Visitors Visa

[Tine & Ella]

My Mother-In-Law Arrived,

 

After being diverted to STL due to bad weather in Chicago and arriving 2 1/2 hrs. late, she made it through customs in about 1/2 hr. Customs gave her a 6 month stay, even though China gave her a 1 year mutiple entry visa.

[NY-Viking]

First off, thanks for your posts - as with many others, my wife and I are looking to have her mother (and maybe father) visit for a while. I haven't announced it elsewhere, but we're expecting in December. The list you provided was similar to what we used when my wife (then girlfriend) first visited on visitor visas several years ago. It's helpful to have a list to work with, but of course as with the K1/K3 process, every application will be a little different. But still, thank you so much for posting your experience and document list.

 

Customs gave her a 6 month stay, even though [the U.S. Consulate in] China gave her a 1 year mutiple entry visa.

 

Just wanted to comment on what the difference was in the dates on the Visa and the dates given at the Point of Entry. First, it was Immigration, not Customs, that gave your mother-in-law the 6-month stay. Customs just approves/scrutinizes what products/animals/money/etc. we bring into the country--they're the ones that take away all the dried meet our spouses try to bring into the United States. Immigration is the first counter we come to--where our passport gets stamped and before we get our luggage, which may be inspected by Customs.

 

Secondly, the visa your mother-in-law has is good for multiple entries within 1 year of issuance; Immigration at the Point of Entry decides how long the visitor can stay for each visit. Sometimes, they're the same length, and sometimes they can overlap. So, in other words your mother-in-law is only allowed to stay up to 6 months on this visit, but provided she leaves the country within 6 months, she would be allowed to enter the country again on the same Visa, provided her second entry is within a year of the issue date of the Visa (and provided her visa isn't somehow otherwise cancelled).

 

In addition, provided her second entry is within one year of the issue date of the Visa, she could stay in the U.S. well beyond the year, depending on the amount of time she is issued at the Point of Entry. For example, my wife (girlfriend at the time) entered the U.S. with about a week's validity left on a 6-month multiple entry visitor B2 visa. We thought we would only be able to stay the week, but at the Point of Entry (San Francisco, not that it matters), the Immigration Officer granted her a stay of 6-months. We left within the week anyway (was during a 1-week vacation of Chinese New Year while we were both working in China), but she could have stayed the entire six months, despite the fact that the Visa itself had expired.

 

So, basically it's a two part process for U.S. visas - the Visa issued at the U.S. embassy/consulate in China determines the number of times the holder is allowed to enter the U.S. and the date by which such entry(ies) can happen. The Immigration Officer at the U.S. Point of Entry determines how long the Visa holder can stay during that particular visit. Note that this necessarily means that the Immigration Officer is also authorized to deny entry all together at the Point of Entry despite the Visa holder having a valid Visa. This could happen if (among other reasons) the Immigration Officer believes that the individual will not return to his/her home country (so a return ticket is usually asked for) or the individual is doing something illegal (like transporting illegal drugs).

 

However, I do note that I have seen B2 visas issued with particular restrictions on the visa itself. I have a friend in Shanghai who received a visa for a 2 week stay during a 1 month period, and she had to be accompanied by her American husband during the visit (that entire restriction was printed on the visa). That worked for them as it was basically what they wanted, but I note it because we should be aware that such restricted U.S. visas do exist. Presumably, however, the Immigration Officer at the U.S. Point of Entry could have granted her a longer stay, if he had stamped it on her Passport.

 

Also, note that this is the case for United States Visas---Chinese visas are completely different. For China, the timing issues are pretty much all decided on the visa. That is, visits to China are only good for the number of entries, lengths of stay and dates listed on the Visa itself. There is an important difference depending on whether the visa is granted for stays of a pre-determined length.

 

Example 1: If you have a 1-year multiple entry visa to China, you can enter and exit China as often as you like within the year, but you must exit China before the date on the Visa expires (or apply to extend the Visa while inside China).

 

Example 2: If you have a visa that entitles you to one entry of 30 days within a 90 day period, you must enter China within the 90 days, but you can stay inside China for 30 days after that entry (even if it extends past the 90 days). The date by which you must exit the country is stamped on your passport at the Point of Entry in China, but is determined by the Visa itself. Similarly, if you have a double entry visa, and each stay is for 30 days but the Visa is valid for 90 days, each entry must occur within the 90 day period, but each stay is for 30 days upon entry, which may allow a stay beyond the 90 days of validity on the visa.

 

Of course, the Chinese Immigration officer is always authorized to deny the entry as well to an otherwise valid visa holder, but the length of any granted stay is determined by the visa itself.

 

I know that your post is over a year old, and you've probably dealt with these issues already (and may have even posted about them elsewhere), but I just came across your post today and thought I would add some information for others.

[ameriken]

as with many others, my wife and I are looking to have her mother (and maybe father) visit for a while.  I haven't announced it elsewhere, but we're expecting in December. 

219825[/snapback]

NY.....first, congratulations on your news !

 

Second, would you mind posting what you learn in the process? There seems to be so many people who would like to get the B2, and perhaps this would give us a current update.

 

I am researching the same thing, and will do the same. Good luck !

[NY-Viking]

NY.....first, congratulations on your news !

 

Second, would you mind posting what you learn in the process? There seems to be so many people who would like to get the B2, and perhaps this would give us a current update.

 

I am researching the same thing, and will do the same. Good luck !

222146[/snapback]

Thanks on your congrats!

 

And I'll definitely post what happens with my mother-in-law, but we're a few months away from that happening. Best of luck in that to you too! As far as my wife's (then girlfriend's) B2s, you can do a search, but it was a combination of her having a decent job and some international travel experience, and the fact that I worked for a company in Shanghai at the time she got her first couple of visas. After that, the evidence that she had come back worked in her favor. Although, I know of at least one person who was rejected despite the fact that he had been to the US multiple times because he lied on his application, so honesty (as always) is required. Feel free to do a search - I'm sure you'll turn up some more information on what documents we used, etc.

[aquach]

hi I was wondering did your mother-in-law request a 1 year visa or did the consulate just issue her a 1 year?

[Tine & Ella]

The consulate issued the 1-year visa. But when she arrived customs allowed her to stay 6 months. She could have gone back to China and returned for another 6 months or we could have requested an extension.

 

Tine

[Guest pushbrk]

The consulate issued the 1-year visa. But when she arrived customs allowed her to stay 6 months. She could have gone back to China and returned for another 6 months or we could have requested an extension.

 

Tine

234827[/snapback]

Equate this to how visitor visas to China work. The basic tourist visa is "valid" for a period 90 days from issue but allows only a 30 day stay in China. An extension of stay might be granted.

 

The one year above is the validity range for entry. Either the visa is issued with a maximum stay in the USA or it is decided by the immigration officer upon entry. In any event, the "1 year visa" is not for a 1 year stay, but an extension of stay might be applied for and granted.

[skrunks]

we just received word from my wife's parents that the request for visa was approved for just one to come visit -- her mother and sister had requsted that together, but only mother was approved.

 

She was approved for a 90 day visa, ending dec, so we'll request an extension when she is here because Lin will be having the baby in late december. Anyone know success rate on extensions and how to go about same?

[Randy W]

we just received word from my wife's parents that the request for visa was approved for just one to come visit -- her mother and sister had requsted that together, but only mother was approved.

 

She was approved for a 90 day visa, ending dec, so we'll request an extension when she is here because Lin will be having the baby in late december. Anyone know success rate on extensions and how to go about same?

 

 

90 days from NOW is in December - she can simply delay her entry to make sure she can stay through that period.

 

The visitor's visas are usually for a 6 month stay.

Edited September 16, 2006 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Mengxin]

How long did it take you to get the visitors visa for your parents?

[Tine & Ella]

After we sent the paperwork in. She could have had the interview in one week. My mother-in-law waited one month. That was in Shanghai.

 

Tine

[Mengxin]

Great thread. Thanks.

 

After we sent the paperwork in. She could have had the interview in one week. My mother-in-law waited one month. That was in Shanghai.

 

Tine

[Jason+Joanna]

Here is a good link:

 

http://faq.visapro.com/Tourist-Visa-FAQ6.asp

[mylove69]

It is helpful.

 

Thank you.

 

I will post here, hope this information helps everybody. If you still have any questions, Please let me know.

 

List (目录)

 

PART I - INVITEE (第一部分) (被邀请人)

 

 

1. Passport (护照, 原件)

2. DS 156 Form (DS156表, 原件, 中英文各一份)

3. DS 157 Form (DS157表, 原件, 中英文各一份)

4. Receipt of Visa Application Fee (中信银行的签证费收据, 原件)

5. Resident Booklet (护口本)

6. National Identification Cards (身份证)

7. Evidences of Properties’ ownership (房产证明)

8. Evidences of Bank Saving (银行存款证明)

9. Retiree’s card and Certificate of pension (退休证和退休金证明)

10. Verification of Son’s Employment

(儿子的工作证明)

11. Copies of National ID of Son (儿子身份证复印件)

12. Family Photos (家庭照片)

13. Letter of Dad’s Employment(爸爸公司的经济和雇用证明信)

 

 

 

 

PART II ( 第二部分 ) - INVITER ( 邀请人 )

 

1. Invitation Letter (English & Chinese) (邀请函中英文各一份)

2. Affidavit of Support I-134 Form (经济担保证明 I-134表)

3. Ella’s I-94 copy (女儿的入境卡)

4. Copy of Income Tax Return 2003 (2003年个人收入纳税表复印件)

5. Copies of Ella & Tine’s passport (女儿和女婿的护照复印件)

6. Copy of Ella’s Visa (女儿到美国的签证复印件)

7. Copies of Daughter & Granddaughter’s Green Card, SSN (女儿和外孙女的绿卡、社安号复印件)

8. Copy of Driver License: Son-In-Law and Daughter (女婿和女儿的驾照复印件)

9. Copy of Marriage License (结婚证复印件)

10.Letter of Tine’s Employment (Tine公司的经济和雇用证明信)

11.Photos (家庭照片)

12.Notarial Certificate of relationship (直系亲属关系公证书)

13.Letter for VO. (英文信函一份给签证官)

 

Letter For VO.

To: American Counsulate General

Mei Long Zheng Plaza 8th Floor

Shanghai, China 200001

 

 

 

Subject : Issuance of visiorts visa for my mother-in law.

 

 

Dear Visa Officer,

 

 

We would like to invite our mother, XXXX(here is mother’s name) to visit our home in XXXXX(here is address of your home) for 4-6 months, so she may visit her daughter and grandchildren. While here we would like to take her to visit New York city, Washington DC, Orlando, FL. Her husband can not join her due to his work schedule and she also has a son and daughter-in-law in Shanghai.

 

During her stay here we will bear all financial responsibilites during her stay including her round trip air fare from Shanghai to Indianapolis and back, medical insurance while here, and all travel expense.

 

 

 

Tine XXXX & Ella XXXX

(sign your names here)

 

Letter for Mom:Chinese & English

 

亲爱的妈妈：你好！

 

这封信是邀请你到美国来看我们，并且和我们一起生活。你在美国的6个月里，我们将会支付你在美期间所有的生活和旅行费用，包括往返的飞机票。当你来到美国后，我们将会带你到以下几个地方去参观和旅行。在具体时间上也许会有所变动，如果时间允许的话，我们还会带你到其他几个信里没有列出的地方去看看。

 

 

5月

去看有名的赛车比赛。Tine在每年的5月和8月到那里工作几天，他可以带家属进入比赛场地。这个赛车比赛即使在世界上也是很名的。

 

7月

我们会到纽约和华盛顿：纽约的唐人街，有名的华尔街，自由女神像；华盛顿是美国的首都，我们去年去过的，很值得去看看的。

 

8月

到美丽的佛罗达海滩度假，并到想往以久的迪斯尼乐团去游玩。

 

其他时间我们会带你到我们印第安那转转，我们生活的这个城市是非常美丽的。在和我们生活的几个月里，你会了解和体验美国人的生活，我们也相信你一定会在美国度过一段美好的时光的。

 

你的女婿：

 

你的女儿：

 

2004年12月

Tine & Ella XXXX

XXXXXXX(here is your address)

Dec.30th 2004

 

 

Ref: To XXX(here is your mom’s Chinese name)

 

Dear Mom: (here is your mom’s name, type “PinYing”)

 

This letter is invite you to come USA to see us ,and live with us for 6 months in Indianapolis Indiana, USA. We will pay all the fees for your living and traveling in USA, and the plane ticket for coming USA and returning to China. During your stay in USA, We will visit several famous cities in the world:

 

May 21st-22nd & May 29th

Indianapolis: Indianapolis 500 Car Race ,It is the most famous car race in the world.

 

July 9th- 18th :

New York: Walk in Walt Street and to visit the Statue of Liberty; China Town, Atlantic City and Nigara Falls.

Washington DC: Our nations capitol, The White House our Presidents home, and many other sites.

 

Aug 14th~30th :

Florida: Disney World, Miami 1 week and one week on the beach in Ft. Myers Florida.

 

 

You will know that how the persons in USA are living and how we are Living in USA.

We believe that you will feel pleasure during your traveling in USA.

 

Your Daughter:

 

Your Son-in-law:

 

Dec30th, 2004

Edited February 5, 2007 by mylove69 (see edit history)

[Tine & Ella]

Always glad to be able to help fellow CFL members.

 

Tine