Tourist Visa for my girlfriend to visit

[Triple 1]

Ok here goes. My girlfriend and I have been talking since January of this year, I want to know how difficult it'll be to get her here on a tourist visa. I am not able to get a passport at this time due to past due child support, otherwise I'd go to Ukraine and visit her. The amount I owe is around 10k.

We defiantly want to get married, but not until sometime next summer. We want to plan our wedding and 90 days is not enough time to do all of those things. I work for an airline, so her airfare is not a big concern to us. She has also just received her passport.

I know that the success rate for single women from Ukraine receiving a tourist visa is very slim. I'm 37 and she's 32. She has her own place, has a masters degree, and is a manager for an engineering firm there. We met online over some forums we use to share ideas on various projects.

I was wondering if she was just honest about her coming here to visit me for a month and us working on planning our wedding, spending time together, and her getting to know my family would be cause for her to be denied a visa. I also have a 13 year old son. My younger brother is currently stationed at Great Lakes, but by the time we'd be able to get a K-1 he would no longer be here, he'd be stationed in another country. I also own my own house, dunno if that helps any or not.

There are numerous reasons for her to return to Ukraine. Not just from her aspect of returning when she's suppose to but if she were not to it would screw up our future together. I'm a General Manager for an airport with the airline I'm employed with. (Can't see customs being happy with me and renewing my security clearance along with TSA.) My brother is a Master Chief in the Navy and I can't see that going well for him with his security clearance. My ex wouldn't be too happy with me for bringing someone over and us not being married.

Are those things she should share during her interview?

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[Penguin_ie 5,995]

Her chances are pretty slim, but if you/ she has the money, might as well give it a try- a denied tourist visa, as long as she is hoest as to why she wants it, will not affect a later K1.

[VOL 425]

I would spend the money and try, even a couple of times if needed.

I don't know the success rate for that country I would guess low.

Can She go to Mexico or some other country close to USA

You can take a cruise there and meet her and get pics

[Boiler 45,794]

She might be able to go to Mexico, he can not.

You say you have the money for a month vacation in the US, why not pay off the child support and get a passport?

Lots of military me here are married to spouses here without documentation so no problem there.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Agree with Boiler. Look after your child support first

[Torete 121]

OP,

FWIW:

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/legal-matters/child-support.html

See if the county/state where you owe arrears will report to the US Department of Human and Health Services that "acceptable payment arrangements have been made." In other words, set up a payment plan (if one is offered) and see if they'll remove you from the list, thereby allowing you to apply for a passport.

That's how I'd approach it. It's $2,500 or more you must owe in order to not be eligible for a passport...get yours down from $10K to under $2,500 and see if they'll remove you from the list.

[Triple 1]

I am working on paying off the child support. You pay what you can, when you can. I've been with the same company for over 5 years, I've only had my own station and the significant pay raise that comes with it for the past 4 months or so. I'm waiting on my bonus to pay a large chunk of what's owed, down.

As far as being able to afford a month long vacation for her in the US, it won't truly cost me very much for her to come here. Her flight travel would be rather inexpensive, as travel privileges are part of all employees benefit package. I own my own home, so I'm paying a mortgage even if she doesn't come. I already pay for food for my son and I. I have him on my weekends and a couple of days thru out the week. The biggest costs is us going out and doing things, those things are already planned with friends or family. Just one more person to pay for.

As far as priorities, this isn't something small and it can have long lasting effects for the future. Any couple in this position needs to look at the larger picture and see how things will be affected down the road.

[VOL 425]

She might be able to go to Mexico, he can not.

You say you have the money for a month vacation in the US, why not pay off the child support and get a passport?

Lots of military me here are married to spouses here without documentation so no problem there.

He can go to mexico on a cruise. You don't need passport....

[Ontarkie 14,325]

~~Judgmental posts removed. Stick to answering the questions or do not post. Further disruption will result in thread bans.~~

[raven52 233]

to me I would do what ever it took to get the child support situation under control, first,for sure.

This is going to haunt you no matter what you do or where you go..,.,,.this 10k "back child support" can only cause you problems. If it is to much, get caught up, and go back to court, and prove you are paying too much, IF that is the case.

[Unshakable Faith 493]

Triple, please ignore the rude comments that people want to make because of their own assumptions of your situation. You don't really owe anyone an explanation. If anyone really knows the child support system in America, they would know how messed up that system is.

Anyway, on to your question:

I would try to visa. They need to know she has strong ties to her country and being that she has a job and is a manager of a firm, that may work in her favor. Can she get a letter stating her vacation time and the dates that she plans to leave work and resume back? If she can get that signed by her employer, it might help to prove that she has plans to return. Does she own her home? Have a rental lease? All these things would be good for her to show. Does she have a lot of family there? Gather everything you can think of that would prove she will return home and give it a try!

[Boiler 45,794]

Triple, please ignore the rude comments that people want to make because of their own assumptions of your situation. You don't really owe anyone an explanation. If anyone really knows the child support system in America, they would know how messed up that system is.

Anyway, on to your question:

I would try to visa. They need to know she has strong ties to her country and being that she has a job and is a manager of a firm, that may work in her favor. Can she get a letter stating her vacation time and the dates that she plans to leave work and resume back? If she can get that signed by her employer, it might help to prove that she has plans to return. Does she own her home? Have a rental lease? All these things would be good for her to show. Does she have a lot of family there? Gather everything you can think of that would prove she will return home and give it a try!

OP mentioned that they are looking for her to immigrate to the US so any ties are obviously limited.

[Triple 1]

Triple, please ignore the rude comments that people want to make because of their own assumptions of your situation. You don't really owe anyone an explanation. If anyone really knows the child support system in America, they would know how messed up that system is.

Anyway, on to your question:

I would try to visa. They need to know she has strong ties to her country and being that she has a job and is a manager of a firm, that may work in her favor. Can she get a letter stating her vacation time and the dates that she plans to leave work and resume back? If she can get that signed by her employer, it might help to prove that she has plans to return. Does she own her home? Have a rental lease? All these things would be good for her to show. Does she have a lot of family there? Gather everything you can think of that would prove she will return home and give it a try!

As far as I know, she has no friends or family in the US. Possibly people from the different forum groups we are on. I'm sure she could get a letter from her employer stating when she plans to travel here and return. I know we were talking about her coming in late July or early August and staying for a month. I get 4 weeks of vacation and I plan on burning two weeks with friends, family, and her. The third week break up between the next two weeks she's here. I have to use up all my vacation before November, if I plan on using it as a week and not a day or two here and there. Between November and the first week of April, I really can't travel very far from my work location due to the weather here. I don't know if she rents or owns her own place.

From what I've read, I knew she'd have to show strong ties to Ukraine to get a visa and we had talked about those things. I just don't know what else the Embassy would want to show strong ties.

[Triple 1]

to me I would do what ever it took to get the child support situation under control, first,for sure.

This is going to haunt you no matter what you do or where you go..,.,,.this 10k "back child support" can only cause you problems. If it is to much, get caught up, and go back to court, and prove you are paying too much, IF that is the case.

I'm not sure how to explain the situation other than it's a delicate issue. She's never taken me into court over it. There has been 2 modifications since the divorce. Both of which have happened in the past 18 months or so. The judge won't take any further action in it without me involving my attorney. Both times, she made sure I knew just how wrong I was in seeking those modifications. If I involve my attorney, I could potentially be credited with 2 to 3 years worth of support and not have to pay anything for that period of time. I could also just suck it up and pay the 10k. As I said this is a delicate situation and could potentially spark a war between us, that really only harms our son. The support is the only thing we do not speak about and if I attempt to bring it up, she shuts it down immediately.

The biggest problem it has caused, not being able to get a passport and traveling with my son or family. Thankfully that is all, as I have heard of people being denied jobs over it.

[Triple 1]

OP mentioned that they are looking for her to immigrate to the US so any ties are obviously limited.

If she tells the Embassy that we are planning to do that at a later date, will it hurt her chances of being granted a tourist visa?