Immigrant Visa To The Us

[devildog683]

This is kind of a poll in a way. If you or someone you know successfully got their Thai wife to the US on an immigrant visa, how long did it take after you initiated the process and how did you go about it (by yourself or with a visa/law firm.)

Should be some intresting stories..............

Edited January 19, 2005 by devildog683

[tutsiwarrior]

I haven't tried nor do I intend to...I anticipate intolerable hassle and bullshit. It's the main reason that I will never live in the US again. Plus the wife's not bothered either...

[ThaiLover1]

What hassles do the Thai chicks get when they move to the US?

Edited January 20, 2005 by ThaiLover1

[devildog683]

What hassles do the Thai chicks get when they move to the US?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've heard that there are many horror stories about this process. Just looking to see if there is anyone on here who has had success with the K3 visa process and how long it took them to get it.

[lopburi3]

What hassles do the Thai chicks get when they move to the US?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've heard that there are many horror stories about this process. Just looking to see if there is anyone on here who has had success with the K3 visa process and how long it took them to get it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If the parties meet the requirement and the forms are filled out correctly there should not be any problem; except the wait.

When you figure this is a one time exercise, and compare it with the yearly extension of stay that most people here face, it does not seem like all that bad a deal.

[hotshot]

One of my clients from the US filed the Petition for the US Immigration for his Thai wife back in June 2003. She just got her visa this Christmas 2004! 18 months! But he had some problems filing the forms, and also his wife doesn't speak English....she had lots of problems at the US Embassy in BKK!

But expect appx. 4 months from the date the US embassy in BKK receive the Package 3 from USA till your gf is granted a visa. The waiting time for the Petition in the US to be accepted is around 3 months. So total waiting time might be around 7 months.

Edited January 25, 2005 by hotshot

[devildog683]

UPDATE:

Received I-797C, notice of approval, on March 28th, now waiting for the NVC to approve and contact the consulate in Bangkok, I'm told it takes about 90 days for them to process it.

[rresann]

Sorry folks if you saw this post in the UK Visa thread... It belongs here and I cannot delete by dumb mistake from the other thread...

The following is an email from my lawyer received two weeks after the I-130 was sent to US immigration… I edited out my wife’s name and replaced with (spouse). This will give you an idea of the time frame for a K3 visa to the colonies across the pond.

“Yesterday, we received the Receipt Notice for your I-130 Immigrant Petition. Accordingly, today, we filed your K-3 Petition for Alien Spouse with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS"). The USCIS is currently taking approximately 6 to 7 months to process the K-3 petition. As soon as I receive any news from the USCIS, I will promptly notify you.

After the USCIS approves the K-3 petition, the case is forwarded to the National Visa Center (NVC) of the U.S. Department of State. The NVC conducts preliminary case processing and then sends the case to the U.S. Embassy in Thailand. Once the embassy receives the petition approval, they will send Packet 3 (Visa Instruction Letter) to (spouse)'s address in Thailand. The Packet 3 is usually sent to the foreign spouse within approximately 1 to 3 months after the K-3 petition approval. (spouse) will then submit certain visa application forms to the embassy (which I will prepare for her at a later time). Once the embassy receives these documents, they will schedule (spouse) for an interview appointment, normally within 2 to 3 months and send her Packet 4 (Interview Appointment Letter). Before the interview appointment, (spouse) will take a medical exam at a hospital approved by the U.S. Embassy and bring the medical exam report with her to the interview. The embassy will provide (spouse) with a list of approved hospitals in Packet 3.

The above is a summary explanation of the K-3 visa application process from this point forward.

I will contact you sometime in August or September, 2005 to begin preparing (spouse)'s K-3 visa application and her minor child's K-4 visa application for submission to the U.S. Embassy in Thailand.

I will notify you know as soon as I hear from the USCIS regarding your K-3 petition.

Please let me know if you have questions.

Best regards,”

So, as I was told by a few lawyers prior to choosing one… the total time frame is about 10 -11 months in practice (in theory could be a little shorter or a few months longer). On a down note, the lawyers told me that about a year ago, the total wait time was closer to 6 months...

I chose to use an immigration lawyer to prepare the necessary documents because if I made and error, I would lose several months while they process, then send it back and then I try and do it correctly, etc..... I figured my best chances of submitting the forms 100% correctly filled out was to use a specialist...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[devildog683]

“Yesterday, we received the Receipt Notice for your I-130 Immigrant Petition.  Accordingly, today, we filed your K-3 Petition for Alien Spouse with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS").  The USCIS is currently taking approximately 6 to 7 months to process the K-3 petition.  As soon as I receive any news from the USCIS, I will promptly notify you.

[/b]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

our I-130 was processed and forwarded by USCIS in just a little over a month

[sriracha john]

The three couples I know took 11 months, 10 months, and 11 months (all of them left last year) from the very beginning to getting on the plane. Good luck, it's a looooong wait.

[devildog683]

The three couples I know took 11 months, 10 months, and 11 months (all of them left last year) from the very beginning to getting on the plane. Good luck, it's a looooong wait.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is the worst part, you hurry to get the paperwork done and then have to wait for it to be processed. We are both prepared to be waiting till the end of this year, maybe longer

Edited April 5, 2005 by devildog683

[daveh]

This is kind of a poll in a way. If you or someone you know successfully got their Thai wife to the US on an immigrant visa, how long did it take after you initiated the process and how did you go about it (by yourself or with a visa/law firm.)

Should be some intresting stories..............

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For a Fiancée Visa, it took my wife 6 months from first application to US entry. I know someone who submitted his I-129F at least two months before I did and he still hasn't gotten the petition approved (10 months and counting). As far as I can tell, they have no reason to delay the processing of his petition.

He used an attorney to file the papers who recommended he submit them to the Vermont office using his parents address so it would be "faster" than the California office. This is the only reason I can think of for it taking so long, it may be viewed as a red flag. The USCIS has asked him to come in for an interview.

I've read in this forum about guys having similar difficulties. No one seems to know how the USCIS operates. Your wait time will vary.

[devildog683]

This is kind of a poll in a way. If you or someone you know successfully got their Thai wife to the US on an immigrant visa, how long did it take after you initiated the process and how did you go about it (by yourself or with a visa/law firm.)

Should be some intresting stories..............

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For a Fiancée Visa, it took my wife 6 months from first application to US entry. I know someone who submitted his I-129F at least two months before I did and he still hasn't gotten the petition approved (10 months and counting). As far as I can tell, they have no reason to delay the processing of his petition.

He used an attorney to file the papers who recommended he submit them to the Vermont office using his parents address so it would be "faster" than the California office. This is the only reason I can think of for it taking so long, it may be viewed as a red flag. The USCIS has asked him to come in for an interview.

I've read in this forum about guys having similar difficulties. No one seems to know how the USCIS operates. Your wait time will vary.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also went through vermont, and our I-130 was approved in a little over a month. I guess it just depends on the workload they have when you submit it.

[rresann]

Daveh,

Two lawyers I talked to, while deciding whom to chose, said that the average wait time for a marriage visa (K3) is about 10 months, as opposed to the the wait for a Fiance visa (K1), which is currently about 6 months... Both lawyers said it used to be the reverse about a year ago and their only answer as to why was a shrug of the shoulders...

Had I conferred with either of them prior to getting married they both would have recommended to postpone the marriage and wait and get the K1 first... if saving time was the priority...

Great logic on the USCIS's part, eh...? A family member (WIFE) takes almost twice as long to get a visa as a NON family member (FIANCE). Mai khao jai...

[devildog683]

Daveh,

Two lawyers I talked to, while deciding whom to chose, said that the average wait time for a marriage visa (K3) is about 10 months, as opposed to the the wait for a Fiance visa (K1), which is currently about 6 months...  Both lawyers said it used to be the reverse about a year ago and their only answer as to why was a shrug of the shoulders...

Had I conferred with either of them prior to getting married they both would have recommended to postpone the marriage and wait and get the K1 first...  if saving time was the priority...

Great logic on the USCIS's part, eh...?    A family member (WIFE) takes almost twice as long to get a visa as a NON family member (FIANCE).  Mai khao jai... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is true, i know when we first decided to try anc get a visa at the end of last year, we were told by the embassy that a married couple would be processed faster, so we got married. Now the times have reversed and like you said, its a load of BS . Granted a fiance will more then likely become a family member, but in some cases she ends up coming back home and not marrying the farang. If your already married, it should speed up the process. I wish the governments around the world would see the big picture and realize that 99% of the time the people submitting the appplications really love each other and the time apart is extremely hard on them financially and emotionally. On that note, they need to lower their prices on applications. Its BS to charge such a large ammount and they do it just because they know we have to pay it.

God Bless America