visitor visa for my mother in law

[carpdiem]

Hello,

My mother in law applied for visitor visa from her home country Paksitan. I had sent an affidavit of support and invitation letter to her. She has five kids living with her at this time. Two are married and three are unmarried.

She took her house papers that's on her name, her land property documents, her checking account statements, and her business documents(she owns a family run textile plant) to show her strong ties to Pakistan. Also she told the immigration counsler that she is going to US for 2-3 months to visit us and then she will be returning back home for here 2 sons weddings in Pakistan.
But her visa was denied, saying she needs additional evidence that she will return back home.

Now we are all confused about what else can be additional evidence?
Anyone has been through this? Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot for all you help!

-Sanna

[peace]

She should not have opted for your sponsorship (affidavit of support). Showing a sponsorship is like telling the officer "I cannot afford the trip so my son-in-law is paying for it". If she was financially strong in Pakistan, like running a plant, she could easily afford a short trip to US
and should have mentioned on form DS156 and to the officer that she will
be spending her own money. Your invitation letter only would have sufficed.

Thus the officer saw this contradiction and made a general statement
that he needed more evidence.

Hello,

My mother in law applied for visitor visa from her home country Paksitan. I had sent an affidavit of support and invitation letter to her. She has five kids living with her at this time. Two are married and three are unmarried.

She took her house papers that's on her name, her land property documents, her checking account statements, and her business documents(she owns a family run textile plant) to show her strong ties to Pakistan. Also she told the immigration counsler that she is going to US for 2-3 months to visit us and then she will be returning back home for here 2 sons weddings in Pakistan.
But her visa was denied, saying she needs additional evidence that she will return back home.

Now we are all confused about what else can be additional evidence?
Anyone has been through this? Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot for all you help!

-Sanna

[carpdiem]

She should not have opted for your sponsorship (affidavit of support). Showing a sponsorship is like telling the officer "I cannot afford the trip so my son-in-law is paying for it". If she was financially strong in Pakistan, like running a plant, she could easily afford a short trip to US
and should have mentioned on form DS156 and to the officer that she will
be spending her own money. Your invitation letter only would have sufficed.

Thus the officer saw this contradiction and made a general statement
that he needed more evidence.

Well, We thought that it would be an additional thing to make sure that she is going to be well taken care of during her visit to usa. and her property will be an evidence to go back to her home country!

The officer denied saying she does not have enough evidence that she will return to Pakistan...
How is that related to my affidavit of support? just asking so we can think about applying again or not.....

[peace]

Well, the way I see it, she had strong enough ties to home country
that the officers look for; family, occupation, and good finances. I do not think she needed more evidence.

The only reason for denial I can think of is the affidavit of support, which
many times is counterproductive.

If you can ask your MIL to recall the entire interview in Q and A
form and present it here, then we can analyse further and prepare for next time.
Please also describe yours and your wife's visa status in US.

Well, We thought that it would be an additional thing to make sure that she is going to be well taken care of during her visit to usa. and her property will be an evidence to go back to her home country!

The officer denied saying she does not have enough evidence that she will return to Pakistan...
How is that related to my affidavit of support? just asking so we can think about applying again or not.....

[carpdiem]

Well, the way I see it, she had strong enough ties to home country
that the officers look for; family, occupation, and good finances. I do not think she needed more evidence.

The only reason for denial I can think of is the affidavit of support, which
many times is counterproductive.

If you can ask your MIL to recall the entire interview in Q and A
form and present it here, then we can analyse further and prepare for next time.
Please also describe yours and your wife's visa status in US.

I am a US citizen and my husband came on fiance visa, we had our AOS interview in FEB06 and my husband is still waiting for his green card pending security clearances.
When my mother in law went for interview that how the conversation started:

Immigration Counsler: Has you son received green card yet?(this was the first question)
Mother in law: No, not yet. He had his interview and green card is coming any day now.
Immigration Counsler: When did your son go to US?
Mother in law: In Nov 05.
Immigration Counsler: What does he do in US now a days?
Mother in law: He is working as a software engineer.
Immigration Counsler: How many kids you have and their ages?
Mother in law: 5 sons, one daughter. and tells their ages. 2 son are married and three son and daughter are single.
Immigration Counsler: You won't be coming back if we give you visa!
Mother in law: I am just going to visit my son and daughter in law for 2 months , I will come back i have a daughter I am arranging her marriage for... I have my whole rest of family here.
Immigration Counsler: Maam, you need additional evidence to prove that you will come back.

Let me know what you think......
Thanks for your help!

Sanna

[peace]

OK. A few more qs. Sorry , should have asked them the last time.

1. What all documents did the consular look at? The affidavit of
support? Documents relating to the plant she is running? Savings account?Property papers?

2. Is your FIL in Pakistan? Did the officer ask about him?

3. What are the ages of her unmarried kids ?

I am a US citizen and my husband came on fiance visa, we had our AOS interview in FEB06 and my husband is still waiting for his green card pending security clearances.
When my mother in law went for interview that how the conversation started:

Immigration Counsler: Has you son received green card yet?(this was the first question)
Mother in law: No, not yet. He had his interview and green card is coming any day now.
Immigration Counsler: When did your son go to US?
Mother in law: In Nov 05.
Immigration Counsler: What does he do in US now a days?
Mother in law: He is working as a software engineer.
Immigration Counsler: How many kids you have and their ages?
Mother in law: 5 sons, one daughter. and tells their ages. 2 son are married and three son and daughter are single.
Immigration Counsler: You won't be coming back if we give you visa!
Mother in law: I am just going to visit my son and daughter in law for 2 months , I will come back i have a daughter I am arranging her marriage for... I have my whole rest of family here.
Immigration Counsler: Maam, you need additional evidence to prove that you will come back.

Let me know what you think......
Thanks for your help!

Sanna

[carpdiem]

OK. A few more qs. Sorry , should have asked them the last time.

1. What all documents did the consular look at? The affidavit of
support? Documents relating to the plant she is running? Savings account?Property papers?

2. Is your FIL in Pakistan? Did the officer ask about him?

3. What are the ages of her unmarried kids ?

First he looked at our AOS letter copy, my husband's EAD and advance parole copies.... he reviwed them for quite a while.. then he went through affidavit of support and my mother-in-law's bank accounts and propert documents very briefly....
My father in law passed away very long ago... we had that written in the visa application as my mother in law's status was widowed... so he didn't really ask anything about that...
Her son are 31, 29, 28 and daugher is 26.

Thanks,

Sanna

[peace]

Ok , here are the reasons for denial in my opinion;

1.Her family ties are really not strong enough as I thought before.
First of all she is a widow, and secondly all her single children are adults
and in view of the officer, capable of independent life. So there is nothing
VERY compelling in her family to bring her back.Coming back to get her single children married is not compelling enough.

2. Remember the consular asked her when her son went to US. Going to meet your son only 10 months after he left is a bit early. Also 2-3 months is long for someone running a plant in Pakistan. It makes the officer think that she is desperate to go and settle there. She should have applied in 2007.

3. Affidavit of support.
In view of the officer, you only ask for support when you cannot afford it
yourself , which means you really do not have strong financial ties with home country. And it also indicates that you might want to settle down in US with the help of your sponsor when there are other indicators to that intent.

By saying that " more evidence is required" actually means " the evidence
you presented is not enough to convince me."

I suggest she apply in 2007, maybe in march, april or later. The more time she gives it, it will show that she is not desperate to go. And if there is
a ceremony in your family in US in 2007, that will be a good time to apply.
And the next time, she should show that she is spending her own money.
DO NOT send an AOS. Only send an invitation letter.
She does not have strong family ties but she does have strong occupational
ties in terms of the plant she is running. The next time she should say she has to go for a visit of one month as she has to look after the running of
her plant.

First he looked at our AOS letter copy, my husband's EAD and advance parole copies.... he reviwed them for quite a while.. then he went through affidavit of support and my mother-in-law's bank accounts and propert documents very briefly....
My father in law passed away very long ago... we had that written in the visa application as my mother in law's status was widowed... so he didn't really ask anything about that...
Her son are 31, 29, 28 and daugher is 26.

Thanks,

Sanna

[carpdiem]

Ok , here are the reasons for denial in my opinion;

1.Her family ties are really not strong enough as I thought before.
First of all she is a widow, and secondly all her single children are adults
and in view of the officer, capable of independent life. So there is nothing
VERY compelling in her family to bring her back.Coming back to get her single children married is not compelling enough.

2. Remember the consular asked her when her son went to US. Going to meet your son only 10 months after he left is a bit early. Also 2-3 months is long for someone running a plant in Pakistan. It makes the officer think that she is desperate to go and settle there. She should have applied in 2007.

3. Affidavit of support.
In view of the officer, you only ask for support when you cannot afford it
yourself , which means you really do not have strong financial ties with home country. And it also indicates that you might want to settle down in US with the help of your sponsor when there are other indicators to that intent.

By saying that " more evidence is required" actually means " the evidence
you presented is not enough to convince me."

I suggest she apply in 2007, maybe in march, april or later. The more time she gives it, it will show that she is not desperate to go. And if there is
a ceremony in your family in US in 2007, that will be a good time to apply.
And the next time, she should show that she is spending her own money.
DO NOT send an AOS. Only send an invitation letter.
She does not have strong family ties but she does have strong occupational
ties in terms of the plant she is running. The next time she should say she has to go for a visit of one month as she has to look after the running of
her plant.

We are planning to apply for her again, and I am thinking should she apply now for a visit visa or wait 4-5 months and apply for to see a new baby coming in the family. I am having a baby in December. Would that help or hurt her application? any ideas?

Thanks,

Sanna