How do I get a tourist visa for my boyfriend?

[windeguy]

I figure that we have to try. Visiting another country would be fun..but after we're married, and my family lives here. I would like him to see what I'm like here and get to know my family here. And we would NOT overstay the visa. Sigh. I wish the system hadn't been so abused.

No idea if his being a pastor that would earn no money would help. (For certain he could not be paid without a work visa.) I think not. The point is that it is all on him and convincing the agent he will return to the DR. Having something to do in the USA does not convince the agent he will return.

Please keep in mind that if you marry him your chances of getting a visitors visa drop from highly unlikely to almost zero. It is extremely rare for the spouse of a US citizen to be issued a visitor's visa. (First they have to have US residency and then change it to a US visitor's visa - an expensive and time consuming process).

 

[Aguaita29]

A valid passport isn't good enough...he has to have some kind of a visa to go. If for some reason we get a visa he will come for 2 mos, depending on the amount of time we have it for.

If he ever gets the tourist visa, I think he should only stay for a couple of weeks. I mean, a tourist staying for 2 months, that might sound fishy. And also, a business owner leaving his business alone for 2 whole months?

 

[bob saunders]

He doesn't speak enough English to pass the TOEFL. I know..I'm an ESL teacher, and he's learning! There are few universities who accept students not able to pass that test.

Does he speak enough English to do a sermon, or perhaps attend English school. Where in Canada are you talking about. We were able to bring one of my wife's teachers to Canada to attend English school in Kingston. I also sat on the aircraft next to a Dominican pastor that going to Canada to attend a religious seminar and speak testimonials.

 

[windeguy]

Does he speak enough English to do a sermon, or perhaps attend English school. Where in Canada are you talking about. We were able to bring one of my wife's teachers to Canada to attend English school in Kingston. I also sat on the aircraft next to a Dominican pastor that going to Canada to attend a religious seminar and speak testimonials.

It would be the US part of Canada :rambo:

 

[Aguaita29]

Okay, so there's no way I can solicit a visa? I am still brand new at this. I found nothing saying I could online, although I saw several for Canada. That would be great if I lived in Canada.

Thanks

There are many ways to get a visa. For example, I have a couple of friends who were given visas to go to conferences. One of them had no car and didn?t own a home , but she was a college student , had a job and belonged to a professional organization. The university gave her a student letter too.

Many institutions and professional organizations hold events and annual conferences abroad. If you?re a member, they will issue you a letter of invitation for the event, to take to the consulate. IF you can prove that your situation is legit, and that you can pay for your own plane ticket , and your stay during the event, It?s possible to get a visa that way.
Oh, I know another girl, also a college student, she and some of her friends, got visas to go to a United Nations thing in New York.

You mention on another post that your bf is a pastor. Doesn?t your church have these type of events? I think that could be an option for you to explore.

You don?t have to be rich to get a visa, what you have to do is to proof that the purpose that you are requesting the visa for is legit, and support your application properly.

Once you got your first visa, you travel a couple of times and you don?t overstay, it?s not difficult to keep getting it renewed. They don?t even ask you any questions anymore.

 

[bob saunders]

It would be the US part of Canada :rambo:

Sorry, didn't read the OP's first post. I'm sure she could look into the same method to get him into the states for a visit.

 

[Aguaita29]

They are now allowing people with a tourist visa to stay 6 months. I picked up an old friend at the ft lauderdale airport a couple of months. she and her sisters have multientry visas and were giddy with delight that they'd been given 180 days.
Der Fish

They always give you six months! That doesn?t mean that you should stay for that long. What?s a REAL tourist doing in the U.S. for six months, anyway? That looks fishy!!

 

[Aguaita29]

No they don't always give one 6 months. I remember seeing 60 days stamped in passports more than once. Maybe it is what they do now as opposed to 10 years ago when I was closer to this sort of thing, maybe.
Der Fish

I understand! Me, my siblings,etc. have always been given six months! I thought that was standard time these days for people with a visa of a certain length.

 

[leromero]

When you decide to get involved with a man or woman from a country like the DR, you should do you homework to find out if the USA have issues with approving visa to come to the USA.

That's right! Make sure you check with your government before you decide to "get involved" with someone from another country. If your government does like the citizens of that country then forget about it.

 

[Elucidaisy]

He doesn't speak enough English for a sermon (though perhaps he could visit and I could translate) but since the church I'm talking to is a Spanish-speaking church, that should be okay. I'm in the midwest.

 

[avi8or57]

Actually it is virtually impossible to get a tourist visa that way. The "tie" by marriage prevents them from issuing a tourist visa in virtually all cases. I know this from personal experience.

Why's that???? I'm American, my wife is Dominican, legally married here since 2005 and I got her a 10 year tourist visa to the states. In fact, the only thing the consulate dude asked ME was "Do you still own your 2002 Avalanche?"

 

[Africaida]

Why's that???? I'm American, my wife is Dominican, legally married here since 2005 and I got her a 10 year tourist visa to the states. In fact, the only thing the consulate dude asked ME was "Do you still own your 2002 Avalanche?"

Do you live in DR or the US ? Just curious...

 

[windeguy]

Why's that???? I'm American, my wife is Dominican, legally married here since 2005 and I got her a 10 year tourist visa to the states. In fact, the only thing the consulate dude asked ME was "Do you still own your 2002 Avalanche?"

The reason is that it is very tough for her to have proven she would return to the DR after her visit to the US.Your close tie based upon being married almost always negates such a visa. You are the first person I have heard from that has been able to say this.

Actually you did not get her the visa, you might have paid for it, but she got it based upon the agent trusting she would come back to the DR. There were indeed compelling reasons.

 

[avi8or57]

I've been here in the DR since Dec 2003, I procrastinated a bit and got my Provisional Residency 2 years ago. I visit the US once a year for a month or so to see the family there and back, that's it.

 

[avi8or57]

The reason is that it is very tough for her to have proven she would return to the DR after her visit to the US.Your close tie based upon being married almost always negates such a visa. You are the first person I have heard from that has been able to say this.

Actually you did not get her the visa, you might have paid for it, but she got it based upon the agent trusting she would come back to the DR. There were indeed compelling reasons.

You are correct in saying that the burden of proof, more or less, falls on the applicant to show that they do not intend to remain in the US, however, there are certain circumstances that would make determination a lot easier for a non-US spouse. For example, an American citizen residing in the DR with residency/Cedula and can prove it, his/her children attending school here, contributing to the tax system, has a job or property here; all these help in qualifying tremendously. In my opinion, the consulate officer based his determination on the criteria I met with them, more so than my wife's.

 

[windeguy]

You are correct in saying that the burden of proof, more or less, falls on the applicant to show that they do not intend to remain in the US, however, there are certain circumstances that would make determination a lot easier for a non-US spouse. For example, an American citizen residing in the DR with residency/Cedula and can prove it, his/her children attending school here, contributing to the tax system, has a job or property here; all these help in qualifying tremendously. In my opinion, the consulate officer based his determination on the criteria I met with them, more so than my wife's.

I have the same situation you described and my wife was refused twice. I was in fact told by the woman who is in charge of the interviewing agents at a meeting at Sea Horse Ranch that getting a visitor's visa in my situation almost never happened. You are the exception to that rule as far as I know.

 

[avi8or57]

I have the same situation you described and my wife was refused twice. I was in fact told by the woman who is in charge of the interviewing agents at a meeting at Sea Horse Ranch that getting a visitor's visa in my situation almost never happened. You are the exception to that rule as far as I know.

Sorry to hear that, very mind boggling indeed!!!!!!!!

 

[Criss Colon]

Just one more way the US consulate "F*#Ks with the US citizens who pay their unearned salaries!
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AND, while I'm at it, why did they send a guy here as US Ambassador who can't Speak Spanish?????
If his job is to represent the USA, and interact with Dominicans, how can a man who can't speak their language accomplish his duties??????
He is really CUTE though! :lick::lick::lick::lick::lick::lick:
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[greydread]

Just one more way the US consulate "F*#Ks with the US citizens who pay their unearned salaries!
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AND, while I'm at it, why did they send a guy here as US Ambassador who can't Speak Spanish?????
If his job is to represent the USA, and interact with Dominicans, how can a man who can't speak their language accomplish his duties??????
He is really CUTE though! :lick::lick::lick::lick::lick::lick:
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Didn't you know? In the Caribbean Basin all serious matters international ultimately come down to a conversation in English. That's the Gringo arrogance and he's got scores of Spanish language translators to help the Dominicans express their concerns. Running an Embassy in a country has little to do with interfacing with it's people.

The very limited type of Dominicans the U.S. Ambassador will be interfacing with are indeed fluent in English as many have graduated from U.S. Universities. Some of them he already met on Fire Island.

 

[Criss Colon]

It's more a matter of respect for the citizens of the country!!!!
Dominicans like it when foreigners in their country speak,or at least make an effort to speak, to them in Spanish.
He was interviewed on local TV the other day, he spoke English!
He could learn a lot more about real living conditions here in the DR from reading the Dominican newspapers and watching the daily news/talk shows than from the "Smoke",..."Los Ricos" are blowing up his A$$!!!
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