Best Option, Moving Back To Us With Thai Gf

[ttthailand]

After 13 years of living in LOS I have decided ( money is getting tight ) to return to the US and go back to work. I have been with the same Thai girl for 10 years but am not married.

What is the best way to get her to America ? She has a BS degree from Thai college, speaks, reads and writes english, no children, no real money in the bank but owns a little land.

I can not stay in Thailand for any length of time to assist her as I will be starting a new job in the US. She would like to come and stay with me and perhaps get a job.

Should we marry in Thailand and apply for a Non Im visa ? Should she come to the US as a tourist and we get married there ?

What would you do ? Any advise would be helpful.

[jetjock]

Bringing her to the US on a 'fiance visa' is the easiest and fastest way if you intend to marry her. I did it that way several years ago and it worked out very well.

[vinny]

See also Spouse and Fiance(e) of an American Citizen

[ttthailand]

Bringing her to the US on a 'fiance visa' is the easiest and fastest way if you intend to marry her. I did it that way several years ago and it worked out very well.

Good advice ! Two related questions:

How long did it take for her to go through the entire process ?

Did you have to be with her during the process ? I am currently in the US and would like to get the process started or it will have to wait for many months.

[ttthailand]

See also Spouse and Fiance(e) of an American Citizen

I checked it out. Looks like the way to go. Thanks Vinny !

Any other ideas out there or additional information or stories on getting a US Fiance Visa ?

[donx]

See also Spouse and Fiance(e) of an American Citizen

I checked it out. Looks like the way to go. Thanks Vinny !

Any other ideas out there or additional information or stories on getting a US Fiance Visa ?

I also recommend the fiancee visa route. I started the process with my girlfriend while I was in Thailand on a business trip. I returned to the US and she completed the process with me sending documents from the US. I returned when she had her interview about four months later when I expected to escort her back with me to America. Unfortunately she forgot to mention that she had changed her first name so she had to wait an extra two weeks for an additional FBI check of her birth name. She came to America on her own after the FBI check was completed.

Once your fiancee arrives in the US, you have to get married within 3 months and apply for a change of visa status.

Be aware that you have to prove you can support her financially so make sure you either have a job and/or savings sufficient to support both of you.

[jetjock]

Bringing her to the US on a 'fiance visa' is the easiest and fastest way if you intend to marry her. I did it that way several years ago and it worked out very well.

Good advice ! Two related questions:

How long did it take for her to go through the entire process ?

Did you have to be with her during the process ? I am currently in the US and would like to get the process started or it will have to wait for many months.

Get your paperwork started in the US. Once they receive your paperwork, they will notify you of a date when they will look at your paperwork which could be several months depending on their workload. When you get all your paperwork approved here in the US, they will notify you that they have sent your paperwork approval to the embassy in Bangkok. Your gf will then go into the embassy in Bangkok and get and fill out the necessary paperwork which among other things will include giving them a police report and physical exam paperwork for your gf. Once that is approved they will notify you of a date for her interview at the embassy. If she is approved after the interview, you will be given a date to come back to pick up her visa. Once she arrives here in the US, you will have 3 months to marry her if you want her to stay. That is just a very simple explanation of the process. If you go on the internet and search, you will find some very useful and more detailed blogs of some people that went through the process. The time can vary on how long it will take depending on how busy they are and how quick and thorough you are in getting in the necessary paperwork. I would say that it can be done in a litttle less than 4 months if all goes fairly well and you do everything correctly but it has taken some people 6 months or longer from start to finish. As one of the posters mentioned, there is a proven minimum income level of support required by the US but it is extremely low ( something like 18,000 a year if I remember correctly). I handled all the paperwork myself and and it took us about 4 months from start to finish. It was extremely easy for me however I am fairly good with handling and filling out legal papers. Anyone who is good at paperwork and can follow instructions explicitly should be able to handle everything by themselves without using an agency. If you need any further information please feel free to pm me and I will be happy to give you any info and more exact details of the process.

ps. I just remembered that shortly after we got the visa, the US embassy in Bangkok changed some of their procedures so I think that some of the paperwork or making of appointments in Bangkok can now be done on the internet.

Edited October 28, 2007 by jetjock

[ding]

Bringing her to the US on a 'fiance visa' is the easiest and fastest way if you intend to marry her. I did it that way several years ago and it worked out very well.

Good advice ! Two related questions:

How long did it take for her to go through the entire process ?

Did you have to be with her during the process ? I am currently in the US and would like to get the process started or it will have to wait for many months.

Actually those are all your options, as opposed to THE way to go.

The K1 fiance visa was the quickest but may not be now. The Spose petition uses the same form (I-129f) but for spouse, and also the I-130. You can dual track this way; petition for the spouse via the I-129f -AND- petition for the I-130 which lets her in with a green card and ready to work and get a drivers license in quick time... no Adjustment Of Status with all that paperwork and agravation. But the I-130 usually takes a few more months.

Also, Vermont Service Center was far quicker but everything is underfunded, understaffed, and overburdened. Plus the fees tripled... or quadrupled!

See Brian Wright at mythaifiancee.com in Bangkok and he can lead her through the process, the police report, the medical exam, and accompany her to the interview at the embassy. They fill out the paperwork for her too so you don't have to. You don't want to goof up or delays can cost a lot of time.

[jetjock]

Actually those are all your options, as opposed to THE way to go.

The K1 fiance visa was the quickest but may not be now. The Spose petition uses the same form (I-129f) but for spouse, and also the I-130. You can dual track this way; petition for the spouse via the I-129f -AND- petition for the I-130 which lets her in with a green card and ready to work and get a drivers license in quick time... no Adjustment Of Status with all that paperwork and agravation. But the I-130 usually takes a few more months.

Also, Vermont Service Center was far quicker but everything is underfunded, understaffed, and overburdened. Plus the fees tripled... or quadrupled!

See Brian Wright at mythaifiancee.com in Bangkok and he can lead her through the process, the police report, the medical exam, and accompany her to the interview at the embassy. They fill out the paperwork for her too so you don't have to. You don't want to goof up or delays can cost a lot of time.

'Ding' is probably more up to date on his approach since as I mentioned, I did mine two years ago and things may have changed a little since then. 'Ding' is also very correct in saying that any goof ups will cost you a lot of time in the process. I was in Bangkok to assist my fiance with the paperwork at that end so it went very smoothly but it may be worth hiring someone to help if you are not confident in doing it yourself in Bangkok. 'Ding' is also very correct in the fact that the immigration fees have gone up quite a bit. Best of luck to you and hopefully it will go as quickly and smoothly for you as it did for me.

[meandwi]

Without a doubt, use the fiance visa! Quick and easy. You dont need to be with her in Thailand during the wait of two to six months. Make sure she enters (POE) in New York City with all the paperwork completed for her green card. You can meet her there and then connect to your final destination. We used Thaiair nonstop from from bkk only 17 hours. You can find my profile at visajourney.com with a check list of everything you need plus a forum for you to ask important questions. Also your fiance will want to look at unclesam.invisionplus.net for forums in Thai to help her. Best of luck to you both and congrats on your upcoming wedding.

[donx]

Screw ups do slow down the process. Screw ups by the US government happen so you have to keep an eye on the process. The Vermont center simply archived my wife's application for several months by mistake. That screw up cost us a few months.

If she comes over on a fiancee visa, once you get married get her a social security number. While you are waiting for the change in status visa, you can apply for a special ID that allows her to legally get a job. We got this but my wife never got a job because she became pregnant soon after.

[fredlaw]

someone mentioned to use both the I-129F and the I-130 both. don't do that use only one of th. using two forms may give you two seperate control numbers that will really screw u up later. right now the time from start to finsh is about 9 months with the I-129F and about 2.5 years with the I-130. the fees went up a lot on 31 july 07. the adjustment of status went from $325 to $1010.

make sure you have everything translated over there. here, i charge $25 per document to translate from thai to english. i tell everyone to have it done there but when they don't i charge a lot. INS is really clamping down on seeing your fiance'e within the last two years also. this just started

to have someone do the paperwork here is pretty expensive and as stated, follow directions and it can be done easy.

i do immigration law for a living

[fredlaw]

forgot one thing you must file within the jurisdiction where u live. california, vermont ect

[ttthailand]

someone mentioned to use both the I-129F and the I-130 both. don't do that use only one of th. using two forms may give you two seperate control numbers that will really screw u up later. right now the time from start to finsh is about 9 months with the I-129F and about 2.5 years with the I-130. the fees went up a lot on 31 july 07. the adjustment of status went from $325 to $1010.

make sure you have everything translated over there. here, i charge $25 per document to translate from thai to english. i tell everyone to have it done there but when they don't i charge a lot. INS is really clamping down on seeing your fiance'e within the last two years also. this just started

to have someone do the paperwork here is pretty expensive and as stated, follow directions and it can be done easy.

i do immigration law for a living

All this information is great. It gives me hope that my gf and I can continue our lives together in my country this time around. Thaivisa forums and it's members are a good source of information, well done !

[ding]

someone mentioned to use both the I-129F and the I-130 both. don't do that use only one of th. using two forms may give you two seperate control numbers that will really screw u up later. right now the time from start to finsh is about 9 months with the I-129F and about 2.5 years with the I-130. the fees went up a lot on 31 july 07. the adjustment of status went from $325 to $1010.

make sure you have everything translated over there. here, i charge $25 per document to translate from thai to english. i tell everyone to have it done there but when they don't i charge a lot. INS is really clamping down on seeing your fiance'e within the last two years also. this just started

to have someone do the paperwork here is pretty expensive and as stated, follow directions and it can be done easy.

i do immigration law for a living

For a K-3 you can file both together. Here is the USCIS notice;

http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/PN_i-129f.pdf

The I-129F for is used but for spouse. K-3 is for married, K-1 is for fince/fiancee.

[thaihome]

If you still live (or can prove you do, even if moving to US) in Thailand you can get married and file the I-130 with the USCIS Bangkok Office. Processing time to get the visa can be as little as 3 months. You do not have to be in Thailand to finish it, only be able to prove you live in Thailand at the time you file.

TH

[pumpuiman]

The fiance visa is the way to go. I did the paperwork myself...then foolishly panicked and paid a lawyer to check it...it was fine.

My tip....Save every scrap of paper that you and your girlfriend have ever come across together. Phone bills, e-mails, letters...even package wrapping. Make 3 photocopies of everything,Label all folders, and buy yourself a big thick file folder to organize all of it. A copy for your girlfriend ( with originals) in Thailand...and a copy for you at home to discuss things over the phone( you'll be doing this a lot)...and a copy to be kept somewhere safe...in case you both lose yours!!!When interviewed in the U.S., immigration was impressed with the amount of easily accesible and well organized documents I had.

Take plenty of pictures of BOTH of you TOGETHER. Take pictures of the both of you with her family. Write on the back of each photo the place and date (this is a requirement)

The INS has a 800 number to assist you.....I'm sure you can track it down on their website. It takes forever to get through....but worth it....I must have called dozens of times.

Be patient, and thorough dot all the I's and cross all the T's.

There is tons of info on the net....make use of it

Good luck,

Eric