One of the most frequently asked questions among internationals living in the US, either during their graduation time, after they start working, or if they are expecting a baby, is: “What is the process to apply for a visitor or tourist visa (B2 visa) for their parents to come to the USA? What documents do they need? How do they start the B2 visa process for their parents ?”
The article below covers the step-by-step process for parents or family members applying for a B2 visitor visa, 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 your parents’ passports and the funds required for their travel to the US.
Getting Parents’ Passports
- The first step before you plan the US Tourist B2 Visa is to apply for a passport for your parents, if they do not have one.
- Depending on the country your parents reside, 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 must 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.
Funds for your parents’ US Trip: Bank Savings for Sponsorship
- If you are paying for your parents’ trip, you need to have enough funds secured.
- There is no official guidance from the US Department of State on how much money you need to have in the bank account. 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 12,000 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 at least few 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 in the US either as an employee working in the US or a student studying in the US.
Below are the two common scenarios when applying for B2 visitor visa:
Working in the US(H1B, L1, OPT, Green Card): Employment Letter
If you are working in the US on a work visa, you need to get an employment letter from your current company verifying that you are working in the US on an H1B, L1, or other visa, including Green Card, OPT or STEM OPT. This is to ensure you are in good standing in the US and are getting paid to support your parents’ travel.
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.
The graduation invitation letter would act as the official invite for them to visit the US. Also, the documents from the school will help the consular officer verify that you are about to graduate and have maintained proper status.
Step-by-Step Process for Parents’ US Visitor Visa (B2)
Below are the various steps 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 scanned copies of your parents’ passports, their education, and employment-related documents before you start the process to avoid issues. Sometimes, your employer may also ask for the same documentation before issuing the employment letter.
Complete Form DS-160 Online for Parents
Unless your parents are well educated and have access to 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 filled it out for them and then declared 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 the option “Create a Family Application” 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 before submission.
- Required info to Fill out the 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 Form DS-160, Declaration: If you are filling out forms on behalf of your parents, at the end of the completion of the form DS-160, 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. You may read the below links for any questions on form DS-160.
- 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, the next step is to pay the visa appointment fee and book the slot for the visa interview.
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 invitation 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 parent’s 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 recommended 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 with 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 parent’s 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 anywhere around $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 your in-laws like mother-in-law or father-in-law, in addition to the above checklist of documents, you need to include your 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 a 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 his 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 is 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 and any financial-related documents.
- If there are Tax returns, then carry them as well
- Any other documents that show you are financially strong and you will come back.
If you do not have all the 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 flavor 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 ones listed 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 the 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 2026, 2027 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.
Hi Sourabh,
My parents are in the process of getting a B2 visitor visa . I am not sponsoring them.
Even in this case , is it required to send my employment details , affidavit of support form (I-134) , letter to consulate , invitation letter etc?
Thanks.
XY,
They need a purpose to visit US. If the purpose is to visit you, then there should be some proof from your side showing that they are telling the truth. That is why it is important to send the invitation letter containing your details, copy of your lease agreement etc to them. Bank statements, salary slips are not mandatory if you are not sponsoring them (but still good to have).
Hi Saurabh,
I have currently applied for H1B and I still do not know about my status, however I have an extended OPT, I want to invite my parents to US. I graduated in Dec 2011 but doing my Grad walk in May 2013 ie after a year. Is it still ok to invite my parents for my grad walk using an invitation letter from my school? Do you think my status could affect their interview in any way? And about funds I don’t really have a lot of savings so will this have any significant impact on their application?Please share your views
Swathi,
Yes, you can still invite them for the grad walk. Your OPT status should not impact the outcome of their interview. As for funds, if they are going to take care of airfare and other expenses then your parents can show the funds instead of you.
Hi Saurabh,
I want to invite my parents to US.They don’t have any property to show, and my father is not working, he don’t have form-16.they recently applied for passport and they have it.they have bank statement….will they still have a chance to come US for visiting?
Please reply me!
Chanveasna
I want to invite my parents to US.They don’t have any property to show, and my father is not working, he don’t have form-16.they recently applied for passport and they have it.they have bank statement….will they still have a chance to come US for visiting?
Thanks
Ramya,
They have to show that they are not potential immigrants. The way to show this is to have social and financial ties w/ home country. As they don’t have much financial ties w/ home country, what about their social ties?
Hello Saurabh,
I don’t have any employment currently and I have sent out the grad walk invitation letters, my passport and visa, and all my i20’s that have been issued from the school. Do I still need to fill out and send I-134 form although I am not employed? Also, I have worked as an Intern for 9 months previously, so should I send my previous employment offer letters and also copies of W-2 forms?
Hi Saurabh,
I have below questions regardig my H1B Visa and Extension:
1. My current H1B Petition is valid till Sep 30 2013. I have Visa also until same date Sep 30 2013. I am planning to go to India in July. How many days before my Visa expires, should I be back tto United States. I am planning to come back by August 18th 2013 ( about 42 days before visa expiry). Is that fine?
2. Also, my current employer is applying my H1B extension and I am very hopeful that I will have a approved H1b Extension, before I go to India in July. Will it make any difference if I have a h1B extension approved and plan to come back by August 18th 2013, where my current H1B visa is valid till Sep 30 2013? I am concerned about any issues that I might come across in POE, if I come only 42 days before my Visa expiry?
3. When I go to India in July, can I attend Visa interview for the H1B Extension, even though my current H1B Visa is valid till Sep 30 2013. Is there a rule that we cannot go for Visa Stamping, if we already have a Valid Visa? If not, how many days before our current visa expires, can we attend Visa interview for the extension?
Appreciate your response. Please let me know.
Akansha,
1. Yes, that should be fine
2. If you have approved extended petition by the time you return to US, then that would be better. The PoE will issue I-94 based on the extended 797. If you don’t have extended petition by the return date, then they will issue I-94 valid until current 797’s expiration date (which means you need to file for extension of status).
3. You can appear for visa stamping if you already have the approved petition. How does that help?
Hi Saurabh
My L1 Visa is expiring in July 2013. But my I94 is valid till 2016 March. Will I be able to sponsor my parents (father and mother) visitor visa after July 12th. Will the expired Visa cause an issue?
Deepak,
Yes, you can sponsor their visas even after your visa stamp has expired.
Hi,
I have a question regarding H1b Visa. My Visa expires on Sep 30 2013. If I need to plan a trip to India how many days before the Visa expiry should I be back in United States.
Is it ok if I come back my August 30 or should I plan to come back by August 15?
Please let me know.
Akansha,
Usually it is ok to return as long as the visa stamp is still valid. But if you want to keep some margin then try to return 1-2 weeks prior to expiration date.
When is the petition expiring?
Thank you Saurabh
Even my Petition is expiring on Sep 30 2013. However, my company is planning to apply H1b Extension for me before I go to India. So if I have a Approved H1B extension, is it ok if I come back by August 30 2013 to United States?
Also, when I go to India in August, can I go for stamping for my H1B extension, even though the current H1B Visa is valid till Sep 30 2013 and I plan to come back by August 30 2013? Is there a rule that we cannot go for stamping, before the current visa expires?
Please let me know
Hello Saurabh
I am planing to get my parents here. Got simple question, I came here on l1 after that changed to H1 so i am on H1 approval, my passport doesn’t have h1b stamping is that issue while applying my parents B2 visa because i am the sponsor.
Thanks In Adv…
sidhu,
It is not required to have H-1 visa stamped in the passport for their tourist visa. You can send copy of your approved petition, old L-1 visa stamp, copy of I-94 and it should be fine.
Hi,
Is Birth certificate or affidavit birth certificate is mandatory if we sponsor visiting visa to parents. I am working on H1 here.
Thanks,
Satish
Satish,
Not mandatory. The passport has the parents’ names. You can send copy of passport to show the relationship.
Thanks Saurabh.
I am planning to apply B2 Visa for my parents and brother(21yrs). Am I supposed to send 3 Original copies of the employment verification letters and the bank verification letter or Is one fine. Also Should I send 3 I -134’s?
Priya,
Are they planning to attend interview together or separately? If together, then you can send one set of documents and in the invitation letter mention all the names.
If they are going separately, then you need to send separate invitation letter and one copy of the document set. They can make photocopies for their purpose as it is not required for all documents to be original.
Hi,
i am planning to invite my uncle for mygraduation ceremony. I am US citizen. I am planning to provide him a letter regarding my ceremony date to the visa officer, my bank statements, copy of my passport, tax return and W2 form. my school will also give him invitation letter on his name. What other documents should i have to give him and what is the possibility of getting a visa for my uncle. He is a business man and 32 yrs old, but doesn’t belongs too much properties. Is it ok to fill the DS 160 form on behalf of my uncle from US and pay the fee and signed the electronic signature.
Please help me!
Regards,
Shaek
hi
pls i have a question am not currently working right now can i still file for my mommy because am so sick that i need to stop working because am preagnacy
Hello,
I want to invite my parents for graduation. What all documents are needed to send India which are needed for interview.
Thanks,
Swetha
Swetha,
Send a letter addressed to consulate mentioning the graduation date/ceremony. In addition, send copies of your I-20, visa stamp, I-94. Get a letter from your school stating that you will be graduating on so-and-so date. If they are sponsoring their trip, then they will have to show enough funds to cover the expenses. In addition they will have to show social/financial ties w/ home country to show that they will return to home country after the graduation.
Hello Saurabh,
I am working on a H1 and planning to invite my parents.
Is it advisable to call them on my documents or my husband’s who is here since 6 years and i started working 6 months back. I only have one w2 (2012).
Please advise.
Thank you in advance.
Regards,
Gia.
Gia,
Either person can do it. You can send the documents and mention that you and your husband would like to invite them. If you submit just your documents, even then the outcome will not be impacted by the fact that you have been working for just 6 months.
Hi,
I am meaning to invite my mother. I am on L1 for 2 years in US now. My mother is illiterate and cant speak english. Is there anything in particular that I should be careful of?
Also, how much money my mothers bank account needs to have? Also how much balance should I have on an average in US bank account?
I would appreciate you reply. Thanks,Vinod.
Vinod,
Consulates offer interviews in local languages as well, and you can avail that for your mother. She will have to show social and financial ties to India, which includes other close relatived and immediately family in India, and assets. You shouldn’t transfer any money to account now, as they like to see statements for last 3-6 months to see the averages.
You should have enough money to cover the travel and living expenses (I assume you are sponsoring the trip). There are no dollar thresholds, but anything above poverty line is good enough (if you think about savings is more of an Indian thing – lot of people in US live on credit).
Thanks a ton Saurabh.
Hi Saurabh,
I am going to sponsor visa for my parents in india, I am on H1 B. I have the following questions on visa sponsor documents.
1. Do I have to send 2 Bank letters for my mother and father? or one would be enough?
2. Same with Employer letter also, do I need to submit 2 letters or 1 letter for both of them?
3. I have filed my income tax returns in 2011 also. Is the w2 forms of 2011 and 2012 are enough? or do i need to send the tax returns forms also?
Kindly clarify.
Appreciate your kind reply.
Thanks
Geet
1. Sicne your parents will be part of one group interview, one set of bant statements should be enough.
2. Same as above.
3. W2 should be enough, but no harm in sending the tax return forms too.
Thanks,
Sumeet
Thanks for the reply Sumeet. Will do accordingly.
Hi Saurabh,
Me and my husband are working in US on L-2 and L-1 Visa respectively.
We are planning to intiate visa for my parents ,my husband will be sponsoring them.
My father is currently working in a govt company. I am aware that he needs to get NOC letter from his company. But will he get only 6 month valid visa as he is working or are there chances for him to get 10 year multiple entry visa like all others?
I am worried about the validity of his visa as he is currently working.
Thanks in Advance.
Sravs,
It is the officer’s discretion. As far as I remember, most of the cases for parents’ visas receive 10 years visa and usually youngsters get 3 years visa. I don’t think they will issue 6 month visa as travel dates are always tentative.
Hi Saurabh,
My mother has an interview in Delhi consulate for visitor visa. I have sent her all the mentioned documents except I797. I am not able to find it. It seems I have lost it.
Is I 797 really required for a visitor visa? If yes, How can I get a replacement? I am on L1A visa. Thanks for your reply in advance.
Rakesh Khanna,
Check w/ employer if they have a copy and you can use that. If not, she can still appear w/o 797. I am sure officer has other alternatives at his disposal and can retrieve an online version himself.
If the 797 is really lost, then your employer should file for a duplicate w/ USCIS.
Hi,
Iam looking to apply visa for my parents through my Husband.Is it easy to apply for myself or i have to apply through lawyer?
Please advice!
Kalyani,
You can do it yourself (the process is outlined above). If it helps, there are agencies (and not lawyers) in India who help in arranging documents etc.
Sister of my wife applied for USA family immigrant visa , if my wife got immigrant visa to go USA for work and live i am interest to apply for spouse visa , here i want to know my mother , who is 58 years old –how i can get visa for her to go USA,
Anyone can give me suggestion………………….
Hi,
My parents have 10 year multiple entry visiting visa. They are coming 2nd time to visit US. What supporting documents they might need to carry with them?
Thank you,
Sri,
Information about you, your location, your employment; invitation letter and passport. PoE should be trivial if they have already been to US.
Thank you Saurabh,
So here is what I am going to send them:
1. My passport copy
2. My Visa copy
3. Utility bill (to show my current address)
4. My Business Card
5. Current pay stub
6. Invitation Letter (stating I will sponsor the expenses while my parents are in US)
Hope this will suffice to convince the immigration officer at PoE.
Thank you,
Sri,
That should be fine.
Hi Saurabh
I been living in the states for 13 years with my husband and my 3 kids and all of us are US citizen. I want to invite my mother and my sister to come visit me and the kids in US. My mother is a 67 years old widow who is living with my brother and his family and my sister who is a working women who is a teacher at local school in Chandigarh who also has her own family husband and two kids. I would like for them to come visit me for a month . Can you please provide me any tips as to make sure i have met all the requirement before i have them go to get their tourist visa.
Tanvi,
IMO, successful B-1/2 stamping requires the interviewee to demonstrate that they are not potential immigrants, often using financial and social ties. So if your mother has any assets in India, she can carry information about the same and show that she is really attached to your brother and his family and plans to return after 1 month. Your sister can show a NOC from the school to show that she has been granted leave for a month and the fact that her family is not accompanying her.
They can carry tentative itinerary , letter of invitation from you and proof of enough funds to cover the trip expenses.
Good luck!
I m inviting my parents to USA.my parents will be self supporting themself in this case what all documents I hv to send them…
Anita,
What visa are you on in US?
L1
Anita,
Although they are self-sponsoring, it doesn’t hurt in sending your recent 3 month bank statement. In addition send a copy of your rental lease agreement, employment verification letter, passport copy w/ visa stamp, copy of I-94.
Hi
Thanks a lot for answering my query.One more think I want to ask as my L1 visa is expiring on 2o jan 2013 but I have I-94 till April 2015 so will this create any issue in the visa procedure of my parents.and you said to send a copy of lease agreement well my lease agreement will expire on 30 march 2012 well I will be going to renew it but as if now I have with expire date 30 march 2012..and do have to send the invite also with the other documents
Anita,
You can submit copy of both L-1 visa and I-94 and it should not be an issue. It is ok to submit current lease agreement and attach a letter stating that lease is up for renewal in March and it will be done one month prior to renewal date. Yes, you should send an invitation letter as well.
Thanks a lot for your help…
HI saurabh,
Shall i give power of attroney as a property proof(instead of land or home) to my mother for visitor visa in chennai consulate?.i have given power to my mother in that document.is she take that as a property proof?
San,
I don’t know if that would help.
Hello,
Thanks for the most valued information.
I am planning to call my parents in US next year summer around April-2013.
Currently I am on H1B and my wife is doing MS on F-1. Her MS will finish in next April and at same time she will have Grad walk.
My concern is I will be sponsoring my parents and she is also want to invite for her grad walk. Because we heard for grad walk their are very less rejection. In that condition what are additional documents needed other than above mention.
Please Reply……….
Thanks,
Sudeep
Sudeep,
I don’t see why grad walk will have considerable advantage over you calling them. But if you want the invitation reason to be her grad walk, then prepare a letter addressed to consulate stating the reason. You can also send a copy of her enrollment in school along w/ expected completion date and grad walk information. Depending upon who is sponsoring the trip, financial assets will have to be submitted.
Hi Saurabh,
My brother is here in US on valid B2 visa and iam trying to check an option to convert his visa to F1. He wants to apply for MS and get the i2o here..Can you please tell me the options/risks in taking this route?
Thanks
Manik
Manik,
He may be able to get the I-20 but COS from B-2 to F-1 may be denied if USCIS determines that the intent was always to enter US and study (including the time your brother entered US on B-2 visa). In this case, he will have to go for F-1 visa stamping in his home country. Also, there is a possibility that his B-2 I-94 expires even before his F-1 gets filed/processed/approved.
Hi Saurabh:
I have applied for the extension of stay (B2) for my mother and sister through I-539. It has been 5 weeks since I applied but haven’t heard back from USCIS, neither is there a way I could contact them. The departure date on the I-94 of my mother and sister is Nov 3rd. So, my question is if I hear back from USCIS on Nov 1, for example, and if the decision is a denial, do they have to leave the country by Nov 3 still? Also, if the USCIS doesn’t make a decision before Nov 3rd, can they continue staying here beyond Nov 3rd. Will greatly appreciate your help in this regard.
Thanks,
Anand
Anand,
If EOS is denied, then they need to leave US by Nov 3. If the decision is still pending, then they can continue to stay in US even beyond Nov 3. However, in case petition gets denied after Nov 3, then they have to leave US ASAP. You can check this w/ an attorney as well.
Hi Saurabh,
Do you know what is ASAP: 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks or 1 month. Some people tell me it is 2 weeks while some other say that one could stay around for a month. Could you please help me on this?
Thanks,
Anand
Hello Saurabh:
Thanks for the most valued information i have ever seen on web about this topic.
Saurabh, if you please clear some doubt for me….
I am planning to call my parents in US this December.
My concern is I am earning 45K/ year and my wife is with me in US, do you think that amount of salary will be good enough to sponsor parents while wife is on H-4.
or
My parents will show that they have enough money and savings in India to sponsor them self while traveling here in US.
Please Reply……….
Hi,
There is case that
my mother’s middle name is not in my Passport’s mother Name section ?
Also my father’s name is having a little spelling mistake in my passport’s Father Name section”
Does both point can create problem when I apply my parents visitor visa?
Thanks in advance.
Pankaj
Thank you for such a great post!
I am planning to invite my parents to US for a month.
My concern — I do not have much savings, I just have around 6-7 grand approximately in my account. I am a contractor and make close to 6k every month, I do not have any other source of income.
My parents have sufficient funds in India, can they show/prove to the VO that they would be covering their own expenses here ? They do have enough property/funds/assets to prove they would be returning back to India.
Will MY current financial standing affect their approval chances?
Raju,
I would suggest to let them self sponsor their trip. Showing enough funds will demonstrate financial ties to home country and will show that they are not potential immigrants. Your bank balance should not be an issue (as lot of people like to stay on credit which has nothing to do w/ what’s there in the checking account).
hi……
one of my relatives got rejection for their visiting visa.
the visa officer said that their son in laws salary is not sufficient and their visa is rejected.
any suggestions please……
Amar,
They can re-apply after showing they have enough funds to cover the expenses. If the salary is too low, then they can show their own funds as well.
Hi,
My husband is due for H1B visa interview but as i am working and i will be travelling with him on H4 visa ( for few months only), his company is asking for NOC letter from my company which we may need to produce during our PA.
But HR in my company is saying that they can provide NOC only after my travel dates are planned and my manager provides approval for my leaves.
But when our visa has not come how can we plan our travel dates. Is there any format of NOC which we need to produce during our PA, so i can ask my company to fill that format letter.
Aashu,
Talk to your manager if you can provide tentative travel dates and get letter for those dates. Later, once the travel dates are concrete you can get new leave letter from the employer. Frankly, lot of cases get approved even w/o NOC. It is required more for tourist visas than for dependent visas.
Hello Saurabh,
My parents went to Tourists visa to Mumbai Embassy. They asked them for my brother IT paper (he is an green card holder ) in which 1 year back his wife was not on job (written on IT paper)
But he has an ongoing current job with bank. VO saw the paper and denied the visa. (saying some one has not got the job their)
We have booked the visa interview this month with all the current documents (ongoing Job for my brothers wife)
Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated.
Hi Saurabh,
My in laws have got their B1/B2 visa for 10 yrs. They want to come here for 4-5 months, then leave to India and be there for 5 months and then come back again for another 6 months stay. Do you think this is possible? Will they get a shorter i94 the second time around?
Thanks.
SwatiT,
This may not work out. On B-1/2 a person can stay for maximum 6 months in the rolling 365 days window. If they do this, then they would stay more than 6 months in the 365 day window. They will either issue a shortened I-94 or ask them to return from the airport.
Thanks Saurabh !
i f i already opened file immigration to USA and i wish now to go there as a visitor for 3 weeks with my wife who has conference there and also to visit my brother , is it eligable or no to take visitor visa .
Hello,
I am planning to apply for a visiting visa for my mother and sister, while I am on H4 and my husband would be the sponsorer. My Dad already has a 10 year Visa, which we applied while I was on a F1 Visa, 3 years ago.
My questions are
1. My sister is currently working in Hyderabad and my Mom is a house wife, I thought it would be beneficial to go together than individually, specially it would favour my sister. Is my understanding right?
2. When asked for travel plans, we did not specifically plan any trip for my sister yet, but if my mom gets Visa then we do have a plan immediately for her, but for my sister it would be in december, as she gets leave from her office during that time, should we mention this thought accordingly ?
3.How do you rate the chances for my sister in this regard?
Hi,
First of all I would like to thanks for all your help. whenever I have some doubt i turn to ur website. thanks again.
I am planning to invite my parents on B2 visa. I have all other document except Birth Certificate. Is it mandatory document? if yes what could be best alternative?
Thanks
Rahul
Rahul,
Whose birth certificate you are talking about? Yours or Parents? Neither is required. I’ve not heard of any such requirement.
Thanks for your reply. I am talking abt my Birth Certificate. I read that Birth Certificate is necessary for the person who is sponsoring visa.
Rahul,
I didn’t submit any BC when applying visitor visa for my parents. The passport has parents’ name mentioned and that was sufficient to establish the relationship.
Hello there,
My name is sobe ( I am a green card holder and my husband is citizen) and Im 21 weeks pregnent with my second baby boy. My first pregnency went pretty rough and im going through the same this time, thats why I m planning to invite my aunt and Uncle from NEPAL to USA so that my aunt could take good care of me now and few months after i have the baby. My parents are here in US but they are busy schedule of their own and they live in another state. I really need someone very close this time and I thought my aunt would be the best option for me. So I need to prepare to make the documents for them and I am confused about where to start and what to make. Would you please help me.?
my other question is,
I havent worked since I was pregnent with my first kid and havent filed tax but My husband does. Is my husbands w2 / tax form is enough to invite them?
what are the other necessary documents do i need to make to have them VISA to united state.
Please help step by step. If you have some sample docutments, that would be very helpful to modify.
thank you
i am in US but on I-94 as my visa is expired. Now, this yr i am planning to get my parents to US. so not sure if there will be any issue to get the visa processed for my parents as i do not have valid visa.
can anybody let me know?
Just to clarify one thing. Visa is a travel document, that’s all nothing more or less. Your I-94 is the designated paper that specifies till what date you can stay which is supported by i-797 (H-1B Approval Notice). If you have enough days for your I-94 expiration then nothing should go wrong, otherwise if you are planning for an extension by staying in the US then better get the extension and then use that petition for your parents visa.
Thank you very much for the reply.
But i am on L1B hope that should not matter as well.
Correct, you should be able to file for your parents visiting visa with L1B as long as your I-94 has enough days.
thanks Indiguy very much.
Hello,
My Fiancee (we aren’t engaged yet) is in Chennai right now for her visitor’s visa interview. We are hoping she can come here for 2 weeks to be with me and go back. Our wedding is in December in India. We decided to go ahead with a simple, straight forward, truth as her reason for the visit.
But my question is, When asked why she wants to come to the US, should she tell proactively that she just needs 2 weeks to meet me and will be applying for a dependant visa in December or should she just keep the answer to the point about her current intentions and not mention about wedding and dependant visa, unless asked?? BTW she is employed and she has the relevant documents from her employer(NOC, Employment letter, Leave sanction proof and so on)
If someone can answer quickly, that’ll help. After all the research, this one doubt has us confused big time.
Wish us luck 🙂
Nikhil N,
I would suggest remain truthful BUT to the point. So she should just mention about meeting you. If the VO asks about the marriage, then she can tell about the tentative date. Note that VO can consider her as a potential immigrant as she would be filing H-4 visa in future.
Good luck! 🙂
Thanks Saurabh. Will keep that in mind.
Hello Saurabh, I’m on my H1b visa since Oct 2011 want to call my mother 81 yrs old kindly advise the procedute & documents required to get her visa?
Ak,
You can read the article above, which has the details. Your mother needs to show social and financial ties to home country in order to get the visa.
Hi Saurabh,
I got L1-B visa stamping on May-2011 for client ‘x’ and worked for client ‘x’ in onsite location. Later due to some reason, I have returned to India in Dec-2011 and client ‘x’ project is completed. Now I have joined client ‘y’ and need to travel to onsite June 2012.
Is I am eligible to travel to onsite on client ‘x’ L1-B visa to work for Client ‘y’ project?
Your help is appreciated.
Thanks,
Ping4U
Ping4U,
You should be able to use the same visa as long as the employer is still the same
Hi,
There are minor difference(not an exact match) on my Parents Name on their Passport and the name provided on the section for Father`s/Mother`s name on my passport due to some spelling mistake , whether this will create any hindrance if i want to sponsor my Parents for US Visit ?
Amitava,
It should be ok.
Hi Amitava,
The same spelling mistake thing happen in my parents passport and my passport where my father name is written. Did you try your parents visa and did they get the visa?
Hi
I have a question. My parents went for their B2 visa interview on. 16th April. My mother got pink slip for 221g to submit some documents. However, they dint ask anything from my father and kept passports for both of them. Yesterday, they got a mail that they can now collect their passport. But nowhere it was mentioned that it’s approved or rejected. Any clue what might be happening here…
Neha,
Usually that is not mentioned in the email. However, in most instances it gets approved.
Hi,
My mother in law is here on B2 Visa for the 1st time. She arrived on Mar 1st 2012.
Although we had planned her stay period to be 6 months with return tickets booked accordingly but at the port of entry she was given I94 for a period of 3 months only .
We have applied for her stay extension on Mar 20th 2012. Its now 1 month 15 days her case is still in Initial Review. As per California center, this type of case takes 2.5 months.
My Question is:
Since her I94 expires by May 29th 2012, Can she stay in this country after May 29th 2012 even though her application result is still in “Initial Review” state ( ie. no decision has been made)?
If She stays and if the result is not in our favor what we have to do?
Will it affect her 2nd Visit in future?
TM,
Technically one can stay while the extension of status is in progress. In case of denial, the person needs to leave US ASAP and the stay after the denial date is considered as illegal stay. She may be questioned in future about this whole episode and if the officer is not satisfied w/ her response it can cause issues. You are good on the stamping front as B-2 is usually issued for 10 years, but questions can be asked at PoE.
HI,
My parents have their B2 visa scheduled next week at hyderabad consulate. I just wanted to check if they need to submit their documents 3-5 days before the scheduled interview like we do for H1/H4/L1/L2. There was nothing mentioned in the appointment letter or in the website
Thanks
Manik
For Tourist Visa, only in Mumbai consulate we need to submit the documents before 3-5 days
Hi
My parents visa interview scheduled this friday. I have sent them the invitation letter and letter to consulate. But I have not signed on them. Does it be an issue, or can I sign and send them a scanned copy? Please help
Kumar
Hi Kumar,
I would recommend you to send a signed, scanned copy to be on a safer side.
It can otherwise mean any letter locally written.
Thanks,
MB
Thanks MB.
I am currently in USA since Feb 2012 and planning to bring my parents in first week of June 2012. Is there any chance of visa rejection for them as i have been here from last 3 months?
Pooja,
Your short stay in US won’t be a negative factor. They will be primarily focusing on their social and financial ties to home country.
Thank you Saurabh!!
Hi Pooja,
There is very little chance of rejection for parents VISA.
You should be very careful with all your supporting documents while preparing them for VISA. I have helped couple of my friend’s parents for the VISA , nobody got rejected.
Best of luck.,
Chandu ,
Can you please help me out too. My mom had her visa rejected twice. Can you please contact me at neelulamba at hotmail dot com. I would be very grateful.
Thanks.
Hi…I am a student in USA and I have a friend visiting me from India, her trip is sponsored by her father. Does he need to fill the I134 or any other form? Kindly help.
Rohini,
Most of the tourist visas these days don’t ask for I-134. So I would treat it as optional. If the friend will be staying w/ you, ensure that you send a sponsoring letter to her addressed to the consulate officer.
Hi Saurabh,
I received the following from the immigration consul in Algerie:
Dear Sir,
We regret to inform you that in order to follow the process of your Father, Lamri Benarab, immigrant visa case, you must submit evidence that you can afford long- term medical care for him as he suffers from Parkinson’s Disease. Thus, you may have to provide for example a health care insurance for long-term care or other.
Sincerely,
Consular Section
I am trying my best to buy a health insurance for my dad but I m asked for his social security that he doesn’t have yet?!
please help.
lyes benerab,
Their message states asks for evidence that you can support. They do not mention that you should get the insurance now. So you will have to show enough funds to cover the insurance cost. Get a quote from couple of insurance companies to know what the rate would be for him. Then show enough funds to cover those premiums.
Hope that helps!
Thank you very for your quick response, i will try to get a quote for his health insurance on the other hand what other options do i have?
thank you again lyes