Tourist Visa - Why not try or bad idea?

[BeSmart]

I've done an extensive search and gathered a lot of info from you all on this so thanks in advance. I just wanted to ask this question a slightly different way.

I went to meet Oksana in August. Everything was great and on our last night we tossed around the idea of trying for a tourist visa. Kind of a "Why not try?" thing.

She's from Sevastopol Ukraine, she's young, 3rd year in university with plans to graduate, parents are doing just fine financially. She's never traveled anywhere except Russia to visit her sister in Moscow. She has an international passport.

I think I already know what you all will say. Highly unlikely. But apparently it happens.

So would you consider it a "why not give it a try?" thing? I don't mind paying the couple hundred or so. She's a good girl and our friend and interpreter would handle everything anyway. 

If by chance she did get the visa and spent a month with me, what are your opinions on this? It sounds like a good thing to spend some real life time together before considering marriage, but could there be any reasons that it would be a bad idea?

And if she was denied the tourist visa, would it in any way effect her possible later application for a fiance visa?

[roykirk]

I think I'm one of the few people here who has managed to get a tourist visa for their girlfriend, in recent memory at least, so I'll start it off.  Maybe Blues Fairy will have some input as well as I know she had a B-2 before she moved here.

For us, it worked out wonderfully.  My gf had said from the beginning that she would have a very difficult time agreeing to marriage without knowing what my country was like personally.  She wanted to see how I lived, what my community was like, who my friends were, etc.  Certainly, she could have done that with a fiance visa, but considering the hassle of quitting a good job, selling the house, and packing up everything you own, only to find out you don't like it here before marriage, was more than I was willing to ask her (or anyone) to commit to.  So obviously there was a lot of pressure on us when it came to applying for the B-2 tourist visa.  Although maybe she would have changed her mind (on agreeing to marriage before seeing the US), I felt like if we were refused it was going to be very hard for us to progress further in our relationship.  Obviously, it was approved.  She spent much of the summer here with me, she fell in love with the place and with my family, and now we're starting the K-1 process so she can move here permanently and we can get married.   

As to your other question about rejection of a B-2 affecting a future K-1, I've asked this question myself a while ago.  It seemed the general consensus was that a rejection of a B-2 would NOT affect a future K-1 application.

[Jooky]

I've known quite a few Russian girls that came to the US on a tourist visa. I think you should give it a shot.

She should state that her parents will fund her trip and she can present documents to show they are capable of doing so. Since doesn't have property of her own and hasn't travelled much, I think her chances are slim, but her having one year to graduate may be good enough reason for her to return home.

As long as she is honest answering any questions, a refusal won't affect a future K-1. I can't think of any reason why having her spend a month with you on a tourist visa would be a bad idea.

So go ahead. She could have a year long multi-entry visa in a few weeks. Or if she's refused, at least you'll have your answer. 

[GoodOlBoy]

Hello everyone. I am new to your "community" and this is my first post.
Just my 2 cents worth, but if she can get a visa to visit you somehow, GO FOR IT!
My personal opinion about the "rules" (90 days or go home) our government has setup for the Fiancee Visa is totally ridiculous and it really puts a guilt trip on you if you don't marry her.

[BeSmart]

Roykirk, That's really great to hear! Glad it worked out like that for you. A similar situation would be ideal for Oksana and I.

Did your girlfiend have a similar situation as mine?

And did you take care to remain out of the equation when she was applying? I understand she has to prove that she can fund the trip and have a reason to return, but I have also read that it would be bad if they knew she had a love interest or a guy who would take care of her while she was here.

[groovlstk]

I understand she has to prove that she can fund the trip and have a reason to return, but I have also read that it would be bad if they knew she had a love interest or a guy who would take care of her while she was here.

Absolutely correct, and with good reason. A girl coming here on a tourist visa to visit a love interest (without having a K1 on file, at least) is a huge risk to violate the terms of her visa, admitting such up front is as good as writing "terrorist" in her visa application's occupation field.

[roykirk]

Roykirk, That's really great to hear! Glad it worked out like that for you. A similar situation would be ideal for Oksana and I.

Did your girlfiend have a similar situation as mine?

And did you take care to remain out of the equation when she was applying? I understand she has to prove that she can fund the trip and have a reason to return, but I have also read that it would be bad if they knew she had a love interest or a guy who would take care of her while she was here.

No, my girlfriend's situation was a bit different.  She owned her own place, and had received two previous Schengen visas to Europe, and had also traveled to several other countries.  I think this was important evidence to show them that she had a history of visiting other places and returning home.  She also had a high paying job (relative to the Russian average anyway), a decent nest egg in the bank, and multiple close family members remaining in Russia. 

I actually did not remove myself from the equation completely when she applied for the visa.  This was a calculated risk that we dodged a bullet on.  I figured that if she told them she knew no one in the U.S., they were going to expect evidence of hotel reservations, travel agency paperwork, etc.  It seemed like more hassle than it was worth.  So she put me down in her visa application as a "friend" who had invited her to the U.S. and with whom she would be staying during her visit.  We decided that if they asked about me at the interview, she would simply deny we had a romantic relationship (I even told her to tell them I was gay...whatever it took to ease their mind).  As it turned out, they didn't ask a single question about me. 

[BeSmart]

Absolutely correct, and with good reason. A girl coming here on a tourist visa to visit a love interest (without having a K1 on file, at least) is a huge risk to violate the terms of her visa, admitting such up front is as good as writing "terrorist" in her visa application's occupation field.

So then what's the reason she is comming? They must ask. And where will she stay? Am I just a friend that she happened to meet while I was on vacation who said, "Sure, come to the US, you can stay at my place."?

[roykirk]

So then what's the reason she is comming? They must ask. And where will she stay? Am I just a friend that she happened to meet while I was on vacation who said, "Sure, come to the US, you can stay at my place."?

Good questions!     Her "official" reason for coming to the U.S. was to improve her English since she works in a consulting business where she has to sometimes deal with international clients.  As I noted, they didn't ask about me at all, but our detailed cover story was that we had met while on vacation and that I had told her she had a place to stay if she ever visited the United States.

[Blues Fairy]

B-2 is certainly doable and in case of failure will not dampen your girls' K-1 chances. 

The surest way to succeed is to have her obtain a personal invite letter from an established friend or relative residing in the U.S., preferably a citizen.  Do not write the invitation yourself, and make sure she doesn't tell the CO of your existence.

On her part, she will have to present solid proof of ties to Russia and intent to return home.  Proof of ongoing education in a university is the best bet for an unmarried girl.  If she owns part of her folks' apartment, she might want to show that, too. 

[Sculpto]

I am very interested in this topic.  My current "correspondent" just tried to get a visa as a journalist, which she is, though for a student newspaper.  They told her she needed an invitation from a paper in the USA which I have not been able to get for her. 

She has some money in the bank but no real property and has never left Russia.  Her father is currently undergoing cancer treatment.. seems like a reasonable chance???

Opinions please.

[William3rd]

In my opinion, she is DOA because she tried for a journalist visa and was denied. If she has an invitation from a US newspaper or the application had come from Russian newspapers, she would be OK. The tourist visa will also be denied, probably quicker than the journalist visa application was. That was imaginative, though.

Perhaps if she got an invitation from college newspapers, she would have a shot.

You have to realize- they do keep track of apps and keep  a record. Immediately filing under a new category because you didnt make it the first time does not give you extra points with the consulate

[roykirk]

I am very interested in this topic.  My current "correspondent" just tried to get a visa as a journalist, which she is, though for a student newspaper.  They told her she needed an invitation from a paper in the USA which I have not been able to get for her. 

She has some money in the bank but no real property and has never left Russia.  Her father is currently undergoing cancer treatment.. seems like a reasonable chance???

Opinions please.

I also think it will be difficult given her circumstances.  The two big glaring things I see right away are not owning any real property and having never left Russia.  Anything is possible, I suppose, so I wouldn't give up.  But like William said, they do keep track.

[BeSmart]

Thanks guys, this has been extremely helpful. Everyone has thier individual situations but it sound like there are some smart ways we can approach the whole thing to increase the possibilities.

I'm going to talk to her about it and what I've learned and go for it. She doesn't know anyone here so I guess I'll ask my family to sponser her and make sure she understands that it's not about me. Hopefully, her parents financial stability and her student status will convince them she'll come back.

I'll keep you all posted of the events as they unfold.

Hey I just thought of something. What if I put her in touch with my friends, a married couple of over 5 years, she came over from Russia with her daughter. They live close to me. Think them sponsoring her would be better that my 100% American family?

 

[William3rd]

You are reinventing the wheel now.

She was denied a visa. Immediate refiling under another category is a waste of her time and your money. Especially under a tourist visa.

She has shown a desire to be here by the first application. Reinforcing that desire with another application and providing different facts etc has some severe downside risks.

[roykirk]

You are reinventing the wheel now.

She was denied a visa. Immediate refiling under another category is a waste of her time and your money. Especially under a tourist visa.

She has shown a desire to be here by the first application. Reinforcing that desire with another application and providing different facts etc has some severe downside risks.

I think you might be confusing who was refused the visa.  It was "Sculpto" who had the girlfriend refused the visa.  "BeSmart" hasn't even tried yet, but was asking the best way to go about it.  I think his idea of having his married friends write the invitation is probably better than him doing it.

[William3rd]

why- you are right. . . .  never mind. The statements are valid but not applicable to this postings. Thanks for the correction. . .

[Enot]

If she does get a visitor's visa, make sure it is a long term visa.  My wife's friend just got a 10 year visa this month.  I've also heard of 1 year visas.  The maximum length of stay is I think 90 days.

The reason I say get a long term visa is because once she files for a fiancee visa, she will be denied any other sort of temporary visa (vistor, student, work ....).  At least this is what they told my stepson.  He aged out on a K2 and I tried for a student visa.  They denied this visa because he showed intent to stay permanently with a K2.  Once you show intent to stay permanently, all temperary visas will be denied.  Things may have changed now but I doubt it because it was only a few months ago when this happened.

Good luck!