B2 for USC Spouse Tips

[Ben Dover 6]

After almost 3 long years of waiting, the countdown seems more bearable as my wife and son have a B2 visa interview coming up in January 2024. We don't live in the US and have no plans of living there anytime soon. However, I want to take my family on a visit next summer.

 

I hear chances of a USC spouse getting a tourist visa are slim to none, and to make matters worse, she is a housewife. Is there anything I can do to improve the odds of my wife and son getting the visa? Am I allowed to go with them to the interview and if I go, would that help? They have never been to the US (including my newborn USC daughter) who would be traveling with us. We live in Lagos, Nigeria. 

 

Thanks! 

[Boiler 45,482]

Your situation is what it is and Lagos is about as tough as it gets.

[Timona 4,207]

Denied immediately. 

[Redro 4,611]

4 hours ago, Ben Dover said:

After almost 3 long years of waiting, the countdown seems more bearable as my wife and son have a B2 visa interview coming up in January 2024. We don't live in the US and have no plans of living there anytime soon. However, I want to take my family on a visit next summer.

 

I hear chances of a USC spouse getting a tourist visa are slim to none, and to make matters worse, she is a housewife. Is there anything I can do to improve the odds of my wife and son getting the visa? Am I allowed to go with them to the interview and if I go, would that help? They have never been to the US (including my newborn USC daughter) who would be traveling with us. We live in Lagos, Nigeria. 

 

Thanks! 

A few years ago, my friend interviewed for a tourist visa (spouse of USC). She (USC) was a housewife and pregnant at the time. He (foreign national) was employed and brought letter of employment. 

He was grilled for several hours. Asked over and over again if they were planning to stay in the US after they arrived. 

He finally got so fed up he stated he had no desire to go the US. He was only applying to make his pregnant wife happy. 

They ended up giving him single entry. 

Have you considered traveling with your wife to other countries? Has she considered finding employment?

On the face of it (with wait times for spousal visa so long in Nigeria) - one would assume you are doing all this to jump the queue. 

You might have to travel to the US with your child and leave the wife behind. 

Friend in my story had to do that for her next trip with her son to the US. Husband had to stay at home. 

Edited June 1, 2023 by Redro

[Ben Dover 6]

3 hours ago, Redro said:

A few years ago, my friend interviewed for a tourist visa (spouse of USC). She (USC) was a housewife and pregnant at the time. He (foreign national) was employed and brought letter of employment. 

He was grilled for several hours. Asked over and over again if they were planning to stay in the US after they arrived. 

He finally got so fed up he stated he had no desire to go the US. He was only applying to make his pregnant wife happy. 

They ended up giving him single entry. 

Have you considered traveling with your wife to other countries? Has she considered finding employment?

On the face of it (with wait times for spousal visa so long in Nigeria) - one would assume you are doing all this to jump the queue. 

You might have to travel to the US with your child and leave the wife behind. 

Friend in my story had to do that for her next trip with her son to the US. Husband had to stay at home. 

We have lived in several different countries including Nigeria where we currently live (she is not Nigerian). We will continue to travel regardless of whether my wife gets the tourist visa or not; it would just be nice to be able to show her my home country. 

 

As far as her getting a job, it really wouldn't work for our situation right now. 

 

Interesting. I recently heard another story of nonchalance from a guy who dressed sloppily and deliberately bombed his tourist visa interview by giving one word answers because he had no interest in visiting the US. He was only doing it because his family wanted him to come visit and they paid for the B2 application. To his surprise, his nonchalance actually worked in his favor and he got approved. 

[Redro 4,611]

5 hours ago, Ben Dover said:

We have lived in several different countries including Nigeria where we currently live (she is not Nigerian). We will continue to travel regardless of whether my wife gets the tourist visa or not; it would just be nice to be able to show her my home country. 

 

As far as her getting a job, it really wouldn't work for our situation right now. 

 

Interesting. I recently heard another story of nonchalance from a guy who dressed sloppily and deliberately bombed his tourist visa interview by giving one word answers because he had no interest in visiting the US. He was only doing it because his family wanted him to come visit and they paid for the B2 application. To his surprise, his nonchalance actually worked in his favor and he got approved. 

Not being from Nigeria might work for her or against her (I obtained my US tourist visa as a third country national). A friend from Nigeria managed to obtain their visa as a third country national, too. 

Just to confirm - she is not eligible for ESTA, correct? 

All she can do is go to her interview (you can't go with her) and hope for the best. 

[Ben Dover 6]

18 hours ago, Redro said:

Not being from Nigeria might work for her or against her (I obtained my US tourist visa as a third country national). A friend from Nigeria managed to obtain their visa as a third country national, too. 

Just to confirm - she is not eligible for ESTA, correct? 

All she can do is go to her interview (you can't go with her) and hope for the best. 

Nope, she's not eligible for ESTA. 

Edited June 2, 2023 by Ben Dover

[speedster 26]

All you can do is try, my wife has done it. And we're the rare exception that she was approved on the first try, and she's lived in the US until about 4 years ago. We've traveled across the world extensively, and moved to other countries as well including countries within the EU. Just plan for a denial so that it's not a shock if they do.