Planning To Apply For Us Visa

[BFC]

Just discovered this forum with lots of useful information.

Hope that you might help me with the advice as well.

I am planning to visit my close friend in the US and in order to do that need to apply for the US visa.

I would really appreciate if you could evaluate my chances of getting it. Should I even bother to try and apply for it?

Here are the details:

I am holder of the passport of Belarus (Republic of) which is Eastern European (ex-Soviet) state and not a part of EU.

I am 34 years old. Living in Bangkok since ’94 ( for a decade now).

I am married to a Thai national and we have a 4 years old son.

We didn’t register the marriage (her family advised her not to do that for the reasons of real estate, lands etc ownership…) but had a fancy wedding ceremony in the Four Seasons Hotel with over 300 guests. So no marriage certificates and such.

Our son is attending a very decent International school here in Bangkok

In the past 10 years I was only employed 3 times for a couple years each time ( with work permits by 3 different companies and some tourist status in between) but am on a tourist visa right now. No work permit at the moment.

I am doing some freelance work for overseas clients (quality control of their shipments of garment and such and some consultancy work) so I am not working for any Thai company here. I have plenty of shipping documents to prove that if this could help.

I got some money in my local bank accounts. Few gold credit cards if this accounts for anything there at the embassy.

I have some EU visas in my passport. I traveled for holidays to UK, Spain, Austria, France… in the past couple of years. Don’t know if this helps…

The friend I am planning to visit is the US citizen and US Air Force officer working for the JUSMAG here in Bangkok. We are great friend since 4 years ago and now I decided that it might be a good idea to visit with him and his family this coming Christmas / New Year.

The word from the embassy is that a shot on getting visa cost 4.000 baht. It’s not much but don’t want to throw it away either

I understood that the main criteria for granting visa is a proof of my return back from US. Am I meeting this criteria (no work permit, no marriage certificate) ?

Oh, also my wife (and all her family) has some kind of 10 years multi entry US visas. Don’t know if this is relevant to the case.

Thanks for taking time reading this. I will really appreciate any advice on the subject.

Alex

Edited November 6, 2005 by BFC

[thaihome]

Personally I think you stand a pretty good chance. Your friend could probably help a lot by writing a letter saying he has known you for 4 years in Bangkok, to the best of his knowledge you live in Bangkok, and he has invited you to visit his family (along with your family, who already have visas). Make sure there is contact information so they can verify. Include copies of your bank account(s), your son’s birth certificate and his school registration for this year and anything else you have showing your ties to Thailand.

Just as an aside, the advice from your wife’s family is out of date. Thais married to foreigners no longer have any restrictions on property ownership. Believe that was true even when you got married in '94.

TH

[BFC]

Thank you very much ThaiHome !

I think I should give it a shot.

thanks again !