Usa Embassy Frustration

[thaigecko]

I suppose this is more of a bitch from me and shit out of luck, but wanted to see if some others have run into a similar problem and if anyone has any suggestions. I went with my girlfriend of one year to get a nonimm visa for her to visit the US for 2 weeks during the holidays, I think the service of the rep she talked to was pisspoor. From what I know, the main determination for getting a visa is to show strong ties back to Thailand. At her interview at about 1130, the representative (at the Immigrant visa counter if that matters) asked her a couple basic questions about where she wanted to travel to in the states, where she lived in Thailand, and what she did for work, and seemed clearly more interested in looking at the time and getting his work overwith so he could get through the last customers and assumingly hurry to this lunch break. He didn't care to see all our paperwork we prepared showing her ties to Thailand, including her owning a store, with 2 1/2 years left on the rental contract for the store and our apartment, with all the receipts for goods purchased and sold for the store, her having a 5 year old daughter that she supports, as well as leasing one car and owning a motorbike, just to name a few of the bigger ties that we can show on paper. With all the ties here and our itinerary for travel to the US, I really can't imagine her visa could get denied if a rep took just a few minutes to actually review her case. Only thing I can see where we screwed up and would have changed is in the previous jobs we put where she was a waitress at a ligit pub, rather than a gogo bar, but that still might have put him off I suppose, not like it should matter anyway. We'll be getting married next year, and I'm assuming the visa process will be a little easier to approve after that, but kinda pissed can't head over to the states with her. But anyway, any thoughts would be good, maybe we'll just try again and hope we get a representative that will actually look at all her paperwork and not just pre-judge. My rant's done, thanks

[meandwi]

Welcome to Thaivisa. It happens all the time to many people. Me, being one of them. We tried three times to bring my sister-in-law to the US. All three were denied. "Lack of proof to return". Was their reply on the visitor visas, and her student visa was denied, "No need for further education in US." We took alot of time and money, making sure everything was perfect, but in the end, it was up to the embassy employee, and his opinion to come to his conclusion. So I feel your pain.

Since you are planning to get married next year, apply for a fiance visa. Once she arrives there, you have 3 months to get married. There is plenty on that subject on ths site.

Chok dee,

meandwi

[Martian]

Welcome to Thaivisa. It happens all the time to many people. Me, being one of them. We tried three times to bring my sister-in-law to the US. All three were denied. "Lack of proof to return". Was their reply on the visitor visas, and her student visa was denied, "No need for further education in US." We took alot of time and money, making sure everything was perfect, but in the end, it was up to the embassy employee, and his opinion to come to his conclusion. So I feel your pain.

Since you are planning to get married next year, apply for a fiance visa. Once she arrives there, you have 3 months to get married. There is plenty on that subject on ths site.

Chok dee,

meandwi

Getting a fiancee visa might not be a viable solution because it sounds as if your life is in Thailand at the moment. It could be used to gain entry for the time period you want and not get married but I think you might run into a problem of providing proof of the appropriate means of support IN THE USA to convince the embassy staff this is a legitimate attempt at possibly marrying and staying in the USA. I once worked in Thailand and wanted to get married while going home on Thanksgiving holiday but the embassy staff said this wouldn't work and instead was able to issue my then girl friend (now wife) a tourist visa. We were VERY lucky to get the tourist visa.

You can check out this idea for yourself, and I would. Most people here like myself aren't experts, we just have experience with such matters. There are a few here who do know their s*** such as lopburi3 and maestro but they are most knowledgeable on the Thai side of immigration.

Good luck!

Martian

Edited August 27, 2008 by Martian

[thaihome]

I suppose this is more of a bitch from me and shit out of luck, but wanted to see if some others have run into a similar problem and if anyone has any suggestions. I went with my girlfriend of one year to get a nonimm visa for her to visit the US for 2 weeks during the holidays, I think the service of the rep she talked to was pisspoor. From what I know, the main determination for getting a visa is to show strong ties back to Thailand. At her interview at about 1130, the representative (at the Immigrant visa counter if that matters) asked her a couple basic questions about where she wanted to travel to in the states, where she lived in Thailand, and what she did for work, and seemed clearly more interested in looking at the time and getting his work overwith so he could get through the last customers and assumingly hurry to this lunch break. He didn't care to see all our paperwork we prepared showing her ties to Thailand, including her owning a store, with 2 1/2 years left on the rental contract for the store and our apartment, with all the receipts for goods purchased and sold for the store, her having a 5 year old daughter that she supports, as well as leasing one car and owning a motorbike, just to name a few of the bigger ties that we can show on paper. With all the ties here and our itinerary for travel to the US, I really can't imagine her visa could get denied if a rep took just a few minutes to actually review her case. Only thing I can see where we screwed up and would have changed is in the previous jobs we put where she was a waitress at a ligit pub, rather than a gogo bar, but that still might have put him off I suppose, not like it should matter anyway. We'll be getting married next year, and I'm assuming the visa process will be a little easier to approve after that, but kinda pissed can't head over to the states with her. But anyway, any thoughts would be good, maybe we'll just try again and hope we get a representative that will actually look at all her paperwork and not just pre-judge. My rant's done, thanks

Do you live and work in Thailand? If so, did you include proof of your ties to Thailand and your GF's ties to you? The consulate’s biggest fear is that after entering the US on the tourist visa, the applicant will get married and apply for change of status. Showing you have a life in Thailand and will return to it after the visit, often will convince them to give the visa to a GF. Once you are married, and if you continue to live in Thailand, the visa is pretty automatic.

TH

[thaigecko]

Thanks for the responses, I see by now another thread has started about petitioning the US senators..

Anyway, we were planning on getting married in Thailand however, with a few of the relatives/friends coming on over. If we got denied after the officer looked at all the paperwork and seemed like he actually gave a half a shit, I would accept it and move on, but seeing how he didn't even look at our two folders showing paperwork with our new store(unfortunately only rent, don't own), her child she supports etc.. and clearly looked like his mind was already made up at the beginning of the two minute interview.

Tossing around looking into doing the marriage on paper here, and going this route for a marriage visa... any thoughts?

[thaihome]

If you are planning on living in Thailand, why would you do a spousal visa for the US? If you are married and live here it is pretty easy to get a 10 multi entry tourist visa.

As you say, you can register the marriage now, and do a ceremony at any time (or never)

TH

[Martian]

I suppose this is more of a bitch from me and shit out of luck, but wanted to see if some others have run into a similar problem and if anyone has any suggestions. I went with my girlfriend of one year to get a nonimm visa for her to visit the US for 2 weeks during the holidays, I think the service of the rep she talked to was pisspoor. From what I know, the main determination for getting a visa is to show strong ties back to Thailand. At her interview at about 1130, the representative (at the Immigrant visa counter if that matters) asked her a couple basic questions about where she wanted to travel to in the states, where she lived in Thailand, and what she did for work, and seemed clearly more interested in looking at the time and getting his work overwith so he could get through the last customers and assumingly hurry to this lunch break. He didn't care to see all our paperwork we prepared showing her ties to Thailand, including her owning a store, with 2 1/2 years left on the rental contract for the store and our apartment, with all the receipts for goods purchased and sold for the store, her having a 5 year old daughter that she supports, as well as leasing one car and owning a motorbike, just to name a few of the bigger ties that we can show on paper. With all the ties here and our itinerary for travel to the US, I really can't imagine her visa could get denied if a rep took just a few minutes to actually review her case. Only thing I can see where we screwed up and would have changed is in the previous jobs we put where she was a waitress at a ligit pub, rather than a gogo bar, but that still might have put him off I suppose, not like it should matter anyway. We'll be getting married next year, and I'm assuming the visa process will be a little easier to approve after that, but kinda pissed can't head over to the states with her. But anyway, any thoughts would be good, maybe we'll just try again and hope we get a representative that will actually look at all her paperwork and not just pre-judge. My rant's done, thanks

Do you live and work in Thailand? If so, did you include proof of your ties to Thailand and your GF's ties to you? The consulate’s biggest fear is that after entering the US on the tourist visa, the applicant will get married and apply for change of status. Showing you have a life in Thailand and will return to it after the visit, often will convince them to give the visa to a GF. Once you are married, and if you continue to live in Thailand, the visa is pretty automatic.

TH

This is a good point and exactly what happened to me and my GF 8 years ago. We wanted to get married in the US over Thanksgiving and return to Thailand for my job but the embassy staff person recognized this wouldn't work on K-1 and after receiving a letter from my company that I was locked into a job there (proof of me having to return Thailand) he was quite agreeable in providing a tourist visa for my then GF and now wife.

Martian

[thaigecko]

right, we're planning on staying in Thailand and also marrying in Thailand. If we go the married route, looks like a K-3 visa will take to long to do to get home before the holidays. Anyone know the timeframe? I'm just going off of one of the visa services webpages that said 5-8 months. Also, any thoughts on if we tried for a non-imm visa for tourist again, if it would matter that we now had me as a husband?((and also shoved the other paperwork in the reps face to make sure he actually looked at it)politely of course..)

also a side note, after talking to a couple visa help agencies, it seems like they also look at tax paperwork, which we don't have yet, and if you own or rent, and we rent..

Edited August 29, 2008 by thaigecko

[mobiryder]

forgive my bluntness.. but the officer probably has the mentality of 'so this guy wants to bring his hooker to the USA.. NO DEAL' pre-determined and he's just going thru the motions of reading your papers and hearing your story because he has to... thats my .02