M. H.

Dear Group,

I'm writing today to see if anyone here may know anything about the process
or steps regarding sponsoring. I have a 2 part question that sort of times
together in a way.

I have been to Bolivia and Peru several times and down the road I plan to
marry someone probably from Bolivia. At that time I would probably want to
sponsor her to come to the USA to know my family, how life here is etc.
before I would make the big commitment of marriage. Naturally I would not
want to get the "Fiancé Visa" since that deals with getting married in the
next 90 days (I think that is right). So I would have to try and sponsor her
so she could come for maybe 2 weeks. (I can't have her here for 3 months or
longer since I can't take this much time off from work). I have talked to
the American Embassy down in La Paz, Bolivia and they say I can't sponsor
someone. But I hear this all the time.... people sponsoring others in other
countries to come here. I learned recently from a Bolivian friend here that
a once mutual friend from Colombia (received political asylum awhile back)
who has an American boyfriend now has her parents sponsored. (The boyfriend
sponsored our friend's parents. So this really throws me off. Maybe people
from Colombia can be sponsored but people from Bolivia aren't allowed to be
sponsored? The person at the American Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia told me if
I want I can write a letter saying I know the person and they are honest
etc. and this person can include that in their application for a Visa. That
does not sound like sponsoring to me.

The other question is as follows. I have a friend here from Bolivia who is
not an American citizen yet. Her son (about 3 or 4 years old) is in Bolivia
and has American citizenship. His mom is constantly working so he can not
live in her apartment. Thus he does not live here and he has never known his
mom. I would like to reunite them for at least a little bit of time so they
can develop a mother -child relationship. I thought maybe I could sponsor my
friend's older sister, whom the young boy lives with. If I could sponsor
this older sister for a 5-10 year Visa (even 6 months), then both could live
with the child's mom and I would help bring much happiness to everyone
involved no matter how short the Visa would be. The older sister is in her
50's I think so it would seem natural immigration would realize this woman
does not want to be here so she can find a job and by coming with her
sisters child, I would hope they would understand this situation clearly.

Is there any way I could sponsor my friend's older sister so she can come to
the USA with her sister's child? (I looked at the child's American passport
and it is legit.) and they can be here for at least 6 months, maybe even
5-10 years? What type of Visas would I try to ask for and what are the
steps? (I have heard of the Tourist Visa and the Student Visa's but don't
know of other kinds). A concern I have is that if I sponsor someone then
maybe I can't sponsor my future girlfriend who I would be possibly engaged
to. I say that because I don't know anything about sponsoring. Can you
sponsor only 1 person for every 5 year period? Maybe 1 person for every 10
years? Can you sponsor more than one person? I would suppose you could
maybe sponsor several people as long as they are a family? I really would
love to get my friends son here to the USA but his aunt would need to be
sponsored and by doing this (if possible), I don't want to jepordize my
future plans for trying to get my future girlfriend here for a vacation.
( Being told, sorry, you can't sponsor anyone. You sponsored someone 2
years ago and your 5 years is not up yet. Come back in 3 more years and you
can sponsor someone again.)

I've been told I can't sponsor people, but I am sure this is false since I
hear about people being sponsored all the time. As for myself, I am an
American citizen, have a steady job with decent pay and hold a Government
Secret Clearance. Any information that people may be able to provide on this
would be much appreciated. Or if you can mention where to go to find out
more I thank you.

Mark

[email protected]

You can write her an "invitation letter" stating the purpose of her
trip and who will finance her trip. She'll present this letter when
applying for a tourist visa.
Your paycheck isn't an issue.

The problem is that she's going to have to convince the embassy that
doesn't intent to immigrate to the US. That will be a difficult task as
    :
- First, she's from a "poor" country.
- Second, your letter will raise the flag that she may try to marry you
right now and stay in the US.

She'll need to bring anything she can to convince the embassy officer :
proof that she owns her house, that she has a job waiting for her after
her trip ...

Good luck

PS: You may want to ask a female of your family (mother, sister) to
write the invitation letter in which she would describe your partner as
being a friend. This way, you could avoid the flag to be raised. But
your partner would have to stay consistant with that during the
interview at the embassy (which may also be pretty difficult).

My last (but not least) advice to you guys: Say the truth, only the
truth - but not all the truth. If asked a question, she should answer
truthfully and briefly - without volunteering any additional
information (that may be potentially used against her).

Good luck

[email protected]

By the way, the US citizen kid will cause a lot of trouble.

I didn't see it before, but that seems almost impossible in those
conditions.

M. H.

Thanks for the information. My friend here in the US who is Bolivian is not
a girlfriend ( and not not my type for marriage.) or fiance, but just a
friend. I would try to state how many years I have known them and it would
seem logical on paper if I had any interest in her, I would have married her
several years ago. As for her sister in Bolivia who is rasing my friend's
son in Bolivia,.... the sister down there is I think in her 50's and I am
35. I'm trying to find someone special who is in their 20's. I am not sure
I follow you as to why the child who is Bolivian, but also American and
living down there would cause lots of problems here. He would have to enter
an elementary school soon here in the states and his aunt would take care of
him while his mom is working during the day and early evening. Can you
elaborate on the points you made here?

Also, do you know if I tried to sponsor my friends sister ( the boys aunt),
how would this hamper me sponsoring a future girlfriend in Bolivia when that
time came along down the road? What are the requirements or rules regarding
sponsoring? I'll always remember the time I went down to Bolivia las year
and met my friends son. His aunt told me that whenever a plane goes over
head he gets excited and asks if his mom is coming back to be with him. He
only knows her by phone and by her photos.

Mark

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] oups.com...
    > By the way, the US citizen kid will cause a lot of trouble.
    > I didn't see it before, but that seems almost impossible in those
    > conditions.

Jonathan McNeil Wong

M. H. wrote:
    > Dear Group,
    >
    > I'm writing today to see if anyone here may know anything about the process
    > or steps regarding sponsoring. I have a 2 part question that sort of times
    > together in a way.
    >
    > I have been to Bolivia and Peru several times and down the road I plan to
    > marry someone probably from Bolivia. At that time I would probably want to
    > sponsor her to come to the USA to know my family, how life here is etc.
    > before I would make the big commitment of marriage. Naturally I would not
    > want to get the "Fiancé Visa" since that deals with getting married in the
    > next 90 days (I think that is right). So I would have to try and sponsor her
    > so she could come for maybe 2 weeks. (I can't have her here for 3 months or
    > longer since I can't take this much time off from work). I have talked to
    > the American Embassy down in La Paz, Bolivia and they say I can't sponsor
    > someone. But I hear this all the time.... people sponsoring others in other
    > countries to come here. I learned recently from a Bolivian friend here that
    > a once mutual friend from Colombia (received political asylum awhile back)
    > who has an American boyfriend now has her parents sponsored. (The boyfriend
    > sponsored our friend's parents. So this really throws me off. Maybe people
    > from Colombia can be sponsored but people from Bolivia aren't allowed to be
    > sponsored? The person at the American Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia told me if
    > I want I can write a letter saying I know the person and they are honest
    > etc. and this person can include that in their application for a Visa. That
    > does not sound like sponsoring to me.
    >
    > The other question is as follows. I have a friend here from Bolivia who is
    > not an American citizen yet. Her son (about 3 or 4 years old) is in Bolivia
    > and has American citizenship. His mom is constantly working so he can not
    > live in her apartment. Thus he does not live here and he has never known his
    > mom. I would like to reunite them for at least a little bit of time so they
    > can develop a mother -child relationship. I thought maybe I could sponsor my
    > friend's older sister, whom the young boy lives with. If I could sponsor
    > this older sister for a 5-10 year Visa (even 6 months), then both could live
    > with the child's mom and I would help bring much happiness to everyone
    > involved no matter how short the Visa would be. The older sister is in her
    > 50's I think so it would seem natural immigration would realize this woman
    > does not want to be here so she can find a job and by coming with her
    > sisters child, I would hope they would understand this situation clearly.
    >
    > Is there any way I could sponsor my friend's older sister so she can come to
    > the USA with her sister's child? (I looked at the child's American passport
    > and it is legit.) and they can be here for at least 6 months, maybe even
    > 5-10 years? What type of Visas would I try to ask for and what are the
    > steps? (I have heard of the Tourist Visa and the Student Visa's but don't
    > know of other kinds). A concern I have is that if I sponsor someone then
    > maybe I can't sponsor my future girlfriend who I would be possibly engaged
    > to. I say that because I don't know anything about sponsoring. Can you
    > sponsor only 1 person for every 5 year period? Maybe 1 person for every 10
    > years? Can you sponsor more than one person? I would suppose you could
    > maybe sponsor several people as long as they are a family? I really would
    > love to get my friends son here to the USA but his aunt would need to be
    > sponsored and by doing this (if possible), I don't want to jepordize my
    > future plans for trying to get my future girlfriend here for a vacation.
    > ( Being told, sorry, you can't sponsor anyone. You sponsored someone 2
    > years ago and your 5 years is not up yet. Come back in 3 more years and you
    > can sponsor someone again.)
    >
    > I've been told I can't sponsor people, but I am sure this is false since I
    > hear about people being sponsored all the time. As for myself, I am an
    > American citizen, have a steady job with decent pay and hold a Government
    > Secret Clearance. Any information that people may be able to provide on this
    > would be much appreciated. Or if you can mention where to go to find out
    > more I thank you.
    >
    > Mark
    >
    >
    >


I see this confusion in terminology from time to time.

When people say "sponsor" someone, sometimes they mean petition for
someone; sometimes they mean submit an affidavit of support for someone;
sometimes they mean invite someone.

These are all different concepts.

If La Paz thought you were asking whether you could petition for her,
the answer was correctly "no", because you aren't fiances, and there is
no petition process for a girlfriend who is not a fiancee.

If La Paz thought you meant, could you provide an affidavit of support,
the answer is yes, but that does not result in a visa; it is just one
way that the visa applicant can satisfy the public charge requirement.
The applicant still has to apply for the visa him/herself and meet all
requirements, including 214(b), nonimmigrant intent, that others have
discussed.

If La Paz throught you meant, could you invite someone, then the answer
is also correct in the sense that an "invitation letter" is neither a
requirement nor a guarantee of visa approval.

--
Above intended as general commentary, not specific legal
advice. Your mileage may vary.

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Jonathan McNeil Wong Voice: 510-451-0544
Donahue, Gallagher Woods LLP Facsimile: 510-832-1486
P.O. Box 12979 http://www.donahue.com
Oakland, CA 94604-2979 E-mail: [email protected]
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