VISA situation in Chile

[Chileanhere 17]

So I managed to get an appointment for my mom to apply for a visitor VISA, because it would allow her to stay for more than 90 days if needed. She currently has ESTA.  This was back in December 2020. The appointment was scheduled for July 2021. There were no earlier dates. Last week she received an email where they notified her that the appointment was cancelled. No further information. I checked her account today and was able to get another appointment, now this time for May 2022!   First appointment I was able to make for her was scheduled in the next 7 months. Then cancelled. Now the second appointment has been scheduled for 12 months! 😩

[Unlockable 7,314]

This was a risky move. You realize that if she is denied the visitor visa then should would lose her ESTA as well. With everything that is going on, they are cracking down on people who are trying to stay longer than usual in the US.

 

Caution her plan.

[Boiler 45,486]

Presumably she is obviously retired.

 

B's are not priority especially for people who can use the VWP.

 

If refused a B she would need to go through ESTA all again and may have issues being approved so they may have done you a favour.

[Chileanhere 17]

5 minutes ago, Unlockable said:

This was a risky move. You realize that if she is denied the visitor visa then should would lose her ESTA as well. With everything that is going on, they are cracking down on people who are trying to stay longer than usual in the US.

 

Caution her plan.

I appreciate your advice. The ESTA is about to expire and my mother is 75 years old.  We don't want her to be stuck here and overstay her ESTA in the event flights are cancelled and borders are closed as happened before.

[Boiler 45,486]

She overstayed her VWP?

[Chileanhere 17]

Just now, Boiler said:

She overstayed her VWP?

No, she didn't. She has been here at least 5 times in the past 5 years with her ESTAs. But I know several people that were here and got stuck here last year. In fact my mom had a trip to NY last year two days after the President closed the borders in March 2020.

 

[Boiler 45,486]

So is she going to wait until she has a B, hopefully Covid will be much more controlled by then.

[Chancy 6,241]

3 hours ago, Chileanhere said:

visitor VISA, because it would allow her to stay for more than 90 days if needed.

 

Just a reminder that the allowed duration of stay is determined by CBP at POE.  Although 6 months is the default for B2 visa holders, I've seen reports here on VJ of people who were given much less.  Make sure to check I-94 online a few days after entry for the actual "admit until" date.

 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

4 hours ago, Chileanhere said:

I appreciate your advice. The ESTA is about to expire and my mother is 75 years old.  We don't want her to be stuck here and overstay her ESTA in the event flights are cancelled and borders are closed as happened before.

Actually ESTA holders were ok, the US allowed them to use “satisfactory departure” for I think 2 months to avoid officially overstaying in the part of the year that flights locked down. No such luck for B visa holders who had to apply for extension and seem to have had very mixed outcomes. I’d stick with ESTA for her. It takes about two minutes to renew an ESTA, yes?

 

As for the hassles with appointments- none of these are “real” appointments, they basically have no idea when they’ll reopen for B visa appointments. They are stone last in priority for all visa resumptions.

[Chileanhere 17]

14 hours ago, Boiler said:

So is she going to wait until she has a B, hopefully Covid will be much more controlled by then.

Probably just renew the ESTA so so she come and spend Christmas holidays here. 

[retheem 564]

Do not follow the B2 route, stick with the ESTA

[Boiler 45,486]

75 and a pretty good shot at a B

Covid strikes me as weak reason