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1
What sort of personality traits do you need to marry a bargirl?
Not caring too much about anything, and keeping a firm grip on your assets. -
40
Economy Trump Dishes Out 36% Tariffs in Shock Move Against Thailand
Are there US made cars with right hand steering wheel ? -
40
Economy Trump Dishes Out 36% Tariffs in Shock Move Against Thailand
Are you happy about all the thai businesses that will have to shut down because no more american consumer lol -
10
Life Coaches and Other Professional Time Wasters ~ Who’s Buyin’ This Minging Rubbish?
There's always been snake oil salesmen because there's always been folk gullible enough to buy the stuff, always will be, just the commodity that changes. -
21
US Tourist Visa for my Thai Wife
My wife obtained a US Tourist Visa B2 here in Bangkok from the US Embassy. I have read numerous threads on this issue, and most are from people asking questions. Like many others, we spent hours researching because most of what we read was discouraging and often lacked credible information. There is no doubt that each application is processed based on its merit, but there are some standard components that are key to obtaining approval. I want to share our experience, and hopefully, someone will find something helpful in this thread. Our stats for filing. Married, with a son, "not my son." Wife had never traveled outside Thailand. Wife owns property and has strong family ties. Wife has a bank account with the required amount of money needed to travel to the USA. My wife has no police record. After reading a lot of confusing info, our first thought was to find and hire an expert to increase our chances of approval. I wrote many emails to those who came up in a Google search and was disappointed over and over again, as none seemed to offer any real hope of success. Some provided no information, and others advised first obtaining a tourist visa for Europe, traveling there, and then applying for a U.S. visa. My first thought was, This is stupid. I'm a US citizen, and I'm unable to travel to my country with my wife. We were so discouraged that it seemed our best option was not to try at all. I then spoke to an American immigration attorney living in Bangkok, who provided advice that made the most sense. It's still not giving us much hope, but at least it moved us forward. US attorneys advise against hiring anyone to do filing, and since Visas are a part of his business, that surprised me. He said that some Visas are complicated, but the B2 visa initial form is straightforward and can be completed online in a few hours. It looks better for immigration if you complete and file it personally. He still said only a few out of 100 will ever get approved, but the cost and time needed to file is minimal, so why not try? I can't tell you everything we did to file, but I can help point you in the right direction with some vital key information that could make a difference. First, the website for filing is a real pain in the ass. It's outdated and slow. You can expect to be kicked off and re-enter the info several times. Much of this is because you will likely have to research to provide details and dates for personal information, and a lack of activity is not your friend. Still, it was workable, and eventually, we had all the necessary information compiled, so when we finally filled out all the blanks, we were able to move forward to completion. There are instructions, and I recommend that you read them before starting. Note, this initial filing is just that. Once you file and pay the fees, you will get an interview date. At the time we completed the form in July 2024, my wife's interview was scheduled for a good 100 days out, which was more than ample time to gather all the necessary proof documents for the interview. The best advice I can give anyone is to avoid lying. If you are even suspected of lying, it's an automatic no, and there are no second chances. If there are gray areas, try to categorize them as best you can. Maybe you won't tell the whole story, but at least tell the parts of the story that lend credibility to a specific period. The part that needs the greatest detail is the strong Ties to Thailand. Immigration's biggest problem is not enough proof that once in the USA you will not try to overstay. My wife spent a lot of time reading what other Thais wrote about interview preparation and experiences, which I couldn't read because it's all in Thai. Pay attention to detail and follow the guidelines for the interview. All of this matters. My wife was interviewed late October of last year, 2024. Although she was nervous, her interview turned out to be brief and lasted barely a few minutes. Looking back, it was clear that she had been approved before the interview started, and the interview was merely a formality. She stood in a line with several others, going one at a time. She watched the other interviews, and mostly one denial after another, with many leaving angry or crying. She said the immigration officers were stern and unemotional. However, when it was her turn, she walked up and was greeted with a friendly smile and hello. He asked her two questions, Why do you want to travel to the USA, and do you own property here in Thailand? She answered, he pushed a few buttons on the keyboard, and said, Enjoy your travels in the USA, never once inspected a single document we provided. My wife is from ISAAN, the daughter of farmers, and has never traveled outside of Thailand. Everyone said the odds of her ever being approved were less than 1%. When I reflect, it was the attention to detail that made this happen. We have traveled to the USA, staying almost 5 months, and we will return in August with the goal of selling assets and moving back to Thailand permanently. It's worth noting that my wife has absolutely no desire to live in the USA and was only interested in visiting. It's also worth noting that since her last visit, she has even less desire to go back a second time but will do so to be with me. I have no idea if this will be helpful to anyone, but feel free to write if I might be able to answer a specific question. Cheers! -
31
Economy Thai Baht's Rise in Jeopardy Amid Political Uncertainty
That's Why Hardly ANY Aussie Tourists are Coming HERE, They are getting BETTER Value for their " Buck " in Indonesia !!
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