B2 visa for parents

[Kyle]

I think having a large amount of money is useful in getting a B-2 visa. When my wife received her B-2 visa, they froze her account (citic bank) during each visit. Her account was unfrozen after she returned to PRC.

 

Did they have the authority to freeze it on their own? or did you offer, sign docs allowing it? Could it only be done at Citic? It would be a nice option for them to hold bail in exchange for a visa.

 

Citic bank is the bank that the US embassy goes through. To use my wife's liquid assets as assets proving ties, they (the embassy) strongly suggested my wife's funds to be frozen prior to her interview. Citic printed out the equivilant of a bank statment showing the frozen status and the amount in her acct. Jingjing showed it to the visa officer at the time of her interview.

 

Edit:

 

Is it required? No, but if you want to use your liquid assets as ties, then for them to be taken seriously, they'll need to be frozen. The reason my wife chose to do this through Citic bank is again, that particular bank has a good working relationship with US Beijing. I do not believe that Citic Bank is the only bank to freeze assets for visa purposes. I'm fairly certian Merchant bank does this as well. Basically what I"m saying is that I do not feel one has to open up an acct at Citic just to do this. Check with your current bank abroad and see if they can accomodate this for you.

Edited December 30, 2010 by Kyle (see edit history)

[amberjack1234]

I would like to post some of my thoughts on B-2 visas. First off I believe that the requirements for a B-2 vary accordingly to whom is applying for one. I believe that the requirements to be satisfied for a B-2 for a parent or other relative are different than for a girlfriend.

 

In the case of parents I am sure that strong monetary ties to China are very important as well as other relatives left behind in China. For example if a parent is indeed financially instable and are up in age as well I doubt that they would ever be able to get a B-2 visa. Obviously the reason is that the US government may very well have to take care of them if they were to come to the US and STAY. The medical expenses for us elderly folks can be quite expensive. I just spent one day in the hospital for observation for high blood pressure and the bill was $16,000, for just one day of observation. The state department believes that they will stay and eventually become wards of the state.

 

For the ones that are fortunate enough to be very financially stable, assets and have other close relatives in China I believe that it is not to difficult for them to obtain a B-2. Sad that it comes down to money but in fact it does.

 

Guanxi can be a big factor in either case as well. Unfortunately for the ones that are less financially stable they will not have sufficient guanzi. In most cases. Let¡¯s face it this is China and if you think that guanxi does not extend in the American Consulates and Embassies there, well lets just say that connection the world over are what makes the wheels turn.

 

For a girlfriend it is my opinion that the requirements are different. Age make a difference here too but in the opposite direction. The younger that they are the more they will be scrutinized. Our government view of them is that they are only trying to get into the US to stay legally or illegally. Again it is in my opinion that gaunxi is more important than money and assets in this case. I am sure that if a young girl has substantial assets, business, houses, apartments for rent or sale, large quantity of money in the bank that can be easily frozen will certainly play an important part in her evaluation. It is not the only determining factor though, as someone else stated that his wife had substantial financial resources but could not get a B-2

 

Please allow me to give a short scenario. Young Chinese girl (27 yo) works in a large and powerful company in Beijing. Number three in position in the company. Top boss says that this girl is the best employee that he has ever had. Company does billions of dollars worth of business with American companies. So much in fact that at least one US company has their own office within this company. Girl wants to visit America. Gets boss to support her with his connections (guanxi) and gets boss of the American company to write her letters of recommendation as well as the CEO of the company in America. This girl does not own any property and has very little money in the bank. Bam passport and multiple entry visa in less than 3 weeks. AS Kyle said part of the transactions were done through Citi bank but I have no idea if any funds were frozen or not. She did return to China three month earlier than she actually had to. At her POE she was given a 6 months stay but could have gotten up to 12 months. This was for visiting and seeing how her American counterparts did business.

 

I can assure you on one thing if the US government knows anything about you at all she will be refused the visa. They will automatically assume that she is trying to take the easy route to getting into the US to be with her sweetie, get married and file for AOS. If she has had a B-2 previously and fulfilled all of her obligations then it would likely be approved.

 

Now for the dark side of the B-2 issue. B-2 visa¡¯s can and are used illegally and I don¡¯t have it in my vocabulary to properly discourage this kind of use. Don¡¯t do it. This is why folks here do not like to discuss B-2 visas for girlfriends much. If a Chinese girl in China is lucky enough to obtain a B-2 visa by one of the methods mentioned above or any method what so ever she can then come to America to see her boyfriend or fianc¨¦. When she gets here she and he can get married and file for AOS and she will never have to return to China until she wants to of course once her AOS is approved. This tactic is up to the person but if used it can get your girl deported and you and she some free room and board courtesy of Uncle Sam if caught.

 

Do I have any factual proof for anything that I have said? I do have some personal experience but most is just based on reading others on this site and other sites of folks trying to get a B-2 for relatives or for a girlfriend, wife (still in China).

 

I don¡¯t know if any of this has shed any light on this B-2 mystique or not but I hope so. I have tried to anyway in my feeble attempt. Best wishes to all of you in your endeavor to get your loved ones here.

 

Larry