When an American citizen finds love in Thailand, it is often a natural reaction to want to bring her Thai fiancee to the United States to start a new life together. However, there are many different steps that must be taken to successfully complete the process of bringing your Thai fiancee to America on a K-1 Fiance Visa.
The first step is to file a petition with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on behalf of your Thai fiancee. This is usually the most difficult part of the process, and it is generally recommended that you hire an experienced US immigration lawyer in Thailand to assist you with this process.
Once the petition is approved by USCIS it will be sent to the National Visa Center (NVC) for further processing. The NVC will verify that your Thai fiancee is not inadmissible to the USA and then issue her the appropriate visa.
After the NVC has completed their work, they will contact you and let you know that your Thai fiancee’s application has been approved. They will also provide you and your Thai fiancee with a BNK number in a letter that will make communication with the US Embassy in Bangkok or the US Consulate in Chiang Mai easier.
Next, your Thai fiancee must attend a K-1 Fiance Visa interview at the US Embassy in Bangkok. This is the most intimidating step in the process, but it is also a necessary one. It is a due diligence interview in which the US immigration official will assess whether or not your Thai fiancee is genuinely in love with you and that your relationship is bona fide.
You and your Thai fiancee should be honest about how you met and what led to your decision to pursue marriage in the United States. If you used a marriage broker, the Consular Officer may enquire about that in addition to checking whether your Thai fiancee has a valid marriage license in Thailand or has been married previously.
Your Thai fiancee will then be issued a K-1 Visa that is valid for 90 days. During this time, she can apply for an adjustment of status to permanent residency in the United States.
If you are not sure whether or not your Thai fiancee is eligible for a K-1 Visa, it is best to speak with an immigration attorney in the US. These attorneys will be able to give you a clearer picture of what you need to do to prepare for the K-1 visa interview and to ensure that all of your fiancee’s documents are correctly filled out and translated as required.
Once the K-1 Visa interview is over, your Thai fiancee will be issued her passport that will allow her to travel to the US and meet with you in person once again. This will mark the beginning of your journey as a couple to a new life together in America!
Once you have your K-1 Visa, your fiancee can then marry you in the United States. This will result in an adjustment of your status to permanent residency and a green card, which will enable you to travel freely between the United States and Thailand.