While there are many the parts of the fiancee’ or marriage visa application, the focus of this article is on the interview at the US Embassy because it is the most crucial aspect of the process.
Our firm operates in Thailand, so I am only qualified to talk about the immigrant visa interview at the US Embassy in Bangkok. While similarities may exist between embassies, neither you nor I should assume this.
First, I will begin by telling you that the visa interview and document requirements are changeable from month to month and year to year, and more specifically from counselor officer to counselor officer.
The counselor officer is the most important and influencing factor in the visa interview. The officer is his/her own boss and has the sole discretion to approve or deny the application. With this in mind I will begin by giving you a feel for the officers most recently posted at the American Embassy in Bangkok, going back just three years.
Counselor officers generally rotate out approximately once a year, but this varies greatly. In the immigrant visa section there is only one officer assigned at a time to handle all interviews. Up to 25 interviews per day. In the last year and a half there have been three officers. Two worked approximately 7 months each and the third took the position on June 15th of this year. Prior to the previous three officers one officer remained in the position for a period of 1 ½ years. The fact that this officer remained longer than normal was beneficial to all. He knew his job inside out, upside down, backwards and sideways. He was professional, polite, friendly and helpful. He understood one important and basic thing that most other officers don’t understand, (however it is becoming more and more apparent that the current counselor officer understands this as well) and that is: that 99.9% of Thai ladies appearing for a K-1, K-3, or CR-1 visa interview don’t use American men to circumvent the US immigration laws to gain entry into America.
While ladies from other countries may more often try to use American men to circumvent the immigration laws to enter the USA, Thai ladies love Thailand, the culture, their families, friends, Thai food, Thai TV, and the King. The vast majority would never dream of leaving Thailand if they didn’t have a stronger love for their American fiancée or husband.
When Thai ladies do use an American man to gain entry into America it is usually due to the influence of a Thai friend, relative or acquaintance already in America. But having a relative or friend living in the USA does not automatically reveal an ulterior motive.
Best wishes,
Brian Wright
http://www.mythaifiancee.com
