Questions about invitation letter to bring my father-in-law to the US

[Boiler 46,034]

Sounds like she was asked about her travel plans.

[geowrian 22,338]

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visitor.html

Quote

Note: Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant's residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa. If you choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember it is not one of the factors used in determining whether to issue or deny the visa.

 

"we also promised to take care of them leaving country on time"

It's an unenforceable promise. Somebody cannot make sure a tourist leaves on time (except certain officials).

Edited December 11, 2019 by geowrian

[J Laredo 25]

6 hours ago, Unlockable said:

Invitation letters do not help. It is an immigration myth. Your father must show strong ties to China. Letters are not even looked at during the interview.  They hold no value as evidence.The process is pretty straight forward. The immigration officers want to know what ties your father has that compels him to return to China. They could care less about why he wants to visit the US. If he can prove strong ties, he will have more success than a letter.

Absolutely true. Happened with my husband, and he used to have one years ago. we tried twice. We had to apply for an immediate relative visa. At the time we hadn’t wanted that but now we’re in a position to have it so it’s OK

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

There is actually an official policy on invitation letters, and it is that they are not taken into consideration. From the US Department of State website on tourist visas:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visitor.html

Note: Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant's residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa. If you choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember it is not one of the factors used in determining whether to issue or deny the visa.

 

 

[Cathi 5,784]

So your wife is using her green card as a visitor visa. Don't be surprised if she given extra scrutiny upon arrival and/or denied entry. In order to maintain a green card, the holder MUST spend more time in the U.S., than out.

 

P.S. An "invitation letter" holds absolutely no weight whatsoever. Your in laws must apply and be approved on their own merits alone. 

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

11 hours ago, CitizenJ said:

But if I wanted to write a letter anyway, could I do that considering I'm in China with my father-in-law?

You can write a letter to anyone you want to, whenever you want to...there just likely won't be any value in it. However, having said that, there also won't be any harm in it, so if you fancy writing a letter, write it. 

[Amadia 711]

 

11 hours ago, CitizenJ said:

I'm an American citizen living in China with my Chinese wife (she's a US GC holder)

It's nice when you can have relatives visit but it's not so nice when you have to explain your life to immigration officials. Your invitation letter for your FIL when he is filing for a tourist visa has zero bearing. Like others mentioned, your FIL has to show very strong ties to China so that he is not deemed an intended immigrant.

 

I wrote invitation letters for my parents and my sister on separate occasions and neither of them were asked to show the letters even though they mentioned having the letters to the interviewing officer at the embassy. You can still write one if you choose because every person's interview is different. 

Best of luck to you and yours

[DakotaKid 38]

13 hours ago, CitizenJ said:

But if I wanted to write a letter anyway, could I do that considering I'm in China with my father-in-law?

Forget the invitation letter, you'd be wasting ink.  The intended visitor must prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that they will return to their home country.  Other than assisting with filling out the forms, and perhaps putting up the money for the application/flights, there is nothing you as the US citizen can do on their behalf.

[JFH 12,191]

15 hours ago, CitizenJ said:

 

Ya, I guess you could say we're temporarily residing abroad. We spend most of our time in China but return to the US every 6 months.

My mother takes a cruise every 6 months. Doesn’t mean that’s her main place of residence. The 5.5 months between each cruise is what determines where she lives. Your wife is skating on very thin ice using a GC to visit twice a year. 

[CitizenJ 5]

1 hour ago, JFH said:

My mother takes a cruise every 6 months. Doesn’t mean that’s her main place of residence. The 5.5 months between each cruise is what determines where she lives. Your wife is skating on very thin ice using a GC to visit twice a year. 

Sorry, I misspoke. We only return to the US every 12 months, not 6.

[Becci391 340]

Your wifes main residence should be the IN the US and not somewhere else.

Don't be surprised if the CPB officer won't let her back in to the US because she misused her Green Card privileges...

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2019 by Becci391

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

7 minutes ago, CitizenJ said:

Sorry, I misspoke. We only return to the US every 12 months, not 6.

You may soon be faced with a choice.

[CitizenJ 5]

2 minutes ago, Becci391 said:

Her main residence should be the IN the US and not ON a cruise ship.

 

 

 

It's 2019. I say if people want to reside on a cruise ship, let them.

[Becci391 340]

Just now, CitizenJ said:

It's 2019. I say if people want to reside on a cruise ship, let them.

It's not about what I say it's the law that says it.

She is misusing her Green Card privileges. Her main residence needs to be in the US. A Green Card is not a tourist visa. Does she have a re-entry permit? 

If she's been out of the country for more than a year she will have a hard time coming back to the US.

 

[CitizenJ 5]

6 minutes ago, Becci391 said:

It's not about what I say it's the law that says it.

She is misusing her Green Card privileges. Her main residence needs to be in the US. A Green Card is not a tourist visa. Does she have a re-entry permit? 

If she's been out of the country for more than a year she will have a hard time coming back to the US.

 

She's currently been out of the US for only 8 months but the vast majority of that time has NOT been on a cruise ship.