Tourist visa to US

[a6patch]

I'm trying to get my wife a tourist (B2) visa to visit my family in America this November. So I believed the US Embassy website that says the wait time for an appt. for non-imm visa to the US is only 2 days in Bangkok. Upon actually scheduling an appt., it turns out its like a month out....so we have an appt. for Oct 22. The problem is its for travel planned for Nov 8 just two weeks later. I don't expect to have a problem getting it approved (we are married, live in Bangkok, own a new house and car, she has owned an older house for 20 years, I have a company in Thailand, she has worked for a government ministry for almost 20 years, etc.).

My questions:

Assuming the visa gets approved, what can I expect for how long it takes to get back the passport with the visa in it?

How do you find out whether it is approved or not?

Thanks in advance

[Thanyaburi Mac]

She'll find out if it's approved right at the end of the interview. If they keep her passport, it's to insert the visa. If they return it to her, it's a no-go.

Suggest when she goes to the interview she take your passport, the original, not copies, and you should flag your extensions so they're obvious to the interviewing ConOff.

She should also take your work permit and your company's registration paperwork.

Do a SHORT cover letter stating how long you've been married, and how long you've lived here on Immigration extensions.

Looks good to me.

Oh, yes, they'll EMS the passport back to you. Pay for the envelope inside the waiting area:

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/niv_howtoapply.html

"Enter your delivery address when you schedule your appointment. If your application is approved, your visa will be delivered to your selected location for pickup or delivery. "

Mac

[a6patch]

Follow up (sometimes it's nice to get the results no?). We went to the embassy for the interview. There were 4 people ahead of her in line. 3 of them came out with sad faces and told their waiting family/FB etc "Mai dai/Mai dai hai". She came out with the huge grin. They gave her the visa but didn't mention which one. Friday we got it via ems post and they actually gave her a 10 year tourist visa. We have no intentions of living in the us so 10 years of hassle free visits sounds awesome.

Factors were: We aren't young. She is 47 and has worked at a government job for many years. I live here full time. I have a company here. She owns two houses and a car. I own a car here.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

FYI, you are "young...."

But, congrats on the visa, and you and the wife had a good case, thus the 10-year visa.

Grandpa Mac

[Kondiao]

I know this is not the proper place to ask my questions, but I cannot locate the right webpage to post my inquiry.

I am back in the U.S.A., working on building a home on a patch of land i own in Utah, to bring my g/f from Thailand to live here with me.

From what I have read just now it is very difficult to get approval for a U.S.A. visa for a Thai woman. Mwe has no property and no history of travel out of the country and back and owns no businesses to give her strong ties to Thailand. She is a migrant worker from Myanmar, and many of her relatives are also in Thailand, struggling to make it.

My questions are: first, - Tourist or Student visa? since out intention is just to get her here, so that we can get married and apply t change her status to U.S. citizen.

- How much money realistically should she have in Thai bank account to show she is independent and able to support her self in the U.S.A.? - I would have to make the deposits to her bank. Must i stay out of the application process - rather than claim i will support her?

- What about the idea of applying for a Fiance visa for her from here? In Chiang Mai, months ago we were told bluntly that we could not apply for Fiance or Spousal type visa - because the government of Myanmar would block our marriage attempt, since it has forbidden marriage between Burmese women and foreigners.

Any advice or insights would be appreciated

[Shot]

Follow up (sometimes it's nice to get the results no?). We went to the embassy for the interview. There were 4 people ahead of her in line. 3 of them came out with sad faces and told their waiting family/FB etc "Mai dai/Mai dai hai". She came out with the huge grin. They gave her the visa but didn't mention which one. Friday we got it via ems post and they actually gave her a 10 year tourist visa. We have no intentions of living in the us so 10 years of hassle free visits sounds awesome.

Factors were: We aren't young. She is 47 and has worked at a government job for many years. I live here full time. I have a company here. She owns two houses and a car. I own a car here.

Congratulations. Thanks for the follow up. Let us know how the trip goes.

Shot

[jacksam]

Great result for the op. Enjoy your trip