How hard for Thai Citizen to visit U.S.A just for a short holiday?

[racyrick]

11 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

That has been my experience too, and they ask for a $250 application fee which is not refundable so it's basically just the donation to the US government. They hardly ever approve tourist visas for Thais, unless they're quite wealthy, so if you can show very significant assets in the bank, in her name, it's a different story. 

 

Same applies to a student visa, the student visa is even a longer shot. Once we got married it was very easy to get a 10-year multiple entry visa from my Thai wife and the only paperwork they wanted to see was my original passport, and that was it! Granted. 

What visa did you apply for? I know you said 10 year multiple entry, but what paperwork do you need? How long did it take? Did you have to show financial information?

 

I ask, because I have a unique situation and want to know what is the easiest and fastest way I can get a visa and what type.

 

I brought my wife to the USA on a B-1 visa in 2006. We got married in Vegas in February. She got her 2 year green card but we left 5 months short before should could get her 20 year green card. We moved to Thailand in 2008 and have never been back. I am 70 years old, my wife is 57 years old. We have a son together that was born in Thailand but has dual citizenship. Thanks so much for your help and time.

[racyrick]

8 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

I advised he forget that idea but … I have been here 12 years and my Thai gf was given her 5 year US Tourist Visa. My now Thai Wife was given her 10 Year Tourist Visa in March. So, yes, it can be done if all is documented but not easy for any young, good looking Thai girl looking for a short time holiday … too many have overstayed.

What visa did you apply for? I know you said 10 year multiple entry, but what paperwork do you need? How long did it take? Did you have to show financial information?

 

I ask, because I have a unique situation and want to know what is the easiest and fastest way I can get a visa and what type.

 

I brought my wife to the USA on a B-1 visa in 2006. We got married in Vegas in February. She got her 2 year green card but we left 5 months short before should could get her 20 year green card. We moved to Thailand in 2008 and have never been back. I am 70 years old, my wife is 57 years old. We have a son together that was born in Thailand but has dual citizenship. Thanks so much for your help and time.

[Tazmo]

I am a UK Citizen, retired and living in CM with a Thai Partner.

We are in the US right now. No problems at Immigration, interview date was a month later than when we wanted to travel for a family reunion, but she managed somehow ( through a friend or Agent) to get an earlier appointment. Interview was less than 3 minutes, just to provide an address of where she is staying. Given a 10 year Visa. 
Same for the UK, we went twice. Second time we applied and got a 10 year visa ( pricey). She was through Immigration before me!

Also no problem for Canada, but my niece in Canada was required to provide an invitation letter.

She has traveled to 3 countries in the past and returned to Thailand ( on Uni Scholarships); over 40 and house in CM in her name.

 I have a feeling that they do a Social Media check, FB etc,  so Bar Girls or Ex, or Masseurs tend to get turned down, having said that I know of some that get accepted at first and second attempt, providing Partner has assets in the UK, don’t know about the USA, which by the way I find is the most expensive country in the world to holiday, most recently I think, because I have been here several times over the past 35 years, people very friendly and polite and prices used to be reasonable in the past, the dollar shop, not many items for a dollar.

Also the lengthy Tavel hours/ days, not good as you get older! 

[Balance]

On 10/14/2023 at 4:17 PM, bkk6060 said:

Slim and none to take Thai gf to U.S.

They rarely give Visas for Thai females in your situation. You can fill the application online and they will give her an appointment date at the U.S. embassy.  I have been here more then 10 years and I do not know of one Thai female gf who has gotten a Visa to the U.S.  They throw a piece of rejection paper in their face, don't let them ask any questions and tell them to leave.  Rude and impersonal. But, give it a try and let us know how it works out.

.

 

I moved here in 2011.  I wanted to have her as my designated survivor with respect to my Social Security benefits.  In 2014, we began the process to get her a greencard (work permit) for the trip to the U.S.  From start to finish, it took 6 months. We were required by USCIS that we prove we had lived TOGETHER for 5 years.    

 

Tourist visas are a bit easier, but not by much.  The reason  is that there are 100's of thousands of Asians living on the westcoast with no visa. 

 

To have even a small chance of getting a straight visa, I would first marry her here in Thailand and register the marriage at the Chiang Mai consulate or the embassy. Second,  She should have a house in her name that is paid for.  The asset provides the incentive for her to come back.

 

Good luck.

[lopburi3]

41 minutes ago, racyrick said:

I am 70 years old, my wife is 57 years old. We have a son together that was born in Thailand but has dual citizenship.

In my case did not have dual national child - but had applied INS and received approval to apply for immigrant visa for wife which we decided not to use several years prior.  Applied for normal tourist visa for few weeks visit and show of INS approval and not being used provided immediate approval of 10 year tourist visa.  If your plans are to relocate, as post seems to indicate, that might be an issue.  But I may be reading wrong.

[Cardinalblue1958]

On 10/15/2023 at 8:49 AM, Henryford said:

So does that mean a thai female can never have a holiday in the USA?  Seems bizarre.

He just told you the criteria of what is needed for a Thai person to holiday in the US…

 

it is quite clear…

[proton]

About 12 years ago the Mrs helped the gf of one her students to get a visa for USA, 10 year one they gave her, she had an interview. She was a bar girl at an up market 'Club', dressed her up in an expensive suit and the story was she had a job with Marvel Comics that the bf was involved with. No property owner or even a car, just stuffed her bank account.

[racyrick]

18 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

In my case did not have dual national child - but had applied INS and received approval to apply for immigrant visa for wife which we decided not to use several years prior.  Applied for normal tourist visa for few weeks visit and show of INS approval and not being used provided immediate approval of 10 year tourist visa.  If your plans are to relocate, as post seems to indicate, that might be an issue.  But I may be reading wrong.

Thanks for your info. We don't plan to relocate, so a 10 year tourist visa would be fine.

How long does a 10 year tourist visa give you for each visit to the US?

Also, how do you apply for the 10 year tourist visa and how long does it take to get?

She does have her 2 year green card to show.

Thanks for your help and time!!

[lopburi3]

29 minutes ago, racyrick said:

Thanks for your info. We don't plan to relocate, so a 10 year tourist visa would be fine.

How long does a 10 year tourist visa give you for each visit to the US?

Also, how do you apply for the 10 year tourist visa and how long does it take to get?

She does have her 2 year green card to show.

Thanks for your help and time!!

Believe normally limited to six months or less - but subject to reasons.

Normal tourist visa application.  10 years is often what is provided, unlike other countries.  Your return to Thailand supporting statement/documents are likely to be helpful.  Not sure of current visa timeframe but not normally too long to obtain.  Suspect website may have information.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

16 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Same applies to a student visa, the student visa is even a longer shot. Once we got married it was very easy to get a 10-year multiple entry visa from my Thai wife and the only paperwork they wanted to see was my original passport, and that was it! Granted. 

 

Indeed, it's a whole different story if the scenario is a Thai WIFE and a U.S. HUSBAND living in Thailand.

 

Assuming they've been married together for some years and the U.S. husband has a long-term history of living in Thailand, the U.S. Consulate folks seem to be much more accommodating in granting the wives tourist visas for short-term travel to the U.S. with their U.S. husbands.

 

GFs, on the other hand, are a whole different matter, as has been explained above.  Unless they're one of the "don't you know who I am" crowd.  ????

 

[thesetat2013]

On 10/14/2023 at 1:47 PM, marin said:

Easy if she has a job and assets here in Thailand  that she would have to return for. Otherwise not that easy. She would have to be interviewed in order to grant the visa. 

She needs to show she has alot of money in the bank. . Something in Thailand that would make her want to return to Thailand. Business, children etc... Interviews with the US Embassy. Plus many other requirements. But the main thing is her interviews. She needs to convince the US she is not going to get to the US and hide there or begin working there and become an illegal immigrant. 

[observer90210]

Pick an European city, It will avoid all the waste of time with the excessive US Immigration red tape and paranoïa.

[Jelli]

On 10/15/2023 at 9:00 AM, expat_4_life said:

I'm a US citizen retired here, my gf has had 3 visas (B1/B2) to the US. First time around she got a single entry, 2nd time they gave her a 10 year which she renewed a couple of years ago.

These days the application is online, they will advise if they want an in-person interview. Most recent visa she got took around 2 weeks, no interview required.

Main things I can think of that were requested were employment and bank letters and travel history.


 

This is similar to my wife's story

 

She had a US Visa on Thai cultural exchange prior. Applied with me about a year into our relationship and renewed two years ago. All fine.

 

She needs

 

A real job, preferably in Bangkok

 

Letter of guarantee for that job

 

Itinerary of travel that involves more than sitting in Pennsylvania and screwing you every night.

 

Self sufficiency money wise. Not beholden to you

 

Interview dressed appropriately

 

Just enough English to pass the interview

 

No children (imo)

 

 

You might have all the girls book together. Buy tickets together and you alone. They enter together. I think it smells of something not the least trafficking

 

IMO all of you together looks very sketchy if they are attractive. Prolly nags anyway.

[bigt3116]

13 hours ago, Balance said:

To have even a small chance of getting a straight visa, I would first marry her here in Thailand and register the marriage at the Chiang Mai consulate or the embassy

The OP is British not American!

[lopburi3]

14 hours ago, Balance said:

From start to finish, it took 6 months. We were required by USCIS that we prove we had lived TOGETHER for 5 years. 

Believe your talking requirements for US SS survivor benefits (living in USA) - not for an immigrant visa.  As said OP is a UK national.

 

As for registration of Thai marriage with US Consulate there is no such procedure - a Thai marriage is recognized.

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/getting-married-in-thailand/

[rwill]

The worst part is you have to pay first and when they reject her they keep the money.

A niece of ours tried to apply 3 times.  She was in college, owned a home and had a job.  They kept making different excuses each time to deny her.  Finish school first, learn to speak English better.  Get a better job.

[ravip]

On 10/14/2023 at 2:47 PM, bkk6060 said:

Slim and none to take Thai gf to U.S.

They rarely give Visas for Thai females in your situation. You can fill the application online and they will give her an appointment date at the U.S. embassy.  I have been here more then 10 years and I do not know of one Thai female gf who has gotten a Visa to the U.S.  They throw a piece of rejection paper in their face, don't let them ask any questions and tell them to leave.  Rude and impersonal. But, give it a try and let us know how it works out.

.

 

So much for the so called civilised human beings...

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

 

As for registration of Thai marriage with US Consulate there is no such procedure - a Thai marriage is recognized.

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/getting-married-in-thailand/

 

Lopburi, do you know, is there any practical need for most married Americans here to have their Thai marriage certificate certified thru MFA and then the Consulate...

 

My wife periodically bugs me claiming we need to "register" our Thai marriage with the Consulate, for example, if anything were ever to happen with me...

 

But I've never really been clear on just who or where the English "certification" of a Thai marriage certificate is going to be requested by...either in Thailand or the U.S.?

 

What about in dealing with Social Security and/or in the future applying for a U.S. spousal visa to relocate back to the U.S.?

 

[lopburi3]

3 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

What about in dealing with Social Security and/or in the future applying for a U.S. spousal visa to relocate back to the U.S.?

Believe the only requirement is English translation registered with MFA for such use - and most report often not required.  I do not have SS but used such when changed old civil service retirement to include wife as survivor.  Believe also may have used such a copy for immigrant visa pre approval by INS before decided to live here.  There is no registration with Consulate involved with above - but you can register yourself as living in Thailand and wife information for contact at below - also get alerts from Embassy to your email.

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/acsregform/

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Believe the only requirement is English translation registered with MFA for such use

So in other words, you had the MFA certify an EN translation of your Thai marriage certificate... But never did anything further with getting the MFA doc certified by the U.S. Consulate?

 

[lopburi3]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

So in other words, you had the MFA certify an EN translation of your Thai marriage certificate... But never did anything further with getting the MFA doc certified by the U.S. Consulate?

 

US Consulate can only certify the MFA signature (not legality of document) and this is not normally required in my experience.  But if wife would like might not be a bad idea to do so.  That way you have it if ever required.  But as marriage is a State matter if planning return some States may require registration of marriage (most do not) and in that case might want Consulate signature certification.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

But if wife would like might not be a bad idea to do so.

I think she's worried somewhere in the back of her mind that if I kick the bucket someday before her, that she'll go to the U.S. Consulate with just our Thai marriage certificate (like to get the EN confirmation of a death of American abroad certifs) and they'll ignore her..... ????

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

28 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

you can register yourself as living in Thailand and wife information for contact at below - also get alerts from Embassy to your email.

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/acsregform/

 

BTW, thanks for the reminder about the State Dept traveler registration system.

 

I got a new U.S. passport last year, and hadn't remembered to update my new passport number into the State Dept. system, until I checked my profile info there today after reading your reminder about it!!!

 

[huangnon]

On 10/15/2023 at 8:38 AM, asiaexpat said:

Unless the girlfriend is well educated and in good financial standing with a full time job in Thailand or ongoing business it will next to impossible to get a visa. The USA is very strict on Thai females due to human trafficking issues.

Yes, I'm not sure there may also be a 'quota' to approve how many people allowed into the US also. My wife went for an interview this Feb, and got approved, whilst some other Thai people who my wife thought matched all criteria were rejected, seemingly arbitrarily during he same appointment time.

[racyrick]

22 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Believe normally limited to six months or less - but subject to reasons.

Normal tourist visa application.  10 years is often what is provided, unlike other countries.  Your return to Thailand supporting statement/documents are likely to be helpful.  Not sure of current visa timeframe but not normally too long to obtain.  Suspect website may have information.

Thank you for your help.

[ChicagoExpat]

On 10/15/2023 at 9:50 AM, JimTripper said:

Have her enroll in a community college class near where you will be staying and have relatives write an invitation letter to stay or visit them with USA address and phone number. Brings these to the interview.

Assuming this is a joke... saying you're going to study illegally on a tourist visa is a sure way to get refused for a tourist visa.

[ChicagoExpat]

On 10/17/2023 at 2:16 PM, ravip said:

So much for the so called civilised human beings...

You really think that's how it works?  Wow.  "They throw a piece of rejection paper in their face, don't let them ask any questions and tell them to leave."

[ChicagoExpat]

On 10/16/2023 at 5:11 AM, spidermike007 said:

That has been my experience too, and they ask for a $250 application fee which is not refundable so it's basically just the donation to the US government. They hardly ever approve tourist visas for Thais, unless they're quite wealthy, so if you can show very significant assets in the bank, in her name, it's a different story. 

 

Same applies to a student visa, the student visa is even a longer shot. Once we got married it was very easy to get a 10-year multiple entry visa from my Thai wife and the only paperwork they wanted to see was my original passport, and that was it! Granted. 

Who did you pay $250 to?  That's not the cost of a visa application.  It's $185 and it JUST went up after like 20 years at $160.

 

Most visas are issued, especially student visas.

 

Man, you've got some bad info.

[ravip]

On 10/14/2023 at 2:47 PM, bkk6060 said:

Slim and none to take Thai gf to U.S.

They rarely give Visas for Thai females in your situation. You can fill the application online and they will give her an appointment date at the U.S. embassy.  I have been here more then 10 years and I do not know of one Thai female gf who has gotten a Visa to the U.S.  They throw a piece of rejection paper in their face, don't let them ask any questions and tell them to leave.  Rude and impersonal. But, give it a try and let us know how it works out.

.

 

WOW! How civilised...

[spidermike007]

6 hours ago, ChicagoExpat said:

Who did you pay $250 to?  That's not the cost of a visa application.  It's $185 and it JUST went up after like 20 years at $160.

 

Most visas are issued, especially student visas.

 

Man, you've got some bad info.

 

Absolutely incorrect, the number of visas issued for students is under 1% of the total applications. Tourist visas are likely even less. I have no idea where you're getting your information from.