MIL visa application

[RightClicK 17]

Wrong, you have to be a US Citizen by either birth or Naturalization to sponsor someone to immigrate. A greencard holder is just a permenent resident.

Aha , thanks for clearing this to me

[Kharkov_Natalie 0]

Wrong, you have to be a US Citizen by either birth or Naturalization to sponsor someone to immigrate. A greencard holder is just a permenent resident.

Actually, you both are incorrect. A permanent resident can sponsor a spouse or child, etc.. A USC can sponsor a parent or sibling, etc.

Back to the original question please

[1HappyGuy 45]

I have never heard of a Russian citizen being allowed to apply for a visa from Ukraine. That sounds pretty unusual. You might try writing an email to the U.S. embassy in Kiev, visa section to see if a Russian citizen living in Ukraine can apply for a visitor visa to America. I would not give them to many details, especially about her being refused in Moscow. I think you will be told she needs to apply in Moscow or become a Ukrainian citizen and then apply in Kiev. Either way is going to be tough.

[SMR 368]

Hi everyone! I have a couple of questions about bringing my husband's mother for a visit.

My mother-in-law is divorced and lives alone in Yakutsk, Russia. She works as a teacher and owns an apartment there. She has a son who lives in Ukraine and her daughter is married to an American and lives in Florida and her son is my husband and we live in Louisiana. My sister-in-law desperately wants her mother to visit as she hasn't seen her in over 3 years and she hasn't seen her two grandchildren.

My sister-in-law and her husband created an invitation letter and helped her mother put together a packet of evidence. I gave advice based on what I had read here as to what she needed to show - proof of job, apartment, etc., but wasn't really involved in the process. She went for her interview on Aug 3 and was denied. She was told that because of her economic situation and the current recession, she would probably want to stay in America and not return. They also told her that it wouldn't do any good to reapply unless her economic situation changed.

We, of course, have no desire to do that as my husband is eligible to apply for citizenship next April and will be able to bring her here legally if she so desires. One of the purposes of her trip now was for her to decide if she wants to immigrate as she is afraid she won't like it here (yeah, whatever!)

After my MIL was denied, she went to Ukraine to visit her son. Now, my sister-in-law and her husband are calling me asking if she can re-apply in Kiev and what are the chances that she would get a visa so soon after re-applying.

It sounds like a long-shot to me, even if she is able to apply in Kiev in that she is a Russian citizen.

What do you all think? Can she legally apply in Kiev, even if she doesn't live there? Is there any chance they would give her a visa given she was denied so recently?

I'm not an expert, but I would go with no to both questions. Of course, there is always some chance. But you'll have to write down any past applications on the application form. It will likely come up in the interview. And that will pretty much sink her next try, regardless of what embassy she is at. They'll ask why she was denied and they'll determine that nothing has changed. And I would agree that it's unlikely a Russian will be allowed to apply for a visa in Kiev.

[Kharkov_Natalie 0]

Thanks, that's what I thought as well. My sister-in-law is just not wanting to accept that it will be another 2 years before she sees her mother.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Actually, you both are incorrect. A permanent resident can sponsor a spouse or child, etc.. A USC can sponsor a parent or sibling, etc.

Back to the original question please

She must apply in Russia if she is a Russian citizen and not a Ukraine permanent resident. She would not have better luck in Ukraine, anyway. Kiev is as difficult as any consulate in Russia to get a visitor visa from.

US citizens are given priority if petitioning relatives over permanent residents. While permanent residents CAN petition certain relatives, the wait time is very long.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Thanks, that's what I thought as well. My sister-in-law is just not wanting to accept that it will be another 2 years before she sees her mother.

Your sister in law will be going to Russia (most likely) if she plans to see her mother in the next two years. Even when she is a citizen, petitioning her will take about year after she is a citizen, perhaps longer. I am not sure if the mother of a US citizen is eligible for an immediate visa number. IF her mother can get an immediate visa number, the way a child can, then figure 9-12 months to petition her with an I-130

[Kharkov_Natalie 0]

From what I have read, as a USC a parent, child or spouse is eligible for an immediate visa number.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

From what I have read, as a USC a parent, child or spouse is eligible for an immediate visa number.

I think I have read the same and it is something we may look into in a couple years. I know it is immediate for spouse or child under 21. "immediate" actually means "9-12 months" It is a relative term.

[slim 1,523]

I'm with the others that applying through Kiev wouldn't help at all. In fact, the way I'd see it, if she's free to travel to Kiev... what's she really need to be back in Russia for, anyway?

If you truly want her to come here, she's going to have to "make documents" that show how successful her school is. Not the school she works for, but HER school - the one she runs and the one that's going to have another class starting as soon as she gets back from her visit to the US. Maybe she's not the owner, just the head master or something, but it's imperative that she's present for day-to-day operations and she makes a lot of money in that position.

You guys here in the States may have to start supplementing her income to show there really is cash there from her business or just "make documents" to show it exists. Either way, it has to look like she's going back to her business... not her job.

I know you said your SIL typed an invitation letter, but did she do the actual paperwork too? When I applied for my SIL to come here (who was unemployed, unmarried, and had no kids) I did all the paperwork myself. The reason I did so was because I wanted them to see this was more me applying for her to come visit - and more importantly, go home! - than it was her applying to come visit with a letter from me as support. It's one thing to send mom a letter saying, "I'd like my mom to come visit me next summer." Quite another to say, "My MIL, XXXXova, will be visiting on or about Aug.XX to spend one week with myself and my husband, PR XXXXX, her son, then one week with USC XXX and his wife XXXXX, her daughter. Ms. XXXXova will return appx. Sept. XX to her job as head master of the Yakutsk International School of Design."

When they see an official reason to visit and an even better reason to return home, there's no reason for them not to issue a visa. If the application says "to visit family" that's a big red flag that screams "I could stay forever!"

I suggest filling out the documents yourself and reapplying in about six months. In the mean time, she should be working on her "new" job and your SIL should be doing her best to either get her some extra money or working with someone local to your MIL to get the correct documents made to support her new business.

[cranehand 0]

Have any of you managed to bring your MIL's to the states for a visit? If Yes I would like to know what route you took to accomplish this.

[Ning 619]

Have any of you managed to bring your MIL's to the states for a visit? If Yes I would like to know what route you took to accomplish this.

She applies for tourist visa in her country. Most important aspect is complying with " strongest ties" criteria.

[Harsh_77 718]

simple tourist visa, thats it.

[baron555 934]

Have any of you managed to bring your MIL's to the states for a visit? If Yes I would like to know what route you took to accomplish this.

Great circle route.

[SMR 368]

Have any of you managed to bring your MIL's to the states for a visit? If Yes I would like to know what route you took to accomplish this.

There really is only 1 route that I can see unless you want to try and get a GC for your MIL. Have her apply for a tourist visa and see if she gets it.

We had my MIL here for the wedding and also for a visit this past summer. I wrote an invitation letter saying what we were inviting her to do and who was going to pay for what and signed a I-134 for her. She did the rest, filling out the necessary application.

She didn't have any trouble getting the visa. She had previous trips to Finland and Germany. She is listed as primary resident for her apartment (she sort of owns it but it isn't privatized). She doesn't have any sort of steady job that would be worth going back to if she wanted to stay.

This past summer, since her previous visa was still active, she was able to get a two year visa without going to an interview (since she was already approved at the previous interview).

I really can't say what factors make some people get a visa with no problems and other people get dragged through the coals. But we have never had any major problems.

This past year, my MIL also got a visa to the UK to visit her son (my wife's brother) and his family (he's doing a PhD in Scotland). She was denied the first time due to not having some required document to prove her son's residence there.

Edited December 3, 2010 by SMR