Usa Tourist Visa

[johndpoole]

I apologize if this is covered elsewhere but I could not find it ...

When applying for a US Tourist Visa for Thai GF; Do we need to provide English translated documents or are the Thai Documents okay? Example: Home Owner & Bank Info Documents as well as other misc. contracts.

We started this process a while ago but had gotten side-tracked and are now getting all the documents ready to make an appointment.

A COUPLE OTHER QUESTIONS:

We filled out the online form and paid the fee a few months ago. Does anybody know if that online form actually gets submitted to the Embassy or is it just for the applicant to print?

I am currently married in the states to an American but we have been separated for a good while. I imagine this helps in showing we will not marry in the USA but I don't have any documents to show I am even married let alone not divorced.

I am here on an EDU Visa. Should she bring this up to show "my" intention of returning or is this of little value?

Thanks for any help!

[givenall]

No translation is needed. They will do a complete background check anyways and make sure the documents are official and also provide as many documents about financial and also education.

GOOD LUCK

[Pakboong]

Your story, whatever it is, can only hurt her chances. Keep it a matter of her wanting to vacation in the US. If she has the means to travel on her own and solid reasons to return to Thailand, she should have no problem getting a tourist visa. Translations are not needed and the on-line application she submitted is on the embassy data base.

[johndpoole]

Your story, whatever it is, can only hurt her chances. Keep it a matter of her wanting to vacation in the US. If she has the means to travel on her own and solid reasons to return to Thailand, she should have no problem getting a tourist visa. Translations are not needed and the on-line application she submitted is on the embassy data base.

Thanks all for the info.

As for leaving me out of it .... It sounds like that is the process in terms of a Tourist Visa to the USA (no guarantor option) but I am hoping she will be able to work in that I reside in Thailand and am currently married (seperated 2 years). My thoughts are this will help to show we have no plans/option to marry while in the USA and show we both intend to come back.

This leads to another question which I am not sure if I should ask as a new topic...

What is typically asked in the interview process? From things I have read here, it often sounds like they do not even review a good portion of the paperwork that is submitted ... even bank info.

[Pakboong]

Your story, whatever it is, can only hurt her chances. Keep it a matter of her wanting to vacation in the US. If she has the means to travel on her own and solid reasons to return to Thailand, she should have no problem getting a tourist visa. Translations are not needed and the on-line application she submitted is on the embassy data base.

Thanks all for the info.

As for leaving me out of it .... It sounds like that is the process in terms of a Tourist Visa to the USA (no guarantor option) but I am hoping she will be able to work in that I reside in Thailand and am currently married (seperated 2 years). My thoughts are this will help to show we have no plans/option to marry while in the USA and show we both intend to come back.

This leads to another question which I am not sure if I should ask as a new topic...

What is typically asked in the interview process? From things I have read here, it often sounds like they do not even review a good portion of the paperwork that is submitted ... even bank info.

They might ask anything in the interview as each interviewer has a different style/method. They are looking for deception. Her application will be screened with an ID check done prior to the interview. Any discrepancies will be picked up during the automated screen. Previous disapprovals, name changes not listed, etc.. will be caught during the pre-screen.

You will not be permitted to participate in the interview. If she is a legitimate tourist with means and a compelling reason to return to Thailand she stands a reasonable chance. If she simply presents herself as your girlfriend and you want to take her home to meet your family, she stands a poor chance. If your age difference is huge, best to leave yourself completely out of the process. These people do this every day and have heard every story. It is better that you live in Thailand and not the US but hopefully you will not have to bring that up. They could think you are trying to get her into the country to change status after entry. Keep yourself completely clear of it if at all possible.

If she has has a decent job with tax records, that would be great. If she has recently won the lottery, make sure she has payed taxes on the winnings. It is not complicated. She must simply represent herself as a legitimate tourist with the means to vacation in the US and complelling reasons to return to Thailand. The embassy personnel are not representing you, they are, even though you are also a US taxpayer, representing the at large tax paying American public and are trying to keep those out how may become wards of the state. They have no reason to trust her or take chances with tax payer money.

The older she is the better her chances according to many. If she is under 30. her chances drop considerably. She will need some proof of medical insurance while in the US. Travel insurance is cheap but it is a tough decision to buy it in advance of the interview because of the historically high refusal rate.

Good Luck.

[Svenn]

Your story, whatever it is, can only hurt her chances. Keep it a matter of her wanting to vacation in the US.

There are of course exceptions to this, I outright wrote to the embassy that our situation required she get a visa to see me (her boyfriend) in the U.S., and she got the visa no problem; but again, we were in a somewhat special situation.

If your age difference is huge, best to leave yourself completely out of the process.

I suspect that is a bigger factor than gets mentioned on thaivisa. In fact, one of the few things the officer asked my partner during the interview was "oh, you're 26... so you're 2 years older than him?!" which seemed to be a big surprise for her and I assumed played a factor is sealing the deal.

[johndpoole]

Your story, whatever it is, can only hurt her chances. Keep it a matter of her wanting to vacation in the US.

There are of course exceptions to this, I outright wrote to the embassy that our situation required she get a visa to see me (her boyfriend) in the U.S., and she got the visa no problem; but again, we were in a somewhat special situation.

If your age difference is huge, best to leave yourself completely out of the process.

I suspect that is a bigger factor than gets mentioned on thaivisa. In fact, one of the few things the officer asked my partner during the interview was "oh, you're 26... so you're 2 years older than him?!" which seemed to be a big surprise for her and I assumed played a factor is sealing the deal.

Again thanks for the info.

A little background ...

She is 36, I am 44.

She has no tax receipts but does own a house and does have a job but working for her brother in-law. Previously she owned a minimart w/ her sister down south a few years back.

From my understanding few Thai's actually pay taxes but it is sounding like this could be an issue.

She has a daughter (19) in college that lives with us and a sisters and mother living locally.

I am separated from my wife but still married and have resided in Bangkok for near a year on an EDU Visa but work for a company in the USA.

We have lived in a rented condo for about 8 or 9-months while her sister, brother-in-law and mother live in her house in BKK. She also has a sister down south. She is very close to all of them but not sure how to prove this. She just lent her sister 300k Baht to help her finish and furnish a house they just bought. It is a very short term loan but depleted her bank accounts down to 100k.

Any other thoughts or documents we can put together?

[Pakboong]

If she could account for the money she loaned to her sister as an account receivable, that could be helpful. Her relationship with her brothers and sisters would normally hold very little weight as this is common among Thais who overstay visas at an alarming rate. I personally know of 3 who have overstayed with stories quite similar to yours.

Edited December 29, 2009 by Pakboong

[Pakboong]

The "not paying taxes" is only an issue because it normally means the person makes less than 150.000 baht a year which also means, that person does not make what would normally be considered enough money to to vacation in the US.

If she is confident in her ability to make money and pay her own way in life and can communicate exactly that to the interviewer, the remaining issue is her reason to return to Thailand and a job would be the best with a letter from her employer. Her daughter in a local university could be somewhat helpful to her story The house is good but if she lived in it it would be better reason to return.

good luck to you, I hope it works out.