Help with B2 Sponsorship for Sister

[rveera]

Hi All:

Thanks to this website and members of this Forum for providing useful information.

I need opinions from you all whether I should sponsor my sister for a visitor visa or her children. Let me give you brief back ground about our situation.

My sister - 47 years old -- is a widow and lives in India. Both her children are currently in the US on H1-B status (came to the US on F1 and recently got their H1) and I am a US Citizen. So far she applied three times for B2 (at Chennai consulate) and was declined (with 214(b) ) and I sent all the reqired documentation.

First time she appeared for visa in Apr-2004, second time in Dec-2004 and for the 3rd time in Apr-2006. All the three times, she carried proper supporting documentation with all her properties (fixed assets valued close to 1 Crore, $250K) along with bank statements for Savings and Checking accounts. She also explained her ties back to India - taking care of my parents, taking care of her properties and also relationship with my other sister and her in-laws in India. Despite all these facts, the VO declined all the three times.

We now have another appointment scheduled (4th attempt) for February-2007. I need your opinion on whether I should sponsor her this time or have my niece or nephew sponsor her?

Thanks in advance.

[peace]

Sir, Who sponsors does not matter because the major reason behind her 3 denials still exists. In all likelihood, she will be denied again.

You should try to understand why she was denied, rather than blindly reapplying.( Please excuse me for being blunt). Visa officers mainly look at spouse and children as family ties in India rather than property and
other relatives.

She has no husband and no children in India, so in the visa officer's mind she'd be very likely to stay where all her children are (in US )plus
she has you as a USC in US who will be likely to help her
settle in US.

I have this opinion that she will be denied again.

Advice; With you as a USCitizen, you should look at other visa options for her.Because she is young, you can try for an H-1b for her if she has a bachelor's degree.The good thing about H-1b is that previous denials of B1/B2 do not affect H-1b, and with an H-1b one does not need to show ties to India.

Hi All:

Thanks to this website and members of this Forum for providing useful information.

I need opinions from you all whether I should sponsor my sister for a visitor visa or her children. Let me give you brief back ground about our situation.

My sister - 47 years old -- is a widow and lives in India. Both her children are currently in the US on H1-B status (came to the US on F1 and recently got their H1) and I am a US Citizen. So far she applied three times for B2 (at Chennai consulate) and was declined (with 214(b) ) and I sent all the reqired documentation.

First time she appeared for visa in Apr-2004, second time in Dec-2004 and for the 3rd time in Apr-2006. All the three times, she carried proper supporting documentation with all her properties (fixed assets valued close to 1 Crore, $250K) along with bank statements for Savings and Checking accounts. She also explained her ties back to India - taking care of my parents, taking care of her properties and also relationship with my other sister and her in-laws in India. Despite all these facts, the VO declined all the three times.

We now have another appointment scheduled (4th attempt) for February-2007. I need your opinion on whether I should sponsor her this time or have my niece or nephew sponsor her?

Thanks in advance.

[rveera]

Thanks for your suggestion, Peace.

We can not try other visa for her (such as H1-B) as she doesn't have a Bachelor's degree. I guess, our only option is to try for Visitori Visa (again).
I saw few postings where they talked about getting help from Local senator's office. Will it be of any help? If it adds any value, I would like to talk to my Local senator's office and request them to send a letter to the Consulate for a favorable consideration.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks.

[peace]

Maybe a senator's letter will help if there is an emergent/humanitarian situation; probably not in a casual scenario.
By the way, what does she do in India? Is she a housewife or running some business?

If she has experience running a business, L1 visa could be an option but that requires effort and money.

There is another possibility; but depends on if one of her children is willing to get married to a US citizen and if your sister wishes to immigrate permanently to the US. After marriage of the child, there is a way to get fast naturalization to the married child under a special law, if some conditions are met, without a 3 year wait. Once the child becomes a citizen , he/she can sponsor his/her mother.

Thanks for your suggestion, Peace.

We can not try other visa for her (such as H1-B) as she doesn't have a Bachelor's degree. I guess, our only option is to try for Visitori Visa (again).
I saw few postings where they talked about getting help from Local senator's office. Will it be of any help? If it adds any value, I would like to talk to my Local senator's office and request them to send a letter to the Consulate for a favorable consideration.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks.