Letter for inviting unmarried sister to USA on B2 visa

[anilcool]

I am looking for advice on what I should mention in the consulate letter while inviting my unmarried sister to the United States.
Myself, and my parents all live in US, and we have become US citizens recently.
Meanwhile my sister is in India, and is looking to visit us here in the USA.
My parents have no income, so I was planning to send the invitation letter thru me.

We were not sure what would help improve her chances of getting a visitor visa in US. Should we say:
1) We are inviting her to visit places like Las Vegas, NY together with us, OR
2) We want her to visit aging parents whose health is becoming worse, OR
3) Something else.


She has sufficient funds in India to cover her expenses, but should we still say that we will cover her expenses for travel, food, insurance, etc. OR show that she has enough funds to cover her needs in U.S.?

[HFM1919]

any invitation letter is (a) not required and (b) worthless....your sister has to convince a CO that in spite of her entire close family residing in the US, she will return to her unemployed status or some mediocre job instead of instantly searching for a USC husband....any letter you were to write cannot overcome those hurdles.

[HFM1919]

So many people forget that the COs do not care why one wants to GO to the US, but rather WHY they would LEAVE the US after an appropriate visit, and not work illegally...what letter, a letter that would have NO legal authority over your sister, could you (or worse, an immigration attorney) write that would do this?
Any 'promises' you might make in writing have no legal authority behind them; you have no legal authority over your sister and could not legally force her to comply with our laws nor make her board an airplane in order to return to India. Invitation letters are little more than window dressing and cannot make a weak case strong nor a bad case good.

[rkk09]

I am looking for advice on what I should mention in the consulate letter while inviting my unmarried sister to the United States.
Myself, and my parents all live in US, and we have become US citizens recently.
Meanwhile my sister is in India, and is looking to visit us here in the USA.
My parents have no income, so I was planning to send the invitation letter thru me.

We were not sure what would help improve her chances of getting a visitor visa in US. Should we say:
1) We are inviting her to visit places like Las Vegas, NY together with us, OR
2) We want her to visit aging parents whose health is becoming worse, OR
3) Something else.


She has sufficient funds in India to cover her expenses, but should we still say that we will cover her expenses for travel, food, insurance, etc. OR show that she has enough funds to cover her needs in U.S.?

Hi Member,
You will need to provide accurate details in the letter. If she is going to see your parents who are in the USA then that is fine reason too. But, the applicant needs to satisfy officer that she will be returning to her home country as soon as her purpose of visit is over and her visit is temporary. And also, the applicant should proof that she has strong tie up with her home country.
Of course, funding is very important too. But, it can be either you or applicant. It will not make any difference who is going to take care of expense.
Please make sure all of these things and proceed ahead.
All the best.
Thanks

[HFM1919]

which is exactly what I said...most invitation letters that B2 applicants present are not even read, because they have absolutely no value whatsoever.

[Libra_14]

which is exactly what I said...most invitation letters that B2 applicants present are not even read, because they have absolutely no value whatsoever.

Right, to add to that they already have parents information in their database. They do not need that letter for parents.

[HFM1919]

rkk09 is doing you a disservice by implying that if you write just the right things in an invitation letter, all will turn out well for your sister....well, invitation letters have no more positive value for a B2 applicant than a sheet of old newspaper. Invitation letters (a) are not required (b) not read) (c) have no legal binding upon the author (d) cannot exert any legal authority over the applicant ( e) do not bestow any special status to the applicant (f) do more harm than good, as such letters only reinforce the support system in place in the US of A that would/might help the applicant stay put.
Ask yourself how any letter could prevent the applicant from working illegally or falling in love 5 minutes after baggage claim?

[HFM1919]

for the disbelievers, from the State Dept's website:

"..........Source from the Department of State website:

https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...t/visitor.html

Quote

Note: Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant's residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa. If you choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember it is not one of the factors used in determining whether to issue or deny the visa.

Q: Can I submit such a letter if I want to?

A: Yes, you can. However, keep it mind that the CO is not required to look at it during the interview. Even if you bring such a letter with you to the interview, the CO has the right to refuse to look at any supporting documentation if they have already made their decision based on other factors. Feel free to bring as many supporting documents as you like, but don't be surprized if the CO turns them away or does not even ask to see them.



Q: If I decide to submit such a letter, will it help get the visa approved?

A: It is up to the CO to decide based on the strong ties and overall circumstance of the applicant if they are approved or not. If you apply without the "sponsorship letter" and are rejected, do not assume the reason for the rejection was the lack of such a letter. CO's are mostly interested in looking for strong ties to the home country that help the applicant overcome the burden of intent to immigrate. You are always welcome to reapply again with or without the "sponsorship letter" but keep it mind since it is not required, it can in no way guarantee approval for a visa.



Q: I want my relative/friend to visit me in the US. I will be the one paying for their trip here. Is there anything I can do to ensure that they get a visa?

A: Every applicant must apply on their own merits and show strong ties. As mentioned above, you are welcome to provide supporting documents showing that you are inviting this person to the US and will pay for their trip, but the CO is not required to consider it during the interview.



Q: I know someone who was approved and they brought a "sponsorship letter" with them. Isn't that proof that it means you will get approved if you provide one?

A: Every case is determined and approved according to the individual applicant's unique scenario. Just because someone was approved and they had such a letter does not mean it was the deciding factor for the approval. There is no "sure fire" way to guarantee approval of a tourist visa.



Q: I want my fiance(e)/spouse to apply for a tourist visa. What are the chances that they get approved? Is there anything I can do to increase approval chances for them, such as write a letter of support/sponsorship?

A: No, there is nothing you can do to increase chances of approval for a spouse or finance(e) of a US citizen. Keep in mind that being married or engaged to a US citizen significantly increases the suspicion of intent to immigrate, so getting approved for a tourist visa in these circumstances is extremely difficult. Bring as much evidence of strong ties as possible to the interview but keep in mind the CO is not obligated to look at it during the interview or consider it when making the decision. A "support" or "sponsorship" letter is not a requirement but may be submitted with said evidence.



TL;DR: There is no requirement for a "sponsorship letter" for visitor visas. You can submit one if you like, but the CO is not obligated to look at it or consider it when making the decision to approve or deny a visitor visa.



__________________________________________

Please note that the Affidavit of Support Form I-864 s not only not required for a visitor visa, but submitting one can make the applicant appear like they have intentions to immigrate to the US, which could increase suspicions of the applicant's intent (as the I-864 is used to sponsor family members to immigrate to the US.) Thus, do not ever submit an Affidavit of Support when applying for a visitor visa as it is completely irrelevant to the visitor visa process and could increase suspicion of intent to immigrate.

[rkk09]

rkk09 is doing you a disservice by implying that if you write just the right things in an invitation letter, all will turn out well for your sister....well, invitation letters have no more positive value for a B2 applicant than a sheet of old newspaper. Invitation letters (a) are not required (b) not read) (c) have no legal binding upon the author (d) cannot exert any legal authority over the applicant ( e) do not bestow any special status to the applicant (f) do more harm than good, as such letters only reinforce the support system in place in the US of A that would/might help the applicant stay put.
Ask yourself how any letter could prevent the applicant from working illegally or falling in love 5 minutes after baggage claim?

Hi HFM1919,
I am not doing any disservice. What ever experience I have, with that, I am sharing to the people.. I can not just simply tell that, Invitation letter wont be helpful in any way. I could see many people saying they have asked invitation letter by Officer. More over, I also had same experience personally.
I really disagree your statement that you mentioned as "Invitation letters (a) are not required (b) not read)"

Please see below details as per DOS. As per this, documents may require.. But, I agree documents will alone determine the approval or deny. But it may support.
Please suggest, If anything wrong I understood.

Additional Documentation May Be Required

Review the instructions for how to apply for a visa on the website of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will apply. Additional documents may be requested to establish if you are qualified. For example, additional requested documents may include evidence of:

• The purpose of your trip,
• Your intent to depart the United States after your trip, and/or
• Your ability to pay all costs of the trip.

Evidence of your employment and/or your family ties may be sufficient to show the purpose of your trip and your intent to return to your home country. If you cannot cover all the costs for your trip, you may show evidence that another person will cover some or all costs for your trip.

Hope you will agree this time and thanks for your honor.
Thanks

[HFM1919]

I am a retired CO, who has interviewed tens of thousands of applicants....and invitation letters are entirely worthless..we don't interview papers; we interview people. Note the key word above in most of the sentences......"may be sufficient, may show...'' no piece of paper, no matter how many times notarized or by whom it was written, can turn a weak case into a strong one...COs with more than 10 minutes of experience will not even look at some useless invitation letter except for amusement when making a decision. You have NO experience adjudicating visas; I have more than 20 years of it....right up front, at the windows.....one of the first ideas taught to new COs during their training is to understand that you should never interview documents. Nothing written in a letter is legally binding and enforceable upon anyone. Saying something on paper is meaningless. Letters cannot prove the intent of an applicant nor bestow credibility and honesty upon them.
To even remotely suggest otherwise is a disservice to the audience giving them false hopes. Whenever I asked to see some letter, it was not for the benefit of the applicant, but rather to note the glaring holes in their story and to set aside to share with colleagues on Friday afternoons to help teach new COs how to avoid being drawn into a poor decision by believing any such letter.
Immigration attorneys like to sell such drivel to idiots who are billed several hundred dollars for same only to discover how valueless it was....saying some people who brought letters were approved is like saying those who wore blue shirt or blouse were approved, so wearing blue will get you a visa...sorry...there are no shortcuts, no unique pieces of paper that when presented will work wonders upon a good CO...any document can be forged or created on a word processor, rendering all documents essentially suspect, which is why good COs do not make positive decisions based on paper.....period.

[rkk09]

I am a retired CO, who has interviewed tens of thousands of applicants....and invitation letters are entirely worthless..we don't interview papers; we interview people. Note the key word above in most of the sentences......"may be sufficient, may show...'' no piece of paper, no matter how many times notarized or by whom it was written, can turn a weak case into a strong one...COs with more than 10 minutes of experience will not even look at some useless invitation letter except for amusement when making a decision. You have NO experience adjudicating visas; I have more than 20 years of it....right up front, at the windows.....one of the first ideas taught to new COs during their training is to understand that you should never interview documents. Nothing written in a letter is legally binding and enforceable upon anyone. Saying something on paper is meaningless. Letters cannot prove the intent of an applicant nor bestow credibility and honesty upon them.
To even remotely suggest otherwise is a disservice to the audience giving them false hopes. Whenever I asked to see some letter, it was not for the benefit of the applicant, but rather to note the glaring holes in their story and to set aside to share with colleagues on Friday afternoons to help teach new COs how to avoid being drawn into a poor decision by believing any such letter.
Immigration attorneys like to sell such drivel to idiots who are billed several hundred dollars for same only to discover how valueless it was....saying some people who brought letters were approved is like saying those who wore blue shirt or blouse were approved, so wearing blue will get you a visa...sorry...there are no shortcuts, no unique pieces of paper that when presented will work wonders upon a good CO...any document can be forged or created on a word processor, rendering all documents essentially suspect, which is why good COs do not make positive decisions based on paper.....period.

Hi HFM1919,
I understand. We are here to share our experience with others. I agree that, Consular Officers will not adjudicate visas based on only the documents. But, what my argument is, documents also would be helpful in some time which happened for me.
As you well aware, sometimes Consular Officers are asking applicants to send the documents upon issuing 221G notice. carrying one piece of documents will not make any issues to applicants. whether it will help or not, sometimes if they ask any supporting documents it can be shown.
That's what I wanted to say. Hope you will agree.
Apologies, if I am wrong in any way.
Thanks

[HFM1919]

applicants seeking immigrant visas and certain work visas (H1b) may well be asked for certain documents, but invitation letters will not be the focus of such interviews. Immigrant visa interviews/adjudications are largely document-driven; tourist/student visas (and a couple others) are more subjectively adjudicated. I never ever approved any applicant's B2 application because they gave me a piece of paper.

[HFM1919]

to demonstrate the uselessness of invitation letters, let's examine the following:
a- if an American BF writes in his letter that he will pay for the trip, but doesn't, can he be arrested and prosecuted? NO
b- if an American BF 'guarantees' that the foreign GF will return to her country, and she doesn't, will the American BF be prosecuted? NO
c- does the American BF have legal authority over his foreign GF once she enters the US? NO
d- if the American BF writes that he will 'make sure' that his foreign GF won't work illegally, but she does, will the BF be prosecuted? NO
Since such letters are not legally binding upon anyone, what conceivable value can they have?
and if you re-read what I copied from the State Dept, notice that no mention was made of an invitation letter being a requirement nor an object that would be given any weight during an interview.....

[HFM1919]

(you can substitute any other person for the American BF in my above examples)

[rkk09]

Hi HFM1919,
Thanks for the response with detailed explanation. Your experience sharing was really helpful and understandable.