Visa for Thai Spouse going to the USA, B2 or K3

[koratkarlos]

Hi Gents.  I need some advice here.  I'm looking at working in America for two years but do not want to leave the Mrs.   Ideally she would come with me.  So I went to the visa agency here in Chiang Mai and they gave me the following information;    1)  que for B2 Tourist visa 12 months now,  2)  difficult to get B2 visa for my spouse as she is retired without bank book or job, 3) they are not giving out K3 visas now.  You must apply to get a green card at this costs around $ 3000.

 

We don't want to get a green card.  We plan on staying in Thailand.  We just want to go visit my mom and maybe I work a bit.  I think a tourist visa might be difficult but I have a chance at a K3 Visa and maybe I just do this myself.  Any advice, feedback or other form of wisdom is greatly appreciated.

[Jeffr2]

I would recommend emailing the embassy in Bangkok.  I did this many years ago, but they were very good at responding to my emails.  Even met them in person one time to talk about this.

 

You can do it without help.  Just pay attention to the details.  This site should help:

 

https://www.visajourney.com/

[keemapoot]

This is a very complex and difficult situation for the past 18 months because of Covid, and because of the heightened restrictions placed by the Trump administration on immigration. And, for consular processing, the Embassies have been closed a lot of time and they have restricted processing to 1R1 green cards. B2 would be the best way forward, but you will have to ask the US embassy in BKK about this directly. As far as I know the delay is at least a year.  Here is a very useful sight for you:

 

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/

[koratkarlos]

Thank you.  This is just the advice I needed.

[fittobethaied]

2)  difficult to get B2 visa for my spouse as she is retired without bank book or job,

 

If you are legally married, this shouldn't be a problem. I was married for three years in 2013 and my wife was able to get her 10 year multiple entry with no hassles. As her husband, you are allowed to write a cover letter explaining the reason for your trip, so place that letter on the front of your wife's presentation booklet wherein she makes her important documents, like your marriage certificate, available for inspection. Once the embassy staff member read my letter of introduction, the interview was cut short and she was given the visa without any further questions. 

[keemapoot]

Yes, fittobethaid stated that I think correctly. B1/B2 visas used to be difficult for Thais because they had a habit of overstaying illegally or engaging in other nefarious activities. However, if you have been married for a bit perhaps it might not be too difficult. There is no need for employment, but they do look for ties to Thailand, so if your wife has a house title, and other things that show permanent ties to Thailand, no issues.

Edited November 11, 2021 by keemapoot

[dsj]

I don't know if this is the right area to post.

My Thai wife has a valid Visa for USA until 2017 and she just recently legally changed her first name and kept the same last name and getting a new passport. I would like to know (I am a Canadian and been married for 15 years, got married in Canada) if she went to USA and showed her old passport with the valid visa and old first name, with her new passport with new first name, we a certified translation of the name change from MFA, would the USA accept that when she tried to enter the States. I tried to go onto their website to setup an appointment but they won't let me log in as it tells me that the email is incorrect format. Even when I tried the email address that I used the last time I renewed her Visa. Any help would be greatly appreciated.