Groomsman needs B2 tourist visa to attend our wedding - what's his chances?

[kookamunga 0]

Hi Guys, I'm American and currently live in the United Kingdom with my British fiance. We are getting married in the U.S. in my hometown in August this year and then we're doing our honeymoon in California straight after.

My fiance has asked one of his oldest friends to be one of his groomsmen, and since not many of his friends and family are attending the wedding in the U.S. and most of the people attending the wedding will be from my side, it's incredibly important to us that his friend is able to come.

He received a drug caution in summer 2012 on his record (sort of in the middle between a warning and an arrest. There is no equivalent of a caution in the U.S.) and so he's been advised that he needs to apply for a visitor visa.

He's 26, single, living with his mum as he lost his job last year and only recently got a new job. He most definitely doesn't want to stay in the U.S., he would't be applying for a visitor visa or going to the U.S. if it wasn't to attend our wedding and then he's hoping to stay for a week to do some touristy stuff.

So far he's including in his application:

1. DS-160 CEAC Barcode Printout

2. Receipt of Payment of Machine Readable Visa (MRV) application fee

3. Original passport

4. Travel itinerary and personal statement describing the temporary purpose of his trip

5. Save the date card that he received months ago and the wedding invitation

6. Current bank statement(s) or personal account(s) situated in my home country;

7. Employment letter;

8. Recent pay-stubs;

9. A letter from myself and my finance explaining that he's a groomsman and he's part of our wedding party

Does anyone have any advice on what his chances are of being approved? Would you recommend that we include any further documents for his application? If so, what documents?

I read that it would strengthen his application if someone in the U.S. were to sign an Affidavit of Support and supply supporting documentation that they would be financially responsible for his trip. My dad or step-mom are willing to do this for him (even though he would be paying for all of his flight and expenses, etc.) My dad earns a much lower salary than my step-mom and I also heard the more money they make, the better. Would it increase his chances of being approved to have my dad or step-mom do this?

Any help or advice would be extremely appreciated! Thank you!

[canadian_wife 1,827]

The financial letter will be of no use. He'll apply based on his own merits

The drug conviction is recent, it will be difficult.

Does he have a lease/mortgage? Car note? Anything else to strengthen his ties to UK?

good luck

[kookamunga 0]

Hi canadian_wife, thank you for replying to my post.

No, he doesn't have a lease or mortgage nor car, it's very rare for someone to own a car living in London where he lives. As he was unemployed for a few months last year he moved back in with his mum and he plans to move out once he's back on his feet.

He wouldn't be applying for a visitor visa if it wasn't for our wedding. He simply wants to attend our wedding, if he has to just go for our wedding and return right after he'll do that, but there's no reason for him to leave the U.K. since his whole family is here.

If there's any further documents that could help to strengthen his application, would greatly appreciate suggestions.

[milimelo 4,544]

Good luck but you may need to have a plan B in case he doesn't get the visa.

[RhettVoe 282]

Our laws and our COs don't care why someone wants to go to the US....they want to be sure why some one would leave the US...just having got a job might not represent a strong reason to return (no career reasons)...living with parentd means he has nothing to come back for...and combined with the drug issue, well, his chances are slim indeed...trying to play the sympathy card (about his necessity to attend or whatever) won't overcome 214b.

[Boiler 45,970]

If he needs a waiver then there simply is not enough time between now and August.

[kookamunga 0]

If he needs a waiver then there simply is not enough time between now and August.

What's a waiver? How would that help?

[RhettVoe 282]

He first has to overcome 214b before any waiver (if needed) can be considered, and it is doubtful from what you wrote about his situation that he will be able to convince a CO that he would return.

[Boiler 45,970]

Because he has been a bad boy he may not be eligible for a visa without a waiver

Look up cimt.

He first has to overcome 214b before any waiver (if needed) can be considered, and it is doubtful from what you wrote about his situation that he will be able to convince a CO that he would return.