Bringing Girlfriend To The U.s.?

[Kwickie]

Hi,

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I'm unable to find it.

 

I'd like my Filipina girlfriend to come to the U.S. for a visit.  Maybe a month or so.

Could someone please point me to a resource that would layout the requirements or share their experiences?

 

I know they look at "ties to the homeland".  She does own land there, but from a financial perspective, the money I provide is pretty much it (no judgments, please).

 

Thanks in advance.

[Guy F.]

The wife tried to bring her brother here on a tourist visa. Even though his name was on a land title and he had a bank account he was rejected, I believe at the embassy interview. Getting a  spouse visa can easily take a year. I forget how long for parents, maybe 3 or 5 years. The wait for a sibling's visa is definitely 20 years. If you have political pull it can be less for a spouse.

 

The omens don't look good, friend.

 

Edited June 22, 2015 by Guy F.

[Old55]

Fair question no judgments. 

 

A youngish single Filipina without a very compelling documented reason to return to Philippines not overstaying in the States is very unlikely to be granted a visa.

 

The way things are going these days I wonder if there is a small chance you could be tagged with "trafficking"? 

 

having said that she would first need is a passport. Then request a visa. Here is the US State Department page dealing with your question. Good luck!

 

Welcome to Visa Services!

The Consular Section of the United States Embassy in Manila processes applications for both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas to the U.S.

Nonimmigrant visas are for people visiting the U.S. temporarily for tourism, business, education, medical treatment, or petition-based employment.  The type of visa required depends on your purpose of travel. The Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Unit processes more than 200,000 applications each year.

Immigrant visas are for applicants planning to permanently relocate to the United States. The Immigrant Visa (IV) Unit processes over 50,000 IV applications and more than 11,000 fiancé(e) and spouse visa applications each year, reuniting families as intended by U.S. immigration law.

New USCIS Immigrant Fee

Effective February 1, 2013, all individuals issued immigrant visas overseas must pay a $165.00 USCIS Immigrant Fee before traveling to the United States.

USCIS Requires Appointments Beginning February 19
We are here to serve you according to the laws of the United States of America. We are committed to customer service.

Customer Service Statement:

 

http://manila.usembassy.gov/visas.html

Edited June 23, 2015 by Old55

[jon1]

It is very tough to get a Tourist Visa as a single woman without a job. Even if you wrote a sponsorship letter, that will not be enough (in my opinion). My wife was able to obtain a Tourist Visa but I know several fellows that were unable to do the same. My wife did have several trips abroad (SE Asia), property, college to return to, bank account and my sponsorship letter with her application. However, we had documentation for a 7 year relationship and she was my wife. I doubt that it would have worked if she was my girl friend. The view point is, even a sponsorship letter does not guarantee she will come back to the PI.

 

Look through this section for some ideas http://www.philippines-expats.com/forum/144-immigration-for-filipino-spouse/

[Kwickie]

Thanks so much, guys, that's what I suspected.

[Jollygoodfellow]

Just to add to this topic, in the past it has been very difficult to got a tourist visa into Australia for a Filipino but things must of changed as I know a few Filipinas who have gotten a visa with ease, one coming next week and only took about 3 weeks from start of application to approval. In the case of the last one mentioned here, her boyfriend petitioned her with only a wage slip and she has nothing but she has a young son to return to so I guess that helped.

[Jollygoodfellow]

Thanks so much, guys, that's what I suspected.

 

I know of an agency that might be helpful and have been getting tourist visas to Australia but I don't know about visas to the US but might be worth inquiring. I can find out the contact details for you if you wish to look into it further. 

[Thomas]

I'd like my Filipina girlfriend to come to the U.S. for a visit.

WHY???   Better she compare with the Philippines...  :)

[chris49]

^{The US Embassy is so familiar with such requests that it is almost certain to be refused. It would require a personal interview and even if that was granted, she would not pass through the interview stage.}

 

^{A full time professional employee with an approved vacation and all other documents does stand a chance, perhaps to attend a seminar or visit family.  A single Filipina going to visit her boyfriend is not even taken seriously.}

 

^{There have been a few insider scams going on, where an "agent" is asking a fee with the promise of a visa. The process goes on but the visa is refused anyway. The fee is lost, the agent somehow disappears.}

 

^{If you are a retiree living off only pensions and over 60 in the USA, the rules say you cannot even get an immigration visa for a legal wife unless you show full time employment. In Australia this has been ruled discriminatory, so there is a chance, despite the rules being tough it can be done.}

[Kwickie]

 

Thanks so much, guys, that's what I suspected.

 

I know of an agency that might be helpful and have been getting tourist visas to Australia but I don't know about visas to the US but might be worth inquiring. I can find out the contact details for you if you wish to look into it further. 

 

 

That would be great, thanks.  I realize the chances are very slim, but I need to make the attempt.