Hello and Happy New Year to all at thaivisa. I've posted many times in the past but will try to briefly give some history.

I am a canadian citizen living in the U.S with a green card. 32 years permanent resident. Parents in the U.S as well both canadians. Brother American.

My boyfriend of 6 years is thai national.

We started exporting from thailand 5 years ago. Now we have built the business to a comfortable size through a combination of wholesaling to other retail stores in Northern Ca. as well as running my own successful retail store in Lake Tahoe.

We rent a house in Nonthaburi with sufficient wharehouse space and regulary ship a combination of wood furntiure, garden decor etc. via container, clothing, sandals, accessories etc. via UPS.

We have run over 2 million baht through his bank account this year for our business in and out, in and out. buy ship, buy ship.

I am spending 5 months in thailand and 7 months in the states. Lot's of JAL travel.

This winter we have been working on registering our company. It is in the final stages of registration and we expect it to be final this week.

At this time we own no real estate or property. My boyfriends income is solely from our business as is mine.

We are comfortable with our lifestyle and plan to get married this year. We were advised to wait until after I obtain my U.S citizenship as marrying a thai national as a canadian citizen may affect my citizenship app in the U.S.

In February we booked an appointment with the U.S embassey to apply for a visitor visa for him as he has never met my father (my mother traveled here this year) and has never seen the shop that we have worked so hard together on this end to create and I just simply need him to see "my world" after all of these years.

We have soooo much history together - have traveled most of southeast asia, have "real life" photos of working our asses off here and loving our life, gardening, cooking, working, traveling. Lot's of pics of traveling with mom etc. etc. over 1000 emails and 6 years of phone bills :.(

We were advised that his best route to a visitor visa will be as president of our company after we've shown sufficient track record of "money in, money out, vat. etc"

So here's the big question. Do we have any chance if we go to this visa app. on April 27th? Or is it just stupid? Will it hurt our chances in the future?

Really big question....... If we are refused will it affect our future applications after the company has a track record or if I have my american citizenship and then we apply for an "immigrant visa"?

I hear that is the best way to go as they still don't always seem to be granting visitor visas to spouses of people who don't have permanent residencey in thailand.

It is not my desire to be a permanent resident of thailand nor his to be a permanent resident of the U.S. We will happily be paying taxes in both countries and running our international business with homes in both countries. I feel as though all the visa laws are not written for people such as ourselves. For those who have read the book "the world is flat" by thomas friedman. I have to say that it is still very round when it comes to the lack of freedom available with U.S visitor visas.

It probably goes without saying that I am very frustrated by all of this! I am due to go back to the states on May 1st and face another 5 months away from the love of my life. It is as though we are being ripped apart. This is hard and painful & why? Because of 911 and an over abundance of Mexicans? We are good law abiding citizens supporting the handicrafts and artists of thailand and contributing sales tax to Cal. and self employment high taxes to the U.S government. I see no reason why we should be kept apart any longer. We're not getting any younger. As time goes by year after year it increasingly saddens me.

Any advice out there? I'm just really not sure what to do~

Thank you for any and all of your time ~ it is always so appreciated

Well, I can tell you it isn't true that they won't give a visitor visa to the spouse of an American who doesn't have PR.

I don't have PR, but do have a continuous record of one year extensions and my husband had no real difficulty in getting a visa. That said, he does own his own house, owns his own business, and I have been getting one year extensions since 1992. Obviously, we live here.

I don't know if a rejection now would be prejudicial later, why don't you try emailing them and asking? I found their response time to be fairly quick.