Brother wants to visit to be in sister's wedding

[BigDaddy28 228]

Good morning

I want to get some help and guidance with my brother. I am a US citizen lived here for 6 years and I have 3 kids/ My sister is a permanent resident who lived here for 5 years. My sister is getting married sometime this summer. My mom and dad are coming since they have visas. We want my brother to come as well since this is a once in lifetime event. We don't have no interest in my brother overstaying or living here, he has other life plans in my home country.

My brother, is 21 years old, He applied for a tourist visa and student visa and he got denied in both times. They told him that he didn't travel outside the country at first and than the second time they told him that my citizenship could be a reason. I filed an I130 for my brother to bring him here the legal way, but that takes 10 years. My brother owns a house, he goes to school ( still have 2 years until completion) but he is not married. My brother helps my dad in his office since he is studying the field that my dad is specialized in.

I am asking you to please give any suggestions into what will boost my brothers chances of getting a visa. As I said before we don't have no intentions to make him stay or do anything illegally. We want to do it the right way thats why I filed the I130. Besides my brother can turn it down if he wants to whenever it comes up.

Thank you.

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

Has he travelled abroad like they suggested? If not, definitely have him take a couple of trips to other places that require visas, such as Europe.

[PK and PK 13]

Good morning

I want to get some help and guidance with my brother. I am a US citizen lived here for 6 years and I have 3 kids/ My sister is a permanent resident who lived here for 5 years. My sister is getting married sometime this summer. My mom and dad are coming since they have visas. We want my brother to come as well since this is a once in lifetime event. We don't have no interest in my brother overstaying or living here, he has other life plans in my home country.

My brother, is 21 years old, He applied for a tourist visa and student visa and he got denied in both times. They told him that he didn't travel outside the country at first and than the second time they told him that my citizenship could be a reason. I filed an I130 for my brother to bring him here the legal way, but that takes 10 years. My brother owns a house, he goes to school ( still have 2 years until completion) but he is not married. My brother helps my dad in his office since he is studying the field that my dad is specialized in.

I am asking you to please give any suggestions into what will boost my brothers chances of getting a visa. As I said before we don't have no intentions to make him stay or do anything illegally. We want to do it the right way thats why I filed the I130. Besides my brother can turn it down if he wants to whenever it comes up.

Thank you.

The fact you filed a I130 for him shows intention to immigrate.

[BigDaddy28 228]

Has he travelled abroad like they suggested? If not, definitely have him take a couple of trips to other places that require visas, such as Europe.

Yes he did travel to france for 2 weeks and he got back to my home country. My parents were going to send him again past 2 weeks but things didn't go as planned.

The fact you filed a I130 for him shows intention to immigrate.

True. But that's up to him to either go wih it or not. As of now, he doesn't want to live anywhere but my home country.

[PK and PK 13]

Yes he did travel to france for 2 weeks and he got back to my home country. My parents were going to send him again past 2 weeks but things didn't go as planned.

True. But that's up to him to either go wih it or not. As of now, he doesn't want to live anywhere but my home country.

They factor multiple things to determine whether to give a visitors visa or not. Things like what country they are from, their age, if they have relatives in the US, are they working currently, how much wealth they have, do they have a family...

[JimmyHou 611]

Good morning

I want to get some help and guidance with my brother. I am a US citizen lived here for 6 years and I have 3 kids/ My sister is a permanent resident who lived here for 5 years. My sister is getting married sometime this summer. My mom and dad are coming since they have visas. We want my brother to come as well since this is a once in lifetime event. We don't have no interest in my brother overstaying or living here, he has other life plans in my home country.

My brother, is 21 years old, He applied for a tourist visa and student visa and he got denied in both times. They told him that he didn't travel outside the country at first and than the second time they told him that my citizenship could be a reason. I filed an I130 for my brother to bring him here the legal way, but that takes 10 years. My brother owns a house, he goes to school ( still have 2 years until completion) but he is not married. My brother helps my dad in his office since he is studying the field that my dad is specialized in.

I am asking you to please give any suggestions into what will boost my brothers chances of getting a visa. As I said before we don't have no intentions to make him stay or do anything illegally. We want to do it the right way thats why I filed the I130. Besides my brother can turn it down if he wants to whenever it comes up.

Thank you.

Please correct me if I've got any of the information wrong

The fact that he has a close relative who is a US citizen will count against him in the interview. The fact that he has another close relative who is a permanent resident will also count against him in the interview. The fact that you have applied for an I 130 for him will also count against him in the interview. None of these things will automatically result in a denial, but they are all factors that point to the possibility that he will not want to go back home after his visit. The main reason that tourist visas are approved or denied is whether or not the interviewer believes that the applicant has sufficient ties to his country. So even with all those factors, if your brother was married and had children back home, he would probably be approved because it would be obvious that he will be going back to his immediate family. So it all depends on him being able to prove that he has significant ties to his home country and that he intends to return. The fact that the I 130 was filed and that he may in want to immigrate in the future does not automatically imply that he is intending to overstayed his visa and integrate now.

A very long time ago at the Embassy in Cairo I was waiting to be called up to the window and I saw a family of five go up to the window before me. The mother and the father and two of the children who looked like they were around eight or 10, were approved for five year visas. The third son who looked like he was 18 or 20, was denied. The parents kept asking if their son could be approved for just a one month visa because they wanted to go to New York for a family trip that they had been saving up for, but the interviewer insisted that the answer was no and kept repeating that she was not required to give an explanation for the decision. My guess is that the only factor that caused her to deny his visa was his age He was the only one in the family that fits the "typical profile" of a visa overstayer... In other words he was the right age to try to stay in the US and try to find illegal employment.

On the other hand, I know dozens of people who, at roughly the same age, were given tourist visas. So I think all your brother can do is apply, take as much evidence with him as he possibly can that he has ties to his home country, and hope for the best. Good luck!

[BigDaddy28 228]

Please correct me if I've got any of the information wrong

The fact that he has a close relative who is a US citizen will count against him in the interview. The fact that he has another close relative who is a permanent resident will also count against him in the interview. The fact that you have applied for an I 130 for him will also count against him in the interview. None of these things will automatically result in a denial, but they are all factors that point to the possibility that he will not want to go back home after his visit. The main reason that tourist visas are approved or denied is whether or not the interviewer believes that the applicant has sufficient ties to his country. So even with all those factors, if your brother was married and had children back home, he would probably be approved because it would be obvious that he will be going back to his immediate family. So it all depends on him being able to prove that he has significant ties to his home country and that he intends to return. The fact that the I 130 was filed and that he may in want to immigrate in the future does not automatically imply that he is intending to overstayed his visa and integrate now.

A very long time ago at the Embassy in Cairo I was waiting to be called up to the window and I saw a family of five go up to the window before me. The mother and the father and two of the children who looked like they were around eight or 10, were approved for five year visas. The third son who looked like he was 18 or 20, was denied. The parents kept asking if their son could be approved for just a one month visa because they wanted to go to New York for a family trip that they had been saving up for, but the interviewer insisted that the answer was no and kept repeating that she was not required to give an explanation for the decision. My guess is that the only factor that caused her to deny his visa was his age He was the only one in the family that fits the "typical profile" of a visa overstayer... In other words he was the right age to try to stay in the US and try to find illegal employment.

On the other hand, I know dozens of people who, at roughly the same age, were given tourist visas. So I think all your brother can do is apply, take as much evidence with him as he possibly can that he has ties to his home country, and hope for the best. Good luck!

I see your point jimmyHou. and I appreciate your advice. However how could you convince an officer when they interview you in less than 5 minutes and don't want to see any documents. It's like they already know the decision before you come to the window? Can you ask them to give you a chance to show your evidence? (financial support from parent, properties, any work...)

They factor multiple things to determine whether to give a visitors visa or not. Things like what country they are from, their age, if they have relatives in the US, are they working currently, how much wealth they have, do they have a family...

Thank you PK and PK

[milimelo 4,477]

~Moving to tourist visas forum.~

[JimmyHou 611]

I see your point jimmyHou. and I appreciate your advice. However how could you convince an officer when they interview you in less than 5 minutes and don't want to see any documents. It's like they already know the decision before you come to the window? Can you ask them to give you a chance to show your evidence? (financial support from parent, properties, any work...)

Thank you PK and PK

I don't really know, I'm afraid. As sad as it must sound, I think it comes down to whether or not the interviewer is willing to listen on that particular day or not.

[NickD 202]

Practically impossible for any of my wife's relatives to get visas to come up here, because they are common hard working people from Latin America. So we have to go down to visit them.

But she has two co-workers from extremely wealthy families in Latin America, their relatives are coming up here all the time.

I even composed a letter such as this that I sent to the US consulate in Venezuela, didn't do a bit of good.

"U.S. Consulate,

As a US citizen, I am familiar with 8 USC Section 1324 of the US penal code with any attempts to bring an alien into this country by any means contrary to the polices dictated by both the DHS and USCIS. I am also very aware of the limits for visitation imposed by the I-94. And very familiar with the consequences of breaking these laws. I am enclosing proof of my residence in the USA.


With this knowledge and the bearer of this letter, a relative of my permanent resident wife, along with her country of origin proof of identity, it is my wish that you grant him/her a visa to the USA so they can come and visit us. If any transgressions are attempted by us, you have our location to send DHS agents to and I have full knowledge of the consequences of any such attempts to falsify our intent of this visit. We would just like to have a short visit within the guidelines of the I-94 for this visit. With this knowledge, please provide our relative with a visa.

Sincerely yours,"

Forget about what is written on our Statue of Liberty about bringing your poor here, even for a short visit. Only want the rich and famous.
Thought about a raft off the shores of Miami, or paying a coyote, but haven't stepped that low yet.

[Boiler 45,467]

That must have confused them

[Torete 121]

I don't really know, I'm afraid. As sad as it must sound, I think it comes down to whether or not the interviewer is willing to listen on that particular day or not.

Absolutely. IMO it's absolutely true.

[NickD 202]

My consensus on this issue is that due to the fact that millions came here with way overstayed visas, not that many walked across the desert. Is that if any possibility a relative would stay here, just won't issue a visa period. T

This woman I met did have a B1/B2 visa, but when we were getting serious, both had bad marriages and wanted to spend more time together. Looked very carefully into the law to compose that letter.

A lot depended on how her POE officer got out of bed in the morning, some times would give her six months and another on the day of her return ticket. We really looked close on that I-94, because we knew we would be in deep trouble if she overstayed.

Her son was barely over 21 so I could not petition for him, so she had to that was over five years ago and still stuck in that hell hole called Venezuela. We did manage to spend time with him three months ago in Italy, he didn't need a visa to go there.

Apparently, this country I was expected to die for never enforced this overstayed visa law. So we all have to pay a very stiff price for this.

[Boiler 45,467]

Reports I have seen suggest it is about 50/50 between those who walk in and overstay.

Amazing how many from South America head for Mexico and walk in.

[Jawaree 717]

Facts CO thoughts

Young Nothing to tie him home

Handsome (maybe) he'll be married in a jiffy

Immigrant intent Petition filed , family in USA

His job is to convince a CO he will return home, that means getting a

CO who will believe him and his docs