Successful Visitors' Visa

[newguy47]

Beachy,

 

I appreciate your perspective. The visa is actually a tourist visa, which is of course in the same category of nonimmigrant visa.

 

I am happy for you and your wife.

 

The story of the people of your acquaintance is inspiring.

 

She is very scared of losing the visa. There are Chinese forums about visa issues as well. And she has been told, the first time, stay only the duration planned. Which we were going to do anyway because I think we must keep our word with the officials. After that, she thinks she needs to stay out a couple of months then can return for maybe a month or so.

 

Of course, document seeing tourist sites each visit.

 

Does it make a difference that this is a tourist rather than a visitor's visa?

[newguy47]

MikeandRong,

 

The first trip will only be for 15 days because that is what we promised in the letter to the Visa Officer.

[Greg.D.]

NewGuy, I think you referenced before a difference between a tourist visa and a visitor's visa. As far as I know, there is no distinction, unless by visitor's visa you are referring to all other kinds of visas. My girlfriend first came over on B2 visas.

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/visit.html

 

Tourism & Visit

Foreign travelers to the United States for short visits, for example tourism, vacation, visiting family and friends, or medical treatment, need visitor visas unless they qualify for entry under the Visa Waiver Program.

 

Overview

Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), tourism, pleasure or visiting (visa category B-2), or a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2).

Edited September 10, 2015 by Greg.D. (see edit history)

[Randy W]

NewGuy, I think you referenced before a difference between a tourist visa and a visitor's visa. As far as I know, there is no distinction, unless by visitor's visa you are referring to all other kinds of visas. My girlfriend first came over on B2 visas.

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/visit.html

 

Tourism & Visit

Foreign travelers to the United States for short visits, for example tourism, vacation, visiting family and friends, or medical treatment, need visitor visas unless they qualify for entry under the Visa Waiver Program.

 

Overview

Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), tourism, pleasure or visiting (visa category B-2), or a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2).

 

 

I believe, in fact, that the B-1 and B-2 are actually printed identically

 

[newguy47]

Randy W.,

 

You are right. Her visa also has B1/B2 printed on it to the right.

 

Hers looks very much the same except for nationality of "CHIN" and "F" instead of "M."

 

I have a picture of it. Which came in handy when we visited Brownsville and came back through a border patrol checkpoint. She had left her documents in the small town where I live but they verified who she was and let us pass.

 

At this point, she was here with me for a week and a half and spent the rest of the 15 promised days in New York seeing the Statue of Liberty and many other tourist sites. We have many photos of tourist sites including the beach, NASA, the San Antonio river walk, and photos from the Tower of the Americas. Plan is for her to return to China for 2 months (she left Halloween day) and then return to the states when she can and stay a while next time. The first time, she was given 6 months' stay. Most folks seem to get 6 months the first time. Hopefully with the short stay they will extend that to her again. We are asking on the China forums also how long it is safe for her to stay. I will tell her you folks think we could do 6 months then 2 or 3 months in China for her and another 6 months here.

 

I appreciate the information and the feeling of solidarity on this forum.

[newguy47]

I will add that I do not think she will go stir crazy.

 

She didn't like my small town, so we looked all over Texas for a place I might stay within my state pension system and work. She seems to have changed her mind at least temporarily about the little town. We will see.

 

But the town has a college right next to my place of work. And she has worked as a translator in the past. She is in the process of adding Spanish to the other four languages she can speak. The college offers courses in Spanish, and it is located in Texas, where Spanish can be practiced.

 

She also helps with a family business and can do that from the states since some of their customers are here.

[Randy W]

Good job and great visit! Congratulations!