Change Status On A Visit Visa To America

[craigrs]

Few weeks ago my wife was lucky enough to be granted a visit visa out of Bangkok..My ? is can we change the status of visit visa when we are in america? We are married and have regesterd our marrage with the usa embassy 3 years ago in bkk..

1, change her status and perhaps her being able to stay longer the what her visit visa says?

2, Plane ticket? can i buy a 1 way ticket since she might stay longer hen 6 months?

3, can we apply for any type of visa that my wife can stay longer ?

thanks

[DirectorIntegrityLegal]

Now that she has been granted a Tourist Visa, your wife has the right to journey to the United States for tourism purposes. It is illegal to knowingly enter the US on a tourist Visa if the underlying intention is to remain indefinitely. That being said, if there is genuinely no such intention, but adjustment of status is sought later, then it is possible, but heavy scrutiny will probably occur during the adjustment of status because USCIS does not like people using the tourist visa as a means of circumventing the conventional channels of obtaining permanent residence in the USA.

Hope this was helpful and good luck!

Ben Hart

Managing Director

Integrity Legal

1-877-231-7533

[craigrs]

Thanks ben for your fast responce.. Well its really to just extend her stay longer if we want to and not looking for permanet residence.. Is there even something that extends a visitors visa?

Thanks again

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Thanks ben for your fast responce.. Well its really to just extend her stay longer if we want to and not looking for permanet residence.. Is there even something that extends a visitors visa?

Thanks again

Extensions of stay while on a B1/B2 visa are possible but appear to be expensive these days. I helped a couple people do this long years ago in D.C., like 25 years, relatively easy then.

I just looked at the Immigration www site, www.uscis.gov, there's a couple forms, I539 & 539A, you might download to see how they look for your situation. Note, there's a $300 filing fee, no refund, and of course, no guarantee that the application would be approved.

"Application To Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status

Purpose of Form :

For nonimmigrants to request extensions of stay or changes from one nonimmigrant category to another nonimmigrant category. Please see the form’s instructions for your specific nonimmigrant visa category. It is used by F and M nonimmigrants seeking reinstatement of status. It is also used by K-3/4 nonimmigrants to request extensions of stay and by persons seeking V nonimmigrant status while in the United States or extension of stay as a V nonimmigrant."

Mac

[thaihome]

Few weeks ago my wife was lucky enough to be granted a visit visa out of Bangkok..My ? is can we change the status of visit visa when we are in america? We are married and have regesterd our marrage with the usa embassy 3 years ago in bkk..

1, change her status and perhaps her being able to stay longer the what her visit visa says?

2, Plane ticket? can i buy a 1 way ticket since she might stay longer hen 6 months?

3, can we apply for any type of visa that my wife can stay longer ?

thanks

I doubt you registered the marriage at the US Embassy as there is no such thing. At best, what you did was sign an affidavit saying you were eligible to be married and the Embassy notarized your signature.

TH

[craigrs]

Thaihome,

Thanks for your responce.. Does that mean our marry is not really a marriage at all in america eyes and infact we might be able to aply for a fiance visa?

Thanks again

[thaihome]

From the US Consulate Website:

Marriage in Thailand

A legal marriage in Thailand consists of both parties registering their marriage in person with the local Thai Amphur (Civil Registry Office). The United States does recognize the validity of such a marriage.

So, no you cannot apply for a fiance visa. If you want to get her a green card and you have lived in Thailand for 2 years, you can submitt an I-130 petition to the USCIS office in Bangkok. That process is covered in several threads here.

TH

[andyc2006]

From the US Consulate Website:

Marriage in Thailand

A legal marriage in Thailand consists of both parties registering their marriage in person with the local Thai Amphur (Civil Registry Office). The United States does recognize the validity of such a marriage.

So, no you cannot apply for a fiance visa. If you want to get her a green card and you have lived in Thailand for 2 years, you can submitt an I-130 petition to the USCIS office in Bangkok. That process is covered in several threads here.

TH

This page says 6 months: http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/immigrant_vis...sa-process.html

I'm not trying to nitpick, but I'm about to go through this process and want to know if filing the I-130 at the BKK office is an option for me. I've lived in Thailand more than 6 months, but less than 2 years. Can you tell me why you say 2 years? Was that the prior limit, or common belief, or for something different, etc...?

TIA

[mmcsusnret]

I think that you are right that the time is 6 months vice two years.

[tomloughney]

I was married to a Thai, we got her a 10 year multi visa. After a few years we have divorced.

In the process of getting a tourist visa we had problems due to the concern that I wanted to have the girl relocate to the USA. I was lucky to be able to ask the intervier why the second request was denied. When I told him that I lived here and could not file the finance visa, we got the tourist visa.

Now I want to bring my new girlfriend to the states. We are not married, she has had a Swiss boyfriend and is ending that relationship. I know the girl for 4 years already.

My question is "Would it be easier to apply for a tourist visa to the states with a swiss boyfriend as sponser VS. me as the sponser/friend as an american. Or should the entire relationship be left off.

She has had a business for 3 years now and owns a car, but not a house.

I want to get 3 months if possible.