Visitor Visa renewal for parents after 10 years visa expired

[looivy]

Experts -

My parents had a 10 year visitor visa which expired recently. I have been working on EAD for last 2 years and was wondering (a) if there are any implications of my pending I-485 AOS status on their visitor visa application and (b) on I-134 what do I say about my status.

In section 1 of I-134, it asks if I am an LPR with an A-number or if I am a non-immigrant and asks me to provide my I-94 number. I had entered US on AP and at POE the agent put May 2011 as the expiry on my I-94. I was wondering if that I-94 is still valid and can be used.

Please advise.

Thanks.

[bailoor]

I am using my EAD / AP from 2007. My in-laws 10 yrs tourist visa got expired last year and they go renewal for another 10 years. In the application, I had mentioned that I am on EAD and the relevant AOS 'A' number.

The tourist visa is issued based on the applicant's financial situation. Your application is just an reference. It should Not impact your GC filing.

This time, I did not even send my payroll details, request to visit US letter etc. Still, they got it based on their application details and the US visit history details ( entry and exit details).

[looivy]

Originally Posted by bailoor

I am using my EAD / AP from 2007. My in-laws 10 yrs tourist visa got expired last year and they go renewal for another 10 years. In the application, I had mentioned that I am on EAD and the relevant AOS 'A' number.

The tourist visa is issued based on the applicant's financial situation. Your application is just an reference. It should Not impact your GC filing.

This time, I did not even send my payroll details, request to visit US letter etc. Still, they got it based on their application details and the US visit history details ( entry and exit details).

Thanks Bailoor...I was not as much concerned about the impact on my GC. I just wanted to make sure that my intent to be a permanent resident does not affect their visa.

So I assume in I134 you selected option E (non immigrant) . Please confirm.

Thanks.

[bailoor]

I submitted the below SUPPORTING documents. None of them are MANDATORY.

I did NOT submit I-134 document.

1) Bank Account Verification letter ( It shows average yearly balance in account. Also, it has account opening date ( Ex - 9/10/2000 etc which proves your stay duration )
2) Copies of last two salary statements ( to prove currently employed) .
3) My wife's passport pages( Proof of Relationship link)
4) Tax document ( To prove last year annual income )
5) letter to Consulate ( Informing about the above 4 documents and request for visa)

My in-laws carried all above documents. But the consulate did NOT check any of them.

Only DS-160 is MANDATORY

[boston_guy147]

My mother's 10 year visitor visa is about to expire, so I am setting up a visa interview date for her in Delhi.

She has visited US in 2004,-06,-07,-08,-09,10,11 and 12 for 3-5 months each time.

My question is do I still need to create a sponsor letter for her to carry to her interview. Or can she go without any of these 'supporting' documents.

Common sense would say that she should just be able to go give her fingerprints, show all the arrival stamps on her passport and be able to renew her visa. But common sense does not always work, so I thought I would confirm with other folks in similar situations.

Please advise!!

Thanks!!

[Tshelar]

Originally Posted by boston_guy147

My mother's 10 year visitor visa is about to expire, so I am setting up a visa interview date for her in Delhi.

She has visited US in 2004,-06,-07,-08,-09,10,11 and 12 for 3-5 months each time.

My question is do I still need to create a sponsor letter for her to carry to her interview. Or can she go without any of these 'supporting' documents.

Common sense would say that she should just be able to go give her fingerprints, show all the arrival stamps on her passport and be able to renew her visa. But common sense does not always work, so I thought I would confirm with other folks in similar situations.

Please advise!!

Thanks!!

My Mom's Visa for 10 year visa expired in April of this year and she re-applied and got a new 10 year B1/B2 visa without any questions asked. The only thing the Mumbai consulate asked her to do was to give her finger print. Please read the web site carefully your mom may be entitled for interview waiver.

[boston_guy147]

Thanks TShelar.

I looked up the interview waiver criteria and it applies only to visas issued after 2004, and my mother's was issued in 2002. This rule maybe specific to the Delhi consulate and not to the Mumbai consulate.

When I try to book a visa date online, I am prompted to take two seperate appointments - one for fingerprinting and one for the interview.

Did your mother just go for the fingerprinting and not for the interview at all? Or did she go to both, but was not asked any questions during the interview?

What supporting documents did she take?

Thanks a lot for your time - appreciate it

[Tshelar]

Her is basically what happened:
Submitted my Mom's application online. She then went to local VFS location in Mumbai to submit the papers in person.
VFS gave her a date to visit the consulate. I think it was termed as interview date but I am not 100% sure now.
She went to the consulate on that date and the consulate only did the finger printing and told her the that the Visa will be couriered to her. No interview by the visa officer.

My Mon's initial visa was issued in 2000. During those days there was no concept of finger printing. My guess is if in the past finger printing is already done while issuing B1/B2 visa then one may not be required to go the consulate while re-applying for the new visa. Just visiting the VFS office for papers submission would be sufficient under the interview waiver rules.

Again this is Mumbai consulate it is possible the rules may differ for other consulates.

[boston_guy147]

Thanks again Tshelar for the detailed and quick response! This helps a lot.

Did you write a letter of sponsorship for your mother to carry for the interview? Even though she ended up not having any 'interview'.

Or did she just carry her passport and visa app form? And no 'additional supporting documents'.

Thanks!!

[foobar2001]

I actually wrote a sponsorship letter when my mom went to renew her 10yr visa at the mumbai consulate, as it was written in the instructions to carry as much supporting documentation. I dont recall if she was actually asked to show it, but given that it takes less than 5 minutes to write a letter, why not just write one?! (you'll find many example templates on the web)

[boston_guy147]

Thanks Foobar! I think I will write a sponsorship letter afterall. I was just being lazy about it :-P

[indigo10]

Check if this is applicable in your cases:

If the visa is still valid or has expired with in last 48 months, B1/B2 applicants are eligible for renewal without attending the visa interview. They just need to attend biometrics and submit the documents and thats it.

Press Releases | Embassy of the United States

[boston_guy147]

Thanks Indigo - I did look up for the interview waiver. It seems that only if you received your original visa after 2004 are you eligible for the interview waiver. And if you received the original visa after 2008 then you are eligible for fingerprinting waiver too.

My mother got her visa in 2002, so she would need to get both done.

Thanks for the info!