Any chance of my Thai girlfriend able to come visit me in the US during covid?

[AuberginePeach]

Obviously covid is still a <deleted>storm here. I want to pursue a long lasting relationship with my Thai girlfriend and I want to bring her to the US. We haven't been together long enough for me to want to get married, but that seems like it could be an only option? It seems that the US consulate is closed in Thailand, so how can she obtain any visa? Is it more likely that she'll be able to get a visa if it's K1 or tourist? Form my understanding, thailand also is not allowing even Thai nationals back into Thailand still. Has anyone had any luck? 

[bkk6060]

K1 will take over a year now.

I do not know of one Thai girl over the past 4 years who has gotten a tourist Visa.  All rejections.

[GinBoy2]

Obviously we don't know your girlfriend's circumstances, but @bkk6060 tourist visas for young, I'm assuming she's young, Thai women are extremely hard to get. I think the rejection rate is somewhere close to 70% without really compelling evidence of why she would return to Thailand.

 

He's also right about K1's taking about a year to process. 

 

But the killer for any visa right now is the interview process at the embassy.

 

In a previous thread a poster commented that a friends CR-1 interview was cancelled 4 months ago since the embassy was closed to the public, and as yet still hadn't been rescheduled.

 

So when they do open up again I can only imagine the backlog.

 

So my advice, forget about a tourist visa, thats a non starter. Apply for a K1, thats all now processed in the US after the USCIS office in Bangkok closed. The processing time will let the embassy clear the interview backlog, hopefully and take it from there

[GinBoy2]

10 minutes ago, andy said:

Either way it's a non-starter.  Consulates are not processing or providing appointments for non-immigrant visas now, whether K or B type.  I haven't heard any indication it will start back up in the near future.  You say K's are processed all in the US now, is this a recent change?  How does the spouse attend an interview in that case?

 

<snip>

 

 

It's the same process as it always was, except whereas you used to submit the application at the USCIS office over the road from the embassy, now it must be sent to the the National Visa Center (NVC). The local USCIS office closed last year

 

After they have processed it and assigned a number it's sent back to the embassy to arrange the interview

 

 

Edited July 21, 2020 by GinBoy2

[AuberginePeach]

Well, this was all incredibly depressing. I'll apply for the K1 and keep my fingers crossed. 

[kingstonkid]

25 minutes ago, AuberginePeach said:

Well, this was all incredibly depressing. I'll apply for the K1 and keep my fingers crossed. 

I would strongly advise waiting until all the dust settles.  The other thing to remember is that she is not going to be able to get home to Thailand so the first questions you have to answer are

A. How is she going to get to the US.

B. How she is going to get back no flights from US

C. s\even if she does she will have to pay for quarantine when she comes back and possibly be quarantined in the US depending on where she can get a flight to.

 

Add that to the usual <deleted> of how long and what guarantee do they have she will return and it starts to get a lot more difficult.

[AuberginePeach]

34 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

I would strongly advise waiting until all the dust settles.  The other thing to remember is that she is not going to be able to get home to Thailand so the first questions you have to answer are

A. How is she going to get to the US.

B. How she is going to get back no flights from US

C. s\even if she does she will have to pay for quarantine when she comes back and possibly be quarantined in the US depending on where she can get a flight to.

 

Add that to the usual <deleted> of how long and what guarantee do they have she will return and it starts to get a lot more difficult.

If it takes a year, or even 6 months to process the K1, surely these issues will most likely have been sorted by then? So won't the sooner I apply the better?

Edited July 22, 2020 by AuberginePeach

[spiekerjozef]

Why would you do that to her?

What has she done to deserve that?

[GinBoy2]

3 minutes ago, AuberginePeach said:

If it takes a year, or even 6 months to process the K1, surely these issues will most likely have been sorted by then? So won't the sooner I apply the better?

I would certainly say apply as soon as possible and sit it out. 

 

The dust, hopefully, will have settled by next year and travel will have returned to some kind of normality.

 

I have to ask though, you do understand the implications of a K1? You will be required to get married within 90 days of her entering the United States. I'm not sure 'if' she was to return to Thailand, then you wanted to apply again how that would play out.

[thaibeachlovers]

Sooooo, the OP wants his girlfriend to leave a country where she will likely not get infected and go to a country where she likely will get infected.

With a friend like the OP she doesn't need enemies

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 7/21/2020 at 2:25 AM, andy said:

Wife got her 2nd 10 year tourist visa in 2017 no problem, but the OP's case is much different.

 

In "normal" pre-COVID times, it certainly was possible for a Thai woman legally married to a farang living here to get a tourist visa from the U.S. Embassy. But getting a tourist visa for only a GF always was a far far more difficult matter, especially if the woman was of a younger/working age.

 

But gotta agree with ThaiBeachLovers above.. why any Thai person would want to/be willing to travel to the U.S. right now -- even if they could from a visa standpoint -- is beyond me....

 

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[blackcab]

A troll post and a reply to it have been removed.

[thailand49]

I will clear it up for you a bit without asking what she does or how you met, the chances for a tourist is slim and none, the perception is not 70% but 95% of applicants comes from the the so-call profession. I was told that in a private meeting 13 years ago so don't blame the interviewers since they have to follow guidelines set forth from the top. It isn't rocket science in Thailand for the Embassy one only has to walk back down Wireless road make a right and go down to Nana district.

 

Not being a butt hole but don't lay that she isn't a bar girl, she is a University Girl stuff I'm not the Embassy.

 

As you can see from years of news reports in the U.S. with immigration once the the resources just aren't there to track them down if they decide to overstay and if you have resources can hire a lawyer and delay for years this is costly to the government and tax payers.

 

The 5% left applying needs to have money, property, a passport that have shown them to have left Thailand and return many many times and have a legit job the list goes on otherwise you are dreaming the same dream many have until they actually apply pay the hefty fee to find out a minute in the interview the decision had already been made the more you apply the less chance of it happening so before you do apply do some research save you time returning to T.V. and complain how damn unfair things are and how poorly she was treated. Get with a lawyer who can speak English ( you need one in Bangkok let me know ) the consultation is much less than the application fee if you think I'm full of ?

 

Good luck,

Edited July 22, 2020 by thailand49

[AAArdvark]

Does she have a long term job, money and maybe children.  The number one reason for tourist visa is refusal by far, it is up to her to prove that she will return.  If it is a K1 visa, can you prove that you had a reasonably long relationship with her, starting with a good amount of pictures of the both of you together.

In any event, even with a visa getting out of Thailand, into the US and maybe back again can be problematic.

[Rimmer]

Off topic troll post removed.

[thedemon]

Meet up in a third country that you can both enter easily. Turkey would be a good example. No visa required for Thai or US citizens and relatively uncomplicated covid entry. It's about half way between the US East coast and Thailand and it's a nice place to spend an extended holiday. Pretty cheap too especially with the plummeting Lira.

 

 

[spidermike007]

Even prior to Covid, tourists visas were hard to get for anyone other than from a wealthy family. Now? And you are really locking yourself into something, as she may not be able to return for a year, at least. 

[Ireland32]

A lil off topic but , my gf did a overstay in Korea , working , I don’t think she got blacklist , but should I even try for K-1 ??? Or be Declined 

[IAMHERE]

On 7/21/2020 at 4:25 AM, andy said:

Do not want to make this a political thread, but the other issue at play here is a likely lame duck Trump who may issue all kinds of executive orders pertaining to immigration and even visits to the US after November 3.  This could further muck things up and cause delays while various lawsuits play out.

Just couldn't resist; you made it political anyway.  

Edited July 22, 2020 by IAMHERE
to add sarcasm.

[impulse]

On 7/21/2020 at 12:42 AM, bkk6060 said:

K1 will take over a year now.

I do not know of one Thai girl over the past 4 years who has gotten a tourist Visa.  All rejections.

 

Thai friend of mine (former co-worker in an oil company) got a 10 year US visa in 2018.  She got it first try, with no drama at all.  She's not rich or well connected, but she has a good, verifiable job.

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by impulse

[GinBoy2]

1 hour ago, Ireland32 said:

A lil off topic but , my gf did a overstay in Korea , working , I don’t think she got blacklist , but should I even try for K-1 ??? Or be Declined 

I've never done a K1, but I know when my wife went for her CR-1 interview they did look at all pages in her passport.

 

So check to see if there is any red stamps in her passport. If there are then consult a professional 

[Elkski]

I had 3 thai women get tourist Visa  about 3 years  ago. all  were over 44, house, car, money.  One had retirement pension as nurse, house, money in bank.   One fairly well off, house,  car, children. One house, car, money from USA father of her 3 children.  All 3 applied without mention of me.  Tourist visas are solely based on the woman.  Many say its best no one knows  she knows a man in USA.  my last gal was denied,  not really enough money, no prior out of country travel,  no house, no kids, and beautiful and sexy,  yes I think this matters. 

As for K1 visa.  if your not ready to get married  why?  

as far as proof of relationship the requirement is very minimal.   just prove met in person 1 time within last 2 years.   no other requirement.  535$ to start I-129.  send to Dallas, contractor sends a NOA1 to say it looks complete and they got it,  then its usually sent to CA service center for processing  at USCIS.  when approved you get a NOA2, then a month to ship to BKK or CM, then a month or 3 for interview, prior to  covid it was about 250 days from recieving paperwork  to get visa.  now I think its 380 days  as we have lost 4 months of US embassy interviews and maybe 4-6 weeks at CA service center.  Our NOA2 is currently 2 weeks late.  I hear the US embassy is open amd interviewing.   I sent in I-129  February 21, NOA1 March 3.  originally I had Hope's for xmas 2020.  now I hope by May 2021.  the K1 visa requires letters from each of you  stating you intend to marry.  Man can cancel  at anytime.   I've heard a man can maybe apply for K1  2-3 times then forget it.  

tRump recent visa ruling had no effect on K1 or CR1 visa.  but all his term he has not funded the understaffed  USCIS. 

no one knows how much covid affected the us processing centers. They were closes some. No one knows if they worked remotely.   go see https://www.visajourney.com/forums/ for good info.  there Is  a covid area where people are  trying to figure things out.  

Edited July 22, 2020 by Elkski

[AuberginePeach]

6 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Thai friend of mine (former co-worker in an oil company) got a 10 year US visa in 2018.  She got it first try, with no drama at all.  She's not rich or well connected, but she has a good, verifiable job.

 

Would you mind sharing what her income was? My GF is around 17,250/month.

 

For those wondering, we were coworkers at the same advertising agency. I contract with them, so that's how I met her back in January 2020. We were unseperable for the next 6 months when I came back to the US mid June. Before we met, we were chatting/flirting on IG for almost a year.  

 

She doesn't own property. She has traveled in Europe for several months and had an out of school internship in Singapore for a few months. 

[AuberginePeach]

Thank you for the excellent reply Elkski! 

 

Why am I not ready to get married? I've only spent about 6 months with her. I'm not very well established in life and always felt like that's important to do before getting married. I also want to get to know her more than just 9 months in person. I've never been married before and have lots of fears from seeing so many bad marriages do such damage. 

[Tounge Thaied]

• H-2b VISA is still very much in play... tons of seasonal workers are being allowed into the U.S. if your girl can find a U.S. company willing to hire her. 

[Curt1591]

On 7/21/2020 at 12:42 PM, bkk6060 said:

I do not know of one Thai girl over the past 4 years who has gotten a tourist Visa.

My sister-in-law got one and visited NYC last November. Some of my wife's friends also visited the States last year. 

[Stargeezr]

If you have not been married yet, then proceed with lots of caution. If you can go

to some other country and meet there with your GF,  you can then spend more time with her.

From that other country you could also maybe get into Thailand easier than from Toxic USA.

This Corona virus will make everything harder for quite a long time, Good luck with your relationship,

but do not rush into something like marriage with out knowing all you can about your GF, and

her family, be sure to visit the family a few times to see how they are as well, as you will

become their relative after you do get married, if you get married. Thoughts to ponder.

Geezer

[Fairynuff]

On 7/21/2020 at 12:42 PM, bkk6060 said:

K1 will take over a year now.

I do not know of one Thai girl over the past 4 years who has gotten a tourist Visa.  All rejections.

How many have you tried?????????????

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, AuberginePeach said:

Thank you for the excellent reply Elkski! 

 

Why am I not ready to get married? I've only spent about 6 months with her. I'm not very well established in life and always felt like that's important to do before getting married. I also want to get to know her more than just 9 months in person. I've never been married before and have lots of fears from seeing so many bad marriages do such damage. 

If this is for real, accept that life isn't fair and move on. You don't know her well enough to go through all the <deleted> involved.

OR, if she is so great, save up to have a really long holiday together when you can meet her again. If she "loves" you she'll wait.

[bkk6060]

12 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

How many have you tried?????????????

 

Good to hear some Thai girls have gotten these tourist Visas.

I would be curious as to their age.

Because as I said, I know guys with girls in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Pattaya.

A dozen people.  All were denied these Visa.  10 of them had professional jobs, cars, families, had traveled to Hong Kong or Singapore and came back.  One of them was a lawyer in Bangkok another a Thai police officer in Bangkok.  The other 2 were bar girls.  All rejects with no explanation from the US embassy.

 

Anyway, these girls all were under 40.  My impression is the younger girls may be shut out for various reasons.

There is a poor history of younger Thai girls overstaying and not coming back to Thailand.