Refusal of USEMB Kazakhstan To Issue Mother Visa

[NBF 1]

We have had a problem bringing my mother to the US for a trip. The USEMB in Astana has not been helpful or friendly in our attempts to bring my mother here for a 4-6 month visit. I have not seen her for several years and wanted to give her a vacation of a lifetime. The USEMB loves to use the catch all phrase of "no ties to Kazakhstan" and have denied all of her attempts to travel here. This is unbelievable as she owns land and property in Astana and is married and has four other children AND grandchildren in KZ. Is it true that when I become a US Citizen that I can petition for her to visit me immediately without any wait? I've been told there will not be any waiting for a visa to become available since I'll be an American citizen and she is my mother. I appreciate all of the education concerning the US and it's policies. Thank you.

[aleful 1,905]

We have had a problem bringing my mother to the US for a trip. The USEMB in Astana has not been helpful or friendly in our attempts to bring my mother here for a 4-6 month visit. I have not seen her for several years and wanted to give her a vacation of a lifetime. The USEMB loves to use the catch all phrase of "no ties to Kazakhstan" and have denied all of her attempts to travel here. This is unbelievable as she owns land and property in Astana and is married and has four other children AND grandchildren in KZ. Is it true that when I become a US Citizen that I can petition for her to visit me immediately without any wait? I've been told there will not be any waiting for a visa to become available since I'll be an American citizen and she is my mother. I appreciate all of the education concerning the US and it's policies. Thank you.

what you are saying is for a residency, a green card, that is not for visiting, it's for her to come and live here. the only visa for visiting is a tourist visa. you can visit her if she cannot come, but if you become a USC and file for a green card, it is not for visiting, but for her to come to live here. there is no wait, but the process takes between 6 months to a year. but remember, it is not for visiting.

she can retry in the future for a tourist visa or you can visit her.

[NBF 1]

what you are saying is for a residency, a green card, that is not for visiting, it's for her to come and live here. the only visa for visiting is a tourist visa. you can visit her if she cannot come, but if you become a USC and file for a green card, it is not for visiting, but for her to come to live here. there is no wait, but the process takes between 6 months to a year. but remember, it is not for visiting.

she can retry in the future for a tourist visa or you can visit her.

Thanks for the quick reply. Ok, now I understand. But, do you think she will have a better chance of being approved for a tourist visa, or the same chances?

On the other hand, if I do bring her to live here, does she have to live the whole year here or can she also return home to visit and then return to the US to continue living with us?

Thank you again!

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

To be a resident she must live here most of the year. However if there are other children home she may not want to make the US her home.

[Dave&Roza 748]

We have had a problem bringing my mother to the US for a trip. The USEMB in Astana has not been helpful or friendly in our attempts to bring my mother here for a 4-6 month visit. I have not seen her for several years and wanted to give her a vacation of a lifetime. The USEMB loves to use the catch all phrase of "no ties to Kazakhstan" and have denied all of her attempts to travel here. This is unbelievable as she owns land and property in Astana and is married and has four other children AND grandchildren in KZ. Is it true that when I become a US Citizen that I can petition for her to visit me immediately without any wait? I've been told there will not be any waiting for a visa to become available since I'll be an American citizen and she is my mother. I appreciate all of the education concerning the US and it's policies. Thank you.

Interesting as my MIL was granted a tourist visa this summer to visit the US. She went thru the Amlaty Consulate instead of Astana--who interviewed her, was it a youngish woman? The only reason I ask is that my wife applyied for a tourist visa back when we had just met and was denied the first time in Almaty and it was this woman. She did not see her when she applied for the tourist visa about 2 weeks later or for her second tourist visa or her K-1 visa--all of those was a nice young gentleman. He also interviewd my MIL for her tourist visa. He looked at her evidence of property, children in Kazakhstan, and pension. All he did was tell her to have a nice trip. Any possibility she could go to Alamty for the tourist visa instead of Astana?

She can try again. It is only money and time she will be loosing. I sometimes think they deny the first attempt just to see if the person will apply again. Coming up with approximately 20,000 KZT is not easy for the average Kazakh and to do that twice means they can afford to come the US and might be less of a risk to stay. I would try in Almaty, but that's easy for me to say as my wife's family lives there or Pavlodar.

Good luck,

Dave

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

Actually, it will probably be more difficult for her to get a tourist visa when you are a citizen as they will be even more afraid she stays.

There is some evidence that if you do go the immigrant visa route (ie you become a citizen, then petition for her to get a immigrant visa, and she comes for a long-ish visit), if she then returns home and gives the greencard back, it will be easier for her to get a tourist visa.

[NBF 1]

Actually, it will probably be more difficult for her to get a tourist visa when you are a citizen as they will be even more afraid she stays.

There is some evidence that if you do go the immigrant visa route (ie you become a citizen, then petition for her to get a immigrant visa, and she comes for a long-ish visit), if she then returns home and gives the greencard back, it will be easier for her to get a tourist visa.

Sounds like you have DoS experience. I guess the petition route is the best. It's hard to tell, but she might not wish to stay after being here for a while. You just never know I guess. In the past we only wished for her to visit and return safely, but now we'll have another option opened for us. Can you tell me if you petitioned for your wife's mother or parents to come here and if so, how long it took? Have you too heard horro stories about the Consulate staff in Astana?

Sorry Penguin. Looks like Dave is the one with the wife from KZ and not you. Dave, thanks for your reply too. Can you tell me about your situation a little more?

[Dave&Roza 748]

Sounds like you have DoS experience. I guess the petition route is the best. It's hard to tell, but she might not wish to stay after being here for a while. You just never know I guess. In the past we only wished for her to visit and return safely, but now we'll have another option opened for us. Can you tell me if you petitioned for your wife's mother or parents to come here and if so, how long it took? Have you too heard horro stories about the Consulate staff in Astana?

Sorry Penguin. Looks like Dave is the one with the wife from KZ and not you. Dave, thanks for your reply too. Can you tell me about your situation a little more?

We have only dealt with the Consulate in Almaty. The one refusal was from a youngish woman back in 2007. She was not seen by my wife in 2008 or 2010 when she received her second tourist visa or the K-1. Nor did my MIL have an interview with her this past summer. All the appovals came from a nice gentleman. I would typically agree with Penguin that having a relative in the US typically makes getting a visa harder, but given the situation in Kazakhstan I would say that in this csae it only has a slight negative impact. as it seems that the Almaty Consulate seems to focus on outward appearance and confidence more. Who interviewed your Mother when she applied and was denied? How old is your Mother? Is she collecting a pension? Does she speak any English?

My MIL is 66, has no husband, has a job in one of those Kiosk that sells magazines, has property, has a son, daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and all the extended family in Kazakhstan. She speaks no English. Has only been to Turkey and other FSU countries many, many years ago. She has a daughter that is a LPR of the US and a son-in-law that is a USC. She was able to get a tourist visa in Almaty and when she arrived she was allowed to stay for 180 days. I would try again for a tourist visa in Astana. If denied by the same person then I would try to get the tourist visa in Almaty. Another thing you can try is to have her visit another country and return. Any possibility to get a visa to the EU? Maybe meet her somewhere and then after that trip she can get a US tourist visa. Maybe it is the length of time you want her to stay. My MIL only wanted to vist for two weeks, but I managed to convince her to stay for three. It does sound like night and day between Almaty and Astana as Almaty has always been nice and friendly and you claim Astana is not very friendly.

Good luck,

Dave