Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

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Bronco
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by Bronco » January 28, 2013, 3:14 pm

No worries,
Look at all the people that still don't think Obama is really an American.Yet,there he is,with pictures of himself and the family in the White House.
People tend to believe what they want to believe,no matter country or religion.It's easy to use excerpts to back up their opinions.



Bronco
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by Bronco » January 28, 2013, 3:29 pm

I don't know why I couldn't get this to post as the last sentence.
Isn't that why debate teams are still popular to this day in secondary schools and colleges?

S00161
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by S00161 » January 29, 2013, 4:09 am

Yes people will beleive what they want to beleive, even if it is not really true.

KD It is my opinion your posts were not clear initially about you not being in the interview with your wife. This thread could ahve been half as long had your posts been clearer. Blah blah blah blah blah

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muppet
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by muppet » April 29, 2013, 5:50 am

This is from Bangkok embassy website FAQ:
ACCOMPANYING APPLICANTS: I am an American citizen and would like to accompany my Thai friend/fiancé/wife, colleague/etc. into the visa waiting area and assist him/her during the visa interview. Can I do this?

Only individuals applying for a visa are allowed to enter the building and to participate in the visa interview. Exceptions ARE NOT made for American citizens who are family members, colleagues, or friends of the applicant. The only exceptions are for children under the age of 16 and applicants with disabilities, who may be accompanied under certain circumstances.
Also this is from Legal website:
Denials of Non-Immigrant Visas: Section 214b of the US Immigration and Nationality Act
Each year, the US Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand process hundreds of non-immigrant applications for the US Student Visa, the US Tourist Visa, and the US Exchange Visitor Visa. In non-immigrant visa cases a common method employed by Consular officers to deny a non-immigrant visa is use of the powers granted under section 214b of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act. This section of the act creates a presumption of immigrant intent that must be overcome by the non-immigrant visa applicant before a visa will be issued. One must prove strong ties to Thailand (or another country outside of the USA) and weak ties to the US. For example, in many cases involving applications for a US tourist visa, applicants will often be denied if they have a US Citizen fiance, fiancee, boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife. The reason for the denial is usually due to the fact that the existence of a strong personal relationship with an American acts as a mitigating factor against overcoming the presumption of immigrant intent.
My wife had her application refused last week. We only wanted to visit my ailing 89 yr old father who I havn't seen in 10 years and who has never met my wife. Now he never will.

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maaka
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by maaka » April 30, 2013, 3:21 am

what about meeting you old dad in Canada..can you get a tourist visa for you and your wife into Canada??

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muppet
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by muppet » April 30, 2013, 5:32 am

Canada logistics wise is ok a Father is in Seattle, not far from Vancover. I have no idea of Canada's requirements. It also may be possible to cross into US?

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Stantheman
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by Stantheman » April 30, 2013, 5:47 am

muppet wrote:Canada logistics wise is ok a Father is in Seattle, not far from Vancover. I have no idea of Canada's requirements. It also may be possible to cross into US?
Don't know about canada requirements but your wife cannot cross into U.S. from Canada without a valid U.S. visa. You can but must show your valid U.S. passport to go into U.S. and back into Canada.

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maaka
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by maaka » April 30, 2013, 11:28 am

I am guessing stantheman is right, because if Bangkok US Embassy wouldnt give your missus a visa, cant them letting her into the US via Canada, yes you can, just as you can fly home alone to see your dad, but my line of reasoning was that surely Canada would let both of you into Canada as tourists, and you just truck your dad over the border for a nice get together in Vancover..thats the best I can think of, near is near enough, right...get onto the Canadian Embassy, and if they dont want to give your missus a tourist visa, then be open and honest up front as to the reason why you cant get into USA, and that you want your dad to meet your wife, and vice versa before he kicks the bucket ( touch wood)...compassionate grounds or something like that....indeed, whats the use of getting married if you cant take your bird home to meet the family...anyway go north young man..Canada

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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by Allen A Hale » April 30, 2013, 3:13 pm

My girlfriend, who became my fiance, and eventually legal wife was refused a Tourist Visa three times. It was not until we tried in Vientiane that I even got to speak with a REAL American representative. He was up front and honest. I thanked him for being truthful. He recommended that she get a Green Card which she did. Funny I used to tell people that being legally married to me most likely was a strike against her. Now with "Muppet"'s post I realize that it is true for me and other American husbands as well. Perhaps we should have our wives learn Spanish and become Muslims? ... they don't seem to have all that much trouble getting into the USA.

Ray.Charles
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by Ray.Charles » April 30, 2013, 4:21 pm

What am I missing? If the wife goes with a 'Green Card', she can stay as long as she chooses to...may be forever. If she travels with a tourist Visa, it will be illegal to stay over the limit. Is the Green Card process complicated? Tourist Visa can be simpler?

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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by Allen A Hale » April 30, 2013, 5:54 pm

With a Green Card, a person is allowed to stay in the USA and to work in the USA. It is a step on the way that leads to citizenship. It is more expensive and takes much more time to obtain - IF the person qualifies to apply for one. Wives of US citizens or Resident Aliens qualify and do not have to wait to apply or worry about a quota. Everyone qualifies to apply for a Tourist Visa. The US Government will gladly accept your $119 USD and then reject your application because you did not convince the interviewer (strickly at the interviwer's discretion and can not be appealed) that you would return to your home when your Tourist Visa expires.

writemotive
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by writemotive » April 30, 2013, 7:35 pm

Were you able to apply and receive a temporary permemant resident card "green card" in Thailand? Thanks.

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KHONDAHM
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by KHONDAHM » May 1, 2013, 3:42 am

Ray.Charles wrote:What am I missing? If the wife goes with a 'Green Card', she can stay as long as she chooses to...may be forever. If she travels with a tourist Visa, it will be illegal to stay over the limit. Is the Green Card process complicated? Tourist Visa can be simpler?
The premise the State Department uses is completely different. As a tourist, the applicant must prove strong ties to Thailand sufficient enough to - in the opinion of the interviewer - NOT remain in the USA. As a green card applicant, the premise is already that the applicant WILL remain. The green card process looks to "prove" the person won't likely then become a burden or threat to society after they are admitted. Obviously, it is a flawed process on many levels.

Having successfully navigated both processes on behalf of my wife and daughter myself without assistance (really, there's no need to pay someone else), I think spouses and pre-teen children of a non-naturalized American spouse who have been demonstrably married and co-habitating for more than 2 years in another country should be given a much easier go at it.

At the very least, as in my case, if we decide to leave the USA for more than a year, I should not have to start the process from square one again. There should be some way to mothball the green card(s) until we decide to return to the USA. There is an extension option if the wife gives birth abroad (until the child is 2), but it is ridiculous that after having had a green card AND after having given birth to an American citizen, my wife (and underage daughter) can't simply hop on a plane with me and my son to go back and visit with friends and family who haven't yet met my son since he was born. Yes, I know she can easily qualify for a tourist visa. That's not the point. She should be able to keep the green card she was already issued.

That is just stupid and I hope proposed immigration reform fixes things like that...
Enjoy this site much more by adding idiots to your ignore list (Friends & Foes tab).
http:\\www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/ucp.php? ... &mode=foes

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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by Allen A Hale » May 1, 2013, 7:32 am

writemotive wrote:Were you able to apply and receive a temporary permemant resident card "green card" in Thailand? Thanks.
There is no such thing that I am aware of. I will be applying very soon to extend my "Long Stay Visa" by reason of "Retirement" for Thailand for another year. It needs to be extended each year and I will also apply for Re-Entry Permit so that I do not have to start the process from square one when I return to Thailand from visits outside of the country.

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Shado
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by Shado » May 1, 2013, 9:13 am

Jim Styers, an Udon Thani resident, is very knowledgeable about USA visas. I know he has been a great help to some of the UM forum members including myself. He has an office in Bangkok and a home here in Udon. He spends most of his time here. I checked with him and he gave permission to post his email. [email protected]

He's a straight shooter and knows exactly what is required for all types of visas to the USA.

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Stantheman
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by Stantheman » May 1, 2013, 6:49 pm

Allen A Hale wrote:
writemotive wrote:Were you able to apply and receive a temporary permemant resident card "green card" in Thailand? Thanks.
There is no such thing that I am aware of. I will be applying very soon to extend my "Long Stay Visa" by reason of "Retirement" for Thailand for another year. It needs to be extended each year and I will also apply for Re-Entry Permit so that I do not have to start the process from square one when I return to Thailand from visits outside of the country.
Allen, to clarify writemotive was talking about getting a 2 year U.S. green card for family member while still in Thailand. Some call it a temporary green card as applicant must apply for 10 year card later proving still eligable for permanant green card.

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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by writemotive » May 1, 2013, 7:08 pm

Stantheman, That is correct, but after reading my post again I can see how it would be easy to confuse my question. Yes, I wanted to know (from the post above mine) if the applicant (Thai spouse) was able to apply for the "green card" in Thailand for the US. I was under the impression this could only be done from the states (unless military, etc.) after applying for and receiveing a spouse or fiance visa then start the process for the "green card" in country (USA). Thanks for any feedback.

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maaka
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by maaka » May 2, 2013, 5:32 am

sorry to cut across this thread again, but yo Muppet..me being an inquisitive sort of bloke, I contacted Canada Embassy Bnagkok, and ran the broad idea of an American man married to a Thai living in Thailand wanting to visit Canada as tourists for a family reunion..they came back and did not say it was impossible, the american did not need a visa and the wife would have to apply for a Temporary Resident visa, which is their name for a tourist visa..if you look at their website if outlines what hoops your wife would have to jump thru to get such visa, but it does not seem outside the realms of possibility....just thought I would let you know it is worth a go if you cannot find another solution re green card thingy..I guess Mexico is also a possibility, but abit far for your old dad to travel...

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muppet
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Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by muppet » May 2, 2013, 6:24 am

Thanks for that. I have looked at the Canada requirements. I'm still intent on re applying for US Visitor Visa.

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Re: Tourist Visa to USA for Thai Wife...questions!

Post by padthai69 » March 22, 2017, 4:38 pm

Thanks for sharing such helpful experiences. I also found this helpful website which has many US visa interview experiences. Feel free to check it out and if possible share your visa experience there too.

https://visatrack.co/

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