Does anyone know if minor El Salvadoran citizens need the permission of both parents to get visas to come to the U.S.? What if the child has lived with the mother only for his entire life, and has never met the father?
Thanks.

Hi Ilsi and welcome,

What is the purpose of the visit? It's more difficult to get visas to visit the USA from some countries than others. El Salvador would fall into the 'more difficult' category. Solid ties to El Salvador would need to be proven in order to secure a visitor's visa for the child.

Is the dad providing financial support for the child? If so, even if the child hasn't met him, he might need to give permission too. Good luck.

Hey, thanks for replying.

The child's mother is married to an American citizen. The ultimate goal is for the USC to be able to adopt him and bring the mom and child back to the U.S., and to get citizenship for them. So it's not just a visitor's visa. The biological father has never been in the child's life, never paid child support, never met the child-- no contact whatsoever. His step-father is willing to show up at the visa application, but they were told that the visa requires permission of the biological father as well.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Does the mother know how to get in touch with the child's biological father? Is the father not in the child's life by his own choice? If that's the case, the father probably wouldn't have any objection to consenting for the child to move to the US. Once the consent is given (if the dad can be found), the USC shouldn't have a problem filing for both of them.

PUSC is right. However, don't be surprised if the dad wants some payola to step aside. May want to play your partner off as some McDonalds worker so as to avoid $$ in the eyes syndrome.

There is no such requirement to apply for a U.S. visa or to enter the U.S. however, El Salvador, like most Latin American countries, require that minors travel accompanied by both parents, if not they must have written, notorized, permission of both parents if alone, or that of the other parent if traveling with one parent. That is a requirement to exit and enter those countries and is enforced by those countries at both entry and exit. It is not enforced by the U.S.