I have a B1 Visa, can I get B2 visa for my non-working wife?

Question

I have a 10 year multiple entry B1/B2 visa and work for a software company. I have had a couple of one-two month business visits to US and it is frustrating because I have to leave my wife at my parents place everytime.

This time on, I want to bring her with me on B2. The problem is that she is not working and does not have substantial assets on her name.

Is my wife's case weak for a B2 visa because she doesn't work. Will a joint account with my account help?

Thanks in advance !

Anirban

Answer 1

Your wife can apply for her owm B/2 Visa, or depending on where you are from she could come on the Visa waiver program, you can stay for 3 months without a visa.  27 countries participate in the program, here is a complete list:

Andorra

Iceland

Norway

Australia

Ireland

Portugal

Austria

Italy

San Marino

Belgium

Japan

Singapore

Brunei

Liechtenstein

Slovenia

Denmark

Luxembourg

Spain

Finland

Monaco

Sweden

France

the Netherlands

Switzerland

Germany

New Zealand

United Kingdom

For more info go to http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/withou...

Or google visa waiver program

Answer 2

No one can tell you with any certainty if your wife's case is weak or strong. You'll only know by applying for the visa. The fact that she does not work doesn't help.

I have a niece who does not work. She has a U.S. visitors visa. Her husband makes plenty of money and she takes care of the three kids who have visas.

The have very strong ties to their country and would be stupid to move to the U.S. without first getting an immigrant visa. Of course, they have no desire to immigrate.

If you live in a country where the visa denial rate is high, your wife may have a tougher time than if you lived in a country with a low refusal rate.