For a variety of reasons, I wish to move back to the states this year along with

my lovely daughter and girlfriend . The fiancee visa seems to open up a whole

can of financial worms, as the US is making sure you can support your wife to be.

One of the reasons for me going back to the states is to go back to work, so hard

for me to go down that path of showing I am rich before I can bring my fiance over.

So my question is , is it better to perform a marriage here, and then apply for

a visa ? She is not someone I met in a bar last week, we have been together

for 5 years. My daughter of course has a US passport. Cannot imagine the embassy

breaking up my family by not allowing the mother of my daughter to come to

America..... Or perhaps they can..... :-) Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

There is lots of conflicting internet information, was hoping to perhaps here some

direct stories from people who have done this. Thanks in advance.

EyesWideOpen, I don't know the answer. Someone will be along shortly who does know.

I just want to wish the best for you and your family and hope that all goes well.

Eyes

Do you live here in Thailand? If so, how long? One great advantage you'll have, if living here, is being able to file directly with the USCIS office in Bangkok. This will certainly speed up the immigration process for your wife, if you get married that is.

But, two hurdles you'll face in the process:

-- establishing your financial status to ensure that your wife will not become a public charge in the U.S. Note, this can be helped by your family or friends in the U.S. in effect co-signing on the financial forms.

-- establishing your domicile in the U.S. I really don't quite understand this item but it does seem to be a problem in some expat instances.

Lots of research for you to do online before beginning the process, start with:

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

-- then take a wander through www.visajourney.com

Mac

All the straight scoop can be found in the links above. The USCIS method is the best choice. I believe you have to show an income around 1.25 poverty level income. I believe you have to be married a minimum amount of time. This method gives her a green card on arrive. It helps if she has a marketable trade for both of you to get guaranteed employment before applying. I know a couple thais that got jobs in Thai restaurants that was excepted. This may mean you going back and doing some foot work first. I think the process takes about 6 months at this time..

Girlfriend "visa" will be a tourist visa.

K-1 fiance visa takes about 10-12 months, and you can not file directly with the USCIS in Bangkok. A bank account in the States, along with a home address, and an income of 1.25 times poverty level is what's basically needed. Depending on the consulate officer, just a few pay stubs and a letter from your employer are fine, though some may require more time on the job.

If you get married before you leave LOS, and have six months plus here, uninterrupted, you can file direct with USCIS in BKK for an immigrant CR-1 visa. These are running anywhere from three weeks to four months right now. No minimum time for length of marriage before you are eligible.

You might try the tourist visa first, but if you are in the States when you do, chances are slim.

PM me for more detailed stuff I won't post here.

My wife got her CR-1 Visa about 3 weeks ago. Very easy. took exactly 60 days.

I posted our timeline.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/777965-us-ir1-visa-dc-filing-timeline/

two important things, as mentioned in Post #3:

(1) you must have maintained your domicile or re-establish it.........driver's license, voter registration, bank account

(2) someone with adequate income/assets must sponsor your wife....... my uncle and a friend of mine sponsored my wife

read my timeline

I would recommend you and your wife get married at the amphur, then go to USCIS and file.

also, being up to date with the IRS is required

My wife got her CR-1 Visa about 3 weeks ago. Very easy. took exactly 60 days.

I posted our timeline.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/777965-us-ir1-visa-dc-filing-timeline/

two important things, as mentioned in Post #3:

(1) you must have maintained your domicile or re-establish it.........driver's license, voter registration, bank account

(2) someone with adequate income/assets must sponsor your wife....... my uncle and a friend of mine sponsored my wife

read my timeline

I would recommend you and your wife get married at the amphur, then go to USCIS and file.

also, being up to date with the IRS is required

Correction.........my wife got an IR-1 Visa, not a CR-1 Visa.

My wife got her CR-1 Visa about 3 weeks ago. Very easy. took exactly 60 days.

I posted our timeline.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/777965-us-ir1-visa-dc-filing-timeline/

two important things, as mentioned in Post #3:

(1) you must have maintained your domicile or re-establish it.........driver's license, voter registration, bank account

(2) someone with adequate income/assets must sponsor your wife....... my uncle and a friend of mine sponsored my wife

read my timeline

I would recommend you and your wife get married at the amphur, then go to USCIS and file.

also, being up to date with the IRS is required

Great stuff, thanks. I did read the official webpage for the US embassy about getting married here in Thailand. It seemed a bit different from your timeline post. Is that embassy information a bit

out of date ? I know things in Asia change all the time. Please take a look and let me know.

Did you have to do step one, by starting with the affidavit form at the embassy ? Thanks !

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/marriage.html

My wife got her CR-1 Visa about 3 weeks ago. Very easy. took exactly 60 days.

I posted our timeline.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/777965-us-ir1-visa-dc-filing-timeline/

two important things, as mentioned in Post #3:

(1) you must have maintained your domicile or re-establish it.........driver's license, voter registration, bank account

(2) someone with adequate income/assets must sponsor your wife....... my uncle and a friend of mine sponsored my wife

read my timeline

I would recommend you and your wife get married at the amphur, then go to USCIS and file.

also, being up to date with the IRS is required

Great stuff, thanks. I did read the official webpage for the US embassy about getting married here in Thailand. It seemed a bit different from your timeline post. Is that embassy information a bit

out of date ? I know things in Asia change all the time. Please take a look and let me know.

Did you have to do step one, by starting with the affidavit form at the embassy ? Thanks !

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/marriage.html

You're welcome.

That embassy info is up to date. You must do step one, but I did not have to do that because I'm both a Thai and US citizen. We presented our Thai ID cards and tambian baans.

My wife got her CR-1 Visa about 3 weeks ago. Very easy. took exactly 60 days.

I posted our timeline.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/777965-us-ir1-visa-dc-filing-timeline/

two important things, as mentioned in Post #3:

(1) you must have maintained your domicile or re-establish it.........driver's license, voter registration, bank account

(2) someone with adequate income/assets must sponsor your wife....... my uncle and a friend of mine sponsored my wife

read my timeline

I would recommend you and your wife get married at the amphur, then go to USCIS and file.

also, being up to date with the IRS is required

Great stuff, thanks. I did read the official webpage for the US embassy about getting married here in Thailand. It seemed a bit different from your timeline post. Is that embassy information a bit

out of date ? I know things in Asia change all the time. Please take a look and let me know.

Did you have to do step one, by starting with the affidavit form at the embassy ? Thanks !

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/marriage.html

You're welcome.

That embassy info is up to date. You must do step one, but I did not have to do that because I'm both a Thai and US citizen. We presented our Thai ID cards and tambian baans.

Ok understand the difference now as you are a Thai citizen. On the official website for the USCIS I think, it mentions wanting to see a record of immunizations before allowing entry to America. My girlfriend has had them all done, but not the paper work from 30 years ago to prove it. And of course no village records either. So does USCIS then require to have some of them done again ? That would not really make sense , especially from a medical standpoint.. Just curious....

My wife got her CR-1 Visa about 3 weeks ago. Very easy. took exactly 60 days.

I posted our timeline.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/777965-us-ir1-visa-dc-filing-timeline/

two important things, as mentioned in Post #3:

(1) you must have maintained your domicile or re-establish it.........driver's license, voter registration, bank account

(2) someone with adequate income/assets must sponsor your wife....... my uncle and a friend of mine sponsored my wife

read my timeline

I would recommend you and your wife get married at the amphur, then go to USCIS and file.

also, being up to date with the IRS is required

Great stuff, thanks. I did read the official webpage for the US embassy about getting married here in Thailand. It seemed a bit different from your timeline post. Is that embassy information a bit

out of date ? I know things in Asia change all the time. Please take a look and let me know.

Did you have to do step one, by starting with the affidavit form at the embassy ? Thanks !

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/marriage.html

You're welcome.

That embassy info is up to date. You must do step one, but I did not have to do that because I'm both a Thai and US citizen. We presented our Thai ID cards and tambian baans.

Ok understand the difference now as you are a Thai citizen. On the official website for the USCIS I think, it mentions wanting to see a record of immunizations before allowing entry to America. My girlfriend has had them all done, but not the paper work from 30 years ago to prove it. And of course no village records either. So does USCIS then require to have some of them done again ? That would not really make sense , especially from a medical standpoint.. Just curious....

your gf would have to discuss that with the doctors at BNH Hospital or which ever hospital you decide to go to for the medical check. maybe they'll take her word for it, but I don't know. Bottom line is that The Officer at The Embassy will need to see some form of proof.

Ok understand the difference now as you are a Thai citizen. On the official website for the USCIS I think, it mentions wanting to see a record of immunizations before allowing entry to America. My girlfriend has had them all done, but not the paper work from 30 years ago to prove it. And of course no village records either. So does USCIS then require to have some of them done again ? That would not really make sense , especially from a medical standpoint.. Just curious....

For the immunizations, she can either get a titer test done to prove she had the vaccinations, or get the first shot in the series of vaccinations. My wife did the latter and just got the shots. My wife got it done as part of the medical back in 2008. I think it was an extra 3000 THB at McCormick in Chiang Mai. Of course Bumrungrad will be a bit more expensive if ou decide to do the medical there.

your gf would have to discuss that with the doctors at BNH Hospital or which ever hospital you decide to go to for the medical check. maybe they'll take her word for it, but I don't know. Bottom line is that The Officer at The Embassy will need to see some form of proof.

.

It's not up to the consulate officer. It's up to the doctor. If the applicant can get the doctor to classify her as medically inappropriate to receive vaccinations, the doctor's decision is gold.

How likely this is, well ...

But as Daboyz said, they have tests to check for immunity.