Posted by
MumBee
17 yrs ago
Hi,
I was hoping to get some advice about helping our DH get a visa to the US. We will be going on home leave and she has said she would like to come with us - partly to help us out with the kid and also because she wants to visit there. We would love to bring her but dont know how easy it is to get her a visa, especially in the post-9/11 environment. Also she will have only been in HK and working for us for 4 months when we plan to take the trip.
Is there any way we can get her a visa to come with us?
Thanks for any suggestions/advice provided.
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HK01
17 yrs ago
There have been numerous threads on here started with the same question. You can try, but I caution you now, it's expensive, time consuming and frustrating. When it's all said and done, when you have paid the required fees for application and such, there is No gurantee you will get her a visa, in all likelyhood, you will not. I know, we have tried. I would also be concerned she wants to go and suggested it. in many instances, those that did get visas, skipped out on their employer and became l"lost" among other familes in the US.
Just think about it first taht's all. In retrospect, it was not worth the time and money we spent to apply for the visa in the first place, to only get denied
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Has anyone applied for a visitors visa to the US for their DH lately, and what happened. I did see numerous threads about applying to the UK and to Australia, but wasnt sure about the US.
HK01 - how long had your DH been with you when you applied, and any ideas why it was rejected? And my DH didnt suggest it, but we discussed it together. I dont think (hopefully) that she would jump ship.
Thanks again.
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pzam
17 yrs ago
I applied for our helper 3 years ago and she was granted one. We'll be applying for her again this year and hopefully she'll be given one again. When I originally applied, she had just been in HK for 4 months.
I was able to accompany her the first time she applied as I had to get a US Visa for my daughter at same time, so her interviewer spoke to me too with regards to her application. I guess that helped a lot.
I hope that she'll do as well when she interviews on her own.
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Thanks pzam - could you give some more clarity as to the process? Did you just submit the application as per usual? I have been trying to find the information on the US consulate website but cant seem to find it...
Thanks.
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pzam
17 yrs ago
I just submitted all the requirements they needed for a domestic helper visa. The application form, a US contract of employment stating a salary that's in-line with US rates, the employer's valid US visa or document proving the employer's right to visit the US and the current HK employment contract.
Check out this site for more details: http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/niv_domestic_helpers.html
We just did the above and were lucky enough to have gotten one for our helper.
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Thanks pzam - so you adjusted your DH's salary so that it was in line with US regulations? Did you have to pay Social Security taxes and such as well for the period she was in the US?
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TC
17 yrs ago
That (to adjust the salary in line with the country in which the helper will be working) is a very clear requirement that catches a lot of people out who are hoping to continue paying the comparatively low HK wages in another country. Whether it's actually done, or course, is a different matter. The higher salary obligation is one of the things that should be considered when thinking about taking the helper with you. Good luck with the application.
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pzam
17 yrs ago
Didn't have to pay taxes on top of what we gave her while we were in the US. The US contract of employment was only for the period we were in the US. Once we came back to HK, then it was back to the original salary.
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we applied last Oct for our helper of 2.5 years and had no problem whatsoever. She was told yes on the spot. Yes, I had to pay the fees and help her with te application, but I would hardly call that time consuming, frustrating, or expensive. Everyone I know whos helper has been with them over 1 year was given a visa. I paid US wages while there (came to hk$30k for the month b/c included a very jetlagged toddler that meant her day started very early for the first two weeks). I have submitted all of that to the IRS but have not been made aware of any taxes on top opf that. WE paid Mass. miniumum wage + 1.5x overtime for anything over 40 hrs/week
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