Opinions on the success of Russian getting a tourist visa

[spyrals 0]

I'm dreaming about bringing my childhood best friend to the US to visit me. I am an Australian married to a US citizen and living in the US. My friend is in Russia, she is 33, in a common law marriage with her man. They used to be married but had a fight and got divorced and now are still together, but not legally married. She is unemployed because the company she worked for went out of business but she doesn't care as they want to have a baby. They are living with her mom in a place that her mom owns. What are her chances of getting a tourist visa to the US? I would like to take her on a trip around the US and show her all the attractions. It's a genuine short term visit but she is very pessimistic about being granted a tourist visa due to her unemployment. Can anyone tell me that her chances are good so I can calm her down? Thanks in advance!

[Hypnos 6,576]

She is right, without stronger ties to Russia her chances are above zero, but not by much.

[spyrals 0]

She is right, without stronger ties to Russia her chances are above zero, but not by much.

Would it help if she had a business there? She is thinking about starting a clothing import business.

[Hypnos 6,576]

I doubt it, especially if they saw the business was very new, which it would be.

[spyrals 0]

I doubt it, especially if they saw the business was very new, which it would be.

Just wondering if you have any personal experience with this specific situation? I mean surely SOME people are getting tourist visas who don't have a job and who are female. There are over 200,000 Russian tourist visas granted every year.

[Hypnos 6,576]

I do not, I just have experience of this forum and personal experiences of people posting here.

Certainly she can apply, there is nothing stopping her. The thing is, when applying from a "high fraud" country as Russia is usually considered to be (at least for tourist visa purposes), you need to show more ties to your home country than someone from a "low fraud" country.

[spyrals 0]

I do not, I just have experience of this forum and personal experiences of people posting here.

Certainly she can apply, there is nothing stopping her. The thing is, when applying from a "high fraud" country as Russia is usually considered to be (at least for tourist visa purposes), you need to show more ties to your home country than someone from a "low fraud" country.

Stupid Russia with its stupid fraud! Well we're going to try and I'll post how it goes. I've read every thread on this forum about the issue and it's mostly about guys trying to bring in mail order brides which isn't the case here. There aren't too many stories about genuine cases that fail. So I am choosing to be optimistic

[jaycali 415]

Just wondering if you have any personal experience with this specific situation? I mean surely SOME people are getting tourist visas who don't have a job and who are female. There are over 200,000 Russian tourist visas granted every year.

Stupid Russia with its stupid fraud! Well we're going to try and I'll post how it goes. I've read every thread on this forum about the issue and it's mostly about guys trying to bring in mail order brides which isn't the case here. There aren't too many stories about genuine cases that fail. So I am choosing to be optimistic

Be optimistic, there is no harm in applying.

The problem faced by many tourist visa applicants in countries with lower standards of living than the US is that they often unwillingly enter the consulate with a huge "Intending immigrant" bumper sticker on their forehead. When applying for a non-immigrant visa under the only field of US law where you are guilty until proven innocent, removing that sticker can be a pain.

Proofs of ties to one's country can really be anything. There are no minimum requirements, no guaranteed outcomes and no right or wrong answer. It's simply a matter of rational choice theory - Convincing the CO that you're better off returning than by attempting to circumvent immigration law.

All immigration officers are required by law to assume everyone applying for a visa to be an intending immigrant - It's the applicants job to satisfy the officer of the opposite.

Edited October 12, 2012 by jaejayC