Immigration: Can US visitor visas be renewed?

Ramesh Rawal

Question: My old passport was valid till 20-8-2025, but since no page is blank in it, I have got a new passport, but in that new passport it has been remarked that- 'Passport Cancelled. Visa if any Remains Valid.' Now if I want to go to America can I travel through this new passport? – Dinesh Wegad, Bhavnagar Answer : Yes, definitely and legally you can go to USA based on your new passport, because the visa of your old passport is safe and only the old passport is cancelled, the visa in it is not cancelled. You will have to carry your passport with the old visa while travelling. Question: After our son becomes a citizen of America, green card is good for us when we go to America through visitor visa or should it be done from India? Does our son have to declare that he will sponsor his parents? – Mukesh Majmudar and Rashmika Majmudar, Vadodara Answer : Your son can file a petition even after you go to America on a visitor visa, but you cannot stay there permanently on a visitor visa, because it will take a long time before the petition is opened and the interview comes. However, do so only after consulting an attorney there, as you have to go through the process of converting to a non-immigrant visa. Rather than that it is imperative to prepare and file a petition from India. Before that you can go to US through visitor visa. Your son must not be declared to sponsor you, but a sponsor letter must be filed with the petition. Question: I have got US visitor visa. I have been threatened by a political party. So my life is in danger. Now if I go to America can my visa be extended-renewed again? What documents do I have to submit?- Aditya Prabhakar, Mumbai Answer: You can apply for extension of 6 months visa at the airport for another 6 months or you can prove the exact proof of threat and other serious situation. If yes then you should take action for political asylum after consulting an expert attorney there. Consultation is required for both options. Question: The priority date of my F-3 is 3-2-2009. Our case is current as the current bulletin is May 2024. So now when will the interview come? – Sameer Patel, Ahmedabad Answer : If you have received 6 steps welcome letter. And after you have filed the documents as per all the steps, if you have received the answer of Documentarily Qualified, the interview call should come shortly or early 2025. If no reply has been received yet, the National Visa Center should be emailed to find out. Many of the 2009 F-3 petitions have had interview letters issued so check. Question: Our elder daughter lives in America. I, my wife and my other daughter want to apply for US visitor visa. So should I give the details of the daughter who lives in America or should we state in the form that we will stay there or we will stay in a hotel? – Hitesh Prajapati, Surat Answer : First of all remember that in the visitor visa form you must mention the name, address etc. of your blood relative and also mention that you have any petition filed in America. Secondly, if you give the hotel address and hide your daughter's name etc, the visa may be rejected. So always truthful facts should be stated in the form. Question: My son lives in California and studies in MS software engineering. Can we parents and other family members apply for US visitor visa to attend its convocation? After getting the visa, if we don't go for convocation and go directly after two-three years, is it okay? – Mridang Bhatt, Ahmedabad Answer : Generally only parents apply in student's convocation and if all family members apply for visa instead of their presence, the officer may doubt whether all will return to India or not. Actually the purpose for which you have sought the visa should be fulfilled. Question: My friend Nirav wants to get passport and visa, but birth certificate and L.C. have different date of birth. So what do I do? – Samirbhai Patel, Ahmedabad Answer : If there is correct date of birth in the birth certificate, based on that, take the passport and write the date of birth in the passport in the visa form as well. (The author is an immigration expert advocate and licensed legal consultant in the US.)