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[sun_sailor]

Hi

Wonder if anyone can give me any advice on this...

I'm a US citizen, In thailand w/ a 1 yr OA retirement visa.

I divide my time 6 mo here 6 mo california, where i have

a business. I'd like to get my Thai Girlfriend, Pia. a

US Visa. She has a rental property, car, and wants to return

in Nov to receive her BA diploma.I have known her 7 months.

My question is ,I have assets,and good income in the US.

Can I post a bond

or guarantee to get her a visa, I have heard thiis may be possible...

any ideas, comments appreciated

Arterre

[sbk]

If she owns her own property, car, has money in the bank and is already accepted to a school here then she probably doesn't need your help at all. She shows sufficient ties to Thailand and that is all they want to see. A letter from you showing you own your own house (show proof of it) and that she would be staying with you for the duration of her stay would help, but I don't think a bond is needed in this case.

[Estrella]

As far as I know, getting visa to US at Thai embassy is unpredictable.

Showing all type of document is not enough, u need luck.

If you are young girl, just graduated , no matter how rich you are , they wont let you go easily to USA, expecially if you have to interview with Window no.8 or no.4 at the US embassy. Here are some link that people share about their mystery getting visa to USA. ( sorry its in Thai , at least you gf can read it and be prepared )

http://topicstock.pantip.com/topic_stock/k...7/H2452727.html

http://topicstock.pantip.com/topic_stock/k...1/H2312381.html

I am nervous everytime going to renew the USA, eventhough I had 5 years visa and F1 visa plus social security before. Now I have multi-entry till 2008. At least they will leave me alone a couple years.

SBK, those proof of ties( letter from school, bank and property statement ,etc) are sufficient for visa in AUS,UK,EUROPE but not USA . believe me.

Goodluck

[sbk]

Interesting, my husband is thai and was given a ten-year multi entry b1-b2 visa based on those ties. I also have a non-O visa for thailand and have resided here for 15 years, so that also helped. My understanding from Aussies, and some posts here, is that Australia is now making it more difficult as well. Perhaps just too many dodgy applicants over the years have hardened these people to being sympathetic for valid ones?

[monitorlizard]

sbk---I think the fact that you resided here in LOS for 15 years DID help! However, the fact that the young woman is a college student and not graduated is not going to help at all. I think the fact of owning property and having a car is not going to help very much either I am afraid. Perhaps if you could elaborate on the rental property. Is it a rice field in Issarn or a shopping mall in downtown Bangkok? The amount of rental property proceeds would help if this puts her in the middle or high income class here in Thailand.

I gather she is not working or going to school when you two are together? The US and Canadian Embassy are very difficult. Remember both countries are huge thus making it very easy to disappear.

The bond issue does not exist and is often misunderstood. Sadly, the rich cannot post a bond and bring anyone they want to into the US. The bond is for those who marry or have family ties and do not meet the financial obligations. Then relatives can post a bond.

Anyway, you should contact the US Embassy about the bond issue, they can explain it as well.

Whatever you do for the application, the Embassy will have a record forever. So be careful. I think that since she does not own a business nor have a job this is going to count against her. It doesn't sound like there is so much holding her here in Thailand.

Good luck!

I would listen to Estrella. It sounds like she knows what she is talking about. I would tend to agree with her that visas for young women are difficult to get. It depends how much you trust your GF, but you can always post a few million baht in her account over a period of time to show income. This might help??? Or you can set up a business and name your GF as partner (contact Sunbelt Asia).

Good luck.

[mrvietnam2001]

No there is no provision in US Immigration law to post a bond or put up collateral in order to get someone a visa.

Think about that.

Mr Vietnam

[mrmnp]

A caveat prior to my post, I am anally retentive and legally trained.

In preparing to apply for a tourist visa for my thai friend to accompany me to the U.S. for three weeks, I did the following:

Read every website on the subject available, with particular attention to the Department of State website and its links to their page on why people are turned down.

I then prepared for my Thai friend, a typed list entitiled "Compelling reasons in support of tourist visa for ......" It went something like this, but very detailed and every assertion supported by documentation.

1. Over two year committed relationship with U.S. Citizen Passport #......etc. now permanently residing in Thailand at our home at....See declaration from farang, copy of his passport with year permit Exhibit 1, Photos from trip to Australia together, photos of christmas with daughter and son in law in our home Exhibit 2, Ownership papers of home Exhibit 3 etc.

2. Current enrollment in college, 3rd term with supporting documents. Planned gradution date and GPA.

3. Title deeds to property owned in Thailand.

4. Bank Accounts, including joint account with Farang ( one account salted six months prior by farang)

5. Letter from former employer, major hotel, making a standing offer of employment

6. Ownership papers for car jointly held with farang.

7. Prior foreign travel to Australia and return to Thailand with documents

8. Roundtrip tickets including itenerary and who you will be staying with, (or someone willing to attest to that if called who will know your whereabouts)

address, phone number and relationship etc.

They want original documents, but I would make a complete copy of the entire package and take it with you so you have proof of what was submitted to the Counsular Officer.'

Attend the application process and the interview so language difficulties don't arise and insist the interview and any applications are in English.

My thai friend was initially turned down for a visa to Australia because he "fit the profile" I requested an interview with the immigration officer, and after explaning in detail our relationship, who we were visiting and giving the impression I wasn't going away, the Thai staff person reversed her position. Upon leaving the interview, I was left with the distinct impression that it was the long term relationship and the plan to visit family, who were substantial citizens in Australia, that did the trick. That fact, was the only difference between the application, documents and the interview.

The Department of State outliens in clear language in their website that the immigration law places on the applicant for the visa the 'burden of proof" in overcoming the presumption that the applicant is traveling to the U.S. for the purpose of staying and not returning to the country of origin.

In a word, you are "behind the eight-ball" from the beginning and you must prove that it is a tourist visit and not an attempt to illegally overstay your visa. The consular officer is commanded by law to enter the interview with a mind set that you are trying to enter the U.S. for the purpose of staying on after your visa expires and you must confince him otherwise. Anything, and I say the more the better, that proves, suggests, infers or in any other way can be construed to suggest that there is a "compelling reason" to return to Thailand, document it and provide that reason in your list.

Leave nothing to chance. Present a full legal brief as best you can, have documentary support for every fact you intend to allege and If you don't have everything on my list, do your best and prepare yourself and your Thai mentally to answer all questions asked in a way that persuades that you will return.

I have coached my Thai to answer the possible question regarding staying over the visa period and not returning to Thailand with 'Why would I want to stay in the U.S. and work as a waiter in a Thai restaurant, when I live so comfortably in Thailand without working? I can always go back to work at my old place of employment here in Thailand were I don't pay rent than pay rent in the U.S. that will eat up at least half of what salary I can get."?

There is nothing in the words that are magic, only the impression left with the consular official that you have truly thought out the matter and reject the idea of staying over your documented return date(tickets)

Our planned visit to the consulate has been postponed, so I do not have a success story to tell, but I think I have conveyed the effort necessary to succeed if the applicant is young, under 35. Remember, it is easier for them to say no, than yes, so make the effort. Good luck. Let us know your story and hints you have for us when it happens.

[monitorlizard]

Sounds like you thought things out. It will be interesting to see how the US immigration stands on "gay" couples. It would be great to learn that they do not discriminate.

Keep us posted as we all would be interested if you are successful or not. Good luck!