Invitation letter for friend

[ducky06 0]

I have a former work colleague and friend who has applied to visit the US for the holidays. I am a USC and I lived in her town in El Salvador for a few years. She asked if she could list me on her application, as I plan to host her for a few days, but her principal motive is to visit extended family members here for Xmas, who live near me (they are undocumented). I advised her that she should tell the truth, but she rejected that advice and omitted them on her form. She also listed her planned visit dates, including Christmas, when I will not be here.

She insists (because she was told by the people who prepared her paperwork) that she needs a notarized invitation letter from me. El Salvador's embassy website is mute on the topic and the DS-160 instructions are vague as well. I called USCIS and asked if the letter is ever helpful and the guy said, "it depends" (basically).

I'm not comfortable misrepresenting the truth in the letter. My husband has a greencard and is from Central America and I don't want to be flagged. I've told her this. And I think a truthful letter will seem odd, if I'm vague about whether I will host her the entire time. I can gush about her but I can't say I will host her all of those dates.

Thoughts? Would an invitation letter have any impact at all?

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

An invitation letter will have no impact, she needs to qualify om her own, with ties to her home country/ reasons she will return.

[Torete 121]

OP,

I second Penguin.

You've already said: "I'm not comfortable misrepresenting the truth in the letter." so you know misrepresenting is not honest.

"Sins of commission and omission". You can't control her actions but you can hold yourself accountable as to your choice to be a part of her decisions.

IMHO, I'd stay away for this situation.

Edited November 8, 2014 by Torete

[Dave&Roza 748]

She has to overcome the sins of people who have applied for a tourist visa from her country. If they tend to get a tourist visa nad not return to teh US, then she will have a very hard time getting one. SHe must show that she has reason to return to her home country and not remain in the US. What that is depends on the Ebbassy and what they consider strong ties to the home country. For some, it is virtually impossible to get a tourist visa. A single woman from a Latin American country would be very difficult. Your letter would carry no weight in the decision and if also single, may hurt her chances as the CO thoughts might be that she would come to vist you, get married, and remain in the US.

The choice is yours,

Dave

[ducky06 0]

Okay. Thanks all. This confirms what I've read, I was just kind of confused by the USCIS employee's response; he basically said a letter might help in her situation, as each applicant is different. I wish El Salvador would just post something about letters not being useful, like other embassies have, but it seems like in some cases they do look at them at the interview.

[Boiler 45,488]

You can write some sort of generic letter maybe useless but keeps her happy.

Chileans do not need a visa. So broad brush categories do not help.