THE B-2 TOURIST VISA PROCESS - General Outline

Regardless of what you feel is your right to invite any foreign friend to visit you in your home city, the US Government will not grant a Tourist Visa to anyone whom they feel is not likely to return to their homeland - young, beautiful, single women are good examples. To get a Tourist Visa a woman must convince the Immigration officials at the US Embassy in her homeland that she will return to her homeland when she completes her visit to the USA. To do this she would need to prove that she has a very good job, ownership of an apartment or house, money in the bank, or a child who will be left behind. Let’s face it, most foreign women, who are interested in meeting American men for marriage probably don’t have any such possessions, except maybe a child, and the child alone is not enough. Thus, the chance of them getting a Tourist Visa to the United States is slim. From all of our research, the situation is the same for all economically unstable countries. We've been asked about B-1 Business Visas for women who might have a legitimate business reason to come. It is irrelevant which type of visa is being applied for. If the US Embassy does not think that the woman will return to home, the visa will be denied. However, there is no reason to be afraid of trying. All that can happen is that the woman will be denied. If you don’t try at all, then you absolutely have no chance of receiving it. Keep in mind that some Women do get lucky and do get a Tourist Visa. However, don’t believe for a minute that it’s a “sure thing”. To dispel one myth, being denied a Tourist or Business Visa in no way affects a person’s chances of getting a Fianc?e Visa, unless she was originally denied for giving false information. If caught giving false information, a person can be barred from entering the USA forever, even if this person marries a US citizen. Thus, make sure that when attempting to get a Tourist Visa that your girlfriend tells the truth about everything. You’d be surprised (or maybe not) by what the US government can dig up on a person. For those of you who's fiancee/wife is already here, and would like to invite one or more of her relatives to visit, the B-2 tourist visa is your best option. The Embassies are generally much more tolerant of family relatives (especially those over 40 yrs old) when adjudicating applications. Still the burden of proof lies with the relative abroad, not you. The steps involved Write a formal invitation to each person you wish to bring to the US. Go into detail about things you'd like to do together with them, places you'd like to visit, and/or events you'd like them to attend. Also include some text assuring them that you will make certain they will get back home for some specific important reason (spring planting, work, etc...). Write a similar letter including the same particulars to the Consular Officer, but also include assurance that you will look after all financial, lodging, food, and transportation needs of the intending visitor (call vistor by name in letter). Include somewhere in the letter that you are a US Citizen, even if you are writing the letter jointly with your alien fiancee/wife (in this case, explain her status as well). Fill out an I-134 affidavit of Support per the instructions. Send these three items to the intending visitor to be presented at the Embassy interview. While the intending visitor could very well fill out the visa application forms themselves, we HIGHLY recommend contacting Pony Express in Russia or a reputable travel agent elsewhere, to help your prospective visitor fill out the forms properly. This should cost approx. $40 USD and is money very well spent, in our opinion. Once the forms (usually DS-156 & DS-230), and the application fee (varies by country) are remitted, the Embaasy will process the application and mail an invitation for collection of biometric data, and the Consular interview. In cases where the applicant has been to the US previously and returned to there home country without an unlawful overstay, it is common for the Embassy to issue a 2,5, or 10 year multi-entry tourist visa just for asking. NOTE: The fee increases with the number of years of validity.