Tourist Visa for Parents of K1

[Trapper99 30]

My fiancee and I are coming up on our NOA2 here soon, and are starting to think more about plans for when it is approved. Her parents are going to try for a tourist visa to be here for the wedding. Yes, we both understand the chances are very low, but we feel this is something we have to try so at least we know. Her father has a very good trucking business, and owns 6 DAF tractor/trailers, and had many employees that count on him. We are hoping this will show a major tie to Ukraine, along with 2 homes, bank accounts, etc.

 

I also understand they have to prove trip on their own merits, etc. My question is, should they wait to apply for the tourist visa after my fiancee's is approved, or is it ok to do in the near future. Most important is approval of the K1, and don't want her parents having a recently denied tourist visa raise a red flag. 

[millefleur 5,047]

**Moved from RUB regional forum to Tourist Visas; topic is tourist visas for in-laws**

[Boiler 45,922]

I can not see it makes any difference, their application and hers are not connected, apart from wanting to attend the ceremony.

[millefleur 5,047]

I don't think it will make a difference whether they apply before or after the K-1 is approved. The question would come up regardless during the interview under reason for visit, i.e. attending wedding of daughter engaged to USC.

 

The trucking business and vehicle ownership might help. The key is just to focus as much as possible on ties to home country in order to convince the CO that they do not have immigrant intent.

 

Also, Ukraine has a relatively high refusal rate for B visas. In 2018, 40.97% of B visas for Ukrainian nationals were refused. Just to give you an idea of the odds.

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY18.pdf

[Trapper99 30]

7 hours ago, millefleur said:

I don't think it will make a difference whether they apply before or after the K-1 is approved. The question would come up regardless during the interview under reason for visit, i.e. attending wedding of daughter engaged to USC.

 

The trucking business and vehicle ownership might help. The key is just to focus as much as possible on ties to home country in order to convince the CO that they do not have immigrant intent.

 

Also, Ukraine has a relatively high refusal rate for B visas. In 2018, 40.97% of B visas for Ukrainian nationals were refused. Just to give you an idea of the odds.

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY18.pdf

Yup, we are aware of the high rate of refusal, and are honestly expecting it to be refused. It's just one of those things where we'd rather try for the slight possibility of approval than never know.

 

Either way, we are planning a ceremony in late 2020 in Ukraine for all her extended family who wouldn't be able to attend regardless if her parents can or not.

[millefleur 5,047]

11 hours ago, Trapper99 said:

Yup, we are aware of the high rate of refusal, and are honestly expecting it to be refused. It's just one of those things where we'd rather try for the slight possibility of approval than never know.

 

Either way, we are planning a ceremony in late 2020 in Ukraine for all her extended family who wouldn't be able to attend regardless if her parents can or not.

All they can do is bring along evidence of the strong ties (which most likely won't even be looked at, bring it for peace of mind knowing you did all you could), prep for the interview (be decisive about dates, i.e. I'm arriving this exact day and leaving on this exact day, stress importance of job and reasons to return) and hope for the best knowing the odds aren't great.

[A.V 13]

I am also from Ukraine and we are planning to try tourist visa for my parents too. Though I thought maybe we will try for my mom and brother or dad and brother. Also, I believe this has to be done only after I am in the US, it will make more sense. 

I also want my parents to try, even though it can be denied. 

 

PS. My ukrainian friend was in the exact same situation 8 years ago. Her parents and 2 sisters got the visas for 10 years. BUT now the situation is different and refusal rate is much much higher.  

 

[Unlockable 7,315]

On 4/3/2019 at 8:45 AM, Trapper99 said:

Yup, we are aware of the high rate of refusal, and are honestly expecting it to be refused. It's just one of those things where we'd rather try for the slight possibility of approval than never know.

 

Either way, we are planning a ceremony in late 2020 in Ukraine for all her extended family who wouldn't be able to attend regardless if her parents can or not.

 

Excellent plan!

 

It is good to always have a back up plan just in case. far too often we see people get extremely upset when their relatives are denied visitor visas as if there are no other options for them. 

 

On 4/9/2019 at 3:05 AM, A.V said:

 Also, I believe this has to be done only after I am in the US, it will make more sense. 

 

This is not true at all. they can apply whenever they want. They don't need you to be here in America for them to apply. Millions of people get US visitor visas every year that don't have relatives living here.

[A.V 13]

5 minutes ago, Unlockable said:

 

 

This is not true at all. they can apply whenever they want. They don't need you to be here in America for them to apply. Millions of people get US visitor visas every year that don't have relatives living here.

 

 

They can't apply whenever they want. The purpose of thier visit will be visiting relatives (attending wedding) not tourism. Sure in case of tourism they can apply whenever they want. In our case the wedding needs to be scheduled and I have to be in US. How they can apply for B2 with the reason to visit relatives if they don't have any relatives there at that moment? 

 

[Boiler 45,922]

Because they will have relatives in the US to visit.

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

2 minutes ago, A.V said:

 

They can't apply whenever they want. The purpose of thier visit will be visiting relatives (attending wedding) not tourism. Sure in case of tourism they can apply whenever they want. In our case the wedding needs to be scheduled and I have to be in US. How they can apply for B2 with the reason to visit relatives if they don't have any relatives there at that moment? 

They can apply whenever they want; they're not forced to visit right away if approved. Assuming the issued visa is a 10-yr multiple entry, which most B2s are. 

 

The US doesn't legally distinguish between a tourist and visitor visa. Usually B1/B2 visa is issued that covers many types of visits. 

[Unlockable 7,315]

9 minutes ago, A.V said:

 

 

They can't apply whenever they want. The purpose of thier visit will be visiting relatives (attending wedding) not tourism. Sure in case of tourism they can apply whenever they want. In our case the wedding needs to be scheduled and I have to be in US. How they can apply for B2 with the reason to visit relatives if they don't have any relatives there at that moment? 

 

I understand what you are thinking, but there is not restriction that a person has to have a relative (or anyone else they want to visit) in the US to apply for a visitor visa. In fact, your parents can say that they are planning to visit you sometime in the future. Your parents can apply today if they have $160 x 2. There is absolutely no restriction to a person applying for a visitor visa. Whether your parents want to travel to the US next month or next year, they can apply for their visa now.

 

Another mistake that applicants make when applying for a US visitor visa is that they focus too much on why the want to go to the US. The interviewing officer is more interested in why the applicants must return to their home country. This is especially true for people applying from countries that have a high denial rate. 

Edited April 10, 2019 by Unlockable

[A.V 13]

11 minutes ago, Unlockable said:

I understand what you are thinking, but there is not restriction that a person has to have a relative (or anyone else they want to visit) in the US to apply for a visitor visa. In fact, your parents can say that they are planning to visit you sometime in the future. Your parents can apply today if they have $160 x 2. There is absolutely no restriction to a person applying for a visitor visa. Whether your parents want to travel to the US next month or next year, they can apply for their visa now.

 

Another mistake that applicants make when applying for a US visitor visa is that they focus too much on why the want to go to the US. The interviewing officer is more interested in why the applicants must return to their home country. This is especially true for people applying from countries that have a high denial rate. 

I know all that, I know there is no restrictions. In Ukraine they pay attention how many countries you visited in the last 5 years (it means you have money). Unfortunately in Ukraine a person can buy almost any document (like as if you have a very well paid job) or anything like that, so they only trust tourist history in the passport. My parents' passports are empty, they just don't like travelling, they work all the time. I want them to have a good reason to apply for B2. If they apply now without any travelling history and empty passports they will 99% get a refusal. It may be different in other countries though.  

Edited April 10, 2019 by A.V

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

1 hour ago, A.V said:

 

 

They can't apply whenever they want. The purpose of thier visit will be visiting relatives (attending wedding) not tourism. Sure in case of tourism they can apply whenever they want. In our case the wedding needs to be scheduled and I have to be in US. How they can apply for B2 with the reason to visit relatives if they don't have any relatives there at that moment? 

 

A wedding falls under tourist purposes.  They can actually apply whenever they want,  obviously if granted a visa they will schedule their plans for the wedding.  I’m not sure if it’s been dealt with before on this thread because they all say the same thing and it becomes a blur after a while, but the consulate is far less interested in why they want to visit than what the ties are that will ensure they go home again.

 

If you have a k1 in progress the embassy will probably know that anyway before your parents arrive, if not they can confirm it in two seconds, so your ‘reason’ is actually easy to prove.

Edited April 10, 2019 by SusieQQQ