Second application - Athens, Greece HELP!

[mywanu]

Quick background: I am a USC married to a Greek citizen, living in Athens. I am residing here on a 5 year residence permit (based on marriage).

First application - summer/2003 - denied. I was residing in the the States and to be honest, we were a little niave about the whole situation. He had just finished his masters in the UK, had not completed his military (mandatory), did not have a full-time job yet (hard to do without you military service completed..) His parents were paying for his ticket ..and she just didn't buy that he was going to return. Looking back, no suprise really.

NOW. We are married (Oct/05) and I would like to take him to the U.S. visit my friends, family & to see my 'home' in Jan/07. Military is completed and he has a full-time job since Feb/06.

- We will only be visiting the U.S. for 10 days ( I will be travelling with him)
- We have a letter from his employer saying that he is a full-time, valued employee and they have granted him this time off for the purpose of visiting the States and is expected to return to work on Jan XX, 2007
- We have our marriage license, my current passport with valid residence permit.

- We do not have a rental agreement, as we are living in his grandmothers old apartment and it's owned by the family.
- I am not currently employed here - language issues.
- I can't say we really have a savings... or make oodles of money. We get by. We are planning on putting the tickets on my credit card and making payments monthly.

Should I have my parents fill out the sponsership form? We will be staying with them for the 10 days that we are there.

Should we take a copy of our bank statement - even if it shows we live month-to-month? Take copies of his parents financial info?

Photos? I have photos of pretty much everything.. Would it help to see that he has met my parents (they travelled to Greece) and our families have met?

What else?!

Please help I am scared to death he will be denied this visa. I realize these interviews are fast, so you have to be precise, polite and to the point.

[peace]

Since visitor visa by law requires non-immigrant intent and consulars construe marriage to a US citizen as an intent to immigrate, it may be hard to get in your case. Unless the two of you can prove beyond doubt
that you have a permanent residence in greece you do not wish to
abandon. The only positive factor here is his permanent job in US.
If you had a job in Greece too and were financially very sound in greece,
he stood a better chance.

Anyway, there is no harm in taking a shot at it.
Do not get any financial sponsorship from US. You could just get an
invitation letter from your parents addressed to the consular,
describing how they want to invite the 2 of you for a 10 day visit.
And show whatever funds you have in the bank to fund the trip. Inability to show even that will go strongly against you. Do not say you will charge the tickets to your card. Borrow the ticket amount from someone in the family
and if the consular really notices that in the bank statement, say that it is a
gift from a family member.

Photos of previous family union will help.

If he does not get the visitor visa, I hope you know that you have a choice of filing for his immigrant visa at the US embassy in Athens.

If you can get at least a one year job in greece with certain specified
categories of employers, your husband can immediately file for US citizenship
after he enters US on his immigrant visa.

Quick background: I am a USC married to a Greek citizen, living in Athens. I am residing here on a 5 year residence permit (based on marriage).

First application - summer/2003 - denied. I was residing in the States and to be honest, we were a little niave about the whole situation. He had just finished his masters in the UK, had not completed his military (mandatory), did not have a full-time job yet (hard to do without you military service completed..) His parents were paying for his ticket ..and she just didn't buy that he was going to return. Looking back, no suprise really.

NOW. We are married (Oct/05) and I would like to take him to the U.S. visit my friends, family & to see my 'home' in Jan/07. Military is completed and he has a full-time job since Feb/06.

- We will only be visiting the U.S. for 10 days ( I will be travelling with him)
- We have a letter from his employer saying that he is a full-time, valued employee and they have granted him this time off for the purpose of visiting the States and is expected to return to work on Jan XX, 2007
- We have our marriage license, my current passport with valid residence permit.

- We do not have a rental agreement, as we are living in his grandmothers old apartment and it's owned by the family.
- I am not currently employed here - language issues.
- I can't say we really have a savings... or make oodles of money. We get by. We are planning on putting the tickets on my credit card and making payments monthly.

Should I have my parents fill out the sponsership form? We will be staying with them for the 10 days that we are there.

Should we take a copy of our bank statement - even if it shows we live month-to-month? Take copies of his parents financial info?

Photos? I have photos of pretty much everything.. Would it help to see that he has met my parents (they travelled to Greece) and our families have met?

What else?!

Please help I am scared to death he will be denied this visa. I realize these interviews are fast, so you have to be precise, polite and to the point.

[mywanu]

Thank you for your quick response.


...but how frustrating!

I do know he will be able to immigrate -- but we don't intend to move to the U.S. for another couple of years. When we do immigrate we will file a DCF. We had hoped to be able to visit once or twice before moving -- especially since some of my family is unable to travel and they haven't met my husband.

The language is a huge barrier right now as far as me getting a job in Greece. I am learning, but I am far from conversational.

Would it be unwise to mention in the interview that we are fully aware of the DCF process and we have every intention of filing for one if/when the time comes and we wish to immigrate? Also, my mother intends to return with us for a 2 week stay in Athens. Would proof of her flight w/ return help with the intent to return to Greece? We have held off purchasing any tickets until after his visa appt. but the fact is either way I will return home for a visit (it's been too long!) and she will be returning with me. I was just waiting to book mine until I could book both mine and my husbands together.



Thanks again...

[peace]

If you mention DCF and intent to immigrate at a later date,
it is like saying to the consular "don't give me the visa".
Any intent to immigrate, whether now or later absolutely precludes
grant of a visitor visa.

If the subject of immigrant visa comes up , your husband's only answer
should be," I do not want to immigrate, and we both want to live in Greece."

YOu can try showing yours and your mom's tickets but I am not sure if they will carry much weight.

I suggest there is no harm in giving it a shot.

Suggestion for the future: Are your aware that under a special law that applies to very few people, and will apply perfectly to your husband if you can get a job at the US embassy or a private US concern in Greece with a contract of at least one year, your husband can become a US citizen in a few months?That will give him freedom to travel to US anytime
as well as to stay and work in greece.

Thank you for your quick response.


...but how frustrating!

I do know he will be able to immigrate -- but we don't intend to move to the U.S. for another couple of years. When we do immigrate we will file a DCF. We had hoped to be able to visit once or twice before moving -- especially since some of my family is unable to travel and they haven't met my husband.

The language is a huge barrier right now as far as me getting a job in Greece. I am learning, but I am far from conversational.

Would it be unwise to mention in the interview that we are fully aware of the DCF process and we have every intention of filing for one if/when the time comes and we wish to immigrate? Also, my mother intends to return with us for a 2 week stay in Athens. Would proof of her flight w/ return help with the intent to return to Greece? We have held off purchasing any tickets until after his visa appt. but the fact is either way I will return home for a visit (it's been too long!) and she will be returning with me. I was just waiting to book mine until I could book both mine and my husbands together.



Thanks again...

[mywanu]

Peace, I've sent you a PM!