tourist visa for mother-in-law

[GueraKristina 1]

So my husband and i are interested in bringing my mother-in-law to the U.S (as she has expressed her dire need to 'take care of me' during my last month of pregnancy ) How would we go about doing this? She is mexican, born and raised, and has NEVER left the country. What kind of proof would my husband and i need to show? How long do these kinds of visa's usually take (as i am about 4 months pregnant now), and does anybody have any experience bringing a MEXICAN CITIZEN for a visit to the U.S? Would she have to go to Mexico City for the papers/interview or w/e is necessary or would she have to go to Ciudad juarez like my husband had to do for the K-1?

[Jojo92122 1,924]

Your mother-in-law will need to apply for a visitor visa on her own. A foreign national applying for a visitor visa is presumed to have the intent to immigrate. She must show strong ties to Mexico that would rebut the presumption to immigrate; essentially what are her reasons for leaving the US after her visit. Strong ties can be shown through employment, family ties, property ownership, etc.

Your husband and you can provide her with an invitation letter and pay for her trip.

It is illegal for a visitor to work. "Taking care of you" may be considered work since a US person could be hired to care for you. People have been denied visitor visas after disclosing they want to visit to help care for newborn grandchildren. Be very careful with this. Her purpose for wanting the visitor visa is to visit you and your husband. Her purpose should not include "taking care of you."

[GueraKristina 1]

wow thats crazy! i didn't realize that they could DENY somebody for stating that they wanted to 'take care' of a family member! She can't say that she wants to see the birth of her grandchild?

the only 'ties' she has is her house/and her land, also her mentally challenged daughter that is dependent on her, well she is not completely handicaped, she knows her schedule and can do alot of stuff, but she lives at home, and still relies on her mother to tell her what to do and stuff, but while my mother in law is here, my other sister in law will be living in the home, and she can step in and help yadira (the mentally challenged one), so the only thing that i can really think of is to get a letter from her employer stating that she is working and has a job, take yadira to the doctors to show that she is mentally challenged and is dependent on her mother's care, since she is the primary care giver of yadira, that she will be fine for a month, but that she will need my mother in law to return promptly, and show that she has the house and the land, but the thing is, its not in her name, in fact it isnt even in her husbands name, it is in her husbands FATHER's name who has passed away atleast 10 years ago, see in mexico, its not really that important to change that stuff over, if it happens it happens, if not, it doesnt. but other than that, that is the only thing that i can think of that would show her 'ties' in mexico. Maybe if she had bills in her name and stuff that could be included, but they dont do taxes in mexico, so she doesnt have any of that......

[P & A 0]

So my husband and i are interested in bringing my mother-in-law to the U.S (as she has expressed her dire need to 'take care of me' during my last month of pregnancy ) How would we go about doing this? She is mexican, born and raised, and has NEVER left the country. What kind of proof would my husband and i need to show? How long do these kinds of visa's usually take (as i am about 4 months pregnant now), and does anybody have any experience bringing a MEXICAN CITIZEN for a visit to the U.S? Would she have to go to Mexico City for the papers/interview or w/e is necessary or would she have to go to Ciudad juarez like my husband had to do for the K-1?

Hi! Congrats!!, Im doing the same for my sisters (i want them to be with me on my wedding day, so im helping them with their tourist visa, my parents already have theirs). The tourist visa can be issued in the consulate/embassy that is closer to your mother in law (My sisters will do it in mexico city). She will need to make an appointment for biometrics and another for the interview, usually you can make them with one day difference. Last time I checked, the waiting time for the appointments was 15 days, and I would say another 10 days for the consulate to send the visa via DHL. So total, about a month. As for the proofs, I would say, bank records, property records, etc.

[GueraKristina 1]

It is illegal for a visitor to work. "Taking care of you" may be considered work since a US person could be hired to care for you. People have been denied visitor visas after disclosing they want to visit to help care for newborn grandchildren. Be very careful with this. Her purpose for wanting the visitor visa is to visit you and your husband. Her purpose should not include "taking care of you."

i am having a hard time understanding why she would be denied based on the fact that she would be 'helping' ...'looking after'.....'witnessing the birth' of her grandchild and how that would be perceived as her 'working' getting a workers visa, or expecting to work when she gets here is NOT the point, the point is for her to see her grandchild being born....and i am NOT hiring her, ....... so 'hiring' a US person to take care of me is irrelevant.

Hi! Congrats!!, Im doing the same for my sisters (i want them to be with me on my wedding day, so im helping them with their tourist visa, my parents already have theirs). The tourist visa can be issued in the consulate/embassy that is closer to your mother in law (My sisters will do it in mexico city). She will need to make an appointment for biometrics and another for the interview, usually you can make them with one day difference. Last time I checked, the waiting time for the appointments was 15 days, and I would say another 10 days for the consulate to send the visa via DHL. So total, about a month. As for the proofs, I would say, bank records, property records, etc.

ty, please read over my previous post with the 'ties' and 'proof' to return to mexico that my mother in law could provide, do you think they are enough? What kind of 'ties' are your family members using?

[GueraKristina 1]

@ P & A, does she physically go to the mexican consulate in mexico city to apply for these things or how does it work? Sorry we are step by step people, or at least i am, and the little town she is from, well no one will know how to help her since no1 from there has 'visited' the U.S ....legally that is....

[P & A 0]

i am having a hard time understanding why she would be denied based on the fact that she would be 'helping' ...'looking after'.....'witnessing the birth' of her grandchild and how that would be perceived as her 'working' getting a workers visa, or expecting to work when she gets here is NOT the point, the point is for her to see her grandchild being born....and i am NOT hiring her, ....... so 'hiring' a US person to take care of me is irrelevant.

ty, please read over my previous post with the 'ties' and 'proof' to return to mexico that my mother in law could provide, do you think they are enough? What kind of 'ties' are your family members using?

I would say yes, but im really not an expert. I think a strong family tie (like yadira) and the other papers you mention should be enough, make sure she bring everything she can. My sisters are attending to university, so they will bring letters from school, jobs (only one of them works), and proof that they are still depending on my father (he is a cardiologist). My parents brought the house property record, letters from their jobs (my mom is a doctor too), bank records, bill records in their name, i dont think they showed their taxes record, probably their last checks. The form for filling the tourist visa is pretty similar to the ds 260 we had to file for the k1, so the us embassy pretty much ask for every detail before the interview.

She has to file online, and then go physically to the appointments, by the way, the form she has to file is in english, so you or your husband should help her with that .

Edited September 14, 2011 by P & A

[GueraKristina 1]

I would say yes, but im really not an expert. I think a strong family tie (like yadira) and the other papers you mention should be enough, make sure she bring everything she can. My sisters are attending to university, so they will bring letters from school, jobs (only one of them works), and proof that they are still depending on my father (he is a cardiologist). My parents brought the house property record, letters from their jobs (my mom is a doctor too), bank records, bill records in their name, i dont think they showed their taxes record, probably their last checks. The form for filling the tourist visa is pretty similar to the ds 260 we had to file for the k1, so the us embassy pretty much ask for every detail before the interview.

She has to file online, and then go physically to the appointments, by the way, the form she has to file is in english, so you or your husband should help her with that .

ok, where does she go to start the process? does she go to mexico city with all the paperwork and just walk in? or how does it work? does she need to call to make an appt to have them see her to prove her case THEN she gets an 'official appt'?

I would say yes, but im really not an expert. I think a strong family tie (like yadira) and the other papers you mention should be enough, make sure she bring everything she can. My sisters are attending to university, so they will bring letters from school, jobs (only one of them works), and proof that they are still depending on my father (he is a cardiologist). My parents brought the house property record, letters from their jobs (my mom is a doctor too), bank records, bill records in their name, i dont think they showed their taxes record, probably their last checks. The form for filling the tourist visa is pretty similar to the ds 260 we had to file for the k1, so the us embassy pretty much ask for every detail before the interview.

She has to file online, and then go physically to the appointments, by the way, the form she has to file is in english, so you or your husband should help her with that .

got post happy, just saw the last of your post, sorry, she doesnt have a computer and doesnt know how to work one, my husband and i are here in the U.S.A, so i cant help her with the forms unless i physically go, i am the only one that knows english in the family.....

[P & A 0]

ok, where does she go to start the process? does she go to mexico city with all the paperwork and just walk in? or how does it work? does she need to call to make an appt to have them see her to prove her case THEN she gets an 'official appt'?

got post happy, just saw the last of your post, sorry, she doesnt have a computer and doesnt know how to work one, my husband and i are here in the U.S.A, so i cant help her with the forms unless i physically go, i am the only one that knows english in the family.....

These are the steps for mexico city http://mexico.usembassy.gov/visas/non-immigrant-visas/how-to-apply.html i think you or your husband can file the form, you dont have to go to mexico city, only she has to go. But you must state in the form that you, or your husband where the ones who helped her answer the questions, I believe ther is a question specifically that asks if the applicant filed or someone helped and why (let me check that) The thing is, since its in english, there are a lot of "bussinesses" that file for people visas and charge them 100 dls.

[Jojo92122 1,924]

i am having a hard time understanding why she would be denied based on the fact that she would be 'helping' ...'looking after'.....'witnessing the birth' of her grandchild and how that would be perceived as her 'working' getting a workers visa, or expecting to work when she gets here is NOT the point, the point is for her to see her grandchild being born....and i am NOT hiring her, ....... so 'hiring' a US person to take care of me is irrelevant.

I am not accusing you of HIRING your mother-in-law to care for you or your child. I am trying to help you. This issue may seem irrelevant to you but it may not be to the consular officer interviewing her for a visitor visa. How an issue is presented matters.

Generally in the US, we hire people to care for our newborns while we recuperate or go back to work. We do not hire people to visit us or witness the birth of our child. The fact that we hire people to care for our children makes that activity work in the eyes of the immigration folks.

It is silly to consider it work when a grandparent provides love, nurturing, and help around the house with a new grandchild. However, the CBP is his bureaucratic head may disagree.

A B-2 visitor visa holder can enter the US to visit and witness the birth of a grandchild. A B-2 visitor visa holder can not enter the US to "help" or "provide care." (Yeah, I know - what the freakin' difference.)

Your MIL should only say at her visa interview that she wants to visit you, her son, and witness the birth of her grandchild. She should not tell him that she wants to enter the US to help with childcare. It will make it easier.

Sometimes, it's best not to try to understand the logic of the immigration folks and simply provide them with the magic words they want to hear.

Google "visa denial care for grandchild newborn" and you will find some interesting information on this subject. It' silly to think that way, but it can be an issue in getting the visitor visa.

Edited September 14, 2011 by Jojo92122

[P & A 0]

These are the steps for mexico city http://mexico.usemba...w-to-apply.html i think you or your husband can file the form, you dont have to go to mexico city, only she has to go. But you must state in the form that you, or your husband where the ones who helped her answer the questions, I believe ther is a question specifically that asks if the applicant filed or someone helped and why (let me check that) The thing is, since its in english, there are a lot of "bussinesses" that file for people visas and charge them 100 dls.

I found it! this is the sample of the form she has to file http://www.docstoc.com/docs/33894519/Sample-DS-160-Form---US-visa-application-form the last question is about the preparer of appllication.

[P & A 0]

I am not accusing you of HIRING your mother-in-law to care for you or your child. I am trying to help you. This issue may seem irrelevant to you but it may not be to the consular officer interviewing her for a visitor visa. How an issue is presented matters.

Sometimes, it's best not to try to understand the logic of the immigration folks and simply provide them with the magic words they want to hear.

Google "visa denial care for grandchild newborn" and you will find some interesting information on this subject. It' silly to think that way, but it can be an issue in getting the visitor visa.

I totally agree, it is just a matter of choosing the right words, just in case.

[GueraKristina 1]

so we filed for my mother in law, did all the paperwork, everything.... she went for her interview, she took lots of proof,(none of which the man wanted to see, or would look at), he pulled her name up in the computer, and denied her on the spot, said she wasnt qualified for the visa..... she asked why, and he just kept repeating himself without giving her an explaination, and told her to move aside so he could help the next person. We pretty much do not know what to do or where to go from here. It cost her 200 american dollars just to get into the building, and the man that she had apparently is notorious for denying many of the applicants. ANY ADVICE?

[Boiler 45,467]

Sounds like you will be visiting her.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

What did she say on the application as to the reason she wanted to visit the US?

Honestly, from what you said I am not surprised. Having a daughter and, soon to be, grandchild in the US strongly worked against her, no matter how unfair it is.

I am sorry

Good luck