Cousin tourist visa for my wedding

[WeddingWonderLina 0]

My cousin is in Russia and trying to get a US tourist visa in time for my wedding. I came to the US on a student visa about 10 years ago and in my third year of college met my fiancé. We were already engaged and so signed the paperwork right before my graduation (I'm here on a green card now) but agreed that we would do the big family wedding once we save up enough money to have one and choose a more permanent location to live in. 3 years later now we live in Hawaii and are finally lucky enough to be planning our big wedding. My cousin tried to get a B1/B2 visa to be one of my bridesmaids and got denied. Her ties to the country include her 4 year old son, her apartment, her job, and both of her parents. She is divorced but is in a committed relationship. We are trying to apply again just a month and a half after her initial denial but I believe we have a good reason to do so as the tourist agency she had used to apply filled out some of the information Incorrectly. 

-they put B1/B2 on the application instead of just B2.

 -they didn't say that she had any secondary education whereas she told them she has two college degrees.

 -they said she has immediate relatives in the US. I am only a cousin, not an immediate relative. 

-put "Russia" instead of "Russian" for languages she speaks and inserted incorrectly written email addresses which just shows how little work and care they put into this.

 

I am filling out the application for her this time and would really like this to work as she is the only family I have that is capable of traveling over here. It means a great deal to me to be able to have her here with me on the wedding day.  What more can I say to help her come here for just a few weeks?

Would saying that I am sponsoring her help? Otherwise she makes 40,000roubles/month but I actually was going to pay for her ticket here and she is also staying with us. Otherwise she has a supporting letter (her savings) with enough finances. I also wrote a letter explaining everything but they hardly look at the documents so I need to explain as much as I can in the application. So here are my questions: 

Would saying B2 instead of B1/B2 be more accurate?  Should we put "divorced" or "other" since she isn't just single?  I really thought that having her child stay back home for this would be enough of a reason to truly show she is coming back but since it wasn't what more can we do?

[Jojo92122 1,924]

The "mistakes" you cited are pretty minor.  B1/B2 is correct.  Speaking Russia instead of Russian is minor since we all know what it means.

 

There is nothing you can do to help her.  The visitor visa is about her; not you.  The reasons why she has to return are important; her reasons to visit you are not.

 

You can't sponsor anyone for a visitor visa.  The US Embassy does not consider invitation letters.  The CO does not have to look at documents brought to the interview since they can not be verified in the 5-10 minutes interview.

 

Divorced or single will not make a difference.

 

Many women have traveled to the US on visitor visas leaving children behind who ended up marrying a USC and adjusting status.  

 

 

[millefleur 5,047]

B-1 or B-2, it's all the same to the Embassy. Don't focus on that.

 

I see that she has some ties to Russia but I'm guessing because she is female and "single" they are skeptical. If she were married she would probably have better chances.

 

The biggest mistake I see is the immediate relative part. That's true that you're not an immediate relative. She needs to stress this. I wonder if that will cause problems because now it's in their system that she has immediate relatives in the States. If she changes it this time, they might think she's lying to get a visa. Not good.

[WeddingWonderLina 0]

jojo92122, Thank you for your quick response is reapplying only a month later likely not to change anyhing then? If I'm filling out the application for her should I put that in the notes somewhere? Don't people travel for their familie's weddings? I have been to a wedding where the bride is from Malaysia and her whole family was able to come. Is it just the fact that my cousin is from Russia?

Edited June 5, 2017 by WeddingWonderLina

[millefleur 5,047]

Just now, WeddingWonderLina said:

Thank you for your quick response is reapplying only a month later likely not to change anyhing then? If I'm filling out the application for her should I put that in the notes somewhere? Don't people travel for their familie's weddings? I have been to a wedding where the bride is from Malaysia and her whole family was able to come. Is it just the fact that my cousin is from Russia?

On VJ we see constant visa refusals for people trying to attend weddings in the States. I think it's mainly because she's Russian, female and unmarried and young-ish (I'm assuming).

 

It's just easier for Russian men to get tourist visas. Blatant sexism is at work when it comes to tourist visas for Russian women.

 

[WeddingWonderLina 0]

Milefleur, yeah I agree here and she is 40 y.o.

[Jojo92122 1,924]

Reapplying shortly after a denial without any changes in her circumstances is unlikely to get her a different result.

 

Some people get visas based on their circumstances, others do not based on their circumstances.  You do not know the details of the Malaysian family.

 

With Trump in the White House, tourism to the US is down worldwide except for Russia.  Trump loves Russia.  Russian tourism to the US is up.  There is no travel ban against Russians and Russians are not discriminated against.

[millefleur 5,047]

Just now, Jojo92122 said:

Reapplying shortly after a denial without any changes in her circumstances is unlikely to get her a different result.

 

Some people get visas based on their circumstances, others do not based on their circumstances.  You do not know the details of the Malaysian family.

 

With Trump in the White House, tourism to the US is down worldwide except for Russia.  Trump loves Russia.  Russian tourism to the US is up.  There is no travel ban against Russians and Russians are not discriminated against.

Actually most people in Russia don't trust Trump. The US is still considered one of Russia's top enemies, lol. I just read that in a Russian news article today. This country is very strange....it looks much different from inside than from without. So Trump being in office hasn't really changed anything. There were always tons of Russians applying for US visas, mainly from young people who dream of seeing America and people like the OP who have relatives there.

[Boiler 46,059]

She has 2 degrees but can not fill in a visa application?

[WeddingWonderLina 0]

Boiler, she doesn't speak English 

[WeddingWonderLina 0]

5 hours ago, Jojo92122 said:

Reapplying shortly after a denial without any changes in her circumstances is unlikely to get her a different result.

 

Some people get visas based on their circumstances, others do not based on their circumstances.  You do not know the details of the Malaysian family.

 

With Trump in the White House, tourism to the US is down worldwide except for Russia.  Trump loves Russia.  Russian tourism to the US is up.  There is no travel ban against Russians and Russians are not discriminated against.

I hear that it's better to not travel alone. I am considering having my dad and my cousin fly together(her uncle). Would that help? Otherwise they live in different parts of Russia and the tickets would have been different but I can combine if that'd help.

[Jojo92122 1,924]

Everyone is evaluated individually.  Having your dad fly with your cousin will have no impact on granting her a visa.  Your dad flying with your cousin isn't a strong tie to Russia to overcome the presumption of illegal immigration.

[millefleur 5,047]

3 hours ago, Jojo92122 said:

Everyone is evaluated individually.  Having your dad fly with your cousin will have no impact on granting her a visa.  Your dad flying with your cousin isn't a strong tie to Russia to overcome the presumption of illegal immigration.

I agree. If they are minor children traveling with parents/guardian that's obviously a different situation. But adults will be evaluated individually.

[Dashinka 24,771]

Yes, things have not changed much.  I have heard many stories of women from Russia and other Eastern European countries being denied a visitor visa even with fairly solid ties. I think it is the whole 'Russian Bride' stereotype playing out.  I know Katya applied twice prior to our K1 application and was denied both times even though she also had solid ties.  Obviously with your cousin she is not going to visit a BF/fiancé, but with family (not sure IOs care how close a family member), here it can be considered a red flag.  One thing I heard was that if the applicant has previous international travel experience that can look good.  If your cousin does travel internationally, was this shown on the first application?

 

She can always try again, but unless something has changed substantially from her first application, I don't think she will have a different outcome.

 

Good Luck!