US Visitor Visa - One of the intriguing visas that you would like to apply for. If you play your cards right, you are through but as always luck plays an important factor in the final outcome.
I started the process skeptically when I decided to bring my parents over for a visit to the US. It is one of their cherished dreams and based on my current situation in life, it’s a now or never opportunity for them.
So one fine day I made the call. I asked my parents to get their passports ready so that I could take the visa processing to the next step. They responded to my call and got their passports ready. Now it was my turn to apply for their visas.
I took guidance from my friends and from the ‘search wonder of our times’ (Google). I came across some very good sites that helped me immensely.
As per my experience I have categorized the documents into two sets. Documents needed from your (sponsors) side and documents needed from the person who has been sponsored. It’s better to have a checklist created to track these.
A quick glance at the documents needed from your side:
Your financial documents:
1) I-134 Affidavit of Support – this document shows the summary of your financial strength and a proof that you will be supporting the people that you are sponsoring. This document need not be notarized
2) Employment Verification Letter – letter from your employer showing your designation, salary, tenure with the organization etc. This is the proof that you have a stable job and will be able to provide necessary support to the people you are sponsoring
3) Pay stubs – pay stubs for the past 6 months supporting the employment verification letter
4) W2’s and 1040 documents- tax documents for the past 3 years showing that you have been diligent with filing taxes
5) Letter from your bank – showing that you have a healthy bank balance for supporting the people you are sponsoring. Even though there isnt a specific amount that is considered healthy but a good history of your accounts with the bank and a sufficient balance (like $5000 per sponsored person) should help.
6) Statements from the bank – 6 months statements from the bank to support the letter from bank
Letters and other documents:
7) Letter to consulate – letter to the US consulate requesting visitor visa to the sponsored person
8) Invitation letter – letter to the sponsored person inviting them to visit the US
9) Birth certificate – showing your relation with the sponsored persons (parents in this case)
Documents needed from sponsored persons side:
Sponsored persons’ financial documents: these are important since the visa officer needs to be convinced that the sponsored person has strong ties back home and the person will come back to his/her home country after visiting the US.
1) Proof of their financial stability – includes letter from the bank describing their balances, house property papers, fixed deposit papers etc
2) Bank statements – 6 months bank statements to support the proof of financial stability
3) Family photographs (if applicable) – to show family ties back home in India
Other documents:
4) Passport – valid passport for travel
5) Visa photograph – visa photograph as per specifications
6) HDFC bank receipts- you will receive these once you submit the visa fees. Preserve these receipts for passport delivery after stamping.
7) DS 156 – this document will be filled up while taking the interview appointment with the consulate
8) DS 157 (if applicable) - this document will be filled up while taking the interview appointment with the consulate
9) Appointment letter – generated once you book your appointment.
10) Cover letter- letter from your sponsored persons to the US consulate requesting visa
Once these documents are ready, you need to send your part of the documents to the sponsored persons so that they can take it with them for the interview. Make sure you are sending these documents by some faster and reliable mailing service. The sponsored persons need to appear at the US consulate on the day of the interview. If they are granted visa then their passport will be withheld with the consulate and will be returned after stamping. If their application is rejected then their passport will be returned at the end of the interview itself.
Here are some of my personal experiences:
1) I sent the documents to my parents through USPS 'Priority' mail since I sent the documents a good 3 weeks before their interview. Unfortunately the documents didn't reach on time and we had a scare. But thank God, things worked out fine with my ‘Plan B’.
2) My parents had their interview at the Mumbai Consulate on Thursday. They had purchased the vouchers for the VFS facilities (Rs. 250 per person). This was one of the best things that they did. They reached the VFS center on time. They were seated in an AC lounge, given snacks and coffee, they freshened up, kept their belongings (cell phones etc) in the safety locker and reached the consulate calm and composed with the right frame of mind. They were not required to wait in any line nor did they have any other hassles. It’s always advisable to face your visa officer with energy and enthusiasm. The VFS center was a big help to achieve this.
3) I had opted for the interview in Hindi. My parents read and write English but I didn't want to take the risk of them facing the interview in English. One of the main problems is the accent that the visa officer might have. I thought that it would be difficult for them to follow the questions and they may become nervous unnecessarily. My choice turned out well since they were confident in their replies and that’s one important thing that the visa officer is looking for.
The Visa Officer was a lady and she asked my dad the following questions. The interpreter did the translation part.
Visa Officer: Who do you have in the US?
Dad: Our son
Visa Officer: Who is sponsoring you?
Dad: Our son
Visa Officer: Which visa does your son have?
Dad: Said the visa type
Visa Officer: How many children do you have?
Dad: Two. A son and a daughter
Visa Officer: Is your son/daughter married?
Dad: No
Visa Officer: What is your daughter doing?
Dad: Studying
Visa Officer: Where do you work?
Dad: Told the work place
Visa Officer: What’s the proof that you will come back to India? (This question was asked twice during the course of the interview)
Dad: I need to arrange for the marriage of my daughter. Also I have property and job back home that I need to take care of.
Visa Officer: You are granted visa and you will receive your passport in a couple of days.
My mom wasn't asked anything at all and none of the papers were checked. They received their passports on Friday at home. The visa on their passport said, ‘10 years multiple entry’.
In the end all our efforts bore fruit. As mentioned earlier, it was a skeptical start but finally when they had their visa in their hands, it was a great feeling. Gods grace sure did play an important factor in all this.
http://www.immihelp.com/visas/visitor/ and http://www.path2usa.com/immigration/visitorvisa/visitor_visa.htm are the recommended sites for complete details about the paper work, dos and don’ts, possible interview questions, experiences etc. I gathered all the documents as per these websites and it was of great help.
Guess what they received in mail on Saturday? Well it was those supporting documents that I sent them through USPS 3 weeks back. Now that’s called a ‘Priority’ service :)
