US Visa for Thai Wife

[Bruce Mangosteen]

  

8 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

The one you recommended.

https://www.americavisa4thai.com/

 

Good choice IMO.  Best of luck with everything.

Edited January 19 by Bruce Mangosteen

[ChiFlyer]

20 hours ago, losgrad said:

Please remember, a tourist visa is her application for a Visa; not an 'ours'

IMHO, she should focus on:

1. Purpose of Visit

2. Reason for returning to Thailand

 

Purpose of visiting the USA is to see people, places and things not available in Thailand.  A casual/temporary visit versus a permanent change in environment.  She should understand every detail of why she is going, where, who will be seen, how long, exactly when, etc...

Real Property can be managed/sold remotely, so i don't understand why some rationalize it's a 'reason for returning' to Thailand.

A Business Ownership history could mean there are many opportunities if she relocated to the USA.

A primary reason for returning to Thailand is because you, her husband, an expat are returning and she wishes to stay with you.

Good luck.  I have spoken with some expat acquaintances where their wives were denied.  They also seem to focus on real property, financial assets and work history vs current; but i don't know the details of their wives interview, her demeanor, etc..

Take care.

 

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

I think we are focusing as you describe and the agent has been a significant asset in getting us to do that.

• The Mrs has previously traveled to Norway several times and returned to Thailand as expected. I hear that Norway is considered to be a Western Country (and it is ), which gets points for the Mrs.
• We are focusing on a reason that I want my wife to meet my family and also see where I came from. I added in that we might want to visit a national park. That is true, but I can no longer day hike like I used to, so a national park may end up being Key West. Something about that place that I always liked. Mike McCloud song attached.
• We are being careful not to indicate that we have a reason to remain in the US, which is the truth of the matter.

 

[ChiFlyer]

Progress continues to be made.

• The DS160 has been submitted.
• We (actually she) has an interview date in early May.
• I am continuing to build out the packages that the Mrs will carry to her interview. One will be her DS160 info, which is considerable due to the assets she owns. The other will be my info, since I am identified as paying for her trip.

We are planning on spending 4 nights in Bangkok.

• One day to travel up there and get settled in.
• One day to kick back and have the Mrs. do a coaching session with the agent.
• Interview Day.
• A one day visit to Wat Pho. The Mrs. has never been and she is a devout Buddhist. 

 

Edited January 22 by ChiFlyer

[ChiFlyer]

On 22/01/2024 at 22:49, ChiFlyer said:

Progress continues to be made.

• The DS160 has been submitted.
• We (actually she) has an interview date in early May.
• I am continuing to build out the packages that the Mrs will carry to her interview. One will be her DS160 info, which is considerable due to the assets she owns. The other will be my info, since I am identified as paying for her trip.

We are planning on spending 4 nights in Bangkok.

• One day to travel up there and get settled in.
• One day to kick back and have the Mrs. do a coaching session with the agent.
• Interview Day.
• A one day visit to Wat Pho. The Mrs. has never been and she is a devout Buddhist. 

 

I had a bit of a worrisome email exchange with the owner of the agency that we are using. He said that the preparations that I have described above may well be ignored by the interviewer. He said that is true in 99% of the interviews. The reasons why are that the interviewers are on time constraints and have also been cautioned on accepting paper documents that could possibly be faked.

I appreciate his honesty.

We did agree that it would be a good idea for me to prepare this information for the Mrs. to carry in her back pocket just in case. A lot of work with a very limited possible gain. You don't know if you don't try.

 

[Wolf Cat]

Seeing as the interview at the embassy will be only a 1-on-1 (no husband allowed), you might want to make a cover sheet for the wife; listing the reasons why your wife will return to Thailand.  Let the cover sheet list the reasons she won't try to stay longer than allowed (land/house chanote, vehicle ownership, employment, bank books, family ties, etc. and back up the list with paperwork). The embassy interviewer will speak fluent Thai, but the cover sheet will help make sure the wife doesn't forget to include any reasons why she won't overstay.

Good Luck.

[ChiFlyer]

Just now, Wolf Cat said:

Seeing as the interview at the embassy will be only a 1-on-1 (no husband allowed), you might want to make a cover sheet for the wife; listing the reasons why your wife will return to Thailand.  Let the cover sheet list the reasons she won't try to stay longer than allowed (land/house chanote, vehicle ownership, employment, bank books, family ties, etc. and back up the list with paperwork). The embassy interviewer will speak fluent Thai, but the cover sheet will help make sure the wife doesn't forget to include any reasons why she won't overstay.

Good Luck.

Thanks. Have that in progress already.

[Bruce Mangosteen]

23 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

We did agree that it would be a good idea for me to prepare this information for the Mrs. to carry in her back pocket just in case.

We presented our package in the various meetings we had (that I attended anyway), and it was pretty much ignored.  I think they're mostly interested in things like the health and police reports.  However, they may ask to see a document that backs something you say in the interview; also it makes a better impression than going in empty-handed!

27 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

A lot of work with a very limited possible gain.

Well, seems to me that the gain is the visa you want, isn't it?

[ChiFlyer]

On 20/01/2024 at 00:03, ChiFlyer said:

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

I think we are focusing as you describe and the agent has been a significant asset in getting us to do that.

• The Mrs has previously traveled to Norway several times and returned to Thailand as expected. I hear that Norway is considered to be a Western Country (and it is ), which gets points for the Mrs.
• We are focusing on a reason that I want my wife to meet my family and also see where I came from. I added in that we might want to visit a national park. That is true, but I can no longer day hike like I used to, so a national park may end up being Key West. Something about that place that I always liked. Mike McCloud song attached.
• We are being careful not to indicate that we have a reason to remain in the US, which is the truth of the matter.

 

A bit of sad news here. Mike McCloud is retiring to Arizona after 40 years in Key West.

https://keysweekly.com/42/musician-michael-mccloud-is-leaving-key-west-after-40-years/

In reading the article I was surprised to see that there was no mention of the bar "The Bull", which is where I first saw Mike playing. These were actually some of his down years where he would say things like "I quit driving because I do not look good in orange". Still his years at "The Bull" were IMO the years when he built his base. Yes, he became a legend over at "Schooner's Wharf".

I chatted a bit with Mike at both bars. On my last trip to Key West (2006 ?) I told him that he should consider adding the Leonard Cohen song "Bird on a Wire" into his act. Mike told me that he did not know that song and asked me to sing it. He laughed a little as I tried. I walked to my car to get to my MIA flight to get to work on time. As I walked there I heard Mike loudly playing "Bird on the Wire". He was playing me and we both knew that. I would like to think that we both enjoyed each other's company. 

 

Edited January 23 by ChiFlyer

[momo5]

1 hour ago, Bruce Mangosteen said:

We presented our package in the various meetings we had (that I attended anyway), and it was pretty much ignored.  I think they're mostly interested in things like the health and police reports.  However, they may ask to see a document that backs something you say in the interview; also it makes a better impression than going in empty-handed!

Well, seems to me that the gain is the visa you want, isn't it?

Yes, and I’ve also heard that the decision is usually made before the interview anyway; interview seems a bit of formality to get a feel for the genuineness of the applicant. 
 

Anyway, wishing the OP’s wife good luck and success. 

[Bruce Mangosteen]

11 minutes ago, momo5 said:

Yes, and I’ve also heard that the decision is usually made before the interview anyway; interview seems a bit of formality to get a feel for the genuineness of the applicant. 

This definitely would not surprise me.  I'd imagine that sometimes the submitted package is weak but genuine looking, so the interview could tip the scales. 

In our case we'd been together for over a decade at the time.  Our submittal package included pictures of us together with her kids as children, as well as both of us with her kids grown and THEIR kids.  These pictures were captioned so as to leave no room for anyone to miss the point. 

It also included a reference from a very good friend of ours who's a former Navy SEAL, who also was an attache to the US embassy in Bangkok.  His reference included his resume and a photocopy of his credentials for them to check.

Not much chance we were going to be turned down, I reckon.  

[little_me]

I was there for my wife's interview for her finance visa. Apparently, I'm not supposed to be, but I was... (it was a strange day at the embassy, I guess, some abrupt holiday due to a passing of someone in the Royal family, but the embassy only partially closed...).

It was short, a few quick and basic questions. It was in English, the interviewer had issues understanding my wife's (very usual) Thai accent when speaking English.

If it's all the same basics, just tell her to listen closely and make sure she understands the questions and answers clearly. Answering the question answered. No real reason to offer any other information just a clear, honest answer to the question asked.

I've been at passport control too many times, exchange a short greeting and answer whatever they ask, stand and wait, and listen to the guy in the booth next to me start some long story... Look at the officer processing me start making sideways glances and shaking his head... 

She should know where she is going in the US. Where she is staying. Who she is meeting, what there relationship is and why she is meeting them. Probably not every detail, and not sound reversed, but have travel plans and be aware of them.  And when she's leaving. And anything she's responsible for in Thailand, who's taking care of for her. And who's paying for the trip and how...  Pretty simple stuff she should be able to answer without getting flustered or confused about. 

These things can be stressful, but shouldn't be a trap or trick, just a few straightforward questions.

Edited January 23 by little_me

[ChiFlyer]

Tomorrow is the big day for the wife's B1 Tourist visa interview.

She and I have put in a lot of work getting her package together. Yeah I know, most of it will probably not be looked at. Still I think that preparing our best overall package helped the Mrs considerably in being prepared for the interview.

The agent that @Bruce Mangosteen recommended has been very good in helping to get things organized. At least Bruce gets something right once in a while. Just saying that we do not seem to agree on very much.

The Mrs has been told by the agent that she can do the interview in Pasathai. I think she is a very strong candidate:

• We are married
• She owns significant Thai assets
• She has made prior trips to the West (Norway) and returned without incident
• I have strong assets both in the US and Thailand to more than fund the trip
• She has strong family ties here in Thailand

Then again dealing with the US Embassy is always a crap shoot.

 

[Luv2Phuket]

Best of luck -- let us know how it goes!

[Bruce Mangosteen]

24 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

Yeah I know, most of it will probably not be looked at. Still I think that preparing our best overall package helped the Mrs considerably in being prepared for the interview.

That's very true.  However, I'd keep it and even maybe add to it now and then, in case you decide to do anything else like this with USCIS.

A word of advice:  Make sure she can recite your "how we met" story the same way every time, and the same way as you recite it, on the off chance they ask you, such as in US Immigration.  That seems to be one of the key ways they probe whether you're genuine.  They may also ask her the names of your kids or other significant members of your family.

24 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

The agent that @Bruce Mangosteen recommended has been very good in helping to get things organized.

Yeah, they really are good.  You can tell they've been around this block a zillion times.

24 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

At least Bruce gets something right once in a while. Just saying that we do not seem to agree on very much.

Well, let's just say we disagree about roughly as many things as you're wrong about.    That doesn't stop me from giving you the best factual information I have on things, it just limits how useful you might find some of that that information.    I try never to make judgments about people based on these sorts of considerations.

24 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

The Mrs has been told by the agent that she can do the interview in Pasathai.

My missus told me that her interview was in Thai also.

24 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

I think she is a very strong candidate ...etc.

If not, Jim would have told you by now I'm sure. 

As you say though, USCIS isnot to be underestimated for their ability to screw things up.  I had an immigration attorney on standby throughout the entire process of our visa; thank heavens we never needed her.

Good luck, and please keep us informed.

[momo5]

Best of luck with the visa … really hope it works out for you both. 

[LASportsNut]

I have been told from various sources that they already know if she is approved or not before the interview.

The interview is just a formality to void a Yes but not change a No.

Good luck!

[momo5]

21 minutes ago, LASportsNut said:

I have been told from various sources that they already know if she is approved or not before the interview.

The interview is just a formality to void a Yes but not change a No.

Good luck!

I’ve heard this from a consular officer, albeit from a different embassy, as well.