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My father is Assistant Research Scientist/Principal in Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agriculture University.

My parents applied for US B1/B2 in April 2014. My mother got visa for 10 years, but visa office give 221G to my father and asked him to submit some documents in email for administration process.

In 221G, they asked for all research he did during his job, when he collect those data, it was more then 1500 pages. I collect only abstract from those papers or theses and it was around 90 pages.

He submitted this in email and after 2 weeks, he got mail to submit passport to VFS office. He submitted passport, and when we got passport, he had visa for 1 year only.

My parents came to US in December 2014 and leave US in Feb 2015.

In May 2015, my father's visa was expired, he has to visit US in next year. We thought to apply for visa again.

My mother had visa for 10 years, and father only has to go for visa again. First time, he choose English as interview language. Second time he don't want to take any risk and choose Gujarati for interview language. (We thought he might be not understand visa officer question due to pronunciation and give wrong answer, and got 221G). When he went for visa, he had all the documents which they asked last time in 221G. Visa officer again asked same question, like, are you going for any conference, or to attend any meeting, or to attend any college guest lecture, my father replied no. He told, my son is in US and I am going to meet him. Again visa office gave him 221G and asked to submit same documents he submitted last time. He has those documents, and he ask visa office to check those documents which they asked in 221G. Visa office told, please submit in email only, he could not check those documents now.

He submitted documents withing 2 days, because he had all documents ready. We were expecting, he should get 10 years visa because, he already visited once and came back to India in time.

Bad luck for us, he got visa for 1 year only. He came to US in March 2016 and will return in May 2016.

My questions are:

Is he belongs to special category due to his designation and got 1 year visa every time?

If he apply after his retirement (June 2016), is there any chance, he will get 10 years visa?

OR We have to apply before he has to come, so he can stay at least 6 month in US.

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    With respect to user102008's answer, you may want to have a look at travel.stackexchange.com/questions/66561/…. When your father has a 1-year visa, he may enter the US at any point during that 1-year period; the duration of his allowed stay can extend beyond the visa's expiration date.
    – phoog
    Commented Apr 13, 2016 at 19:07

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Is he belongs to special category due to his designation and got 1 year visa every time?

If he apply after his retirement (June 2016), is there any chance, he will get 10 years visa?

Nobody can really answer this. This is up to the consular officer's discretion each time.

OR We have to apply before he has to come, so he can stay at least 6 month in US.

This doesn't make sense. He can enter at any time during the year of validity of his visa, up to and including the day it expires, and he can stay for 6 months (unless the immigration officer at the border gives a shorter time for some reason, which is unusual).

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I think they want to see that may be the person has done some research which is very highly sensitive. My several friends with chemical/materials engineering background faced the similar situation when they applied for B1/B2 visa in Canada. I think when your father will apply for the visa third time then he will get 10 years visa.

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  • Now he is Retired, and his visa also expired :). I am planing to apply his visa again, will update this post when get any result. Thanks again for reply.
    – Lafda
    Commented Sep 15, 2016 at 13:28
  • Eddie, your best wishes not worked third time, Father gave visa interview on 14th Feb, but he got 221g again. They not asked for any new documents, but just give 221g and inform, they will update via email. Still I am waiting for mail.
    – Lafda
    Commented Apr 5, 2017 at 16:42
  • Eddie, after 60 Days of wait, I wrote mail to consulate, they replied, they need same documents again :(. Planing to send those in 2-3 days, hope got 10 years visa this time
    – Lafda
    Commented May 16, 2017 at 21:26
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I am not surprised that they gave your father a 1 year visa again. I am in research and I always get a 1 year visa. The only difference is that I have always applied to go for a conference and not to visit relatives. Also, every time I am required to submit my updated CV.

My uncle works in research and when he wanted to visit his son, they actually rejected his visa the first time stating that his research was in a "sensitive" field. The second time he got a one year visa and again the second time.

I guess when you work in chemical/nuclear/biological research they want to have your research updates every time you apply. If you get 10 year visa they cannot track the applicant anymore.

I wish they had a separate family visa like some European countries have.

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  • Thanks Himstien, my father is in Agriculture, but I think, his designation cause everytime issue :). Now he is retired and enjoy his retired life, I thought he might get visa once he is retired, but Visa offecer not think as I think ;). Now finger crossed for the visa.
    – Lafda
    Commented Apr 6, 2017 at 15:05
  • Himstien, finally get reply, they requred same docs again, will see how it works.
    – Lafda
    Commented May 16, 2017 at 21:26
  • Himstien, they got again 1 year visa :(
    – Lafda
    Commented Jun 22, 2017 at 14:14

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