B2 VISA for a software engineer friend

[balrog1978]

Would appreciate it if anyone could reply..

1) A friend wants to visit me (on H1 status - I have a good bank balance etc) in USA from India. She earns well in India (14 lakhs pa) and was already in USA for sometime on H4 for a couple of months 5 years ago.

Should I sponser her B2 VISA or is should she self sponser? I've heard that sponsoring a visa tends to have negative impact and increase chances of rejection.

2) What should she tell the consul officer if asked for reason of visit? That shes visitng me or tourism? If someone can suggest some tips for her to prepare, it would be REALLLY helpful.

[balrog1978]

(shameless bump)

anyone?

[orion]

Looks like a potential immigrant. What is the actual purpose of her visit?

[balrog1978]

Tourism. She'll be in continental US for a week and return. She's been to the States before - on H4. She was here for 2 months and returned back to India.

[orion]

How are you related to her? Sponsorship by a friend usually does not go down with consualr officers too well, and an H4 stamp will add to the doubt of a intending immigrant.

Collect all ties to home country and give a try, that she genuinely wants to reutrn back home, is her repsonsibility to convince them of that.

[balrog1978]

she's just a friend. Is it better she sponsers herself or does my sponsoring her increases the chances of her getting a VISA?

[orion]

Who sponsors does not matter. But self sponsoring might be looked up as having a good job back home - a tie!

[balrog1978]

Thanks orion - for all your replies. I really appreciate it.

Just one last question in this context : She's married and her husband has a tourist visa as well...would it be prudent for her to self sponser (and then say she and her husband are planning a US visit) or will me sponsering her make any difference (I know you said its a tie between me sponsering her and she self sponsering.. but an answer to this question would put my doubts to rest)