Visa for spouse to visit USA

[cneuy3]

Hello,

 

I'm a US citizen, 37 years of age and I've been living in Thailand for a bit over a half decade.  My wife and I have been together for 5 years now, married  last year in July.  We have a son together and he has US passport.   I'm currently staying here on a Non Immigrant O visa but interested in how I can get my wife a visa to visit the US within the next year.

 

I've read some information on the K1 fiance visa.  I'm not sure if that's our best or only option as we are already married and have a family together so I thought there might be something better for us?

 

 

[avvocato]

Shouldn't you be looking at a "tourist" (visitors) visa (B-2). This could be difficult to get. Embassy gets very tough and wants to assure itself that she will return. You'll need to show a lot of sufficient ties to Thailand. I take it you are a resident of Thailand so work that in somehow - that you're both visiting together and will return together. Visa good for 90 days after entry.

If you plan to live (move) for more than 90 days to US look at a k-3 spousal visa. The problem with this is they will expect to see her apply for her "green" card. If you are only going for a visit that does not work too well and is costly.

K-1 only applies if you're not married.

USCIS issues K-3 and K-1 for people looking for permanent resident status in USA.

Edited January 24, 2017 by avvocato

[avvocato]

Here is the list of documents I sent to Thailand US embassy in support of a visitors visa for sisters and mother in law
1. Affidavit of Support Form - Form I-134
1a. Stock overship attachment
2. Letter of Invitation
a. From me
b. From wife
3. Employment Letter for me
4. Pay Stubs 2014 for me
5. Bank Statements 2014
6. Letter to USA Consulate, Bangkok
7. Income Tax Form 1040 for 3 Years
8. Birth Certificate Letter wife and translation
9. Green Card (wife)
10. Marriage Certificate me
11. Divorce Certificate wife
12. Passport copy me
13. Birth Certificate me
14. Passport copy wife
15. House Card Thai wife
16. National ID Card Thai wife

Probably overkill but it worked. I was showing sufficient funds to take care of them financially and they must show extensive ties to Thailand.

[thaihome]

If you are working here, best thing is get a letter from your employer saying you are employed and are taking a vacation and they expect you back. In case of a spouse of  US citizen requesting a tourist visa, they are looking to make sure you are not shortcutting the green card route. 

 

If you are 37 and unemployed in Thailand it will be difficult to show your ties that they will accept. 

TH 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here below are links to some info on my Thai wife's recent approval for a U.S. tourist visa:

 

OP, you used the term "visit" in your OP. If your real intention is to go for a short-term visit, then a tourist visa is the appropriate thing to apply for, even if you're already married as I and my wife were when she applied.  On the other hand, if you're planning to relocate back to the U.S. for living with her, then that's where you get into the spousal immigrant visa world.

 

If you're a U.S.-Thai couple who's already been married some years and stayed together in Thailand full-time for some years, then getting a U.S. tourist visa shouldn't be too hard. Among the most important things the Embassy will want to see is copies of all your Thai visa/extension stamps going back thru the years. And if you can arrange it, have a member of your family in the U.S. write a letter of invitation, with a copy of their U.S. ID, for your wife to come visit, and bring that to the wife's visa interview. The latter seemed to go-over big time in my wife's case, since she had never before met my U.S. father in person, and that was the main reason for our U.S. travel.