travel visa to the US for an Indian friend

Shannon · Apr 7th, 2004, 21:40

Hi,

I want my Indian friend (I lived with her family while I was there) to come to the US for two weeks around my wedding and law school graduation in a year.

We tried to get a visa for the younger sister (who was 14 at the time) but they denied her. This was two years ago and was for a Christmas break trip to the US. We had a letter from my parents indicating they would support her during her stay, as well as a letter from me indicating I would accompany her, but the embassy officer said he didn't think she would come back, and refused her the visa.

Do you have any tips on how the older sister could obtain a visa? She will be 20 and attends college in Delhi, but I'm afraid they will consider her a visa risk due to her age.

Are there any tips on obtaining a visa? If denied once, should she retry it? What documents can I send for her? She can't book the flight before the trip (in case she is denied the visa), but should she do a temporary flight reservation? How far in advance? Would it help if we arranged grad school visits through local universities? We plan to do so anyway, but we can do it officially if it would help.

Thank you to anyone who can share information or experiences. It would mean a lot to both of us if she could be here.

Shannon

volga_volga · Apr 8th, 2004, 02:39

I have a friend who used to work for the US embassy in Moscow (she is Russian) although not in consular dept but she gave me an insider view on how consuls assess the visa eligibility.

they need to collect as much evidence as possible to cover their a...s in case your friend decides to stay!! every written evidence showng her ties to India, like, marriage/fiance, children, job offer after colleage, property... TIEs to INDIA is the key word, and the evidence will be filed and used to protect the consul in case she decides to stay.

She should also reapply if possible. My other friend's mother (all Russian) was refused visa a couple of times but eventually given one without change in circumstances.

good luck!

Shannon · Apr 8th, 2004, 05:50

thank you! I've been exploring the consulate's website, and the ties to india does seem important. She's a student, though, and unfortunately - I think this coincides with her graduation! Hopefully she'll have a job or grad school set up by that point, and I will pass this info on.

Thank you so much!
Shannon

ktkaboom · Dec 31st, 2004, 00:32

Hello all,

These three post have been extremely helpful. I am in this same situation right now. I have an Indian friend with strong ties to her family and work in Baroda.

I would like her to come and visit my family and friends here. I would like to send a letter to the American embassy letting them know that she will be my family's responsibility while she is here. Should I fax the letter to my friend or should I mail/fax the letter to the embassy? or If the oppurtunity arrose when I visit her family again in about six months, should I got to the embassy with her?

I would rather her come here sooner then me going over there.

I appreciate your time in my question. Thanks!

Catherine

tukat · Dec 31st, 2004, 04:41

My husband is from India, but now a US citizen. His elderly mother has visited us twice, on a 6 month tourist visa, and she returned back. It used to be easy to get a visa for an elderly relative, 2 weeks process. This last/3rd time, we applied in January of 2003 for that summer. She finally got her visa 1 1/2 yrs. later last May! One of the holdups we were told was the FBI check!!!
I tell you this so you don't get your hopes too high. Getting a tourist visa for a young working age Indian has always been difficult, but since 9/11, the process also drags on & on & on and most people are refused.
However, I hope you get some more hopeful feedback from other IMers. Maybe my mother in law's visa application got lost in a pile for a few months.
And of course, "never try, never win", so may as well try.

Apr 7th, 2004, 21:40	#1
Shannon bunder Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Minneapolis, MN, US Posts: 152	travel visa to the US for an Indian friend Hi, I want my Indian friend (I lived with her family while I was there) to come to the US for two weeks around my wedding and law school graduation in a year. We tried to get a visa for the younger sister (who was 14 at the time) but they denied her. This was two years ago and was for a Christmas break trip to the US. We had a letter from my parents indicating they would support her during her stay, as well as a letter from me indicating I would accompany her, but the embassy officer said he didn't think she would come back, and refused her the visa. Do you have any tips on how the older sister could obtain a visa? She will be 20 and attends college in Delhi, but I'm afraid they will consider her a visa risk due to her age. Are there any tips on obtaining a visa? If denied once, should she retry it? What documents can I send for her? She can't book the flight before the trip (in case she is denied the visa), but should she do a temporary flight reservation? How far in advance? Would it help if we arranged grad school visits through local universities? We plan to do so anyway, but we can do it officially if it would help. Thank you to anyone who can share information or experiences. It would mean a lot to both of us if she could be here. Shannon

Dec 31st, 2004, 00:32	#4
ktkaboom Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 5	travel visa to the US for an Indian friend Hello all, These three post have been extremely helpful. I am in this same situation right now. I have an Indian friend with strong ties to her family and work in Baroda. I would like her to come and visit my family and friends here. I would like to send a letter to the American embassy letting them know that she will be my family's responsibility while she is here. Should I fax the letter to my friend or should I mail/fax the letter to the embassy? or If the oppurtunity arrose when I visit her family again in about six months, should I got to the embassy with her? I would rather her come here sooner then me going over there. I appreciate your time in my question. Thanks! Catherine

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Apr 8th, 2004, 02:39	#2
volga_volga Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,453	I have a friend who used to work for the US embassy in Moscow (she is Russian) although not in consular dept but she gave me an insider view on how consuls assess the visa eligibility. they need to collect as much evidence as possible to cover their a...s in case your friend decides to stay!! every written evidence showng her ties to India, like, marriage/fiance, children, job offer after colleage, property... TIEs to INDIA is the key word, and the evidence will be filed and used to protect the consul in case she decides to stay. She should also reapply if possible. My other friend's mother (all Russian) was refused visa a couple of times but eventually given one without change in circumstances. good luck!

Apr 8th, 2004, 05:50	#3
Shannon bunder Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Minneapolis, MN, US Posts: 152	thank you! I've been exploring the consulate's website, and the ties to india does seem important. She's a student, though, and unfortunately - I think this coincides with her graduation! Hopefully she'll have a job or grad school set up by that point, and I will pass this info on. Thank you so much! Shannon

Dec 31st, 2004, 04:41	#5
tukat American Born Caucasian Desi Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: New England Posts: 91	My husband is from India, but now a US citizen. His elderly mother has visited us twice, on a 6 month tourist visa, and she returned back. It used to be easy to get a visa for an elderly relative, 2 weeks process. This last/3rd time, we applied in January of 2003 for that summer. She finally got her visa 1 1/2 yrs. later last May! One of the holdups we were told was the FBI check!!! I tell you this so you don't get your hopes too high. Getting a tourist visa for a young working age Indian has always been difficult, but since 9/11, the process also drags on & on & on and most people are refused. However, I hope you get some more hopeful feedback from other IMers. Maybe my mother in law's visa application got lost in a pile for a few months. And of course, "never try, never win", so may as well try.