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Author Topic: Visitor visa for Babushka  (Read 1706 times)

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Offline ForgeMaster

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Visitor visa for Babushka
« on: April 30, 2007, 04:13:48 AM »
We are about to apply for a visitor visa for my wife's mom.  I do not foresee problems because she has a lot of family around her and she owns an apartment, so she has a lot of reason to return.  That is the main worry of immigration people. 

My question concerns the parameters around the necessity for her to leave the country for some time before she can stay longer.  I think she has to leave the US before the end of 6 months.  She can be gone for only 24 hours, before she returns.  We want to know if she can just go over the border to Canada or Mexico for a couple of days and then come back?  I don't know what the visa requirements for those 2 countries are.  Maybe she would have to get a visa to go there for 2 days; that would not be worth it. 

What do you all know about these things?

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Offline Bruce

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Re: Visitor visa for Babushka
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2007, 08:57:51 AM »
My MIL and FIL received a one year multiple entry visa without restrictions.  They came once and may come again later this year.   There were no hassles.  They flew over and back with Delta Flt 30 / 31.  Both spoke little to no English.
SOMETIMES DESPITE ALL OBSTACLES, WITH EFFORT, YOU GET IT RIGHT!

Offline GregfromGa

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Re: Visitor visa for Babushka
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2007, 09:34:28 PM »
According to what people told me at the embassy. Babushka will need to spend more time in the run of a year in her country than in the USA.


Offline Jet

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Re: Visitor visa for Babushka
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2007, 10:22:25 PM »
The problem lies in that the IRS definition of a permanent resident is not limited to someone holding a greencard, it also includes those that meet the "substantial presence" test - they have resided in the US for 181+ days in any given year. When you can claim them on your taxes, they are no longer tourists. My speculation is that's why they rarely set the I-94 departure date more than 180 days out...

Dona Pedro (who many old-timers know) had her mother refused entry at the airport in Atlanta because she'd already spent half a year in the US. That was a friggin' mess which I wouldn't want to complicate by involving a third country in the equation such as Canada or Mexico.

I *would* have her inquire about a 2 year visa though. Normally once approved, it's merely the formality of paying an extra $100 to have the visa issued for 2 years vs just 1.
The most vociferous protestations invariably come from the worst offenders ~ Alcee Hastings - US house of Representatives

Offline ForgeMaster

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Re: Visitor visa for Babushka
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2007, 09:24:25 AM »
 
Flash forward to November of 2007...
  Visitor visa was approved.  The interview at the embassy was rather dull compared to all the hype.  They asked her one question and threw the papers across the table to her.  She was approved, but not to stay in the US for more than 6 months.  She was so tongue tied that she thought she only was given a 6 month visa. 
  The talk about taxes is worth another thread, I think, but we are not there yet. 
  MIL arrived here in mid-November, so her stay should span two years.  That makes this easier.  She will be here about 45 days in one year and will return in April of 2008.  It is then possible for her to return again in 2008 if we decide to do that. 
  We were told that there was a small chance that her visitor visa would be approved.  I think that was just to deflate the response if the application was rejected.  It is always better to disappoint now in hope that it will be approved later. 

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Offline Bruce

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Re: Visitor visa for Babushka
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2007, 12:36:05 PM »
Now the fun starts for you.  Do not get too fat eating mamma's good old time cooking  :chuckle:.
SOMETIMES DESPITE ALL OBSTACLES, WITH EFFORT, YOU GET IT RIGHT!

Offline ForgeMaster

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Re: Visitor visa for Babushka
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2007, 09:05:13 AM »
  Breakfast today was blennie of 4 different kinds:
1.  Plain
2.  With apple in it
3.  stuffed with rice and sausage
4. stuffed with egg, rice and onions

  We went to the mall last night (Dec 22) to see the decorations.  It was a wonderful time for her and for us.  We will look back on this for decades and remember the discovery period when babushka met the US.  We come home from work every day to new food and rise every morning to the smells of something different. 
  And you know, don't you, that manly men eat a lot of food!  If I ate everything she put in front of me, I could not post on this forum because I could not reach the keyboard. 

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