Can I renew my USA visa in Bangkok?

[FarangFB]

I am Brazilian and in 2010 I got a tourist visa (class R type B2) to the USA because I was planning a trip to New York.

This trip never happened, and my visa is about to expire in march/2015. I am still planning to go someday in the near future, but I've heard that it's much easier to get an renewal of the visa when you already have one instead of letting it expire and going through the whole process again.

Could I do this in Bangkok? I won't be hitting Brazil before the expiry date.

Also, I'm worried about one thing: in Brazil they keep your passport for days or weeks before sending it back through a not so safe mail system. I've know people that never got their passports back. It would be "ok" if it happened in my home country, but catastrophic in Thailand. Does it work the same way or do I get the visa right away after the interview?

Edited December 10, 2014 by FarangFB

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Here's the Visa page for the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, take a wander through it:

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/non-immigrant_visas.html

I don't think you can "renew" a visa so you will probably have to apply for a new one when your current visa expires.

In regards to applying for the visa in Thailand when you are a non-Thai citizen, it is possible, but may get complicated. Here's the comment from the Embassy's www site:

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/non-immigrant_visas/frequently-asked-questions.html#19

"CAN THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS APPLY IN BANGKOK? I am a citizen of another country who would like to apply for a visa while in Thailand. Can I do so?

"While it is the policy of U.S. Embassy Bangkok to accept visa applications from anyone physically present in our consular district, we strongly recommend that you make your application in your country of nationality or residence. Should you choose to apply in Bangkok, and you are not a Thai citizen or a long-term resident of Thailand, it may be quite difficult for the adjudicating consular officer to make a determination regarding your case. Additionally, while many visas are able to be issued within 3-4 business days of the interview, if there are any delays it could have a significant impact on the timing of your return travel."

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Note, it is possible to do so but if there are questions about your departure from the U.S. after your visit they may be difficult to resolve from Bangkok. A lot would depend on your status here in Thailand and where you intend to go after the U.S. visit.

Mac