Where do I start?

[Wildbill 0]

Hi, I've heard great things about this place and scanning it over, I must say I am impressed! This looks like a great place to get advice and help with immigration visas to the US.

I'm sure this topic has been discussed many times here, but I can't easily find the answers i seek. Could someone point me in the right direction please?

I am an American citizen living and working in Ecuador. I married an Ecuadorian woman in March of this year. She has been denied a tourist visa 3 times over the last 4 years, twice before we were married and once last week. We are now ready to move on to an Immigration Visa. I talked to some lawyers to help me get started and they want $300-$400 just to discuss my case. I would rather do it myself if possible. I need to decide which visa she should attempt to obtain...where do i start?

Bill

[Anh map 2,098]

If you are not planning on moving to the US there is no reason to do the immigration visa.

If you are a legal resident of Ecuador then the DCF (direct consular filing) is the proper course. DCF Guide

[summersurf 10]

Hi..yeah, are you guys planning to move to the US? if so, then you will need to start to file the I-130. Click on FORUMS and all you need to know is there.

Oh and i was just wondering why she's been denied for the tourist visa up to 3 times, was there any specific reason why they denied her?

[Wildbill 0]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies, we dont plan on moving to the US right now. But I travel there several times a year and would like to take her with me for a week or two so she can meet my family and so she can see my country. She was denied the tourist visa because she couldent demonstrate that she had sufficient ties to her country. They want hard evidence that she would return. We spent months collecting documents to prove this, and they never bothered to look at anything we provided. I consulted an immigration lawyer and was told that since we are now married, her chances of obtaining a tourist visa are zero. They seem to think if she got to the States she would never leave. He also told me that the Tourist Visa process is seriously "broken". After helping her apply 3 times and wasting the money, I agree 100%.

We may desire to move to the States sometime in the next few years so I decided it would be best to get the process started. I just hope I can do it while i am living here.

Thanks, I will keep reading this forum.

Bill

Edited June 22, 2009 by Wildbill

[pushbrk 12,898]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies, we dont plan on moving to the US right now. But I travel there several times a year and would like to take her with me for a week or two so she can meet my family and so she can see my country. She was denied the tourist visa because she couldent demonstrate that she had sufficient ties to her country. They want hard evidence that she would return. We spent months collecting documents to prove this, and they never bothered to look at anything we provided. I consulted an immigration lawyer and was told that since we are now married, her chances of obtaining a tourist visa are zero. They seem to think if she got to the States she would never leave. He also told me that the Tourist Visa process is seriously "broken". After helping her apply 3 times and wasting the money, I agree 100%.

We may desire to move to the States sometime in the next few years so I decided it would be best to get the process started. I just hope I can do it while i am living here.

Thanks, I will keep reading this forum.

Bill

Unfortunately the eventual immigrant intent will disqualify your wife from any kind of "visitor" visa. If she obtains an immigrant visa, she will need to maintain her permanent resident status in the USA. A few months prior to your intended permanent move to the US is the time to follow the DCF guide here.

[TBoneTX 45,319]

We spent months collecting documents to prove this, and they never bothered to look at anything we provided.

Expect this for EVERY visa for which you apply in Ecuador. The Guayaquil consulate is arguably the worst on the planet (by a country mile) for its mistreatment of nationals AND of U.S. citizens. Also, to my understanding, DCF is unavailable in Ecuador.