Brother and Friend visitors visa for wedding

[midge and isi 8]

Hi,

My fiance, Israel and I are moving along on our K-1 Visa. His brother and his brother's fiance are planning on attending our wedding in October 2011. We will be having our legal one at the city hall when he gets here but the 2011 one will be the wedding.

Because they are from Ghana they will both need visitor visa (b1/b2). When they apply on the DS-156 they are asked if family is in the USA. When they apply Israel will be in AOS, he is not visiting, he is not a perm resident yet- what should they put in if any family is in the USA and why?

I know they will be asked lots of questions but just wondering if any one has experience with this and when the best time to apply is?

Thanks!

[Fifi30 0]

Great questions. Unfortunately, I don't have the answer but wonder the same thing.

[TracyTN 237]

Israel is still related to his brother, regardless of what his immigration status is here in the US. They ask this question because having relatives in the US could suggest that the visitor visa applicant may have immigrant intent. Above all, be sure that he is truthful. It will be way worse if they find out he does indeed have a brother but did not state such on the application.

For the sister in law, she does not have to list him as a relative (as they are not yet related), but she will have to state her reasons for the visit - and again needs to be truthful.

Edited to add: you might want to breeze around the Africa regional forum here and see what the chances are of a tourist visa being issued. Sometimes they're hard to come by, depending on the country of origin.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/89-africa-sub-saharan/

Edited April 20, 2010 by TracyTN

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Visitors visas from Africa are rare. You need significant ties to Africa. Most are turned down but you don't know if you will be lucky. Last years convention for the home state only 1 in 20 got a visa even when they were asked to attend as speakers. Good luck

[midge and isi 8]

Both work for the Ghana government (NIA, national idenification agency) so we are hoping that those are the ties that they want to see! That is one advantage that they have I think for getting vistor's visas. I do know that they are hard to get.

I knew they should not lie- but on the question if your brother/sister in the united states and for what reason: what would we answer? do we put k-1? perm res? Its hard because he will be in the middle of the AOS process....