Visiting USA

[BC]

Yes I agree that bringing your wife and family over is legitimate.
I didn't deny that.

What I said was that bringing your wife/family over is not a legitimate *tourist* visa application.

There is a very important distinction between the two.

'Bringing them over' for the purpose of immigration is of course not legitimate.

You also *must* indicate the Name, address and relationship of any
person(s) or institutions you will visit.

So if the real intent is to visit someone (your wife, husband, family, boyfriend, girlfriend etc.) you must state this in the application.

What did you say the purpose of the visit was for your first visa application and what ties did your wife/family have to the FSU when they applied?

'Going to a convention in DC then down to parents house for a short visit' (they also provided a letter of invitation).

If I read jb's posts correctly he was basically saying that if the intent of the visit is valid and you have your duckies in a row chances of denial are minimum.

Not really.
A poor single woman from the FSU can have the most honest, sincere intentions to visit a boyfriend in the U.S./Canada etc. and then return home but getting a visa for this is still next to impossible if the application is completely truthful.

jb did qualify by stating his relatives had compelling reasons to return and not immigrate.  This is 'key' and it's the responsibility of the applicant to 'prove it' to the consular officer.  That is universal.

The 'poor honest woman visiting bf' doesn't provide a compelling reason to return.. a good job, active business, home, dependent children, large bank account etc might.  90% is documentation.. A few years of pay statements backed with tax returns probably weighs in a lot more than conjured up 'letter from employer'

[Gylden]

CanadaMan,

In the US there is just the B-1 visa to cover visiting friends.
This visa is referred to as a Business/tourist nonimmigrant visa. If you will be visiting friends/family/bf/gf, going on a tour, etc. It is all the same visa, just you must state the true reason for the visa. If you try to misslead the interviewer, it means you are trying to hide your intentions which sets off doubt about the rest of your intentions.

[Al_C]

My RW got one, fast and easy.

There are no hard standards but instead a matter of degree, and she had all the factors on her side:

1.  Own two apartments in Ekaterinburg and lives in one of them.
2.  Has a long history of responsible international travel.
3.  Has a steady job in Ekaterinburg.
4.  Has money in the bank in Ekaterinburg.
5.  Was able to assert a business reason for travel and wisely made no mention of me.

[CanadaMan]

... This is 'key' and it's the responsibility of the applicant to 'prove it' to the consular officer.  That is universal.

The 'poor honest woman visiting bf' doesn't provide a compelling reason to return.. a good job, active business, home, dependent children, large bank account etc might.  90% is documentation.. A few years of pay statements backed with tax returns probably weighs in a lot more than conjured up 'letter from employer'

I agree 100%.

[CanadaMan]

CanadaMan,

In the US there is just the B-1 visa to cover visiting friends.
This visa is referred to as a Business/tourist nonimmigrant visa. If you will be visiting friends/family/bf/gf, going on a tour, etc. It is all the same visa, just you must state the true reason for the visa. If you try to misslead the interviewer, it means you are trying to hide your intentions which sets off doubt about the rest of your intentions.

Thanks for that Gylden. I'm not as up to par with the U.S. process as with Canada's.
Although the terminology is slightly different, it seems like the two countries have very similar policies/processes, except for the fiancee visa.

[CanadaMan]

1.  Own two apartments in Ekaterinburg and lives in one of them.
2.  Has a long history of responsible international travel.
3.  Has a steady job in Ekaterinburg.
4.  Has money in the bank in Ekaterinburg.
5.  Was able to assert a business reason for travel and wisely made no mention of me.

Ah... yep, I would say you had all of the major bases covered.
With spades. 
That "made no mention of me" was no doubt a wise move, as you said.

[Turboguy]

To me, the tourist visa application costs less than one dinner in Moscow.  It is not likely to have an affect on a K-1 or K-3 filed later and there is so little to lose I think if the lady meets some of the requirements of having a reason to go back there are few reasons not to try it. 

Yes, no family, no job, no property would make it a long shot but that doesn't sound like it is the case.