Query about tourist visa to USA

raksrules

raksrules

Elite
I am currently in USA with my family. I wanted my father and brother to come here for a month or so and also want them to take an escorted tour (cox and kings and such).
The plan is for them to first take the tour and at the end come to our place and go back to India after few days.
We are concerned with the Tourist Visa for USA and need some guidance.
In order to minimize the chances of denial, we want them to get the visa through the tour operator through which we will take the group tour.
Here are my queries...

1. Do we need to have a return ticket with us before we actually go for the Visa process ?
2. If yes then in our case, we will buy buying the 2 way ticket our selves and its cost won't be part of tour cost. In this case the landing city will be totally different (where the tour starts) and going back airport will be the one from near my home here. So is this a red flag ?
3. We want to avoid telling them that we stay here and hence want to get the visa independent of we staying here or not (as they are going in tour, but will be leaving tour at the end and continuing to stay in US for few more days at our place).
4. Is it possible to get the visa and all without me and my family being in picture anywhere ?
5. Am I supposed to send any invite letter to my father and brother inviting them to stay with me etc? But I came to USA just a month or so back so I don't have adequate balance in account or anything.
Can my relative (we have one in USA) invite them ? They are citizens of USA.
6. If we go by invite from relative method, do we necessarily need to have the return ticket from their place as against ours ?

If anyone has alternate suggestions please suggest on what would be the best way to go ahead on this.
 
raksrules said:
1. Do we need to have a return ticket with us before we actually go for the Visa process ?
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No. The interviewing officer specifically advised us not to buy tickets before visa approval, just in case the visa got denied. (I had my return tickets before the visa interview).
raksrules said:
4. Is it possible to get the visa and all without me and my family being in picture anywhere ?
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Yes. But you can actually be a favorable factor for visa sanctioning. Just send your parents an invitation for some function (something related to your son, maybe). That will be a good reason for your parents/brother to visit you.
raksrules said:
5. Am I supposed to send any invite letter to my father and brother inviting them to stay with me etc? But I came to USA just a month or so back so I don't have adequate balance in account or anything.
Click to expand...
As above. Bank balance shouldn't be a problem, as long as your parents can show that they have sufficient funds for the travel. (I was not asked about my bank balance. I didn't show any invite from my friend either)
raksrules said:
Can my relative (we have one in USA) invite them ? They are citizens of USA.
Click to expand...
Yes. Although not really necessary.

Your father/brother just need to convince the interviewing officer that they have no reasons to stay back in US, and have every reason to come back to India. Your dad can show the immovable properties that he has in his name here in India. Also, if he is employed, he can produce a letter from his employer stating that he is a bonafide employee who has been granted leave for a month or so, for the purpose of visiting you and his grandson. Same goes for your brother. Let him carry a document from his college (if he is studying) that he has been granted a leave for only one month and has to resume college on this date..

As long as they can convince the interviewing officer that they want to return back to India, they are good to go.
 
@logistopath

Thanks for the reply. My father's visa may not really be a problem actually. He is retired and has property etc to show. My brother is working in a hotel and he can yes get a letter from his hotel saying he has to join within a month and so. But still be skeptical and hesitant for his. He is 26 years old.
And yes occassion is actually there. It is my son's first birthday coming and hence we are inviting them.
 
raksrules said:
I am currently in USA with my family. I wanted my father and brother to come here for a month or so and also want them to take an escorted tour (cox and kings and such).
The plan is for them to first take the tour and at the end come to our place and go back to India after few days.
We are concerned with the Tourist Visa for USA and need some guidance.
In order to minimize the chances of denial, we want them to get the visa through the tour operator through which we will take the group tour.
Here are my queries...

1. Do we need to have a return ticket with us before we actually go for the Visa process ?
2. If yes then in our case, we will buy buying the 2 way ticket our selves and its cost won't be part of tour cost. In this case the landing city will be totally different (where the tour starts) and going back airport will be the one from near my home here. So is this a red flag ?
3. We want to avoid telling them that we stay here and hence want to get the visa independent of we staying here or not (as they are going in tour, but will be leaving tour at the end and continuing to stay in US for few more days at our place).
4. Is it possible to get the visa and all without me and my family being in picture anywhere ?
5. Am I supposed to send any invite letter to my father and brother inviting them to stay with me etc? But I came to USA just a month or so back so I don't have adequate balance in account or anything.
Can my relative (we have one in USA) invite them ? They are citizens of USA.
6. If we go by invite from relative method, do we necessarily need to have the return ticket from their place as against ours ?

If anyone has alternate suggestions please suggest on what would be the best way to go ahead on this.
Click to expand...


Logistopath answered all. My suggestion your father visa would be a breeze if you come into picture. Your brother has a secured job in India so he needs to show all his job related documents and his visa will not be a problem. Give reason that they are entering USA primarily for touring and secondary meeting you. Chalk out a tour plan which cities they will be travelling and some specific important tourist points which they plan to visit. This will be asked in the interview.
 
irfanlai said:
Logistopath answered all. My suggestion your father visa would be a breeze if you come into picture. Your brother has a secured job in India so he needs to show all his job related documents and his visa will not be a problem. Give reason that they are entering USA primarily for touring and secondary meeting you. Chalk out a tour plan which cities they will be travelling and some specific important tourist points which they plan to visit. This will be asked in the interview.
Click to expand...

They will be touring using a group tour. So The tour operator will be giving them the iternary and also a letter stating that they will leave the tour at destination to come to my place. The tour is terminating just 4 days before my son's Birthday and hence they are going to take birth certificate xerox also to prove they are indeed having occasion for which they are coming.
My father does plan to show subsequent financial assets to prove they can finance the tour and my brother's bank account also has adequate balance I think.
I don't want my financials to be considered as I came recently and I don't have much funds in my account.
 
Go ahead and fill DS160, there should be no problem for tourist VISA as long as documentation is in place. For your financial balance you can have your offer letter or Employee Verification Letter.
 
jituthejeet said:
Go ahead and fill DS160, there should be no problem for tourist VISA as long as documentation is in place. For your financial balance you can have your offer letter or Employee Verification Letter.
Click to expand...

The thing is I don't want my financial balance to come into picture at all. I read / someone told that I need to show $10K and such and I don't have that kind of money.
But my dad can show adequate assets and balance to prove they can fund the entire trip.
 
It not that we need to show $10k. I sponsored my parents and was having $1500 balance and only 6-8 months in US. This was in early 2011 when DS160 was introduced.
 
I dont see any reason why cant state that touring is primary objective of the trip and will visit you whilst on tour. Like members already suggested if your dad can show assets, he should be fine. On the other hand I think you would have to strive harder for your brother.
 
This is wonderful. I wanted to start a similar thread but in my case it was for my parents.

@raksrules and others, Hope you don't mind me asking a couple of questions in this thread itself, instead of creating another thread on the same topic.

My scenario:
I've been in the US for 3 years now. My parents finally got their passports done sometime last month. I want them to visit for a few weeks sometime late this summer.
My dad is an employee in a PSU.

my questions:
1. What should be the general approach to applying for visa for my parents? Should I say that I'm sponsoring them or should they say that they're sponsoring the entire trip?
2. Should there be a specific event that needs to be shown as they're attending? I work for a desi IT company and there's nothing really for me to show as an "event that I'd like them to attend"
3. Our property is all under my dad's name. Plus he's employed - so I hope there's no reason to deny his visa. Unfortunately, there's no asset that's listed in my mom's name. She's a housewife and has some money in her bank account. Is there a reason to be concerned here?
4. Should we show some sort of a "tour" or something similar to @raksrules ? I kinda wanna show them around myself (as much as possible). They're probably going to be here for 2-3 weeks and I want to spend as much time with them as possible. In this case, would it be grounds for denying visa?

Anything else that I need to be wary of?
 
red-devil said:
This is wonderful. I wanted to start a similar thread but in my case it was for my parents.

@raksrules and others, Hope you don't mind me asking a couple of questions in this thread itself, instead of creating another thread on the same topic.

My scenario:
I've been in the US for 3 years now. My parents finally got their passports done sometime last month. I want them to visit for a few weeks sometime late this summer.
My dad is an employee in a PSU.

my questions:
1. What should be the general approach to applying for visa for my parents? Should I say that I'm sponsoring them or should they say that they're sponsoring the entire trip?
2. Should there be a specific event that needs to be shown as they're attending? I work for a desi IT company and there's nothing really for me to show as an "event that I'd like them to attend"
3. Our property is all under my dad's name. Plus he's employed - so I hope there's no reason to deny his visa. Unfortunately, there's no asset that's listed in my mom's name. She's a housewife and has some money in her bank account. Is there a reason to be concerned here?
4. Should we show some sort of a "tour" or something similar to @raksrules ? I kinda wanna show them around myself (as much as possible). They're probably going to be here for 2-3 weeks and I want to spend as much time with them as possible. In this case, would it be grounds for denying visa?

Anything else that I need to be wary of?
Click to expand...


1st thing I want to point is. Parents visa is a breeze. There are no hiccups whatsoever.
1. You can sponsor the cost. You need to show your bank statements with an average balance of $4000-5000.
2. If there is any family event it becomes very easy. Following examples - family emergency due to some medical treatment for your family, arrival of a baby or visiting your baby.
3. Showing you assets will be an added advantage.
4. You can say family visit and tour with you
 
Don't make up anything....just be honest. Even if they even sniff a bit of falsehood -it- is game over. They can tell by body language when someone is lying. Window time is 30-40 seconds, as it is.
 
asingh said:
Don't make up anything....just be honest. Even if they even sniff a bit of falsehood -it- is game over. They can tell by body language when someone is lying. Window time is 30-40 seconds, as it is.
Click to expand...

Yes. I have told them not to lie at all. Initially plan was not to tell I am here and coming for just touring and all. But now we intend to tell everything clear cut. I will also send invite letter (I am told scanned copy is fine for them, no need to actually postal mail them) inviting for Birthday of my son here. They will show adequate assets to prove they can fund the trip along with entire itenary from the operator of where they are going. I will be sending scanned copy of my passport and Visa and such things.
Not sure what else in soft copy I should be sending.
I have even told my father to ensure that a translator is there and his interview should happen in Gujarati. He can understand and speak english but he would never get the American accent so in order to make sure they understand what he has to say and vice versa, I have told them to have a translator.
 
irfanlai said:
1st thing I want to point is. Parents visa is a breeze. There are no hiccups whatsoever.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, not always. I know a few families where the parents were rejected visas, as many as 3 times. Parents need to convince them that they will not stay back in US on the tourist visa.
 
logistopath said:
Unfortunately, not always. I know a few families where the parents were rejected visas, as many as 3 times. Parents need to convince them that they will not stay back in US on the tourist visa.
Click to expand...

Very True. In fact I feel tourist Visas are more scrutinized than the work visas like H1B.
I know someone whose Visa has been rejected like 4 times. He would file along with his parents and his real brother is in US. So like the rest of the family wanted to go there and meet.
Parents visa approved but the other son's rejected always.
But one more reason here can be because the guy doesn't really have stable proper job here and is an artist (as in part of groups organizing wedding sangeet and stuff).
 
So I'm beginning to go ahead with the process. Here's my understanding of the process and some questions. Can you guys please help me out again?

1. Create DS 160 - Since both my mom and dad are attending the interview, 2 sets of DS160 need to be filled in- correct?
2. Pay visa fees - $160 * 2 .. can I pay using my US credit card?
3. When will I know the visa interview dates? Is it something that I can select from a dropdown (depending on the availability)
4. Once the visa is approved, will that be sent to our residential address that we provide on the DS160? (In my case I had to give my company's address, so I don't know what the normal process is)
 
@red-devil

Cannot answer all queries but...

1. Yes 2 DS160 and in each mention that the other person is traveling with him / her. As in, in your dad's DS160 there would be a section called "is anyone else traveling with you" something like that. In that mention you mother's details and vice versa.
2. No idea about fees
3. Dates we cannot choose I guess, we get the first available option i think. Also it is 2 days process now. Fingerprinting and photo on day 1 and actual interview on day 2.
4. I think passport with visa is NOT sent on address you give but goes to VFS center in your city from where you need to collect (on next day or day after), usually shipping is very fast for passports.
 
@red-devil
3. You get to choose the dates. You will be shown a list of dates available, along with the time slots, and you can choose what suits you. You need to choose one date for the actual interview, and another date at least one day earlier than the interview date, for biometrics.
4. Passport with visa stamp will not be sent to personal address. It will be sent to the Blue Dart collection centre or Team Stanley collection offices.
http://www.immihelp.com/india/usa-visa-application-centers-india.html
http://www.immihelp.com/india/blue-dart-locations.html
You will need to specify during your application where you want to collect the passport.
 
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