Friend from Russia wanting to come to the US

[Justinc87 0]

I have a friend whom I have been speaking to for about half a year who was planning on coming in July to stay with my parents for a few months. She applied for the visitors visa and was denied. I'm assuming it's because they have many younger women violate their terms and not so much on her credentials. She said she was going to speak with an immigration attorney there to see what she can do. What can she do to better her chances of getting approved? Is there anything that I can do such as write a letter of invitation? I know being that I am a male it may be counter productive. Would my position as a police officer have any merit with them or would it be better for me to get my female cousin, who also speak with her, to write the letter? Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated!

[Inky 1,110]

Unfortunately you guys cant help her. She has to prove she will return back home beyond a doubt. If she doesn't have strong ties to her country its going to be hard to prove.

[Cathi 5,755]

Unfortunately you guys cant help her. She has to prove she will return back home beyond a doubt. If she doesn't have strong ties to her country its going to be hard to prove.

To the OP: A letter of invitation doesn't mean anything. She has to be approved on her own merits, not yours. I always wonder why people think some sort of letter will get a visitor visa for someone who can't show they have ties to their home country? USCIS wants to make sure she will return home.

[Boiler 45,525]

Marry her would work.

[Justinc87 0]

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To the OP: A letter of invitation doesn't mean anything. She has to be approved on her own merits, not yours. I always wonder why people think some sort of letter will get a visitor visa for someone who can't show they have ties to their home country? USCIS wants to make sure she will return home.

I am just going off what I have read. I have never personally traveled outside of the US or dealt with immigration regulations in any way. So her own merits... what does that entail exactly. I don't mean to sound ignorant here, like I said I've never dealt with this and what I find is a bit confusing. She has a good career there as a teacher at a university. Her family isn't wealthy but I don't believe they are poor. What other merits might help her?

[Boiler 45,525]

Husband, children.

Is she paying her own way?

[Justinc87 0]

Husband, children.

Is she paying her own way?

She's single, 24, no kids, lives with her mother and grandmother. Father isn't in the picture. Works Mon-Fri at her school teaching English.

She is paying for her flight, I'd be covering all her expenses while she's here including her visitors insurance. I've heard some say if she pre-orders her tickets and provides them when applying for her visa that it may influence their decision. Anyone know if that is true?

[MedRoni 161]

She's single, 24, no kids, lives with her mother and grandmother. Father isn't in the picture. Works Mon-Fri at her school teaching English.

She is paying for her flight, I'd be covering all her expenses while she's here including her visitors insurance. I've heard some say if she pre-orders her tickets and provides them when applying for her visa that it may influence their decision. Anyone know if that is true?

She needs to prove strong ties.... a home/lease of her own, a husband, kids, a job with proof it will still be there when she returns, or a business, etc. Reasons for her to return to her country. Living with her mother/grandmother, no husband, etc. all make it tougher. She is very young and hasn't had a lot of time to establish herself so to speak.

Having a return ticket is nice at the port of entry, but I am not sure if it will influence their decision unless they were close enough to be a 50/50 chance.

[jft 12]

Previous travel and return to someplace outside Russia, for example western Europe, might help a little too. As much as it sucks being young and female makes it harder to get a visa.The only things that will help are the "strong ties" which the other poster mentioned which pretty much come down to having a a very good paying job, lot of money in the bank ($10000 or so), owning property and/or having dependent children or a spouse left behind. There are some exceptions like athletes competing in recognized competitions, student exchanges and other cultural events of which I have know examples but it's always going to be harder for young women unfortunately. Look around on the forums and the internet for examples of "strong ties" and see which of these she might be able to use. if she can provide any of these make sure that she submits strong documentary proof of the ties.

[Justinc87 0]

Ok, not quite the good news I was hoping for haha... So, if I were to go there and spend a week or so there with her and we decide to get more serious, in your opinion(s) would it be easier for her to come here on a fiance visa? I won't get into our relationship details but I do care about her a great deal, not quite marriage level yet but getting slowly getting there. I was hoping to use the time that she is here to get to know her more but it sounds like it will be very difficult for her to get approved on the visitors visa. This is bad news for me cause I won't be able to stay there near as long as she would be able to stay here being that I'd be covering most of her expenses here. Is the fiance visa easier to obtain after providing proof of our relationship?

[Boiler 45,525]

Yes

[Sveta & Ron 23]

also keep in mind you may need a visa to visit her in russia

[a+j 77]

A fiance visa takes 6 months to 1 year to get, costs a bunch (see here http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare), and the beneficiary has to marry the petitioner within 90 days from entry into the US or they cannot adjust status and stay in the US legally. Also, beneficiary and petitioner must have met in person at least once in the 2 years before the petition is filed.

Edited March 30, 2013 by a+j

[Juliet and Steve 93]

Best be careful Justin. It's easy to get things mixed up and everything needs to be done precisely.

You wrote: "Is the fiance visa easier to obtain after providing proof of our relationship?" Boiler replied: "Yes."

This is true. But I'm wondering that you might be thinking that if you can get her here as a visitor by having proof of a relationship and that proof of a relationship would be helpful in getting her the visitor visa. If that's the case it's actually sort of "no."

If you two want to marry and you go the K-1 (I-129F) route you must have proof of having met in person within the past two years of the date of filing. People often put great emphasis on "proof of relationship" at this stage but in my opinion nobody at USCIS pays any attention to that. They pay attention to only one thing: Is there proof that the two have met in person during the past two years? If "yes" the I-229 is a "go."

If you flew to Russia for one night this month, proved by boarding passes that you went, and had adequate proof that the two of you actually spent even one night together (sort of hard, but not impossible--photos at Russian landmarks, hopefully a photo of you and her with some of her family) this in my opinion would be a "go" to start the I-129 (K-1) process. This is so because you have met the requirement of having physically met in person--but this does not offer the proof that she will need at her interview a year or so later.

But, and this is a big but: A one night stand is adequate to initiate an I-129F, but then "proof of relationship" must be adequate to show without a doubt that you have a true relationship. Russia is considered a high risk country and I would advise that if you tried the short stay initially and that you have adequate proof of relationship (emails, cards, phone/skype logs showing that you talk every day, gifts) to go and visit a second time and stay at least a week or two after the I-129 was filed but before the interview where "proof of relationship" (note: not mere proof of having met in person over the past two years) is scrutinized. And it will be scrutinized--if there is any doubt by the adjudicator that there is a bona fide (real) relationship--you will be denied. But a one or two week secondary visit would allow you lots of time to get some choice photos of you and her together with family/friends and/or just the two of you.

My fiancee is from the Philippines. She built and owns her own house and land. She has adequate income. But in my opinion there is zero way that a visitor visa could ever be approved short of my sending her $200,000 US and having her buy very valuable property. We didn't even bother to try. Even owning her own two story house with no mortgage is not enough. They need very strong ties, economic or family (children) and being a teacher is admirable but is not enough--not for the Philippines (pay ~$140-$220/month) and probably not for Russia. It's discriminatory plain and simple and it's not going to change.

If you are serious about this woman I really suggest that you consider that it's more than likely that you will have to make two visits to Russia to substantiate proof of relationship especially if the first visit is short (others here, please correct me if you have different views). The bottom line is that the process is expensive, two trips alone can run up a minimum tab of $4000. And remember that you must meet the required income levels to support her--if not you will be denied.

Can you take a short (maybe a week) trip to Russia to make sure she is for you and then move ahead and do a longer (two week) trip after the I-129 is filed?

Remember that the entire process will cost a minimum of $6,000 to get her here (one way tickets cost almost as much as round-trip tickets, and there are plenty of fees) and that's just a minimum.

And by the way, consider putting some photos up...it won't help you with USCIS but we'll all be happier ;-)

Edited March 30, 2013 by Juliet and Steve

[churawan 14]

To the OP: A letter of invitation doesn't mean anything. She has to be approved on her own merits, not yours. I always wonder why people think some sort of letter will get a visitor visa for someone who can't show they have ties to their home country? USCIS wants to make sure she will return home.

I have had grea success with invitation letters I have written for my wife's friends and family.. All have gotten 10yr multi-entry visa's and they don't have strong ties or jobs for som of them.... So I would argue your comments here.. I agree with certain countries this is more of a red flag.. I have done this for Thai citizens with zero declines.... It wouldn't hurt for the OP or his mother to write a letter to show that they are aware and what they are acknowledging responsibility fo her visit... Good Luck!!!!