B1/B2 visa for a child

[approval 1]

Hello VJ,

 

I wanted to ask if anyone has brought a grandchild from overseas to the US for short term vocation and then took him/back home. I am us citizen and my mother is green card holder. I have a sister overseas who is a single mother and has an 8 years old son. My mother is currently overseas temporarily staying with her daughter and grandchild. We were wandering if the grandmother (gc holder and my mother) can take her grandson to the us for short term vocation and then take him back after let say 1 month or two. The child's mother was denied tourist visa last year when she applied with her son and she has her own business and is going to stay there. Does the child have any chance being granted a b1/b1 visa to visit the US with his grandmother for vocation purpose? We would really appreciate any advice/experiences on these kinds of situations.

 

 

[Boiler 45,522]

I am sure people have, when you think of the millions of different visitors there has to be some with that combination.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

The embassy might be suspicious about taking a school age child on vacation for a “month or two”. Is this planned over the child’s school vacation? 

[aaron2020 11,651]

The child has a chance for a visitor visa by applying.  No one can tell you whether he has a good chance or not.

 

It doesn't matter who takes him to the US.  Grandmother accompanying him to the US is irrelevant in considering whether to issue the visa or not.  

 

His eligibility for a visitor visa will depend on his circumstances and his mother's circumstances.  Since he and his mother were both denied visitor visas last year, it does not bode well if he applies by himself now.  Applying by himself does not increase his chances of getting a visitor visa.  

[approval 1]

On 10/31/2019 at 11:23 AM, SusieQQQ said:

The embassy might be suspicious about taking a school age child on vacation for a “month or two”. Is this planned over the child’s school vacation? 

Yes this is planned for the 1 month winter vocation that schools have.

[approval 1]

On 10/31/2019 at 3:28 PM, aaron2020 said:

The child has a chance for a visitor visa by applying.  No one can tell you whether he has a good chance or not.

 

It doesn't matter who takes him to the US.  Grandmother accompanying him to the US is irrelevant in considering whether to issue the visa or not.  

 

His eligibility for a visitor visa will depend on his circumstances and his mother's circumstances.  Since he and his mother were both denied visitor visas last year, it does not bode well if he applies by himself now.  Applying by himself does not increase his chances of getting a visitor visa.  

Since he is a child, with whom should he go to the interview? With his mother or grandmother? If he can go with his grandmother to the interview should the mother write a letter that she gives permission to go the the interview with his grandmother? Or is this asked during the DS-160 application?

[aaron2020 11,651]

33 minutes ago, approval said:

Since he is a child, with whom should he go to the interview? With his mother or grandmother? If he can go with his grandmother to the interview should the mother write a letter that she gives permission to go the the interview with his grandmother? Or is this asked during the DS-160 application?

The mother takes him to the interview.  She's the one with legal authority over him.

 

Grandmother is not involved in her grandson's visitor visa application.  Grandmother has no legal authority over him and no reason for her to take him to the interview when his mother is capable of taking him.  

Edited November 2, 2019 by aaron2020

[approval 1]

7 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

The mother takes him to the interview.  She's the one with legal authority over him.

 

Grandmother is not involved in her grandson's visitor visa application.  Grandmother has no legal authority over him and no reason for her to take him when his mother is capable of taking him.  

Ok, if the child is granted the visitor visa, can he then travel to/from the US with his grandmother?

[aaron2020 11,651]

1 minute ago, approval said:

Ok, if the child is granted the visitor visa, can he then travel to/from the US with his grandmother?

Yes.  The mother can give her child permission to travel with his grandmother.  That's a family choice and has nothing to do with visas.  

[approval 1]

9 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

Yes.  The mother can give her child permission to travel with his grandmother.  That's a family choice and has nothing to do with visas.  

Ok, thank you for the answer. I will go ahead and fill DS-160 for the child, schedule an interview and see how it will go then.

[Southern_Belle07 146]

On 11/2/2019 at 2:37 PM, aaron2020 said:

The mother takes him to the interview.  She's the one with legal authority over him.

 

Grandmother is not involved in her grandson's visitor visa application.  Grandmother has no legal authority over him and no reason for her to take him to the interview when his mother is capable of taking him.  

Grandparents in certain countries can be legal guardians in the absence of a parent; parents can have a lawyer make a special power of attorney and have it notarized. 

[aaron2020 11,651]

10 minutes ago, Southern_Belle07 said:

Grandparents in certain countries can be legal guardians in the absence of a parent; parents can have a lawyer make a special power of attorney and have it notarized. 

The mother is not absent.  She's available to take the child to the interview.

 

Having the grandmother take the child when the mother is available seems desperate and the CO will wonder why the mother didn't take him.  

Edited November 4, 2019 by aaron2020

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

6 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

The mother is not absent.  She's available to take the child to the interview.

 

Having the grandmother take the child when the mother is available seems desperate and the CO will wonder why the mother didn't take him.  

I’d go one step further and say that the CO (who obviously will know that the mother had a visa refused*) will see something underhand in the child being sent with the grandmother, possibly resulting in a higher chance of refusal due to suspicion of motive.

 

*i can confirm from personal experience that the consulates cross-check child visa applications against the parents’ visa situations/applications.

[Southern_Belle07 146]

2 hours ago, aaron2020 said:

The mother is not absent.  She's available to take the child to the interview.

 

Having the grandmother take the child when the mother is available seems desperate and the CO will wonder why the mother didn't take him.  

 

On 11/2/2019 at 3:01 PM, approval said:

Ok, thank you for the answer. I will go ahead and fill DS-160 for the child, schedule an interview and see how it will go then.

Check SusieQQQ and aaron2020’s response to me first before filing paperwork for b1/b2 visa.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

26 minutes ago, Southern_Belle07 said:

 

Check SusieQQQ and aaron2020’s response to me first before filing paperwork for b1/b2 visa.

Nothing wrong with her doing the application. But the mother should be the one accompanying the child to the interview, even if the child is traveling without her.