Hi all,

My wife was granted a permanent visa for 2 years with all the usual conditions last August.

But there is one thing, I want to take her to New York next April but cannot find what the procedure is. I have written to the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square London, asking their advice but so far have had no reply.

I suspect she will need to go to the embassy for an interview etc but cannot find any stuff or even costs, appertaining to this on the internet. It is not possible to phone or email the US embassy so am waiting on them. Of course being a British subject I only need to complete the visa application during the crossing, but wonder if my wife being married to British National has or carries any weight. Wonder also how long it takes as we don't want to run out of time as we did twice in LOS.

It's probably been answered somewhere on the forum, but I'm to lazy to look.....

Thanks in anticipation .....

When my wife first came over we went through the process of trying to obtain a visitors visa for a long weekend in New York.. but with no luck.

Being a UK National and at the Time and pushing the fact that I was working for the BBC... still got me nowhere ...so..

I cant remember exactly but she may only have had at that time a 1 year visa while the her Id.L.to R came in the following year so you might be in a better position.

Also seem to remember that the application cost about £40-£50 which you do not get refunded if refused

Later on tried for a visit to Paris and had no problem getting the visa from the French embassy (married to U.K/E.C. citizen )

She now has the "wee red one".....so the big apple trip is once again back on the cards

..good luck..

Being married to a Brit and living in the UK may make it easier to get a visit visa for the US, but she will still have to get one in the same way as any other Thai national, although she should apply to the US embassy in London, of course.

As Rinrada says, once qualified she should apply for British citizenship and a British passport.

Gerry,

Get some new specs! I've just had a butcher's at the US embassy site and all the relevant stuff is there. It does appear to confirm what Rinrada said, though, that they're wary of foreign nationals who don't have indefinite leave in the UK. Anyway, judge for yourself:-

US embassy - London. Schedule a visa interview.

Scouse.

Gerry,

Get some new specs! I've just had a butcher's at the US embassy site and all the relevant stuff is there. It does appear to confirm what Rinrada said, though, that they're wary of foreign nationals who don't have indefinite leave in the UK. Anyway, judge for yourself:-

US embassy - London. Schedule a visa interview.

Scouse.

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Thanks Scouse, when I tried at work I could not get on the site, might leave the States alone then and take her into Europe, seems a whole lot easier, and saves a refusal on the passport.

Remember she will also need a visa to visit Europe. You should apply for a Schengen visa to the embassy of the first country you intend to visit. It's valid for 6 months and covers most countries in Europe. The good news is that as she is the spouse of an EEA national, it's free. The bad news is that some embassies definition of 'free' seems flexible!

The 15 Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. All these countries except Norway and Iceland are European Union members.

Non EEA nationals who hold a visa to an EEA country which is valid for more than 6 months do not need a visa for Switzerland. How's your yodelling?