Tourist visa for SO

[Kyle]

My wife was able to get three tourist visas to the States, one being before we were married. It is possible as long as you do your homework and prove that she will in fact return to China. The first tourist visa is the most difficult to get - but with the right preparation, it wasn't overly difficult. After going to America and returning to China without violating the terms of the visa, following B-2 visas are more easily obtained

 

I'm sorry to hear about this situation. My wife and I will be praying for you guys. I hope things will work out.

 

{edit} Split off of another thread, was response to : http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=528193

Edited December 3, 2009 by dnoblett (see edit history)

[Highlander]

My wife was able to get three tourist visas to the States, one being before we were married. It is possible as long as you do your homework and prove that she will in fact return to China. The first tourist visa is the most difficult to get - but with the right preparation, it wasn't overly difficult. After going to America and returning to China without violating the terms of the visa, following B-2 visas are more easily obtained

 

I'm sorry to hear about this situation. My wife and I will be praying for you guys. I hope things will work out.

I was under the assumption from other prior posts, that a Tourist Visa was very difficult and often impossible to get. For a potential Fiancee to visit for even a short time, would eliminate a lot of problems in the future.

[Kyle]

My wife was able to get three tourist visas to the States, one being before we were married. It is possible as long as you do your homework and prove that she will in fact return to China. The first tourist visa is the most difficult to get - but with the right preparation, it wasn't overly difficult. After going to America and returning to China without violating the terms of the visa, following B-2 visas are more easily obtained

 

I'm sorry to hear about this situation. My wife and I will be praying for you guys. I hope things will work out.

I was under the assumption from other prior posts, that a Tourist Visa was very difficult and often impossible to get. For a potential Fiancee to visit for even a short time, would eliminate a lot of problems in the future.

Nope, it's not overly difficult. Perhaps it's impossible if you go at it from a "fiance" aspect. As for us, we didn't offer that tidbit of information and as long as you don't state anything related to that in your paperwork or interview, you should be fine. To me, that's just inviting failure.

 

As mentioned, you just have to cover your bases showing that the applicant will return to China. At the time, my wife - then fiancee did certain things to help her case:

 

1. She had a significant amount of assets in a savings account which she froze until she returned to China.

 

2. She had a high level position in her school which demanded a lot of travel from within China. She showed a tentative work schedule that would resume once she returned to China. She was under contract.

 

3. She got a letter from her employer

 

4. I was able to snag a letter from a U.S. Senator.

 

5. Most importantly, during the interview, she did not refer to me as her fiance, but as her boyfriend nor, did she wear her engagement ring.

 

6. I bought a plane ticket showing that I was going to temporarily return with her - even though I hadn't yet decided if I was going to continue working in China.

 

For our B-2 visa we went through Beijing. If you can prove that she/he will in fact return to China, they'll grant the visa. You simply have to eliminate the flight-risk issue

 

After the initial B-2 visa, following B-2's are easily obtained as the applicant has previously shown that they have obeyed the rules. For Jingjing's second and third B-2 visa, she didn't even have to interview in Beijing to receive it. She simply filed the paperwork at a Citic bank in Wuhan and went to Beijing to turn in her passport and submit new digital fingerprints.

 

EDIT:

 

Also, if you've previously filed for K/CR/IR visas, then file for a B-2, most likely (or definitely) you'll be denied. We filed for our B-2's long before we ever filed our I-130.

Edited December 3, 2009 by Kyle (see edit history)

[amberjack1234]

Kyle is quite correct in everything that he has said. My wife came to the US 3 times before her last trip on a B-2 visa. She and her boss made the arrangements. I had nothing to do with it. She was 27 at the time. I think that her boss had a lot to do with it as he signed some paperwork stating that she would return to China. Age does have a lot to do with this process too. If they are over 35 it is a lot easier so I am told and they have good ties to warrant them to return to China.

 

Shelikeme (Dougie) wife and daughter came to the US for, I think, 60 days prior to her coming here permanently. She even enrolled her daughter in school to let her see how she was going to like it.

 

One only has to know the process well, do your homework and don't over volunteer any information that is not ask for. Don't lie about anything.

 

Larry

[Dan de mingzi]

My wife also got a US tourist visa before we were married. And she didn't even have a job at the time. But she had spent three years going to university in Switzerland, which seemed to help a lot, and her English is very good.

 

One longer-term option is to bring your gf to visit another developed country that has easier visa requirements. After she shows that she went there and did not violate any visa restrictions, and returned to China afterwards, that should make getting the US tourist visa easier.

[TLB]

My wife also got a US tourist visa before we were married. And she didn't even have a job at the time. But she had spent three years going to university in Switzerland, which seemed to help a lot, and her English is very good.

 

One longer-term option is to bring your gf to visit another developed country that has easier visa requirements. After she shows that she went there and did not violate any visa restrictions, and returned to China afterwards, that should make getting the US tourist visa easier.

 

Is having good English a help or a hindrance? More likely to go back if doesn't have good English versus inability to fend for herself in a strange country due to same?

 

Interesting point about going somewhere else first and showing she returned -- does anyone have any experience with this?

[Highlander]

These responses seem just the opposite of what was posted here in August to this question. My point I was trying to make in August was, that a person here meets a person there online, like I did with my now Fiancee. She could not come to visit me , but I could go visit her easily. We talked on internet for 10 months before I went to Chongqing, and we were engaged there. After my return, I files for K1, and now waiting, and waiting.

[TLB]

These responses seem just the opposite of what was posted here in August to this question. My point I was trying to make in August was, that a person here meets a person there online, like I did with my now Fiancee. She could not come to visit me , but I could go visit her easily. We talked on internet for 10 months before I went to Chongqing, and we were engaged there. After my return, I files for K1, and now waiting, and waiting.

 

Highlander, I'm in the same boat now. You say she "could not come to visit" you -- did you try that and fail, or were you just convinced she would not be able to?

 

That's what I'm trying to figure out -- is there some way to get her here on a tourist visa, or should I give up on that and not put her through the process...

[amberjack1234]

Kyle is quite correct in everything that he has said. My wife came to the US 3 times before her last trip on a B-2 visa. She and her boss made the arrangements. I had nothing to do with it. She was 27 at the time. I think that her boss had a lot to do with it as he signed some paperwork stating that she would return to China. Age does have a lot to do with this process too. If they are over 35 it is a lot easier so I am told and they have good ties to warrant them to return to China.

 

Shelikeme (Dougie) wife and daughter came to the US for, I think, 60 days prior to her coming here permanently. She even enrolled her daughter in school to let her see how she was going to like it.

 

One only has to know the process well, do your homework and don't over volunteer any information that is not ask for. Don't lie about anything.

 

Larry

If I remember, Douggie's wife had her K-3 but they were waiting for the CR-1 and CR-2. For some reason they didn't get a K-4 for the child so they had to get a tourist visa. She and the child came over for a month or two and then returned to get their CR visas and then come to the US permanently.

Yep Don that sounds like it exactly.

 

TLB, I would think that her knowing how to speak english well would have an effect on whether it was approved or not. Supposedly she is coming here on business right? I have no proof of that though. My wife spoke excellent english as well as 6 other languages.

 

Larry

[Dan de mingzi]

My wife also got a US tourist visa before we were married. And she didn't even have a job at the time. But she had spent three years going to university in Switzerland, which seemed to help a lot, and her English is very good.

 

One longer-term option is to bring your gf to visit another developed country that has easier visa requirements. After she shows that she went there and did not violate any visa restrictions, and returned to China afterwards, that should make getting the US tourist visa easier.

 

Is having good English a help or a hindrance? More likely to go back if doesn't have good English versus inability to fend for herself in a strange country due to same?

 

Interesting point about going somewhere else first and showing she returned -- does anyone have any experience with this?

 

Interesting question about speaking English being a possible hindrance; I've never thought of it that way. There's probably no official rule at the consulate about being easier to get a visa if the person's English is good, but there might rightly or wrongly be a subconscious effect (i.e. a belief that good English = higher Education = wouldn't be likely to skip the visa to go work illegally in a Chinese restaurant in the US). Not agreeing with this thinking, but just a guess.

 

As for the going somewhere else first, I am very confident that at least in our case my wife's time in Switzerland was helpful. She said the interviewer took one look at her Swiss visas and said "Oh, you were in Switzerland for three years?", and the interview was a piece of cake after that. I think it's just a matter of giving them evidence to show the person is not a flight risk.

[Highlander]

These responses seem just the opposite of what was posted here in August to this question. My point I was trying to make in August was, that a person here meets a person there online, like I did with my now Fiancee. She could not come to visit me , but I could go visit her easily. We talked on internet for 10 months before I went to Chongqing, and we were engaged there. After my return, I files for K1, and now waiting, and waiting.

 

Highlander, I'm in the same boat now. You say she "could not come to visit" you -- did you try that and fail, or were you just convinced she would not be able to?

 

That's what I'm trying to figure out -- is there some way to get her here on a tourist visa, or should I give up on that and not put her through the process...

She told me soon after we first started talking in May of 2008, that it was impossible for her to ge a tourist Visa. On my return trip from Chongqing in April 09, the plane was almost all Chinese, so I was thinking how did they get Visas.

[weiaijiayou]

These responses seem just the opposite of what was posted here in August to this question. My point I was trying to make in August was, that a person here meets a person there online, like I did with my now Fiancee. She could not come to visit me , but I could go visit her easily. We talked on internet for 10 months before I went to Chongqing, and we were engaged there. After my return, I files for K1, and now waiting, and waiting.

 

Highlander, I'm in the same boat now. You say she "could not come to visit" you -- did you try that and fail, or were you just convinced she would not be able to?

 

That's what I'm trying to figure out -- is there some way to get her here on a tourist visa, or should I give up on that and not put her through the process...

She told me soon after we first started talking in May of 2008, that it was impossible for her to ge a tourist Visa. On my return trip from Chongqing in April 09, the plane was almost all Chinese, so I was thinking how did they get Visas.

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting what you guys are asking, but to reiterate: yes, it's possible. (that being the point of this thread) From the people who did it successfully, the important components seem to be:

they had not yet filed for the fiancee visa, which would signal the Chinese person's intention to immigrate to America.

they supplied information that made it apparent that they needed to return to China.

[Highlander]

I guess I should have had my girlfriend try for a tourist visa before I applies for the K1. If she was lucky to get the visa, we would have a better idea if she would have liked it here.

[Kyle]

As for us, we didn't offer that tidbit of information and as long as you don't state anything related to that in your paperwork or interview, you should be fine. To me, that's just inviting failure.

 

Jingjing's initial purpose for coming to the United States was to experience American culture, if and when we finally did get married. Yes, we were already engaged, but to be honest - there were some big reservations in my (Kyle's) mind. If Jingjing was going to hate life in America, then I wanted to know beforehand and let our parting to come in advance rather than after tying the knot. We also received some marriage counseling in the States, which was very effective in helping me understand my wife's cultural background and upbringing even further (note: this was before I studied Chinese full-time for over two years).

 

I told Jingjing we wouldn't get married unless she first experienced American culture, as one of us, will always be living outside their native home, away from their family, friends, food, etc.

 

I cannot not stress this enough. If you are in a dating relationship with a Chinese national, this is a very (my opinion) wise thing to do. I did a lot of research about intercultural relationships, and I think I even visited this website as a guest, back in 2005.

 

"Intercultural Marriage: Promises and Pitfalls" by Dugan Romano is a great read on the subject. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is getting ready to marry (or already married) anyone from a different culture. I bought the 2001 edition, and I think Romano, republished a newer edition in 2008.

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=sear...amp;x=0&y=0

 

 

Jingjing, now that she has received her IR-1 entry visa, is actually excited about the move. She's not apprehensive at all, except, obviously she's going to miss her parents and friends. We both will. However, since she's already been to America, she's already made new friends there. She's experienced both urban and rural life, so she has set reasonable expectations for our standard of living (once arriving), daily life, etc.

 

My wife has studied English for 8 years, teaching five years at New Oriental (an English preparatory school - NYSE: EDU). During her secondary education, she received a degree in English nursing - so her English has always been quite fluent, knowing more medical terms in English than probably most native English speakers.

 

Her purpose for the B-2's after marriage, were simply to:

 

1. Visit family and friends

2. Go to bath and body works

3. Raid the Arby's pepper bar

 

Does having a high command of the English language essential for obtaining a B-2 visa? Not sure about that, after-all, it is just a tourist visa (Most Americans can't speak any Chinese when they come over to China on a tourist visa either). Unlike K-1/3, CR/IR-1, which implies that "You will live here for a period of time", the B-2, which is valid for one year, implies the opposite, "You're just visiting" Now, I'm sure that having some command of the English language will be useful for the interview as well as navigating once you get to whatever US POE/destination you get to, however a B-2 has no work authorization as that falls outside the purpose of the visa.

 

I've read accounts of families sponsoring a B-2 petition whose applicant couldn't speak a lick of English, except for: thank you, bye, beer, and eat - the applicant was successful. This actually leads me into a point that I forgot to make earlier in my last post:

 

My father provided a welcome letter (letter of invitation) for my wife - then fiancee. This letter not only expressed their desires for Jingjing to visit but also included an itinerary of events (and places) which she would experience/visit once in the States. This is actually an important piece of information to include with your application.

 

OK, back to English. I can only offer up speculation about the importance of being able to converse in English. However, you need to do your own research and not hold me to my own speculations as the whole English factor did not apply to my wife. She did the Beijing interview in English.

 

I do believe that you need to keep the whole fiancee/fiance terminology out of your application and interview. Boyfriend and girlfriend are sufficient, and using those terms did not cause us any problems. After-all, we were technically engaged, and yes we wanted to get married, but we both agreed to not begin making wedding plans until after Jingjing returned to China from America. In other words, if the worst would of happened, we would of seriously reconsidered our intent to marry - you don't just marry your Chinese spouse and their family, but you marry their culture as well (this goes both ways, folks).

 

Edit:

 

I'm willing to search through the archives for any information related to B-2 visas. If I compile a list of topic links, what would be the chances we could add them to a new subtopic? I admit back in 2005, when I first visited CFL, I didn't easily find much information on the ol' B-2 because it seemed to me, that the all of the information was related to visas obtained by going through the Guangzhou consulate (which I am now quite thankful for). It's ok, if no one wants to do that, but I'd like to get some feedback before I start the task of "fishing through the CFL waters"

Edited December 4, 2009 by Kyle (see edit history)