Us Visa Info

[bill1369]

I have lived in Thailand for a couple years (am US citizen) and my Thai girlfriend has lived with me about a year. We would like to go to US and get married and then return to our home in Thailand. We have no intention of staying in the US more than a couple weeks. I've looked at Embassy website and, besides confusing, it is all aimed for someone bringing a non-US citizen to the US to marry AND then live in US.

Does anyone have any advice on how best to get my g/f the US visa. Also, if it's easier, I've no problem marrying her in Thailand first, then go to US and get married there again (purpose of the US ceremony is family). How would that make a difference?

The 2nd Q I have might be a bit less known. My g/f has a son with a heart defect and needs periodic cardiology care. Once married, I can add a dependent child to my medical insurance. Normally, I'd just give insurance company a birth certificate showing he's wife's son. Any ideas what I might need to do with a Thai birth certificate as far as translating officially?

Thanks for your help!!!

Bill

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Bill

Looks to me like a Tourist Visa, B1/B2, is what your GF would or should go for, especially IF you are pretty well established here in Thailand. If you're retired or working and can show the appropriate Thai visa for such, and that you plan to continue on in such status for some indefinite period, then I'd figure she'd get the visa. The presumption on the part of the Consulate would be that since you live here and plan on continuing to do so, that there's a high probability that she'd return to Thailand after your planned brief stay in the U.S.

It'd actually be a tad more difficult if you were already married.

Check out the "Non-Immigrant Visa" section at the U.S. Embassy www site.

Mac (whose wife had three GF visas before we got married)

[Hans Brix]

Hi, I can't be of any help yet but I am planning on trying for a tourist for my wife. We have been married since Jan 2010. We were married at a Thailand Amphur. She is jitterish that the embassy will say no. She is a uni grad and quit her job when I asked her to last Aug. She has not worked since. She is 26 and I am 49 and we live off my pension. I have 2 blank white home books for condos I own. She has a car we bought together in her name a few months back and it is in her name. She is in her mother's home book. She is an only child and takes care of her mother. We have bangkok bank books showing we put money every month (hers is 100K mine 350K). I am on a multi-entry O based on marriage.

Other documentation we have is my living here continuously since 2002. She has travelled with me several times to local countries but not one that requires a visa for her. So she has done her reading and has the jitters that they will refuse her. I also wrote a letter on her behalf and providing an itinerary and stating I want her to meet my family. We will be trying for this visa this year so I will post our result. Thaiburymac is always a good help although his 1st experiences were in the early 90s I think. Maybe nothing's changed but I doubt that. Good luck, I will be all over this thread and hope to see many posts about recent experiences

Edited August 21, 2010 by Hans Brix

[bill1369]

Hi Mac -

Thanks for the advice. (I wrote the Embassy and asked same Q and rcv'd an auto reply that, essentially, said: "You go and figure it out". Tripled their fees last month + 0 service.....

I guess the only concerns I have are a little similar to Hans' - my g/f is a little artsy and makes jewelry at home that she sells at talad. She makes about zip $ but loves doing it - so she shows no income, [tho they should ask her Mother what she sends home every month !!]. I have an O retirement visa, the current stamp expires in a few months, and we live on my incomes. I don't own property but am in the 2nd year of my lease.

There is another thread on the Forum I saw where some kid from Utah wanted to bring a Thai girl to Utah on a tourist visa and then marry her and they'd live in Utah thereafter (or at least til she became jealous of the sheep...). Someone advised him she could not get married with a tourist visa, tho I don't see how some Vegas wedding chapel would care one way or another.

I guess I'm just rambling on here, sorry. The question I have specifically regarding your answer is: if she tries for the tourist visa and is denied does she then have like 3 strikes against her if we should try for the fiancée visa? Also, at the tourist visa interview should I go with her (or isn't it permitted?). My g/f is probably shy enough to never say a word during the interview beyond Hello.

I have to say this is an awfully great forum! I asked a Q about a year ago and received excellent advice about getting my new visa stamp. Here, I've posted this Q 3-hrs ago and already have 2 guys trying to help. How great is that?? Whatever happens here, I'll keep the forum updated. (I need to do this soon because my family is in the DC area and I have a sneaking suspicion that my bride-to-be may not enjoy DC in winter..)

Thanks again!!! Appreciated...

Bill

Looks to me like a Tourist Visa, B1/B2, is what your GF would or should go for, especially IF you are pretty well established here in Thailand. If you're retired or working and can show the appropriate Thai visa for such, and that you plan to continue on in such status for some indefinite period, then I'd figure she'd get the visa. The presumption on the part of the Consulate would be that since you live here and plan on continuing to do so, that there's a high probability that she'd return to Thailand after your planned brief stay in the U.S.

It'd actually be a tad more difficult if you were already married.

Check out the "Non-Immigrant Visa" section at the U.S. Embassy www site.

Mac (whose wife had three GF visas before we got married)

[Hans Brix]

Hi Bill, I can tell you what I know as I have been researching this for a year or so. You are not planning on living in the USA so whatever you do, dont try a fiance visa unless that changes. Thaiburymac is an awesome help here but as I said b4, he was going for gf tourist visas in a different century (no offense bury). Back when he went for his 1st visa they allowed the bf into the interview, those days are long passed. Your gf is on her own in there so be as prepped as you can.

you can write a letter. my understanding is that you should keep it to a single page and to the point. the key is demonstrating without a doubt that she will return to Thailand as they assume nobody will. there are some other folks here with way more knowledge than me on this and hopefully they will weigh in. I just completed my letter. Next is an itinerary of where we go and when. good luck.

[metisdead]

Bill,

I've been with my girl (now wife) for 19 years, I've gotten her 6 visas over the years, earlier they only issued a B1/B2 visa for 6 months validity, the last visa she got was good for 10 years, that was in 2004. Going with this visa type, she must show compelling evidence for reason to return to Thailand. This means bank book(s), a house book would be good, more documentation the better.