Bringing MIL on tourist visa

[Hazah 0]

Once my MIL fills out the DS-156 form on the embassy's website, she emails the embassy for an interview correct? If we plan on having her come in July, how soon can she schedule the interview? I called the embassy and they said 1-2 months. We'd like to do it as soon as possible but i guess 6 months is too soon?

Edited January 11, 2010 by Hazah

[payxibka 10,045]

Once my MIL fills out the DS-156 form on the embassy's website, she emails the embassy for an interview correct? If we plan on having her come in July, how soon can she schedule the interview? I called the embassy and they said 1-2 months. We'd like to do it as soon as possible but i guess 6 months is too soon?

assuming your MIL has never had a visa issued before, 6 mos would be on the outside... as most likely the first visa issued, if approved, would be a single entry visa with a 6 mos. validity period

[Hazah 0]

We just spoke with the Embassy and they said they're currently only scheduling appointments for March. When i spoke with the Embassy in January the guy said we need to schedule the appointment 1-2 months before the departure, but no longer than that. Well today they said there is no time limit between appointment and departure. Also they said they're only issuing 2 durations of visas, 6 month and 10 year.

The new DS-160 form is a pain in the butt. The site was down for maintenance for several days and now it takes forever to proceed to the next page. The system will time out and wipe all data after 15-20 minutes. It's not a nice form like the old one. The good thing is that you can save the form and upload it to continue.

We plan on filling out the DS-160 ourselves and email it to her mom who will upload it and submit it. Then we'll send a package of lots of unnecessary information just to cover our butts in the event they say we don't have enough info.

[Brad and Vika 129]

Here's an update on my end. Airline prices are going up pretty fast so we're debating whether or not to go ahead and get the plane tickets or wait until the visa is granted. The tickets aren't completely refundable but they can be changed into a credit for 1 year if we cancel the flight. My wife will be having a baby around July 8th so we want her mom to come for 6 months. Hopefully we will get the 6 month visa rather than the 3 month visa.

One question i have is whether the invitation letter should be in English so the embassy can read it or in Ukrainian so her mom can read it? I guess we'll send both.

Be cautious about fees associated with changing tickets. The fees have changed much over the past year or so, and can chew up a bunch of your credit.

[Hazah 0]

My MIL just had her interview with the embassy this morning and she was rejected. We sent a huge package of information of her ties with us and our status in America, and she took a huge package of proof of her ties to Ukraine. The officer requested her ties to America and she submitted them but he barely looked over them. He didn't ask for her proof of ties to Ukraine, and she didn't submit them because the sign says only submit information upon request. So the officer then asked 2 questions, when her daughter (my wife) arrived in the US and who my MIL lives with in Ukraine. She answered and he rejected her. That's it, no further follow up questions, no explanations, and no further requests for the information she had. We don't mind reapplying but if the officers don't do their job then what's to prevent them from rejecting her again?

All attempts at contacting an officer or consular section were futile. At least at the USCIS they had a way to escalate the problem to a random officer, but apparently not in Kyiv. Any suggestions?

[Brad and Vika 129]

My MIL just had her interview with the embassy this morning and she was rejected. We sent a huge package of information of her ties with us and our status in America, and she took a huge package of proof of her ties to Ukraine. The officer requested her ties to America and she submitted them but he barely looked over them. He didn't ask for her proof of ties to Ukraine, and she didn't submit them because the sign says only submit information upon request. So the officer then asked 2 questions, when her daughter (my wife) arrived in the US and who my MIL lives with in Ukraine. She answered and he rejected her. That's it, no further follow up questions, no explanations, and no further requests for the information she had. We don't mind reapplying but if the officers don't do their job then what's to prevent them from rejecting her again?

All attempts at contacting an officer or consular section were futile. At least at the USCIS they had a way to escalate the problem to a random officer, but apparently not in Kyiv. Any suggestions?

What exactly where her ties to Ukraine? I ask because we are probably three months away from that interview. I have never heard of presenting ties to the US either, other than the invitation letter and proof of support. When did your wife arrive? Just looking for facts for comparison. Were specific reasond given for rejection?

Edited April 27, 2010 by Brad and Vika

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

When a foreigner is applying for a tourist visa to the USA, any ties to the US are the kiss of death to the application.

The US immigration people want visitors to have overwhelmingly strong ties to their home country, but really no reason to stay in the US. Having a close family member in the US who immigrated there from her home country is exactly the opposite of helpful.

I'd say that is pretty obvious, don't you agree?

[Brad and Vika 129]

When a foreigner is applying for a tourist visa to the USA, any ties to the US are the kiss of death to the application.

The US immigration people want visitors to have overwhelmingly strong ties to their home country, but really no reason to stay in the US. Having a close family member in the US who immigrated there from her home country is exactly the opposite of helpful.

I'd say that is pretty obvious, don't you agree?

This is exactly why I asked. Never heard of presenting strong ties to the US. I wonder if the question wasn't taken wrong, or the answer presented differently than what was said?

[Hazah 0]

What exactly where her ties to Ukraine? I ask because we are probably three months away from that interview. I have never heard of presenting ties to the US either, other than the invitation letter and proof of support. When did your wife arrive? Just looking for facts for comparison. Were specific reasond given for rejection?

She brought with her the deed to the house with her and her husband's name on it, employment records, pension documents, passport copies for her, her husband, and her son, and something like a national ID record that lists every member of her family and where they reside. But all of this is irrelevant because the officer didn't even ASK for any of it! He spent 2 minutes with her, asked 2 simple questions, and denied her for reasons of "Insufficient ties to Ukraine". This was her first time in the embassy, she's like 65, never even been on a plane before, and she sits down in front of the pompous American officer next to a sign that says "Don't submit documents unless asked", so how do you think that makes her feel? Yes she should have demanded that the officer at least look at the proof of her Ukrainian ties but he should have requested them per procedure.

My wife arrived on a K1 Fiance visa in June 2007 after failing to receive 2 tourist visas. When she was denied the visas we had submitted no ties to the US since she didn't have any other than being in a long distance relationship with me. For the fiance visa we had to submit a ton of documents to prove my status in the US and that I'd be able to support her so they wouldn't have to worry about her becoming a ward of the state.

And no i don't agree that having ties to the US is obviously bad. Why would a 65 yr old pensioner who manages her own store, has a house and husband for 35 yrs, and a son of a doctor want to leave all that behind? If they don't want you to submit ties to the US then they should specify such and if they want proof of ties to Ukraine then they should request them! The only thing obvious is the corruption and incompetency of government.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Reality, or the perception of it, and procedural protocol oftentimes vary a lot.

It appears to me that the I.O. at the embassy wasn't so much interested in her ties to mother Ukraine, but was focussing instead of finding out if there's any way in hell the she might, perhaps, or not, want to stay with her daughter in the US. When he or she came to the conclusion that this is a faint possibility, even if that's as crazy as it gets, he or she denied her.

Is that fair? Hell no! It's a crying shame not to allow a parent to visit their child. Obviously there's some form of paranoia instilled in all I.O.s that makes 'em see the enemy everywhere. I totally agree with you, yet I don't see any chance to fight that decision successfully. She can apply again, but isn't that like rolling the dice again?

[Hazah 0]

Reality, or the perception of it, and procedural protocol oftentimes vary a lot.

It appears to me that the I.O. at the embassy wasn't so much interested in her ties to mother Ukraine, but was focussing instead of finding out if there's any way in hell the she might, perhaps, or not, want to stay with her daughter in the US. When he or she came to the conclusion that this is a faint possibility, even if that's as crazy as it gets, he or she denied her.

Is that fair? Hell no! It's a crying shame not to allow a parent to visit their child. Obviously there's some form of paranoia instilled in all I.O.s that makes 'em see the enemy everywhere. I totally agree with you, yet I don't see any chance to fight that decision successfully. She can apply again, but isn't that like rolling the dice again?

It's risky, and since there's a refusal in her passport an on her record, it makes it increasingly difficult to get the visa. But we went ahead and applied and she has another interview on May 12th. It's really a 50/50 chance of getting a sympathetic or competent officer but i've lost all faith in government and i'd be shocked if she gets this visa.

[Hazah 0]

My MIL just had another interview and was denied again for the same reason, insufficient ties to home country, and again the officer didn't accept her documents. She offered them to the person who takes her confirmation page and the person said the officer will request them if he needs them.

Afterward she went to an immigration lawyer who told her that in 2009 most of the applicants who went to the U.S. on a tourist visa to visit their relative's newborn did not return to Ukraine, so the U.S. is now denying ALL tourist visas for this purpose. Has anyone else heard of this?

[Boiler 45,482]

That is probably a bit of an overstatement, but it would not surprise me if many forget to go home.

If you want to blame anyone, blame those that bilked the system and is making it difficult for your MIL.

Just a couple of stating the obvious points:

• The Consular Officer has the discretion of allowing a visa, the default is to refuse.
  
• Even with the above there are 5 million plus in the US who entered on visa's but overstayed.
  
• My assumption is that in the majority of cases the decision is made before the interview.
  
• It may be me, but 6 months seems a very long visit for someone who has such a strong need to return to their country and has never left their country before.
  
• There may well be a suspicion that the stay has more to do with providing free child care.
  

[Boiler 45,482]

That is probably a bit of an overstatement, but it would not surprise me if many forget to go home.

If you want to blame anyone, blame those that bilked the system and is making it difficult for your MIL.

Just a couple of stating the obvious points:

• The Consular Officer has the discretion of allowing a visa, the default is to refuse.
  
• Even with the above there are 5 million plus in the US who entered on visa's but overstayed.
  
• My assumption is that in the majority of cases the decision is made before the interview.
  
• It may be me, but 6 months seems a very long visit for someone who has such a strong need to return to their country and has never left their country before.
  
• There may well be a suspicion that the stay has more to do with providing free child care.