Fiancee Visa To Us Questions

[kolohe]

I have read thru the forms and it just kills me how long it takes to process these petitions. The Vermont office is showing processing of petitions from March, yet California is backlogged from November. You'd think with that much difference in workload, they'd share some of it or something.

Does anyone know if there is a way to file for the K-1 visa from thailand and if so, does it make it any quicker?

How long between the time that the USCIS approves your petition until the embassy mails out the packet to the fiancee?

Is it quicker to go for the K-1 visa or get married in Thailand and do the K-3 visa route?

Any suggestions from people who have gone the k-1 route before? Especially ways to help it go smoothly. Would take some suggestions on ways to show evidence of relationship, etc. So far I have phone records, a few passport stamps, bankrecords (showing me in the same town that she lives in via atm withdrawls), only a couple postal letters, pictures, calling card receipts. Is that sufficient? Anything else I can add to it?

Thanks,

kolohe

[kolohe]

Oh yea, and after getting married to a thai girl in the US. how difficult is it to get thai passport/citizenship?

[bkk_mike]

Oh yea, and after getting married to a thai girl in the US.  how difficult is it to get thai passport/citizenship?

Do a search on the site.

It might come as a surprise, but simply by marrying a Thai, there is no quick way for you to get Thai nationality...

Roughly - you have to live in Thailand for several years (on extensions of your original visa - 3 years is the MINIMUM), at which point you can apply for permanent resident status.

After several more years living in Thailand on Permanent Resident status, and if you can speak Thai (not sure if you need to be able to read/write), you can apply for citizenship. Even then citizenship is not automatic, and is discretionary.

At each stage - things can go wrong.

However, assuming you have a US passport - why would you want to go through the hassle to get a Thai passport. The benefits of Thai nationality over US nationality are pretty much restricted to the ability to own land in Thailand, and if you just want land for a house - your wife can own it, but it will be HERS, you will have no claim to the land whatsoever. (You can set up a lease if you're worried about a divorce in the future)

(Sorry - but for the K-1 / K-3 stuff - I'm British and have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. - For most Europeans, spousal/marriage visas are solely an issue for the embassy in Thailand).

[Jeff1]

There is no fast way.

I got my wife here on a k3 , We married in Thailand. You have to file here, or I guess you can mail it from Thailand, Not any faster. after all the paperwork was recieved it took 11 months. LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time and 9 trips for me back and forth in that 11 months The bright side was , I got a gold milage plus card from United After it is approved, it then has to be approved by the state dept. , not long, then you go to the embassy for the packet and visa !! That was the worse wait I have ever done. There will be a test ( from me ) and belive me I do know the answers. The questions are :

1. How many ceiling tiles are there in the waiting room ?

2. How many holes are in one ceiling tile ?

Good luck

[Drewcifer]

Jeff1,

LOL, the answers to (1) and (2) depend on which immigration office you were in. And yeah, I can answers those as well.

[Jeff1]

Drewcifer,

The U.S. embassy , Bangkok .... Was where I did most of my waiting. After the INS or whatever they are calling themselfs now, approves her , you would like to think the embassy will be easy ...NOT !

They are the worst part of the adventure. check your calander carefully, they take off all Thai holidays and all U.S. holidays, start late and close early, so when they are actually open for business ( not a whole he## of alot ) its a madhouse. But you do get to sit down.

[lopburi3]

Oh yea, and after getting married to a thai girl in the US. how difficult is it to get thai passport/citizenship?

What are you asking? She will have a Thai passport if she travels to the USA. If you are talking about yourself (as some have taken it) why get married in the USA if you plan to live in Thailand? If talking about her she will continue to have and use her Thai passport. If you looking for US citizenship requirements use the internet as all kinds of information is easily available and you will be sure of getting the current information. Look for official web sites to read when you do a Google search.