Usa Tourist Visa Waiting Times

[Time Traveller]

I'm hoping to travel to USA in late September for tourism, however I'm not part of the visa waiver program and need to apply for tourist visa at the embassy here in bangkok. Does anyone with recent experience or knowledge know :

1. How long is the current approximate waiting time to schedule an interview for tourist visa ie. how far in advance you need to book? (I mean the soonest I could get an interview if I booked now)

2. How long after the interview until you get the visa (assuming it's successful)?

3. Also I'm a non-thai applicant but work in Bangkok, do I need any special documents eg. my work permit, bank statements, letter from company for interview?

Many thanks for any answers!

[NanLaew]

Right now, it's 3 weeks to get your foot in the door... and then a day to get the thing approved.

Use this website to keep tabs.

Normally the US authorities prefer you to apply in your country of origin or nationality so the 21 days quoted is for a Thai applying in Bangkok and yours may take longer. They could take longer to process and then only issue a single-entry visa. Worst case is a denial.

Good luck!

Edited May 12, 2011 by NanLaew

[Time Traveller]

Many thanks for the quick reply with the link.

[Time Traveller]

Another question, actually it's for immigrant visa at the bangkok US embassy, but can anyone confirm that the embassy can accept thai language documents without english translation. It says on the state.gov site that documents must be in english or the official language of the country of the consulate, but I've also heard people say that need to translate some documents into English. Does anyone know for certain?

[ThaiVisaExpress]

We booked one yesterday for a client June 8th.

[NanLaew]

We booked one yesterday for a client June 8th.

That sounds about right; thanks for posting the actual experience that pretty much confirms the US Government website's statement of 21 days.

Quick question for the visa agents here; regarding the 'preferred' policy of applying for a US visa in your country of birth/nationality, do your companies have any experience with US B1/B2 visa's in Bangkok for persons from a third country? The way I understand it is, as a Brit applying in London, if there's no issues, I would normally get a 10-year visa. However, I have heard that some US embassies will only issue a single-entry visa if the applicant is a non-national or non-resident of the country of application. It would be a bit of a bugger to jump through the hoops and wait 3 weeks only to get a one-off visa. Unfortunately, work and family life doesn't permit me to block the 28-days currently being quoted for the US Embassy in London. I am married to a Thai, have a Non-B visa on that status and a yellow Tibian Bahn.

[fatpig]

13 days for two 24 month family visit visas.

[JeffreyMcCollum]

2 American friends both with Thai wifes. 1 had a 10 year visa and needed it renewed. Took 6 months to get it. They were worried the reitired firemans wife (50's) would try to get a job even though for the last 10 years they lived well on his pentions and SS. My other friend just married to a country girl 1/2 his age with really nothing, flew through in had hers in hours ? Go figure ? In Chiang Mai I just got an appointment 10 days out.