Visitor visa for Dominican

[Yaneury & Allie 1]

Hey

So I have been a long time lurker and tried to find info without asking. However, I want to know if anyone has any tips on how to strengthen a tourist visa for my BF. He is from the DR. He has a passport. He's 34. No kids or every been married. We have traveled before to other countries that don't require visas for vacation. I've obviously been there numerous times over the years. Like many other stories, he doesn't have any super strong ties. He has a job he's been at for 4 years, family, bank account (not with much in it) and is taking courses at university. He's not well of or even middle class by any means.

Is there some magic number that the officer looks for in the bank account? Would an invitation letter from me help or hurt his case? Does this visa require a sponsorship? Should we begin aggressively saving in his bank account to show consistent  deposits. I live in California, where there are not many Dominicans...would they find that strange? I'd like for him to come and meet my older kids face to face and hang out in SoCal.

I understand that with this whole COVID business this not happen anytime soon. We are prepared to spend the $160 and just try but want to try and at least have a healthy chance by being prepared.

 

Thanks so much for any tips and insight

[geowrian 22,338]

There isn't really anything one can do to "strengthen" a tourist visa application. His circumstances are his circumstances.

There is no magic number in a bank account. If he is paying his own way, the CO should be able to determine if it is reasonable for somebody with his type of job can afford to do so. If somebody else is paying, that is listed on the DS-160.

He can bring evidence of his ability to pay in case the CO asks for it. But the overwhelming majority of the time, they won't look at any documents. The DS-160 usually has all the information they need to make a decision...plus possibly a handful of questions at the interview.

He can also have evidence of his enrollment at school and/or enrollment for future semesters. Again, the CO probably won't look at it. But it's better to have than not have IMO.

There is no sponsorship of a tourist visa.

They may ask why he wants to visit the US. He needs to be honest. It's not uncommon for them to put the pieces together quickly about a BF or fiance.

 

An invitation letter will not be considered.

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

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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.

 

No harm in applying so long as he is honest.

Good luck.

[Unlockable 7,316]

5 hours ago, Fulana517 said:

Hey

So I have been a long time lurker and tried to find info without asking. However, I want to know if anyone has any tips on how to strengthen a tourist visa for my BF.

 

The only way he can strengthen is chances is having strong ties to the D.R. You can't do anything to help him. I know it is not what you want to here but it is what it is. Just like life.... some people have it, some don't. 

 

 

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He is from the DR. He has a passport.

Will have little impact on a decision to issue a visa.

 

 

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He's 34. No kids or every been married.

This may be a negative against him getting a visa. It means he can leave behind everything if he wanted. Doesn't have a family to go back to. The officer's look at who is a higher risk. And when I say risk I say someone who may come on a visitor visa and not go back home. Or use that visa to work here because they can make more money. So if he doesn't have strong ties, then he is a bigger risk than, say a business man that has a home and family in the DR.

 

 

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We have traveled before to other countries that don't require visas for vacation. I've obviously been there numerous times over the years.

Further solidifies your relationship to him. But him traveling to other countries help. Would be more beneficial if he had visas to other countries.

 

 

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Like many other stories, he doesn't have any super strong ties. He has a job he's been at for 4 years, family, bank account (not with much in it) and is taking courses at university. He's not well of or even middle class by any means.

You recognize that he does not have strong ties which is a good thing. It means you have a clearer understanding of his chances over others who expect an automatic refusal.

 

 

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Is there some magic number that the officer looks for in the bank account?

Nope, not at all. And not only that, if the officer sees all of a sudden a large amount of money in his account, then they will suspect he is trying to fraud the system or some type of bribery is happening. Do not attempt this.

 

 

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Would an invitation letter from me help or hurt his case?

An absolute was of time and paper. Invitation letter is a "foreigner's myth" in an attempt to show a person has a good reason to visit the US. But you missed the whole point of why the US wants to see strong ties. Because it wants to know why he needs to go back home.... not why he wants to visit. The US government already knows people want to come here,. It has one of the highest number of visitor visa applications in the world. So having an invitation letter is only showing why he wants to visit when he really needs to focus on why he needs to return to the DR.

 

 

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Does this visa require a sponsorship?

This is another one that is an absolute, "No". There is no sponsorship of a visitor visa. He must show the consular that he can obtain this visa under his own merits. Think of it like this, did you need an invitation letter of sponsorship when you went to visit him? Or when the two of you went another country? If you wanted a nice vacation in Paris, you don't have to find a French person to write a letter on your behalf or sponsor you. So the sponsorship, like the invitation letter, is useless.

 

 

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Should we begin aggressively saving in his bank account to show consistent  deposits.

I stated above that this is a bad idea. It can also look like you are bride (husband) shopping.

 

 

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I live in California, where there are not many Dominicans...would they find that strange?

No, not at all.

 

 

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I'd like for him to come and meet my older kids face to face and hang out in SoCal.

It is good that you want him to meet you children. If this visitor visa doesn't pan out, think about making a trip there with the kids. It will strengthen your relationship and if you file for a marriage/fiance visa for him, it will strengthen your case of a legitimate relationship.

 

 

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I understand that with this whole COVID business this not happen anytime soon. We are prepared to spend the $160 and just try but want to try and at least have a healthy chance by being prepared.

Honestly, there is no way to guarantee a "healthy chance". We have seen people with super string ties get denied. And we have seen people who had very little ties get approved. There is nothing you can do to ensure he will get the visa. You simply have to apply and see. But you are right that with the current situation, it is not likely for visitor visas to get approved (embassies have suspended in person interviews anyway). 

 

 

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Thanks so much for any tips and insight

I hope I have given you a better understanding of how to go about this. It is not his fault he doesn't have things extremely strong ties that makes him low risk. Too many people (not just the DR, but people from other countries also) in the past have abused the visitor visa. They get it and come here and stay and work illegally so they can send money back home. This is why US immigration has put in place measures to try to weed out high risk applicants. There are good people who simply can not visit the US. Again, it is not their fault but too many people in the pass messed it up for good people now.

 

It If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

[Yaneury & Allie 1]

7 hours ago, Unlockable said:

The only way he can strengthen is chances is having strong ties to the D.R. You can't do anything to help him. I know it is not what you want to here but it is what it is. Just like life.... some people have it, some don't. 

 

 

Will have little impact on a decision to issue a visa.

 

 

This may be a negative against him getting a visa. It means he can leave behind everything if he wanted. Doesn't have a family to go back to. The officer's look at who is a higher risk. And when I say risk I say someone who may come on a visitor visa and not go back home. Or use that visa to work here because they can make more money. So if he doesn't have strong ties, then he is a bigger risk than, say a business man that has a home and family in the DR.

 

 

Further solidifies your relationship to him. But him traveling to other countries help. Would be more beneficial if he had visas to other countries.

 

 

You recognize that he does not have strong ties which is a good thing. It means you have a clearer understanding of his chances over others who expect an automatic refusal.

 

 

Nope, not at all. And not only that, if the officer sees all of a sudden a large amount of money in his account, then they will suspect he is trying to fraud the system or some type of bribery is happening. Do not attempt this.

 

 

An absolute was of time and paper. Invitation letter is a "foreigner's myth" in an attempt to show a person has a good reason to visit the US. But you missed the whole point of why the US wants to see strong ties. Because it wants to know why he needs to go back home.... not why he wants to visit. The US government already knows people want to come here,. It has one of the highest number of visitor visa applications in the world. So having an invitation letter is only showing why he wants to visit when he really needs to focus on why he needs to return to the DR.

 

 

This is another one that is an absolute, "No". There is no sponsorship of a visitor visa. He must show the consular that he can obtain this visa under his own merits. Think of it like this, did you need an invitation letter of sponsorship when you went to visit him? Or when the two of you went another country? If you wanted a nice vacation in Paris, you don't have to find a French person to write a letter on your behalf or sponsor you. So the sponsorship, like the invitation letter, is useless.

 

 

I stated above that this is a bad idea. It can also look like you are bride (husband) shopping.

 

 

No, not at all.

 

 

It is good that you want him to meet you children. If this visitor visa doesn't pan out, think about making a trip there with the kids. It will strengthen your relationship and if you file for a marriage/fiance visa for him, it will strengthen your case of a legitimate relationship.

 

 

Honestly, there is no way to guarantee a "healthy chance". We have seen people with super string ties get denied. And we have seen people who had very little ties get approved. There is nothing you can do to ensure he will get the visa. You simply have to apply and see. But you are right that with the current situation, it is not likely for visitor visas to get approved (embassies have suspended in person interviews anyway). 

 

 

I hope I have given you a better understanding of how to go about this. It is not his fault he doesn't have things extremely strong ties that makes him low risk. Too many people (not just the DR, but people from other countries also) in the past have abused the visitor visa. They get it and come here and stay and work illegally so they can send money back home. This is why US immigration has put in place measures to try to weed out high risk applicants. There are good people who simply can not visit the US. Again, it is not their fault but too many people in the pass messed it up for good people now.

 

It If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer in such detail. 

 

We will just try and see how it goes. And yes you are right, I can just take the kids there. I have been with two of them but there are four all together! so we thought it was cheaper if he came to us. Haha. Thanks again