Parents tickets and visa stamp

[srian]

My parents have got their visa and plan to come to US next month. My father intends to stay in US for only 1 month while mother would want to stay for 6 months for my delivery.
1)Can someone please advise if it is better to purchase tickets for my father with return date after a month OR purchase ticket with return date after 6 months and then pay some penalty and prepone his tickets for a date after 1 month.

I am concerned about this because at the US airport if it would have any impact on my mother being granted permisssion to stay for 6 months ( stamp on her passport) if my father says he wants to stay in US for only 1 month while my mother wants to stay for 6 months.

Anyone who has any idea please advise asap, as i my parents needs to purchase their tickets asap.

[knowledgeable]

Return Open

Almost all airlines now give "return open" tickets.

Still, make sure your father's return dates do not fall in peak season, else he will have a difficult time getting confirmation, even with open tickets.

Do understand from your travel agent, on how the FARE CLASS works.

Good luck.

[srian]

same

Thanks for the response. Since the travel agent could not issue open tickets, and also for Lufthansa travels they do charge the penalty chnage fees, i went ahead and purchased tickets for my parents with return date for my father being one monthe after his arrival and return date for my mother being 5 1/2 months after her arrival. Now i am concerned if the officer would check the tickets for return dates at POE. And if my father is asked for his duration of stay what would be suggest for him toanswer?

1) Can he say as 1 month as he has some work to get back to?( he is retired though) ( his return ticket is dated one month after his arrival)
OR

2) Should he say as around 6 months, and if so in case his itenerary is checked or he is asked for his return ticket date, what must he say? since his return date is one month after arrival.

Also will both the parents be called together at the counter for visa stamp on their passports if they travel together? In anycase my parents would say that my mother wants to stay for 6 months.

Please advise.Has anyone had any experience with the parents return ticket dates being different and they being permitted the nunmber of days to stay in US on their passport?

Thanks

[waitin_toolong]

No issues with the dates. My parents did the same, often it is difficult for working dad's to stay long and they return earlier, don't worry unnecessarily.
If asked for explanation stick to the truth as much as possible

[srian]

Same

Thanks. But in my case my father is not working ( he is currently retired), but however he is working on other assignments on private basis.

So i beleive your mother was given long term visa ( abt 6 months ) while your father had aksed for short duration visa for himself. Please let me know how long were your parents granted permission to stay.

I was planning that my father can tell as 6 months when asked, and in case his return dates are seen and questioned, then he could always tell that he would postpone his ticket since its valid for 6 months and that at the time of purchasing the tickets he had some other plans due to some work which is why he purchased for return date after month and that now things have changed he wants to spend more time in US.

Please let me know if the above answer makes any sense or if it is better to just stick to truth and tell that he has some work for which he needs to get back or that his old aged mother is not keeping well,so he has to return as soon as he could.

I would also appreciate if you could let me know if generally parents are called to the counter together for their visa stamp on their passports.

[waitin_toolong]

They both got the same 6 months and neither stayed the entire time, my dad left after weeks mom after 3 months.

It is rare that the return tkts are checked.
Even though your dad has retired from his traditional job he is still working in a sense. so yes he can mention that.

Why nitpick each and everything.

He can say that he has some responsibilities as well as interests at home, and cannot afford to stay longer than a month. But your mom wants to spend longer time with you.

Chances of further inquiry is very low. They normally just ask you to present passport and I-9.

Keep rest of the papers handy but not easily visible, one person can hold the passport, i usually say that keep the I-94 on the visa page, and hand it over while the other person can hold the papers to produce if required. Or if they feel comfortable then keep all documents in the easily accessible pocket of hand baggage.

Give only the documents needed or asked for. Too much info can be bad

[knowledgeable]

Reverse Rarity!

Waitin_TooLong is very correct. Why go into something that's not required.

Come to think, he's right in saying that return tickets are rarely ever checked at the POE. My family members must've made tons of trips back and forth and never have they been asked to present the air tickets.

See your case is a reverse rarity, DO NOT ASK FOR ANYTHING. Just let the good immigration officer do his/her job.

If THEY ask your father specifically how long he wants to stay, he can specify that he will stay for a month only, but immediately add that your mother who is with him will like to stay for the six month allowable period.

See, this is tricky, if your father volunteers to say that he wants to stay for one month only, the immigration officer may give the same time limit for your mom too!

Most of the time, people want to EXTEND their stay and not shorten it. United States is always happy if people leave early not the other way around!

Good luck, have fun and just take it easy.

[srian]

Same

Thanks for the responses. I would ask my father not to mention the duration he wants to stay unless asked. However if he is asked i am somehow leaning more towards he answering that he would like to stay for 6 months same as my mother and when his tickets are checked and questioned my father saying that he would be postponing his return date, since at the time of purchasing tickets he had bought for a one month return date for himself due to some reasons at that time and now things have changed so he wants to spend more time as his mother with his daughter. I would appreciate if you can let me know the drawbacks by answering this way as to why this is not suggested.

Else as an other option i would go ahead with the answer that he wants to stay for a month and immediately adding on that my mother wants to stay for 6 months only if he is asked the duration they intend to stay.

By the way can someone please tell me if both parents will be called together at the counter to get the visa stamp on their passports at the POE, or is it one at a time?

[waitin_toolong]

parties traveling together are called together

[knowledgeable]

you're too much worried

you worry too much. the tickets are never checked and if they're you can still tell that you can easily get them extended.

else, just explain everything clearly.

herein lies one problem, communication. many a time foriegn parents cannot understand us immigration official's accent and vice versa. if this happens ...