Gettng a tourist visa for my mom

[angelwithoutwings 0]

Hello all,

I'm here to ask for advice or ask anyone who were in the same situation before or now on how to get a tourist visa for my mom. I am a permanent resident here in the US married to a US citizen (by 2014 of Feb I'll be able to apply for citizenship). I want to invite my mom for at least 6 months to stay with us in the US in Chicago to visit me and spend some time with me and my husband. My mom and the rest of my family are all in the Philippines. My mom's English is not that good too would this be a problem? she can understand a bit but not speak fluently. Should I hire an interpreter or have her accompanied by someone who can speak and understand English?

What advice or suggestion can you give me to ensure that my mom will get her tourist visa. My mom is 54 years old, works in our city as a barangay councilor (smallest unit of government in the Philippines)but I am supporting her financially, she doesn't own any property although we have our own house. My brothers and sister and father are all in the Philippines, I'm the only one away from home. My question is what are the supporting documents that we need to provide or tell the immigration to support my mom's strong ties to country. I was thinking that my mom having most of her family members in the PI would be number one, but is this sufficient? In your own experience is there a bigger chance for her to get a tourist visa? I am working and willing to support all my mom's financial needs in the US.

Can you please give me any information on what documents or paperwork should I ask my mom to prepare and also advice her on what to do/say in the interview to pass and to get her visa.

I'd really appreciate any help that I can get. Also can I do the online application form for her since she's not very literate with computer?

Thank you.

Angel

[redvelvet 12]

I think your mom is ok to apply for a tourist visa since the rest of the family is still in the Philippines. I suggest that you write a letter for your mom to bring to interview stating that you will pay for the expenses for your mom's travel. You can also set her interview and fill out the DS-160 online. Just send her the pdf file to print. I suggest you should read up on the clearance required for government employees before they can travel abroad.

They have translators at the embassy, even for a specific dialect. I overheard one interview translated in Ilokano. Good luck!

[ndu26 114]

she should get a letter from the company where she works. also pictures shwoing she and her other children and husband should go with her . Does she have bank account with some reasonable amount in it? even with all of these, bear inmind that the CO may not ask to see other documents she has with er before deciding on her case.

[Hagrid 22]

Hi! I hope my experience is helpful to you. I had the chance to held two J1 exchange visas, one tourism visa and then the fiancé visa to get married to my then fiancé now wife . Also I have helped lots of friend with that and I am glad my help has been helpful!

It's really late so I didn't double check what I wrote so if there's any misspelled or lack of grammar, I apologize in advance! Just want to be helpful as I feel identified (as many, I bet) wanting our mom's or dad's come visit us and see our homes and how we live.

The hardest one to get was the tourism visa even when I had visited/been here before. To be honest, it doesn't matter if you are going to pay for everything even the plane tickets and your mom doesn't have to pay a penny for and during the trip. This might be helpful when they ask who's going to pay for the trip, even you fill that out in the ds 160. The letter is not really important. In Colombia the interviews for tourism visa are done in Spanish. I don't know about Philippines but I have heard that if the person doesn't speak English, there's an interpreter available. This is because a tourist doesn't need to speak English to come here and enjoy the country and bring money here which helps the economy.

Having family at home is not strong tie but it helps. During my interview for the tourism visa they asked me a lot about my parents where they were, etc. But my ties were my college, my graduation being far but me being more than half way in the total of studies. But having all the family at home isn't strong enough as many leave them behind for stronger reasons in the USA. For example, I left all my family, no family members, relatives here but my wife is my strongest tie to this country, stronger than my family back in Colombia. So the vice consul can see that you the LPR can be a strong tie for your mom to stay here.

No having properties might be a problem or not being retired, but being employed is good as long as it is a steady job and it's been there for a while, let's say two years, five years, the more years the better.

Let me give you some tips that will help so your mom can visit you I understand your worries, I want my mom and dad to visit too and my sister to come on J1 every summer! So they will apply this or the next year but start getting things ready, like the passports.

Ok some tips for you:

- The letter might help to clarify the reason why your mom is coming to the states, she can take it to the interview but don't hand it to the vice consul unless is requested. Most of the times they don't ask for any document at all accept the passport, the picture and the ds 160.

- In the ds 160 when they ask if she has immediate family here in the states, say the truth and it will ask your status, you put LPR which is good because it won't affect your mom's application and will show that she has nothing to hide or intention to stay here. When an applicant has family here that is illegal is not well seen under the vice consul's eyes and they think like: If your relative stayed, you will do it too. So no worries here

- In the ds 160 they will ask who is going to pay for the trip: Other: Your names etc. information and relation to her, in your case "children" is the option (something like this).

- Ds 160: Specific plans: No (as she doesn't have a visa, is not smart getting tickets, planning a trip etc.) Intended date of arrival, the date, set just two months ahead at least as interviews can take as soon as the next day or as long as 45 days after you book it. Some countries let rebook it for free and change the date to make it happen sooner some countries do not. Duration of the trip: DON’T put six months!!! this is very important. For the consul's, no one goes on vacation for six months, six months on vacation? Yeah right? You have no ties! So don't say six months. Just fill it out with 2 weeks. That is reasonable when you have strong ties in your country. If your mom is older, it's easier. My friend's grams comes here for five months, stays six in Colombia, then again here. Renewed her visa, no problem, she said she would visit one month though but filled out the previous visits just the way they were, long! But she's sixty. And she just visits her daughter and nieces! So this is what I always recommend my friends when they want to apply and ask me about it and always seems to help: When you don’t have the visa, you are planning on coming for two weeks at the most. When you have it, come as long as you desire, 1 month, six months! This is not lying as there are no specific plans, so the plans might change and when she comes here she will say the CBP officer how long she wants to stay here on tourism. And the officer will determine the validity of her i94. So remember, she wants to come see you for two weeks as she has a life in her country but when she gets the visa she can seek enter the country on tourism and the CBP officer will determine how long she can stay. Many people fail at this and they get their denials and many of them have no intention to stay here. Also make sure Mom goes home before that date so she won't jeopardize future visits to the states

Also don’t worry about the date, my cousins (which I helped too based on my experience and gained more experience out of it ) they filled it out saying they would go in May last year. They never used the visa until last week and just in transit, no problems at all. I said I would come visit in January last year but it didn't happen as my then fiancé now wife went to Colombia to see me so that's why it's an intended date of arrival nothing is written as you say I have no specific plans.

- Someone travelling with you (ds 160): Yes. Yes and Yes. This is very important. If it is possible not only have your mom apply for her visa alone but have your siblings or your dad or any other immediate relative apply with her! And book with her the appointment! So they go together and are interviewed together.

Idk her situation but if she lives with one of them, apply together, the chances to get the visa approved are better and if they have strong ties, the better! Let's say your mom has no house there but lives with your brother and your brother owns the house. That's a strong tie for your brother. When your brother travels with your mom, most likely your brother will come back so will your mom as it's a family trip. If no one is willing to apply with your mom, then in this question fill one friend or other relative at least. It can be anyone who has visa it's preferred. They ask this a lot: Are you traveling with someone? Yes with my friend, my brother, my two sons, etc. Do they have visas? Does he/she have visa (in case she is alone at the interview and booked appointment alone)? Yes. They move to the next question. Never say you are coming on tourism alone even when it's truth. I made this mistake and led to more questions. I said yes alone, the interviewer looked at me weird and asked more things. Four questions after I fixed! iugh I was relieved. She said: ok but do you have any friends that would travel with you in a trip? I said yes I have several friends that have visa; we might come up with something together.

- The two weeks is believable as she has a job which is going to be used as her strongest tie to her home country.

- If your mom has been to any other country in the last few years, that helps. It's not mandatory of course! The first country I ever visited was the USA and my first visa was granted with no problem back then.

- Also very important: Wonder: would you give the visa to your mom? if you doubt on this one, make the adjustments so you change your answer. This always works. I tell my friends after wondering myself this: hmm I wouldn't grant you the visa. Like right now, I wouldn't grant the visa to my parents or my sister as I am in AOS pending

Look for other strong ties: My parents both are retired and both have incomes out of their retirement, my sister is in college 1 year almost completed. Family application, the three of them for the tourism visa. (My brother is not in the picture because unfortunately he has no strong ties and I wouldn't grant him the visa, he wouldn't grant it himself. We are working on it, when he gets a steady job and visits another country he will apply so he can come see me too

Good luck on your journey and please update us whenever she applies and let us know how it goes

Edited: Corrected few grammar mistakes.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Juan L

[angelwithoutwings 0]

I think your mom is ok to apply for a tourist visa since the rest of the family is still in the Philippines. I suggest that you write a letter for your mom to bring to interview stating that you will pay for the expenses for your mom's travel. You can also set her interview and fill out the DS-160 online. Just send her the pdf file to print. I suggest you should read up on the clearance required for government employees before they can travel abroad.

They have translators at the embassy, even for a specific dialect. I overheard one interview translated in Ilokano. Good luck!

Hi Redvelvet,

Thank you for your quick reply and for your time in answering my question. That was one of my plans to send her a letter or an affidavit stating that I will support her financially during her stay here in the US. Even though she's just a Barangay councilor she needs a clearance? hmm..thanks for bringing this up, I will ask her to ask her barangay chairman to investigate if she needs a clearance from the city government. good point.

Do you have an experience with US tourist visa and have you ever filled out the DS-160 online for someone as well as set an interview for someone (a family member)? Sorry I know it sounds redundant and rhetorical but I just want to make sure that this is ok with the USCIS.

Would buying her a health insurance also help just in case she gets ill or what not?

Again thank you for your advice and suggestions, I really appreciate it.

Angel

[angelwithoutwings 0]

she should get a letter from the company where she works. also pictures shwoing she and her other children and husband should go with her . Does she have bank account with some reasonable amount in it? even with all of these, bear inmind that the CO may not ask to see other documents she has with er before deciding on her case.

Hi ndu26,

She works for the Barangay in the Philippines this is under the city government. So I guess she should get a letter from her barangay chairman (head of the barangay council). I already ask her to establish a bank account soon. My brothers and sister and father are not going to accompany her, my brothers have their own families and won't be ale to leave the country, my sister is also in Nursing school and father is working so he won't be able to go. Only my mom. And plus I couldn't afford to support all of them if ever they visit me the plane ticket itself is expensive. I live in Chicago, IL. so it's more expense and more paperwork for me to worry if my other family members go.

Anyway thank you for your post and ideas

Angel

[angelwithoutwings 0]

Hi! I hope my experience is helpful to you. I had the chance to held two J1 exchange visas, one tourism visa and then the fiancé visa to get married to my then fiancé now wife . Also I have helped lots of friend with that and I am glad my help has been helpful!

It's really late so I didn't double check what I wrote so if there's any misspelled or lack of grammar, I apologize in advance! Just want to be helpful as I feel identified (as many, I bet) wanting our mom's or dad's come visit us and see our homes and how we live.

The hardest one to get was the tourism visa even when I had visited/been here before. To be honest, it doesn't matter if you are going to pay for everything even the plane tickets and your mom doesn't have to pay a penny for and during the trip. This might be helpful when they ask who's going to pay for the trip, even you fill that out in the ds 160. The letter is not really important. In Colombia the interviews for tourism visa are done in Spanish. I don't know about Philippines but I have heard that if the person doesn't speak English, there's an interpreter available. This is because a tourist doesn't need to speak English to come here and enjoy the country and bring money here which helps the economy.

Having family at home is not strong tie but it helps. During my interview for the tourism visa they asked me a lot about my parents where they were, etc. But my ties were my college, my graduation being far but me being more than half way in the total of studies. But having all the family at home isn't strong enough as many leave them behind for stronger reasons in the USA. For example, I left all my family, no family members, relatives here but my wife is my strongest tie to this country, stronger than my family back in Colombia. So the vice consul can see that you the LPR can be a strong tie for your mom to stay here.

No having properties might be a problem or not being retired, but being employed is good as long as it is a steady job and it's been there for a while, let's say two years, five years, the more years the better.

Let me give you some tips that will help so your mom can visit you I understand your worries, I want my mom and dad to visit too and my sister to come on J1 every summer! So they will apply this or the next year but start getting things ready, like the passports.

Ok some tips for you:

- The letter might help to clarify the reason why your mom is coming to the states, she can take it to the interview but don't hand it to the vice consul unless is requested. Most of the times they don't ask for any document at all accept the passport, the picture and the ds 160.

- In the ds 160 when they ask if she has immediate family here in the states, say the truth and it will ask your status, you put LPR which is good because it won't affect your mom's application and will show that she has nothing to hide or intention to stay here. When an applicant has family here that is illegal is not well seen under the vice consul's eyes and they think like: If your relative stayed, you will do it too. So no worries here

- In the ds 160 they will ask who is going to pay for the trip: Other: Your names etc. information and relation to her, in your case "children" is the option (something like this).

- Ds 160: Specific plans: No (as she doesn't have a visa, is not smart getting tickets, planning a trip etc.) Intended date of arrival, the date, set just two months ahead at least as interviews can take as soon as the next day or as long as 45 days after you book it. Some countries let rebook it for free and change the date to make it happen sooner some countries do not. Duration of the trip: DON’T put six months!!! this is very important. For the consul's, no one goes on vacation for six months, six months on vacation? Yeah right? You have no ties! So don't say six months. Just fill it out with 2 weeks. That is reasonable when you have strong ties in your country. If your mom is older, it's easier. My friend's grams comes here for five months, stays six in Colombia, then again here. Renewed her visa, no problem, she said she would visit one month though but filled out the previous visits just the way they were, long! But she's sixty. And she just visits her daughter and nieces! So this is what I always recommend my friends when they want to apply and ask me about it and always seems to help: When you don’t have the visa, you are planning on coming for two weeks at the most. When you have it, come as long as you desire, 1 month, six months! This is not lying as there are no specific plans, so the plans might change and when she comes here she will say the CBP officer how long she wants to stay here on tourism. And the officer will determine the validity of her i94. So remember, she wants to come see you for two weeks as she has a life in her country but when she gets the visa she can seek enter the country on tourism and the CBP officer will determine how long she can stay. Many people fail at this and they get their denials and many of them have no intention to stay here. Also make sure Mom goes home before that date so she won't jeopardize future visits to the states

Also don’t worry about the date, my cousins (which I helped too based on my experience and gained more experience out of it ) they filled it out saying they would go in May last year. They never used the visa until last week and just in transit, no problems at all. I said I would come visit in January last year but it didn't happen as my then fiancé now wife went to Colombia to see me so that's why it's an intended date of arrival nothing is written as you say I have no specific plans.

- Someone travelling with you (ds 160): Yes. Yes and Yes. This is very important. If it is possible not only have your mom apply for her visa alone but have your siblings or your dad or any other immediate relative apply with her! And book with her the appointment! So they go together and are interviewed together.

Idk her situation but if she lives with one of them, apply together, the chances to get the visa approved are better and if they have strong ties, the better! Let's say your mom has no house there but lives with your brother and your brother owns the house. That's a strong tie for your brother. When your brother travels with your mom, most likely your brother will come back so will your mom as it's a family trip. If no one is willing to apply with your mom, then in this question fill one friend or other relative at least. It can be anyone who has visa it's preferred. They ask this a lot: Are you traveling with someone? Yes with my friend, my brother, my two sons, etc. Do they have visas? Does he/she have visa (in case she is alone at the interview and booked appointment alone)? Yes. They move to the next question. Never say you are coming on tourism alone even when it's truth. I made this mistake and led to more questions. I said yes alone, the interviewer looked at me weird and asked more things. Four questions after I fixed! iugh I was relieved. She said: ok but do you have any friends that would travel with you in a trip? I said yes I have several friends that have visa; we might come up with something together.

- The two weeks is believable as she has a job which is going to be used as her strongest tie to her home country.

- If your mom has been to any other country in the last few years, that helps. It's not mandatory of course! The first country I ever visited was the USA and my first visa was granted with no problem back then.

- Also very important: Wonder: would you give the visa to your mom? if you doubt on this one, make the adjustments so you change your answer. This always works. I tell my friends after wondering myself this: hmm I wouldn't grant you the visa. Like right now, I wouldn't grant the visa to my parents or my sister as I am in AOS pending

Look for other strong ties: My parents both are retired and both have incomes out of their retirement, my sister is in college 1 year almost completed. Family application, the three of them for the tourism visa. (My brother is not in the picture because unfortunately he has no strong ties and I wouldn't grant him the visa, he wouldn't grant it himself. We are working on it, when he gets a steady job and visits another country he will apply so he can come see me too

Good luck on your journey and please update us whenever she applies and let us know how it goes

Edited: Corrected few grammar mistakes.

Hi Juan L,

Thank you for sharing your experience, wow that was a long one honestly I have to read your post five times so I can understand and absorb everything you said. But I will keep on reading your post until I fully understand it.

Will surely inform you on the outcome of my mom's US tourist visa application.

Again thank you.

Angel

[redvelvet 12]

Hi Redvelvet,

Thank you for your quick reply and for your time in answering my question. That was one of my plans to send her a letter or an affidavit stating that I will support her financially during her stay here in the US. Even though she's just a Barangay councilor she needs a clearance? hmm..thanks for bringing this up, I will ask her to ask her barangay chairman to investigate if she needs a clearance from the city government. good point.

Do you have an experience with US tourist visa and have you ever filled out the DS-160 online for someone as well as set an interview for someone (a family member)? Sorry I know it sounds redundant and rhetorical but I just want to make sure that this is ok with the USCIS.

Would buying her a health insurance also help just in case she gets ill or what not?

Again thank you for your advice and suggestions, I really appreciate it.

Angel

I filled out the DS-160 for myself before. There will be a line for you to fill out "Application Prepared by _________". I am not sure if you need to sign the form too but if you do, you can print it out, sign it and then mail it to your mom.

You can choose any of the payment options here: http://ustraveldocs.com/ph/ph-niv-paymentinfo.asp

You will need the receipt number when you fill out the application form. Also, you need to send the receipt to your mom as well if you chose the online payment.