Visa To United States

[SirTyler]

Ok, my question is which type of visa should I get, how long should I get it for, and are their any strategies to ensure I get it?

A little background on me and my gf and the situation (I went overboard because I am unsure of what matters):

Our Situation: I met my girl friend randomly online and got to know her, I visited her once when I was stationed in Germany and once when I was stationed in Las Vegas. I decided that when I got out of the military I want to travel around the world, spending a year or less in each country. So first I need to wait for my girlfriend to finish university, so straight after the military I moved to Thailand to be with her for a little over a year before she finishes uni in May 09. I kinda miss American food and fast food and I didn't get much time with my family after I left the military, so after Thailand I want to take her back to the states for a year before we go to Japan. I can find her a job in the states if I need to, or I can not find her a job, or I can find a job for me that would allow her to come with and hang out with me, whatever it takes.

About me: I am 24 years old, American citizen of course. I do not have a full degree yet, and right now I am in Thailand with my girl friend waiting for her to finish college. I was in the military for 4 years and left honorably, they did a full background check on me because I was in Intelligence and required a higher security clearance than normal. I don't know if that would help or hurt our chances. While in Thailand I am teaching English and doing freelance web design to make it by, however I live with her family so I don't really NEED to pay anything, so I don't really need alot of money, thus I don't work much anymore here, except for web design because I can do it from home.

About my girlfriend: She is 20 years old, soon to be 21 this month. She is a Thai citizen. Her English sounds like an American, alot of people think she grew up in America, but she actually has never been to an English speaking country before. She goes to Bangkok University International College and is studying Business. In May 09 she would have finished a bachelors degree program however probably not recieved the degree yet. I think they that takes a couple months after you finish school, not sure. Her University has sent her to Italy recently for 1 month on a scholarship program to learn Italian in Italy. Her passport expires before May 09, when we expect to go to the states, so she has to renew it before hand. However she says she cannot renew it and has to get a whole new passport, so Italian stamps will not be on there. I don't know if that matters. Her family isn't rich, her parents split up, not legally. Her dad still pays her mom for the bills and food, but he lives away from her. He is in the police, I believe a chief or something, promoted a bit ago. They are renting a house, and her dad only gives them just enough money to get by on, not any more but sometimes less.

So as far as my questions go:

What visa type should we get?

We will be staying with my family there, I can find her a job if need be before I go there. I have family and friends there who will help. I am really actually open to anything. I am not going to the states for any reason other than to visit my family, and since I don't want to have time apart from her she is tagging along. So I don't care what visa we get or whether she has to work or we have to stay with family or move out on our own or whatever we have to do to get a visa for a year to get us by. Whatever we can get.

When should I get the visa and do the interview?

I understand that I get the visa as soon as she passes the interview, so even if we get a year long visa we won't be able to be in the states for a year because the visa will start before we go there, this is fine. I would like to leave Thailand as soon after she finishes school as possible though. So I don't want to start the visa process too early before we leave and I don't want to start it just before we leave because what if we have to do it again? then we have to wait 3 or so weeks before we can try it again. I don't know how much her bachelors is going to mean. If we go to early to the interview she will still be taking classes in school, and they may not want to give it to her while she is still in school, even if we don't plan on leaving until after she finishes. When she finishes school though, will it matter to the interviewer that she will have a bachelors soon, like... it's in the mail or something, or will they only consider it if we bring in the actual degree?

What are my chances of her getting it?

I have heard that it's pretty unpredictable actually, sometimes the people most qualified for a visa wouldn't get it and the people you would think couldn't get it actually do get it. This worries me since I think my girl friend would have a great chance of getting a visa to the states because of her English skills and bachelor's degree that she will have soon.

Is there anything we can do to ensure more chance of getting the visa?

I was advised to get a bank account in her name and start running our money through it. So i set it up a couple weeks ago and am starting to run money through it. Does anyone else have any tips or ideas that could help us work this out?

I don't know how many of you will actually sit down and read all this because it's long, but if you do I thank you very much. If you need anymore information please do tell me. I will do whatever it takes so she can be with me in the states while I visit family and friends, before we go to travel the rest of the world. I have seen the Visa types and from what i see it looks as if I could get her in on a couple different Visa's, but asking the person at the embassy for "any visa we can get" probably isn't such a good idea.

Tyler

[vinny]

Visitor Visas - Business and Pleasure (http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1262.html):

Visitors are not permitted to accept employment during their stay in the U.S

If you are considering marriage, then see also Spouse and Fiance(e) of an American Citizen (http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1315.html).

If she is considering employment, then see also Employment-Based Visas (http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1323.html).

For other options, see also Pulaski's Ways: How to Live and Work in the USA (http://britishexpats.com./wiki/Pulaski's_Ways:_How_to_Live_and_Work_in_the_USA).

Try her luck in the Green Card lottery (http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1318.html).

[gk10002000]

US visas for Thai citizens can take quite a long time. I would not even do it right now. You both sound like you have a lot of unfinished business. She needs to complete her degree. You need to complete your degree. You need a steady job in the USA to show the USA government that you have viable income and can support her. Fiance visa might be tough. A tourist visa for her can be done but requires money and it sounds like neither of you have that.

[ProThaiExpat]

You appear intelligent so your capable of researching your question on T.V. regarding U.S. visas for Thais.

There is not much point in discussing issues with you until you educate yourself through research and then come in a ask pointed questions. I have posted at length on this subject in the past year and so feel you should read what has already has been posted before asking those of us who have been successful in obtaining a U.S. vistor visa such broad questions.

From you questions, it is clear you know little about it so far so start studying the threads on the subject.

If you approach the subject from a desire to learn as much as possbile and be able to make your own reasoned judgements, then start with the U.S. Department of State web sites, particularly understanding the guidelines the embassy or consulate personnel use to judge your g/fs application.

The primary criteria used and the one that rests solely on your girlfriend to prove is that she "Has a compelling reason to return to Thailand before her visa expires".

By legal mandate, each evaluating officer must enter the interview with your g/f with the mindset that your g/f intends to overstay her visa and she must convince them otherwise through her documentary presentation and her verbal iterview.

If your looking to get her an education visa or a fiance visa, I have no actual experience with these types of visas and will leave it to others to advise you on that score. I know a fiance visa requires a great deal of time and doumentaton.

Any young Thai person without a job has a very difficult time proving that they have a "compelling reason to return", but it can be done.

Right off the bat, your involvement with her only hurts since you are presumably a U.S. citizen and her heart strings are tied to you, thus the reasoning goes, she will overstay her visa to be with you in the U.S.

For a tourist visa, having made one trip overseas already and returned within the visa period, that is a big step up for her. Especially, since her Italian trip involved educational pursuits. I would suggest that she apply for a tourist visa based on her desire to visit universities to determine which one she would like to apply to for graduate education. Easy to make appointments with U.S. college entrance officials. Her visa "story" can always change after she gets the visa. But at the time of application, everything must be consistent. Her facility with English will help her in the interview and also support her "desire" to advance her ability to speak English and obtain a Masters in English from a U.S. School.

The state department staff that will interview her will have heard every story known to man and will be looking for "red flags" in her story so even rehearsals are called for.

Email me at [email protected] if you would like further help once you have read the threads on Thaivisa and made decisions for yourself which visa you want to try for.

Good luck.

PS A joint account is fatal unless you are going for a fiance visa. She only needs to show enough money in her account to pay for the trip. They like to see a credit card to back her up.

[Gumballl]

SirTyler, I hate to be the one to deflate your bubble, but as it stands right now, your GF does not have much chance of getting a US visa. You have not established yourself yet in the US (with a job, etc), thus at this time you do not qualify for either the fiancee (K1) or marriage (K3) visas. Your brief military experience nor your (inactive) security clearance will mean much.

Without strong ties to Thailand, your GF will most likely not qualify for a tourist visa. She would have to prove beyond a doubt that she has a compelling reason to return to Thailand after the US visa expires. From what you describe, she has nothing. When she returned from Italy, she had a compelling reason... that is to complete her education at the university in Thailand. Now before you (or her) think that this can be done again, but for a US visa, think again; it is possible that Italy's immigration laws may be laxer than the US's.

She can try to get an education visa to the US, but that requires time for her to contact a university (-ies) in the US, and to have them invite her. Going on a "field trip" unannounced will not fly.

The other, and last option, is a business visa. But she does not have a job, much less owns a company, thus this type of visa is unlikely.

Go alone on your trip to the US to visit the family, and let the GF continue her studies without distraction. Then return. Eventually you will need to decide what is the next step. But as long as you are in Thailand, not working, IMHO the chances of your GF getting a visa is virtually impossible.

And since you are only 24 years old, may I suggest you return to the US to complete your degree. Then get a job. Then apply for a K1 or K3 visa. There is nothing stopping you from marrying your GF now or in the near future. But as long as she remains merely a GF, she won't get a visa.

[SirTyler]

Thank you all for the responses and the help. I understand my question was broad, I have talked to actually a couple diferent people about this and read some things. It just seems that many people have their own opinions or some things they think were important, where other people think other things were important. I come here then to see what you all think is important in my case. So far it has helped.

I heard a business visa requires a lot more work and less chance to get where as she would have better chance getting a tourist visa. I do not want to propose or marry her anytime soon, I just don't think it's right to be pressured into marriage just to get her into the states for the 1 year I am there.

ProThaiExpat: You are right, as of now she doesn't have any reason to return to Thailand, except that she likes Thailand more than America, because of her mom. However I doubt "loving my mom" is going to be enough for them, especially when our plan isn't to return to Thailand, but rather to go straight on to Japan. Checking out colleges to complete her masters isn't a bad idea, considering she does actually want to go on to her masters. Those red flags though will probably go up when they find out the colleges she wants to see are all in Kentucky where I will be living? The bank account is hers alone, nobody else owns it, but she is running her mothers bills through it, so that it appears active, I was told by a few people this is important.

Gumballl: Do not worry about deflating my bubble, give me as much truth as you can about the situation. I don't know if it matters but since you said (inactive) would it matter if my security clearance is still active for another 2 years before it expires and I would need a new one. Our plans are to travel the world, America for 1 year to visit my family, then Japan for 1-2 years to see Japan and have been there, then possibly Israel, Germany or South Africa, I haven't decided. I am not going to be going back to the states to get a long term job and she won't be getting any long term jobs either. I will most likely do freelance web design until I finish my website. As far as school goes, she will be done by the time we want to go back to the states, and my schooling is all online, so it doesn't matter where I am.

Her dad can get her a job working with the UN and he can also fund her in school for a masters... in Thailand. Neither one do we want to do. The UN job would be long term and she wouldn't really want to work there, but maybe we could work something out like setup something now so she works there when she gets done with the states... but then later backs out of it and goes to Japan instead... Do you think something like that would work? We could do the same thing with the Masters, getting a school lined up to go to, then just not go there and go to Japan instead.

I don't want to be in the states without her. We had to spend a lot of time apart when I was in the military and we don't want to do it again. From what I hear it sounds like a business visa is the only chance we have, so I will look into getting her a job. How strict will they be about what job it is? I mean if I got her a job at McDonalds would they accept that? Or if I got her a job for my friends dad's business, which is legit, but small? or at papa johns, for discounts ?

I have no intentions of staying in the states more than that year, maybe going back another time down the road for another year, but thats it. I also don't plan on getting a long term job there, becuase that would require staying in the states for more than a year.

[farangjai]

Though it has been states elsewhere and in this thread as well, it is critical to state that in order for your girlfriend to be issued a non-immigrant visa (e.g. tourist visa) she must have compelling evidence of ties to Thailand. Some examples of ties to Thai?

1) A fat bank account that has been so for well over 6 months. It doesn't help to put a bunch of money into your girlfriend's account one time because the Embassay will probably notice the one time deposit and question its legitimacy. There has to be a steady stream into the account over a period of several months (income) for them to take the account into consideration.

2) Assets, such as houses, land, businesses, vehicles, etc. all are proof of ties, and of course the more, the better.

3) A letter from an employer stating current and ongoing employment is proof.

4) Letters of reference from government officials (a local politician or police officer who will vouch for her).

5) Proof of enrollment in a college for a degree.

Though none of these alone could provide the necessary proof, combined if you can show most or all of these, it's certainly beginning to look more compelling.

In order to obtain a Business Visa (work), one must have a sponsoring company in the USA. There are agents in Thailand who will help you obtain a US sponsor (usually working for an amusement park like 6 Flags or another franchise like Starbucks or Burger King) where she can work. Usually you spend a significant fee for this ($3,000 or so). Also there is a quota for the number of Business Visas issued each year, unless she fits into a profession that is exempt from the quota (I believe teacher can be one of them).

A Study Visa is a viable choice. My girlfriend had come to America on a Study Visa. Like the Business Visa, she will need a sponsoring institution within USA. Many colleges will accept international students, but most require TOEFL scores above 520-550 (written TOEFL). They will also require full-time enrollment for the duration of study. If she later switched to less than a full-time course load, or dropped out during the semester, she would have to return to Thailand immediately (within a month, I believe).

All the best to the two of you

[Gumballl]

...

Gumballl: Do not worry about deflating my bubble, give me as much truth as you can about the situation. I don't know if it matters but since you said (inactive) would it matter if my security clearance is still active for another 2 years before it expires and I would need a new one.

...

If you are currently not employed, your clearance is considered inactive. If it is not activated within a 2 year period of its last use, then you will lose it. I strongly recommend that you do not let that happen. The only way to prevent the security clearance from expiring is to take a job that requires it. If your clearance expires, you cannot go to Walmart to procure another!

As for the clearance's relevancy during the visa application process, it means nothing. The State Department (and hence the Embassy) does not ask about it.

Btw, I personally failed to acquire a TS/SCI clearance because of my relationship to my TW (which at the time, was my fiancee). At the time, I was petitioning for the K-1 visa. Three months after I was denied the TS/SCI, my Secret clearance was suspended so that the Defense Security Services (DSS) could review my background. Since then (and it has been over 2 years now) it has been impossible for me to get a job that requires a clearance (even at the Secret level). No company wants to take me on, putting me in a "holding" area for 6-12 months, while I petition for a new clearance. There's too much risk that I would get rejected for the clearance. And right now it doesn't help one bit that I live in an area where the need for a clearance is essential.

IMO, you are risking too much with your plans to travel the world. It's time to start thinking with the head that lies above your shoulders. People with clearances tend to earn 15-50% percent more than those without.

Edited October 5, 2008 by Gumballl

[SirTyler]

I appreciate it. Her dad is a chief in the Police, that doesn't count though huh? Seeing as how he is her dad. Does it really have to be full time and a degree for college? She can't go for just English classes at a university in the states? The same way she went to Italy for a month to study Italian?

As far as the business visa goes, I was thinking about finding a company on my own, not using an agency. I was also considering trying to go for this J1 Exchange Visitor visa. This looks more possible seeing as "on the job training" could be alot of things. I could call around and find a hotel in the states who might sponsor her and she can say she wants to start up a hotel in Thailand eventually so going to the states is to get experience with hotels around the world? What do you guys think? Or is it possible I find a friend in the states who owns a small business and invites her?

What about if I found a Thai restaurant in the area that could hire her? Could the sponsor her with a letter asking for a 1 year employment as a cook or waitress or whatever?

You mentioned Teaching. What if I were to call language schools in the states and find her a job as a Thai teacher. They can sell Thai lessons to potential students, and if nobody signs up for Thai classes then she just doesn't have any work. If they do show up then she teaches Thai. I don't know I am just trying to think outside the box here.

She hasn't taken TOEFL yet, but I am sure she would do very good on it. Wouldn't that hurt her chances in the states though? Then they would certainly think she has no reason to leave America if she was extremely good at English. I am even considering having her just get the Thai translator and speak Thai, so they will think she wouldn't stay in the states because of the language barrier.

Gumballl: Yeah, I know how valuable the TS/SCI clearance is. I haven't even been out of the military for a full year yet. I too had problems at first with my security clearance. My friends all got at least like a "we know you will probably be ok so here is your TS/SCI until we finish the investigation," but I didn't, I had to wait a year and some months after I joined for them to finish the investigation. People think it was because my Uncle lives in Israel as a teacher for Biblical Hebrew and Greek to tourists from around the world.

I do not want that daily routine life though, at all, no matter how much a company pays me and how secure the job is. I have thought long and hard about it, and I could live my 20 years in the military or in a civilian company doing something that requires a TS/SCI and slowly move up the ladder and retire possible at a young age, but I won't want to stop working anyways, so then I will either stay with that company working my 9-5 or I will go to some other business. I don't believe life is a checklist though and the first thing is education and the second is to get the job that makes the most money and is the most secure, then settle down with a wife and kids. I would rather be poor and see the world as I want to than rich and see only my office every day with a few scheduled vacations a year. I know it seems ridiculous, like the ambitions of a small child, maybe I never grew up, but it is what I love, and I will do whatever I need to have the freedom to do what I want while I am still young and able. I am not saying that other life is bad, I just don't want it, no matter how safe and secure you feel.

Way off topic though. So I am looking into the business visa and J-1. If anyone has information on how difficult a J-1 is, that would help.

Edited October 5, 2008 by SirTyler

[gk10002000]

I appreciate it. Her dad is a chief in the Police, that doesn't count though huh? Seeing as how he is her dad. Does it really have to be full time and a degree for college? She can't go for just English classes at a university in the states? The same way she went to Italy for a month to study Italian?

As far as the business visa goes, I was thinking about finding a company on my own, not using an agency. I was also considering trying to go for this J1 Exchange Visitor visa. This looks more possible seeing as "on the job training" could be alot of things. I could call around and find a hotel in the states who might sponsor her and she can say she wants to start up a hotel in Thailand eventually so going to the states is to get experience with hotels around the world? What do you guys think? Or is it possible I find a friend in the states who owns a small business and invites her?

What about if I found a Thai restaurant in the area that could hire her? Could the sponsor her with a letter asking for a 1 year employment as a cook or waitress or whatever?

You mentioned Teaching. What if I were to call language schools in the states and find her a job as a Thai teacher. They can sell Thai lessons to potential students, and if nobody signs up for Thai classes then she just doesn't have any work. If they do show up then she teaches Thai. I don't know I am just trying to think outside the box here.

She hasn't taken TOEFL yet, but I am sure she would do very good on it. Wouldn't that hurt her chances in the states though? Then they would certainly think she has no reason to leave America if she was extremely good at English. I am even considering having her just get the Thai translator and speak Thai, so they will think she wouldn't stay in the states because of the language barrier.

Gumballl: Yeah, I know how valuable the TS/SCI clearance is. I haven't even been out of the military for a full year yet. I too had problems at first with my security clearance. My friends all got at least like a "we know you will probably be ok so here is your TS/SCI until we finish the investigation," but I didn't, I had to wait a year and some months after I joined for them to finish the investigation. People think it was because my Uncle lives in Israel as a teacher for Biblical Hebrew and Greek to tourists from around the world.

I do not want that daily routine life though, at all, no matter how much a company pays me and how secure the job is. I have thought long and hard about it, and I could live my 20 years in the military or in a civilian company doing something that requires a TS/SCI and slowly move up the ladder and retire possible at a young age, but I won't want to stop working anyways, so then I will either stay with that company working my 9-5 or I will go to some other business. I don't believe life is a checklist though and the first thing is education and the second is to get the job that makes the most money and is the most secure, then settle down with a wife and kids. I would rather be poor and see the world as I want to than rich and see only my office every day with a few scheduled vacations a year. I know it seems ridiculous, like the ambitions of a small child, maybe I never grew up, but it is what I love, and I will do whatever I need to have the freedom to do what I want while I am still young and able. I am not saying that other life is bad, I just don't want it, no matter how safe and secure you feel.

Way off topic though. So I am looking into the business visa and J-1. If anyone has information on how difficult a J-1 is, that would help.

I am ex Air US Force. I do have a current Secret clearance. I do contract engineering. I work as many months as seems desirable, then I take time off in Thailand. Check out CEWEEKLY dot com website. I worked as a direct for several of the major aerospace companies. I finde contract engineering to be a good compromise between 9-5 boredom and variety. I take on contracts that I want, and if they ever get too ridiculous I leave. I get paid more now and net more in about 1/3 of the time I do if I were direct salaried. So, even in bad years, I still easily save money and have play time.

[SirTyler]

My skill from the air force though is intelligence, with UAV video. My options are pretty limited as far as finding a contractor job for what I did in the air force. Right now I am doing alright just with freelance website design. I can push and advertise myself and try to get more customers, but I am kind of taking it easy.

I have a website idea I am working on that should do really well if I finish it in time. If it works out I am going to run with it. I always know though with web design that I can make money, doing projects for people from whatever country I am in. I can also do projects for myself and make money from advertising. It isn't that difficult to make a site popular, you just need to give the people what they want for free, then sell advertising to businesses.

So I am pretty content with my job and I have the freedom in my hours, vacation times, and location (as long as internet is in the area).

So I still would like to get my gf to the states, and if anyone can help by telling me if they think the ideas I came up with of jobs would be ok for a business visa, or if they would get denied.

[gk10002000]

kid, UAVs are a hot topic. Lots of jobs out there in that area in your specialty. I recently did a stint with AAI corp and they make that shadow 200 UAV. You might want to consider biting the bullet and doing some time in a 9 to 5 job, and get your degree and a steady paycheck. Anything else is much more of a long shot in my opinion.

Chok Dee.

[ubonjoe]

From everything you have written it appears to me a visitor/tourist visa to US is what she needs.

1. Most important of all. You have to stay out of the entire process. No letters. No going with her to conulate. Absolutely nothing. As soon a you get involved its over.

No mention of her staying with your family. No mention of friends being visited and etc.

2. Show enough money for trip.

3. Checking into going to school in the US is a good reason for visit. Expand on this get names of schools in the states that she can mention in a letter and/or during interview.

4. A letter in english written by her. Detailing her plans. Names of schools. Where she is going while in the states etc. etc. All this to show she has done her homework. Part of this could be an itinerary worked up with flights names of hotels and etc. You can get hotel reservations without paying upfront. Don't buy any tickets just show which flights she plans on taking.

5. Copy of her passport showing the trip to Italy even though expired it is still good for that. This will be a big big help.

6. Look into getting her enrolled into some post grad studies here or a least a mention of it. Plans to get her masters degree. etc. etc.(reason to come back)

7. Proof of her graduation from the university. Even a transcipt would work.

8. The interview. Use the above letter and itinerary to prepare. No mention of you, your family nothing like that.

I think she has a very good chance of getting a visa. With her background of attending school and etc.

Just prepare some information to show she has a reason to come back. Family helps.

You staying out of it is from personal experience.

[thaihome]

The tourist visa route might work. Since you have a job and hopefully a work permit and visa extensions which shows your ties to Thailand by showing her ties to you, i.e. living with her family, etc, she might be given a tourist visa. On her own, I think the chances are very slim. You would need to apply probably around March of next year to be able to leave by May. Her passport expiring is not an issue, as they would put the visa in current one and when she gets the new one she just shows the old one on entry (the US does not transfer visas into new passports)

For the immigrant/spousal visa, if you got married in Thailand and since you are living here (for a year with proof as above) you can file the I-130 petition here in Bangkok and the process can take a 3-4 months. Your family in the US can sponsor you by filing out a Form I-134, Affidavit of Support since you do not have sufficient income. She gets a conditional green card on entry (since you would be married less then 2 years). When you go to Japan to work, you file for re-entry permit which allows her to leave the country for an up to 2 years and keep the green card active. Note that if you are working for a US company in Japan on assignment, there is a very good chance the 3 year residency requirement for citizenship can be waived.

You can also file for a fiancée visa through the US Service Center that takes care of the area where your family lives. This process takes at least 8-10 months so you need to start this now if go this route. Once she enters the US you have 90 days to get married and file the change of status to get the green card. The process to leave is the same. Again your family can help with the Form I-134, Affidavit of Support.

Good luck.

TH

Edited October 7, 2008 by thaihome

[SirTyler]

Thank you everyone. Now I am back in a pickle though. I can get the tourist visa and stay out of it and just push education, or I can get a tourist visa and stay in it pushing that I am also tied to Thailand. The other options were a business visa in which I try to find her a job in the states before we go, or I can go for the exchange visitor visa where I find her a job and she can claim it's for on the job training. Her idea was to sign on with a work and travel agency and try to get a job in my area with them, then do 3 months there with me and come home to Thailand then try for a 10 year.

I have heard about alot of the jobs with UAV before I left, it is what everyone told me to do. If I wanted a steady income at whatever the cost I would have stayed in the military. I am already bummed because I want to go to South Africa, Israel, Germany and Japan but I can only choose one at a time. So to throw being in the states for a year or more into the picture would just suck. I could always live in Texas and work with the border police and help them crash yet another brand new Reaper UAV. Unless the job really just fell on my lap and offered alot of money for only like at most 6 months work, it really would cut into my plans. I thought about going to Afghanistan for a couple months to do some contracting there, I heard the pay was really good. I just don't want to waste a lot of my precious traveling time. I appreciate the help though. If you know any high paying jobs where I could work for just a couple months I will most likely accept to replenish my funds quickly lol. I didn't fly the UAV's, I exploited their video and then I mediated between the customer and the pilot via mirc. Not a technically skill, any monkey could probably do my job.

[ubonjoe]

Thank you everyone. Now I am back in a pickle though. I can get the tourist visa and stay out of it and just push education, or I can get a tourist visa and stay in it pushing that I am also tied to Thailand. The other options were a business visa in which I try to find her a job in the states before we go, or I can go for the exchange visitor visa where I find her a job and she can claim it's for on the job training. Her idea was to sign on with a work and travel agency and try to get a job in my area with them, then do 3 months there with me and come home to Thailand then try for a 10 year.

Proof about your ties to Thailand would most likely require a one year visa extension, work permit, a job and/or your own business set up.

A business visa also requires proof of her ties to Thailand as well as other types of non-immigrant visas.

I still think she has a good chance of a visitors visa.

She can apply well in advance so if she is turned down it would give her a chance to back up, regroup and reapply or go another route. Note: She needs 6 months remaining on her pasport to apply.

I am sure you have been on the web looking for info. Here is a link to a page I came across that gives good information on meeting the requirements.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/denials/denials_1361.html

Good luck from a fellow USAF vet.

Joe

Edited October 9, 2008 by ubonjoe

[gk10002000]

Thank you everyone. Now I am back in a pickle though. I can get the tourist visa and stay out of it and just push education, or I can get a tourist visa and stay in it pushing that I am also tied to Thailand. The other options were a business visa in which I try to find her a job in the states before we go, or I can go for the exchange visitor visa where I find her a job and she can claim it's for on the job training. Her idea was to sign on with a work and travel agency and try to get a job in my area with them, then do 3 months there with me and come home to Thailand then try for a 10 year.

I have heard about alot of the jobs with UAV before I left, it is what everyone told me to do. If I wanted a steady income at whatever the cost I would have stayed in the military. I am already bummed because I want to go to South Africa, Israel, Germany and Japan but I can only choose one at a time. So to throw being in the states for a year or more into the picture would just suck. I could always live in Texas and work with the border police and help them crash yet another brand new Reaper UAV. Unless the job really just fell on my lap and offered alot of money for only like at most 6 months work, it really would cut into my plans. I thought about going to Afghanistan for a couple months to do some contracting there, I heard the pay was really good. I just don't want to waste a lot of my precious traveling time. I appreciate the help though. If you know any high paying jobs where I could work for just a couple months I will most likely accept to replenish my funds quickly lol. I didn't fly the UAV's, I exploited their video and then I mediated between the customer and the pilot via mirc. Not a technically skill, any monkey could probably do my job.

You seem to have a lot of wants and desires. While I understand what you are saying, they are almost mutually exclusive unless one were independently wealthy. I would suggest you spend some time studying some of the precepts of buddhism especailly the four noble truths and the parts about desire and the causes of suffering.

[bruceboy]

^Good advice.