Non-Thai Citizens Applying Us B1/B2 Visa, Any Ideas?

[angelparadise]

Dear all

This is a non-Thai friend’s situation in preparing for a US B1/B2 visa in bangkok. See if any of you would be able to provide some useful information. He is very worried, as his case looks very solid but if the visa officer wanted to be harsh, it can be difficult too.

1. he is not a Thai citizen, but stayed in Thailand for 6 year now. finished 1st bachelor degree, now on the 2nd degree, currently on the student visa staying in thailand, there are 2 more years to finish the 2nd degree.

2. He is a public speaking coach for a thai high school while studying. He was awarded the national champion by the former US ambassador ( will the photograph with the former US ambassador help the visa in anyway?)

But due to the excellent training results, the high school is offering him a full time contract now, they will also offer work permit and etc from May 2011.

3. Now he is selected to be the coach for the national team to a US championship. Take a group of high school students. So he need to applied a US B1/B2 visa. The school will pay for all the expenses for him. (since school is going to fully funded, is his bank balance still important? )

4. He is currently struggling and paranoid in getting a visa because of the short notice and a bad experience with US embassy 5 years ago. He applied a J1 work and travel program as a foreign student in Thailand, at that time he only stayed in Thailand less than 1 year. So they rejected the visa on “no strong ties”, despite his scholarship and straight A grade. He has never tried to go to US ever since. However he has been to Canada, NZ, Australia, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Singapore and etc about 15 countries in the past 6 years of stay in Thailand.

5. He bought an apartment in Bangkok, but due to certain legal procedures and the contract, the apartment is not under his name yet. However, he can show the contract that he signed with the Seller and the past 6 months of Housing Loan receipts and the payment receipt to the seller. Is that enough to prove his purchase of the apartment? (given the housing payment haven’t complete, does that become a tie to return to Thailand?)

6. His questions include “My current appointment is on March 14, and we are supposed to fly on March 21 or 22.Do I have enough time for the visa to process just in case there are additional documents needed for my case? How long does it take to get the passport back given the visa is granted”

7. The most important question, how should him, as a foreign nationals, establish the ties with Thailand? For him it make no sense to return to his home country to do this visa as in the past 6 years he is in Thailand primarily, logistically it’s impossible too. After attending the tournament in the US, he will come back to Thailand to sign the contract with the school.

8. what are the specific document in this case that you would recommend to have to take to the interview?

9. Do you guys know any story that a foreign nationals has obtained a US visa from Bangkok? What’s the story? Thanks for sharing the information!!

***currently we know one of our friend, who hold a indian passport, has similar travel experiences, currently a 4th year student in a well known university, got her 10 year B1/B2. it was very easy for her.

Edited February 27, 2011 by angelparadise

[angelparadise]

no one knows any 3rd country US visa experience?

[samran]

It all depends on the policy of the embassy, but if your friend has a valid long stay visa in Thailand (ie non-immigrant visa with work permit) then you'd have to think that that was a significant reason to return.

And, why the apartment isn't in his own name, I'll never know. Foreigners can own these things in their own name. Looks like he took on a load of debt for someone else!