Can minors apply B1/B2 visa before parents

Dear Gurus,

I am planning to apply a US visa for my wife and kids so we can travel to US this fall for a tourism trip. I am awaiting my UK passport so hopefully my ESTA gets approved and I dont need a visa

Since there is a waiting period for interviews, can my kids send in their application before my wife as they are below 14 and exempt from interviews. Will their visa be issued assuming only I have a ESTA to travel to the states and my wife still awaits her interview.

Thanks in advance

rubyracer2 wrote: ↑

Sun May 14, 2023 9:44 pm

Dear Gurus,

I am planning to apply a US visa for my wife and kids so we can travel to US this fall for a tourism trip. I am awaiting my UK passport so hopefully my ESTA gets approved and I dont need a visa

Since there is a waiting period for interviews, can my kids send in their application before my wife as they are below 14 and exempt from interviews. Will their visa be issued assuming only I have a ESTA to travel to the states and my wife still awaits her interview.

Thanks in advance

You're free to apply in whatever order that pleases you. Everyone would have to enter into the Embassy for interviews. Not sure where you got the exemption idea from. If the kids are too young to be asked questions, then the adult relative would be asked the questions.

Nobody can tell you that their visas would be granted. It's all subject to the consular officer's discretion.

My advise, let them go at the same time as your spouse. Your spouse should attend the interview with your British passport (if issued at the time) and say that you're all travelling as a family.

Ticktack wrote: ↑

Mon May 15, 2023 10:12 am

You're free to apply in whatever order that pleases you. Everyone would have to enter into the Embassy for interviews. Not sure where you got the exemption idea from. If the kids are too young to be asked questions, then the adult relative would be asked the questions.

Thanks Ticktack for your reply. I saw this on the site. My kids are younger than 14, so I assumed they qualified to apply by courier

Applicants aged 14 – 79 are required to apply for a visa in person through a pre-arranged interview. Applicants under 14 or 80 and over may be eligible to apply by courier. Click here for further information.

rubyracer2 wrote: ↑

Mon May 15, 2023 10:21 am

Ticktack wrote: ↑

Mon May 15, 2023 10:12 am

You're free to apply in whatever order that pleases you. Everyone would have to enter into the Embassy for interviews. Not sure where you got the exemption idea from. If the kids are too young to be asked questions, then the adult relative would be asked the questions.

Thanks Ticktack for your reply. I saw this on the site. My kids are younger than 14, so I assumed they qualified to apply by courier

Applicants aged 14 – 79 are required to apply for a visa in person through a pre-arranged interview. Applicants under 14 or 80 and over may be eligible to apply by courier. Click here for further information.

Keyword here is "May be" have you clicked on the link to see what the condition are, that "might" exclude them from an in person interview?

rubyracer2 wrote: ↑

Mon May 15, 2023 10:21 am

Ticktack wrote: ↑

Mon May 15, 2023 10:12 am

You're free to apply in whatever order that pleases you. Everyone would have to enter into the Embassy for interviews. Not sure where you got the exemption idea from. If the kids are too young to be asked questions, then the adult relative would be asked the questions.

Thanks Ticktack for your reply. I saw this on the site. My kids are younger than 14, so I assumed they qualified to apply by courier

Applicants aged 14 – 79 are required to apply for a visa in person through a pre-arranged interview. Applicants under 14 or 80 and over may be eligible to apply by courier. Click here for further information.

Children under the age of 14
In general, children under the age of 14 are not required to appear in person for an interview. If the parent is applying for a visa, he or she may bring the child’s completed visa application to his or her visa interview.

That would or might work if applying at the same time as one parent as I earlier implied, not in isolation.

Thanks TickTack I plan to apply in a week .

rubyracer2 wrote: ↑

Tue May 23, 2023 9:48 am

Thanks TickTack I plan to apply in a week .

Your spouse and kids I suppose you're referring to?

Ticktack wrote: ↑

Tue May 23, 2023 11:19 am

Your spouse and kids I suppose you're referring to?

hi TickTack, yes I have received ESTA on my new british passport within a couple of hours and now I plan to apply for my family. The appointment site says the kids are eligible for interview waiver.

Since my wife is a homemaker, can I provide my bank statements for funds (ties to resident country)? we are planning to visit together but I am not on the B1/B2 application since I have ESTA. Should I attach my ESTA approval too

Thanks in advance!

rubyracer2 wrote: ↑

Sun May 28, 2023 11:40 am

Ticktack wrote: ↑

Tue May 23, 2023 11:19 am

Your spouse and kids I suppose you're referring to?

hi TickTack, yes I have received ESTA on my new british passport within a couple of hours and now I plan to apply for my family. The appointment site says the kids are eligible for interview waiver.

Since my wife is a homemaker, can I provide my bank statements for funds (ties to resident country)? we are planning to visit together but I am not on the B1/B2 application since I have ESTA. Should I attach my ESTA approval too

Thanks in advance!

Yeah, by all means provide your details in support of your wife. You and your wife are one and the same, when it comes to accounts and sponsorship documents.
Also, when she's attending the interview, give her your passport and a copy of your ESTA approval.

Please note that she might not be asked to provide those documents. But she should volunteer it. As soon as she says that my husband has his ESTA approved, she should back it up with the docs.
Interviews are very short, and the onus is on the applicant to prove why they should be granted the visa.

Goodluck.