Usa Fiance Visa For Thai Girlfriend

[Hanuman2547]

I am finally ready to apply for a USA fiance visa for my non-bar Thai girlfriend. I'm really at a loss as to where to start this mind boggling process. Any help and/or suggestions from those that have experience with this would be greatly appreciated.

[thepainter]

I am in the same mode and found the process invites mistakes! Do your research...I have hired a lawyer who has done many of these visas. My problem was an arrest my TGF had a few months back. Nothing serious but have decided to marry her in Bankok and shoot for the spousal visa. Once they reject a fiancee visa it could be years before she gets to Boston...the paperwork involved is duanting. Keep all records of the relationships( emails,photos,hotel reciepts...everything!) Do your homework and be careful if you decide on a lawyer...many empty promises out there. Good luck and hope you have some patience.

[Wash]

  I am finally ready to apply for a USA fiance visa. I'm really at a loss as to where to start this mind boggling process.

If you are already in Thailand you can get the forms you need at the US Embassy, check out the website at: http://www.usa.or.th/embassy/consul.htm You will be able to get all the forms you and fiancee will need to complete the process.

There are several forms required for you to start the process with a request to the US Government which requires certifications of your ability to take care of her, your intentions as well as your background. Once that application is approved she will get a package of forms from the Embassy that must be completed and submitted. As mentioned elsewhere in this topic keep photos of the two of you together, letters, emails and anything that will support the fact that you have been together for more than a few minutes.

If you cannot stay long enough to wait for the process to work its way, which is likely to take 6-9 months, try to be here to accompany her to the embassy on some of her visits to complete the process. The US Government is looking for assurances that you are not attempting to bring her into the country for any other reason, and of your genuine intentions.

If you are in the States now you can apply for the VISA there with a request to the State Department which will take a 60-90 days for approval. Then that approval will be sent to the Embassy here in Thailand and they will mail her package of forms that I mentioned above. She will need some help with completing the forms but it is not beyond you to help her with the forms if you can be here. She will need all the usual house papers, police report, physical etc. These will all be processed at the US Embassy in BKK. Your attendance with her at the embassy will help insure the sincerity of your relationship and offer some comfort to the person that will make the decision on her VISA..

When we went through the process I made two trips back here with the second one lasting 2 months while we completed several trips to Bangkok and the Embassy.

Good Luck as you start this process and keep your cool since it will require much patience and perserverence to complete. I have done it and my fiancee came with me to the States for 89 days and we returned to Thailand to marry and live here. My son and his wife lived through the same process and are happily married and living in Denver. So it can be done.

[bkkharry]

Based on my experience with the US Embassy here in Bangkok, you must be married to your Thai wife for 2 years, before the Embassy will consider her eligible for a spousal visa. (Immigrant visa)

Last year tried to apply for a tourist visa for my wife so we could vist the US, turned down by a not so nice Thai lady at the US Embassy, then she said we could apply for a immigrant visa since we had been married for 3 years. What a joke, we just wanted to visit my home, not immigrate back to the US. 75$ for application for tourist visa, 300$ for immigrant visa. Real expensive and no guarentee that you will be approved for either.

Good luck

For some strange reason, a fiancee visa is easier to obtain than a immigrant visa if you aren't married yet. Two years a fiend of mine applied for and received a fiancee visa, took approximately 3 months to get it approved. Then married her in the States 18 months ago, has been working on getting her two children to the US, and it has taken 15 months with the help of his Senator and Congressman from Nevada. Comes here to Bangkok later this month to finalize all the details with the American Embassy to take the children back to the US. Has been a long and frustrating process, so you really need to have patience, and a lot of time.

[lopburi3]

Based on my experience with the US Embassy here in Bangkok, you must be married to your Thai wife for 2 years, before the Embassy will consider her eligible for a spousal visa. (Immigrant visa)

What experience is that? In para two you say you applied for a tourist visa and did not want a spousal visa.

As I had no problem getting a tourist visa for wife wonder why you did. Was there any reason to suspect you/she would not return? You should be able to obtain a tourist visa for wife if you have ties here. AFAIK no Thai ladies make visa decisions at the US Embassy.

[bkkharry]

Applied for a toursit visa first, just wanted to vist the US with my wife. We were turned down by a Thai lady who works in the Embassy, right on the application its states if you are turned down you cannot appeal. When we were there there were two people working the windows for visa applications, one was a Thai lady and one was an American man. I could have dealt with the rejection of a visa if it would have been an Amereican citizen telling me no, rather than some Thai lady who was not too friendly. I was very mad but did not get upset or angery with her. Maybe we did not have all the necessary documents, but she would not give me and reason why my wife was turned down, just gave me a immigrant visa and said my wife would be eligible for applying to immigrante to the US since we had been married for over two years. Its rather difficult in finding out what exactely the Embassy requires for documentation, there is no real defintive description of what the requirments for obtaining a toursit visa.

[lopburi3]

There is the normal visa form plus a Thai form that they normally want. With these you should provide information to give a case that she/you will return to Thailand such as copy of work permit/visa status, home paperwork, bank books, job or retirement paperwork, photos (family at home type things) and anything else that points to this not being a "shortcut" to immigration. There is a problem with persons not wanting to wait the few months that an immigrant visa takes and trying to shortcut by obtaining a tourist visa and then apply for change to immigration visa after arrival in the USA. So you want to remove this doubt.

The more paperwork you can provide the better.

[bkkharry]

Lopburi3.

Agree with what you said, one of the lessons in life, not enough documentation.

I know we can reapply for a tourist visa if we wish, or apply for the immigrant visa which is much more expensive. However I feel it would be much easier obtaining the immigrant visa, due the fact of owning property in the US and a high retirement pension. But I still prefer living here as long as the Thai gov't keeps renewing my visa extensions. When I visit home, after a week or so I'm in a big hurry to get back here. The pace of life is so much better. Have a good one.

[elsie]

When we were there there were two people working the windows for visa applications, one was a Thai lady and one was an American man.

I've heard a lot of stories about this Thai lady. Nothing personal. That's just the way she is. Lots of Thai students' applications have been turned down for no good reasons as well.

Hanuman2547, check this link for more information about fiancee visa and application form.