Hello to all! similar experience?

[mythaiwifeandi 0]

Hello everyone, I am a new poster at visa journey. I am a USC and my wife is Thai. My wife has just recently completed the CR-1 process and we are now considering the future possibility of having her mother visit us in the US. Her parents owned and operated a restaurant for years, but are now retired and are supported financially by their four children. Considering this, and her parents relaxed attitude with respect to record keeping, I think they will have a difficult time... but we have to try!

Does anyone have experience in trying to obtain a TOURIST visa for their in-laws?

Thanks to all.

[monagoz 2]

Tourist Visas are hard to come by, at least for most third world countries, unless you're are able to prove

strong ties, especially financial and social ties with your homeland. It may seem like years, but I would

suggest they wait until your wife becomes a USC, then she could file for them to visit/stay as long and as

often as they want.

But still, there are no harm in trying for the tourist visa. Goodluck

[mythaiwifeandi 0]

Tourist Visas are hard to come by, at least for most third world countries, unless you're are able to prove

strong ties, especially financial and social ties with your homeland. It may seem like years, but I would

suggest they wait until your wife becomes a USC, then she could file for them to visit/stay as long and as

often as they want.

But still, there are no harm in trying for the tourist visa. Goodluck

I assume your implying that once she becomes a USC, she can file an immigrant visa on their behalf. We may have two problems with that.

1 - At the moment, she doesn't have any intention of becoming a USC...nothing against the USA, but we are not sure how gaining US citizenship will affect her status in Thailand.

2 - I don't think her mom or dad would be able to maintain a permanent residency in the US. Again, they have nothing against the USA, but they are Thai through and through and have no desire to settle anywhere else. I can definitely see her mother getting seriously home sick within a couple of months in the US.

Thanks for the reply.

[johndecka 0]

Tourist Visas are hard to come by, at least for most third world countries, unless you're are able to prove

strong ties, especially financial and social ties with your homeland. It may seem like years, but I would

suggest they wait until your wife becomes a USC, then she could file for them to visit/stay as long and as

often as they want.

But still, there are no harm in trying for the tourist visa. Goodluck

I assume your implying that once she becomes a USC, she can file an immigrant visa on their behalf. We may have two problems with that.

1 - At the moment, she doesn't have any intention of becoming a USC...nothing against the USA, but we are not sure how gaining US citizenship will affect her status in Thailand.

2 - I don't think her mom or dad would be able to maintain a permanent residency in the US. Again, they have nothing against the USA, but they are Thai through and through and have no desire to settle anywhere else. I can definitely see her mother getting seriously home sick within a couple of months in the US.

Thanks for the reply.

Check out if thailand allows dual citizenship.

[ThaitoUSA 15]

There are no international laws governing dual citizenship, each country sets its own.

This site is informative: http://usembassy-australia.state.gov/consular/dualnat.html

Many Thai folks who marry Americans will enter and exit Thailand under their Thai passport and enter and exit America under their US one. No problem.

[Zee Bee 61]

Tourist Visas are hard to come by, at least for most third world countries, unless you're are able to prove

strong ties, especially financial and social ties with your homeland. It may seem like years, but I would

suggest they wait until your wife becomes a USC, then she could file for them to visit/stay as long and as

often as they want.

But still, there are no harm in trying for the tourist visa. Goodluck

Her parents getting a tourist visa is independent of her being a USC. If she becomes a USC then she can file a petition for her parents to immigrate here. Besides that, if they want a tourist visa, they are going to have to prove that they intend on returning to Thailand.

[Sand 5]

Welcome to VJ and good luck

[AaronLV 12]

Hello everyone, I am a new poster at visa journey. I am a USC and my wife is Thai. My wife has just recently completed the CR-1 process and we are now considering the future possibility of having her mother visit us in the US. Her parents owned and operated a restaurant for years, but are now retired and are supported financially by their four children. Considering this, and her parents relaxed attitude with respect to record keeping, I think they will have a difficult time... but we have to try!

Does anyone have experience in trying to obtain a TOURIST visa for their in-laws?

Thanks to all.

I think it will be an up-hill battle unless they have substantial BAHT in the bank, own property, along with bunch of other ties to the country. From what I have been told only about 10-15% of the tourist visa applicants get approved at the embassy here. I used a law firm to do my K1 here in Thailand, they did a good job, and they also do tourist visa's. www.siam-legal.com, they have american attorneys on staff, and the good part is they would be able to tell your inlaws (in thai) exactly what they will need for the application.

You will probably want to reconsider the citizenship route also. She does not have to give up her Thai citizenship, and she would get a US passport and then not be subject to the problem having to get a Visa pretty much everywhere you travel.