Letter for inviting unmarried sister to USA on B2 visa

[HFM1919]

I just don't understand why so many people continue to erroneously believe that some silly letter will or could positively change the outcome of a B2 interview.....while many cultures around the world put great value on documents, the US of A does not, when it comes to applying for many types of non-immigrant visas, most notably the categories subject to INA 214b (the law that presumes immigrant intent of every such applicant). No paper known to mankind can prove non-immigrant intent, nor bestow credibility or trust upon an applicant. Yet so many people keep frantically trying to find out how to draft a letter that would do exactly that...sort of like searching for perpetual motion machines - they don't exist. I've had numerous applicants over the years who got frustrated because I would not look at their silly documents, with many of them blurting out...'I paid $100 for these papers...the least you could do is look at them!!!'...of course, the stunned silence that followed as the applicant realized their error was worth going to work for every day. Many American BFs got furious at me (and my colleagues) when they discovered that their promises had no value whatsoever in the B2 application process, no matter what their alleged pedigree was. Even more were steaming when they found out their congressman or senator could not order us to issue any visa to anyone., no matter how much they may have donated to said legislator. I've had death threats in person and over the phone, been physically assaulted twice, and cursed at countless times....yet I never changed a single decision as a result....nor did I issue one single B2 visa because someone slid some silly invitation letter under the window to me.
At the end of the day, what matters is how the applicant can establish their credibility (and trust) to the satisfaction of the CO....and no piece of paper can do that.

[HFM1919]

When I trained new COs, I discovered that many of them would attempt to 'buy time' before making a tough decision by refusing the application under 221g and asking for some piece of paper....well, when I found that out, more training took place, which sounded something like this:...'please tell me what piece of paper an applicant could bring you that would sway your decision towards a 'yes' and then explain to me how that piece of paper would accomplish that task..."...of course, no one could do that, and so I sent them back to the window and told them, 'make a decision without seeing more documents unless you come to me and review the case..'...most realized their error and went on to adjudicate without stalling for time...
Now, sometimes, an applicant seeking a visa for medical reasons would be sent home to get additional documentation to justify their request, but we would investigate ALL such requests thoroughly to reduce fraudulent requests while protecting the financial interests of American citizens....you can only imagine the number of bogus applications I encountered for people trying to get to the US using some medical excuse as the justification...but no officer I've ever trained sent someone home to get an invitation letter from their significant other or family member.

[pb2au]

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 has provided excellent advice.

First of all, be TRUTHFUL to the consular official. Never lie about your intentions. They are trained to read your body language and spot any inconsistencies.
Documents do nothing to bolster your case. Be upfront and let the chips fall where they may. You may be surprised that honesty often pays off.

[wilson02]

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.

Your extensive experience as a CO highlights the importance of evaluating visa applicants based on their personal merits and credibility during interviews, rather than relying solely on invitation letters or documents. It's a valuable perspective to share, emphasizing that the decision-making process is nuanced and cannot be swayed by mere pieces of paper. The emphasis on the role of personal interviews and experience in adjudicating visas is well-noted.