Quick B2 visa question (tourist visa)

[Ivy. 113]

Hi everybody.

I realize that a non-immigrant visa is slightly offtopic on this board, so I'm posting in here and I hope that's ok. I plan to visit USA as a tourist during Christmas holidays and I started looking at plane flight prices and visa requirements already. I'm excited and I'd like to have everything (both visa and the ticket) as early as possible. Also, the earlier I buy the plane ticket, the cheaper it is.

I know that what they need in order to give me a tourist visa is proof I will come back to my home country. I am a part time student and officially I'm unemployed so I'm a bit scared that won't be enough for them. The evidence I can show to prove that I plan to come back home is evidence that I'm a student and that I (at the of the interview) just started another year at the university, a contract from bank for savings, I am obliged to have it for 5 years (and I've been saving only 3 years so far), and a contract I have with a phone company (I made it this month) where I am obliged to use their services for 2 years. I also plan to come with a return plane ticket to prove I will indeed be going back home. Do you think this will be enough for them? I can't think of anything else that could back up my claims I will be coming back.

Thanks in advance,

Ivy411

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Do you think this will be enough for them?

Depends on which country you're coming from. From India, for example, applying for a visitor visa is like playing the lottery. Applicants with identical evidence of "ties" to the home country will all come out with different outcomes.

[Ivy. 113]

Oh, I knew there was something I missed. Thanks for reminding me

I'm from Croatia. I saw just a handful of Croatian members here, I don't know if any of them will see this thread. I'll edit the title to include the country. (Edit: Mmmm, okay, nevermind.. I can't edit my post)

Oh, one more question - I know they're advising against buying a plane ticket before being granted a visa, but is that something they'd really hold against me? I plan to check if I can return my plane ticket and get my money back before buying it, but I'd like to buy it as soon as possible, because the longer I wait, the more it costs and I don't have unlimited funds to work with so I'd like to get it as cheap as possible..

Edited June 24, 2008 by Ivy411

[*JG* 2]

I don't know much about Croatia. I do know in Jamaica, that evidence would never fly. All I can do at this point is wish you the best of luck.

[Ban Hammer 13,113]

this has more to do with the consulate/embassy, so i'm moving it there for further assistance.

[milimelo 4,413]

Oh, I knew there was something I missed. Thanks for reminding me

I'm from Croatia. I saw just a handful of Croatian members here, I don't know if any of them will see this thread. I'll edit the title to include the country. (Edit: Mmmm, okay, nevermind.. I can't edit my post)

Oh, one more question - I know they're advising against buying a plane ticket before being granted a visa, but is that something they'd really hold against me? I plan to check if I can return my plane ticket and get my money back before buying it, but I'd like to buy it as soon as possible, because the longer I wait, the more it costs and I don't have unlimited funds to work with so I'd like to get it as cheap as possible..

Hi Ivy411,

Croatians should not have much problems getting B-2 visas. Just show ties to home country - college, family in Croatia, money in bank and you should be all set.

My sisters came here on June 3 - one is 10 yrs old and my twin is 29 - she is working for a local Bosnian company. Gave her a visa for a year - at POE they gave her 6 months stay (she'll be going back to Bosnia to change it into F-1 in August). I did write a letter to consul for them to take to the interview but they never asked for it. And yes, they had their tickets bought before the visa was issued. So if Bosnians can get visas without a problem, it should be even easier for Croatians. Good luck!

[Ivy. 113]

milimelo, thanks a lot for the local input!

I bought my ticket today (return ticket ) and I'm kinda freaking out because of this visa thing, but a lot of people (including the woman at the travel agency) told me I should be okay with getting it if I'm a student. I guess there's only one way to find out...

I don't plan to ask for my visa until October, but I'll try to remember and update this thread with information on how it went. It could be useful to someone one day.

[Badgerella 5]

Hello, Ivy.

I, also, am from Croatia. I've applied for and been denied a tourist visa three times so far. Soon my fiance and I will be applying for a K1, but before that, or technically around the same time, I will be applying for another tourist visa because I want to spend my vacation in the States with the fiance.

Here are my, I must say horrible, experiences with the Embassy in Croatia. I hope these don't discourage you, but I'd like to point out that Croatia really seems to be nothing but lottery.

I'll be applying for that tourist visa about a month from now.

Good luck.

Edited August 1, 2008 by Badgerella

[Ivy. 113]

Uff. Thanks for your answer, Badgerella. I'm even more freaked out now than I was before.

:/

Did you have your interview by now? How did it go? (If you didn't have it yet, good luck!)

[Ivy. 113]

Bumping just to say my interview is in 3 days. I'll post how it went.

[Ivy. 113]

Okay, I got my visa. Well I don't actually have it right now since they have my passport, but they approved it.

The things I came with are these:

• Invitation letter
• Note from the university I'm in that says I'm studying there
• My student ID
• Note from my bank showing how much money I have
• Contract from the bank for savings on 5 years (3 done, 2 to go)
• Contract from the phone company for my cell phone on 2 years (1/2 done, 1+1/2 to go)
• Note from the police given to me and my mother when we reported our new address to prove I'm living with my parents (Family = ties to my country)
• My old passport that has a lot of stamps in it and a UK tourist visa just so they see I traveled around and came back home every time. ^.^

The whole thing lasted longer than I expected, but I was done in 2 hours. I came early though, so let's say it took an hour and a half. The guy I spoke to was really nice, friendly and polite and it wasn't awkward chatting with him. My invitation letter says that the visit would be beneficial for me because of a chance to improve my English, so he spoke to me in English the whole time (He said he believes there's no time like present). He asked me where I'm going, when, why, what does the person I'm visiting do, how did we meet, their family, my family, what I'm doing, how did I get the money for the trip being a student (working during the summer and saving) First thing he asked me was how I was, and I said I was hungry (I was ) and he laughed at that and said he appreciates honesty and whole conversation was in a nice mood. At the end he commented that my English is great and that one can barely hear my accent, and that he hopes I have fun in the US.... even though I'm going to Texas.