USA Visa for Thai Fiancee

[PhuketAmerican]

I'm sure this has been covered but I could only dig up UK related stuff. I am getting married to my Thai partner of 2 years in 1 month's time on February 5th. We plan to visit the USA in early May for a friend's wedding. Would it be cheaper/easier/faster to attempt to obtain a B2 tourist visa for her or a K marriage visa? I hope the 4 months we have until then is a plausible timeframe. Would she be required to go to the USA Embassy in Bangkok for an interview for her tourist visa or is this manageable through agents or something more convenient. I'd love to hear from someone with experience getting a visa for a 2-3 week visit with their Thai partner to the USA. She has no red flags, i.e. criminal history, liens, previous visa attempts, and has a valid passport with only Malaysia and India stamps in it from our visits there.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

One LARGE question for you: Where do you live?

If in Thailand, and semi established here, things will be easier for either an Immigrant Visa at a later stage or possibly for a Non-Immigrant "Tourist Visa" B2 for her in the short term.

If you live in the U.S., longer processing for an IV and probably "out" for a B2 after marriage.

Info on visas here: http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/visas.html

Also take a wander through www.visajourney.com

Visas do require the applicant to show up at the Consulate for an interview, very few exceptions.

Mac

[umbanda]

From other people experiences.... Looks like is better for a Thai woman to get an US tourist visa if its single and with a local job. The US immigration concern is to allow foreigners the opportunity to stay permanentely in the country, legally or illegalliy. Looks like to be married or engaged with an US citizen, have friends or family there, or an addres in the US, is enough to get a refusal. Do not make so much sense...but....may be better to try that way first..and again after getting married.

[PhuketAmerican]

We live in Thailand, I have a work permit and non Imm B visa. Is being married to me really grounds for a refusal? We are going to meet my family and take a 3 week holiday. Thanks for the link from the other poster, looks like Im up for at least $160 USD in fees plus a trip to BKK for her to do the consultation.

[theoldgit]

We live in Thailand, I have a work permit and non Imm B visa. Is being married to me really grounds for a refusal? We are going to meet my family and take a 3 week holiday. Thanks for the link from the other poster, looks like Im up for at least $160 USD in fees plus a trip to BKK for her to do the consultation.

Being married isn't grounds for refusal as such, but the officer will start out with thinking that if you are married a visit is a foot in the door of the US and that she intends to stay in the UK.

That you have strong ties to Thailand, work permit and such, your partner needs to convince the officer that your ties are her ties and that she is more likely to return to Thailand than remain in the US.

I understand that these guys sum up the applicant pretty quickly, so she needs to be convincing from the word go.

You will not be allowed into the Embassy to plead her case, so she needs to be confident and convincing from the onset.

[Mencken]

For what its worth, here is our story

Wife has been to usa now 3x with me, 2x as a married woman.

Met my then gf. Year later, we filed for tourist visa (she had been to usa ten yrs prior on cultural trip). She obtained ten year visa.

We went to usa for a month+, returned.

We got married. We then traveled to usa twice since, married and so far so good. No hassles and we have entered IAD and LAX too.

Few months we are headed back via SFO, so again hopeful no hassles.

My wife has a good job in BKK for crap money. A winning smile, light skin, cute Issan face. 15 yrs my junior.

When co granted the visa, he told her if we wanted to move to usa to comeback and get a visa for that (CR/IR). She promised, done. She brought my passport.

Me, no job. I've dabbled in teaching since, but no job.

So imo if your gf does not come off as a prosti, has a decent job, she can get a visa.

When you return, get rrsident visa, another thread here shows amazing processing speed, like four mos!

Good luck. Just be honest no matter what

Edited January 7, 2015 by Mencken