Options To Bring The Girlfriend Back To The States

[Strange]

Here's what I wanna do, I am a rotational offshore worker, been living with my Thai girlfriend for 3 years. In the next 3 years or so I would like to be able to move back to the USA with the gf. What would be the best way to do that? I want to live in Thailand until I'm 100% ready to fully move back. Get the fiancé visa and get married in the USA? Will we be able to come and go from the USA as we please after that? Or get married in thailand first then go for the marriage visa?

I'm only off from work for 30 days at a time and I don't want to leave the girlfriend/wife alone there until she gets comfortable. So the goal is to work on whatever visa and live in thailand. Hopefully then we can come and go in and out of the states when we please until we are ready to move there.

I hope I'm clear on what I'm looking for here. What do you guys think?

[DragonQuest]

Get married now

[craigt3365]

For your longer term plans, check out this website: www.visajourney.com. Loaded with info about what to do regarding a fiance visa or a marriage visa. In our case, the embassy in Bangkok recommended a fiance visa. I would check with them and see what they say in the next year or so...no use wasting your time now as things may change in the next few years.

I've been through this process and it was relatively painless. My wife is a full US citizen now...great for being able to travel around.

Getting her to the US before the fiance or marriage visa will be tough. Impossible for my wife, and plenty of my friends also were not able to get their GFs there. I am no expert on this, but she would need a good job, own a house, have kids, lots of money in the bank, etc. Otherwise, forget the tourist visa for now.

And for sure she will be lonely and disoriented in the US. I was with my wife for a year, we lived in Bangkok, and she was still uneasy regarding living in the US as I also traveled and was away from home most of the time. She hardly ever left our apartment alone for the first 3-5 months. Only a little after that. Now, she is not shy at all...but then she was much younger at that point....

Best of luck and please feel free to PM me if you have any questions I may be able to help with!

[dekbahnnok]

You may have problems if you gf is lot younger than you.....I have friends who have been rejected....education, occupation are also factors....

[Strange]

So from that visajourney website that Craig supplied (witch is an excellent link btw) it seems like the K3 visa would be the best choice. If I'm understanding this correctly, if I go for the K1 then we have to go to the USA and get married, then immediately file for adjustment of status. The wife would then have to stay there for like 6-8 months until this happens.

With the K3 then She gets a 2 year multiple entry visa, and close to the end she has to file for adjustment of status.

So seems like the K3 is the best choice to allow us to live in Thailand and still come and go from the states for 2 years...

Am I understanding this right?

I'm 27 and my girlfriend checks in at 26. We met on the Internet about 3 years ago. I'm not sure that this is relavent unless I'm going for a tourist visa. Right?

Is there anything else that I'm missing?

[steelepulse]

As a friend of mine that has a big law firm in BKK advised me, "why get her green card or US passport when you can get her a 10 year visa" and then work out what is best for you financially speaking? Nothing wrong with looking at the big picture, tax wise.

[sirineou]

For your longer term plans, check out this website: www.visajourney.com. Loaded with info about what to do regarding a fiance visa or a marriage visa. In our case, the embassy in Bangkok recommended a fiance visa. I would check with them and see what they say in the next year or so...no use wasting your time now as things may change in the next few years.

I've been through this process and it was relatively painless. My wife is a full US citizen now...great for being able to travel around.

Getting her to the US before the fiance or marriage visa will be tough. Impossible for my wife, and plenty of my friends also were not able to get their GFs there. I am no expert on this, but she would need a good job, own a house, have kids, lots of money in the bank, etc. Otherwise, forget the tourist visa for now.

And for sure she will be lonely and disoriented in the US. I was with my wife for a year, we lived in Bangkok, and she was still uneasy regarding living in the US as I also traveled and was away from home most of the time. She hardly ever left our apartment alone for the first 3-5 months. Only a little after that. Now, she is not shy at all...but then she was much younger at that point....

Best of luck and please feel free to PM me if you have any questions I may be able to help with!

I agree, the tourist visa would be difficult unless the required precursors are meet.

the wife or fiance option would be the way to go,

since you have 3 years I would think the wife way would be the best option for you

The Visajourney website is a good place for your GF to go to, there she can talk to other Thai's going through the same process get , get good advice, and network with others that are moving to the US .

When in the US your wife could get a job at the local Thai restaurant ( if one is available in your area, one usually is) make a little money, but more important , make some friends and gradually assimilate in the community.

My wife has being here in the US , in a small community in Florida for a little over a year now, between her job at the restaurant, the people she meet at Visajourney, and people she meet at the local Asian food grocery, has more friends than I do here.

Even though she has a University degree, she went to Nail tech school and got her Nail tech licence, got a job at a local Nail shop owned by Vietnamese,making almost as much money as I do. and made even more friends.

In one year, she has her drivers licence and own car, money in her own bank account, and many Thai friends,

they get together fix each others hair, or nails cook Issan food, and have a good time every weekend.

Right now , she is putting together a box of Thai spices to send to some one she she meet in Visajourney, and later we are going to her Thai friends house to have my Hair cut.

I am telling you all this, to illustrate that with a little networking and some support, everything is possible.

[craigt3365]

As a friend of mine that has a big law firm in BKK advised me, "why get her green card or US passport when you can get her a 10 year visa" and then work out what is best for you financially speaking? Nothing wrong with looking at the big picture, tax wise.

I met a guy from a big BKK law firm. He glared at my wife constantly, teased her in Thai, and later that week I saw him walk out of Nana around midnight with girl in arm. That's when I decided I could do everything myself rather than give these guys an incredible amount of money. And it's an easy process if you do your research. Very easy.

I don't agree with the 10 year visa. The benefits of becoming a US citizen and many. For me, it was being able to travel without having to get her a visa for every country we wanted to visit. Even with a green card, most countries require a visa. And if you are not married, you can't open joint checking accounts, get her a visa card, get her a car loan...all things that help build her credit history. Very important if she plans to be in the US a fair amount.

As for taxes, the only implication I can think of is being able to file married instead of single. Better rates for being married. Other than that, I'm not sure what other benefits there are???? Especially if you don't have a lot of deductions....

I did not want my wife hanging out with Thai folks in the US. And luckily, she did not want to either. It really makes integrating that much harder. Learning English is harder as they all speak Thai with themselves. Eating is harder as they tend to only eat Thai food. Etc. My wife did not want Thai TV, and learned to cook many different types of foods while living in the US. Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Argentina, Greek, etc. I had a friend who's wife could only eat Issan food. And had a really hard time learning English. Needless to say, after a year, she was back in Thailand. It's a tough transition for them. I also met some nice folks on visajourney.com. Still keep in contact.

[zooweemama]

As a friend of mine that has a big law firm in BKK advised me, "why get her green card or US passport when you can get her a 10 year visa" and then work out what is best for you financially speaking? Nothing wrong with looking at the big picture, tax wise.

I met a guy from a big BKK law firm. He glared at my wife constantly, teased her in Thai, and later that week I saw him walk out of Nana around midnight with girl in arm. That's when I decided I could do everything myself rather than give these guys an incredible amount of money. And it's an easy process if you do your research. Very easy.

I don't agree with the 10 year visa. The benefits of becoming a US citizen and many. For me, it was being able to travel without having to get her a visa for every country we wanted to visit. Even with a green card, most countries require a visa. And if you are not married, you can't open joint checking accounts, get her a visa card, get her a car loan...all things that help build her credit history. Very important if she plans to be in the US a fair amount.

As for taxes, the only implication I can think of is being able to file married instead of single. Better rates for being married. Other than that, I'm not sure what other benefits there are???? Especially if you don't have a lot of deductions....

I did not want my wife hanging out with Thai folks in the US. And luckily, she did not want to either. It really makes integrating that much harder. Learning English is harder as they all speak Thai with themselves. Eating is harder as they tend to only eat Thai food. Etc. My wife did not want Thai TV, and learned to cook many different types of foods while living in the US. Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Argentina, Greek, etc. I had a friend who's wife could only eat Issan food. And had a really hard time learning English. Needless to say, after a year, she was back in Thailand. It's a tough transition for them. I also met some nice folks on visajourney.com. Still keep in contact.

Maybe it was his wife. Of course you weren't frequenting the area were you. Just driving past on your way to the Marriot.

[craigt3365]

As a friend of mine that has a big law firm in BKK advised me, "why get her green card or US passport when you can get her a 10 year visa" and then work out what is best for you financially speaking? Nothing wrong with looking at the big picture, tax wise.

I met a guy from a big BKK law firm. He glared at my wife constantly, teased her in Thai, and later that week I saw him walk out of Nana around midnight with girl in arm. That's when I decided I could do everything myself rather than give these guys an incredible amount of money. And it's an easy process if you do your research. Very easy.

I don't agree with the 10 year visa. The benefits of becoming a US citizen and many. For me, it was being able to travel without having to get her a visa for every country we wanted to visit. Even with a green card, most countries require a visa. And if you are not married, you can't open joint checking accounts, get her a visa card, get her a car loan...all things that help build her credit history. Very important if she plans to be in the US a fair amount.

As for taxes, the only implication I can think of is being able to file married instead of single. Better rates for being married. Other than that, I'm not sure what other benefits there are???? Especially if you don't have a lot of deductions....

I did not want my wife hanging out with Thai folks in the US. And luckily, she did not want to either. It really makes integrating that much harder. Learning English is harder as they all speak Thai with themselves. Eating is harder as they tend to only eat Thai food. Etc. My wife did not want Thai TV, and learned to cook many different types of foods while living in the US. Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Argentina, Greek, etc. I had a friend who's wife could only eat Issan food. And had a really hard time learning English. Needless to say, after a year, she was back in Thailand. It's a tough transition for them. I also met some nice folks on visajourney.com. Still keep in contact.

Maybe it was his wife. Of course you weren't frequenting the area were you. Just driving past on your way to the Marriot.

Actually, I love the Bus Stop on Soi 4. Great fish and chips and I know the owner and manager. Great people. I also love to play pool at Swan Bar, just up the road. But it sucks having to run the "gauntlet" with your wife past Nana to get to the skytrain. Sometimes, we just take a taxi and deal with the traffic. But for sure, I am no stranger to Nana...at least in the past!

[Strange]

As a friend of mine that has a big law firm in BKK advised me, "why get her green card or US passport when you can get her a 10 year visa" and then work out what is best for you financially speaking? Nothing wrong with looking at the big picture, tax wise.

Im not sure I know witch visa you are talking about? A tourist visa????

[Strange]

For your longer term plans, check out this website: www.visajourney.com. Loaded with info about what to do regarding a fiance visa or a marriage visa. In our case, the embassy in Bangkok recommended a fiance visa. I would check with them and see what they say in the next year or so...no use wasting your time now as things may change in the next few years.

I've been through this process and it was relatively painless. My wife is a full US citizen now...great for being able to travel around.

Getting her to the US before the fiance or marriage visa will be tough. Impossible for my wife, and plenty of my friends also were not able to get their GFs there. I am no expert on this, but she would need a good job, own a house, have kids, lots of money in the bank, etc. Otherwise, forget the tourist visa for now.

And for sure she will be lonely and disoriented in the US. I was with my wife for a year, we lived in Bangkok, and she was still uneasy regarding living in the US as I also traveled and was away from home most of the time. She hardly ever left our apartment alone for the first 3-5 months. Only a little after that. Now, she is not shy at all...but then she was much younger at that point....

Best of luck and please feel free to PM me if you have any questions I may be able to help with!

I agree, the tourist visa would be difficult unless the required precursors are meet.

the wife or fiance option would be the way to go,

since you have 3 years I would think the wife way would be the best option for you

The Visajourney website is a good place for your GF to go to, there she can talk to other Thai's going through the same process get , get good advice, and network with others that are moving to the US .

When in the US your wife could get a job at the local Thai restaurant ( if one is available in your area, one usually is) make a little money, but more important , make some friends and gradually assimilate in the community.

My wife has being here in the US , in a small community in Florida for a little over a year now, between her job at the restaurant, the people she meet at Visajourney, and people she meet at the local Asian food grocery, has more friends than I do here.

Even though she has a University degree, she went to Nail tech school and got her Nail tech licence, got a job at a local Nail shop owned by Vietnamese,making almost as much money as I do. and made even more friends.

In one year, she has her drivers licence and own car, money in her own bank account, and many Thai friends,

they get together fix each others hair, or nails cook Issan food, and have a good time every weekend.

Right now , she is putting together a box of Thai spices to send to some one she she meet in Visajourney, and later we are going to her Thai friends house to have my Hair cut.

I am telling you all this, to illustrate that with a little networking and some support, everything is possible.

Yeap thats pretty much what I want to have happen.

I will be living in Florida as well, and just out of curiosity, is Thai TV available anywhere?

[Strange]

As a friend of mine that has a big law firm in BKK advised me, "why get her green card or US passport when you can get her a 10 year visa" and then work out what is best for you financially speaking? Nothing wrong with looking at the big picture, tax wise.

I met a guy from a big BKK law firm. He glared at my wife constantly, teased her in Thai, and later that week I saw him walk out of Nana around midnight with girl in arm. That's when I decided I could do everything myself rather than give these guys an incredible amount of money. And it's an easy process if you do your research. Very easy.

I don't agree with the 10 year visa. The benefits of becoming a US citizen and many. For me, it was being able to travel without having to get her a visa for every country we wanted to visit. Even with a green card, most countries require a visa. And if you are not married, you can't open joint checking accounts, get her a visa card, get her a car loan...all things that help build her credit history. Very important if she plans to be in the US a fair amount.

As for taxes, the only implication I can think of is being able to file married instead of single. Better rates for being married. Other than that, I'm not sure what other benefits there are???? Especially if you don't have a lot of deductions....

I did not want my wife hanging out with Thai folks in the US. And luckily, she did not want to either. It really makes integrating that much harder. Learning English is harder as they all speak Thai with themselves. Eating is harder as they tend to only eat Thai food. Etc. My wife did not want Thai TV, and learned to cook many different types of foods while living in the US. Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Argentina, Greek, etc. I had a friend who's wife could only eat Issan food. And had a really hard time learning English. Needless to say, after a year, she was back in Thailand. It's a tough transition for them. I also met some nice folks on visajourney.com. Still keep in contact.

Yeah thats what I want to do. I want her to be a us citizen so we can travel together. I travel alot and with her thai passport its a real pain. Im not sure of the tax thing as well?? Your understanding is the same as mine, so maybe we are missing something?

One thing I am kinda worried about is other Thais in the US. I have met some real scumbag thais here, and I worry about the quality of thais there. Everything else Im not worried about. Her written english is better and more clear than mine, and her spoken english is excellent. She is natural at learning. We watch movies and TV in english and she understands 90% although I do get asked about 10 times a day "What does____ mean again" Its usually exact words like "sanitize" or something like that.

She has a university degree as well, and is good with computers and Microsoft office suite so Im sure after she gets comfortable there I can help her find some kind of office/clerical job. Just something to keep her busy and have some responsibility and a little money.

She has a Drivers License here in thailand and we have a car so Im not really worried about that. Just take a little time to get comfortable driving in the states....

[jazzbo]

One thing I am kinda worried about is other Thais in the US. I have met some real scumbag thais here, and I worry about the quality of thais there.

If she cannot tell the difference maybe you should reconsider.

[sirineou]

Yeap thats pretty much what I want to have happen.

I will be living in Florida as well, and just out of curiosity, is Thai TV available anywhere?

we have not found any Thai TV in our area, but there might be some in your area, My wife watches Thai TV on the internet..

as far as using her Thai University degree to get a job in the US, I dont think it would be easy initially, at least in my wifes case I found that she has gaps in her knowledge of the USA, that would make it difficult for her,to function in an Office environment, things such as locations in the states or the way the postal system works ( fed ex, UPS etc) , many things that we take for granted that other people know.That is why I advocate , working with in the Thai community, giving her a chance to gradually assimilate. perhaps after a couple of years after she had a chance to learn how things work here, she can get a job in a clerical position.

As far as the quality of Thai people here in the USA, I think Thais are the same as any other people, there good and there are bad, perhaps we have being fortunate, but we have not meet any of the bad ones yet, I am sure if we do we will do the same as we do when we meet bad Americans.