Integrity Legal

It would appear that the newly established tourist court is opening in Pattaya, Thailand today. This initiative was instigated due to a desire by Thai officials to provide foreign tourists with a forum to lodge complaints and seek redress of grievances. The new tourism court will be a “night court” as hearings will be held from 4:30pm until 8:30pm. Although the court appears to be prepared to hear some cases of a general nature (which involve tourists) it seems the court will primarily concern itself with cases involving consumer protection issues as well as tourist safety.

Of further interest to those who may have a case to bring before the Tourist Court is the announcement from Thai officials that such cases will likely be decided in the relatively quick period of one day as opposed to the customary 6 months usually required for traditional Thai courts to render a decision in a given adjudication. It appears that matters arising before the tourist court are likely to handled in much the same manner as arbitration proceeding since an emphasis will be placed upon negotiation rather than litigation. Cases of a more serious nature may be removed to the traditional Thai court system depending upon the issues involved.

It appears that Pattaya is not to be the only jurisdiction with a Court of this kind as it appears that there will be six additional Tourist Courts added to the system in the future. Thai officials intend to have these new Tourist Courts convened in the Silom area of Bangkok (with Pathum Wan District to be the venue) and the Khao San area of Bangkok (Dusit District). While Tourist Courts in Samui, Krabi, Phuket and Chiang Mai are expected to be convening soon as well. It should be interesting to see how decisions by these new Courts will be enforced since one of the parties to a given case may have returned to their homeland before the court has rendered a final decision. That stated, due to the fact that many of these Courts’ decisions are likely to be handed down in one day it stands to reason that many of the parties bringing cases will see resolution rather quickly.

This first Tourist Court in Pattaya is intended to act as a sort of a beta test for the Tourist Court system as a whole. As Thai officials, citizens, and foreign nationals get a glimpse of how these Courts will actually operate those experiences should be used to assist in making later established Courts more efficient. In recent years, Thailand’s government has implemented policies to discourage scams perpetrated against tourists as tourism is an important facet of the  Thai economy. The establishment of a Tourist Court appears to be logical extension of previously promulgated policies.

A recent article posted on the official MCOT website noted that Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is currently visiting Nanning, China. Nanning is the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Apparently she is visiting in her official capacity and attending the commencement of the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit and the 10th China-ASEAN Expo. These activities are reportedly to continue until the 6th of September. A government spokesman pointed out that the Kingdom of Thailand and the Peoples’ Republic of China are seeking to increase bilateral trade volume to $100 billion by 2015. The same spokesman also noted that the Chinese Prime Minister has signaled Chinese intentions to purchase 1 million tons of rice from Thailand.

The issue of international purchases of Thai rice has been controversial in recent months as the current Thai government has taken criticism for the so-called rice pledging scheme. Should the Chinese government ultimately purchase the amount of rice noted above it could be viewed as a positive development for the Thai agricultural sector as a whole and the rice sector in particular.

It was also noted that Chinese officials had displayed interest in investing in the Thai rubber industry. As in the case of the Thai rice pledging scheme, the current government has dealt with frustration from labor groups in the Thai rubber industry as protests of current policy have even caused highways and railways to be closed in Southern Thailand. Perhaps an influx of Chinese investment could ease some of these tensions and result in a more prosperous Thai rubber sector in the future.

Meanwhile, the issue of railways also seems to be of importance to Thai, ASEAN, and Chinese officials attending the summit as Thailand appears set upon investing 2 trillion baht in infrastructure projects including construction of high speed rail systems. It is hoped that by the year 2020 Thailand will have a high speed rail system connecting to China via Laos. In the previous posting on this blog it was pointed out that Chinese businesses are repositioning themselves both strategically and geographically in an effort to gain further access to what they believe to be an increasingly lucrative ASEAN market. By creating a high speed rail link between China and Thailand, Thai officials could place Thailand in a very beneficial position in the future since such a system would facilitate further trade not only between China and Thailand, but also between those two countries and the other ASEAN markets.

In a recent China Daily news article the impact of growing trade between China and the countries which comprise the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was discussed. It would appear that trade between China and ASEAN is having significant ramifications for merchants and businesspeople within China. The article points out that a Chinese candy manufacturer moved its operations to Guangxi, once considered something of a backwater, in an effort to better capitalize upon the benefits of ASEAN’s rise economically. In the article Wu Jinpei, the owner of the aforementioned candy manufacturer, points out that gaining access to the ASEAN market is an important issue for his business “We invested in Guangxi because the region is a gateway to the ASEAN, which provides great geographic advantages and potential markets.”

In a previous posting on this blog, it was pointed out that China-ASEAN trade has increased exponentially in the past 10 years. As of 2012, trade between ASEAN and China exceeded $400 billion. This number is roughly five times larger than the same figures in 2003. Clearly ASEAN is proving to not only be a major factor to be taken into consideration by those doing business within Southeast Asia, but also by those trading in Greater Asia as well. The previously cited article went on to point out that as trade has flourished between China and ASEAN the business dynamics within China have transformed as well. “When I first came here [Guangxi] in 1996, there were only a dozen businessmen from Fujian and the market was small,” said Wu. “But now more than 1,000 Fujian merchants have gathered in this tiny city and the number is growing.”

Recent comments from the Thai Prime Minister pointed out that high speed rail systems linking Thailand to China via Laos is a priority in the long term and many other ASEAN jurisdictions have been moving towards developing similar projects. These remarks, coupled with the information cited in the above article are reminiscent of the period in the United States when so-called “rail heads” created boom-towns across the American frontier. As the railroads continued their drive westward and as new territories became more integrated into the overall economy trade flourished and prosperity increased.

Could the growth of ASEAN-China trade and once small Chinese business communities becoming significant trade centers catering to ASEAN demand combined with the prospect of further economic integration through connection of ASEAN countries with China herald a new boom-town era for East and Southeast Asia? It seems quite likely that as China’s economy continues to become more sophisticated and as ASEAN moves toward economic integration, in the form of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), the world could see staggering economic growth in once obscure geographic areas in Asia.

Many people living in Thailand establish corporate entities in order to conduct business in the Kingdom. This is no different for foreign nationals wishing to do business in Thailand. In the past, it was relatively easy for foreign nationals to set-up a Thai company. However, over the years the rules regarding corporate formation have grown increasingly complex as the business environment has evolved. At the same time, Thai officials have implemented policies which foster foreign investment (most notably recent regulations which have decreased the Thai corporate tax rate from 23% to 20%). All of these issues gain a new complexion when one considers the fact that as Thai laws regarding corporations have developed so too have the agreements creating the infrastructure which underlies the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In the past, Thai authorities did not, in general, heavily scrutinize Thai companies with all Thai shareholders, even such entities having a foreign director. In fact, there was a time when simply maintaining a majority of Thai shareholders provided a degree of protection against substantial official examination. Thai partnerships (both limited and ordinary) were also somewhat immune from significant governmental oversight even where a foreign partner controlled a stake the firm. However, it should be noted that pursuant to the provisions of the Thai Foreign Business Act virtually all Thai business entities with a foreign majority ownership structure have been required to obtain either a Foreign Business License, a Treaty Certificate pursuant to the provisions of the US-Thai Treaty of Amity, or some other form of documentation showing either licensure from the Ministry of Commerce pursuant to Thai law or exemption based upon a Free Trade Agreement.

As of January 2013, a new policy regarding newly established Thai companies came into effect. Thai companies with any foreign directors must now prove that the registered capital has been paid into the company by the relevant shareholders. This is even the case where the company is wholly owned by Thai nationals. Furthermore, where a foreign national maintains 50% (or more) interest in a Thai partnership evidence must be provided showing paid up capital in the enterprise. Registered capital has always been an issue for Thai authorities, but it would now appear that the rules regarding registered capital will be applied more stringently especially where there is a foreign director or partner involved in the Thai company or partnership.

As the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is set to come into existence in 2015 and based upon the fact that Thailand has signed various international agreements pertaining to international trade and foreign direct investment there are some who argue that the time is quickly coming when Thai regulation of foreign run businesses will be liberalized. Until that time comes, the rules imposed upon foreigners setting up businesses in Thailand are likely to be more strictly enforced compared to times past.

For related information please see: Thailand Business Registration.

General “Stonewall” Jackson once said that his tactical and strategic imperative was to keep his opponents between the “horns of a dilemma”.  Expatriates living in the Kingdom of Thailand often find themselves caught between the horns of a dilemma when it comes to the issue of exchange rates. As a long time expatriate and small business owner in Thailand, this blogger often finds that the fluctuating value of the Thai baht when compared to other currencies can be both frustrating and (in some cases) exhilarating. When the Thai baht is weak against other currencies it generally means that the Thai economy is stronger because exports increase (as Thai products are viewed as less expensive) and tourism flourishes. The net result of increased exports and increases in the number of tourists means more money comes into Thailand and the economy improves.

On the other hand, when the Baht is strong it means that an expatriate earning money in Thailand has higher purchasing power in either their home country or other countries that they visit. In many cases, expatriates travel more than the average citizen of their home country, so currency fluctuations affect expatriates disproportionately when compared to those who primarily reside in one place for most of their lives.

The examples cited above are rather simplistic and definitely do not pertain to issues involving international currency markets, stock exchanges, and financial institutions; but they highlight an underlying day-to-day dichotomy that can be paradoxical for the average expatriate. Is it good to have a comparably strong or weak local currency? Following the economic crash in 1997, many expatriates in Thailand, especially those with significant foreign capital, were able to make investments into the economy that may not have been possible prior to the extreme devaluation of the Thai baht. This was definitely a positive development for the limited number of expats able to make such investments. Furthermore, it could also be viewed as something of a “silver lining” for the Thai economy. That being stated, the overall economic trauma caused by the 1997 crash was a burden on Thais as well as foreign expatriates as the Thai economy was stunted for some time in the aftermath. Meanwhile, it took many years for Thailand to once again be viewed as solid jurisdiction for large foreign investment.

Presently, there are those who speculate that Thailand may be standing on the precipice of another economic downturn. There are those who believe that the Baht will lose value (at least against the dollar) in the coming months and some who argue that previously implemented economic policies will lead to full-scale recession. At one time, expatriates were virtually immune from local economic downturns, now as the world has become more globally integrated such immunity may not prove so strong should an economic collapse occur again. Also with the ASEAN Economic Community quickly moving toward realization economic issues in one country could lead to problems across the region.

There is no unequivocal answer to the expatriate’s dilemma, but for expatriates in Thailand it might not be a bad idea to keep a close eye on those exchange rates.

In a recent article from The Telegraph author Ambrose Evans-Pritchard analyzed how Federal Reserve policies impact emerging markets. It is a very interesting article for anyone (especially expatriates living abroad) interested in understanding how Fed policy reverberates in markets outside of the United States. Of particular interest to expats living overseas was the analysis of the disproportionate impact Fed policy has on foreign nationals residing in other countries. Although the aforementioned article would seem primarily targeted  at a British audience, as an American expatriate living in the Kingdom of Thailand, I found this information compelling. Evans-Pritchard cited an assertion from Mirza Baig of BNP Paribas noting that foreign nationals bear significant currency risks in some of the nations in Southeast Asia. In Thailand, it appears that foreigners bear currency risks of 81%, while those expatriates living in Malaysia and India bear 90% and 74% risk, respectively. I have  dealt with the vicissitudes of currency fluctuation many times during my tenure in Thailand as the exchange rate between the Thai Baht and the US Dollar was around 39-1 when I first arrived in the Kingdom. Since then, I have seen the exchange rate fall (or rise depending upon your perspective) to around 27-1 and re-stabilize around 30-1. As of the time of this writing, the Baht-Dollar exchange rate stands at approximately 31-1. However, many are speculating that the Baht will lose value against the dollar in the coming months. This would likely be due to the perception that the Fed may begin to implement a kind of belt tightening after years of promoting liquidity.

Unlike times past, the actions of the Fed have increasingly serious implications in emerging markets. As the article noted, in the past when the Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker tightened up his belt, there were substantial ramifications in South America and elsewhere. The negative aspects of those policies on South American economies was containable. However, this was at a time when China was virtually isolated, and the Soviet Union did not really factor into the any analysis of the economic interactions between countries in the “Free World”. Meanwhile in the 1990′s Federal Reserve policies could negatively impact global economics more than before that period, such negative implications were still containable since there was a “power ratio” of around 1:2 between the United States economy and the emerging markets. This is no longer the case as the relationship has basically equalized. Should Fed policies have a substantial negative impact on the emerging markets, then the problem may not be contained within those markets and the economic problems could easily (and quickly, if there is anything to be learned from the financial crashes of the past decade) spill over into Western Europe and America.

In American politics, one cannot read articles and information regarding the United States’ stance on Southeast Asia without seeing the words “pivot”. The Obama administration has consistently noted that the U.S. wishes to see American foreign policy “pivot” to a more solid relationship with the nations in the Asia-Pacific region and those comprising the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In fact the P-word has been cited in connection to the visit to Southeast Asia by the American Secretary of Defense. However, in light of recent events in the economic sphere it would appear that ASEAN countries and Thailand specifically may be “pivoting” themselves. For example, at the recent meeting between the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and the Foreign Minister of China it was noted that Sino-ASEAN trade increased five times compared to ten years ago. As of 2012, trade between China and ASEAN stood at approximately $400 billion. Clearly, China is becoming an increasingly important trading partner and in light of the fact that ASEAN and Thailand may not wish to be at the mercy of the Fed’s whims, further solidifying this relationship may prove to be an effective method for ASEAN nations to mitigate negative side effects caused by economic policies of both China and the United States.

In a recent interview, the Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra, articulated a desire to see further investment in Thailand from China and supported such an investment due to Thailand’s position as the “strategic center” of ASEAN. “Thailand will be spending about 66 billion U.S. dollars in infrastructure. Especially, we will need the technology that China has, like high speed train,” Mrs. Yingluck stated. “And we know that the high-speed railway connecting Thailand and China will run from Thailand through Laos to China. So it will be an important part of Chinese investment in Thailand”. As the deadline for ASEAN integration comes ever closer it seems logical to assume that Thailand, the ASEAN jurisdictions, and China will all see a closer economic relationship begin to blossom. How this relationship will impact both diplomatic and trade relations with the United States remains to be seen, but American economic policy makers should be aware that the era of America being able to set economic and monetary policy with little thought to the implications in emerging Asian markets has passed.

The rules regarding processing and adjudication of applications for one year multiple entry Thai visas appear to have changed. The following was recently posted on the official website of the Honorary Thai Consulate in Birmingham, UK:

With immediate effect all Non-Immigrant Multiple Entry visas can not be issued on the same day, as we require authorisation from the Royal Thai Embassy  in London. Once approval has been granted the visa will be issued.
If your application is declined you will be informed.
Please ensure we have your UK contact telephone number.
All other visas will be issued on the same day as usual  providing we have all the correct documentation.

Although the procedural change noted above may not negatively affect Thai visa applicants, it may be an indication that Thai authorities are more diligently scrutinizing long term visa applications. Some visa issuance procedures have been in a state of flux for some time now, as many Royal Thai Honorary Consulates in the United States have already placed information on their websites which states that only 90 day Thai business visas will be issued and those wishing to remain longer in the Kingdom of Thailand must make a request for a Thai work permit and Thai visa extension.

As noted above, in the past it was possible to obtain one year multiple entry Thai visas from some Honorary Thai Consulates in as little as a day. However, as new non-immigrant multiple entry visa applications appear to be subject to increased scrutiny from Thai Consular Officers it could be argued that more long term Thai visa applications may be denied in the future.

The posting of these processing changes have come shortly after recent reports that Thai visa stickers destined for Thai Embassies and Consulates abroad went missing and that some foreign nationals in Thailand had been found with previously unaccounted for stickers in their passports. Perhaps Thai authorities are implementing stricter visa processing and adjudication rules in an attempt to curtail immigration fraud, or these rule changes could simply be the result of the naturally evolving state of Thai immigration policy. On a related note, it was recently reported that Thai immigration officials are thinking of implementing new E-visa procedures at the various Thai Consulates and Embassies around the world in order to maintain more security in the visa process. In any case, it appears that those seeking long term Thai visas from Thai Consulates and Embassies abroad will see their applications examined more closely compared to the past.

It is being reported that the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand is attending a joint ASEAN-China summit which will include China’s foreign minister and the Foreign Ministers of the other  members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). To quote from the Thai Government’s Public Relations Department website:

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul is attending and co-chairing the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 28-29 August 2013 in Beijing. The meeting is part of this year’s commemorative activities to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. ASEAN and Chinese Foreign Ministers will discuss future direction of ASEAN-China relations, including ways to advance ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership to a higher plane. They will also discuss key recommendations which were the result of the High-Level Forum on 10th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership, held in Bangkok on 2 August 2013. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the special meeting is a good opportunity for ASEAN and China Foreign Ministers to discuss various issues of common interests, which will pave the way to the successful 16th ASEAN-China Summit, to be held in Brunei Darussalam in October 2013.

Many issues of importance both to China and the ASEAN states are likely to be discussed including issues which touch upon economics in the region, human rights, and immigration policies. Concurrently, the ASEAN members have also been discussing the prospect of a single ASEAN visa scheme for sometime now. Although, as of the time of this writing, no such scheme exists there are those who would argue that such a development would encourage tourism in the ASEAN states (particularly from China and other Asian nations) and cross-border business expansion.

With respect to immigration policy in Thailand, recent developments in the Kingdom and at Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates abroad have caused Thai Immigration officials and the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs to begin discussing new methods for issuing visas in an effort to combat immigration fraud. As a large number of Thai visas stickers have been reported stolen and Citizens of various countries outside of Thailand have been detained for using inappropriately obtained visa stickers Thai authorities may begin rethinking the current system for issuing Thai visas. To quote from a different page on the Government Public Relations Department website.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary stated a long term solution to the problem [of fraudulently obtained "visas"] is to use electronics visa (E-VISA), a measure that Thailand is planning to implement at the end of next year.

It will be interesting to see how Thailand implements such as system especially as Thai visa issuance practices and security precautions are coming under scrutiny. Many nations around the world use e-visa systems when issuing travel documents to foreign nationals. The United States currently even requires those attempting to enter the U.S. on the visa waiver program to pre-enroll themselves in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) system prior to traveling.

It recently came to this blogger’s attention that the procedures for obtaining a Thai visa extension on an expiring passport have changed. In order to provide further insight into these developments it is necessary to quote directly from the official website of the Royal Thai Immigration Police:

According to the New Regulation from August 13, 2013,
when submitting application for Visa Extension if the validity of passport of the applicant is not longer than one year left before expiry,
the extension of stay will be permitted not exceeding the expired date of passport.
After the renewal of your passport of obtaining a new passport,
you have to re-apply for Visa Extension by submitting required document and paying extension fee ( 1,900 Baht).
In case of overstay, the fine is 500 Baht per day.

Clearly, those who have a passport expiring shortly following their Thai visa extension deadline will want to take measures either to renew their passport prior to visa extension renewal or be prepared to possibly pay more visa extension fees following renewal of a passport subsequent to extension.

Thai visa extensions are common among the expatriate community in Thailand as those holding non-immigrant visas such as the Thai Business Visa (categorized by Thai Immigration as Non-immigrant category “B”), the Thai O visa (often used by those who are married to a Thai or maintain a family relationship with a Thai national [in some cases a Thai O visa may be obtained by those who simply fall into the "miscellaneous" immigration category, Thai condominium owners being the most notable case in point]), the Thai Education visa (categorized as the ED visa), or the Thai Retirement Visa (classified as a Thai O-A visa) must obtain extensions in order to maintain lawful presence.

Holders of the Thai Business visa often obtain a visa extension when maintaining long term employment in the Kingdom of Thailand. It should be noted that those employed in Thailand must also obtain a Thai work permit as well as a Thai business visa extension in order to remain in the Kingdom for a long period of time to undertake employment activities. Those remaining in Thailand on a retirement visa, while able to obtain visa extensions, are generally unable to obtain a work permit as employment activities are not permitted while present in the country on an O-A visa. Holders of a Thai ED visa may also be eligible for one or more visa extensions, but are generally not allowed to obtain a work permit, except under very narrowly defined circumstances. Thai O visa holders may be able to obtain a Thai work permit depending upon the reason for the visa’s issuance. Those married to Thais, or those granted an O visa based upon having a Thai child are often able to obtain a Thai work permit.

จากการเขียน Blog ครั้งก่อนเรื่องข้อสงสัยเกี่ยวกับการขอย้ายถิ่นที่อยู่ของคู่สมรสเพสเดียวกันนั้น  ขาฯได้พบคำตอบเกี่ยวกับหัวข้อดังกล่าวจากกระทรวงมหาดไทยของสหรัฐฯ ดังนี้:

Q: คำตัดสินของศาลสูงเรื่องคดี Windsor vs. United States มีผลกระทบต่อกฎหมายคนเข้าเมืองอย่างไร?

A: ศาลสูงตัดสินว่า Section 3 ของ DOMA นั้น ขัดต่อรัฐธรรมนูญ จากนี้ไป สถานเอกอัครราชฑูตและสถานกงศุลของสหรัฐฯ จะปฎิบัติต่อการขอวีซ่าของคู่สมรสเพศเดียวกัน ในวิธีการเดียวกับคู่สมรสต่างเพศ  นอกจากนี้ คู่สมรสเพศเดียวกันที่จะเดินทางเข้าสหรัฐเพื่อ – งาน การศึกษา หรืออื่นๆ – จะขอวีซ่าเหล่านั้นได้เช่นกัน  รวมถึงลูกติดของคู่สมรสเพศเดียวกันด้วย

ตามที่เคยสนทนาใน Blog นี้ การที่ศาลลงความเห็นว่า Section 3  ของ DOMA นั้นขัดต่อรัฐธรรมนูญ ส่งผลให้ผู้ที่เป็นคนถือสัญชาติอเมริกันสามารถยื่นขอผลประโยชน์ทางการเข้าเมืองให้คู่สมรส (หรือคู่หมั้น) เพศเดียวกัน กระทรวงมหาดไทยของสหรัฐซึ่งรับผิดชอบเรื่องการออกวีซ่า ยังต้องทำการแจ้งข้อมูลเบื้องต้น  ทางกระทรวงมหาดไทยของสหรัฐได้จัดระบบให้สอดคล้องกับการตัดสินของศาลสูงเรียบร้อยแล้ว

Q: ข้ฯต้องอาศัยอยู่ในรัฐที่ออกกฏหมายยอมรับคู่สมรสเพศเดียวกันหรือไม่เพื่อที่จะขอวีซ่าเข้าเมือง

A: ไม่จำเป็น หากท่านได้จดทะเบียนสมรสในรัฐหรือประเทศที่ยอมรักการจดทะเบียนสมรสของคู่สมรสเพศเดียวกัน ถือว่าทะเบียนสมรสนั้นถูกต้องสำหรับประกอบการยื่นขออนุญาตเข้าเมือง (โปรดอ่านข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมใน Website ของ USCIS – ในหัวข้อ – Citizenship and Immigration Services)

เนื่องจากเขตปกครองของสหรัฐที่ยอมรับการสมรสระหว่างคนเพศเดียวกันนั้นมีไม่มาก และมีหลายรัฐที่ห้ามให้มีการสมรสระหว่างคนเพศเดียวกันนั้น จึงมีข้อสงสัยมากมายทั้งในวงของนักกฎหมายและของคู่สมรสเหล่านั้นด้วย ใน Blog ที่ข้าฯ ได้เขียนก่อนหน้านี้ ข้าฯได้ยืนยันแล้วว่าความถูกต้องขึ้นอยุ่กับ “รัฐที่ได้ทำการจดทะเบียน” นั่นคือ USCIS จะรับรองการยื่นขอย้ายถิ่นที่อยู่ของคู่สมรสเพศเดียวกันก็ต่อเมื่อการจดทะเบียนได้จดในรัฐที่ยอมรับการจดทะเบียนประเภทนี้  นอกจากนี้ ดูเหมือนว่ากระทรวงมหาดไทยของสหรัฐฯก็มีนโยบายที่คล้ายกันคือ จะอนุมัติการขอวีซ่าของคู่สมรสเพศเดียวกัน ต่อเมื่อ USCIS  ได้อนุมัติการเข้าเมืองของคู่ดังกล่าว  แต่อาจมี่เขตปกครองบางเขต ที่อาจยอมรับการครองเรือนของคนเพศเดียวกัน แต่อาจไม่ถือเป็นการสมรส ซึ่งทางกระทรวงมหาดไทยของสหรัฐฯกล่าวว่า:

Q: ข้าฯอยู่ร่วมกันกับคูคนเพศเดียวกัน  เราจะได้รับสิทธิเหมือนคู่ที่ทำการสมรสหรือไม่

A: ณ. เวลานี้ การขอย้ายถิ่นที่อยู่ จะอนุมัติให้เฉพาะบุคคลที่จดทะเบียนสมรสอย่างถูกต้องตามกฎหมาย

ถึงแม้คำตอบจะดูชัดเจนแล้ว มีหลายคู่อาจมีข้อสงสัยเพิ่มเติมคือ:

Q: ข้าฯถือสัญชาติอเมริกันและมี่คู่หมั้นต่างชาติที่เป็นคนเพสเดียวกันกับข้าฯ แต่ไม่สามารถทำการจดทะเบียนสมรสในประเทศของคู่หมั้น เรามีทางเลือกอย่างไรบ้าง? เราสามารถขอ K-Visa (วีซ่าคู่หมั้น) ได้หรือไม่?

A: คุณสามารถยื่น Form I-129f และขอวีซ่าคู่หมั้น (K-1) หากคุณสมบัติครบตามข้อกำหนดของการขอเข้าเมือง การที่เป็นการหมั้นระหว่างคนเพสเดียวกัน อาจอนุมัติให้ใช้เพื่อเข้าไปจดทะเบียนสมรสในสหรัฐฯ หากต้องการขอข้อมูลเรื่องการปรับสถานะ อ่านได้ใน Website ของ USCIS:

ในเมื่อในเวลานี้ คู่สมรสต่างเพศสามารถยื่นขอ K1 วีซ่า ได้ จึงมีความน่าจะเป็นที่คู่หมั้นที่มีเพศเดียวกันน่าจะยื่นขอ  US fiance visa ได้เช่นกัน หากมีความตั้งใจที่จะไปจดทะเบียนสมรสในเขตปกครองที่อนุญาตการจดทะเบียนสมรสระหว่างคนเพศเดียวกัน

อีกประเด็นที่อาจมีข้อสงสัยคือการออก Non-immigrant visa (NIV)  วีซ่าประเภทนี้ไม่ได้ไม่ได้อนุญาตให้ผู้ถือเปลี่ยนสถานะเป็นผู้ย้ายเข้าเมือง  ทางกระทรวงมหาดไทยได้ให้รายละเอียดดังนี้สำหรับการออก NIV ให้กับคู่สมรสเพศเดียวกันว่า:

Q: คู่ที่เป็นเพศเดียวกันสามารถขอวีซ่าประเภทเดียวกันหรือไม่?

A: ได้  ณ. เวลานี้ คู่สมรสเพศเดียวกันพร้อมลูกสามารถยื่นขอวีซา NIV ได้ คู่ครองเพศเดียวกันและลูก (ถือเป็นลูกเลี้ยงของผู้ยื่นหลัก หากจดทะเบยนสมรสก่อนเด็กอายุครบ ๑๘ ปีบริบูรณ์) ก็ สามารถรับสิทธิขอวีซ่า NIV ถ้ากฎหมายอนุมัติวีซ่าให้  แต่เอกสารเพิ่มเติมคงไม่มีการเปลี่ยนแปลง เช่นเดียวกับการขอให้คู่สมรสเพศเดียวกัน [italics added]

Q: คู่สมรสต่างชาติของข้าพเจ้ามีบุตร ข้าพเจ้ายื่นคำขอพร้อมกับคู่สมรสได้หรือไม่?

A: ได้  บุตรของคู่สมรสต่างชาติจะถือเป็น”ลูกเลี้ยง” ของผู้ถือสัญชาติอเมริกันจึงสามารถรับสิทธิในกลุ่ม IR2 แต่ต้องจดทะเบยนสมรสก่อนเด็กอายุครบ ๑๘ ปีบริบูรณ์

แน่นอน ทางกระทรวงมหาดไทยของสหรัฐฯ ได้อนุมัติให้ลูกเลี้ยงคนคนถือสัญชาติอเมริกันย้ายเข้าเมืองในกรณีที่ คู่สมรสเพศเดียวกันจดทะเบียนสมรสก่อนเด็กอายุครบ ๑๘ ปีบริบูรณ์ ดังนั้น น่าจะเป็นที่เข้าใจว่าเด็กที่กำลังจะเป็นลูกเลี้ยงของคนถือสัญชาติอเมริกันที่ขอวีซ่าประเภทคู่หมั้นคือ  K-2 visa เพื่อทำการสมรสในสหรัฐฯ

หากท่านต้องการข้อมูลจาก Website หาได้ที่: วีซ่าคู่เพศเดียวกัน