"I met this great gal online. She lives on the other side of the world.
we haven't met in-person yet. I want to meet her face to
face."
BUT......
"I am: too busy, afraid of flying, got no
time, don't like travel,
don't travel well, too expensive, she should come
to me, ...."
There is
no such thing as a "girlfriend" visa.
The closest alternatives are a B2 Visitor visa (sometimes called a
tourist visa) or a K1 Fiance Visa.
But a fiancee visa requires that the couple has already met in-person,
and not only that but that they are serious and want to marry.
Often
the guys most eager to pursue a visitor visa, aren't
quite
ready to commit.
This leaves the B-2 Visitor visa.
The good news: Applying for the B-2 visa only costs $160, and in a
short month or two you have your answer.
The bad news: To be approved, the consular officer must be convinced
there is NO POSSIBLE CHANCE your fiance would overstay, or in any way
attempt to remain in the USA permanently.
Maybe it is not yet on YOUR mind, but guaranteed, your Fiancee IS
thinking of a possible life together with you in the
USA. Her "intent to eventually live in the USA" in practice makes her
officially ineligible for the visitor visa.
Most consulate officers response at the end of the interview would be
"Sorry, you applied for the wrong visa. The fiance visa is the one
appropriate for your situation. You
should apply for that one instead. Work out the eligibility
requirements with your boyfriend, then apply for the K-1 fiance visa.
I will see you here again at the end of that process"
Even though the Visitor Visa is very likely to be denied, many couples
apply anyway, in hopes of winning the lottery.
Some, Win the Lottery and get their visa.
It depends on the consular officer.
If you follow the rules, you have got nothing to lose by applying for a
B2 visitor visa. Being denied for a visitor visa, because she "applied
for the WRONG
visa" should not hurt her chances for any future visas.
IF, Honest, she has nothing to Lose
She
must be very careful to ALWAYS tell the truth. Everything she says is placed
into her immigration record. If she is ever caught
making fraudulent statements to a consular officer, that may result in
her being banned from getting ANY visa to the USA, FOREVER.
Where the temptation to lie is greatest, is when she is
asked: "What is the purpose of your trip?" , "Who do you know
in the USA?" or "Who is paying for your trip?"
Why are you traveling
to the USA?
If the truthful response is. My Boyfriend, My Boyfriend, My Boyfriend
she better say exactly that.
When dealing with immigration, always tell the truth. Don't volunteer
information, but always provide honest answers. If the answer truly is
"my boyfriend" or "my fiance", then that is exactly what MUST
be
said.
Prepare the way for
the fiancee visa interview
In the majority of cases, she
will most likely be denied the visitor
visa. But if honest, approved or denied, it won't hurt her
chances for
the fiance visa. (especially when I am there to
coach the couple to success). HOWEVER,
if caught lying to US immigration, even if it was for
something as trivial as applying for a visitor visa, the likelihood
chances of being approved for the
LIFE-CHANGING fiance or spouse visa will be damaged.
Don't expect a happy outcome if while being interviewed for a
visitor visa she denys knowing you, then a short few months later, in
front
of the same consular officer she changes the story to tell him you have
been in a serious relationlship for years. .
By Fred Wahl
the Visa Coach