not need visas if they have current passports.

Thank you all for the replies. To answer your questions, My friend's husband is a naturalized German citizen, which would make their son a German citizen also. As for my friend, I am not certain of her residency status. I believe that she has to renew her German visa every three years? If she is not a legal permanent resident of Germany, how does this affect her process of obtaining a visa for the US?

She's a Ukrainian citizen, so she would be treated as such. She can apply at the US embassy/consulate in Germany for a visa. She has to show that she has sufficient funds for her proposed visit to the US and overcome the presumption that she will be an illegal immigrant.

Is she living in Germany illegally as she is not a legal permanent resident of Germany? Is she living there illegally on a visitor visa? If she is, her chances of getting a US tourist visa are pretty slim as she may already be violating Germany residency/immigration laws.

Thank you Aaron2020 for your reply.

I appreciate your consideration and information on this matter. I think that I may have misled you with an improperly asked question in my last post. My friend is not living in Germany illegally, I was merely not certain that "Legal Permanent Resident" was the proper terminology to describe her residency. More likely she is there on what is known as a limited resident permit.

Any idea what the US Consulate would consider sufficient funds for a three month visit to the US, and would a joint invitation letter from me and my husband be a good idea, since I am in college and don't currently work out of the house, but my husband does? Or does our income even matter for her visa application?

No idea what would be considered sufficient funds for a visit of that duration. Although the USCIS website states that a letter is not useful, I disagree. A letter inviting the proposed visitor to come stay at your home during the visit would be great evidence as to why she would not need money for a hotel. Your income is not going to matter.

I suggest you provide your friend with a letter inviting her to visit the US. She can then apply for a visa and bring the letter to the interview with other supporting evidence of how she plan to pay for her trip and why she has valid reasons to depart the US for home.

From the USCIS website;http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=a971ffa920b82110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=48819c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

Q : How Can I Invite Someone to the U.S. to Visit?

People often ask how they can help a family member, relative or friend get a visa to visit them in the United States. We appreciate their desire to help and understand that sometimes the need for a visit can be urgent.

Under U.S. law, though, applicants for visitor visas must apply on their own to visit the United States.

To qualify for a visitor visa, applicants must:

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Complete and sign the required application forms

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Bring evidence that their visit is temporary and that they will return home after their legally authorized stay, and

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Undergo security clearance procedures

We understand that you may want to help with the visa process. But it doesn't help the applicant to write a letter of invitation or guarantee their departure from the U.S. after their visit is over. A consular officer from the U.S. Department of State (not USCIS) evaluates every visa application on its own merits according to the law. You can be most helpful by making sure the applicant has all the information they need to submit a correct application.

Thank you very much Aaron2020, you have been very helpful!

I have a good friend who would like to visit me in the USA. She is a Ukrainian citizen but is married to a German citizen and has lived in Germany for seven years. She would like to bring her five year old German-born son to visit also. They wish to visit for ninety days or less. I would like to learn exactly what is necessary to make this happen, and where to start.

I would greatly appreciate any information that anyone can provide, thank you.

She needs to apply for a tourist visa at a US consulate in Germany. Not sure if you can do this through the mail, but she can make an appointment by calling the call center. If she is a legal permanent resident of Germany and has an invitation/welcome letter from you (original signature) it would be very much easier for her to be approved. Her husband and son do not need visas if they have current passports.

Thank you all for the replies. To answer your questions, My friend's husband is a naturalized German citizen, which would make their son a German citizen also. As for my friend, I am not certain of her residency status. I believe that she has to renew her German visa every three years? If she is not a legal permanent resident of Germany, how does this affect her process of obtaining a visa for the US?

She's a Ukrainian citizen, so she would be treated as such. She can apply at the US embassy/consulate in Germany for a visa. She has to show that she has sufficient funds for her proposed visit to the US and overcome the presumption that she will be an illegal immigrant.

Is she living in Germany illegally as she is not a legal permanent resident of Germany? Is she living there illegally on a visitor visa? If she is, her chances of getting a US tourist visa are pretty slim as she may already be violating Germany residency/immigration laws.

Thank you Aaron2020 for your reply.

I appreciate your consideration and information on this matter. I think that I may have misled you with an improperly asked question in my last post. My friend is not living in Germany illegally, I was merely not certain that "Legal Permanent Resident" was the proper terminology to describe her residency. More likely she is there on what is known as a limited resident permit.

Any idea what the US Consulate would consider sufficient funds for a three month visit to the US, and would a joint invitation letter from me and my husband be a good idea, since I am in college and don't currently work out of the house, but my husband does? Or does our income even matter for her visa application?

I have a good friend who would like to visit me in the USA. She is a Ukrainian citizen but is married to a German citizen and has lived in Germany for seven years. She would like to bring her five year old German-born son to visit also. They wish to visit for ninety days or less. I would like to learn exactly what is necessary to make this happen, and where to start.

I would greatly appreciate any information that anyone can provide, thank you.

She needs to apply for a tourist visa at a US consulate in Germany. Not sure if you can do this through the mail, but she can make an appointment by calling the call center. If she is a legal permanent resident of Germany and has an invitation/welcome letter from you (original signature) it would be very much easier for her to be approved. Her husband and son do not need visas if they have current passports.

Thank you all for the replies. To answer your questions, My friend's husband is a naturalized German citizen, which would make their son a German citizen also. As for my friend, I am not certain of her residency status. I believe that she has to renew her German visa every three years? If she is not a legal permanent resident of Germany, how does this affect her process of obtaining a visa for the US?

I have a good friend who would like to visit me in the USA. She is a Ukrainian citizen but is married to a German citizen and has lived in Germany for seven years. She would like to bring her five year old German-born son to visit also. They wish to visit for ninety days or less. I would like to learn exactly what is necessary to make this happen, and where to start.

I would greatly appreciate any information that anyone can provide, thank you.