Applying for a CR-1

[thailen 0]

I'm an American. If I marryh a filipina in the Phillipines and we both live in Thailand, are we required to apply at the American Embassy in the Phillipines or ina any American Embassy?

[Ning 619]

I'm an American. If I marryh a filipina in the Phillipines and we both live in Thailand, are we required to apply at the American Embassy in the Phillipines or ina any American Embassy?

There is a lot to learn before you do anything. First try to make your questions as clear as possible.

You are a US Citizen. But are you a legal resident of Thailand. Is she?

Read the guides to find the info you need. What you do & where depends on many different things unique to your situation.

Assuming you arent a legal resident of Thailand & you are married you can petition for a C R 1 type visa for her. You would begin by filling out the 130 form, sending the form & fee to the indicated address in the USA. This means it doesnt matter where you are.

See the Example form area at the top of this page.

[Inky 1,110]

Thailand has an international office so they could file DCF still in Thailand. So does the Philippines. If you are filing DCF you must fit the rules for filing though. You both must be legal residence of the country you are living in and must have been living there longer than 6 months.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=1ac900c262197210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=1ac900c262197210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

[thailen 0]

I am well aware of the CR-1 Visa for a Thai national and the procedure thru the American Embassy in Bangkok. I am also aware of the shortened(to as little as three months) using the DCF at trhe office across from the Embassy on Wireless Road. I am not a legal resident(but have an O visa and live in Thailand almost all of the year in a condo which I own). Are you saying my filipina wife(assuming I get one)has to show 6-month residence in Thailand before applying for DCF in Bangkok? How can she do that if all the bills are in my name? Assuming she di provide a bill, could she apply for a CR-1 the same as if she were a Thai?

Thailand has an international office so they could file DCF still in Thailand. So does the Philippines. If you are filing DCF you must fit the rules for filing though. You both must be legal residence of the country you are living in and must have been living there longer than 6 months.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=1ac900c262197210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=1ac900c262197210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

[Karee 4,190]

I am well aware of the CR-1 Visa for a Thai national and the procedure thru the American Embassy in Bangkok. I am also aware of the shortened(to as little as three months) using the DCF at trhe office across from the Embassy on Wireless Road. I am not a legal resident(but have an O visa and live in Thailand almost all of the year in a condo which I own). Are you saying my filipina wife(assuming I get one)has to show 6-month residence in Thailand before applying for DCF in Bangkok? How can she do that if all the bills are in my name? Assuming she di provide a bill, could she apply for a CR-1 the same as if she were a Thai?

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it's the American that has to prove residency in Thailand for 6 months to apply for DCF, not the beneficiary.

[Tike 0]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it's the American that has to prove residency in Thailand for 6 months to apply for DCF, not the beneficiary.

I agree, that's what it says in all the guides and on the embassy website (US embassy in Helsinki). I double checked with the US embassy in Helsinki via email, they were very friendly and helpful. From the information I have gotten I can submit the I-130 in Helsinki, the next step and visa interview should take place in the country where the wedding took place. In our case it is easy since that too took place in Finland but you might want to double check this with the embassy in Bangkok since your situation is different.

Best of luck!

[Ning 619]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it's the American that has to prove residency in Thailand for 6 months to apply for DCF, not the beneficiary.

You are correct. However the key word is legal resident. While he says hes well aware of the C R 1 by DCF procedure for a Thai national he admits he isnt a legal resident. He also seems to think the Fillipina may be able to petition for her own visa by DCF if she can produce something indicating she pays a bill of some kind.

I think the actual question has to do with how he would petition for a visa for a citizen of the P I living in Thailand. That would be after he married her.

As I said before there is a lot to learn before anything can be done.

[Karee 4,190]

You are correct. However the key word is legal resident. While he says hes well aware of the C R 1 by DCF procedure for a Thai national he admits he isnt a legal resident. He also seems to think the Fillipina may be able to petition for her own visa by DCF if she can produce something indicating she pays a bill of some kind.

I think the actual question has to do with how he would petition for a visa for a citizen of the P I living in Thailand. That would be after he married her.

As I said before there is a lot to learn before anything can be done.

I wonder if holding an O or B visa in Thailand is considered residency? I think for US embassy purposes it is good enough. Getting any kind of permanent status for a farang in Thailand is near impossible.

[thailen 0]

I can only tell you what the DCF rep0 told me. That I needed only to bring h a utility bill or other bill showing I lived t a Thai address for six months(I guess a bill six months prior and a bill for the last month prior to applying.

I wonder if holding an O or B visa in Thailand is considered residency? I think for US embassy purposes it is good enough. Getting any kind of permanent status for a farang in Thailand is near impossible.