Visitor Visa - B2

Firstly, I would like to thank this website and all the people who posted their experiences. It really helped me to prepare my mother for her interview.

Background: We are two brothers, me working in USA and brother in India. My father recently expired. I wanted to apply for a visitor visa so my mother can come spend time with me. I had just finished my school in USA in december 2006 and started
working.

My mother had her first interview on Jan 12. At that time I was not aware of this website and did not prepare well. Also I was in India at that time. In DS-156 I had stated the duration of stay to be 5 months and that the reason to visit the US was to stay with me. The vis officer (VO) just asked 4-5 questions, did not look at any documents and rejected the visa under 214B. I was really dejected and hopeless at this point. After some enquiries I found this website and prepared again.

This time, I booked a date on April 9th and I gave the reason for visiting US as attending my graduation ceremony in US university and also for tourism. I mentioned the duration of stay as 4 months. I prepared all the documents according to the format mentioned in this site. I prepared a list of all possible questions and their answers, translated them into telugu (my mom had her interview in Telugu since she is not very good in english) and gave the Telugu printout to my mother to prepare her. I took mock interviews several times to build up her confidence.

In the interview, she met the same lady VO as the first time. She was well versed in telugu and did not have a translator. She asked questions like, purpose of visit, how many children, what is your source of income etc. and then told my mother to stand in another line for interview with another VO. She also took the cover letter I had written to the VO requesting for a visa. After standing in the second line where the VO was a young american lady with a telugu translator. She had the following conversation with her.

Mother: Namaste.

VO: Why are you going to the US:
Mom: for tourism and to attend my sons graduation ceremony.

VO: when is the graduation ceremony.
Mom. told the date to the VO.

VO: How did your son pay for his education in the US.
Mom: He got aid from the university.

VO: How many children do you have?
Mom: 2. elder one in working in the US, younger one works in bangalore and stays with me. she also told what my brother does.

(My brother had a change of jobs between the two interviews. the VO saw in her computer that my brother has moved between cities, so she asked more questions about my brother.
VO: But you said in last interview, you son works in Bombay.
Mom: Yes, but he changed to a job in bangalore now.

VO: when did he change the job.
Mom: 2 months ago.

VO: What income do you have?
Mom: family pension of Rs X and I have property of Rs X lakhs.

VO: What visa does you son have.
Mom: My mom told student visa and handed over all the documents that I had given her.

The VO went through all the documents carefully and told her you will get the passport in 1 week.

We got the passport today with 10 yr visa.

Thanks to all and good luck to all applicants.

First and foremost thanks to immihelp for the wealth of information that helped with preparation for the visa both paperwork and interview. Keep up the good work.

My parents had the visitor visa interview in english at chennai consulate on May 5th at 8.15. They were at the consulate by 7.00 am. The security personnel asked for the age of the applicants standing outside in line and directed them to the security if they were close or over 60 years. Once security was cleared and the documents checked, they waited in line for the interview.

The VO was friendly and directed the questions to my mother. Questions asked were:
1. How many children do you have?
2. Where are they and what do they do?
One in Chennai and other in USA
3. Are they married?
4. Who is sponsoring your trip?
5. Can I see the sponsorship document?
My mother handed over 134 only.
6. How many people live in your house?
My dad answered.
7. Who will take care of the house in your absence?
8. When did your child leave for USA?

VO didnt see any other documents. He told them they would get their passports in 2-3 days. They received their passport and were happy to see it was a 10 year multiple entry visa.

Although food is not allowed, my parents mentioned that there were provided with water inside the consulate. The whole process took about 2 hours. The only issue I had in preparing the paperwork for sponsor was that my bank took about a week to mail the account verification letter since the day I requested it. It was surprsing that they would need that much time so prepare accordingly.

Good Luck to everyone.
Once again thanks to immihelp.

I wanted to know how long will the information of refused visa application be avalibale on the data base for the homeland security act - 2002. Thank you.

Hello Friend,
I have a valid B1/B2 for 10 yrs.When I landed in US immigration officer asked me purpose of visit and I said business, they asked about the duration and I said 3-4 months.Then they said OK and gave me 7 months I-94 but instead of wiring B1 on I-94 card they wrote B2.
My question is:-
Is B1/B2 on I-94 make any difference when I come next time or when I apply for H1B ?
I told them I am on business even then they issue me 7 months I-94 and wirte B2.
Is it okay for me to stay untill my I-94 ?

Please write me back your suggestion.
Thank you all in advance!
Cheers,
Sanjeev

Hi
I am from bangalore,i had the interview on 4 april 2007 at 11.00.The interview went on well,thewy asked me four questions
1.y do u want to travel to US-to accompany my husband and tourism
2.which company u r husband works for.xxxx comp
3.my husband monthly salary-i gave his pay slips
4.my husband passport and visa-which i gave
later they told i have been granted a visa,in 2 days i got my passport where i got 10 years and my 2 year daughter got 5 year validity. and later i was our of the compou nf by 11.45 AM,
bye

Hi,

My parents both attended for visitor visa on March 21st. They gave visa to my mother. But they gave a pink letter to my father asking for additional documents.

They asked my father a few basic questions like where does he live, how many children, where does he work and when is he retiring. My mother has not asked any thing. Even then they gave visa to my mother.

My father works for HAL and he is retiring in next two months. I think this is the cause for his 221G. In the pink form they asked for his present project, his resume, his plans after retirement etc.,
They asked him to send the answers in email within a week. They also mentioned that the case status can be seen online.

My father has sent mail with all the required info about two weeks back. Even now we are not seeing his case number online. We could see case numbers after and before his case. His case number is 079 172 17 (they wrote it manually on 221G pink slip). We could see 079 172 16 and several other numbers. Is there any possibility of typo error?

Did any of you know getting 221G for visitor visa.

Thanks,
Rajani

Hi

I am very happy to share this experience , as my parents have successfully got multiple entry visa. I had sent them a lot of documents based on this website. My father has a business and mom a housewife, I have two sisters one working and the other studying. The following were the questions asked:

Q: So you run xyz business?
A: Yes Ma'am
Q: How many helpers do you have in your business?
A: one and I manage the rest
Q: Who will take care of the business if you are not there?
A: My brother and youngest daughter can manage.
Q: Who is there in the US?
A: My eldest daughter
Q: Where does your son work?
A: I dont have sons , only daughters, and she works in XYZ company as a Xyz Engineer.
Q: Did she send any papers from US
(Dad gives them the set with my Employment verf, paystubs, bankstatements,401k. She actually read my complete empl. verf, and spent time actually looking at the rest of the papers.)
Q: Whats does her husband do?
A: He works as a xyz Engineer
Q: Which company?
A: xyz

Okie we will send ur passports to ur home.

Tips:
1. My father was telling me how a lot of parents were struggling to fill out incomplete sections in 156 or 157 because they were not the ones who filled them out and were not familiar with the content. -Make sure they read and know wht is filled in the forms irrespective of who fills them.
2. If the father is retired make sure , there are docs that prove his previous employment, they had a case rejected coz of lack of proof.
3. Make sure to fill educational qualification in 157 and name in native language and also sign the form 156.
4. Spend time before the interviews training your parents on questions that they may be asked. You cannot always b sure they will be asked the same but you will definitly give them the confidence that they can ans any type of q.

Thanks
Radhika

My father in law's visitor's visa got rejected thrice. My mother in law got her visitor's visa in the 2nd attempt. My father went first in January, then beginning of march and end of march. He has retired. Both my husband and sister in law are in the US. Each of the three times, the consulate has not given any specific reason for rejection. Should we wait for some time before we reapply

Any help is appreciated. Thank You

I prepared all the documents from the existing formats in immihelp.com. My parents chose for telugu language interview in chennai embassy. VFS people were unable to scan my father`s picture on DS-156 and asked him to get a new picture with in two hrs on the interview date.
Tip: It would be nice to carry two different sets of pictures. If they have any problem, They can use the other set.
An young lady visa officer asked these following questions (translated by telugu translator)to my father. She did not ask any question to my mother. She asked them to handover all my (sponsor)documents.

Tip: Please try yo arrange documents in different files for sponsor and visitor.

1. Why do you want to visit USA?
2. How many children do you have?
3. What is your son doing in USA?
4. Where is your daughter?
5. How many children do your daughter have?
6. What are their (my niece and nephew) ages?
7. In Which school (my niece and nephew) they are getting their education?

After this, translator mentioned that they got visa and passports will delivered by courier.

After scheduling visa date, I had interviewed my parents several times. My parents wrote my questions and appropriate answers on a paper and prepared very well (like a forthcoming examination).

Tip: Please prepare possible question and answers in a well advanced manner. I even sent them to my friends(who are in same place as my parents) and asked my friends to ask those questions to my parents randomly whenever they have some time.

My parents visa got rejected second time yesterday. They were issued the 214 b form this time too. It is really very frustating when they reject people who have no plans to staying here then the allocated period.

My parents have 2 daughters, i am the younger one in US. Is it a crime to have only daughters???