While In The Us On A Fiance Visa, Can We Travel Other Countries?

[easttech]

Not sure if this question has been asked, given the depth of this site it probably has been. We are in the initial steps of getting a fiance visa, in fact just got my notice back that the first phase has been approved and it has been forwarded to the US Embassy in Bangkok. Not even sure how invloved the next step for her will be, but my hopes are quite high. We have known each other for 7 years and have many documents to prove that we have met and been together on my many trips to Thailand for both work and vacations. I have helped her financially and also have proof of that. Her record is clean, she owns a house and property in Udon but currently lives in Bangkok going to school. I am 50 and she is 35, no kids and never been married for her, I had a previous. I have a stable job and a very nice income.

Our plan is to live in the USA, but could potentially move back to Thailand in a couple of years. I have read all the posts about taking a Thai girl out of Thailand but I do think she is quite felxible. I am not saying she wont miss it, but I think she will be fine.

A few questions for anyone who is kind enough to answer;

1) After initial approval of the request on my end, any idea how long the rest of the process will take?

2) When the visa is granted, I know it is good for 90 days in the USA, does the clock start running once it is granted and once she enters the USA?

3) Would it be possible for me and her to travel out of the USA while on that 90 visa or will we have to wait until after marriage and the next visa?

Thank you!

[sirineou]

1) After initial approval of the request on my end, any idea how long the rest of the process will take?

2) When the visa is granted, I know it is good for 90 days in the USA, does the clock start running once it is granted and once she enters the USA?

3) Would it be possible for me and her to travel out of the USA while on that 90 visa or will we have to wait until after marriage and the next visa?

Hi Easttech

Congratulations on getting your initial approval.Froim your post,,I assume this is the approval where your application is now send to the BKK embassy for processing.

things should start to move faster now, time frames depend on load case in the embassy at the time, if everything goes well, on the average you should have your visa with in the next 3 months.( maybe less)

This is how it went for as:

with in the next 1-2 weeks your fiance will receive the package from the BKK embassy with instructions and a request of additional documents and possibly more evidence of relationship.

once all the requested documents are received by the embassy an appointment for your fiance interview will be issued and if all go well a visa will be issued a couple of days after the interview. The interview can be given in either English or Thai.

Once the Visa has being issued, your fiance has a length of time to exercise her option ( I dont remember the exact time , but it is a few months)

once she gets to the USA you have 90 days to get married from the day of her arrival to the USA

I suggest that at your earliest convenience, you go to the justice of the peace and get married ( you can have religious wedding later if you want) but it is a good Idea to start the change of status proses ASAP.

Also with her fiance visa (upon her arrival in the US) she is allowed to apply for a provisional SSN it is a good idea to get her one , you will need it if you want to file a joint tax return before she gets her Green card

( we did and I believe it helped expedite our application, I dont know if it had anything to do with it, but we did not even go for an interview, her green card was send to her by mail 3 months after application))

When you apply for a change of status, you will be told that you need a new medical exam, NOT TRUE, if the medical exam she had in BKK , is not older than 1 year, it is expectable in the US, we used ours from BKK and it was 13 months old, and they still excepted it.( it could cost a few hundred dollars for a new exam in the USA)

Also when she arrives in the USA she can apply for permission to travel, and temporary work permit.

I recommend that unless totality necessary , she does not travel outside the USA, I have herd horror stories, of finances going to other countries and not able to get back in the US, for as it only took 3 months to get the green card,

plenty to explore and do in the USA these 3 months, when you have your green card, travel to you hearts content.

any way , I hope I answered most of your questions, if you have any additional, PM me and I will be happy to do my best to answer .

This is a very exciting time for you and your fiance, I remember how we felt when me and my wife were finally together , I am very happy for both of you. Dont worry , if as you say you meet all the requirements, now it is only a matter of a short time.

Good Luck

[easttech]

1) After initial approval of the request on my end, any idea how long the rest of the process will take?

2) When the visa is granted, I know it is good for 90 days in the USA, does the clock start running once it is granted and once she enters the USA?

3) Would it be possible for me and her to travel out of the USA while on that 90 visa or will we have to wait until after marriage and the next visa?

Hi Easttech

Congratulations on getting your initial approval.Froim your post,,I assume this is the approval where your application is now send to the BKK embassy for processing.

things should start to move faster now, time frames depend on load case in the embassy at the time, if everything goes well, on the average you should have your visa with in the next 3 months.( maybe less)

This is how it went for as:

with in the next 1-2 weeks your fiance will receive the package from the BKK embassy with instructions and a request of additional documents and possibly more evidence of relationship.

once all the requested documents are received by the embassy an appointment for your fiance interview will be issued and if all go well a visa will be issued a couple of days after the interview. The interview can be given in either English or Thai.

Once the Visa has being issued, your fiance has a length of time to exercise her option ( I dont remember the exact time , but it is a few months)

once she gets to the USA you have 90 days to get married from the day of her arrival to the USA

I suggest that at your earliest convenience, you go to the justice of the peace and get married ( you can have religious wedding later if you want) but it is a good Idea to start the change of status proses ASAP.

Also with her fiance visa (upon her arrival in the US) she is allowed to apply for a provisional SSN it is a good idea to get her one , you will need it if you want to file a joint tax return before she gets her Green card

( we did and I believe it helped expedite our application, I dont know if it had anything to do with it, but we did not even go for an interview, her green card was send to her by mail 3 months after application))

When you apply for a change of status, you will be told that you need a new medical exam, NOT TRUE, if the medical exam she had in BKK , is not older than 1 year, it is expectable in the US, we used ours from BKK and it was 13 months old, and they still excepted it.( it could cost a few hundred dollars for a new exam in the USA)

Also when she arrives in the USA she can apply for permission to travel, and temporary work permit.

I recommend that unless totality necessary , she does not travel outside the USA, I have herd horror stories, of finances going to other countries and not able to get back in the US, for as it only took 3 months to get the green card,

plenty to explore and do in the USA these 3 months, when you have your green card, travel to you hearts content.

any way , I hope I answered most of your questions, if you have any additional, PM me and I will be happy to do my best to answer .

This is a very exciting time for you and your fiance, I remember how we felt when me and my wife were finally together , I am very happy for both of you. Dont worry , if as you say you meet all the requirements, now it is only a matter of a short time.

Good Luck

Thank you!!