Integrity Legal

In a recent posting on the American Immigration Lawyers Association website the author noticed a revised list of the vaccinations that are required for those seeking Immigration benefits for the United States. Below is a direct quote from the AILA publication:

Under the immigration laws of the United States, a foreign national who applies for an immigrant visa abroad, or who seeks to adjust status as a permanent resident while in the United States, is required to receive vaccinations to prevent the following diseases:
Mumps
Measles
Rubella
Polio
Tetanus and Diphtheria Toxoids
Pertussis
Influenza Type B
Hepatitis B
Any other vaccine-preventable diseases recommended by the Advisory Committee for
Immunization Practices

This information could prove useful for those assisting a prospective immigrant. This being said, the rules and required vaccinations can be subject to frequent changes. Also, the US Embassy in Bangkok maintains a list of hospitals that are permitted to conduct medical examinations for US Immigration purposes. This list is subject to change and as a result those seeking medical examination for visa obtainment purposes would be wise to contact the United States Embassy in order to obtain the most up-to-date information.

In recent months, the United States Department of State and the Center for Disease Control have changed some of the rules regarding communicable diseases and United States Immigration. HIV has been taken off of the list of diseases that will act as a bar to admission into the United States. Therefore, those who previously were inadmissible to the USA due to the fact that they had HIV no longer need an HIV waiver (also known as an I-601 waiver) to overcome their inadmissibility and may now be eligible to enter the United States provided they meet other Department of State and USCIS requirements.

The United States government has a responsibility to make sure that those entering the USA are not carrying diseases that could pose a threat to the American Citizenry. To this end, Embassy staff and Civil Surgeons at overseas hospitals take their job very seriously. In Thailand, a major issue for some applicants is Tuberculosis. Some applicants are found to have or have had TB. In these situations, a battery of tests must be conducted in order to ensure that the disease has been eradicated and the applicant is no longer contagious.  For those who had TB in the past, a thorough search of the applicant’s medical records is conducted in order for the Civil Surgeon to be certain that the applicant no longer poses a threat to others. Although sometimes frustrating, the Medical Examination process is a necessary component of the due diligence conducted by the United States Embassies and US Consulates abroad.

Tags: HIV Waiver, Inadmissibility, Medical Examination, us embassy bangkok, US Immigration Rules, US Immigration Vaccinations, US Visa Medical Examination, US Visa Thailand, US Visa Vaccinations, Vaccinations, Waiver
Posted in US Consulate Chiang Mai, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Thailand, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, Visa Waiver | No Comments »

For a more detailed look at the J1 visa please see our main J1 visa page at: J1 visa Thailand. For further information about United States Immigration in general please see: US Visa Thailand.

The J1 Visa in 2010

As the new year begins this author is presented with an opportunity to re-explain the J1 visa and how it can be used by those Thais thinking of traveling to the United States of America as an Exchange Visitor. It is also an opportunity to briefly discuss some of the recently proposed changes to the J-1 visa rules and the future of the J1 visa in its current form.

For those who are not familiar with the J1 visa this visa category was designed to allow foreign nationals to come to the United States for limited employment purposes, specialized education, or cultural exchange. Some of those who use a J-1 visa are required to remain outside of the USA for statutorily specified period of time after their initial stay in the United States. These people are subject to what is called the Foreign Residence Requirement and cannot reenter the USA within 2 years after their initial J-1 visa without first obtaining a waiver.

Recently the United States Department of State proposed a rule that may have had a major impact upon those applying for a J1 visa. In a previous post on this blog, the issues surrounding this proposed rule were discussed, but the American Immigration Lawyers Association is now reporting that this proposed rule is being withdrawn by the American State Department. To quote directly from the AILA website:

“On December 23, 2009 the State Department published in the Federal Register a proposed rule titled Exchange Visitor Program– Secondary School Students. The Department revised existing regulations to provide greater specificity and clarity to sponsors of the Secondary School Student category with respect to the execution of sponsor oversight responsibilities under the exchange visitor program. This rule is being withdrawn because it was submitted prior to OMB completing review. The proposed rule is withdrawn in its entirety.”

Since this rule has been withdrawn there have been those who have noted that the regulations regarding the J-1 visa did not need to be modified. The proposed rule was withdrawn because it was promulgated before a required review period had elapsed. Therefore, there is good reason to believe that this proposed rule may be re-promulgated in the future. It remains to be seen how this will affect those applying for a J1 visa, but it would seem likely that an adoption of any new rule would, at least at first, create some confusion as the new regulations are implemented.

Since the J1 visa is a non-immigrant visa similar to a US tourist visa, it may be possible to apply for, and hopefully obtain, it at both a US Embassy or US Consulate. In Thailand, one could apply for this visa at either the US Consulate in Chiang Mai or the US Embassy in Bangkok depending upon where the applicant resides.

Tags: American Visa Thailand, Exchange Visitor Visa, J-1 visa, J-1 visa Thailand, J1 visa, J1 Visa Thailand, US Visa, US Visa Thailand
Posted in J1 Visa Thailand, US Consulate Chiang Mai, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Burma, US Embassy Myanmar, US Embassy Rangoon, US Embassy Thailand, US Embassy Yangon, US Tourist Visa, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand | 4 Comments »

For detailed information about F-1 Student Visas please see: F1 Visa Thailand. For further reading about American Immigration from Thailand please see: US Visa Thailand.

The F-1 Visa in 2010

Unlike the J1 visa, the F1 Student Visa rules were left unmodified with no proposals for modification in 2009. That being said, the F1 visa could turn out to be a problem for those later filing for a family visa category such as a K-1 or K-3. This can be attributed to the fact that some of those who enter the United States on an initial F-1 visa either overstay their visa or remain for a long period of time in “duration of status.” Duration of status means that the visa holder is in status so long as underlying reason for traveling to the United States still exists. Those who remain for a long period of time in duration of status are unlikely to be later found inadmissible due to overstay as they usually do not accrue unlawful presence. However, their application and file may be placed into administrative processing while the Consular Officers make a determination regarding the applicant’s previous status in the United States. In some ways, this can be more frustrating than a finding of inadmissibility because Administrative Processing can take a great deal of time as the Consular Officers diligently research the applicant’s immigration history.

The F1 visa in Thailand is similar to the J1 visa in Thailand because the applicant may interview at the US Consulate in Chiang Mai rather than the US Embassy in Bangkok if the applicant lives in the Chiang Mai Consular district. One should not assume that one post is any “better,” than the other because at either post, the Consular Officers still make their decisions based upon the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM). It has been the author’s opinion that Consular Officers adjudicate cases “by the book,” and therefore any type of “forum shopping,” could be counterproductive.

Unlike a K1 visa, the F-1 visa is not a dual intent travel document so the Consular Officer must make a presumption of immigrant intent pursuant to section 214b of the INA. In order to overcome this presumption, the F1 visa applicant must demonstrate that they have “strong ties,” to Thailand and do not intend to remain in the United States past the expiration of their visa. The F-1 visa applicant must further prove that he or she has the financial resources necessary to pay for the educational course of study as well as living expenses in the US.

Tags: F-1 Visa, F-1 Visa Thailand, F1 Visa, F1 Visa Thailand, US Consulate Chiang Mai, US Consulate General Chiang Mai, us embassy bangkok, US Student Visa, US Student Visa Thailand
Posted in F1 Visa Thailand, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, US Consulate Chiang Mai, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Burma, US Embassy Myanmar, US Embassy Rangoon, US Embassy Thailand, US Embassy Yangon, US Tourist Visa, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand | No Comments »

For those interested in finding out detailed information regarding United States business visas from Thailand please see our main page at: B1 visa Thailand. For further general information about American Immigration from the Kingdom of Thailand please see: US Visa Thailand.

The B-1 Visa in 2010

In this writer’s opinion, the US Business Visa Process will probably remain relatively unchanged in 2010. That being said, it does provide an opportunity to re-explore this American travel document.

The B-1 Business visa is a non-immigrant visa intended for those who wish to travel to the United States for short term business purposes. It is not a dual intent visa meaning that one who applies for a B-1 visa must have bona fide non-immigrant intent. Those who have an undisclosed intention to immigrate to the United States of America at the time of application should disclose this fact in the application form and/or the visa interview. Failure to disclose immigrant intent could be construed as fraud and/or misrepresentation of a material fact. A finding of fraud and misrepresentation of material fact could lead to the applicant being found inadmissible to enter the United States. This inadmissibility would likely then only be remedied by an approved I-601 waiver application. Due to the drastic consequences that can befall a non-immigrant visa applicant, it is always wise to be completely candid on a visa application and explain all of one’s reasons for traveling to the United States of America.

The B1 visa is often issued in tandem with a US tourist visa, also known as a B2 visa. This visa category is utilized by those traveling to the United States for recreational purposes. Consular Officers will often issue combined B1/B2 visas because the applicant is planning a trip which combines elements of both business and pleasure. For example, a Thai doctor may travel to the United States to attend a medical seminar and visit family and friends after the seminar ends. In this case, a B1/B2 visa would be optimal because it encompasses all of the activities that the applicant will be undertaking in the United States.

As with many types of non-immigrant single intent visas, the applicant must overcome the statutory presumption of immigrant intent under section 214b of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act. The applicant must essentially show that they have such strong ties to Thailand (or any other country outside of the USA) that they will not remain in America past the expiration of their visa.

Tags: B-1 Visa, B-1 Visa Thailand, B-2 Visa, B-2 Visa Thailand, B1 visa, B1 Visa Thailand, B1/B2 Visa, B2 Visa, B2 Visa Thailand, US Business Visa Thailand, US Tourist Visa, US Tourist Visa Thailand
Posted in Thailand Business, US Consulate Chiang Mai, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Burma, US Embassy Myanmar, US Embassy Rangoon, US Embassy Thailand, US Embassy Yangon, US Tourist Visa, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, Visa Waiver | No Comments »

For those who are interested in learning about the details of tourist visas from Thailand please see our main page at: US tourist visa Thailand. For those who would like to see information about all aspects of American Immigration from the Kingdom of Thailand please see: US Visa Thailand.

The United States B-2 Tourist Visa in 2010

In 2010, it is this author’s opinion that the B2 visa process will remain largely the same as it was in 2009. However, a brief comparison of the current B2 visa process with that of  the year 2000 could be revealing. In 2000, it was still possible to obtain a United States tourist visa through the mail. At that time, interviews were not required in certain situations if the applicant met some pre-conditions. There is anecdotal evidence which suggests that the US tourist visa application approval rate was higher prior to the introduction of the rule that there must be visa interviews for all non-immigrant visa applicants.

At the present time, an American tourist visa applicant can apply for a US Visitor Visa at either the US Embassy in Bangkok or the US Consulate-General in Chiang Mai provided the applicant resides in the Consular District. Unfortunately, this category is often sought by those who probably should not be seeking a tourist visa. This is particularly the case when it comes to Thai fiancees or girlfriends. In many cases, American citizens encourage their Thai fiancees and/or girlfriends to apply for a US tourist visa because it is a less time consuming process when compared to the application process for a K1 fiance visa. That being said, it is not an appropriate visa for those who intend to apply for adjustment of status in the United States. This is due to the fact that the US tourist visa is not a dual intent travel document meaning that the applicant must have true non-immigrant intent when he or she submits a tourist visa application. Lying about one’s intentions on a Department of State application form could lead to serious civil and criminal penalties as such activity could be construed as visa fraud. Further, one who has been found to be presenting a fraudulent visa application could be found inadmissible to the United States and barred from entering for a statutorily prescribed period of time. For those who wish to bring their loved one to the US, it may be wise to look into a K1, K3, or CR1 visa.

Even those with bona fide non-immigrant intent must still overcome the presumption of immigrant intent under section 214b of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act. One must prove that they have strong ties to Thailand (or any other country besides the US) and weak ties to the USA before a Consular Officer will approve a B2 visa application.

Tags: American Embassy Bangkok, American Embassy Thailand, B-2 Visa, B-2 Visa Thailand, B2 Visa, B2 Visa Thailand, us embassy bangkok, us embassy thailand, US Tourist Visa, US Tourist Visa Thailand
Posted in CR1 Visa, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, US Consulate Chiang Mai, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Burma, US Embassy Myanmar, US Embassy Rangoon, US Embassy Thailand, US Embassy Yangon, US Tourist Visa, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand | 3 Comments »

For more information about how the IR-1 visa process works please see: IR1 visa Thailand. For further information about United States Immigration, United States Visas, and United States Immigration attorneys please see: US Visa Thailand.

The IR-1 visa in 2010

As with many of the other types of American visas, the IR-1 visa process seems poised to remain largely unchanged in the year 2010. However, the dawning of a new year, and a new decade, provides this author with an opportunity to discuss the IR-1 visa and how the IR1 visa process works.

For those who are not familiar with the IR1 visa, this is an immigrant visa, sought pursuant to a filing of an I-130 application, for those who wish to travel to the United States of America in order to take up lawful permanent residence. It is a travel document similar to the CR-1 visa. That being said, there is a major difference in the type of status each document confers upon entry in the United States. An IR-1 visa provides the bearer with unconditional lawful permanent residence upon entry. Whereas the CR-1 visa only provides the bearer with conditional lawful permanent residence upon admission to the USA. This can be a crucial difference as conditional residence requires that the couple file for a lift of conditions in order for the foreign spouse to be considered an unconditional lawful permanent resident. This is a critical difference because it means that a foreign spouse who enters in CR-1 status is considered a permanent resident only so long as her marriage remains intact. A divorce or death could lead to a situation where the foreign spouse is forced to depart the United States.

Fortunately for some couples, the conditionality of permanent residence is adjudicated at admission to the United States. Therefore, those who were married less than two years when they applied may be married more than 2 years at admission. In many cases, these couples will have the foreign spouse enter in IR-1 status rather than CR-1 status in order to facilitate later convenience.

CR-1 and IR-1 visas are currently taking approximately 5 months to process through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) in the United States. This figure presupposes that the foreign beneficiary is a child or spouse of a United States Citizen. The process is very similar to the CR-1 visa process. That being said, there are those in Thailand who opt to submit a local filing at the USCIS office in Bangkok which can greatly reduce the processing time because USCIS: Bangkok has a much lower case load of such petitions when compared to the Service Centers in the United States of America. Also, a local filing does not process through the National Visa Center which can decrease the overall processing time as well.

In order to submit a local filing the couple must meet some fairly strict criteria, but should these requirements be met, the expedited processing time could be a virtual boon to those wishing to move quickly.

Tags: American Visa Thailand, I-130 application, IR-1 Visa, IR-1 Visa Thailand, IR1 Visa, IR1 Visa Thailand, Spouse visa Thailand, unconditional lawful permanent residence, US Visa Thailand
Posted in CR1 Visa, IR1 Visa, US Embassy Thailand, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | No Comments »

For a more detailed look at the CR1 visa please see our main CR1 visa page at: CR1 visa Thailand. For information about US Immigration generally please see: US Visa Thailand.

The CR-1 Visa in 2010

As the new year begins this author would like to take this opportunity to look at the current method of processing a United States CR1 visa and also look at the future of the visa process in order to provide some insight to those thinking about submitting a visa application or petition in the future.

Currently, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) estimates that it takes approximately 5 months months to come to a final decision regarding the disposition of an Immigrant CR-1 visa petition. This estimate measures the amount of time it generally takes from application submission until final decision. In the case of an approval, this estimate measures the amount of time it usually takes from the receipt date noted on Notice of Action 1 until the approval noted on Notice of Action 2. The prospective immigrant or the US petitioner should figure in more time for documentation compilation and delays due to the time the application will spend in transit.

Assuming petition approval, after the petition is adjudicated by USCIS it is sent to the National Visa Center (NVC). Unlike the K1 and K3 visa applications, the CR1 visa application will stay at the National Visa Center for an extended period of time due to the fact that NVC compiles a great deal of pertinent documentation which it then forwards on to the US Embassy. Many couples find this to be the most exasperating part of the US visa process because the National Visa Center can be a place where the application gets delayed.

After the National Visa Center forwards the case file to the United States Embassy, they will inform the applicant that it is time to prepare for the visa interview. The visa interview can inspire feelings of anxiety in the mind of the visa applicant as many are afraid that this phase of the process will be difficult. Many are under the mistaken impression that Consular Officers and Consulate Staff will try to undermine an applicant. In reality, the staff of the US Consulate is simply making an effort to conduct due diligence in an effort to ascertain whether or not the applicant has a genuine and bona fide intention to marry their American counterpart. Usually, the visa interview is a routine inquiry regarding the couple’s history.

Should the Consular Officer wish to review more documentation, they may issue a 221g refusal. This is simply a refusal to issue the visa without further documentation.

Should the visa application be approved, the applicant will be issued their visa shortly after the interview. The visa holder will then need to enter the Unted States within 6 months. Upon entry, the visa holder will be stamped into the US as a Lawful Permanent Resident. For those holding a CR-1 visa, their status will be Conditional Lawful Permanent resident util such time as an application for a lift of conditions is submitted and approved. After a lift of conditions is approved, the alien will be an unconditional lawful permanent resident in the USA.

Tags: CR-1 Visa, CR-1 Visa Thailand, CR1 Visa, CR1 Visa Thailand, Lift of Conditions, National Visa Center, Notice of Action 1, Notice of Action 2, US Visa, US Visa Thailand, USCIS, Visa Interview
Posted in CR1 Visa, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Thailand, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | 1 Comment »

For those interested in a detailed analysis of the K-3 Marriage visa please see: K3 visa Thailand. For general US Immigration information please see: US Visa Thailand.

K3 Visas in 2010

It is a new year in both Thailand and America and this author felt that this would provide a perfect opportunity to discuss the K3 visa and the obtainment process in 2010. At present, there is no reason to believe that the K3 visa process will dramatically change. That being said, Comprehensive Immigration Reform will likely be a major issue in the coming months and US Family Visas will probably be effected by any changes to the United States Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Since any commentary regarding future changes to the process would simply be an exercise in speculation it may better to simply explain the current process and processing times in order to facilitate more informed decision making on the part of future applicants and petitioners.

Currently, the K3 visa application is submitted after the submission of an initial I-130 application. At present, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) estimates that an I-129f application (the application that must be submitted in order to obtain a K3 visa) will be processed in approximately 5 months. This figure is slightly misleading as a K3 application requires that one include a copy of the Notice of Action 1 receipt for the initial I-130. It usually takes a minimum of one week after I-130 submission to receive a Notice of Action 1 receipt. Therefore, one should take this into consideration when making plans and timing calculations regarding the K3 visa for a Thai spouse.

K3 visas are processed through the National Visa Center in a manner similar to K1 visa applications. The application is then sent to the United States Embassy in Bangkok where the applicant (or their attorney of record) is notified that they can submit an application and request a visa interview.

The major difference between the K1 visa and the K3 visa is the fact that the K3 visa is a 2 year multiple entry visa where the K1 visa only provides the bearer with 90 days of lawful status in the United States. They are both dual intent visas in that they allow the bearer to have both non-immigrant and immigrant intent. This could be viewed as a benefit as it does not require the Consular Officer interviewing the applicant to analyze the applicant’s intentions through the prism of section 214b of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Section 214b is commonly cited by Consular Officers when denying applications for a US tourist visa or other non-immigrant visa categories.

Tags: dual intent, I-129f, I-129f Application, I-130, K-1 Visa, K-1 Visa Thailand, K-3 Visa, K-3 visa process, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 visa applications, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, K3 Visa Process, K3 Visa Thailand, National Visa Center, Notice of Action 1, us embassy bangkok
Posted in K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Thailand, US Tourist Visa, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | No Comments »

For those interested in finding out detailed information regarding fiance visas from Thailand please see our main page at: K1 visa Thailand. For more details about United States Visas generally please see: US Visa Thailand.

The New Year has dawned and the K1 visa still remains the most popular method employed by American Citizens when they wish to be reunited with their Thai fiance or fiancee in the USA. At the present time, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is estimating that the K1 visa processing time will be approximately 5 months. This estimate measures petition processing time from filing until final USCIS adjudication. For Thai fiancees seeking a K1 visa from the US Embassy in Bangkok this estimate does not take into account the processing time at the National Visa Center (NVC) nor the processing time for a K1 visa application at the US Embassy.

Generally, NVC takes approximately 14 days to process a visa petition, conduct a security clearance, and forward the file to the US Embassy. At present, it has been this author’s opinion, based upon prior experience, that this is usually the amount of time that it takes for the NVC to process the case file.

Once the file arrives at the US Embassy in Bangkok the officers will send a notice to the applicant and/or the attorney of record informing those concerned that they can now begin compiling the visa application. Generally, it takes approximately 2 weeks to compile the necessary documentation to send to the Embassy so that the Embassy staff can schedule the visa interview. In 2009, the Embassy began notifying applicants of appointment scheduling via email. This greatly streamlined the process and cut days, or, in some cases, weeks off of the final phases of the K1 visa process.

In those instances where a K1 visa applicant received a 221g refusal and request for further documentation, the Consular Officers generally processed the application efficiently and diligently once the applicant (or their attorney of record) presented the requested follow up documentation. It seems unlikely that this diligence and efficiency will subside in 2010.

The K1 visa process in 2010

At the time of this writing, it would appear that the K1 visa process will not be significantly changed in the near future and cases will continue to process through the system as before. However, with Comprehensive Immigration Reform on the horizon, there is good reason to believe that eventually the K1 visa process may change as a result of Congressional revision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). How these revisions will effect the K1 visa process remains to be seen. With all of this in mind, this author believes that the year 2010 should be a dynamic year for United States Immigration.

Tags: Fiance Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, Fiancee Visa, Fiancee Visa Thailand, K-1 Visa, K-1 Visa Process, K-1 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Process, K1 Visa Thailand, us embassy bangkok, US Visa Thailand
Posted in Fiance Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Thailand, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | 4 Comments »

For those with relatives overseas the immigration process can at times seem interminable. In most cases, the visa process involves multiple US government agencies and can be somewhat confusing as Immigration is an area in which different regulations overlap.

Currently, there is a Bill in Congress that would reform the United States Immigration system. Many practitioners of Immigration law as well as immigrants feel as though the time has come to reform the American Immigration system. On the American Immigration Lawyers Association Leadership blog there has been a recent posting about the current state of the Immigration system, ways it can be fixed, and how all of these issues impact Americans as well immigrants. To quote directly from the blog posting:

“The crises in family and employment immigration are chronic and pressing. The backlog in family and employment waiting lines is gravely dispiriting and undermines the long-held principle of family reunification. Immigrant Visa Numbers Hopelessly Encased In Amber. The situation is deteriorating every day with more detentions, more denials, more delays, more deportations and more defective decisions. ICE has now reported 105 deaths in civil immigration custody since 2003. More Immigrant Deaths in US Detention CommonDreams.org Now is the time to turn the tide of the culture of “No” pervading our immigration system. We need to unite families and we need to keep industry vibrant and competitive.”

At present, the K1 visa process for Thai fiancees takes approximately 6-7 months from K1 visa application submission until final decision at the US Embassy in Bangkok.

The K3 visa process generally takes approximately 8 months from initial I-130 submission until the the visa interview.

It now takes about 11-12 months to process a CR-1 or IR-1 visa if the petition is filed in the United States of America.

There are some who would argue that it takes too long to obtain a US visa for an immediate relative. Others find it rather odd that a fiancee visa takes less time to process than a marriage visa. This could be attributed to the fact the K1 visa does not provide the bearer with long term lawful presence in the United States of America, but instead only provides the visa holder with 90 days status in the USA and the opportunity to adjust status to permanent residence subsequent to marriage.

The upcoming Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill will be an interesting thing to watch as it will likely have a dramatic impact upon future immigrants to the United States as well as some of those currently processing through the Immigration system.

Tags: CR1 Visa, CR1 Visa Thailand, Fiance Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, Fiancee Visa, Fiancee Visa Thailand, IR1 Visa, IR1 Visa Thailand, K-1 Visa, K-1 Visa Thailand, K-3 Visa, K1 Visa, K1 visa application, K1 Visa Process, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, K3 Visa Thailand, Visa Interview
Posted in CR1 Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, Thailand Marriage Registration, Upcoming Legislation, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Thailand, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand | No Comments »