Docs required for B2 Visa for Parents

Hi,

I would like to know the forms i need to fill and the documents to send for sponsoring B2 visa for my mom.

Do i need to fill the I-134 form online or i can take a print out and fill manually and send the copy.

How many invitation letters i need to send addressing whom.

Also the set of documents required from my side and my mom side.

Please let me know ASAP.

Thanks

Pankaj

Pankaj,

I have answered your queries below

  1. I-134 affidavit of support accompanies a petition document and must be submitted at applicant port side, not yours

  2. You do not send an invitation letter for parents. What you send is a letter addressed to Consulate Officer, US Embassy, City, State, Country stating that you are inviting a parent over, what you are doing in the US, where you are staying, your visa status, your I-94 etc. Every statement component in this letter must be supported with copy of a piece of evidence. Every statement line in form I-134 must be supported with evidence as well. Are you saying you are a student? Need I-20 copy. Are you an H-1B professional? Need evidence of current employment (usually paystubs) and bank statements.

  3. Your mom should carry proof of family ties in India but there is no need to overdo this. Proof of property etc is weak because property can be sold. Bank staements are also only very weakly relevant as one may ask ‘how much is enough?’ Have her carry those anyway as it is conventional. Most evidence in this case is emotional. When my dad passed away and mom was coming to the US, she was asked, ‘what is guarantee that you will come back.’ She simply said ‘all my husband’s memories are in India’. She was approved. I always ask parents to answer ‘India is what I am used to and can’t bother to learn to live all over again in a foreign country’.

All the best

Dr. Sandeep Shankar, Colorado Heights University, Denver, CO 80223, USA. www.chu.edu; sshankar@chu.edu

She should also carry international visitor emergency medical and health insurance. This policy must be purchased in India

Thanks a lot Dr Sandeep,
My Mom is a central govt employee will this be of any help.
Also the medical and health insurance need to be purchased before stamping or while coming to US.
I will be putting her in my medical plan here in US once i know when she will be coming.
Please advise.
Thanks
Pankaj

Hi Pankaj, your mom must buy her own insurance from India. Putting her on your plan is evidence of immigrant intent. This is the documents list in this exact order

  1. Proof that you are her biological son (birth certificate)
  2. Proof of your address in US
  3. Proof of her employment and length of tenure
  4. No objection certificate from her employer
  5. Proof of her leave indicating start and return dates
  6. Proof of retirement benefits (pension scheme) which assures her life long income if she retires at proper age instead of quitting job and going to US
  7. Proof of travel medical insurance purchased in India
  8. Enough finances she is carrying in her bag for day to day enjoyment such as shopping, eating out etc. example $1,000 for a 30 day trip.
  9. A certificate of good health from Indian doctor
  10. Your primary visa document
  11. Copy of your passport including all pages with data on it
  12. Your employer contract copy
  13. Your most recent pay stubs (I suggest 2 from 12 and 6 months ago and 2 recent).
  14. Your cost of living and living address (usually a lease or mortgage agreement)
  15. I think this should do it :))

All the best, hope your mom thoroughly enjoys this visit!

You cannot add her on your current medical policy. You need to buy a fresh visitors’ insurance for her, but it can be bought after stamping before the departure date. If asked during the interview, she can tell the same thing to the officer - that you would buy the insurance after visa approval and before departure date.

Some people also recommend invitation letter to parents. It is just another document that doesn’t have to be acquired with effort like NoC etc. So I would add that to the list of docs to be sent.

If you are sponsoring her stay, then you must fill the I-134 (can be done online or offline), take a print, sign it and send the hard copy to your mother to be carried for the interview.