Tourist Visa For Thai Gf Living In Hong Kong

[swodaddy92]

I met my Thai gf while I was living in Hong Kong for 2 years, and now we are investigating the process for obtaining a tourist visa for her to come and visit the US, and to see if she likes it here, and to meet my family, etc., etc....I moved back to the US from HK last April.

My gf currently lives and works in HK, where she is now a permanent resident, and she has a 5 yr old son who lives with her in HK. She has her ex-husbend's family (HK Chinese, hence her HK residency) and a nanny who will look after her son while she visits me here. In Thailand, my gf owns her house in Chinag Rai and a condo in BKK. I have met her family in Chinag Rai, and we have spent much time together in Thailand.

If she likes the US and thinks she can adjust (she has done great in HK and speaks Cantonese fluently), then we will get married.

Some questions/concerns: she is not yet legally divorced (Thai marriage documents) - only separated... Also, would it be better to apply through the US Consulate in Hong Kong, or the US Emabassy in Thailand? Will I have to make a trip to accompany her to the interview (which I will definitely do to increase our chances of getting a tourist visa). Given sufficient notice, can I make the respective appointments so that I can plan my trips (as it's not so easy to take time off from wok to make frequent trips to Asia...)?

If worse comes to worse and she is denied, than we will do a Fiance Visa. Yes, things might sound a little messy, but we are serious and dedicated to seeing this through.

Thanks for any advice or for recommended agencies that can help me in this process.

[pnustedt]

The US Consulate in HK has a "User Pays Service" for telephone visa enquiries, try ++ (852) 900 60 798 798. You may find that useful.

Your g/f's situation sounds quite straightforward - she has a compelling reason to return to HK and the means to support herself in US for a visit. I believe she should apply for a visa in HK. I doubt that it would be necssary for you to go to HK, you may not even be admitted to accompany your g/f for the interview but I suggest you check this out with the consulate on the above No.

Good luck - I am a Brit in HK with a Thai wife (both "HK permanent residents"). Coincidentally my wife is going to the US Consulate this week to apply for a US visa for a holiday. Let me know if she needs any further help.

[alleypanda]

She can apply for a visa where she has her residents.

[pnustedt]

Swodaddy

Wife has just been to US Consulate in HK and told she can pick up her US Tourist visa tomorrow. Procedure was as follows:

Go to Dah Sing Bank and pay HK$800. You will get a receipt with a reference No. on it.

Go to the HK US Consulate page: us consulate hk.

Go to "visa services" then app forms. Download app. form DS-165 and complete on-line and print out. Applicants' photo will also be required.

Go to the appointments page and complete the appointment application. You will be asked for the reference No. on the Dah Sing Bank receipt and last six digits of applicants passport No. You will be given a choice of times and dates. An appointment sheet will then need to be printed out.

My wife took with her: The appointment sheet. Completed app form with photo. A covering letter from me - saying we wanted to have a weeks' hol in Hawaii. My business card. My airmiles statement (we are "buying" the tickets with air miles). Recent bank statement. Marriage cert. Copy of my passport and HK ID and of course her pp and HK ID.

She was asked by the immigration officer if she had a copy of my tax statement but she didn't, it wasn't a problem.

Only the applicant will be admitted into the embassy.

BTW the helpline # I gave you earlier is only available between the hrs of 2p.m.-4p.m. HK time.

If your g'f needs help let me know - my wife would go thru the process with her. All she stands to lose is the HK$800!

[swodaddy92]

Dear Pnustedt,

Thank you so much for your help, advice, and time to reply. Glad to hear your wife got her visa without any hassles!

Again, my main concern is that we are not married (yet)... She is a HK permanent resident and still technically married to her estranged HK husband. She just wants to visit the US first, and then we will more than likely get married assuming everything works out.

My TGF is getting quite anxious about the whole process and she is losing hope before we have even applied! She hears too many rumors from friends who have never actually applied themselves - all hearsay. And unfortunately I cannot go overseas very often now that I am working in the US again.

Maybe I should convince her to just marry me first! She just wants to be 100% sure (undersandable) before she ties the knot for a second time.

Thanks again...please let me know of anything else that comes up that could help. BTW, she is going to Thailand in August....any paperwork from there that she should get? She has a condo and a house in Thailand, but not much in the bank in either Thailand or HK.

[pnustedt]

I understand your concern regarding not being married. I think your gf will need some evidence to prove a long term relationship. There was a Chinese girl being interviewed next to my wife (she has well-tuned hearing for such occasions!) and the girl was wishing to visit her American bf in US. She told the imm. officer that her bf liked her very much, the imm. officer asked how she knew that he liked her very much. To which she replied that he stays with her when he visits HK. I guess that she did not have any evidence to support her claims.

I don't think your gf's assets in Thailand would be particularly helpful in getting a visa - she would need to demonstrate a compelling reason to return to HK.

My wife was also married when we first got together - I was able to get her a UK visa after a couple of months together.

Your gf sounds like she needs a divorce lawyer - my wife could point her in the right direction - the one she used was good. This may be useful if you were paying as it could be used as evidence that you were helping to sort her life out, and perhaps evidence that she would return to HK to finalise the divorce.

Incidentally, the visa my wife got is a multi entry for 10 years, we were quite surprised.