How to help Mexican Grandparents apply for a US Visitor Visa.

In this document you will be able to find information about how to help Mexican senior citizens
(grandparents/abuelitos) apply for a U.S. Visitor Visa. This information can help Mexican senior
citizens obtain a visitor visa in order to visit their relatives that are living in U.S., those that they
may have not seen in several years. Our organization already has a document that explains the
Visa application process. It is called How to Apply for a US Visitor Visa.
This document will focus on helping Mexican senior citizens specifically because it may be easier
for them to visit the U.S. (in order to visit relatives) instead of Mexican nationals (that are living in
the U.S.) visiting relatives in Mexico. Mexican youths that are living in the U.S. (Dreamers and
DACAmented Youth) can coordinate with relatives (Mexican Deportees and Returnees) that are
now living in Mexico in order to help their grandparents apply for the Visa. There are activities that
need to be done in Mexico and in the U.S. and young people on both sides of the border can work
together.
What follows is the Visa application process with tips on how you can help the senior citizens
complete the process successfully. These tips are in Blue.
The Tourism and Visit Visas (B-2) can be granted if a person is going to:
-Tourism
-Vacation (holiday)
-Visit Friends and Relatives
-Medical Treatment
-Participation in social events hosted by fraternal, social or service organizations
-Participation by amateurs in musical, sports, or similar events or contest, if not being paid for
participating.
-Enrollment in a short recreational course of study, not for credit toward a degree

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Activities NOT permitted on Visitors visas

-Study
-Employment
- Paid performances, or any professional performance before a paying audience
-Arrival as a crewmember on a ship or aircraft
-Work as a foreign press, radio, film, journalists, and other information media.
-Permanent residence in the U.S.

How to Apply for a Visitor Visa.

This process has several steps. The order and details of these steps vary at the U.S. Embassy or
Consulate where the person applies.
Complete the Online Visa Application (Dreamers and DACAmented Youth in the U.S. and
Mexican Deportees and Returnees can help the Grandparents complete this application)
-Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application (Form DS-160)
1) Complete the online visa application
2) Print the application form confirmation page to bring to your interview.
-Photo
1) You will upload a photo when completing the DS-160 form.

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Schedule an Interview (Dreamers and DACAmented Youth in the U.S. and Mexican Deportees and
Returnees can help schedule the Grandparents Interview)
You must schedule an appointment for the interview. An interview can be scheduled at any U.S.
Embassy or Consulate.
People of certain ages may not be required to have an interview but consular officers have the
discretion to require an interview of any applicant.
If you are 13 years old or younger the interview is generally not required.
If you are 14 years old or older BUT younger than 79 years old the interview is required.
If you are 80 years old or older the interview is generally not required.

When selecting where the interview will be consider the travel difficulties that the Grandparents
may have. Two appointments (one for the photos and fingerprints and one for the interview) may
be needed in the same city where the Embassy or the Consulate is at. If both Grandparents (the
couple that is married) are applying they should apply together. It would be convenient if a
younger family member could accompany them to the city where the Embassy or Consulate is. The
Mexican deportee or returnee can help them by accompanying them.

Prepare for your interview

-Fees you have to pay the non-refundable visa application fee.
(Mexican Deportees and Returnees can help the Grandparents pay this fee at the bank)

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Gather Required Documentation

(Dreamers and DACAmented Youth in the U.S. and Mexican Deportees and Returnees can help the
Grandparents gather the required documentation)

You have to gather and prepare the required documents before your visa interview.
-

Passport (valid for a least six months beyond your period of stay in the US)
DS- 160 Form confirmation page (Nonimmigrant Visa Application
The receipt for the application fee payment.
Photo (uploaded onto the DS-160 form)

Mexican Deportees and Returnees can help the Grandparents apply for their passports. They can
also help with the filling out and the printing of the required documents.
Additional Documentation may be required
Documents that include evidence
-

Purpose of your trip

Your intent to depart the U.S. after your trip
Your ability to pay all costs of the trip.

You must show evidence of your employment. You must show your family ties in your home
country in order to show the purpose of your trip and your intent to return to your home country.
If you cant cover all the costs of the trip, you have to show evidence that another person will
cover all or some of the costs of the trip.

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Dreamers and DACAmented Youth in the U.S. and Mexican Deportees and Returnees can help the
Grandparents gather these additional documents. Mexican Deportees and Returnees can help
them gather evidence of their employment. If they are retired they should be able to prove this. If
the Grandparents dedicate their time to administer their properties (apartments, houses, business
properties, and pieces of land) Deportees and Returnees can help them gather documents that
prove this. These documents can include: property deeds, receipts and tenant agreements. If both
Grandparents (the couple that is married) are applying together they should present their
marriage certificate.
Dreamers and DACamented Youth in the U.S. can assist with providing proof of the purpose of the
trip. If the Grandparents want to visit relatives that are living in the U.S. with proper
documentation a letter of invitation from said relative can be provided. The name and address and
telephone number of that relative can be provided as well to fill out the application. Pictures and
photos of that relative may also be useful. The Dreamers and DACAmented Youth in the U.S. can
help gather these documents and information. They may need to send these to Mexico by email or
mail.

Attend your Visa Interview. (The Mexican deportee or returnee can accompany them to the city
where the Visa interview is)
Mexican Deportees and Returnees can plan and accommodate the traveling and housing
arrangements for them. Remember to arrange the transportation to and from the city where the
Visa interview will be at. The transportation within that city is also needed. Taxis, Ubers and
other forms of transportation need to be used to travel to and from the Hotel and Embassy or
Consulate. Sightseeing may also require transportation.
Reserving a room at a hotel should be considered if the appointments are in two different days. A
hotel can be reserved online. Consider the benefits that the hotel offers and the probability of the
Grandparents being comfortable and safe. Find out if breakfast will be offered. Find out if a
storage service will be provided in order to store your belongings after your check-out time. Find
out if the hotel will allow 3 people to stay in one room. This will be useful if both grandparents
(the couple that is married) and the Mexican Deportee or Returnee will be traveling together.
Some hotels allow a third person to stay in a room for an extra payment but dont provide another
bed or a cot. The Deportee or Returnee can consider staying in a Hostel while the Grandparents
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stay in the Hotel in order to save money. Consider the hotel check-in and check-out times so they
dont interfere with the Interview times.
If they have medical conditions you should help them. Help them with their medications. Take
canes, portable chairs and other possessions that can help them stay comfortable on this trip.
Take devices and toiletries that can help them get ready and be presentable for the interview. Be
careful with the places where the Grandparents eat at because they may get an upset stomach.
Remember that Grandparents can use their INAPAM card (Instituto Nacional de las Personas
Adultas Mayores) in order to get discounts on hotels, restaurants and transportation companies.

You have to attend your interview. At your visa interview, an officer at the consulate will
determine whether youre qualified to receive a visa (which visa is appropriate based on your
purpose of travel will also be determined). You need to meet the requirements under U.S. law.
During the interview Returnees have to be Honest. It is important to say that you have been in the
U.S.
It does depend on the Consulate but most officers in the consulate want people to be honest and
take responsibility of being in the U.S. without documents.

Additional Information
-

Visitors to the U.S. are not permitted to accept employment or work in the U.S.
Do not make travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa.

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Conclusion

In this document we have shown how Mexican youths that are living in the U.S. (Dreamers and
DACAmented Youth) and Mexican Deportees and Returnees can work together in order to help
their Grandparents apply for a visitor visa in order to visit their relatives that are living in U.S.,
those that they may have not seen in several years. If the Visa is granted to them the youths and
the family members on both sides of the border can help with the travel plans of the
Grandparents.

This document is a compilation of the information we have gathered in conversations with

Mexican senior citizens (and their family members) who now have these types of Visas. We
appreciate all of their opinions and help.

We hope that with this information families can become reunited.

If you have any questions or comments you can email us at info@dreaminmexico.org

Information Retrieved from:

United States Department of State. Vistor Visa [Data file]. Retrieved from
http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/visit/visitor.html

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