US Tourist Visa for my Thai Wife

[AcuDoc]

Just wondering if I used a visa service here in Thailand how hard is it to get, how long does it take and what is the cost to get a 30 days US tourist visa for my wife... Or is it easier and better to get a marriage visa... we got married in thaiand 3 years ago... I'd like to take her to meet my family and vacation a little around the west coast... Any suggestions for a good and reasonable vusa service appreciated also... TIA larry and pla

[BrandonJT]

A marriage visa isn't for a family vacation.  It can take more than a year and it is issued with the intention of moving to the US and living there.

 

Getting an appointment for a tourist visa interview can take months as well, but not nearly as long as a marriage visa.

[JimmyJoe]

You don't want a "marriage visa" unless you intend to live permanently in the US.  It's not for temporary visits, takes a year or two (or maybe more now, who knows), and costs a few thousand dollars.

 

It can be difficult for a Thai married to an American to get a tourist visa.  They will assume your plan is to live in the US permanently, and you are just trying to avoid the long expensive process of getting a marriage visa.  To have a chance at getting a tourist visa she will need to show strong ties to Thailand and have a strong reason to return.  If she has a job, owns property, has kids or aging parents in Thailand that she needs to return to, she will have a chance to get a tourist visa.  

 

The process is outlined on the US embassy website.  There is nothing any visa service can do for you except hold your hand while you complete the process.

[spidermike007]

My experience was that getting a tourist visa and a student visa that we applied for, for My Thai wife was very difficult and we were turned down both times. Once we were married and we applied for a marriage visa it was easy, it took a short amount of time and she got a 10-year multiple entry visa. I was advised beforehand for her to bring MY original passport with her, which was great advice since all the visa guy at the embassy did was study my passport to determine how often I go back and forth from Thailand back to the US. Once he saw that that was frequent she was issued the visa, no hassles at all. 

[bunnydrops]

Go here

https://www.visajourney.com/

 If you are in Thailand you may be able to get her a greencard in 4 months. Anyway that was how I did it before the latest administration.

[bunnydrops]

3 minutes ago, bunnydrops said:

Go here

https://www.visajourney.com/

 If you are in Thailand you may be able to get her a greencard in 4 months. Anyway that was how I did it before the latest administration.

This is the one to try for

https://www.visajourney.com/guides/ir1-spouse-visa/

[david rucker]

JimmyJoe is spot on

[Presnock]

20 hours ago, JimmyJoe said:

You don't want a "marriage visa" unless you intend to live permanently in the US.  It's not for temporary visits, takes a year or two (or maybe more now, who knows), and costs a few thousand dollars.

 

It can be difficult for a Thai married to an American to get a tourist visa.  They will assume your plan is to live in the US permanently, and you are just trying to avoid the long expensive process of getting a marriage visa.  To have a chance at getting a tourist visa she will need to show strong ties to Thailand and have a strong reason to return.  If she has a job, owns property, has kids or aging parents in Thailand that she needs to return to, she will have a chance to get a tourist visa.  

 

The process is outlined on the US embassy website.  There is nothing any visa service can do for you except hold your hand while you complete the process.

I, a former US Embassy Thailand assignee (4 tours) wanted to go with wife to take daughter to college (scholarship and acceptance) and yessir they said NO because she was married to a citizen and therefore probably would not return to Thailand so they said had to process for a green card - during the Afghan exidus - over a 500K backup in immigration with maybe 30-35K processable a month!  I am not exaggerating at all!  It took 13 months for our approval, and then she would still have to go to the Embassy consulate for an interview.  Our daughter said what a joke! and opted to go to Chulalongkorn University, #1 in Thailan and 1/10 the cost compared to what i t would have cost in the US.  Getting a B of Arts so acceptable paper and then masters in a Seoul Umiversity.  We'll see.  But anyway, I have seen others express how easy it was for them or how difficult but for me and former employee there and treated as such just made me mad.  Now I note that the Trump team is going shutter a lot of consulates throughout the world - seeing that huge CM building, I wonder if that will get a bit of the chopping block.  But for any US citizen wanting to take thei Thai wife, good luck - if she is working in Thailand at a good job, owning the house, cars etc - then possibly but I doubt it.  Too many people got them and then had problems.  I understand that during the VN war when US soldiers were stationed in Thailand and got married and took the wives to the US, there was a "waiting list at the Thai consulates in the US of 5-6 hundred Thai spouses every day " wanting to come back to Thailand and that began the problem for people still today.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

The consular official performing the interview will want to know about your ties to Thailand, not just hers.

 

If you have been in Thailand for a long time and have a job, that will count in her favor as it indicates that you both will return to Thailand after your visit to the US.

 

She needs to bring your passport to the interview so they officer can establish your immigration status here.

 

Good luck.

[bunnydrops]

I also tried the tourist visa route for my wife two times. It's a crapshoot. I know a young woman who got a 10 year. I have no idea what she did to get it, but on her second trip to the US they took it away and told her she would have to re-apply.

[brewsterbudgen]

3 minutes ago, bunnydrops said:

I also tried the tourist visa route for my wife two times. It's a crapshoot. I know a young woman who got a 10 year. I have no idea what she did to get it, but on her second trip to the US they took it away and told her she would have to re-apply.

 

Was that when she applied for another visa after she'd used up the 10 years on the first visa?  

[cjinchiangrai]

For the next four years, don't waste your money.

[bunnydrops]

20 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

 

Was that when she applied for another visa after she'd used up the 10 years on the first visa?  

No, it was on her second visit. She had the visa for only two years.

[cjinchiangrai]

33 minutes ago, bunnydrops said:

No, it was on her second visit. She had the visa for only two years.

What year was that please. 

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, bunnydrops said:

No, it was on her second visit. She had the visa for only two years.

 

So it was taken away from her on arrival at the airport in the US and she was sent back?   That seems outrageous!  

[bunnydrops]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

 

So it was taken away from her on arrival at the airport in the US and she was sent back?   That seems outrageous!  

No, They let her in but told her she couldn't use it anymore.

[brewsterbudgen]

4 hours ago, bunnydrops said:

No, They let her in but told her she couldn't use it anymore.

Very strange. Did they 'void' it in her passport or is it all done electronically?  Did they give a reason?

 

It's difficult enough getting a US visa for a Thai tourist, but to be successful and then have it arbitrarily cancelled in the US is astonishing.  

[TigerandDog]

why would you want to travel to the US with all the crap going on at the moment with ICE. legit visas being cancelled in the Immigration systems and people trying to enter the USA LEGALLY being arrested, placed in a detention center for up to 14 days AND put in chains before being deported.  At the very least wait until the convicted orange felon is no longer dictator/emperor of the US.

[bunnydrops]

11 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

why would you want to travel to the US with all the crap going on at the moment with ICE. legit visas being cancelled in the Immigration systems and people trying to enter the USA LEGALLY being arrested, placed in a detention center for up to 14 days AND put in chains before being deported.  At the very least wait until the convicted orange felon is no longer dictator/emperor of the US.

I just saw the video of the arrest at Tufts. It looks like 7 masked ICE arresting an international graduate student at Tufts on the street. They handcuffed her and took her away. Neither the school nor her lawyer know where she is at. Her visa was terminated without her or the school being informed. Her crime was signing a petition asking the school to condemn Israel's attacks in Gasa.

[bunnydrops]

2 hours ago, bunnydrops said:

I just saw the video of the arrest at Tufts. It looks like 7 masked ICE arresting an international graduate student at Tufts on the street. They handcuffed her and took her away. Neither the school nor her lawyer know where she is at. Her visa was terminated without her or the school being informed. Her crime was signing a petition asking the school to condemn Israel's attacks in Gasa.

Here is the video

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/federal-immigration-authorities-detain-international-tufts-graduate-st-rcna198158

[brewsterbudgen]

31 minutes ago, bunnydrops said:

Here is the video

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/federal-immigration-authorities-detain-international-tufts-graduate-st-rcna198158

 

Shocking.