previous US visa detail during online application

[drummersteve]

hi,

I am helping a friend fill out her online visa application for B2 medical visa. She used to be a green card holder, but has lost her residence status (she moved back to her birth country of Ecuador and has not returned to the USA for over 20 years). Similarly, she no longer has possession of the physical green card.

Within the application form, there is a question asking whether she has ever held a US visa. Would the green card be classed as this? There is no place in the application form that asks if she has ever been a LPR, only if you are a citizen or if she has ever held a visa (she is not/has never been a citizen, as she does not hold a passport for the USA, and again there is no suggestion that green card/LPR equals having had a visa).

In the previous travel to the USA, we have included the long periods that she was there (i.e. since she was 16 years old, she remained there for 13 years, which is when she received her green card). She then returned to Ecuador for occasional holidays, which we have included as returning to the USA. We just need to know if we need to include having the green card in the previous US visas section

Thank you!

[Libra_14]

One of the basic requirement for an B2 visa is to prove strong ties to your home country. Holding an GC earlier, shows that she might apply for the same again & B2 might be rejected.

[drummersteve]

Thanks for your response. She is from Ecuador and lived here until her 20's, until moving to the USA and marrying. She then divorced her husband and moved back to Ecuador having spent almost 15 years in the USA, and has lived in Ecuador for the past 20+ years until this day. She has many strong ties - she is the only one of her siblings who lives here to take care of her elderly mother. All of her children also live in Ecuador (including myself). She is pretty severely disabled, and receives her disabled benefit from the government of Ecuador, along with her pension. She has absolutely no intention of renewing her green card - her only desire is to go and receive the treatment she needs in the USA. We have doctors notes from both the doctors here saying that the treatment isn't available in Ecuador, and also a note from the USA doctor stating our discussions and that he his prepared to treat her.

I just don't want to put 'NO' in the previous visa category, if in fact a green card is classed as a visa in this question. Thank you!

[Libra_14]

USA embassy goes by the rules defined for them by Govt. Medical reason will definitely be a plus.

Green card is NOT classified as a visa, so you can put a "NO" there.

[drummersteve]

Excellent thank you!