Advice on securing a tourist visa for my fiancee's parents

[rsn 135]

My fiancee just arrived a couple days ago, and we plan on having a small legal marriage. However, we want to have a big wedding party later, after the legal wedding. My fiancee wants her parents to be able to attend. Her parents don't have much money, but her mom sort of has her own business, though it does not generate a huge amount of cash. Her parents speak no English.

1.) Should we be able to secure a tourist visa for her parents? If no, why not?

2.) What specifically can/should we do to make it more likely for her parents to secure such a visa?

I am looking for those who have had experience with this specific situation at the Bangkok embassy?

[aaron2020 11,651]

My fiancee just arrived a couple days ago, and we plan on having a small legal marriage. However, we want to have a big wedding party later, after the legal wedding. My fiancee wants her parents to be able to attend. Her parents don't have much money, but her mom sort of has her own business, though it does not generate a huge amount of cash. Her parents speak no English.

1.) Should we be able to secure a tourist visa for her parents? If no, why not?

2.) What specifically can/should we do to make it more likely for her parents to secure such a visa?

I am looking for those who have had experience with this specific situation at the Bangkok embassy?

A foreign national who wants to visit the US must apply for a visa on their own at the US embassy or consulate. The person must show sufficient ties to his/her home country (i.e., a job, business, family, property ownership, etc.), sufficient funds to cover the cost of the trip, and overcome the presumption that the person will be an illegal immigrant.

From the USCIS website; http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

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:

*

Complete and sign the required application forms

*

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

*

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.

Additional information from the State Department; http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1262.html

Edited June 28, 2009 by aaron2020

[rsn 135]

My fiancee just arrived a couple days ago, and we plan on having a small legal marriage. However, we want to have a big wedding party later, after the legal wedding. My fiancee wants her parents to be able to attend. Her parents don't have much money, but her mom sort of has her own business, though it does not generate a huge amount of cash. Her parents speak no English.

1.) Should we be able to secure a tourist visa for her parents? If no, why not?

2.) What specifically can/should we do to make it more likely for her parents to secure such a visa?

I am looking for those who have had experience with this specific situation at the Bangkok embassy?

A foreign national who wants to visit the US must apply for a visa on their own at the US embassy or consulate. The person must show sufficient ties to his/her home country (i.e., a job, business, family, property ownership, etc.), sufficient funds to cover the cost of the trip, and overcome the presumption that the person will be an illegal immigrant.

From the USCIS website; http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

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:

*

Complete and sign the required application forms

*

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

*

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.

Additional information from the State Department; http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1262.html

Yes, I know all of this. Been through the tourist visa process before. I'm looking for someone who has been down this specific path w/ in-laws or foreign parents and dealt with the Bangkok embassy. Not all embassies treat tourist visa applications the same. This is why I am looking for someone who has specific experience.

[Old Dominion 26]

Then let them go ahead and apply. There are no secrets of the trade. Bangkok may be tough. as many have discovered, or it might not be depending on their situation.

[CA dreamer 3]

they can apply requesting that the purpose is to attend their daughter's wedding,however it will be a plus to prove employment vacations,salary report,bank account if her papa got one,if not i would not recommend it for you.

[Anh map 2,098]

Bangkok is one of the tough ones. They need to show strong ties to home to get the visa. As Old Dominion said, there is no formula for qualifying from BKK.

If you think there is evidence of strong enough ties then spend the money to apply for the visa. That seems to be the common opinion when dealing with BKK, HCMC, Manila, and some of the other tough consulates.

[Dau Que 6]

1) If the person currently stays in the US (the one with the family tie and initiated the invitation the parents to come over) has not become a US citizen, then it's almost a guarantee a denial because the Consulate can not trust the parents will not attempt to stay illegally in the States after their tourist Visas have expired.

2) On the other hand, if the person already IS the US citizen, then the case might be a little easier because the Consulate knows if they deny the tourist Visa, the immigration Visa (US citizen son/daughters sponsoring their parents) won't take that long to process.

The only way to work around #1 problem mentioned above is either the age of the parents must be a little over 60 and/or their assets (house, bank accounts) must be "significant" enough to convince the Consulate that their motive to stay beyond the limit of their tourist Visas is close to zero. In your case, this does not sound true to me, from what you described in here so far.