Visa for servant

[mmahadevan]

Hi,
I am a permanent resident. My father is applying for a B-2 visa. We would like him to travel with his servant. What type of visa should the servant be applying for?
Please advise.
MM

[PraetorianXI]

What exactly is a "servant"? what does this person do for your father?

[mmahadevan]

servant

The servant is a housekeeper/domestic help - does all the cooking, cleaning around the house. He ahs been with my family for years and accompanies my father everywhere.

[mmahadevan]

servant

What exactly is a "servant"? what does this person do for your father?

The servant is a domestic help. He does all the cooking and cleaning around the house. He has been with my father for years, and is a paid employee of my father's. My father will be applying for a tourist visa - B-1. What sort of visa should the servant be applying for if were to come with my father?

[waitin_toolong]

it would be B1 as well.

[knowledgeable]

wow! you're rich to be able to import even a servant for you

do note, that you do not use the words like servant in the US. the better terminology would be a house keeper etc.

take care.

[mmahadevan]

servant

I see. But he is not related to us, and lives with my dad as his paid employee. Do I send the same set of documents that I sent for my dad - invitation letter, I-134, bank statements, etc.? How should I describe the relationship in the I-134 for this servant - as a friend or as "servant"? But he is not my servant. he is my father's servant.

[mmahadevan]

visa for my father and his domestic help/housekeeper

it would be B1 as well.

I am confused. My father will be applying for a B-2 visitor's visa. Would his housekeeper apply for a B-2 or a B-1? If the housekeeper were to apply for a B-2, would I need to send I-134 for him as well? If the housekeeper were to apply for a B-1, what sort of documents would I or my father need to submit along with the B-1 application?

Please advise.
Thanks.

[knowledgeable]

Standard documents

The specific relationship is immaterial here. You need the same documents for a visitor visa, including the invitation letter.

Thank you for not using the degrading word.

You can mention this person works for your father and has been a part of the family for a long time, hence you'd like him to accompany your father to the US with him.

Be honest and truthful, but always reply to the point only and not volunteer extra unwanted information.

Take care.

[mmahadevan]

response to Knowledgeable

So, if I understand you correctly, both my father and his domestic help/housekeeper apply for the same visa - B-2 or tourist visas. As a sponsor for the two of them, I send an invitation letter to each along with an I-134 for each, and a letter to the consulate indicating that the hopusekeeper has been with my family for years. Did I get it all?

[PraetorianXI]

Is there a reason why this house keeper needs to travel with your dad? because if he takes care of the house (cleaning, cooking, etc).

And has nothing to do with medical reasons (nurse, or something like that).

There is no reason for this person to come with you dad. Since he is coming to visit you, you should then arrange for his visit. Either hire someone here in the USA or just you take care of what your dad needs.

Every B-2 applicant must overcome 214(b) on their own, even if they have a great sponsor and your dad's employee's income depends on your dad being in his home country. With you dad traveling, it makes little sense for him to travel and not stay back in his country and it may prove hard to show strong ties to a country when his employer is leaving the country.

[mmahadevan]

response to praetorianXI

My father is frail, and I would prefer that he does not travel alone. It would be good for him to travel with someone. Since he has always relied on the housekeeper, both for taking care of the house as well as for taking care of his personal needs such as food, giving him medicines in a timely manner, accompanying him on his walks, etc., I was hoping that the housekeeper could travel with my father and stay with us for the duration of his visit. If this is the case, would you still advise that the housekeeper applies for a B-2 visa? Or should he apply for a B-1 instead?

[PraetorianXI]

B-1 is for business and even though he will be "paid" for this trip. I do not think it falls within a B-1 classification.

B-2 will do. But you better start writing a letter detailing why he needs to travel with your father, with the emphasis on medical reasons.

[orion]

I hope the original poster does realize that taking a housekeeper will be frowned at by the interviewing officer in the same way as when parents or in laws are frowned at when they mention that their daughter or daughter in law is pregnant and they are travelling to help her.

CO will think of this as a loss of job for someone in the United States, in both the cases above. Though the chances look slim, my advise is to prepare and answer with caution, keeping the above in mind.

[waitin_toolong]

US law allows for a domestic servant to be taken along you. How do you think these Princes and other rich people get to take their entourage.

Search the term, it is not illegal and is not considered work in illegal terms. For more information search for th term on USCIS website.

The only requirement is that the minimum wage in US be paid to that person and all applicants need to show sufficient ties and the servant needs to be the servant for at least a year prior to the application date.