Inon

I am planning on bringing my mother-in-law on visitor visa. However, my H1-B is upto
Nov, 2001 for which I am filing an extension (as per AC21). Please help with the
following:

1. What are the documents I need to show/present to US Consulate from where she will
be applying for Visitor Visa.
2. Since my H1-B is till Nov 2001, is she going to get visitor visa till my H1-B
date? Can I write a letter to US consulate explaining about my H1-B extension?
3. Can I ask visitor visa for one year or more?

All help is highly appreciated.

Sylvia Ottemoeller

inon wrote:

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If you can, you should check the website of the U.S. consular post where she will
apply for the visa.

Here are some sites:

http://travel.state.gov/visa;visitors.html http://travel.state.gov/visadenials.html

http://www.visalaw.com/00jan2/12jan200.html (contains a link leading to a version of
form OF 156, and to websites of individual U.S. consular posts)
http://home.earthlink.net/~valerie0/visitorvisa.html
http://www.mypage.onemain.com/aswin/imm/visitor.htm (contains a link to a sample
letter of invitation)

The last two sites recommend the filing of Form I-134, Affidavit of Support. I don't
think I-134 is always necessary, though certain consulates may require it. It would
be good for the applicant to show she has enough money for the trip expenses in her
bank account, and for you to make a statement in the invitation letter that you will
cover your mother-in-law's expenses while she is visiting you. See
http://www.imminfo.com/Nonimmigrants...20parents.html.

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Your H-1B status is irrelevant to the validity of her visitor's visa. Her visa will
be issued based on reciprocity. See
http://www.travel.state.gov/reciprocity/index.htm.

Can I write a letter to US consulate explaining
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You probably should not make a big deal out of this. Just mention it briefly in your
letter of invitation.

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You cannot ask for anything. Your mother-in-law asks for the visa. The validity of
the visa is controlled by reciprocity, and for certain countries, by how much the
applicant is willing to pay in visa fees. See Russia, for example.

Inon

Sylvia Ottemoeller, Thank you very much for the elaborate and very informative
response. I appreciate your time and help.

Inon

Thomas and Lidia Goodwin, here I am pasting my previous posting and it's response.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
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    >
    >
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If you can, you should check the website of the U.S. consular post where she will
apply for the visa.

Here are some sites:

http://travel.state.gov/visa;visitors.html http://travel.state.gov/visadenials.html

http://www.visalaw.com/00jan2/12jan200.html (contains a link leading to a version of
form OF 156, and to websites of individual U.S. consular posts)
http://home.earthlink.net/~valerie0/visitorvisa.html
http://www.mypage.onemain.com/aswin/imm/visitor.htm (contains a link to a sample
letter of invitation)

The last two sites recommend the filing of Form I-134, Affidavit of Support. I don't
think I-134 is always necessary, though certain consulates may require it. It would
be good for the applicant to show she has enough money for the trip expenses in her
bank account, and for you to make a statement in the invitation letter that you will
cover your mother-in-law's expenses while she is visiting you. See
http://www.imminfo.com/Nonimmigrants...20parents.html.

    >
    >

Your H-1B status is irrelevant to the validity of her visitor's visa. Her visa will
be issued based on reciprocity. See
http://www.travel.state.gov/reciprocity/index.htm.

Can I write a letter to US consulate explaining
    >

You probably should not make a big deal out of this. Just mention it briefly in your
letter of invitation.

    >

You cannot ask for anything. Your mother-in-law asks for the visa. The validity of
the visa is controlled by reciprocity, and for certain countries, by how much the
applicant is willing to pay in visa fees. See Russia, for example.