USA visa and marriage

[capin]

Hi all,

 

Just a quick bit about myself. I hold dual British and Irish citizenship but for the past almost 4 years have been living and working in the USA for one of the really big tech firms.  I am here on a skilled worker visa, currently on an L1B but am going through the PERM labour certification hopefully to get my green card in early 2020. 

 

I've been with a Thai girl for the past 4 years and am going to marry her. I've ran this by my company's lawyers and after speaking with them and some other people I work with, the consensus of opinion is that it will be a lot easier to get my wife into the USA under an L2 and then put her as a dependent on the green card than it would be to try and get her the green card from Thailand.

 

Our plan was to get married in her home village in November but I really want to get her over here ASAP so that we have some time behind us living together in the USA before there is any change of immigrant status application. We've decided that just the two of us and a couple of witnesses are going to do a quick marriage in Bangkok in July in the local Amphur and then do the Buddhist thing up at her home in November.

 

I've been reading up about the L2 visa interview and I've got the official documents (freedom to marry affidavit, I-129s, I797 etc etc) all covered off. I am a little concerned about the wedding photos though. I think we will be the only people in the July photos. Do you think this will cause and issue with the US embassy? Does anyone know a photographer or somewhere where I can get some wedding phots taken in bangkok please?

 

Thanks,

 

 

 

[GinBoy2]

I've had many employees in the US (I also worked in HiTech in Silicon Valley and San Diego) who were inter company transfers with an L1 visa. Their wives all came in on L2's, and can't ever remember any of them having an issue.

 

L1/L2's are the easiest, and quickest visa's for companies to get their overseas employees and their families into the United States, on a 'temporary' basis

 

I wouldn't worry too much about her L2, remember this isn't an immigrant visa, so as long as you prove you are legally married, she'll get it.

Just make sure you get the Khor Ror 2 translated and certified

 

The only downside to the L2, is that she won't be able to work.

 

Edited May 21, 2019 by GinBoy2

[capin]

Thankyou GinBoy2.

[capin]

Just to follow up on this thread, I was hoping someone could help me check that I have my process correct.

 

1. Leaving USA on Thursday 4th July.

2. Arrive Bangkok late at night July 5th.

3. Meeting lawyer on July 6th to sign pre-nup.

4. July 8th 

      0800 - Appointment at British embassy to stamp free to marry affidavit

      1000 - translate affidavit intio Thai

      1400 - Thai consulate to stamp affidavit.

5. 9th or 10th July - off to Amphur to get married.

6. Translate marriage cert into English for USCIS.

 

I just have a few questions -

 

Can anyone recommend somewhere to get the affadavit translated please?

 

Can anyone recommend somewhere to get the marriage cert translated. I guess it needs to be somewhere that USCIS will accept?

 

Is there an Amphur near Sukhumvit please?

 

I've never been to an Amphur before, Is there a place there to get some wedding photos taken? If not, Does anyone know where I can get some photos taken please?

 

Thanks,

 

 

[moe666]

9 minutes ago, capin said:

Just to follow up on this thread, I was hoping someone could help me check that I have my process correct.

 

1. Leaving USA on Thursday 4th July.

2. Arrive Bangkok late at night July 5th.

3. Meeting lawyer on July 6th to sign pre-nup.

4. July 8th 

      0800 - Appointment at British embassy to stamp free to marry affidavit

      1000 - translate affidavit intio Thai

      1400 - Thai consulate to stamp affidavit.

5. 9th or 10th July - off to Amphur to get married.

6. Translate marriage cert into English for USCIS.

 

I just have a few questions -

 

Can anyone recommend somewhere to get the affadavit translated please?

 

Can anyone recommend somewhere to get the marriage cert translated. I guess it needs to be somewhere that USCIS will accept?

 

Is there an Amphur near Sukhumvit please?

 

I've never been to an Amphur before, Is there a place there to get some wedding photos taken? If not, Does anyone know where I can get some photos taken please?

 

Thanks,

 

 

You will need to find a visa firm that does the translation. I had Star visa in CM do mine it will take at least a week or more because the translation has to go to the ministry of F.A. and by the way what Thai consulate will you use as their are no Thai consulates in Thailand. Your time line is too fast it will take at least a week or more to do Thanslation and other stuff. As per above

[capin]

39 minutes ago, moe666 said:

You will need to find a visa firm that does the translation. I had Star visa in CM do mine it will take at least a week or more because the translation has to go to the ministry of F.A. and by the way what Thai consulate will you use as their are no Thai consulates in Thailand. Your time line is too fast it will take at least a week or more to do Thanslation and other stuff. As per above

Thanks for the response.

 

Are you referring to the marriage cert translation of the freedom to marry affidavit please?

[GinBoy2]

On 6/8/2019 at 9:50 AM, capin said:

Thanks for the response.

 

Are you referring to the marriage cert translation of the freedom to marry affidavit please?

Well two things, since there are two parts to your process.

 

The freedom to marry affidavit will need to be translated and certified by MFA. They have a translation service on the second floor who will do for you, then it goes for certification. 

Be aware, some Amphurs, but TiT, so not all, demand a translated certified copy of your passport before they will marry you, so I'd get one just in case, you're gonna be in MFA anyway, so just pay the extra few ฿.

That little detail cost me an additional trip to BKK!

 

The US Government just requires a certified translation of all your documents. I used TSL Thailand for all the certified documentation translation stuff for my wife's immigrant visa.

 

[capin]

A big Thankyou to @GinBoy2 @moe666

 

My wife has just been approved for the L2. I am ecstatic.

[GinBoy2]

5 hours ago, capin said:

A big Thankyou to @GinBoy2 @moe666

 

My wife has just been approved for the L2. I am ecstatic.

Glad it all worked out for you.

 

Now just focus on getting the greencard

[La Migra]

 

 

Congratulations on wedding and L2!

 

Once you start the USCIS application for LPR status, if you or your wife plan to leave the US, you should get advanced approval to return.

 

Edited August 16, 2019 by La Migra