hongkongexpat

A tricker option is to file a petition for a K1 visa and then get married in the United States. (Basically the K1 is a immigrant visa for fiances). But the K1 is a lengthy process, and you must marry within 90 days from entry. If you want to get married.

I wasn't sure about Bangkok post, I assumed it as it was applied in Hong Kong, Beijing and Toronto posts.

Yes, it used to be is you were issued a visa before, you are interview-exempt. But now, posts are upgrading to include biometric enrollment in the visas, so interviews (even for people who were issued visas before) are mandatory. By Oct 26, 2004 biometric enrollment will be in place at all U.S. consulates. The Bangkok embassy has been upgraded to take the index fingerprints of applicants, along with many Asian posts, such as Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul to name a few. 10-year visas are more common now, as the U.S. does not want people clogging up its posts when making each trip. Each country has a different maximum validity schedule, such as countries like Cambodia, where 2 entries in 6 months is the maximum, in Iran 1 entry in 3 months is the maximum, in China where multiple in 6 months is the limit. Countries like South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand. If you are not a Thai passport holder, even if you apply at Bangkok post, you are still given the same schedule for your country. (Example: you hold a Iranian passport and apply in Bangkok, you still are given a one-entry 3 month validity visa). Also, on arrival in the U.S. you will be enrolled in US-VISIT, where your fingerprints and photographs are taken in less than 8 seconds. If you are a citizen of a Visa Waivier Program country (such as France, UK (British Citizens only), Italy, Germany, Singapore, Brunei, Japan) you are exempt from visas, but from September 1st, you will be enrolled in US -VISIT. All passengers will be enrolled after September 1st, but Canadian and Mexican citizens are exempt.

I have had only experience with the Hong Kong post. I applied for my visa at the Bangkok post, and was issued with the Hong Kong SAR validity (10 years). I used the 10 year validity as a example, because I know people that thought they could stay for as long as 10 years. I had some clients who complained after they were sent away for overstaying.

Not unusual for Thailand, I believe; at least, based on the Thai friends and colleagues who have been granted visas here.  I've seen all kinds of validities, with 10 years being the longest.  But out of the 8 or 9 Thais I know, only two or three were given 10 year validities on their first application.  The rest got shorter periods of various lengths (3 months was the shortest).

I worked on cases in Hong Kong, I haven't done any of this work in Thailand. But, are you sure they are B1 or B2 visas? Other visas have different validities. Some visas such as K-1 have 3 month, F-1 have 5 years and many others.

I'd like to point out that the statement "Thai citizens are issued with 10-year validity visas" is not entirely accurate.  The validity of the visa approved by the consular office CAN be up to 10 years, but these days it is far more typical for the applicant to be given a much shorter term on his or her first trip.  Three months, six months, a year, three years, five years -- anything is possible.

Also, on arrival in the US, the immigration officer can and often does give a much shorter visitation period than 180 days.  For first time visitors, they often give not much more than the length of time the individual claims he or she will be visiting.  Ten days, two weeks, whatever.

In any case, neither the 10 year visa nor the 180 day visit period is a given -- and these days, they are more often NOT given than given.

You are right, what I provided above were normal cases. From my experience, I am always admitted for 180 days on arrival, even though I claim I will be visiting for 1 week etc. Yes it is true you could be admitted for any time the USCIS inspector wants. And not every country is the same with validity, Thailand, in a normal case gets 10 years, but some countries only get single entries in 1-month, multiple for 3 years, etc, etc, etc. The 10 year is always granted (at least at the Hong Kong post), every one of my clients were issued with 10 year visas, even though they just wanted to go there for business for 5 days. But, it is up to the inspector. Also, all first time applicants I've seen are issued with full 10-year visas. It would be unusual for a different period to be granted.

Some US visa facts:

20-25% of applications are rejected at the Bangkok post

4-8% are rejected at the Hong Kong post

4-8% are rejected at the Seoul post

20-25% are rejected at the Manila post

50-60% are rejected at the Phnom Penh post

50-60% are rejected at the Ho Chi Minh City Post

20-25% are rejected at the Mumbai and New Delhi posts

30-40% are rejected at the Shanghai, Shenyang, Beijing, Guangzhou posts

What I have given here are approximate rejection rates for US visas around Asia, if you are rejected, I do not recommend you re-apply instantly, you should work out your case better, review your cirumstances, and if you believe that you can re-convince the officer, then by all means re-try. Never book a non-refundable ticket for the U.S. before visas are issued.

hongkongexpat:  Many thanks for your imput.

I am preparing for my Thai for a tourist visa and your information confirms everything I have learned in a year of research and posts in this website.

In Chiang Mai, the consular office has a reception and pay window that is visited prior to talking with a counsulor officer.  This is in the U.S. Citizens service section.

I don't have a clue what a Thai is faced with in their visa section.

Are you saying that a Thai visiting the Chiang Mai counsulate for a U.S.  tourist  visa must first go to a Thai post office to pay the non-refundable $100 visa fee and present the receipt for the payment upon supplying the documents?  Will any post office do?

Since I am in effect the sponsoring party for the trip and will be paying for the trip, should I not accompany the Thai for moral support, provide a declaration of our three year domestic relationship and be available to answer any questions regarding U.S. contacts, "compelling reasons" to return Thailand together, etc.

My take on the regulations are that a committed interdependent relationship with a retired farang in Thailand, to all intent and purposes is a "common law marriage", is just another "compelling reason" to return and my presence might be helpful, ie. family ties.

I have no idea about the Chiang Mai consulate, I renewed my visa in March this year at the Bangkok embassy. I know for a fact Bangkok applications are to be paid at any post office, you get a reciept and you take it to the interview. A sponsor should only provide a letter to the applicant, as only the applicant is allowed to attend the interview window(at least this is true with the Visa Issuing Posts in Toronto, Hong Kong, Bangkok, London) You should apply for a US B2 visa, but the visa is easier to get, since you are a US citizen.

I was a former Immigration lawyer from Hong Kong who dealt mostly with cases from clients regarding visas for the United States. The reason that most US non-immigrant tourist and business (B1/B2) visa applicants in Thailand are rejected are due to a lack to ties to the country. The best thing to secure a US visa is to have proof that you have family here, and a title deed to property you may own. Basically you must prove that you will leave the United States and return to Thailand. You should show your bank statements/ bankbooks to prove financial solvency and that you will have enough funds during your stay in the United States. It also helps if you have been issued a US Visa before. At the interview window, submit your passport, application form, 1 2x2 inch passport photograph, supporting documents and proof you paid the US$100 equivalent in Thai baht at any post office for the machine-readable non-immigrant visa, sadly this fee is not refunded if your application is rejected . At the window, the counsular officer will ask you to place your left index finger on a scanning device, and then your right index finger on the device. Then the officer will ask you why you are going, what is going to make you return to Thailand and so on, just never appear nervous, speak clearly and confidently and look at them in the face. Thai citizens are issued with 10-year validity visas. However this does not mean you can stay for 10 years in the US, it is vlaid for as many trips as you can make in 10 years, normally when you arrive at a U.S. airport you will be admitted for 180 days and it cannot be extended by crossing the Canadian or Mexican border, you must retain the original I-94 card(a white slip of paper stapled to your passport which indicates how long you can stay and confirms departure), however if you are going to Canada by land and not returning, surrender your I-94 to the Canadian official, or else the US will think you are still there and think you overstayed your visa. When exiting the U.S. please make sure the check-in counter person removes the I-94, or if you leave abroad, they think you overstay you visa, and you will be deported the next time you enter the U.S. If you are looking for other non-immigrant visas such as student, work visas, and U.S. Immigrant visas you can post them here.