There are two types of visitor visa: B-1 (for business) and B-2 (for pleasure). If you want to invite your relative, i.e, your parent, your aunt or your grandparent to come to visit you in the United States, there are few things you can do to help them obtain a visitor visa.
In most cases your relative will apply for a B-2 visa. You can do the following to help in the visa application:
1. Send an invitation letter to your relative. Your relative can present the letter to the US Consulate officer in the visa interview. The letter should have your relative’s name, relationship, the reason for the invitation, planned period of stay in the U.S., where will your relative be visiting, and how your relative cover the living expenses while in the United States.
2. If your relative will be paying his or her own expenses in the United States, documents showing sufficient funds are currently available must be prepared to be presented to the interview officer. If you will be paying for your relative’s expenses, you should execute an affidavit of support (form I-134), and attach proof of funds, such as recent bank statements, letter from employer, and copy of US passport or green card.
3. One important aspect of visitor’s visa is called the “immigration intent.” It means the interview officer will want to find out whether your relative will return to his or her home country after the brief visiting. Other than the oral promise to come back, the officer looks to the “ties” between your relative and the home country. "Ties" are the things that connect a person with his or her residence, including things such as owning a house, job, business, income, family and education . . . etc. There is no set of rules of determining the ties. Ask your relative prepare his or her personal documents which can show strong ties to the home country, such as real estate ownership document and employment letter or proof of retirement and proof of other relatives in the home country.
4. Lastly, prepare your relative to answer questions that may be asked by the interview officer. Be specific about the purpose and plans of the visit. Present to the officer that your relative has strong ties and incentive to return to the home country right after the visit.
Good preparation should greatly increase the chance to obtain the visa approval.
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How to help your relative apply for visitor visa to come to the US
There are two types of visitor visa: B-1 (for business) and B-2 (for pleasure). If you want to invite your relative, i.e, your parent, your aunt or your grandparent to come to visit you in the United States, there are few things you can do to help them obtain a visitor visa.
In most cases your relative will apply for a B-2 visa. You can do the following to help in the visa application:
1. Send an invitation letter to your relative. Your relative can present the letter to the US Consulate officer in the visa interview. The letter should have your relative’s name, relationship, the reason for the invitation, planned period of stay in the U.S., where will your relative be visiting, and how your relative cover the living expenses while in the United States.
2. If your relative will be paying his or her own expenses in the United States, documents showing sufficient funds are currently available must be prepared to be presented to the interview officer. If you will be paying for your relative’s expenses, you should execute an affidavit of support (form I-134), and attach proof of funds, such as recent bank statements, letter from employer, and copy of US passport or green card.
3. One important aspect of visitor’s visa is called the “immigration intent.” It means the interview officer will want to find out whether your relative will return to his or her home country after the brief visiting. Other than the oral promise to come back, the officer looks to the “ties” between your relative and the home country. "Ties" are the things that connect a person with his or her residence, including things such as owning a house, job, business, income, family and education . . . etc. There is no set of rules of determining the ties. Ask your relative prepare his or her personal documents which can show strong ties to the home country, such as real estate ownership document and employment letter or proof of retirement and proof of other relatives in the home country.
4. Lastly, prepare your relative to answer questions that may be asked by the interview officer. Be specific about the purpose and plans of the visit. Present to the officer that your relative has strong ties and incentive to return to the home country right after the visit.
Good preparation should greatly increase the chance to obtain the visa approval.