Girlfriend approved for US tourist visa but worried about airport immigration

[Frampleton]

Hello all, 

My Thai girlfriend was approved for a tourist visa and is planning to come to the US at the end of the month. She was planning to stay for two weeks then go back. I live in Thailand but I'm in the US until October.

She was supposed to be coming with her friend but then her friend had some things come up and now can't go. She was planning to visit me, meet family etc, but also go around with her friend to some other cities because her friend knows people there. 

Now that her friend isn't going she was planning to stay with me for a bit and we'll do some traveling. She already has the first 4 nights booked at a hotel, but after she was just going to stay at my place until she goes back. She's worried that because she's traveling alone and staying with me instead of booking hotels for the entire trip, she'll arouse suspicion from the immigration officers in the airport. She's concerned that they will want to see her entire itinerary, including bookings for hotels the entire time that she's in the US. She told me that immigration officers don't want to hear that you're staying with your boyfriend because they think you're likely to overstay. 

Does anyone have any experience with how US immigration officers scrutinize visitors from Thailand? A woman in her early thirties traveling solo into the US from Thailand. 

[asiaexpat]

My daughter (not US citizen but Thai) has traveled to USA several times with no issues. Immigration asks questions but never has rejected her. 

[bigt3116]

Where is the Thai visa question?

 

[Tazmo]

My partner traveled with me last year to the US. But although we traveled together, at Immigration we separated and saw different officers.

She said that her officer was very pleasant and asked her about Thailand, saying he would like to visit one day!

 Don’t think there’s any need for her to worry, it’s normal to feel a bit anxious and they know that, but they don’t make it difficult.

[triplez]

like others said, its unlikely to be an issue. 
To calm her mind, why doesn't she make some refundable hotel bookings which she could show in case asked. 

[CanadaSam]

I think the OP wants to know whether or not she should inform the officer that she is staying with her boyfriend, or lie and tell them she is staying at hotels and has nobody in the states?  I would like to know the answer to that question as well.

 

To the OP, my personal advice would be to tell them the truth, give your phone number to her, along with a copy of your passport, address, and long-term visa in Thailand also, to verify what she tells them.

[Rob Browder]

No, she should NOT tell the IO she are coming to see a friend - especially a boyfriend - could be rejected for wrong Visa-type.  She is coming to "sight-see" and similar only - and, yes, have booked hotels and an itinerary. 

 

Also, this thread should be moved to another forum.

[Olmate]

2 minutes ago, Rob Browder said:

No, she should NOT tell the IO she are coming to see a friend - especially a boyfriend - could be rejected for wrong Visa-type.  She is coming to "sight-see" and similar only - and, yes, have booked hotels and an itinerary. 

 

Also, this thread should be moved to another forum.

U  Tellem newbie rob, lol😭

[Rob Browder]

2 hours ago, Olmate said:

U  Tellem newbie rob, lol😭

Many sad tales of this happening at Western entry-points - not at all funny for those denied-entry.

[Cameroni]

This would be a major issue with a Filipina, but not a Thai gf. 

[TimBKK]

14 hours ago, Frampleton said:

Does anyone have any experience with how US immigration officers scrutinize visitors from Thailand? A woman in her early thirties traveling solo into the US from Thailand. 

Hmm, with this profile and (or maybe especially) if she is from Issan, it is a classic visa denial as these are the types of Thai women who get busted for prostitution in the U.S., generally speaking.  The fact that a visa was issued should be quite comforting to her.  I assume she has a return ticket?    Frankly, nothing seems out of the ordinary to me.  Might be helpful if you all have specific travel booked to have those details/evidence with her at entry.  Only thing I would add is that if she doesn’t understand a question posed by the border officer, makes sure she asks him/her to repeat it, or say she doesn’t understand it - Thai people hate to do that, face and all, but don’t let her go off on a tangent.  Good luck!

[Olmate]

On 8/8/2024 at 7:31 PM, Rob Browder said:

Many sad tales of this happening at Western entry-points - not at all funny for those denied-entry.

True that, but we knew that long time ago, well before you joined the group and began directing traffic and Mods.lol😭

[mikebell]

I took my Thai GF to US.  The officers at LAX were extremely rude and bellowed at me when I tried to assist.  The process of acquiring the Visa was unbelievably stressful and onerous.  There was NO appointment system other than a date.  Spouses were not allowed in so I waited outside the Embassy four hours with nowhere to shelter from the sun.  We never went back.

[bkk6060]

It is 50-50.  They could scrutinize and ask questions as they think she may be coming to work as a prostitute or just meet some guy.  Many Thai female overstayers in U.S. they deny about 90% of the tourist applications your lady is lucky she got one. 

[Captain Monday]

MyThai friend went to Honolulu. Took her three tries to get a visa even though she was resident of Korea with full time job and traveled with her Korean husband.  She got separated from him, and taken to secondary by herself to be grilled warned her not to "run away". 

 

[GypsyT]

This rudeness against Asian women stated by Trump during Covid when he declared "Covid came from China and they are 'dirty'. For him and 90% of non city Americans all Asians are Chinese...

 

There's one great thing at US immigration. If treated rudely say; "I want to speak to your supervisor!"

 

That gets their attention and attitude changes immediately.... they won't take a risk being questioned.

 

 

[Captain Monday]

On 8/12/2024 at 5:25 PM, GypsyT said:

This rudeness against Asian women stated by Trump during Covid when he declared "Covid came from China and they are 'dirty'. For him and 90% of non city Americans all Asians are Chinese...

 

There's one great thing at US immigration. If treated rudely say; "I want to speak to your supervisor!"

 

That gets their attention and attitude changes immediately.... they won't take a risk being questioned.

 

 

Do you have Global Entry? 
They can take that away for “attitude” and there is no apparent recourse. 
 

ICE agents are horrible to air crews at certain airports. I just suck it up and answer their stupid questions 

[Frampleton]

She got in. No problems. Thanks everyone. 

[soi3eddie]

On 8/8/2024 at 10:21 AM, CanadaSam said:

I think the OP wants to know whether or not she should inform the officer that she is staying with her boyfriend, or lie and tell them she is staying at hotels and has nobody in the states?  I would like to know the answer to that question as well.

 

To the OP, my personal advice would be to tell them the truth, give your phone number to her, along with a copy of your passport, address, and long-term visa in Thailand also, to verify what she tells them.

 

When my Cambodian GF, who lives in Thailand, comes to visit me in the UK (with a tourist visa), I write a covering letter to the arrival immigration officer explaining. It includes the visit details and intentions, my name, address, phone number and her return date - and copy of return booking. She simply presents it to the I/O and it answers all questions. Never a problem after 3 visits in last 14 months. In fact, funny really, the I/O even closed his desk and escorted my GF to the correct baggage reclaim on her first visit 🙂 

 

 

Edited September 9 by soi3eddie

[bunnydrops]

1 hour ago, Frampleton said:

She got in. No problems. Thanks everyone. 

Good to hear. Have fun!

[john donson]

6 hours ago, Frampleton said:

She got in. No problems. Thanks everyone. 

 

'that what she said', ladyboy joke

[spidermike007]

I would not anticipate any problems, usually if she already has the visa it's just going to be a perfunctory inspection, and they will ask a few questions and that'll be it. If they do ask her about where she's staying I would recommend being honest since she cannot show hotel reservations for the entire stay. It is best to just keep it straight and explain what her plans are. She shouldn't have any problems at all and she should put the worries right out of her head. 

[AAArdvark]

Return ticket

Cash or credit card  to support

Itinerary 

Names and phone numbers in the US

[Taboo2]

On 8/11/2024 at 8:21 AM, mikebell said:

I took my Thai GF to US.  The officers at LAX were extremely rude and bellowed at me when I tried to assist.  The process of acquiring the Visa was unbelievably stressful and onerous.  There was NO appointment system other than a date.  Spouses were not allowed in so I waited outside the Embassy four hours with nowhere to shelter from the sun.  We never went back.

Agree, I live in SF and when I travel, as an American, I have no respect for those power hungry assh&&ls at the SF Immigration center.  Power trip is an epidemic with that group.  Can't wait for AI to replace them.  

[ignore it]

Just curious,

 

If she's your girlfriend why is she going to stay in a hotel for the first few days?

[Elkski]

She arrived and no issues he said a  few posts ago.   

[1FinickyOne]

23 minutes ago, Elkski said:

She arrived and no issues he said a  few posts ago.   

And you said again... some people don't read every single post before responding... that's life. 

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/8/2024 at 10:36 AM, bigt3116 said:

Where is the Thai visa question?

 

Why did you ask that?

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/8/2024 at 4:08 PM, triplez said:

like others said, its unlikely to be an issue. 
To calm her mind, why doesn't she make some refundable hotel bookings which she could show in case asked. 

Not a good idea for a nervous woman to tie herself up in lies to immigration officials who are trained to recognise deceit, once the first "booked hotels for the stay" lie is exposed it is downhill from there.

[JimTripper]

They tend to follow procedure and rules and not make up policy on the spot. Your lucky.