Married to a Thai Lady...US Citizenship Information?

Question

I am planning on getting married in Thailand and I am from the US. What steps do I need to go through to get her a US citizenship afterward and how hard is it? How long will it take? What are some things I should watch out for and and tips would be appreciated...

Answer 1

easy to get married. getting her a visa is a rollercoaster. I have been going thru it for 2 years with my thai wife. I know of some people that have gotten visa's for their thai wives very quickly. But those people also paid attorney's 3000 to help process the applications. If you need their number let me know I'll send it to you.

I did it myself and have had many problems. I am a tax accountant and the paperwork makes the tax system look like a children's book. what a mess. Good luck and be patient. AND BTW you could have some problems with your thai wife but IMHO you couldn't be making a better decision. After dating thai women I would not date another american woman if you put a gun to my head. My wife treats me so well I can't describe it. My only regret is that I didn;t go to thailand before being married to the worthless nagging money grubbing witch that was my first (american) wife. American women are not worth the time or the money.

If you want to make cheaper calls but get tired of calling cards try gorillamobile.com calls to thailand are about 18 cents a minute to cells phones but you can make the calls directly from your cell phone without having to enter pin numbers or anything like that. Good luck. peace bro

Answer 2

I have heard the same abt the fiance visa being the easier and better way to get in - and if the issue of a marriage being important, you could always do a village wedding in Thailand w/no paperwork needed...

I think there is good advice above, but let me add this - a friend married a filipino lady in the states after the Fiance visa and for some reason she was not allowed to return home.. Shortly after marrying in the USA, both her parents died and she was told if she went back home, she would never be allowed back?? no idea why?? - but - I think she had to wait for her green card first, which might take a couple of years...

Other advice will be to be patient at the embassy.. I have had people who were very nice and others who were rude beyond imagining and for no reason.. My Thai wife has been to USA 3x on a tourist visa and honored all terms each time.. she has a perfect track record but at the most recent application, the consular officer totally insulted her [ she had not yet said one word ] - he gave her the visa but she did not want to return to the USA after being treated in such an awful manner - - and I don't blame her..

Answer 3

I have friends who have married Thais. My wife is from Korea. In general, it seems that it is harder to get a visa for a wife than if she is your fiancee. My wife obtained her F-1 visa in about 4 months, and we were married in the States. However, her family could not attend. If I could do it over, I would have married in Korea since weddings are very important to women. Just be aware that the US State Department is very suspicious of US citizens marrying women from Asia (because of many frauduent marriages) so they assume every case is an Asian lady paying to get married to an American. This delays the process, makes people angry/hurt, and causes friction in the new marriage. Marrying your Thai lady in Thailand is not a bad idea; just be aware that getting her to the States will be complicated and take time. Obtaining US citizenship generally takes 5 years; there is an interview and examination (on American history, culture, and law), but, with study, can be passed by most people.

Congratulations on your impending marriage!

Answer 4

Remember the Thai laws. A Thai citizen married to a foreigner are not allowed to own land or house anymore in Thailand.
So if you plan to make a house for her, or you and her in the future - then it might give you problems. So if there is a way you can be married in USA then try it.
Anyway - don't forget to take copy of all papers you and her sign.

Answer 5

The citizenship process alone is about 5 years (see previous answer). But, it can be a little faster if you're a contractor to the US Government (such as a contractor to the military in Korea); the timeline is shorter. You'll have to begin the process in Thailand at the Embassy, and you may have to enlist some help from a "visa counselor" to help with the translations (both Thai and English), and monies will be involved - can't get around that one! $3K sounds a bit much (about Baht 105,000) for this process (previous answer).

Answer 6

I wouldn't worry about citizenship at this point, just getting her into the U.S. at this point should be your main concern. I would talk to a reputable law firm here in Thailand, you can get a reaonably inexpensive or sometimes free consulation that will let you know where you stand. Most of the better firms will have American attorneys who really know the in and outs of immigrating to the U.S.. Until you do, save every document relating to your relationship, phone bills, plane tickets, marriage papers etc., as well as everything to do with both hers and your financial situations. I've been through the process myself, and it can be overwhelming, if you can afford an immigration attorney, I think it's the best way to go or at least get a consultation to help guide you through the process. Good luck!

Answer 7

My wife is from Thailand and now a permanent resident in the US.

Your Thai wedding should be a traditional ceremony with family. It is a public commitment but without legal standing so she will qualify for the K1 fiancee visa which is much faster than the spouse visa.

The wedding may be expensive. The big items are 3 baht of gold (~1.5 ounces) and the dowry, 100K-200K THB gift to the bride's family. Youth, beauty, education and family status may increase the dowry amount. This is traditional and not a scam so be gracious. It shows your commitment and your abiility to provide for your new family. The dowry may be waived but be prepared.

The I-129F application is next. Your part is fairly simple. You fill out the form and send it, filing fee, proof of employment with sufficient income and some letters and photos. This is approved in about a month. Your wife must gather many documents and get certified English translations of them. She needs birth certificate, education records, employment history, complete list of addresses, single certificate, criminal background check, medical exam ( immunizations, TB & HIV test). You both need proof of you commitment including proof of travel (boarding passes, hotel receipts, etc), letters, both email and paper showing the length of commitment, letters to USCIS stating your commitment to marriage and many pictures of you together. Don't submit Thai wedding pictures. When this documentation is submitted to the US consulate, she will be scheduled for an interview.

I could not help my wife at all with this, even if I could have stayed in Thailand. Brian at mythaifiancee.com did help. He charged $1,500 but everything went smoothly. We got married in Dec, had 2 weeks together taking many pictures with frequent trips to Brian's office preparing documents. I left and mailed the I-129F in mid Jan, It was approved in Feb. In May my wife had her consular interview, received her K1 visa and flew to the US. We married in June.

The application for permanent residency, I-485 and I-864, we did ourselves. They are difficult but possible. A 2 year green card was issued in about 9 mounths. She qualified for citizenship 3 years after receiving permenant residency but citizenship is optional.

You may email me if you have specific questions.

Congratulations and best wishes.

Answer 8

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Answer 10

it's a long draw out process, you need to check with nationalization in the united states, first you got to get her into the states on a green card, she also have to live in the us a number of years and have knowledge of the English language and history. don't depend on us jail house lawyers for all the facts check them out yourself. my recommendation better she just live in the us on a green card.