Query regarding US sponsorship

[pnukala]

Hi,

I am new to this forum but have been an inactive member all the while for helping out my parents apply and appear for a visa interview at chennai.

I live in the US (studying) and my brother lives here too. He is working. Recently, he has sent documents to my parents so that they can apply for a visitor's visa.

However, my parents are stuck with a question in the DS 156 form.

That is, Has anyone ever sponsored for an immigration/a petition ?

My aunt and grandmom (dad's mother) are U.S citizens and have been living here in the US since 25-30 years. Around 9 years ago, my aunt did file for a sponsorship for all her siblings including my dad. However, this petition never saw the day's light because my aunt could never turn in the required documents as she was always caught up in her busy and hectic life. And so, the petition got cancelled 2 years after it has been filed.

Now, my parents answered this particular question in the DS 156 form as NO because the petition is inactive and holds no value, as it has expired.

I wanted to know if this is ok or if they should answer this question as a YES. I was wondering if this thing really matters.

I was confused regarding this and so wanted to get opinions.

I thought that if the Visa Officer somehow comes to know by the click of Last Name in his/her computer that, indeed, petition for immigration has been filed and if the visa officer tries to probe into this only to know if my parents are telling the truth, then my parents would say "yes, it has been filed. However, it has expired and is of no value now 8 years later. So, we answered the question as NO in the 156 form".

My heart says they should answer the question as a YES though. Does answering YES slim their chances of obtaining a visa as they would be potrayed as potential immigrants in some way ?

Does anyone have a similar situation or can guide me in a better way ?

Sorry that I had to keep my first post long. I am in dire need of advice.

Thanks.

[peace]

Answering Yes will definitely show they have intent to immigrate
and thus will be denied. That is the very purpose of asking a question about
immigrant petition, to see if the person has an immigrant intent.

[pnukala]

I appreciate your quick response. Thanks.

Hmmmm.....I am not sure....I dont know if they should be plain honest or answer smartly ? Still in a fix....More suggestions are welcome..

[orion]

May be this will be favorable for their application, they can say yes, an immigrant petition was filed but they were not interested to pursue it all the way to a successful application. Hence they are not potential immigrants.

If you mean to lie by being "smart", I'll advise against it. I dont know what info is available to them, I think a lot is available. So one simple lie can turn it ugly for you.

[pnukala]

Yup exactly ! I agree with orion. Its always better to say the truth though it might appear that it will slim the chances of getting the visa.

Thanks for all the help

However, I have a little query left.....my grandmom actually filed for two of her sons, so my mom is not a principal applicant or principal recipient for the petition when it was filed years ago. It was only my dad's name which appears on the filing documents and my mom's name appears as "persons accompanying the immigrant".

Is it necessary that she has to mention in her DS 156 form that a US petition was filed on her behalf too (though she was a "dependent immigrant" through her husband) or should she say a NO because she is not the principal immigrant ?

[peace]

Yes, she is a derivative beneficiary of the petition. So , in principal
the petition was filed on behalf of both.

[pnukala]

Oh ok...I will come back if I have more questions to ask.

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it.