Post: #1

I went overkill on my answer in this thread (/thread-34228.html) and realized that while I didn't answer Roosh's question, I had created a pretty basic yet useful datasheet with plenty of cheat-codes for RVF members/ lurkers. I edited the post but kept the juicy bits for this thread.

Some of reading this may want to move to America (or immigrate) or even visit. Others may want their slampieces from abroad to come visit. I've used my expertise on this stuff to compile this datasheet to help you guys out.

Tourists/ Business Visas

These aren't too difficult to obtain (B visa), so long as you can prove that your life back in your home country is good. If you live in a slum, you're not getting it. If you live in a high-rise, you're getting it. Simple as that.

Your sponsor also matters. Are you being sponsored by a business earning billions of dollars in revenue each year or your cousin in Alabama who just applied for a green-card with his H-1B?

In this scenario, they will consider how likely it is that you will overstay. Its as elitist as it is simple -
If you have a good life in your home country that you wouldn't want to leave behind, you're getting a visa.
If the business you are representing is legitimate and not just someone's side-hustle, you're getting a visa.
If you're visiting a rich American/ meeting with a major American corporation, you're getting a visa. (Visiting a rich American means you're welcome to (over)stay in the land of milk and honey. I know people who've gotten friends in by listing their rich friends as sponsors.)
If you're getting your girlfriend/ slampiece over, make sure she doesn't state that she will be visiting or staying with you at all. The best course of action will be to create a "tentative" tourism plan. Tell her to mention New York, Florida and California. This gives a more touristy vibe. If she mentions you, the immigration authorities will assume she is coming over just to get married.
Remember that at the end of the day, you might succeed, but don't make any bets beside the fee.

Work Visas

When it comes to H-1Bs, there's usually a quota which is filled in advance - i.e. only a certain number of people can get nominated each year. This is a very high number, but the rejection rate is astronomical too. They know that a significant proportion of applicants will end up applying for Green Cards, so they need to weed out each and every person who says they may apply for an extension (they see it as someone saying "I think I'm going to like America more once I get there").
Very important if you're coming to America on an H-1B - Say that you will go back home once your time is up. If they ask you why, say that your parents are getting old and you want to take care of them.
If you plan on immigrating to America, keep in mind that current backlogs are at least 6 years long with an H-1B. And that's if you're from a first-world country. (It's ~9+ for India, ~10+ for China) And the rejections are pretty high. Your best bet would be to have a child in America. That makes it harder to reject you one (especially since the family backlog is longer).

And then you have the L visas. These are for the executives and highly-skilled. The quota is very low and immigration is more strict about which firms can get someone in. Rejection rates are low and getting a green-card is usually an easy and short wait (most firms with L employees will sponsor their green-cards).
If you want to immigrate, get in with an L visa. They rarely ever reject Permanent Residency applications you unless you commit a felony or a serious misdemeanor. But you will have to be in a senior corporate position from your home country before you can come over on an L visa.

Student Visas

If you're looking to be a full-time student in an American University (F-1), you will need to demonstrate that you can pay your tuition. Get a bank statement prepared in advance (you need to be able to pay your first year's tuition). Rejection rates are high for Public institutions/ lower-end private institutions unless you're going to a top tech-school or UCLA/ Berkeley. If you're attending an Ivy, Magnolia, a top liberal-art school or any other major private institute (you get the idea), you will not be rejected unless you screw up so bad that you deserve to be condemned to the innards of Lindy West's vagina (and you won't get the visa for that).

Conclusion

I understand that there are many answers that I have not have answered up here. I don't have the numbers off the top of my head, but its less of a guide, more of a cheat-sheet. I don't have the statistics, but I'm sure you could find them if you dug around enough. If you're wondering about the process, remember that the specific processes differ from country to country.

There are visa categories and subcategories which I have skipped out. If you want me to elaborate on specific ones, comment below.

If you have any other questions, comment below.

Post: #2

Pretty good, I don't have much time now but can add Canada to America specifics and immigration via marriage detail later on. Before you go "what! Marriage!?" If you are immigrating for marriage you are in a position of low risk for being marriage raped, your sponsor is. Plus in a few years I'm sure you'll be able to do same sex marriages and just marry a dude you know for 3 years for permanent residence.

Post: #3

Regarding tourist visas. Nationals of 37 countries have the right to the free Visa Waiver Program (VWP) for the US, which allows you to stay in the country for up to 90 days continuously. The participating countries include:

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.

Post: #4

Great post.

Post: #5

Great post by the OP. Only two things he got wrong. Regarding tourist visas, there is no such thing as a sponsor. An applicant qualifies for the visa or they don't. If the app is young, single, unemployed then a letter from a American won't make a difference.

Regarding H1B visas, these are not subject to INA 214(b). This is the section of law that requires that you have a residence abroad that you do not intend to abandon. The only thing that matters for this visa is that you are qualified to do the job you are applying for and the company who is petitioning you is legit. So you don't need to convince the Consul you will return to your home country on an H1B because it is not relevant to their decision.

Post: #6

^^ runninutebball is right. Tourist visas do not have sponsors. The applicant is judged on his own merits. Most consular officers couldn't care less if an applicant brings an invitation letter ( in part because those types of letters are so easy to fake. I can produce a letter from Mark Zuckerburg on Facebook letterhead inviting me to an orgy).

He is also right about H1Bs.

Post: #7

(03-19-2014 09:43 PM)runninutebball Wrote:  Great post by the OP. Only two things he got wrong. Regarding tourist visas, there is no such thing as a sponsor. An applicant qualifies for the visa or they don't. If the app is young, single, unemployed then a letter from a American won't make a difference.

Regarding H1B visas, these are not subject to INA 214(b). This is the section of law that requires that you have a residence abroad that you do not intend to abandon. The only thing that matters for this visa is that you are qualified to do the job you are applying for and the company who is petitioning you is legit. So you don't need to convince the Consul you will return to your home country on an H1B because it is not relevant to their decision.

Thanks for the feedback. The comment about sponsoring was meant to reflect temporary business visas (B1), which are in the same category as tourist visas (B2). I accidentally mentioned sponsorships for tourist visas, when in fact, The United States doesn't require a sponsor for tourists. When you intend on visiting the United States on business, you are required to represent an organization. That is why you need some proof of quasi-sponsorship. However, the process for getting a B1 is not as rigid as the process for getting an H or L visa.

Apologies for the mistake wrt H-1B visas. However, I will warn applicants that many H-1B applicants are rejected visas despite this provision.

Post: #8

I am guessing most of you located in those 37 countries that don't require a visa for USA for tourism purposes. The most useful information for you will be K-1/2 fiance visa.
You can bring a nice girl from any country on this type of visa and you both have 90 days to get married or she goes home. The show 90 day fiance comes to mind - check it out on Youtube!
The advantages of this visa are simple : It can not be denied unless there are some issues with the girls past. She also has to do a complete health check up. So you know you are not getting a criminal or someone with STIs.
The disadvantages are: time - around 3-6 months, money - around 200 USD, you have to know her in person.
You can do this twice in your lifetime without any issues and more if you can prove the legitimacy of your love

Recently I was thinking to invite someone on K1 - there are plenty of girls in Asia or South America that would love to come to he US. 90 days is enough time to fall in love or get tired of her...and you can still get married past 90 days if you need more time.
Side note: even if someone is illegal in the country,by marrying them you make them legit and she will have a green card and citizenship eventually. So it doesn't matter if she stayed past 90 days or she just crossed the border 10years ago from Mexico.

Post: #9

Xpatplayer, your understanding of a B1 is off. They are not akin to H or L visas. For a B1, you are not allowed to work in the US except in very limited scenarios. You can conduct business (attend meetings, make sales calls, etc) but the source of your compensation must almost always come from overseas. The only thing you need to show for a B1 is that you are a legit businessman visiting for a legit reason. The interview process is exactly the same as for the "tourist" B2. In fact the B1/B2 visa is usually issued together on the same visa in the majority of applications.

H and L are petition based and it is assumed you will love and work in the USA. The Consul won't care if you intend to return. You will still need to adjust legally but that is DHS' problem. Also, consular officers have limited discretion in petition based cases. They cannot legally deny a case, nor is it appropriate legally, under a 214b type of reasoning. They can only deny for hard ineligibility like crime, drug use, etc. They can also request petition revocation if they find evidence not available to the USCIS officer at the time of adjudication. For example, you were petitioned to be a computer but your degree is bogus, the petitioner is your cousin, and you can't even spell computer.

If you know people getting refused Hs and Ls for immigrant intent then those people have crappy attorneys and/or don't know how to make a phone call to your congressional reps. Either one will fix that particular problem eventually.

Post: #10

First, for anyone who wants good info, crowd sourced, on US visas please visit http://www.visajourney.com or the website of the State Dept.

wayout, Ks are a lot more expensive than you think. They are closer to $1k. Ks are petition based visas. First you file the petition with USCIS, form I-129, which costs $340. Then when the petition is ready for interview, the fiancee will get a medical exam which varies by country but is around $200 usually. The you pay the visa fee which is $240. From petition filing to visa Issuance will take 8-12 months normally. If you mess it up, particularly with DHS, it will take much longer. So many people hire lawyers and visa consultants such usually charge $500 for their service for a K. unlike a spouse, a K doesn't automatically become an LPR once you get married. You will have to apply to adjust their status with DHS (another $340). Plus until that is done, she us not allowed to work legally. This process takes 3-6 months.

Bottom line, unless she is the "one" this process is not worth it so you can try it out for 90 days. Unless you enjoy filing out forms and writing checks that is

ask this info is out there for verification at travel.state.gov, uscis.gov, or through the magic of Google.

Post: #11

(03-20-2014 12:33 PM)runninutebball Wrote:  First, for anyone who wants good info, crowd sourced, on US visas please visit http://www.visajourney.com or the website of the State Dept.

wayout, Ks are a lot more expensive than you think. They are closer to $1k. Ks are petition based visas. First you file the petition with USCIS, form I-129, which costs $340. Then when the petition is ready for interview, the fiancee will get a medical exam which varies by country but is around $200 usually. The you pay the visa fee which is $240. From petition filing to visa Issuance will take 8-12 months normally. If you mess it up, particularly with DHS, it will take much longer. So many people hire lawyers and visa consultants such usually charge $500 for their service for a K. unlike a spouse, a K doesn't automatically become an LPR once you get married. You will have to apply to adjust their status with DHS (another $340). Plus until that is done, she us not allowed to work legally. This process takes 3-6 months.

Bottom line, unless she is the "one" this process is not worth it so you can try it out for 90 days. Unless you enjoy filing out forms and writing checks that is

ask this info is out there for verification at travel.state.gov, uscis.gov, or through the magic of Google.

Oh I concur with you. I was just giving a preliminary information based on my old research.. I guess filing fee went up to $340 from about 8 years when I looked into that. Still..I think it's a good deal for 90 days girlfriend situation. And..it's not mentioned on DHS website, she can stay much longer and adjust her status no problem if you get married.

Post: #12

(03-19-2014 03:35 AM)xpatplayer Wrote:  ...

Tourists/ Business Visas

...

If you're getting your girlfriend/ slampiece over, make sure she doesn't state that she will be visiting or staying with you at all. The best course of action will be to create a "tentative" tourism plan. Tell her to mention New York, Florida and California. This gives a more touristy vibe. If she mentions you, the immigration authorities will assume she is coming over just to get married.
Remember that at the end of the day, you might succeed, but don't make any bets beside the fee.

...

Great post Expat. I'm guessing you are a lawyer/immigration lawyer.

I don't need a US visa, or travel authorisation (I am Canadian) and have never had any problems with US immigration. If I travel with a girl who does need a visa what do you think the best approach would be? Both when she applies for the visa, and when entering the US. It would genuinely be for tourist reasons, but of course this would need to be "proved" to the visa officer, and I understand that they work on the principle of "guilty until proven innocent". i.e. They start off assuming you will screw them.

Do you suggest she applies for a visa entirely independently, without stating she will travel with someone else? What happens when you turn up at the airport together? I realise your statement above is directed to Americans bringing back a non-US girl, but wonder what your suggestion would be in the scenario I sketched.

Post: #13

Just a random question, if I wanted someone to come and visit, is there any service that would increase the chances of a successful tourist visa?

Post: #14

@ Bad Hussar: If you are traveling with a girl who needs a visa, it would be best to have her state that she is traveling with you (a Canadian citizen). In general, if you are going for legitimate purposes to the U.S., it's best to be straightforward. The more convoluted the story, the greater the chances some red flags will pop up. In your case, if a foreign woman is traveling to the U.S. for tourism, her chances of getting a visa would likely be higher if she was traveling with a significant other who is Canadian.

Think about it from the Consular officer's view: he is concerned that the girl will come to the U.S. and live here illegally. If she does want to leave her 3rd world homeland, and she is going out with a Canadian, it's more likely that she would end up staying illegally in Canada than the U.S. Not only does this girl have a Canadian boyfriend (you), Canadian welfare is much more generous than U.S. welfare.

@ samsamsam: The short answer is no. U.S. tourist visa process is not like the Russian process, where you go to a company to get some invitation letter. The only way to influence the visa process is if you know someone at the Embassy. He/She can write a referral for the applicant, but even that does not guarantee a visa issuance.

Post: #15

There are visa fixers everywhere. In most places they operate pretty openly I the neighborhood around US embassies or consulates. Their services range from a couple hundred to thousands depending on what they do for you (eg simple appraisal all the way up t to fake documents). They get people through sometimes but I wouldn't recommend them for a couple reasons.

First, if the fixer is known and the Consul recognizes their fingerprints on the application, you are immediately behind the 8 ball regarding intent. Second, for a tourist visa the Consul will probably not look at any documents except for your passport so any fakes you buy probably won't do any good. If you are caught providing fakes, you will be barred from entering the US permanently. Third and most important, most people are not good liars and Consuls have good BS detectors from training and experience. So the fixer might give you a good back story but the applicants can't "sell" it. The stories are often the same, unbeknownst to you, and Consuls pick up on that. Also, what good is your fabricated back story once you are asked a open ended or specific question about it.

What to do to improve your chances? Three things IMO. First, travel more. a history of travel and returning to your country is generally well received. Second and third, be consistent and honest. Your biggest asset at interview is credibility. The Consul is skeptical and makes you convince them you'll return but doesn't assume everyone is a liar until you lose credibility. The best way to lose credibility is to lie. The way they know you are lying is inconsistent answers, inconsistent microexpressions, and body language. To avoid that, applicants should stick to the truth and emphasize their ties outside the US. don't bring up negatives unless asked. Have a consistent, believable plan for visiting the states. That's the best advice I would give but it's not very sexy because it will only modestly increase your chances. The visa fixer route is high risk, high reward. Plus the ethics if that industry are horrible. many services offer nothing of value and just prey on the desperation if the applicants.

Post: #16

Ardbeg's answer is good too

Post: #17

@bad hussar, give her a copy of the bio page of your passport and have her bring photos of the two of you doing things together. Just two or three. Dating an affluent non-American shouldn't be a negative and may be a plus.

Post: #18

(03-20-2014 02:16 PM)Bad Hussar Wrote:  

(03-19-2014 03:35 AM)xpatplayer Wrote:  ...

Tourists/ Business Visas

...

If you're getting your girlfriend/ slampiece over, make sure she doesn't state that she will be visiting or staying with you at all. The best course of action will be to create a "tentative" tourism plan. Tell her to mention New York, Florida and California. This gives a more touristy vibe. If she mentions you, the immigration authorities will assume she is coming over just to get married.
Remember that at the end of the day, you might succeed, but don't make any bets beside the fee.

...

Great post Expat. I'm guessing you are a lawyer/immigration lawyer.

I don't need a US visa, or travel authorisation (I am Canadian) and have never had any problems with US immigration. If I travel with a girl who does need a visa what do you think the best approach would be? Both when she applies for the visa, and when entering the US. It would genuinely be for tourist reasons, but of course this would need to be "proved" to the visa officer, and I understand that they work on the principle of "guilty until proven innocent". i.e. They start off assuming you will screw them.

Do you suggest she applies for a visa entirely independently, without stating she will travel with someone else? What happens when you turn up at the airport together? I realise your statement above is directed to Americans bringing back a non-US girl, but wonder what your suggestion would be in the scenario I sketched.

Thank you for the flattering comments. No, I am not an immigration lawyer but I have done work on visas that involved extensive consultation with visa lawyers.

If you want to get a girl along with you to the United States, considering that you aren't a US citizen, I don't think it would hurt nor help her if she mentioned she was travelling with you. But make a basic tourist plan for her, with details down to dates she will be visiting particular cities as well as hotels she'll be staying in. Also make sure she has proof of sufficient funds to travel within the USA. I've found that having a Canadian or Mexican visa drastically increases your chances of getting a US Visa.

Post: #19

(03-20-2014 10:32 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  Just a random question, if I wanted someone to come and visit, is there any service that would increase the chances of a successful tourist visa?

None that I know of, unless you use a visa agency to fill out the application and do everything up to the point of a visa interview. The process is a bitch but you can blame convoluted political interests and bloated bureaucracies for that.