One of the most frequently asked questions among friends, either during graduation time, or after they start working in US, or if they are expecting a baby is “What is the process to apply for visitor or tourist visa(B2 visa) to parents to come to USA ? What documents do I need ? How do I start ?” . The below article covers the step by step process to apply for B2 visitor visa for parents or family members, including sample documents, templates.
Basic Requirements – Passports, Funds for US Trip
The two most important things you need to plan ahead before you even apply for visa are passports for parents and funds required for their travel.
- Parents Passports: The first step is to apply for passport for your parents, if they do not have one. Depending on the country, the time to get passport can vary, so factor in that time in your entire US visa application process for their B2 visa. For example, if you are from India, in the past it used to take 3 to 6 months, now with outsourcing to TCS, you can get passport in little under 15 days. Also, there are new schemes of Tatkaal, if it is emergency and you can get you passport as soon as 7 days, but you have to pay extra fee. Check out the passport application website for details. You may read our article on applying for Passport Renewal in India, it can give some idea.
- Bank Savings for Sponsorship: You need enough funds for your parents trip. Make sure you save some good amount totalling up to $10,000 dollars or more to cover their expenses. It is advised to start saving 3 months before and accumulate steadily rather than just borrowing money and putting in bank. There is no hard fast rule. Just an advice.
Step by Step Process for Parents US Visitor Visa (B2)
Below are the various steps that you can follow to apply for visitor visa for parents. Some of them can be done in parallel, but below is a general step by step guide.
Employment Letter from your Company or Graduation Letter
When you invite your parents or family, one of the things US Consular officer would look at are your current Visa status and supporting documentation for the same. You may need to get different set of documentation based on your status as an employee working in US or student studying in US. Below are the details
Working in US on a Visa (H1B, L1, OPT)
If you are working on a work visa, you need to get an employment letter from your current company, verifying that you are working in US on H1B, L1 or other visa, including OPT or STEM OPT. This is to make sure you are in good standing in US and are getting paid to support the travel of your parents.
Depending on the company, your company may ask you for details of your parents or their passport copies and directly address the employment verification letter to the consulate. There is no rule that you need to have certain format. Check Sample templates section at the end, if you want a sample. All they care is, if you are employed and in good standing.
The employment verification Letter should have information like when you joined them and what role are you in and how much salary you make. Some employers are quick and some are slow in doing this. Plan well and make sure you have it with you.
F1 Student – Graduation Invitation
If you are an F1 international Student inviting your parents for Graduation, you need to send your current status details like F1 Visa copy, I-94, I-20 and Graduation invitation letter to your parents.
Complete DS-160, Book US Visa Appointment
Before you book US Visa stamping appointment for your parents, you need to fill in DS-160 form. Make sure you have scan copies of their passport before you start the process to avoid issues. Also, your employer may need them.
Complete DS-160 Form Online for Parents
Unless your parents are well educated and have all facilities like computer with internet access, etc. they may not be able to do DS-160 on their own. It would be better, if you fill it out for them and then declare the same at the end. It saves a lot of pain for your parents to fill it out without any mistakes.
- Separate DS-160 Forms : You will need to create separate DS-160 applications profiles for every individual applying for visa. If you are inviting both your mother and father, then you need to create two DS-160 Profiles online for your parents.
- Creating Family Member DS-160 from Thank you page : When you are filling out the first DS-160 form for first family member, at the end when you select ‘Email Confirmation’ on the confirmation page, you will go to “Thank you” page and on that page you will have an option to create a family or group application, you can choose this option so that some of the information from your first application will be copied over and imported. Of course, you can change those details as needed.
- Required info to Fill DS-160 form : You will need a lot of information like education details, work history, identification info etc. We have complied the entire list of required items for DS-160 and tips to fill the same. Read How to fill out DS-160 Form, Documents Needed to get full idea.
- Filling up the DS-160, Declaration : If you are filling forms on behalf of your parents, at the end in DS-160 form, there is a section on ‘Sign and Submit page‘, there you should fill out your details as third party and then inform your parents regarding the endorsement of the application by them and help them click on sign and submit button. You may check more info and discussion on sign and submit option.
- Fill DS-160 online at Official State.gov website : You should go to Official US Govt State.gov website for DS-160 form Creation. Here is the link : US Govt ceac.state.gov Website
- If any questions, you can visit any of the below links to fill the DS-160 form.
- US Travel Docs India Official Website : Info on DS-160 form
- US State Govt Website : FAQs on DS-160 form
Once you complete the DS-160 form, next step is to pay the fee and book visa interview appointment.
Booking US Visa Interview Appointment, Native Language
You need to book visa appointment at US embassy/ consulate for getting B2 Visa stamping to travel to US. It involves, paying fees, selecting location and interview language. Let’s look in detail.
- US Consulate Location for Interview : Depending on your home country, there may be one or more locations in your country. You need to choose the US Consulate that is close to where your parents live. For instance, in India, each consulate has a list of states that they serve. Depending on your state, you need to select the respective Consulate.
- Parents US Visa Interview Language – Mother tongue vs English: If your parents are not comfortable with English, you should choose their preferred mother tongue or native language. Most of the US embassies give you that option to choose the local language. For instance, in India, you can choose interview language such as your mother tongue like Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, etc. If you feel your parents are not fluent in English, it is better to choose native language rather than English, so that they are comfortable and communicate clearly when asked by Visa Officer.
- Scheduling US Visa Interview : The US Visa interview appointment booking is handled by www.ustraveldocs.com website in most of the countries. Depending on your country, click on the country and choose the relevant website. For instance, for India, it would be www.ustraveldocs.com/in.
- You need to create an account and follow the process in there. You will be asked to pay the fee online for booking appointment.
- If you cannot pay online, you can go to bank, pay it there and get code to use the same for booking appointment.
- You do not need two accounts, you can add your parents together as family in the same account and book visa interview appointment.
You can read Complete guide apply for US Visa Appointment for step by step process.
Prepare for US Visitor Visa(B2) Interview, Documents
You will need to prepare and carry all relevant documents for the US Visitor visa interview for your parents. You will need to send them invite letters, sponsorship letters and other info. Let’s look at each of them.
Funds Proof – Bank Account Balance Letter, Sample
If you are sponsoring your parents or in-laws trip, you need to send the relevant proof to show that there are enough funds in your bank. While you can print out the Bank statements online, it is recommend that you go to your Bank and get a Bank verification or Bank Balance Statement Letter signed and stamped by the Bank officer.
Go to the primary bank, where you have your longest standing account and the bank which has your savings and ask them to give you a Bank Verification letter for Visa. Depending on the bank, the process can vary. Typically, Chase does it instantly. For Bank of America or others they make take couple weeks or more. Do this in advance. All they do is, give a letter saying when the bank account was opened and average running balance since opening. It is just a simple letter. If possible, get the visiting card of the bank manager( not necessary, more documentation the better). Check out Sample Bank Verification Letter for Parents Visa
Invitation Letter, Visa Officer Cover Letter, Other Documents
Below are other set of documents that you will need to have ready for the visa interview, so that your parents or in-laws can show the same.
- Invitation Letter : You need to send an invitation letter to your parents saying that you are inviting them to visit you and sign it. It legally supports your parents intent to come to US and you are inviting them to visit. Download sample template copies below.
- Visa officer Cover letter: It is recommended to send a cover letter with all the documentation addressing the visa officer. It just lets you keep in track of what you are sending and if visa officer needs to check, it is easier for him and more clear for our parents. See templates section below.
- Copies of W2 Form, Pay stubs, etc : You will need copies of W2 Forms for all the years, last three pay stubs or salary statements, Last three bank statements, Copy of your passport, I-94, H1B visa approval ( I797). This is extra piece of documentation to be given to your parents to avoid any issues. This is like an optional, I strongly suggest that you carry these documents.
- F1 Student – Status Documents If you are a student on F1 visa and not working, you may not have pay stubs, so do not worry about it. Send whatever you have regarding your current status like I20, etc.
- ( Optional ) Affidavit of Support I-134 Form: This is an optional form, which is typically filed with family based green card applications by sponsors. This is to establish that the applicant will not become public charges while in the United States. If you submit this form, you are legally signing that you take all the liability and they will not become a public charge. You may fill, sign and send the affidavit of support to your parents. It has some basic info. Nothing fancy and tricky out there. All you are telling in this document is that you are going to support their entire trip. You can Download the I-134 Form, Affidavit of Support from USCIS website
- Sending Documents to Home Country : Ideally, you want to print out everything and sign all the documents where you filled forms I-134 (optional), invitation letter and cover letter. Make copies of all the documents as listed above. Send originals of Employment letter and Bank letter. You can use DHL or FedEx. It may cost you up to $60 USD.
Below is checklist of B2 visitor visa stamping for parents
Parents US Visitor Visa(B2) Documents Checklist
- Copy of work visa approval notice ( H1B, L1 – Form I-797).
- Copy of Passport, US Visa stamped on passport.
- Copy of I-94. ( Check How to get I-94 Online )
- Current Employment verification letter
- Copy of Bank statements from last 6 months.
- Bank Account verification/ balance letter.
- Copies of last three salary statements/ pay slips.
- Copies of previous years Tax Returns –W2 forms ( if applicable).
- DS forms (if you have filled it and signed the same)
- Copy of Green Card ( if you are not working on visa )
- Form I-134 ( Optional )
US Visitor Visa(B2) Documents Checklist for in-laws
If you are sponsoring for your in-laws like mother-in-law or father-in-law, in addition to above checklist of documents, you need to include spouse’s details and documents as well along with the package.
- Your Spouse’s Passport
- Spouse’s approval notice I797
- Spouse’s US Visa Copy
- Any other supporting documents like marriage certificate to prove the relationship.
- Spouse Birth Certificate
Thanks to Rajesh for suggesting the above after his bad experience missing the documents of in-laws.
Sample Document Templates for Parents US Visitor Visa
Below are some of the templates that you can use. Make sure you change the content to fit it for your situation.
- Parents US Visitor Visa Invite Letter Template : You need to send an invitation letter to your parents saying that you are inviting them and also specify, if you plan to pay for their expenses when in US. We have given a sample letter, but I recommend you edit it with your own flavour and make it unique : Invitation Letter Templates for Visitor (B-2) / Parents Visa
- Employment letter Sample Letter Template for US Parents Visa : You should also send an employment letter that tells that you are employed in your company with your designation and salary. It can be any standard employment letter. You may use : Employment letter Template for Parents Visa USA
- Cover Letter for Visa Officer at US Consulate: It is a good idea to put in a cover letter to the visa officer listing all the documents you are sending. You may use : Cover Letter for Visa officer – Parents visa USA
These are just standard templates that you can use, no hard fast rule that it has to be in this format. We highly encourage you to use them as guideline only and create your own letters with your own flavour, so that it looks unique.
Additional Supporting documents by Parents for Visa Interview
Fundamentally, your parents have to prove that they have enough ties in their home country, so that they would return after their trip. Some of the ways that can be done is by good supporting documentation. The below list of documents are intended to prove that they will return to home country:
- Notarized documents of land/ sites, buildings ( any kind of property).
- Bank Statements with enough balance
- Pension / employment benefits letters, if applicable.
- Fixed deposits, any financial related documents.
- If there are Tax returns, then carry them as well
- Any other documents that shows your financially strong and you will come back.
If you do not have all documents or big property back home, it is OK. No big deal. Because, you are the one in US, who is sponsoring the visitor visa for your parents. So, do not worry. Also, if your parents are older, then they are fine.
Attend US Visitor Visa Interview, Sample Questions
Having all documents is important, but the most important thing is to give your parents the confidence and all the details related to you and what you do in US so that they can answer the questions. You need to coach your parents to do well in the interview. You can expect to see questions like below for your parents in the visa interview
- Who lives in US ? Son or Daughter ?
- What does your Son or Daughter do in US ?
- Did they study in US ?
- Where did they study ?
- What does your son or daughter do for work ?
- Which city do they live in ?
- Do you plan to settle down there or come back ?
- What is the purpose of your visit ?
- When do yo plan to go ?
- When do you plan to return to India ?
- What is your son or daughter salary ?
- How long have your son or daughter lived in US ?
- Do you work or retired ?
- Do you get pension ? Have you paid taxes ?
You can check out some experiences like Parents US Visa Stamping Experience -Telugu and English Stamping Experience US Parents Visa .
Hopefully, your parents get their US Visa in the interview. One last thing is health insurance.
Health Insurance for Parents : After you get US Visa and plan to arrive in US, having visitors health insurance is important for parents to avoid any unforeseen health conditions, when in USA. It is always a good idea to get Health Insurance from a US vendor, who can support you. We recommend Buying Parents Insurance at Visitors Coverage – Parents Insurance as they have US support and you can compare all insurance plans.
That’s it folks…not so much complex, all you need to do is get all the list of documents and have things rolling as per plan and schedule.
Do you have any other ideas or documents that are important ? Do share your experience and thoughts.
Hi Guys
Need expert opinion from people who have gone through the same phase.
I am currently working in US on H1-B visa and i plan to bring my parents to US for few months.
I am planning to start their B2-Visitors visa. But i am facing an issue wherein there is a slight mismtach in their name’s
spelling mentioned in my passport [ taken from India ] and theirs [taken from India]
In my passport and their individual passport , its given as
Father’s name : NAMBI IYER PADMANABHAN
Father’s name : NAMBI AIYER PADMANABHAN
Mother’s name : AYITHIRIKAL GAURI AMMA SARASWATHY
Mother’s name : AYETHIRICKAL GOWRI AMMA SARASWATHY AMMA
The names in their passport is the correct one and i am not sure if this mismatch could cause any issues at either their stamping at Chennai-US embassy or at port of entry in US , since i am sponsoring them.
Please let me know , if i need to be worried about this . Also what needs to be done from my side ff i need to correct this.
Regards
BP
Biswas,
To give you a perspective, my parents names are fully wrong in my passport like my mothers name has my fathers surname, while on her passport she has her maiden name and my fathers name is missing part of his first name on mine. We had no issues and they have received their Visa. What I suggest is to get a Name Reference sheet attested by a Notary to telling that the person with different spellings are same. It should be fine.
Hello!
I would like to invite my parents & my younger, unmarried brother to come visit/ stay with us for sometime since we are going to have a baby soon. My brother currently works as a lawyer. What documents would you suggest for him to ensure he gets a visitor visa?
Thanks!
Any additional documents that prove that he will go back like Job, Tax, property etc can be additional evidence.
Hi,
I am calling my parents for my graduation. I am on F1 visa. I live in one location in Boston and I am planning to move. So what do I do with the address while filling up their DS160 form?
My graduation date is June 3rd and I would like to call them around May 24th. But my Aunt in Texas wants to host them for a week and send them here in Boston. Will that be a problem in the Port of Entry? And what US adress should I actually put on the form?
Ashok,
It should not be a problem, it is a visitor visa, there is a restriction as such that they need to be coming to certain location. If you move out to new address, by the time visa interview happens, you should give that new address.
hello.
I m on h1b and my wife is on h4. I am sponsoring my in-laws. Is original birth certificate of my spouse mandatory as part of documents for my in-laws visa interview? If yes, then what are the alternatives of the birth certificate?Can copy of passport serve the purpose of birth certificate?
kum,
Many of these documents are very much in support, there is no specific list given by embassy. As long as there is another document that verifies that your spouse’s parents and her relationship as parents, it should be fine. If you can get a copy of it, just get it for future benefit as well. It is not difficult to get birth certificate.
Hello,
I am on h4 ead and work in a top IT firm with decent salary. I have around $30K saved in my bank account. I will be sponsoring my parents for visitor visa. Do I need to add my husband as a sponsor too?
my parents dont have much funds back there, so it will all be me sponsoring their expense
No need to add to spouse as sponsor, but you will need to provide his copies of like visa, approval, status info to your parents to carry for visa interview just to be safe.
Hi,
I want to fill an application for my parent’s tourist visa.. But while searching online saw 2 different websites. I would really appreciate any help in guiding me which website to use in between these.,
https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/
https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/
Thank you..
Devi,
Start with http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-niv-typeb1b2.asp , it has full details and links to relevant pages.
Hello,
I am a recent graduate on OPT and still looking for a full time job. My parents (both retired but working in private institutions) and my maternal aunt, who is not married wants to come to USA in May for one month as I would have my graduation ceremony that time.
My elder brother is also in US on F-1 visa. Is it a risk to mention my parents’ retirement in DS-160 for B2 visa?
My dad is a doctor, his income is 50,000 INR per month, but my mother’s and aunt’s income per month is around 10,000 INR, as they work in junior college and government school respectively in India. Would mentioning this low income be a risk in their interview?
My parents’ as well as my aunt has good bank balance and property. But what if the visa officer don’t see these documents and based on their incomes rejects them. Should I not mention my parents’ retirement?
Please suggest me, what should I do.
Thank you,
Sangha,
You need to mention what they currently do. If they work at private institution, then they are still working right ? I am sure, they are paid and have tax forms and monthly statements that show income right ? If you are still working and making money, that is not considered retired.
The monthly salary and other things are very subtle and hard to tell. As long as they are sponsoring their trip and have enough funds to cover for their trip, it should be fine. Of course, visa officer has the ultimate decision on this, but you should not be try to fabricate anything that is not true. Always mention anything that is current and true.
i am green card holder and i would like to apply visit visa for my wife and mother any suggest please
The process is same for Green Card holder or H1B visa holder. You can follow the same process described above. You just need to submit your current status, which is GC details with them
Very useful article. I need a suggestion.
My H1 b visa expires in April 2018 and I applied for my Extension in this month (January). I want to apply visiting visa for my mom. Do I have to wait until my Extension is done??
Eyerusalem
Hi,
quick question first of all for how long the process will take? And second For how long they can stay in USA by invitation visa? And during the process what if I lost or quite my job?
It is standard visa process. Depending on the visa stamping slot availability, it can take a week to few weeks. Usually visitor visa is given for 10 years with multiple entry and at every entry visitors can stay up to 6 months. Well, it depends on the context. Technically, visitor visa is not really tied to your visa status as long as they can afford to pay for the travel… You are just inviting them to visit…So, your visa status can help telling that they will stay at your place, etc…but, if you are not the financial sponsor, it does not matter.
Hello Guys,
My parents want to visit me in USA. The problem is that on my all documents, my dad’s name is Sunil Kumar Puri (includes the middle name) but on my Dad’s all documents, their name is Sunil Puri(does not include middle name). So on applying for tourist visa to visit me, would my dad face any issue due to the name mismatch?
Thanks a lot for your time and help!
Sourav,
I think, it should be fine. I had minor spelling differences and missing one of my father’s word in full name similar to yours, had no issues getting visa for my parents. You can have a name reference sheet and have it notarised by someone so that it is the same.
Thank you so much Kumar for your time and help 🙂
Cheers !
Hi Kumar,
1st.. Thanks and putting items together!!
I also have exact situation like Sourav, could you please share details about name reference sheet and its details.
I have to apply for my father’s passport yet and his name is spelled different in my entire documents from his documents.
So while applying for Visa, I should get notary done and still his passport and everything will be per his records(even my formal invitation).
Thanks in advance.
Ganesh
Ganesh,
Read this article on Name Reference Sheet for Study in US. You could do something like that. Just get it notarised. Notary has to be done only for the name reference sheet and places, where there are discrepancies. This is just an option to prove authenticity that they are the same person. If you can change the documents, better, if not, you can use something like Name Reference sheet. No need to notarise the invitation.
Hi Kumar,
Thanks for the detailed write up. Need your suggestion :
Currently I am on H1b and my initial visa got expired in Dec 2016. I got my visa extension done till 2020, but not yet stamped. I am visiting India in the coming month and will go for stamping. At the same time, I am planning to apply tourist visa for my Parents. Will it be ok to file visa for them with my old visa copy and current approved I-797 copy ? or Should I wait for my visa stamping and then apply visa for them ? Please suggest.
Thanks,
BK
BK,
Technically, your current status and your visa extension is what matters for your parents visa stamping. They do not have to wait for your visa stamping. If you happen to get your visa stamping done, you can submit a copy of the new visa stamped on your passport for their reference.
Hello,
I am in H1B visa, and it is valid till 30th Sep 2018. My company will apply for my extension beyond this. I am planning to bring my parents here for 2 months as a tourist in B2 visa. I am now processing the DS160 for them. My questions are as below:
1) Can i bring my parents around Aug-Sep’18?
2) Is there any limitations/rules as minimum of 6 months approved I-797 validity before they leave India to here?
Please help me to know this, thanks
RFR
Hello, How do I take the appointment for the same time and date for my mom and dad. I filled DS160 form for both of them separately.. but i am not sure if they will get the same time and date for the visa interview appointment. can anyone please help with this?
Thanks
Hey Chirag,
When you do your usatraveldocs – just open 1 account for your father and add u r mother in dependents – that way their biometric and interview time will be the same. i j ust did for my parents.
Hello,
I am currently on F1 visa in U.S. (pursuing Ph.D. since Fall’17). My parents want to apply for B2 visa. I have the following questions:
1. Since, I do not have enough funds to sponsor them, is it fine if they show around
~20 lacs bank balance to self-sponsor themselves?
2. As a graduate student, what kind of employment document can I show?
3. My dad has a pacemaker from last 12 years, does he need to carry any special
document for that?
4. What document do they need to show regarding where they will be staying in
U.S.?
5. Do the chances of visa decrease if they choose a regional language for
interview? (My parents can speak in English, but not fluent.)
Thanks a lot for the great article. It was really helpful.
Hoping to get your expert comments!
Raktim
I am writing B1/B2 visa stamping experience on behalf of my parents.
Location: Hyderabad
Date: 12/18/2017
Visa: B1/B2 Visitors Visa
A little background of mine, I am on H1B and my wife is with me on H4 and I work at the client location.
For the process, I just followed as it is mentioned on this blog only difference I did is I sent all the documents as scanned copies(As I don’t have much time).
Kumar – Thank you so much for a detailed write-up.
First Day – On 12/17/2017- 12.30 – Biometrics
———————————————————–
As my parents do not read/write Telugu or English, my brother arranged all documents in an order and send them inside U.S. Consulate(They did not allow my brother inside).
My parents entered and they were asked to sit and wait for the call. After some time they sent to counters separately, at the counter officer,
(All conversation happened in Telugu and conversation is same in both the counters)
Counter Officer: Give me your passport
Parent: Handed passport
CO: What is your birth year? – I think it’s just verification
Parent: Told the year
CO: Place your four fingers on Biometric device
Parent: Did that
CO: Place thumb on Biometric device
Parent: Did that
When parents came out they have a stamp on the visa appointment letter(I am not sure whether it was done at the counter or somewhere inside. It does not matter at this time).
Second Day – 12/18/2017
————————————
My parents reached little early to Embassy and they sent inside as per schedule(Here also no entry for my brother).
Once they went inside they were asked to wait in a line, One guy collected passports(original) of my parents and my passport and visa xerox copies and they are still on the line.
Visa Officer(middle age lady) called my father name as he is the primary applicant in visa appointment. My father went and got a call for my mother too(this time both are at the same counter).
(Again all this conversation is in Telugu, and her accent is very clear)
VO: Namaskaram – She already have my parents passports, copies of my passport and visa.
Parents: Namaskaram with hands
VO: What do you do?
Mom: Agriculture
VO: How much land do you own?
Mom: X acrs(hereX is less than 5.. Mentioning this just for your idea)
VO: How many childrens do you have?
Mom: x sons & y daughters
VO: Where do they stay? ( I don’t know the mean of ‘they’ here)
Mom: At home (my mom thought that asking about other children).
VO: She typed something. then handed my passport, visa copies back then Danyavadalu(Thanks)!
Parents: Namaskaram
I told my parents before that if VO keeps passports that means we got the visa. Maybe my parents understood that she did not return passport and mentioned “Danyavadalu”. So they left the counter.
After two days(12/20/2017) we got an email saying that ‘Your passports are ready for pick up’.
Hi Ram,
Thanks for this update. Please, may I ask what documents did you submit from your parent’s side?
Hello Hussain,
I asked them to carry below documents but none of the documents was by VO.
1. Aadhar Cards
2. Land Title books(Registration Books)
3. Bank passbooks(They did not get a statement so they carried Passbooks)
3. Latest Tax document on Home
4. Latest Electricity Bill
Thanks a lot Ram. Appreciate That.
LCA also required for B2 Visa?? ,please let me know if you submitted that form or not. My parents have interview on jan 11th, so it may helpful
Hello Vidya,
I did not send LCA. If you are planning to send then ask your parents to attach with I-797 copy. But I don’t think they will ask for LCA as I did not read the case where LCA was asked(never know).
But my brother arranged all documents in order which mentioned in Visa Office Cover Letter and labeled with stick notes as shown below.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_toL_cVO_EA/UlWmMRDOJbI/AAAAAAAAG1A/qeYK6UhoZA4/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/dictionary.jpg
Hello, we are parents preparing for visitors visa interview to u s to stay with my son for 3 months. Do we need to carry for interview all original documents of property deeds and fd receipts or only xerox copies will do? Pl reply
If you can carry originals, it is better. But having Xerox copies should do as well. Most of the times, the property documents are not looked very keenly, they are just supporting evidence that you will come back.
Hi Ram,
I am going to apply Visitor Visa for my Parents. Need to know which category of Visa I need to Select in DS-160.
Is it B1/B2 or Only B2 ?
Hello,
Thanks for the great information! This is very much helpful!
I’m on a H1B visa and my visa is expiring by March 2018. My employer has filed for my extension.
I’m planing to bring my Parents on Visitors visa. Will there be any issue in obtaining Visitors visa due to my Visa/I94 status ?
Thanks
Hello! Great Article, Thank you.
I am on J1 visa and so is my Husband. I am planning to invite my parents and my sister for my graduation. We have been saving money in husband’s account and didn’t realize until now that if I sponsor I will need to show this much balance which I can transfer to my account now but don’t know how helpful it will be. I don’t have more than 2000-3000 in any of may bank statements recently.
I read in your article that I can still sponsor and add his balance to mine while filling out the I-134. Where do I describe that it is not mine alone but its both of our balance?
I am assuming I will also send his bank verification and statements.
Also how many statements we need to send? I appreciate your help.
My Parents have been married for 30+ years. My mother changed her last name at the time from her maiden name to my father’s last name. In DS160 the question about”Other Names Used:” should I mention the old name? If so, what document will she require?
KS,
Yes, if the name has changed or different after wedding. You can check USTravelDocs – Common Application Errors section.
Thank you, Kumar.
My mother does not have any name change document. What should I do?
KS,
Not sure, what you mean. In general, if there was no name change done and all the documents reflect one name, you just mention that.
Hello,
I am on F1 Visa and my husband on H1B. I want to call my parents for visiting us and stay for 2 months. My parents are sponsoring the trip by themselves.
What documents are needed in this case??
It is exactly same process as described above, no different. You will need to send invite letter inviting them as family.
Hello! I am planning on inviting my parents from Philippines to visit the US. My Dad is 70 and my mom is 64. I am a greencard holder, both my husband and I have a job. However, we do not own a any property ( house for example) yet. What documents should I send my parents aside from invitation letter so they can apply and get a US visit visa? From reading the comments above, it says you have to have at least $10k saved up if you are supporting their trip financially, and I don not have that. My parents however, owns several land and other properties back home. How much do they need to have in their savings in order to get a visa? Thanks
Sally,
Yes, invite letter and if your parents are going to be funding their trip, they may need to show cash to support their travel costs. All the property, etc are just additional documentation to support the case that they will return back after their trip. There is no fixed number on how much you need to have in bank account…You just do the math on how much will it cost for two people to come and visit and go back. 10,000 is an approximated number. Also, Just having 10,000 USD in their bank account or your bank account does not guarantee a visa…it is up to the visa officer. Above article has all the details, read it again for the requirements.
Hi,
I’m on H1B and my wife is on H4 visa. My in-laws are planning to visit US for 2 months. They are planning to stay at my mother-in-law’s cousin sister for 1 month and 1 month with us. I don’t have enough balance in my account to provide the sponsorship. So my Mother-in-law’s cousin sister who is a US Citizen is sponsoring them. Will there be any problem in getting the visa because of this sponsorship thing? Will there be any question in the interview like why your cousin sister is sponsoring to you and why your daughter & son-in-law not sponsoring like that and all?
Shaji,
Well, I do not think, it should matter. Anyone to invite their immediate or extended family to US and if they also provide financial support, it makes it better. Not sure, if they do ask, you need to have an answer.
Hi Kumar,
I have a question. I am in dependent (H4) visa. My wife already sponsored to her parents. As i am in EAD now , she says that I can sponsor for my parents. The thing is
1. My wife got transfer and we will move to the new location in couple of weeks.
2. Because of the above I am resigning my job in Location A and uncertain about the job opportunities in new location .
3. Suppose if I sponsor them , I cant provide tax return as I am job for the past 6 months only and the savings is about $2500 only.
Kindly consider all these and suggest me whether I can sponsor to my parents . How about my wife sponsoring B2 for my parents.
Duraikandan,
There are two aspects, one is sending the invite letter and second is sponsoring their trip in terms of finances. If you say you will finance their trip, then I highly recommend that you have enough cash in bank and having employment. If it is just an invite letter and they will pay for their trip, then it should not be a problem. You can always send invite letter. Also, your spouse can do the same. It does not matter.
Thank you Kumar. I wont be in the employment while we are going to start the process. I will ask my wife to sponsor for my Parents. Thanks again.
Cheers !
Hi,
I have a question – Does the employment letter have to be an original? I work at a branch office in NYC while my company HR sits at the HQ located in Chicago. She sent me a PDF of the employment letter. Will that suffice, or should I ask her to mail me the original as well?
Sneha,
That should be fine, unless the consulate insists. I do not think, it says in the consulate website that you need actual original letter of the same right ? To be safe, you can your pay stubs as well, just in case that also is proof of your employment.
Appreciate you excellent article .. Thanks a ton buddy .. It is really helpful ..
Hi,
can someone please help me with the kind of questions and documents to be shown at the port of entry to the immigration officer. My parents got tourist visa and will be travelling to US first time. Also i applied for visa while was in location A in US. Now i have moved to another state in US due to work relocation. DS-160 had my location A details. will this be questioned by immigration officer ? If yes, what documents must be shown ?
DB,
No, it should not be a problem. Your parents will need to carry your current details like your passport copy, work visa copy, LCA, address details, etc. All standard documents that you submitted for visa. Usually tourist visa should be very straightforward, but you never know. If they question about location, your parents should tell why you moved locations. That’s it. No need to fabricate anything, tell the truth always.
Hi,
My h1b ,visa will expire on 04th Dec 17 and filed H1b extension few days back as a normal process(takes 4-5 months ).
Now , I want to visit my parents to USA on Jan 2018.
its possible to visit them to USA, because my visa will expire on before that.
ravindra,
It can get tricky with your expired H1B. At the visa interview they will ask for your current H1B petition details like approval notice, LCA, etc. Giving expired details or in process details, may not be convincing… What I recommend is, if your parents visiting is a priority, you can upgrade your visa processing to premium and get the approval done. With the approval info, your parents should have all the info from your side that is valid.
Really appreciate all the help on this forum.
I am on H1B in the US and I am sponsoring B2 for my In-laws. I have filled out DS 160 forms for them and scheduled the interviews as well. I am confused about two things and need help with:-
1. Do I need to fill out the i-134 for them? And if yes, do I need to submit it anywhere, or just sign it and send a scanned copy to them which they can carry with them to the interview?
2. Do I really need to send them the originals of my Employment letter and Bank letter or the scanned copies are fine?
Any help would be appreciated.
Hi,
I plan on calling my parents here in the coming months. Do I need to complete a separate DS-160 for each or I’m allowed to do a combined one? I combined is possible, please let me know how do I go about it.
Thanks
Nikhil
Yes, you need separate DS-160. What you can do is use the option to pre-fill some fields, when you select the option of family/ group at the end of application. Check US Embassy Website
Hi
Thanks for excellent article. It’s really great to have such a clear, precise and extremely helpful article. I have one query and need your valuable advice on it urgently.
Me and my younger sister are planning to visit my cousin for the first time in US to meet their family for few days only. We have invitation and complete sponsorship from him. This will be our first foreign trip.
Now the issue is that me and my sister “works for the same organization in different roles in different specialties but reporting to same boss”. Whereas I am only employed as Project based consultant with seasonal work but mainly working for this organization whereas my sister is a full time employee with them. I also do other part time informal consultancy.
Well my question is that, if we apply for Visitor Visa then, will our employment status especially working for same employer interfere with visa success /create trouble for both of us or is it normal for US Embassy ??
Please help urgently as we both got only 20 days of leave only to visit. Others can also share their opinion.
Thanks and warm regards
APD
APD,
Frankly, in my view, it should not really matter. We do not know what goes in visa officers’ mind, so all we can hope is it works out positive. You should never hide facts, it is what it is and you submit it in good faith.
Excellent article Kumar. Thank you. It was really helpful.
Cheers !
Hi,
My Father is on dialysis. Can he still visit USA for about a month. IS there any problem with his VISA process.
Sonali,
I am not sure, if there is any specific health check required for visa. It should not be an issue, you should have options to cover his medical expenses during his stay. You can always write to the embassy to clarify, if you want clarity.
Hi,
I moved to US only in April 2017, so I don’t have any Tax returns . So kindly tell me what are steps that I should be taking because of this for processing the Visa for my parents ? and do the same documents apply for inviting my siblings or does it need anything extra?
Thanks !
Fazlur,
If you do not have any Tax Returns, it is fine because, you have not been in US over a year. The steps are same as above for your parents or siblings. There is nothing extra. It is for visitors visa B2, so technically same.
Excellent article Kumar. Thank you. It was really helpful.
Cheers !
Hi Kumar,
Can I call my mother in law in US for helping my wife during delivery. I have heard different people with different opinions.
Some say, we can give this reason that we require them here for help and call them here. We can even get a letter from hospital and add it as part of sponsorship with our sponsor letter
Some say, it gives a negative impression and visa might be rejected.
Please help me in getting correct way to approach.
Rohit,
I have not heard of people getting the letters from hospital and stuff. Usually people just apply for a visit and if the visa officer asks the reason they can always say visit and delivery . Again, this is based on my knowledge. Do not worry too much about the specifics, send her the invite and invite her for visiting your guys, it should be fine.
Hello kumar actually I want to apply my dad for visit visa so his what documents required like I think his just passport copy required and all other our documents attached
The above article talks about it…read it for required docs info.
Hi, Saurabh. Can I get my US relatives to scan their documents and send it to me as soft copies? I was thinking that I can print the scanned versions where I am. Applying for B2 VISA, fyi.
Nazhiha,
What specific documents are you talking about ? What visa and your relationship with US relatives ?
Hi,
Do you know if they need to carry pre booked onward and return ticket while going to visa interview?
Bharath,
Not really, but they will need to fill out the expected date of arrival in US when they fill the DS-160 form.
Hi,
I have a small kid so my mother would be accompanying me to US. My husband is already there since 3 months. Since he is not yet financially eligible to sponsor my mother, can his employer sponsor my mother’s trip. If yes what documents will be required.
Thanks,
Juhi
Juhi,
Well, I am not sure, how it works with the employer. Usually, employer never sponsors for in-laws or parents. All your husband needs is to have enough cash in bank account. Maybe he can ask the employer to give advance cash to support so that your spouse can be the sponsor.
Hi
Thanks for the service you are providing. I have a clarification and request your feedback. My sister and brother in law are staying in USA. They are green card holders. They have also applied for citizenship. My brother in law is working while my sister is homemaker. My mother’s B2 is expiring next month and we are renewing the same (my mother has to attend the interview at consulate as she does not qualify for interview waiver).
My brother in laws Indian passport has expired and the renewal is not yet done as he is expecting the US citizenship. As he is sponsoring my mothers trip is it necessary that he need to have a valid passport and does my mother need to carry a proof of the same.
Thanks in advance
Venkat
Hi,
I want to sponsor my mother’s and mother in law’s trip to US together.
Although Its not much time, I have been in US. I have been here for more than 2 months. And I am planning for their interview after 2 months i.e in August to travel in December this year for a month
I also have currently $5K balance.
Will this be sufficient? Or do my mother and mother in law need to show more assets in India.
Rohit,
If you are the sponsor, you need to show enough funds to support their travel and expenses (as they can stay up to 6 months). It is recommended to have $10k at least, if you are the sponsor. Unlike, if you are not the sponsor, then they will need to show cash and assets to cover the cost of their trip. So, you need to make that decision and prepare accordingly.
Thanks Kumar for the answer. Can I go ahead with their interviews separately i.e initially for my mother in August and then interview of my mother in law in November? Also I will plan their travel in separate time(although overlapping)
Will this lead to their successful visa stamping of both with 5k in my account?
Rohit,
Well, I am not sure, if you should be doing that. The goal is to have enough funds to cover expenses, when they arrive in US. It is all done in good faith. I recommend, you have enough cash for both, if you plan to have them iN US, and then go for stamping. Also, just having cash in bank does not guarantee visa stamping, it is based on many factors.
My husband is on h1b and will be sponsoring my parents when they come to U.S. both are above the age of 60 and retired from their services.
Although, my parents do no own any property back in India , they stay in a rented apt. they have their savings well enough. My father works for two social organizations. Will any declaration from the organizations be of any help as a supporting document. What else can they show as supporting documents
Anuja,
I think showing their savings are good enough as long as it can cover their trip to US and expenses. Well, it does not hurt to carry them as supporting documents. Nothing in specific, just show what they have got in terms of savings and cash, that should be fine.
Hi ,I would like to ask one question here. Present i am holding valid H1B visa and now I want to bring my aunty(Mothers young sister) as a visitor.Could you please let me know the possibility of getting VISA from hyderabad.Thanks.
Sudhakar,
You can always send the invite letter and let them apply for the Tourist visa. It should be fine, in general. Overall, the chances of visa are always dependent on many factors and it hard to tell.
do we need to submit any documents to consulate before appearing for an interview? OR just carry everything during interview is all that needed? If someone can answer
Rahul,
You just carry everything during interview. No need to submit anything beforehand.
MK
I have two questions regarding my mother-in-law’s visa application.
(1) Me and my wife are currently living in the USA with expired visa but valid I-94 based on our I-797. So, if I am applying for my Mother-in-law’s visa, will there be any problem as our visas have expired?
(2) Should I be marking myself or my wife’s name in all the places in the forms for person to contact in the USA, sponsorer, invite letter, etc for my Mother-in-law’s application?
Thanks,
MK
MK,
1. It should be fine as long as you are maintaining your status properly. Visa is just an entry document, what matters is your status in US. You can send your paystubs, I-797 copy for their reference.
2. Either is fine. Ideally, it should be the person who is working.
Can USA Visitor visa for Parents be applied from Germany ?
As my parents are visiting Germany and i am short of time to apply visa when they are in india and appointments date delay!
Preshet,
You will need to check with the US embassy. In general, you will apply for visa at your location of residence or home country and sometimes in neighbouring countries… In case, your parents are visitors and not residents along with you in Germany, this could be tricky and you will need to check with the US embassy in Germany…
Hi,
I want to know how soon I need to set the visa appointment and send all the document after submitting DS 160. Can I submit DS 160 first and then can take some time to set up the visa interview and send the documents. Is Submitting DS 160 is linked to visa interview dates ?
I have two questions regarding my mother-in-law’s visa application.
(1) Me and my wife are currently living in the USA with expired visa but valid I-94 based on our I-797. So, if I am applying for my Mother-in-law’s visa, will there be any problem as our visas have expired?
(2) Should I be marking myself or my wife’s name in all the places in the forms for person to contact in the USA, sponsorer, invite letter, etc for my Mother-in-law’s application?
Thanks,
MK
Hey Hi,
this is a good piece of information. One thing wanted to confirm, what about tickets? Do we need to show return tickets at the time of interview?
Please suggest.
Hi-
This is very good and precise information. Very helpful. I had a question. I read somewhere that birth-certificate of child whose parents are visiting is required. My parents are visiting but my spouse is sponsoring. So my parents need to carry my birth certificate. May you please confirm if this is required. Thank you.
Anita,
It is nice to have it. But, not really mandatory.
Hi,
My dad passed away last month, now I would like to take my mom with me to US. My husband is on L1 and he would be sponsoring the trip. My brother is in Australia. How can my mom get a B2 visa and what extra documents does she require to prove her stand and get the visa approved ?
Thanks
– Manju
Manju Patnaik,
Sorry for your loss.
In general, the officer wants to check if the candidate is a potential immigrant or not. This is typically demonstrated through financial and social ties. So keep documents to show ties to home country (bank statements, FDs, land ownership etc). If asked for the purpose of trip she can say that she wants to spend some time with her daughter and plan to return in few months to take care of the belongings back in India.
Visa documents for expectant parents coming to the US can be baffling.
Thanks for helping folks sort all this out. When a couple can make a calmer decision based on what you’ve kindly presented here, I wouldn’t be surprised if they name their first-born after you!:)