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.
We are planning to Invite my mother , mother -in-law of H1 visa holder(my husband). For some reason my Husband doesn’t want to ask his Manager for Employment verification letter. Is it OK to omit that? He is an Full time employer in one of the leading banks in US. he has Offer letter and pay stubs .Please Help.
Dipti,
Well, it is all about carrying extra documentation as backup. If that is a big issue, he can prove that he is working by carrying I-797 form, Offer Letter and latest payslips as well.
Thanks for providing valuable information over here. My Question is that we are planing to invite my mother in law , father in law and my mother to visit us. My MIL and FIL live in nellore where Chennai is closer and my mother hyderabad.
1. Can I book seperate interviews in 2 different states but will be providing same information (documents making 2 copies of each such as employment letter etc).
2. Also, the primary reason for delivery however I have my doctorate graduation from last year which I never attended but this year i plan to can I use this for purpose of visit for my family members or just say visiting as a reason?
3. Do I need to provide details of my wife part time job (recent H4 visa EAD ) or just include mine for pay stubs etc?
Please reply. I look forward to hear from you soon.
Hari,
1. Yes
2. Yes, you can mention that they plan to attend your graduation and also spend time with you in US
3. No need to include wife’s details. Just furnish your financial information
Hi,
Thank you very much for a detailed article! Please help me out with my situation.
My husband is in the USA for 2 weeks. He had been to USA several times before and has good savings. But he cannot obtain 3 recent pay slips as of now. I will be joining him soon. I want my parents to get a touristt VISA. They can afford to sponsor themselves. SHould my husband just send a invite. Should my parents mention that i will be travelling soon? Thank you in advance
Chitra,
What visa is your husband on?
He I son L2 and I am on L1
Chitra,
So you are on L-1 and your husband/son are on L-2. Wonder how he entered US before you, as you are the primary person here on L-1 and he is a dependent.
Your parents have to tell purpose of visit. What’s the purpose? If you are currently outside US, they don’t need to mention your travel plans unless explicitly asked. Unless your parents have an urgent need to travel, it would be better if you could go to US first on L-1 and then send them the letter. The current set-up looks strange that dependent L-2 is in US while primary L-1 is outside US. Your call.
Hi
My Name is Majeed Khan. I filed for green card through marriage, my case is still pending, however I got an EAD. My question is that can I sponsor my parent on my EAD if yes, then do I need to submit additional documentation? Need advice and suggestion.
Thanks
Majeed
Hi,
Thanks for sharing the info which is very useful.
I’ve a question – We’re planning to bring my father-in-law and mother-in-law to visit us this April’16. They already have B2 Visa and had been to US once earlier (My co-brother sponsored visa and travel that time and have visited them in 2010).
Now, as they already have valid visa, what documents do i need to send them for Immigration process? Do i need to send entire list of documents which are mentioned for Interview process? Or a limited documents are sufficient as they’re not going through Visa stamping process now?
Thanks in Advance,
Satish
Satish,
If they already have a valid visa, there is no need to go for stamping. All you need to send them is the invite letter, your petition related information like copy of approval, work information and passport details, including where they will stay. All this information is for Port of Entry procedures, if the CBP officer asks any details. It is good to carry your wife’s details and marriage details like marriage certificate and H4 visa info.
I missed the thank you page for family application and filled two DS160 for my parents. Now how can I get a family visa interview appointment for them.
Pls reply.
Megha
Megha,
Completing separate DS-160 forms for each parent is required. You can call US Travel Docs team and ask them to help them w/ you this.
hi, my name is Deepika and I am pregnant with 8th month. I need my parents here during delivery time and after for help. I am green card holder and my husband is citizen. My husband will sponsor them to visit here.But i have few questions please suggest me where to start like:
1.First we need to send invitation letter to my parents or first need to submit ds160 form?
2.Do we need hospital statement also in which they mentioned about my pregnancy and reason to bring parents here?
3.My delivery date is coming soon less than 2 months left and i just started looking this visa process.Is it everything possible all process done in such short time ?
4.How can we get medical insurance for parents when they will come here ?
5.My father is advocate and have very busy schedule they can only visit here for month only so during interview if the interviewer will ask about how their stay what should they answer to them.I dont want only one month stay doesn’t effect their visa process or they will only give one or two month visa rather than 10 years ?
DEEPIKA SHARMA,
1. Both can happen in parallel. To schedule the interview, they should have completed the DS form and they should have invitation letter in hand on the interview date.
2. No need
3. Yes, but I am not sure about availability of visa interview dates
4. Look for insurance online. There are several companies who deal in this
5. Usually they give out B-1/2 for 10 years with multiple entry option.
Hi,
Thanks for this great information, it’s really helpful. I am on a student visa (F1), I want to invite my mum to visit me in the U.S., can I complete the DS-160 application for her while she sign the application herself? Also, as a student, can I be the sponsor? Do I need to fill out form I-134-affidavit of support for her? What documents do I need to provide to support my parent’s coming since am not working- only doing some student job on campus, although I will be paying for her trip?
Bose,
You can do that on behalf of her. There will be a section where you can specify that it was done by you/ with someone’s help. You cannot be sponsor, logically speaking how can you afford their stay, when you are still a student ? Though you may work on-campus, it may not be convincing to have you as the sponsor. It is recommended that they be their trip sponsors. You would need to send the invite letters and let them do the rest of process.
Thank you for your response to my question, I appreciate it. I have other questions please, can I scan all documents I need to send for my mum’s interview so she can print them out and keep for the interview? Thanks in advance for your response.
Hi ,
Thanks for the ton of information being provided here. I have a question can i show my certificate of deposits (like fixed Deposit for 3 months) for 15,000 to invite my parents as proof to show that i will cover their expenses?
Thanks,
Suman
Suman,
Well, I do not know that will help much. It is expected that you have liquid cash to cover their expenses, having in FD will not help to take out money and cover their travel and expenses ? There is no standard list as such that is given by US Consulate, they ask to show proof of funds and showing cash makes logical sense as that can be used to cover their expenses.
Hi,
Both of my parents are Central government employees , do they need any extra documents ?
Chaitu,
May not be for visa, but for applying for passport, yes they would need some extra documents like NOC, etc.
How many days after filling DS 160 for B2 visa that we get Visa interview date in chennai?
If I submitted the application on March 20, what date will I get for interview?
Megha,
The visa appointment slots are based on availability, you will need to keep checking the website for availability of open slots and book accordingly. It is hard to tell, you can call the customer service.
Hi, My parents don’t have any property on there name nor any bank statements. what should I do? please help.
Sarika,
They are not mandatory, it is just one way to prove their ties back home. If you are going to be sponsor, your details should do as well. Do NOT try to fabricate anything, just go with what they have and tell them to be confident and that you are sponsoring the visit and they will come back after visit.
Hi
Actually I wanna ask you that I am here in US since 7 month and now I am pregnent of 5 month . I am not working here but I have my greencard .And my husband is here for 4 years He has also his greencard and I wanna apply for my mummy and dad can my husband apply as I don’t have income . will there be any problem can you help me by giving an information about my confusion please.
Sanju,
Yes, husband can issue the invitation letter and mention that they are in-laws.
Hi Saurabh,
My elder sister is 32 years old and unmarried. She applied US B2 Visa in 2011( twice) and last month in 2016. She got rejected in Mumbai consulate. My parents already got their visa in 2011. VO asked below ques:
1. Why do you want to go USA?- Ans: For tourism and to meet my brother
2. Who is there ? What is your brother doing? – Brother and working in IT as XXX.
3. What you doing? – Front End Office Executive
4. Have you travel before anywhere? – Ans: NEPAL in 2011
5. How you traveling there? – Ans: Alone
Then she got rejected with 214 (B). VO didn’t check any documents. I mentioned that I am going to sponsor her full trip. I also sent i-134 and invitation letter.
1. What could be the reason for the rejection ?
2. What are the chances of success if she apply from Hydrabad or Chennai as I heard that people get approval from Hydrabad and Chennai. ?
Thanks,
AP
AP,
They found her as a potential immigrant and that’s why denied the visa. She can retry at a different consulate but they would keep her past denials in mind when reviewing her application.
Does the interview for both mother and father happen together or separately?
My mother is a housewife and every document is in my father’s name. She doesn’t have any document in her name. How will that work?
Pls reply.
Megha,
It is recommended that you do it together as family. But, if there is no option, you can do it individually as well. That is fine to have documents on spouse’s name. It should not matter.
Hi. I want to ask you some questions. I want to invite my mom to U.S.. I am green card holder, I am student but I am not sponsor . My mom will show her financial and I have to complete B2 visa? and what she will show document ?
weyn,
She can apply for general tourist visa and show funds in her bank to confirm that she is financing her trip. The process is pretty much same as above, except the sponsor.
My parents have tourist visa interview on 11th April 2016. I am working for company “A” (currently resigned and serving notice period) and will be joining a new company “B” (new job) from 4th April 2016. In my parent’s ds-160, my company details mentioned are about “A” as that time I was working with “A”.
Can someone pls help me if my parents need to tell that my son has just joined company “B”. Does their DS 160 needs to be changed/updated with my new company details even in case when the information changes just 2 days before interview.
Urgent response would be highly appreciated.
Sree,
What question in DS-160 form did they mention your employer details?
Surabh, i have mentioned as company A, I filled DS 160 two months back that time I had no plans to change job.
Sree,
My question is what was the specific questions in your parents DS-160 form where you mentioned your employer’s name? I can’t recollect any such question.
In any case, send your parents your latest employment verification letter from B, along w/ recent payslips to show who your new employer is and what they are paying you.
Hii am on H1 n am planning for inviting my parents here, my only doubt is my visa is going to be ended on 17sep2017 so will my parents get the visiting visa only till that date or longer time
Rajesh,
Parents will be given visa based upon their own circumstances. They can get it for 3 years, 5 years or 10 years (most common). It won’t be governed by your 797 expiration date.
Can my grand parents get a visiting visa
Rj,
They can try. I know few friends whose grandparents were able to visit US on visitor’s visa.
Hey, thanks for sharing this information. Quick question- whats the difference in form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act Vs Form 134. I am kinda lost.
I think i know the difference in the 2 forms. so Please ignore above question.
Although, i do have another question. I am changing job in next month and will be sponsoring my parents after that. So section 7 – my job details, company, income I will be providing info based on new job. I hope there is no issue/confusion since my last pay stubs and w2 will be from previous employer. Do you think I need to add another document or letter in addition to what you mentioned here?
Thanks!
Hi. I want to ask you some questions. I want to invite my parents to U.S.. I am U S citizen, but I am not sponsor . I have to complete B2 visa?How about if they want to stay here permanently ?
Silva,
B2 a visitor visa and only for short term visit purposes. I am not sure how the family immigration works, please check USCIS site for details.
Silva,
You can apply for family based green card for them. As you are citizen and they are parents (immediate family), the GC should arrive within few months. There is no wait-list.
Hi, I’m brazilian and I’m living in Brazil I have a 20 year old son, he was born in the U.S. and he is currently living in America attending College. As soon as he turns 21, He is going to apply for a green card for me, my Husband and my 29 year old son, who was also born in Brazil.
My question is, how long would it take for us to be able to go to America? Will all 3 of us be able to go at the same time?
I’m also thinking of visit him before he turns 21. Is there a problem?
Thank you so much for your attention.
Silva,
Your son can file green card for his family. The parents would be able to get the green card pretty soon, without any wait. However, the sibling may have to wait a while (I don’t know what the current family wait times for Brazil are). This is b/c parents are considered immediately family (along w/ minor children, spouses) but siblings are not.
If you want to visit your son prior to this, then you should explore the option of B-1/2 visa (tourism).
Hi
We are in process of getting visitor visas for my in-laws. The website says that original birth certificate of the sponsor is required. My husband would be the sponsor for the visa but he has his birth certificate with him in US. Does he have to send it through courier along with other filed forms to India?
Sneha Hole,
No, just carry a copy of the birth certificate would do. Logically, look at it this way, why would your spouse give his originals for their parents’ stamping ? those are not their documents. Usually originals of the interview attendees is expected, rest of them would be copies.
I am applying Visa for my in laws.I was in L1 visa from 2010 to 2013,I came back to India and stayed in India for 1.5 years.I cam bk in H1 on Feb 2015..I 134 ,there is a section 2 “Have resided in US since ” What date i will select,First port of entry (2010) or last entery 2015.As i don’t have 2014 W2,Will that make confuse if i select 2010
Please respond to my id subeeshhai at gmail dot com
Thanks
Subeesh
subeesh surendran,
I don’t think it matters as they would have access to your I-94 arrival departure record. Even if you enter 2010, it is ok to not have 2014 W-2 as you were not in US. Beside, they are scrutinizing your in-laws and not you.
Having said that I don’t think I-134 is required. It has more disadvantages than advantages. Fill it and submit it at your discretion.
Hi
I have a question about my father last in passport.
In my passport my father name last name is Singh and there is no middle name. While in my father passport, his last name is kushwaha and middle name is singh.
This is really a great document for those who doesn’t know the process to get the tourist visa for the dependents. I really appreciate all your efforts in educating all of us. This article has each and every step clearly explained. Thanks a lot for all this.
Thanks,
Sriram
Cheers !
I am here in the US for last 3 months and do not have W2 yet. Is it okay to just share the pay stubs and HR letter stating the salary and time period I am working in them? Is W2 mandatory to invite / sponsor my parents to US?
Rajesh Badri,
W-2 for 2015 will be issued in Jan 2016. You are ok to not have any W-2 at the moment. For parent’s visa, you can send recent payslips and a letter from employer mentioning salary, start date, designation etc.
Hi Saurabh,
I am on H1B. I want to apply visitor visa for my parents. So, i recently applied passport for my mother and father at same time and they got passport. Mother and father address in passport is different (only house number is different because their Adhar card also has different house number). Is it ok to have different permanent address in passport and to have same current/residential address for both of them in DS-160 ?
If it is ok to go ahead Do we need to be prepared for any possible queries during interview?
Please help me with this.Thank you in Advance.
pooja,
I don’t think it is an issue that the passport addresses are different. If asked, they can respond truthfully why it is.
The only concern this could raise is that they are not married, or are separated. So they can carry recent photographs, copy of your passport which would have their names mentioned or similar proof. IMO, chances of this is pretty low.
hi frds
my mother name is naga laxmi.in my passport mother name is naga laxmi.in my mother passport name nagalaxmi.plz tell me any problem in visa stamping.plz reply urgent..
plz tell any problem
what is the first name and last name?
If First name in the passport is mentioned as Nagalaxmi and there is a last name separately mentioned, it should not have any problem.
Hello,
I am holding L1B visa, I would like to invite my parents for around 2 months. Please let me know the documents requirements for visa processing. what is the best visa type B1/B2.
Kindly suggest.
NAGARAJU,
On the Archives page, there are several articles on this. Search for keywords like Visitor, Parent, B1, B2 etc to learn more about the process.
Hello ALL,
Can anyone clear my doubt, I have filled out separate DS-160 for my Mom-Dad, and my Dad will be sponsoring the trip. Now while taking VISA appointment, should I make only Dads account and add Mom as dependent or separately make accounts for both separately for taking VISA appointment?
Krishna,
Enter through your dad’s application and then schedule it as a family application. You should then be able to add your mother to the same interview slot.
Thank you very much for the information. This is very helpful.
Thanks for this post . Good starting point for me
Hi I am a green card holder and a college student. I am a part time worker at Wal-Mart as a deli associate.I have 5000$ in my account. I would like to know if i can send an invitation letter to my cousin to come visit in the US
My income is too low
Hi,
I want to get my mother over. The issue I have is my father has passed away and he was not a gvt job holder. So my mother do not have any property or pension to her name. There are no supporting document from her side. Please advice.
GOOD AND USEFUL INFO..THANKX
I am having trouble with the amount in the bank to invite my mother. How much money is required to be in the bank. She is by herself, and i am the only daughter. me and my husband are the greencard holders. My income is not enough eventhough i am a fulltime. So, we decided to sponsor through my husband as he has better standing job and income.
I guess you do not need to worry at all as you both are working and you will earn further and are green card holders which even USCIS & Consulate knows.
Well for minimum amount; one of my friend got his mother’s visa approved when his bank balance was just $5000.
And in some websites I have read that the minimum expected amount to be spent on each person is $5000. So you are expected to have extra amount apart from $5000.
However, looking at my friend’s scenarios it is no where a reality. As USCIS or consulate or…no one has set any rule of such sort. And I am pretty sure, if you dig deeper into your friend circle you might hear similar stories like my friend’s.
My best advice would be to have your account joined in bank so you wouldn’t have to worry in future.
Hope you got your answer and do not take this as any legal advice.
I wish you all the best
one of my friend got his mother’s visa approved when his bank balance was just $5000.
Hi All, I apologize for the multiple posts. There was an error in my System browser.
Do I need to notarize I-134 ?
I did not notarize mine and also most of my friends didn’t notarize the I-134. However, if you wish you can.
Well explained !
I have question , I understand all your step but right now i have a baby so I can not go back to work . I just stop working about 1 month ago . So it is ok I can ask the letter from my old work and put with my application or not. Or I do not have to put the letter from work. What should I do?
Why do I need to fillout Step 8 if its just a B2 Visa, for I 134 looks more specific for a person who wants to sponsorship. Please clarify.
Helpful information Thanks
Hello Saurabh,
I am currently on H1b in US. I have a valid H1B visa stamped on Passport. One year back I changed my job with a reputed company now I am planning to go to India for vacation and need to get my VISA stamped again with the new petitioner. I am also planning to get my mother and in-laws(2) also for their tourist visa. wanted to know if it is OK to take our parents (3) for their visa stamping (B2) with us at the same day ??
Fantastic information and very clear… thanks.
Good Post. Very Helpful
I am a US citizen and I would like to invite my mother to visit. I really appreciate your explanations. I understand I have to prepare documents, but I am confused about DS forms. Should I fill this form too? Also after I provide all these docs. Where I should send them? My mother lives in IRAN. Where should I post these docs? Could you please advice? I appreciate your time and help. Regards,
Pls is i don’t have 10.000 in my acount can i look for somebody else that can help me in that aspect and can the same person help me with affidavit of support.
very helpful , good job 🙂
appreciate you.
Very fine. Thanks
Hi
Am planning to apply visa for my parents.I work for a consultant here in US.In form i134 in place of company address,we should mention Consultant address or my client place address.
If you are talking about question (7) in form I-134 then, It should be your employer address…meaning the address of the company with whom you are employed. In your case it is your consultant address.
Anyone correct me if I am wrong.
This is really help full. Well documented and explained. Thank you very much. Can you please add more information on B2 visa fees details and DS160 hyderabad is not opening up. Please suggest.
This is really help full. Well documented and explained. Thank you very much.
I am applying for my parents visit visa(B2) they live in Pakistan. My husband is a US citizen and he will apply as a sponsor for their visit. I pretty much know what documents i need, i just want to know that is there any document which i have to get notarized like form I-134. we will fill DS-160 online so there is no logic to get it notarized. Please help me to resolve this confusion that whether i should send all required documents to my parents by filling and signing it by myself or should i get it attested/notarized by an attorney.