Applying for USA IR1 visa for the wife

[vagabond48]

I am hoping there are some people who have got through the process that could give me some information.

I have been living in Thailand for nearly 7 years and have visited the states only once last year.

I am concerned about the domicile question on I-864.

The Bangkok Embassy website description for domicile is as follows

• Establishing an address in the United States.
• Setting up and maintaining bank accounts in the United States
• Making and maintaining investments in the United States
• Applying for a social security number
• Voting in local, state, or federal elections
• Paying U.S. income taxes

I use my brother's address on most of my financial accounts for the last 2 years and when I went back last year, I stayed with him for 3 weeks.

I have a number of active and well funded bank and brokerage accounts back in the states.

I have a SS number.

I have voted in federal elections only but last 2 were as an absentee voter so that may not count.

I pay US income tax but not any state or local.

The I-864 instructions, define domicile a bit differently like they include state and local income tax.

Hope there people who have or are going through visa process for their immediate family who can share their experiences.

[daboyz1]

Looks like you're all set to me. There's been a few members here that have went the DCF route very recently. Hopefully they'll stop by and post their experience.

[vagabond48]

Looks like you're all set to me.

Thanks for your encouragement but I'm not sure if this will be enough.

As Sonny in The Godfather said "I don't want my brother coming out of that toilet with just his dxck in his hands, alright? so I don't to submit a I-846 from with insufficient domicile proof.

I hate to go through the cost of going back to the US just to sign a lease and begin monthly payments for an apartment that I will not use for 6 to 8 months to prove my domicile.

[The Man Who Sold the World]

Twenty years ago … so very dated information and everything has changed, however.

My case. Application for my wife’s immigration to the US after accepting a job offer in the US.

I had left the US to work in Bangkok for a few years. Put all my household goods in storage. I had no address in the US so I used my mother’s address as the “address-of-record”. I was upfront about this to all agencies involved.

As I recall, again, twenty years ago so my memories may not be exact. They didn’t really care about the details, they needed an address to mail the documents to that I would in fact get them. They told me once I had established an address in the US to update all my records with them.

The biggest concern, at least at that time, was proving that I was able to support my wife, “affidavit-of-support” full documentation of financials, bank account balances, previous tax returns, employment history, proof of job offer including salary, etc.

So, I believe you should be in great shape.

As they told me, if everything is legitimate, I would have nothing to worry about. They were correct, everything went through without a hitch. However, the waiting game involved is nerve wracking. A snails pace when you are personally involved.

Good luck.

[vagabond48]

Thanks World Seller, It's a whole new world at there, 9/11, terrorism, abuse of the visa system. I don't know if you will have any buyers today.

I am retired so I just hope that my age and some health problems will be enough to circumvent the strict domicile requirement.

To establish a domicile, I would also have to bring my wife since I would need and want her by my side.

Edited August 20, 2014 by vagabond48

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Wonder if having a "joint sponsor" would help out in your situation.

Do a search on www.visajourney.com for: domicile

also search for: joint sponsor

Agree, seems a tad strict, wonder why Congress wrote the law making things so restrictive?

If you're going the Direct Consular Filing route with the USCIS office in Bangkok, might be helpful to have a chat with them first.

Mac