Us Visa For Thai Girlfriend

[tripplejjj]

A quick related question: Two years ago my Thai girlfriend was turned down for a US tourist visa. Now she wants to apply again. Will the US Embassy have a record of her first application? Will they ask if she has applied before? Thanks

Everything that she submitted, completed or not, they have it in the system.

Everything that someone else submitted on her behave is in the system.

They will grill her if she neglect to mention it when asked or incorrectly answered the questions.

I overheard the conversation during one interview. A man wanted to apply for the visa to the US. He told the interviewer that he had been to the US before. So the follow up questions went something like this.

Q: Can you tell me when you were in the US?

A: I don't remember.

Q: Did you have a Visa?

A: Yes.

Q: Can you show me where the visa is in your passport because I can't find it?

A: It was in the old passport.

Q: Can I see your old passport?

A: I could not find it so I got a new passport.

Q: Is this the exact same name and number you used?

A: Yes.

Q: We don't have you in our system?

A: You misplaced my record.

Q: Can you tell me when you were in the US?

A: It was some time ago so I don't remember exactly.

Q: Where did you stay in the US?

A: California

Q: Do you have an exact address?

A: I stayed in a hotel.

The interviewer did ask other questions to determine the validity of the applicant's character and I suppose for amusement also. The interviewer denied the applicant the visa to the US.

[Pakboong]

A quick related question: Two years ago my Thai girlfriend was turned down for a US tourist visa. Now she wants to apply again. Will the US Embassy have a record of her first application? Will they ask if she has applied before? Thanks

Yes to both.

[jackcorbett]

I would like to get a short term tourist visa to the U.S. for my live in Thai girlfriend. I have lived in Thailand for over four years now and only get to the U.S. once a year for a week or so. I am required to do this due to a corporate board meeting I must attend once a year. I own a nice condo here in Naklua where my girlfriend has been staying with me for the past eight months. My gf already has a passport which she used to travel with me to Hanoi several months ago. I intend to fly to San Francisco, then to St. Louis where I'll be meeting the other board directors (we own a farm together). My nephew will be joining me and after the meeting we will use a rental car to take some personal possessions belonging to me that I am entrusting to his care. This will be an 1800 mile haul ending in Arizona. My getting a rental car for this long a time is unusual and I might not repeat this one so the way I'm looking at it is this represents an unparalleled opportunity for my girlfiriend to see a good part of the U.S. including the Grand Canyon.

I'm thinking my chances of getting the visa are much greater than most as my home is Thailand, my heathl insurance is in Thailand (moving back to the U.S. would leave me uninsured, and I have no intention of moving back. So the way I'd present this is a pure tourism venture with both of us fully intending upon resuming our lives together here in Thailand.

My girlfriend worked several years at an electronics company in Rayong and it was just several months after she quit work there that we started our relationship. She does not have a current job as her focus is to be my companion and to look after me. Any advice or opinions as to our chances are most welcome.

[Pakboong]

I would like to get a short term tourist visa to the U.S. for my live in Thai girlfriend. I have lived in Thailand for over four years now and only get to the U.S. once a year for a week or so. I am required to do this due to a corporate board meeting I must attend once a year. I own a nice condo here in Naklua where my girlfriend has been staying with me for the past eight months. My gf already has a passport which she used to travel with me to Hanoi several months ago. I intend to fly to San Francisco, then to St. Louis where I'll be meeting the other board directors (we own a farm together). My nephew will be joining me and after the meeting we will use a rental car to take some personal possessions belonging to me that I am entrusting to his care. This will be an 1800 mile haul ending in Arizona. My getting a rental car for this long a time is unusual and I might not repeat this one so the way I'm looking at it is this represents an unparalleled opportunity for my girlfiriend to see a good part of the U.S. including the Grand Canyon.

I'm thinking my chances of getting the visa are much greater than most as my home is Thailand, my heathl insurance is in Thailand (moving back to the U.S. would leave me uninsured, and I have no intention of moving back. So the way I'd present this is a pure tourism venture with both of us fully intending upon resuming our lives together here in Thailand.

My girlfriend worked several years at an electronics company in Rayong and it was just several months after she quit work there that we started our relationship. She does not have a current job as her focus is to be my companion and to look after me. Any advice or opinions as to our chances are most welcome.

It is always hard to say how a particular interviewer will feel about your situation. There are many factors to be considered and some are personal.

Remember however that it is your girlfriend who is applying for a visa to tour the US and not you. Her story holds the key. Your living in Thailand is helpful but other than that, your story is common to say the least. We all like to take a travel companion home with us to show them our country. Nobody cares about that but you.

Her ability to communicate a solid reason to return to Thailand after her tour of the USA is the key to getting the visa. Her believability at the time of the interview is what really matters. Negatives will be a huge age difference between her and her travel partner, physical indications of non compliance to societal norms, etc... are the aspects of the process that the interviewer will consider but the key will be a compelling reason to return to Thailand.

Make sure her automated history is clean. If she conveniently forgets about a former application or an old name change, etc... this will be found out in the pre-screen and any discrepancy will result in a quick and dirty refusal. Hide nothing and lie about nothing.

As she has a job, you will have to be mentioned as her travel partner and financial sponsor. No way to avoid it. Nothing odd about it but nothing magical either. You will travel with her and pay for the trip. A story they hear many times every day. They don't care much about that story only her compelling reason to return.

Good luck to you.

[jackcorbett]

Many thanks. I don't think the age difference makes too much difference here as there are only something like 38 years difference in our years. Ironically I almost made the call to Vietnam to fight for making this a free country. And yet...no problem getting visas so we could travel there together. Who knows how this one will turn out but as you suggest I'm not the only one here who simply wants to show off the great sights in the U.S. not to mention showing off some of the big differences between the two countries. This should prove to be interesting.

[richm7]

Pakboong - I disagree that Jack's status is not material. It absolutely is, because it is another compelling reason for the GF to return to Thailand. It is always much more difficult (understandably) if the sponsor lives in the US. Jack definitely needs to emphasise their relationship, confirm he is paying for everything and as far as possible provide as much evidence as possible that they cohabit in Thailand. For what it's worth I actually believe that in this case she has a very good chance of getting a visa. I wish them both the very best of luck.

<br />

I would like to get a short term tourist visa to the U.S. for my live in Thai girlfriend. I have lived in Thailand for over four years now and only get to the U.S. once a year for a week or so. I am required to do this due to a corporate board meeting I must attend once a year. I own a nice condo here in Naklua where my girlfriend has been staying with me for the past eight months. My gf already has a passport which she used to travel with me to Hanoi several months ago. I intend to fly to San Francisco, then to St. Louis where I'll be meeting the other board directors (we own a farm together). My nephew will be joining me and after the meeting we will use a rental car to take some personal possessions belonging to me that I am entrusting to his care. This will be an 1800 mile haul ending in Arizona. My getting a rental car for this long a time is unusual and I might not repeat this one so the way I'm looking at it is this represents an unparalleled opportunity for my girlfiriend to see a good part of the U.S. including the Grand Canyon. <br /><br />I'm thinking my chances of getting the visa are much greater than most as my home is Thailand, my heathl insurance is in Thailand (moving back to the U.S. would leave me uninsured, and I have no intention of moving back. So the way I'd present this is a pure tourism venture with both of us fully intending upon resuming our lives together here in Thailand. <br /><br />My girlfriend worked several years at an electronics company in Rayong and it was just several months after she quit work there that we started our relationship. She does not have a current job as her focus is to be my companion and to look after me. Any advice or opinions as to our chances are most welcome.

<br /><br />It is always hard to say how a particular interviewer will feel about your situation. There are many factors to be considered and some are personal.<br /><br />Remember however that it is your girlfriend who is applying for a visa to tour the US and not you. Her story holds the key. Your living in Thailand is helpful but other than that, your story is common to say the least. We all like to take a travel companion home with us to show them our country. Nobody cares about that but you.<br /><br />Her ability to communicate a solid reason to return to Thailand after her tour of the USA is the key to getting the visa. Her believability at the time of the interview is what really matters. Negatives will be a huge age difference between her and her travel partner, physical indications of non compliance to societal norms, etc... are the aspects of the process that the interviewer will consider but the key will be a compelling reason to return to Thailand.<br /><br />Make sure her automated history is clean. If she conveniently forgets about a former application or an old name change, etc... this will be found out in the pre-screen and any discrepancy will result in a quick and dirty refusal. Hide nothing and lie about nothing.<br /><br />As she has a job, you will have to be mentioned as her travel partner and financial sponsor. No way to avoid it. Nothing odd about it but nothing magical either. You will travel with her and pay for the trip. A story they hear many times every day. They don't care much about that story only her compelling reason to return.<br /><br />Good luck to you.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

[Pakboong]

Pakboong - I disagree that Jack's status is not material. It absolutely is, because it is another compelling reason for the GF to return to Thailand. It is always much more difficult (understandably) if the sponsor lives in the US. Jack definitely needs to emphasise their relationship, confirm he is paying for everything and as far as possible provide as much evidence as possible that they cohabit in Thailand. For what it's worth I actually believe that in this case she has a very good chance of getting a visa. I wish them both the very best of luck.

<br />

I would like to get a short term tourist visa to the U.S. for my live in Thai girlfriend. I have lived in Thailand for over four years now and only get to the U.S. once a year for a week or so. I am required to do this due to a corporate board meeting I must attend once a year. I own a nice condo here in Naklua where my girlfriend has been staying with me for the past eight months. My gf already has a passport which she used to travel with me to Hanoi several months ago. I intend to fly to San Francisco, then to St. Louis where I'll be meeting the other board directors (we own a farm together). My nephew will be joining me and after the meeting we will use a rental car to take some personal possessions belonging to me that I am entrusting to his care. This will be an 1800 mile haul ending in Arizona. My getting a rental car for this long a time is unusual and I might not repeat this one so the way I'm looking at it is this represents an unparalleled opportunity for my girlfiriend to see a good part of the U.S. including the Grand Canyon. <br /><br />I'm thinking my chances of getting the visa are much greater than most as my home is Thailand, my heathl insurance is in Thailand (moving back to the U.S. would leave me uninsured, and I have no intention of moving back. So the way I'd present this is a pure tourism venture with both of us fully intending upon resuming our lives together here in Thailand. <br /><br />My girlfriend worked several years at an electronics company in Rayong and it was just several months after she quit work there that we started our relationship. She does not have a current job as her focus is to be my companion and to look after me. Any advice or opinions as to our chances are most welcome.

<br /><br />It is always hard to say how a particular interviewer will feel about your situation. There are many factors to be considered and some are personal.<br /><br />Remember however that it is your girlfriend who is applying for a visa to tour the US and not you. Her story holds the key. Your living in Thailand is helpful but other than that, your story is common to say the least. We all like to take a travel companion home with us to show them our country. Nobody cares about that but you.<br /><br />Her ability to communicate a solid reason to return to Thailand after her tour of the USA is the key to getting the visa. Her believability at the time of the interview is what really matters. Negatives will be a huge age difference between her and her travel partner, physical indications of non compliance to societal norms, etc... are the aspects of the process that the interviewer will consider but the key will be a compelling reason to return to Thailand.<br /><br />Make sure her automated history is clean. If she conveniently forgets about a former application or an old name change, etc... this will be found out in the pre-screen and any discrepancy will result in a quick and dirty refusal. Hide nothing and lie about nothing.<br /><br />As she has a job, you will have to be mentioned as her travel partner and financial sponsor. No way to avoid it. Nothing odd about it but nothing magical either. You will travel with her and pay for the trip. A story they hear many times every day. They don't care much about that story only her compelling reason to return.<br /><br />Good luck to you.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

I did mention his status would be helpful. I do hope you are right but the refusal rate in this situation is extremely high.

[thaihome]

[i did mention his status would be helpful. I do hope you are right but the refusal rate in this situation is extremely high.

I disagree. I think the approval rate is very high for just exactly these types of cases. The two key factors are her ties to him and his ties to Thailand. I have two retired friends who have lived in Thailand for several years and both got visas for their 30+ year younger girl friends that were completely dependent on them for support.

I can’t think of single person that lives in Thailand that has been refused a visa for their significant other.

TH

[jackcorbett]

I'm really a newbie when it comes to this but my thoughts are the same. Why would my gf want to stay in the U.S. when I'm going back to Thailand? She gets a nice stipend every two weeks, she has a very nice condo to stay in, and we both are on my Bupa health insurance policy which means that if either of us get sick or have an accident it's top of the line for either of us----Pattaya Bangkok Hospital. I don't have heatlh insurance in the U.S. so if I returned to the U.S. I'd be out in the cold until I was eligible for medicare. I don't know but I think if we showed both passports that establish us as tourist travel companions to Vietnam and we both showed the embassy our Bupa health insurance contracts, i would think they'd think either one of us would be stupid to relocate to the U.S.

[shawndoc]

I don't have heatlh insurance in the U.S. so if I returned to the U.S. I'd be out in the cold until I was eligible for medicare.

I don't follow this. Every doctor/hospital takes cash or credit card. So while you might be out of pocket, you wouldn't be out in the cold. And if its emergency care, they can't demand payment up front. So even if its something quite serious, you will be cared for, you'll just have a potentially large bill when you get out and if you move back to Thailand they'll be unlikely to collect.

[jackcorbett]

Bupa will cover its insured in every country in the world, except for the U.S. the reason being the U.S. is the highest priced country in the world for medical care. In my case should I become sick in the U.S. and hospitalized for a signficant period of time I could be bankrupted. In order to pay for my hospitalization I could be forced to literally sell the farm and it is my farm income that provides most of the net income on which I live. I gave up my U.S. health insurance so should I ever return to the U.S. it might be impossible to replace it. So my point to the Embassy would be that It could well be financial suicide for me to return to the U.S. to live and my girlfriend who depends on me for support---is not likely to remain in the U.S. while I return to Thailand. And as I mentioned I bought a condo here so my move has been a permanent one.

[shawndoc]

Ah ok, gotcha. Didn't realize you were still getting significant income from properties in the US.

[richm7]

This post is almost perfect to put into your covering letter with her application. Clean it up a bit and make sure the buggers actually read it (they don't always!). I think you'll get the visa.

I'm really a newbie when it comes to this but my thoughts are the same. Why would my gf want to stay in the U.S. when I'm going back to Thailand? She gets a nice stipend every two weeks, she has a very nice condo to stay in, and we both are on my Bupa health insurance policy which means that if either of us get sick or have an accident it's top of the line for either of us----Pattaya Bangkok Hospital. I don't have heatlh insurance in the U.S. so if I returned to the U.S. I'd be out in the cold until I was eligible for medicare. I don't know but I think if we showed both passports that establish us as tourist travel companions to Vietnam and we both showed the embassy our Bupa health insurance contracts, i would think they'd think either one of us would be stupid to relocate to the U.S.

[Somrak]

My suggestion is to stick with the tourist visa and absolutely do not lie.

This means to mention you as her travel partner and financial sponsor. When showing good proof of reasens that she has to go home after the holiday, there normaly will be no problem.

[NowImEasy]

As it was stated earlier in this thread that the consular officer does not have to give a reason, one can assume that politics can be part of the equation. The donation of tea money, or maybe coffee and donut money for the American politician would be a wise move. Congressmen and Senators are relatively cheap (next to the President or Secretary of State) and they have a lot of power in the beaurocracy. It worked for me many years ago, but Kennedy was my Senator, and 'Tip' O'Neil was my congressman.

[mizzi39]

As it was stated earlier in this thread that the consular officer does not have to give a reason, one can assume that politics can be part of the equation. The donation of tea money, or maybe coffee and donut money for the American politician would be a wise move. Congressmen and Senators are relatively cheap (next to the President or Secretary of State) and they have a lot of power in the beaurocracy. It worked for me many years ago, but Kennedy was my Senator, and 'Tip' O'Neil was my congressman.

That's strange. Kennedy was my senator. Was Tip O'neil a Massachusetts congressman or Speaker of the house, or both?

There are a few Bostonians living in the sticks, Mizzi included.