need help with parents visa

[krishi]

hi all, i have been using this site for over an yr now. great advice for novices... keep it going.
here is my situation: my parents have been denied visa twice (march and aug 2006) - not enough ties - even though my dad has a pention, my bro is living with them in India, they have land/property, my cousin lives with them and goes to college - they r her gaurdians, my dad has a shares business.
i did not know WHAT to tell my dad who was very disappointed.

i'm a recent citizen, and thought it would be a good idea to write to the visa offices requesting them to grant my parents their visa. i can now sponsor my parents GC, but they dont want to move here, they just want to visit and go back.

please let me know:
is it a good idea to write to the visa officers?
what should i include in my letter?... anybody would share a sample letter they used to write the VO will be greatly appreciated.
please advice.
thanks.

[krishi]

any thoughts anybody? my parents next app. is on dec 7th. need to prepare docu. soon. please help.
thanks.

[Murali]

Read:
http://www.path2usa.com/immigration/visitorvisa/visa_refusal.htm

Yes, you may write briefly in your letter to consulate, explaing the situation.

Must prepare well for interview, do not put lot of stress on him though.
there are many cases people get the visa after 3 or 4th attempts

[poragoru]

i'm a recent citizen, and thought it would be a good idea to write to the visa offices requesting them to grant my parents their visa. i can now sponsor my parents GC, but they dont want to move here, they just want to visit and go back.


Yes, you should write letter to consulate, stating the fact that you are an US citizen. You also should make argument that your parents are not interested to settle in a foreign country (ie. USA). If they were interested, you easily could sponsor their GC as immediate family members (which does not require any quota or priority date). As you are not applying GC for your parents, that's VERY STRONG point to demonstrate that they are not potential immigrants. This is a very strong point and you have no reason not to present it to VO.

[krishi]

thanks murali and poragoru for the encouragement. will let u know how it turns out.

[krishi]

my parents were granted their visitor visa today @ chennai. not sure what duration yet. parents r waiting for their passports back to find out.
thanks for replying to my query.
following ur advice, my husband and i wrote to the VO. seems like that helped!

Qs asked:
VO was a female, very friendly.
Dad and Mom wish the VO a good afternoon, she wishes them back.
Dad ( as he passes his appications, passports etc + our letter): kindly read this letter from my daughter and sil.
VO reads the letter quickly.
VO: how many children do u have?
Dad: two. daughter is in the US, son and dil live with us .
VO: how long has it been since ur daughter moved to the US?
Dad: 9yrs, sil has been there for 13 and they r both citizens.
VO:what do u do in India?
Dad: i have a shares business, get pention from previous work, take care of a niece who goes to college and my mil who lives with us.
VO asks for sponsors docu. Dad hands everything we sent ( http://www.path2usa.com/immigration/visitorvisa/sponsor_documents.htm) to her.
Dad:I134 is on the top mam.
she goes thru it throughly.
VO: so ur daughter has a 6 mth old son?
Dad:yes. and our son will have a child next may, so we would like to visit daughter now for 3 - 4 mts and come back to India for the birth of our other grandchild (my dad made that part up!!!)
VO smiled.
VO: ur visa is granted. u will receive ur passports in 2 - 3 days.

if u have noticed, my dad was giving way more info than he was asked. i used to advice him to ans to the point the first 2 times they went, but this time i let them handle it the way they thought appropriate.... since they were already veterans @ this!!!! for our good luck the VO was not offended, and she came thru for us. thank God.

good luck to everyone still trying... for the most part it is still very random... so keep trying, it will work out soon.