Planning to visit the U.S. with my girlfriend next year

[azziaando 1]

Hello everyone!

Me:
- I am a 24 year old Moroccan with 3 years and 6 months of work experience in the IT field.
- My net monthly salary is 16,000 MAD (1,600 USD).
- Travel history: Thailand, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Turkey.

My girlfriend:
- Is a 23 year old Moroccan master's student, and is gonna graduate in the summer of 2025.
- We have been together for almost 5 years (we have selfies/photos to prove it).
- Travel history: None.

We're not married or engaged, just boyfriend & girlfriend.

Our plan: Right after her graduating, I want to treat her to a 1 week trip to the USA (100% financed by me). We will go sight-seeing on the east cost and attend a Music festival/concert.

From my perspective, I think we should have no problem getting our visa approved.
But that doesn't matter. I want to know what the visa officer's perspective and you the forum members'.
What are your opinions on our case?

Thank you 😄

[Daphne . 1,888]

Nobody can predict of course, but the officers will always assume immigrant intent and I am not sure if they will consider your situation as enough evidence that you won’t just stay in the US. 

All you can do is try and hope for the best! 

[Cathi 5,769]

The chances of you getting a visitor visa as a single male from Morocco are slim. You need to have VERY strong ties to your home country and it seems to me all you have for a tie to home is 3 and a half years work experience. 

[azziaando 1]

20 minutes ago, Cathi said:

The chances of you getting a visitor visa as a single male from Morocco are slim. You need to have VERY strong ties to your home country and it seems to me all you have for a tie to home is 3 and a half years work experience. 

I mean I am 24, what other ties CAN I have? what other ways can I show my "strong ties" to home? and demonstrate that i have NO immigration intent? three and half years of work may not seem like a lot, but in context, it represents ~15% of my lifetime and ~60% of my adult life.

What about my girlfriend? will we be treated as a couple by the visa officer? meaning will they consider our long term relationship and the fact that I'm paying for her expenses on our trip?
or will she be looked at as a "single" unemployed newly graduated student, and nothing more?

[carmel34 3,639]

2 hours ago, azziaando said:

or will she be looked at as a "single" unemployed newly graduated student, and nothing more?

yes

 

each B2 application will be adjudicated separately, based on information provided on the DS-160

 

strong ties to your home country include stable employment, ownership of property, and other responsibilities that would be evidence of a need to return after the trip, but the interviewing officer does not need to consider it, they have sufficient information from the application

 

all you can do is apply separately and see what happens

[azziaando 1]

I will apply and update you all.

Thank you everyone for the input 😄

[Crazy Cat 41,978]

5 hours ago, azziaando said:

I mean I am 24, what other ties CAN I have? what other ways can I show my "strong ties" to home? and demonstrate that i have NO immigration intent? three and half years of work may not seem like a lot, but in context, it represents ~15% of my lifetime and ~60% of my adult life.

What about my girlfriend? will we be treated as a couple by the visa officer? meaning will they consider our long term relationship and the fact that I'm paying for her expenses on our trip?
or will she be looked at as a "single" unemployed newly graduated student, and nothing more?

By law, every person who applies for a B2 visa is already assumed to have intent to stay in the US.  Having a US GF is a very strong tie to the US.  It is always up to the applicant to overcome that suspicion of immigrant intent.  I wish you good luck.

[milimelo 4,497]

7 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

By law, every person who applies for a B2 visa is already assumed to have intent to stay in the US.  Having a US GF is a very strong tie to the US.  It is always up to the applicant to overcome that suspicion of immigrant intent.  I wish you good luck.

Where'd you get it's a US GF? To me it looks like they're both Moroccan - asking for tourist visa.

[Boiler 45,657]

Odd question as why does it matter what anyone here thinks.

 

Buy you asked so I am wondering how you could afford it with so little income

[azziaando 1]

59 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

By law, every person who applies for a B2 visa is already assumed to have intent to stay in the US.  Having a US GF is a very strong tie to the US.  It is always up to the applicant to overcome that suspicion of immigrant intent.  I wish you good luck.

51 minutes ago, milimelo said:

Where'd you get it's a US GF? To me it looks like they're both Moroccan - asking for tourist visa.

We're both Moroccan. I think I made it clear in the original post.
Thank you for wishing me good luck  

 

48 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Odd question as why does it matter what anyone here thinks.

 

Buy you asked so I am wondering how you could afford it with so little income

"so little income"? it's almost like every country has a different level of income (Morocco is the orange one, smack in the middle) 

but to answer your question, I save up and plan my trip to fit my budget.
 

[appleblossom 2,681]

21 minutes ago, azziaando said:

"so little income"? it's almost like every country has a different level of income (Morocco is the orange one, smack in the middle) 
but to answer your question, I save up and plan my trip to fit my budget.
 

 

I think it's just the fact that it will take several months worth of your salary - the US is a crazy expensive place! It may be a factor in the interview, I'd take proof of the savings/funds to show you can afford to stay there and pay for insurance too. 

 

Good luck and do update us, fingers crossed you both get approved. 

[Boiler 45,657]

You earn half of what someone would start out at my local supermarket.

 

Would they be planning a one week holiday in Morocco with their student GF?

[azziaando 1]

39 minutes ago, appleblossom said:

 

I think it's just the fact that it will take several months worth of your salary - the US is a crazy expensive place! It may be a factor in the interview, I'd take proof of the savings/funds to show you can afford to stay there and pay for insurance too. 

 

Good luck and do update us, fingers crossed you both get approved. 

I think I will manage just fine. Thank you

 

30 minutes ago, Boiler said:

You earn half of what someone would start out at my local supermarket.

 

Would they be planning a one week holiday in Morocco with their student GF?

I don't know, nor do I care what your local supermarket worker is planning to do with their life.

[beloved_dingo 1,979]

International travel is expensive so questions about finances are valid, especially since you are funding both your portion and your girlfriend's portion of the trip. I agree with @appleblossom that you should be able to show proof of savings/financial ability at the interview (with the caveat that it is possible, and even likely, that the IO will not look at any evidence or proof you bring). 

[spicynujac 27]

Quote

We're not married or engaged, just boyfriend & girlfriend.

This is the part that concerns me the most.  You are two individuals, both wanting to come to the US for tourism.  You each need your own visa.  What if only one of them is granted?  You're out the (extremely large) fees that the US charges for visas at that point, and I assume you would cancel the trip.

 

Practically speaking, 1 week is a very short time to do such a long distance international trip.  I would recommend 2 weeks minimum.  US is not easy or cheap.  We have a transportation system most third world countries would laugh at.  You will easily spend all day on your arrival and departure days in transport to and from your lodging.  So you're down to 5 days of sightseeing, probably just in one city.  Is that worth what this is going to cost you?

 

The US is not very traveler friendly.  I'd look into other options if it were me.  Maybe save your money and plan on a longer trip to US solo or when you are married.  The big issue now is your plan requires both of you to be separately issued visas.  We are also changing political leadership in January 2025 to a president who shut down visitation from some majority Muslim countries before.  Bottom line is it sounds expensive, frustrating, and risky. 

 

(By the way, immigration officers can and sometimes do deny entry to tourists who hold a valid visa.  What would you do if one of you was turned away at the border, but the other entered?)  There are plenty of fun places that are happy to welcome you, visa free.