Invitation letter for MIL2B and friends to come to wedding in USA... need help.

[mendeleyev]

This was filed for my MIL's visit for the upcoming wedding of our oldest daughter.  We don't yet know if it will be successful:


 
United States Embassy Officer
Bolshoy Deviatinsky Pereulok No. 8
Moscow 121099, Russian Federation
 
Dear Honorable Embassy Officer; 

My name is xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx, and I reside at xxxxxxxxxx Address xxxxxx Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona zip code, USA.  I am a United States citizen (passport #xxxxxxxxxxx).  I am successfully employed as a journalist specializing in the areas of Eastern Europe for the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx media group.

I am requesting that you issue a tourist (B-2) visa to my mother-in-law, (name xxxxxxxxxx/Russian passport #xxxxxxxxxx), in order to allow her to attend the wedding of our oldest daughter in the United States.

Name xxxxxxxxxx owns a home in Moscow, a summer dacha in Volgograd and enjoys a successful career teaching at xxxxxxx University in Moscow.  She has bank accounts at Bank xxxxxxxx.  You will see from her passport that she is well-traveled in Europe and Africa and has faithfully returned to Russia as scheduled at the conclusion of each visit.  The list of her extended family in Russia is extensive and our youngest daughter, currently a student at Moscow State University, lives with her.

She will be visiting with us from (day-month to day-month) for the wedding of our eldest daughter, (name xxxxxxxx, who will be married at xxxxxxxxxxxx Russian Orthodox Church, on Sunday, day-month-year.  Naturally we wish for her to be present at the wedding.

During her stay in the United States, she will stay in my home at the address stated above.  I will bear all responsibilities including, but not limited to, financial responsibilities within the USA, medical care, housing and food.  In addition to bearing all expenses while in the USA, I will personally guarantee that she will return to Russia at the termination of this visit, prior to her visa expiration and will guarantee that she will not become a public charge on the part of the US government.

Upon the termination of her visit she will return to Russia.

She will be presenting this letter to you, together with other evidence to establish her close ties to Russia, and to assure you that she will return prior to the expiration of her stay in the United States.

I respectfully request you to grant this short tourist visa to my mother-in-law.

Very truly yours, 
 
My Name xxxxx
Street Address xxxxxx
City and State and Zip
USA
Telephone number


To this was attached:
- Letter of employment from my company.
- Copy of wedding invitation.
- Listed 2 references:  Our pastor (a Russian Orthodox priest) and a local Congressman.
- Copy of Travelers Health Ins. policy we had purchased for her.


Not being astute all by myself, I used some links we stumbled across as my guide:
 
http://www.internationalcenter.umich.edu/immig/bvisa/#b2
 
 
http://www.immihelp.com/docs/ltrtoconsulateforb2.html
 
 
http://www.immihelp.com/forms/sample.html
 

[davidbdc]

Each applicant has to stand on his/her own application.  The fact that a US citizen writes an invitation doesn't hurt, but it actually doesn't help too much either.

If the applicant is applying to attend an event, ie Work meeting, sports event, family function, and can prove their attendance, then they stand a good chance of receiving the visa if they can show that either - 1. they have a history of travel outside of Russia, or 2. they have strong ties to their current living situation.

Where you can actually help out is in providing an affidavit of support, form I-134.  This will show your ability to receive, maintain and support the person applying for the visa.  Your legally responsible for up to three years for the individual should they violate their visa and draw any type of benefits from the USA.  You will be required to get a statement from an officer of your bank stating when you opened your account, amount you deposited in the past year, and the amount you currently have.  You must detail other assets, including stocks and bonds and real estate.  You must also acquire a statement from your employer telling how long you've been with the firm, whether your position is temporary or permanent, and your current salary.

Keep in mind that this only addresses ONE area of consideration.  And realistically you should only provide this if it puts you in a positive light.  If you have more than 500K in real assets without debts then it will be a positive in the applicants favor.  If you have between 300-500K in assets and a steady $50K+ job (ie the same job for more than 5 years), then again it is a positive.  Don't meet those asset/income levels then it probably not going to add to the application.

The applicant still needs to show strong ties to Russia and their current living conditions.  In order of importance - 1. Previous travel outside of Russia (especially if he/she has had Schengen Visa).  2. Ownership of property.  3. Steady employment and Western level income, if with US based Multinational its a very big plus - business ownership can actually work against you if its a small business (ie does it really exist and is it really making money?).  4. Family and other ties to your current community and Russia.  5. Age, less than 30 and single and your starting with two strikes.

You should be very conscious that if your helping someone from say Kazan or Samara or Perm or Chelybinsk type of area that you have a big hurdle to jump over. (I'm not picking on those cities just be aware that it is viewed as almost being two Russia's - St Pete/Moscow and then the rest).

good luck

[giants11]

Hey great for the invite I'll be at your wedding.

Cheers!!!

[dbneeley]

Someone posted a copy of an invitation letter for a mother in law to visit at the time of the birth of a child, with part of the reasons to "help with the baby" for the first several weeks.

That can be construed -- and *is* so construed by some consular officials -- as "work" and thus outside of the scope of a tourist visa.

Visiting for the birth of a grandchild is one thing, but I would strongly suggest you don't mention "helping with the baby/household/whatever" in such an invitation letter. You just don't know if the consular officer reviewing the application will hit on that as a reason for rejection or not--so best to leave it out.

With all this business about difficulties getting visas for people to attend the wedding--that simply underscores why I maintain it is often most practical to marry in the FSU to begin with. As I have said before, weddings are more for the bride, and most brides seem to appreciate being married in front of friends and family.

David

[Daveman]

... most practical to marry in the FSU to begin with. As I have said before, weddings are more for the bride, and most brides seem to appreciate being married in front of friends and family.

David

kinda    but I'm too lazy to start another one...

No comment from me on the MIL visa, however, I certainly concur with the sentiment expressed above... the wedding is ALL about the bride and related issues... the guy could be a cardboard cutout placed in various strategic locations throughout the day/ceremony/whatever.  To each his/her own, but to me it makes much more sense to marry in her country and let her have her day in the white gown spotlight with family/friends (especially so if her first marriage, perhaps not as important for a second, but don't kid yourself about it either way, they start "planning" this cra... er... special day at about age 12 or so and you are merely the last piece of the wedding day puzzle to be inserted into the plot to overthrow your sense of importance or even relevance on that particular day  ). 

So, Man up, you K-1 chickens  :evil: