One of the most frequently asked questions among friends, either during graduation time, after they start working in the US, or if they are expecting a baby, is “What is the process to apply for a visitor or tourist visa(B2 visa) to parents to come to the USA? What documents do I need? How do I start ?”
The below article covers the step-by-step process to apply for a B2 visitor visa for parents or family members, including sample documents and templates.
Basic Requirements: Passports, Funds for US Trip, Documents
The two most important things you need to plan before applying for a visa are passports for your parents and the funds required for their travel to the US.
Getting Parents’ Passports
- The first step before you plan the B2 Visa is to apply for a passport for your parents if they do not have one.
- Depending on the country, the time to get a passport can vary. Consider the time to get the passport when you plan the overall time to get a B2 Visitor visa for them.
- For example, if you are from India, in the past, it used to take 3 to 6 months; now, with outsourcing to companies like TCS, you can get a new passport in a little under 15 days. Also, there are new schemes, such as Tatkaal, where you can get it in less than a week. If it is an emergency, you can get your passport within seven days, but you have to pay an extra fee for Tatkaal.
- Check out the passport application website for details. You may read our article on applying for How to do passport renewal in India to get an idea of the process.
Bank Savings for Sponsorship
- If you are paying for your parents’ trip, you need to have enough funds secured for the same.
- There is no official guidance on how much money you need to have in the bank account from the US Department of State. They say the applicants must have enough funds to pay for the trip.
- You can do a ballpark estimate of the expenses that your parents might incur based on flight tickets, local travel, etc., and come up with an amount you think makes sense.
- As a rule of thumb, a good amount totaling up to $10,000 Dollars or more to cover their expenses would be ideal to have in the bank account.
- It is advised to start saving for the same three months before and accumulate steadily rather than just borrowing money and putting it in the bank. Again, there is no hard-and-fast rule, just some general guidance.
Also, it is important to secure all the relevant documents about your status in the US as they would be important for the process. Let’s look at them below.
Employment Letter from your Company or Graduation Letter
When you invite your parents or family, one of the things that a US Consular officer would look at is your current US Visa status and supporting documentation for the same. You may need to get a different set of documentation based on your status as an employee working in the US or a student studying in the US.
Below are the two main options based on your situation:
Working in the US on a Visa (H1B, L1, OPT, Green Card) – Employment Letter
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 the US on H1B, L1, or other visa, including Green Card, OPT or STEM OPT. This is to make sure you are in good standing in the US and are getting paid to support the travel of your parents.
Depending on the company, your company may ask for details of your parents or their passport copies and directly address the employment verification letter to the consulate. There is no rule or format given by the US Consulate. You are free to use what your company gives. Check the sample templates section at the end of the article, 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, what role you are working 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.
International Student on F1 Visa – Graduation Invitation
If you are an F1 international Student inviting your parents for Graduation, you need to send your current status details like your F1 Visa copy, I-94 copy, I-20, and Graduation invitation letter to your parents. This would act like an invite as well as supporting documentation for them.
Step-by-Step Process for Parents’ US Visitor Visa (B2)
Below are the various steps that you can follow to apply for a visitor visa for parents. Some of these can be done in parallel, but below is a general step-by-step guide.
Step 1: Complete DS-160, Book US Visa Appointment
Before booking your parents’ US Visa stamping appointment, you must fill in Form DS-160, which is nothing but the online Nonimmigrant US Visa application form. Make sure you have scan copies of their passports before you start the process to avoid issues. Sometimes, your employer may also ask for the same for documentation.
Complete Form DS-160 Online for Parents
Unless your parents are well educated and have all the facilities, such as a 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.
Important Info to know before you fill out Form DS-160 Form for Parents
- Separate DS-160 Forms: You must create separate DS-160 application profiles for every visitor visa applicant. If you invite both your mother and father, you must create two DS-160 Profiles online separately for your parents.
- Creating Family Member DS-160 from the Thank you page: When you are filling out the first DS-160 form for the 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 the 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 compiled the entire list of required items for DS-160 and tips to fill the same. Read the article: Documents Needed to Fill out DS-160 Form, to get an idea.
- Filling up the DS-160, Declaration: If you are filling out forms on behalf of your parents, at the end of the completion of DS-160 form, there is a section that reads ‘Sign and Submit page’, you should fill out your details as a 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.
Where to Fill out DS-160 online at the Official State.gov website
You should go to the Official US Govt State.gov website for DS-160 form Creation. Here is the link: US Govt ceac.state.gov Non-Immigrant Visa Application Website
- If you have 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 a visa appointment at a US embassy/ consulate to get B2 Visa stamping to travel to the US. It involves paying fees, selecting a 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. You can read US Consulates India – What states they serve, contact info.
- 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 around the world give you the option to choose the local language.
- India Consulates – No Option to Choose Language in System: Starting from 2023 with the new system in place, in India, you do not have the option to choose the interview language such as your mother tongue like Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, etc. You will only get the option of English. If you feel your parents are not fluent in English, then you can ask them to request a local translator at the US Consulate/ Embassy on the day of the interview. For India, depending on the consulate, some languages may not be available. So, it is important to attend the interview at a location that is relevant for your state. You can check US Consulates Contact Info, Served States for more info. You can email the consulate/ embassy beforehand to be sure as well.
- Scheduling US Visa Interview: The US Visa interview appointment booking is handled by www.ustraveldocs.com website in most countries. Depending on your country, click on the country and choose the relevant website, where you will get the actual website that is used for booking the appointment. For instance, to book a visa appointment in India, you need to use the website USVisaScheduling.com.
- You need to create an account and follow the process in there. You will be asked to pay the fee online for booking an appointment.
- If you cannot pay online, you may need to go to the bank, pay it there, and get a code to use for booking an appointment.
- You do not need two accounts, you can add your parents as family in the same account and book visa interview appointment.
- If you are booking an appointment in India, you can read How to Create Account on USVisaScheduling.com
You can also read the complete guide apply for a US Visa Appointment for step-by-step process.
Step 2: 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.
For instance, at Chase Bank they do 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 the 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 supports your parents intent to come to the US and you are inviting them to visit. You can get a sample template copy in the below section.
- 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 the 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 the checklist of B2 visitor visa stamping documents for parents.
Parents US Visitor Visa(B2) Documents Checklist
Below are the documents that Parents need to carry from their side
- Passport
- DS-160 Form Submission Confirmation letter
- US Visa Appointment Confirmation Letter
Below are the documents parents need to carry related to their sponsor(son or daughter) in the US or if they would be staying with them.
- Copy of work visa approval notice from USCIS ( H1B/ L1 Approval Notice 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 the last six 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 of missing the documents of in-laws.
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 the US, who is sponsoring the visitor visa for your parents. So, do not worry. Also, if your parents are older, then they are fine.
You may join our Telegram B2 Visa Community Group to ask questions or share your experiences.
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.
Step 3: Attend Biometrics & US Visitor Visa Interview Appointments
Once you have all the documents ready, the next step is to attend the Biometrics appointment at a US Visa Application Center(VAC) and give biometrics on that required day. After the biometrics are taken, parents must carry all the documents listed in the above checklist and attend the visa interview on the respective date and time.
Having all the documents is essential, but the most important thing is to give your parents confidence and all the details related to you and what you do in the 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 the below for your parents in the visa interview.:
- Who lives in the US? Son or Daughter?
- What does your Son or Daughter do in the US?
- Did they study in the 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 you plan to go?
- When do you plan to return to India?
- What is your son or daughter’s salary?
- How long have your son or daughter lived in the US?
- Do you currently work, or are you retired?
- Do you get a pension? Have you paid taxes?
You can check out previous US Visitor Visa experiences at below links
- Collection of Latest B1/B2 Visitor Visa Stamping Experiences
- Parents US Visa Stamping Experience -Telugu
- English Stamping Experience US Parents Visa.
Step 4: B2 Visa Approval, Passport with Visa
If the B2 visa interview went well, your parents would be informed that their visa was approved and their passports would be collected. If the passports are collected, then they can expect the actual B2 Visitor Visa foil to be glued in their passport and delivered to their given address within a few days.
If your parents chose to pick up a passport, they could collect the same with the visa stamped in it. The approved B1/B2 or B2 Visitor Visa glued in the passport would look in the screenshot below.
If the visa were not approved, the consular officer would inform your parents and give them a piece of paper indicating the reason for Visa denial. One of the common reasons for visa denial for B2 visitor visa is 214(b). If your parents are unlucky, they can again reapply. You can read more on it at State.gov US Visa Denials reasons.
Hopefully, your parents get their US Visa in the interview. One last thing, before they go to the US, is to look at health insurance for their US Travel.
Health Insurance for Parents: After you get the US Visa and plan to arrive in the US, having visitors health insurance is important for parents to avoid any unforeseen health conditions, when in the 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.
Common FAQs
Yes, US Consulates in India are doing both in-person interviews as well as dropbox appointments for parents B2 visitor visas. There are no restrictions.
All the appointments that are available on USVisaScheduling.com for 2024, 2025 and beyond are all real appointments. They are not placeholder appointments like in the past.
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.
can you please upload the cover letter for the visa officer? it seems to be the employment verification letter.Thank you!
Diana,
Yes, good catch. Sorry, wrong link. See now, I have updated it.
Hello, i need some information about my parents visa documents.
i am on Green card, tomorrow i have oath ceremony for US citizen ship and my husband recently got US citizen ship. I am not working, my husband is working. when we apply visitor visa B2 what documents we need to provide? my parents will pay their flight charges .When they were in US , we will sponsor everything. Do we need to provide any sponsoring documents. What should we put in sponsor column in I-160 form? Should i put my Dad name or my Husband name?
Thankyou.
The process is pretty much same as described above. It is preferred to have your husband’s name as he is working, but it does not matter. Instead of visa info, you would submit your green card and citizenship documents. Technically, you are sponsoring the trip, except flight tickets, so it is better to send bank statement as well. follow the steps in the article, it is pretty much same as it is for visitor visa
Thankyou so much.
My father has two business. He has shop that runs on mom’s name and another that is on his name is travel business. I was confused what to write while filling employment section.
Priya,
Well, I am not sure how they are structured and how the remuneration, directorship, partnership, etc works for these entities. Important thing is you need documentation for anything that you claim. if your father has documentation that states that he works only in one company, filed taxes for the same, then that’s what matters and that is the main one.
so uhm i am a high school senior, my gaduation is may of 2019 . I want my mom to come to my graduation with a visa but dont know where to start. anyone has any tips? or anything they can help with?
josue,
You can follow the above steps listed in the article. They are pretty standard visitor visa(B2) requirements for anyone trying to enter US on B2. You would probably need to send them the graduation invite from the school for applying for visa.
Hi All,
I am on L1B visa and i came in US 4 months ago. I want my parents to visit me in April or May 2019, so when should i start the process for applying the visa.
Also do i need my Birth Certificate as part of checklist ?
Thanks
Vivek
Vivek,
You can apply around January as you will have enough documents like Tax forms, etc. Yes, having birth certificate is good. But, not a mandatory document as such. Usually, your parents names are in Passports and every other place, so should not be an issue, if you don’t have it ready.
Thanks Sir. One more query, my father’s name in my passport is FirstName MiddleName LastName but in his passport his name mentioned only as FirstName LastName. So will it be an issue while applying visa.
In his passport, what is on First name ? What is on Family name / surname / last name ? Are they switched ? They are not together in passport, they are in separate fields. In general, it is better to get it corrected, if wrong, to reflect the name to avoid issues in long run.
On his passport only Firstname and lastname. It is not switched, just middle name is missing altogether. Should he needs to correct his passport ?
As long as the First Name and Last name are there and correct, it should be fine. Middle name is something that is misunderstood and not used properly…
Hi,
I had a query. I am planning to do MS in August 2019 in the US. As such, I would like to take my parents abroad too on the B2 tourist visa (so that they can be in US atleast 5-6 months every year). Since I will be a student with F1 visa, would this be possible if I show sufficient balance in my bank account? If so, how much would I need to show as proof? Also can you pl provide me with tips as to what I can do to improve the chances of getting B2 visa for them. Thanks.
Regards,
Deepak.
It is possible, they need to apply independently for Visitor Visa and show their funds to support their travel. In general, anything that covers the travel cost and living expenses like $10,000 USD or more… The option you are trying is something that many do not try in general…Tips wise, it is nothing different, your parents need to be confident and have all the documents relevant. Not sure, how it will work out with visa, but worth a shot.
Hi,
I am on H1B Visa and recently my parent’s visitor visa rejected with 214(b). My father is a Retired Employee and his age is 64 years and My Mother is a Homemaker. When I filled the DS160 form, I have selected ‘Retired’ as an occupation for my father. What all the possibilities I have now?
1) How long do I need to wait to apply again?
2) We have agricultural lands and also two houses where we get rent for. Can I select the primary occupation as “Other” and explain about agricultural and houses thing? Will, that raises any red flag?
3) Or take multiple appointments for my mother and father separately?
Any suggestions/feedback will be appreciated. Thank you.
1. I do not think, there is any restriction as such, you can apply again anytime.
2. No, it should not as long as it true and you have documents to support the same.
3. No, it does not matter. You can continue the same way in past, it should not make any difference.
It can be frustrating to get 214(b), but you are not alone…many get these and they usually get visas in 2nd or 3rd attempts sometimes…It is not in your control and you can only prepare…
Hi,
If we are on Green Card, do I still need to get the employment letter ? What is the difference in documents to submit between any other visa status vs Green card.
Thanks in advance.
Rupa,
it is not much different. The reason for employment letter in general is to provide you are in legal status and also to indicate that you have resources to support. In your case, it may only serve the purpose of financial ability as your GC copy would be sufficient for status.
Hey Kumar, sure I am sharing my family interview experience. My mom and dad interview was in Hindi. Officer asked my mom what is my name. And for my dad he asked what’s his name and what do he do for his living in India? My brothers interview was in English. Officer asked him where do he works? What is my name? Since when is ur sister( means I) staying in USA? Then office approved my parents visa and to my brother he said ‘As per current situation I can not approve ur visa’ so my brothers visa got disapproved.
Thanks Lue for sharing the experience !
Hello Kumar, how r u? Hope all fine
A month back I asked u query regarding my parents visiting visa to USA . Yesterday their visiting visa is approved. Thanks you. I have one more query. My H1 B visa is expiring on 18 sep. Extension is in process . Can my parents travel to USA on 28 th sep I mean after my visa is expired? Or do u think thr will be any problem while immigration? Thank u in advance.
Lue,
Congratulations ! Sure, they should be able to, nothing to worry. You can let them carry your extension documents like receipt notice and recent payslips, just as backup. In general, they are visiting on their tourist visa and just visiting you as part of their trip, it is very much independent on your visa status… Also, would you kindly share their visa interview experience and anything that can help our readers.
Hi admin
Thank you very much for your clear information about visitor’s Visa.
Uma
Cheers !
Is there any age limit for getting H1B visa?
Hi,
My H1B petition is about to expire in one month, whereas visa extension is already applied and in progress. my parents got thier B2 visa. I am worried if parents comes to US, they shouldn’t provide 1 month validity to them.
Nitin,
I do not think, their B2 visit I-94 will be given for 1 month, it should be pretty standard and given for 6 months. If the Officer asks, they can tell the exact plans on how long they plan to stay and have the return ticket. If asked, you can let them carry your visa extension receipt notice and show the same.
Thanks Kumar..
Need more help here..
Actually my wife is on H1B visa and her extension is in progress and will petition expiry date is 30th September.
Whereas, I m also in US but on L1A- I.
My daughter is in India and will come along with my mother in law.
My wife (H1B ) sponsored my mother in law and my baby is my dependant (L2).
Both will travel first time to US.
Will there be an issue mother in law (B2) coming with my daughter (L2).
Without parents and my wife visa extension is in progress.
Please suggest.
Thanks in advance
Well, in general, it should not be as long as there is all the documentation of the child and mother. You can always give a letter to your mother-in-law indicating that you have put her as guardian of your daughter and you have authorized her to bring her to US. I am assuming your baby’s passport has L2 visa stamped. If you want to get confirmation or clarification on this, you can write to CBP officer email asking the same that if your mother-in-law can bring your daughter to US and have it as email proof as well.
Hi,
I am in process of renewing my parent’s visitor visa which has expired 6 months ago. Parents at present live in India. Can somebody guide me with following queries I am facing. Appreciate your help and time.
1. Ten years (April 2008) ago my sister’s husband sponsored my parents’ visa. This time around I am going to be the person providing/sponsoring their visa. DO my parents qualify for “dropbox” facility? (provided all the other requirements for drop box visas are met)
Thanks
Technically, they should be eligible. The sponsoring person is not one of the criteria for renewal using dropbox.
Thank you Kumar for your reply.
Yug.
I am on H1B in USA. My parents are Indian Citizens. And they are visiting Canada next month to my Sister’s place. Can they apply for Visitor Visa to USA from Canada and undergo Stamping etc from there?
Or we need to get USA visitor VISA formalities done from India before they start for Canada?
Hi ,
I am applying for my parents do I need to filled up separate form ?
In general, it is recommended to apply for visitor visa in India as that is their base location. Check with local Canadian US embassy, if it can be done…
I went to Bank of America last week for bank account verification. They don’t charge me and gave me letter in 5 minutes. Also you have option of choosing last 3 months or 6 months, whichever has more average balance, they will give you that letter. So experience was cool !!
That’s great !
Hi, I am on J-1 visa as student intern at washU, st. louis for 6 months period, unitil december. I want to call my parents for short vacation during my stay here. I have no plan to stay and I will be back to India as I will be continuing my Ph.D at institute over there.
Should they apply for B2 visa as tourist to USA, completely hiding that there daughter is here in US for 6 months on J-1. Or, they should apply for B2 visa, stating my presence . If yes, what documents I need to send them.
Well, I will not be sponsoring them, and they have enough balance in there own account to cover the required expenses for travel. Once, they are here, I have aprrtment in which they can stay with me.
Please guide, which way is easy to get B2 visa ?
They should state the facts when they apply for any visa. Never hide info, it can hurt you more than it can benefit if it comes to light. Sure, they can sponsor themselves, thats not an issue. There is no easy or tough way for B2, you just follow the process and hope to get visa approved. There is nothing guaranteed as it is up to the visa officer discretion.
Hi I have a doubt regarding the affidavit.
1. Should we take original property document? Or
2. Notarized document of property is enough?
3. Notarized can be done in stamp paper? Or CA is mandatory.
Thank you
Anything is fine. All of these are just additional support evidence to prove that you have ties back home and enough money for your expenses when in US. There is no official guidance that tells you even need to carry property documents…
Hi, I am applying visitor visa for my parents. I am on L1B visa.
I am not sure about following :
1). How many pages of petition I-129S to be used as supporting docs?
2). Do I need to copy all the pages of my passport?
3). I paid visa fee online, so what proof I can give as a proof?
Thanks,
1. You usually send the approval notice, not necessarily need the application.
2. Any page that has visas or other stamps on it to be safe.
3. Print out the proof the payment / application receipt with confirmation.
Hey Kumar, can I have your email?
Thank you!
Hi Kumar,
Thanks for your help. I got my parents visa approved.
Thanks,
Congrats ! Would be great, if you can share experience with the group, if there were anything specific you did, besides what is listed above, so that it helps the group.
My parent’s experience shared – added to above article.
Thanks for sharing your experience Devansh !
HI i am in h4 and i am inviting my mom here (my dad passed away three months back) and my husband is sponsoring me. What are the documents should be provided ?
Hi,
I have only 15 days validity of my h1 at the time of my parents interview…. my employer applied for h1 extension and it seems it will take time to get the h1 approval…would it be a problem for my parents visa interview ??
Hey there,
I want to apply tourist visa for US. I have lived in Australia for 8 years and permanently left Australia. I currently am employed and have pretty much settle in my home country. I am 31 years old and single. My question is ‘Does the consulate look at my travel history before making the decision and will that help me getting the visa and secondly, How many months fund need to be shown 1,2 or 3 months?
Is the Bank Verification letter important? I dont have enough time to obtain this document.
Is 1040 enough or should I provide W2?
Each of these have their purpose and support an aspect. For instance, Bank verification letter with balance is to prove, you have enough funds to support your parents trip…W2 is document for your taxes. It does not hurt to carry more documents. All of these are not really mandatory documents specified by consulate, but rather documents that are generally carried to support certain aspects.
Hi Kavita I have the same prob I just send to India my BOA online account 6 month old statement print at home . Is that fine or I need from bank .??
Hello Kumar
I am H1B visa holder. As i informed you earlier, that i am filling for my parents visiting visa to USA.
I am also filling for my brother who is unmarried and working in an engineering firm.
Should i keep their interviews together or parents on one day and brother on another day OR same day but different timings.
Parents interview language is Hindi.Brother language English. Plz suggest…. rest i am ready with documents.
Thanks….
Lue,
In my opinion, if it is a family thing, it is suggested to do it together as it at least shows family ties and bond than separate thing. I think languages should be fine to manage with English. Please check withe customer service or email them. My view is that having different languages in interview as family should be fine.
Hi Kumar
I am on H1B visa…. i am planning to sponsor my parents to usa this year. All documents r ready with me. When should i fill DS160 from. And should i sent all documents to my parents in India?
You can fill it whenever you are ready to take appointment. Yes, you should send the documents to your parents.
Hi Kumar,
I’m on H1B visa and would like to sponsor B2 visitor visa for my in laws and I have couple of questions.
1)Is it required that my Birth Certificate or my spouse’s Birth certificate is required to sponsor them? somewhere I read online mentioning this but not sure
2)Is it mandatory to submit the last 3 to 6 bank statements when we have the Bank Account verification letter which has the details of avg balance for last 1 year already?
Also, can you pls mention the list of all docs that are required for sponsoring in laws? Appreciate your help.
Thanks in adv!
1. Not essentially. If asked, you should have some proof to tell the relationship between you and your wife, your wife and her parents.
2. Well, these documents are only a proof to indicate that you have funds to sponsor them and fund their trip when they are in US. There are no official rules given, all it says is funds to cover trip…The numbers of 10K USD is an average, but it is not an official rule.
The documents do not change for either in-laws or parents, they are just as listed above.
Thanks Kumar. Appreciate your quick reply. I think I’ll include my marriage certificate to show the relationship between me and my wife and also my wife’s passport copy which will have her parents names as well.
Cheers !
Hi Kumar,
I am applying for b1/b2 visa for my parents from Australia (I am an Australian Citizen) to meet my in law’s in the US and attend my sister in law’s wedding. I have attached all the required documents for their sponsorship and my wife’s passport and a letter from her (She is US citizen). My sister in law also send a invitation letter to my parents and we have added that. My parents added their property papers, bank statements and tax returns. Do you think I need anything else? Their visa interview is on next weekend.
Kind Regards,
Vikas
Vikas,
I think you have got it all covered. Invite letters, financial documents, immigration documents – you have all three, should be fine.
Thanks Kumar.
When I was filling my parents application by mistake, I have applied for B1/B2 where for my parents only tourist makes sense. Do you think US counsalte will create any problem?
Kind Regards,
Vikas
Vikas,
It should be B2. Check, if you can get it changed. B1/B2 is for business/Tourist visa. I highly recommend to get it changed.
Thanks again Kumar.
We have submitted the application and cannot change the category from b1/b2 to b2. Do you know if this will impact my parents application?
Kind Regards,
Vikas
There must be a way, call or email the consulate or USTraveldocs. Well, it may impact as B1/B2 is primarily intended for business purposes and tourism is kind of like add-on. Call the embassy or email them to get it fixed. You may also get away sometimes, but you do not want any issues at Port of Entry, so it is better to fix the issue now than have issues later…Check State.gov on B1 / B2
Hi Kumar,
US consulate denied my parents’ visa under 214 (b) by saying they are potential immigrants. I don’t know how that works, they are 70yo & 65yo respectively, and my father owns a business and has his own house and about 20 relatives (Brother and sisters maternal and paternal side) living in the same city. We are planning to reapply, but under b2 category with my sister in law i-134 form of support. She has $5000 in the bank account, US$50K life insurance, US$15K personal property (car and jewelry), earns 40K per year and has no dependents.
Any suggestions by looking at this situation.
Thanks,
Regards,
Vikas
Vikas,
It is not very uncommon to get visa denial under 214(b). We do not know what goes in visa officer’s mind and hard to make a guess. Yes, you should definitely reapply. But, not sure, if you just need to change everything. I know parents, who have been denied twice or more and got the visa third time. If you try to do major changes immediately, it raises red flags and not sure, if it helps the situation. Think through it and take an informed decision.
Hi,
I am applying for visitor Visa for both my parents and In-laws.
Should I be calling out as In laws on the invitation letter going to my in-laws or is it better to have my wife invite them?
There is a chance both the parties may fly together.
Please advice!
It should not matter, you can invite or you can ask your wife to do it. You are inviting them as family.
I am a GC applying for my mother’s B2 visa for the first time.
Thanks for the info. This is great.
Do I need to follow any other steps or anything that I need to be super careful about ?
Also, I am sponsoring her. So, how much money will I need to show in my account ? any approximation.
Thanks
Nothing in specific. It is written in article above on how much money to show.
Hi Kumar!
This is very helpful. One thing I need to clarify? Do we submit the form i-134 to to uscis? And if yes, what is the mailing address. Or do we send the originals to our parents?
Thank you, Meg
No, nothing to USCIS. It is optional and carried by your parents. yes, originals.
hi, thanks for the above info. i have one question. im in waiting for my h1b extenstion. i have the receipt number. Can i able to sponsor toursit visa for my parents. will it cause any problem in the visa interview
It should not matter as long as you have applied and can submit your current documents and extension receipt copy with them.
Hello,
Thank you for the article. It really helps to understand the process. However, I have following query, and I kindly request you to answer the same.
I have an F1 visa and my mother is retired. I want to bring her to stay with me for some time. As I am not graduating, so I do not have any invitation letter. Hence, what kind of letter should I submit? Also, is it fine if we show sufficient funds available with us in India.
You can send a normal invite letter inviting your Mother. Usually they expect that you have enough money to cover for all her expenses anywhere from 10 to 15 thousand dollars. Yes, you can, in fact that’s the only way as you do not work yet.
Hi, I am filling the DS160 to apply for tourist visa for my parents. My father is having his own business in my hometown. What should be filled under the Primary Occupation form? On selecting ‘Business’ it’s asking for ‘Present Employer or School Name’.
You can just have his own business name as his present employer and put it as CEO or Managing director.
hi kumar,
I just had one question: i didn’t know of the family option and filled out separate DS 160 for my mother, father and sister. Is it okay? Can i still book a group appointment?
Thanks,
Vishnu
yes, you should be able to, when you schedule appointment. Call customer service, if you cannot figure out a way yourself online, they will guide you.
Im on H1 here and would like to invite my brother here for short vacation may be a month. He works in Dubai and we are from my Mumbai. My question is should he apply for visitor visa from Dubai or Mumbai? Any one had any similar experience, please let me know.
He can apply at either places. As he works in Dubai, he could apply there.
is submitting W2 is mandatory ?
will there be any problem if w2 shows an amount of $25000 per year??
All of these like W2 are supporting documents, they are not a requirement…but good to carry. Not sure, how it will impact.
My daughter is a student with F1 visa valid till 2020. My wife with a valid B2 visa ( valid until May-2021 with multiple entry) wants to stay with her until course completion which is likely to extend for about 1 year. Advise the procedure
Specific Query:
Normally upto 6 months of stay possible under B2. I want to know the procedure to extend this stay for about 1 year to stay until daughter’s study completion
Usually, you can only stay upto 6 months on B2 visa, after that you have to return. You can request for extension for few months, but it is up to the officer.
Hello, got quick short question. I am filling B2 VISA app. for my parents. She lives in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. Does she need to choose Consulate office in Andhra Pradesh. Can she go to any Consulate in the country, for example Chennai, Tamilnadu
You can select any location as consulate ( e.g Chennai , Hyderabad, Bangalore).
Make sure you select convenient language while booking the appointment.
Hi Kumar,
Thank you for your very helpful post!
I just have a bunch of questions. Please bear with me.
1) If i am showing funds to support my parents visit, how important is my parents showing financial statements they have in their name in India?
2) Is a marriage certificate for parents required?
3) I am on F1 OPT Stem extension (expires June 2019) and my H1B (first time application) is in RFE. Should i disclose this H1B status?
4) I am also planning to bring my sister here. She is a fulltime student. What factors should i consider for her appointment?
Thanks,
Vishnu
1. does not make much difference. if they have good funds in their accounts, it is better to carry.
2. Not mandatory. But, if they have it, you can ask them to carry.
3. Not sure, if there is a need. All you need to provide is to submit your current status documents of F1 visa and I20.
4. Nothing different, same as above…
Thank you Kumar for the helpful responses. I will follow accordingly.
Just one question: If my parents and sister are booked in the same visa appointment, is it necessary to show separate I134-Affidavit of Support for parents and sister?
Thanks,
Vishnu
Every applicant needs to carry their documents separately. Affidavit is only applicable if you are fully sponsoring their trip, if not it is optional, read above article on this.
Hi,Thanks for the helpful info.We have an event in US at my home in September 2018 and I would love my parents to be with us. Unfortunately, my father will not be able to come in Septmeber and my mother will be here in September with us for 2.5 months. My father will be able to make it to US in April 2019 and I am planning to invite my parents in April 2019(around 5 months after my mother leaves) when the weather will be good so that we can go places. My father will stay for 6 weeks and my mother will be until the summer ends(5 months). Will there be a problem for my mother when she is reentering US since it is been less than 6 months of her visit or is it ok. Any advice will be of great help.
Thanks for the nice info. I have a question. My mother is a teacher working in Government affliated school. My father is retired government official. Can you please let me know if i can still apply for B2 Visa for them. Are there any checklist that I should consider to this scenario. Also, i am on L1 Visa. will the checklist mentioned above differs from H1B
Yes. Nothing specific, it is same as above. No it does not differ.
Thanks for the reply. Should we get No Objection Certificate (NOC) for my mother for applying for the Visa?
Yes, you’ll need an NOC from the school’s office. She’ll need an NOC from the school each time they travel to US as well. It’s a pain to go through all the red tape; but it’s mandatory. My mon’s a teacher too and it took about 2-3 months to get the NOC.
Hello Kumar,
Thank you very much for the information. My parents came to US in B2 Visa few years back. Now, their Visa has expired. Now, we are planning to call my parents again in the States. What are the procedures (in detail please) to renew their B2 Visa in Nepalese embassy? Do they again require all the supporting documents? I checked the US Embassy website and the criteria for renewal without interview matches.
Please, advise!
Thank you in advance, Kumar.
– R
Rosie,
It is no different from before process, just that if they are eligible for dropbox with visa waiver, you should go for that as it is same and less hassle.
Can you please advise what supporting documents does the parents need for drop box option.
Hi,
Im on F1 OPT with 5months left to expire, I would like to invite my mother to visit US and I will be the sponsor for her visit. Do I need to have a minimum of 6months on my status to get it approved or, im fine with 4-5 months of it.
hi
can anyone help me?
i have a question, last year i applied for my mom on B2 visa, she had all documents with her, each and everything was good. at the time of interview they didn’t even ask for a single document. just asked few questions and said apply again.
why did she get rejected?
I am filling the DS160 for my parents. I am confused the Type of Visa. I understand that it falls in B, but there are two within B and those are
Business/Tourism (B1/B2) and
Tourism/Medical Treatment (B2)
Can someone pls advise which one I have to select?
The only purpose I am planning to bring my parents is to spend 1-2months with me and see few places.
Thank you
It is B2 as they are there for Tourism. B1 is usually used by working people for attending conferences, meetings, etc.
Hi,
I am married and work with an MNC in Hyderabad. My parents live with us. I have an elder sister married with 2 kids and and staying in US. She is a green card holder. My parents want to go to meet her and i want to sponsor their visit. What are the sponsorship documents I need to provide them? Do i need to get invitation letter from my sister as well?
Also my sister went to US 9 years ago where she got married she has not come to India since then because of their financial constrains. Is it a good idea to state this if they ask my parents why has your daughter not come to India.
I am F1 Student Visa holder and I am planning to bring my mom during this summer for 3 months to stay with me. Both my parents do not have a US visa. I am going to apply for a US visa appointment for both my parents this month but only one would be travelling this summer. My father would come only next year. Given this condition, should I create a profile for my father and add my mother as dependent or should I create separate profiles for both of them? I have this doubt because I fear if my mother is listed as dependent, then would she have to travel only when my father travels?
Kindly get back to me ASAP!
Thanks in advance
Narendran,
When they come does not matter. You will need to create two DS-160 applications/profiles for them. There is nothing called dependent here. You are creating a group/family application. At the end of filling of the form at the Thank you page, you will get an option to create a group/ family application, if you choose that option, some of the data will be copied over and you will not need to re-fill them again. Check DS-160 form FAQs on State.Gov website
Thank you so much Mr. Kumar for the prompt response!
Thank you for all the details. It helped a lot.
I have one question. I am applying for tourism visa for my parents for the first time.I am here inUS from 1.5 years on H4 visa. my question is ,
My father is retired ( accounts manager in private firm for around 15
+ years) , after which he started his consultancy earning around 36000 rupees per month. While filing DS 160, i could not find option of showing this. It just asks for current employment. should i just mention directly his consultancy ? how can i show he was retired ? or do i not show that ? he is a senior citizen .
Please guide me . I want everything to be clear in all the documents
I’m planning to apply for B2 visa for my Father and mother to come to US for my Graduation Ceremony. I have filled the DS-160 form for both and like to schedule visa interview.
Can I book appointment together or do i need to book separate appointments?
Hi Saurabh,
Thank you for your time and expertise on our visa questions.
I am in United States for past 6 years and I will be completing my PhD shortly. However, my official graduation is next year. But I am planning to get married this August to my fiance who is a US national and I want to bring my parents, my sister, and my nephew to US for my wedding. I have a few questions for you: 1) How early should I apply for US visa for my parents, sister (who is married), and nephew (my brother’s son)? (All are adults and my parents are in their 70s). 2) Can I apply for their visa together? 3) How much money should I show in my bank – for 4 people? (Since I am still on F1, I won’t be able to show much money on my statements, but can I show money that I have borrowed from my friends on BofA? How many months’ statements would be good?) Are there other things you would advise me to take care of before applying for visa for the 4 visitors?
Thank you.
Tom
Tom,
1. There is no restriction as such, usually you get B2 for 10 years. You can apply anywhere about 6 months before your wedding.
2. Yes.
3. If you are sponsoring their trip, you should have enough money to cover their travel, expenses. Usually for two people recommend showing about 10,000 USD, but there is nothing written anywhere that you need to have 10K.
4. Well, I am not sure how it will work, with you being a student, it can be tricky….There are no rules defined that you need to show this or that, it is just general guidance to have enough funds to cover their expenses.
Hi Kumar,
Thanks for the detailed yet precise information.
Would you be able to help me with some info on payment of Visa Fees? Is it possible to pay Visa fees online from USA? If yes, how? Is it required to have parents account details or it can be paid from sponsor’s bank account as well?
Thanks,
M Joshi
You can use any indian bank account for online payment. i used my ICICI account for parents visa application fee