Immigration Corner | I am confused about the visa system

Dear Mrs Walker-Huntington,

Please advise me on this situation. I have a fiancé who is a British citizen. He wants to take me to the USA with him on a visit, but I do not have a US visa and I have never applied for one before. Do I have to apply separately, or could he apply for it on behalf of me, as I don’t understand the system. I am 54 years old.

Thank you.

PM

Dear PM,

When anyone applies for a US visitor’s visa (B2), they must convince the consular officer at the US Embassy that they intend to visit temporarily and that they have enough ties in their home country that they will return at the end of their intended stay. It does not matter significantly why a person wants to visit the United States. Unfortunately, because of this broad and subjective standard, there are scores of persons who apply for a US visa for solid reasons but they are denied.

Some factors that the US Embassy uses to determine whether a person will return to their home country is their age, as well as marital, employment and financial status. The more ties you have to your home country, the better chance you will have to secure a visitor’s visa. That being said, people with similar backgrounds often receive differing results with a visa application.

You must apply by yourself; your fiancé cannot apply on your behalf. He can assist you with the application itself, but you are the one who will be interviewed and will have to demonstrate your ability to afford the trip, and that you will return to Jamaica at the end of the visit.

Keep in mind that because of continued backlogs at the US Embassy in Kingston, it can take several months to secure an appointment for a visitor’s visa interview, so you should plan accordingly. Best of luck.

Dahlia A. Walker-Huntington, Esq, is a Jamaican-American attorney who practises immigration law in the United States; and family, criminal and international law in Florida. She is a diversity and inclusion consultant, mediator, and former special magistrate and hearing officer in Broward County, Florida. info@walkerhuntington.com