Integrity Legal

It now appears that all visa services provided to foreign nationals at American Embassies and Consulates abroad have been suspended. In a recent article from Reuters, the following was reported:

The United States is suspending all routine visa services as of Wednesday in most countries worldwide due to the coronavirus outbreak, a spokeswoman for the State Department said, an unprecedented move that will potentially impact hundreds of thousands of people…The State Department spokeswoman said U.S. missions abroad will continue to provide emergency visa services “as resources allow,” and that the services to U.S. citizens will remain available.

Concurrently, the following message was issued by the US Embassy in Thailand:

Information for Immigrant Visa applicants regarding novel coronavirus: As of March 19, 2020, the United States Embassy and Consulate in Thailand are cancelling Immigrant Visa appointments until further notice.  We will resume routine Immigrant Visa services as soon as possible but are unable to provide a specific date at this time.  Once we resume Immigrant Visa operations, we will contact you with a new appointment date. Applicants who had their Immigrant Visa interviews cancelled due to the cessation of operations will be given first priority for rescheduling.

Meanwhile, it now appears that all intending entrants to Thailand will be required to present a medical certificate prior to boarding a plane for Thailand. To quote directly from a recent article in the Bangkok Post:

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand now requires all air passengers, Thai and foreign, to show Covid-19-free health certificates and Covid-19 insurance before boarding their flights to Thailand…Airlines must require passengers to present health certificates issued no more than 72 hours before the  flight departs. The certificates must guarantee that the passengers are free of Covid-19, regardles where they board. Airlines must also require that passengers have insurance covering Covid-19 treatment in Thailand, up to at least US$100,000.

We will keep this blog updated as the situation evolves.

Tags: American Embassy Bangkok, American Embassy Thailand, American Visa, American Visa Thailand, border run, corona virus, coronavirus, CORVID, CORVID-19, COVID, covid-19, covid-19 thailand, covid19, covid19 thailand, CR1 Visa Cambodia, CR1 Visa Laos, CR1 Visa Thailand, don muang, Fiance Visa, Fiance Visa Cambodia, Fiance Visa Laos, Fiance Visa Thailand, Fiancee Visa, ir1 visa cmabodia, IR1 Visa Laos, IR1 Visa Thailand, K-1 Visa, K-3 Visa, K1 Fiance Visa, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Cambodia, K1 Visa Laos, K1 Visa Thailand, k3 marriage visa, K3 Visa, K3 Visa Cambodia, K3 Visa Laos, K3 Visa Thailand, Marriage Visa Cambodia, marriage visa laos, Marriage Visa Thailand, Suvarnabhumi, Thai Visa, us embassy bangkok, us embassy thailand, US Visa, US Visa Thailand, USA Visa, visa, Visa Run, visas
Posted in Thailand Visa, US Visa Thailand | No Comments »

In recent months, both Thai and American immigration systems have been in a state of flux. In some ways the systems have become more streamlined, but in other ways it is becoming more difficult to navigate these systems. The Trump administration has been implementing policies which make immigration to the United States more difficult, as a practical matter. Recently, these prerogatives are starting to have an impact on the ground in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and ASEAN as a whole. For example, Myanmar has been placed upon a list of countries banned from traveling to the USA. As a result, Myanmar nationals will not be able to enter the USA, nor will such nationals be granted visas to travel to the USA. If and/or when this ban will be lifted remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, there has been a great deal of discussion surrounding the administration’s implementation of new public charge rules in relations to immigrant visas for the USA. It is clear that there will be a direct impact upon those who are seeking family based immigrant and non-immigrant visas to the United States. For example, those seeking a CR-1 visa or an IR-1 visa will need to deal with the DS-5540 Public Charge Questionnaire when undertaking Consular Processing of their cases at the US Embassy or US Consulate in the jurisdiction in which the applicants reside. Concurrently, it is also clear that those who travel to the United States on a K-1 visa or a K-3 visa will need to deal with the I-944 form as part of the implementation of public charge adjudication during adjustment of status to lawful permanent residence (a.k.a. “Green Card” status”).

A question posed to this blogger recently: When seeking a K visa abroad, will I need to fill out a DS-5540? The answer to this question is not overly clear at first glance. This blogger did some research and came upon the following information in the Foreign Affairs Manual:

9 FAM 302.8-2(B)(4) (U) Applying INA 212(a)(4) to Nonimmigrants

d. (U) Alien Seeking Admission as K Nonimmigrants: K nonimmigrants and their petitioners are not permitted to complete form I-864. You may request a K applicant complete Form DS-5540 to assist in evaluating likelihood of becoming a public charge. Note that K applicants will again be assessed under the public charge ineligibility by USCIS at the time of adjustment of status where the K nonimmigrant seeking adjustment of status will be required to submit a Form I-864.

It is clear that non-immigrant visas are not the same thing as immigrant visas, but K visas are an odd hybrid creature in the immigration world and their posture in these matters can be somewhat fluid. Note that the FAM states the adjudicating officer “may request a K applicant complete Form DS-5540,” but it is not required. Meanwhile, it goes on to note that the applicant is not allowed to file an I-864 and that the issue of public charge we be adjudicated again at the adjustment of status phase of the process. Is this wording designed to allow American Embassies and Consulates leeway to not require K visa applicants to file a DS-5540? Perhaps, the practical implications of the public charge rule at the US Embassy in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia remain to be personally witnessed by this blogger, but rest assured as soon a there is further clarification we will follow up on those developments.

Tags: Adjustment of Status, Affidavit of Support, American Visa Thailand, CR1 Visa Cambodia, CR1 Visa Laos, CR1 Visa Thailand, DS-5540, FAM, Foreign Affairs Manual, Green Card, I-134, I-864, I-944, IR1 Visa Cambodia, IR1 Visa Laos, IR1 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa Cambodia, K1 Visa Laos, K1 Visa Myanmar, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa Cambodia, K3 Visa Laos, K3 Visa Thailand, Public Charge, public charge rule, US Visa Cambodia, US Visa Laos, US Visa Myanmar, US Visa Thailand, USA Visa Thailand
Posted in US Visa and Immigration | No Comments »

It has recently been announced that the Trump administration is creating a new “National Vetting Center”. The following article is intended to shed light on what this institution is designed to do and how it will fit into the overall immigration process.

It should first be noted that the National Vetting Center should not be confused with the preexisting National Visa Center which acts as a sort of clearing house and central repository for documentation pertaining to visa applications through the Department of State. The National Visa Center’s function is to gather relevant documentation and forward cases to the appropriate US Embassy or US Consulate for visa interview scheduling.

The National Vetting Center would seem to have a different mandate, although not altogether different as both institutions deal with matters pertaining to US Immigration. In an effort to provide further insight it is necessary to cite a recent article from the website of USA Today:

The National Vetting Center will be run by the Department of Homeland Security with assistance from the intelligence community and the departments of State, Justice and Defense. Its mission: To “collect, store, share, disseminate, and use” a broad range of information about people who seek to enter the United States, with a goal of identifying people who may be a threat to national security or public safety. “This is yet another step towards knowing who is coming to the United States — that they are who they say they are and that they do not pose a threat to our nation,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in a statement.

Although disregarded by some at the time as overreacting, this blogger has noted in prior discussion of so-called extreme vetting policy that although it was initially discussed in a very narrow geographical and situational context the establishment of the National Vetting Center and the presumption that all future US Immigration processing will involve said institution shows that this policy will have broad ramifications for all visa applicants.

What does this mean for the timing of US visa applications? At this time it is too soon to say whether the addition of National Vetting Center protocols will result in slower processing times. However, it stands to reason that adding an entirely new institutional bureaucracy to the overall immigration framework will result in at least some delays in the processing of petitions and applications.

As has been discussed previously on this blog and through some of our firm’s videos: the Trump administration’s policies with respect to Immigration could have wide ranging and long lasting ramifications for those seeking visas in the future. Furthermore, if a deal can be reached with respect to Comprehensive Immigration Reform it looks as though the era of so-called “chain migration” (allowing extended family of Lawful Permanent Residents and American citizens to seek visa benefits)  and the visa lottery will likely come to an end.

Tags: American Embassy Bangkok, American Embassy Cambodia, American Embassy Phnom Penh, American Embassy Thailand, American Visa Cambodia, American Visa Thailand, CR1 Visa, CR1 Visa Thailand, Department of Homeland Security, Extreme Vetting, Fiance Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, IR1 Visa, IR1 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Cambodia, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, K3 Visa Cambodia, K3 Visa Thailand, National Vetting Center, National Visa Center, NVC, us embassy bangkok, us embassy thailand, US Fiance Visa, US Immigration, US Visa Cambodia, US Visa Thailand, USA Immigration, USA Visa Thailand
Posted in US Embassy Thailand | No Comments »

Khmer language translation of video found here: ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​រៀបការសំរាប់​ពលរដ្ឋ​កម្ពុជា​ទៅ​រស់​នៅ​សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក

សួស្ដី! ខ្ញុំឈ្មោះ Benjamin Hart ។ ខ្ញុំគឺជាមេធាវី និងជានាយកគ្រប់គ្រងនៃក្រុមហ៊ុនIntegrity Legal នៅក្នុងទីក្រុងបាងកកនៃប្រទេសថៃ ។

នៅក្នុងវីដេអូថ្ងៃនេះ យើងនឹងពិភាក្សាអំពីទិដ្ឋាការប្រភេទរៀបការ​ ដោយផ្តោតទៅលើបរិបទនៃ​ស្ថាន​ទូត​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិកប្រចាំ​នៅ​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញនៃប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ។

ដូចដែលយើងបានលើកឡើងខាងលើ យើងស្ថិតនៅក្នុងទីក្រុងបាងកក ។ ខ្ញុំ​គឺ​ជា​មេធាវី​ជនជាតិ​អាមេរិកាំង ប៉ុន្តែ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​របស់​យើង​គឺ​ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្នុង​ទីក្រុង​បាងកក ។ ការ​ងារ​របស់​យើង​ជា​ច្រើន​ដែល​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ការ​ធ្វើ​អន្តោប្រវេសន៍​ទៅ​កាន់​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក គឺ​កើតឡើង​នៅ​ជុំវិញ​ទីក្រុង​បាង​កក និង​ការិយាល័យ​កុងស៊ុល​នៃស្ថាន​ទូត​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក ហើយ​ជាពិសេស​ ​សំណុំរឿង​របស់​យើង​ គឺ​នឹង​ត្រូវ​បញ្ចប់​នៅ​ក្នុង​កុងស៊ុល​នៃស្ថាន​ទូត​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិកនៅ​ទី​នេះ ។ ជាមួយ​គ្នា​នេះ​ យើង​ក៏​ទទួល​យក​សំណុំរឿង​ផ្សេងៗ​នៅ​ក្នុង​តំបន់​ផង​ដែរ ។ ខ្ញុំ​បាន​រត់ការ​សំណុំរឿង​ផ្សេងៗទាំង​នោះ​ញឹកញាប់​គួរសម​ដែរ ។ បើ​និយាយ​អោយ​ជាក់​លាក់ទៅ កម្ពុជា​គឺ​ប្រទេស​មួយ​ដែល​ខ្ញុំ​បាន​ធ្វើ​ការ​ជាមួយ​ញឹកញាប់​ជាង​គេ​នៅ​ក្នុង​តំបន់នេះ ។ ខ្ញុំ​គិត​ថា​ វា​អាស្រ័យ​ទៅ​លើ​ឆ្នាំផ្សេងគ្នា ។ ប៉ុន្តែ​យើង​បាន​ពិភាក្សា​អំពី ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ K-1 នៅ​ក្នុង​វីដេអូ​ផ្សេង​មួយ​ទៀត ដែលជា​​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​គូដណ្ដឹង ។ នៅ​ក្នុង​វីដេអូ​នេះ យើង​នឹង​ពិភាក្សា​ជា​ពិសេស​អំពី​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទរៀប​ការ ។ ដូច្នេះ​ក្នុង​ពេល​នេះ ខ្ញុំ​នឹង​និយាយ​អំពីទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ CR-1, IR-1 ឬ​ K-3 ។ មាន​វីដេអូ​មួយ​ផ្សេងទៀត​នៅ​ក្នុង​ទំព័រ​នេះ ដែល​និយាយ​ជា​ពិសេស​អំពីទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ K-3 ហើយ​ខ្ញុំ​នឹងទុក​អោយ​វីដេអូ​នោះ​​ពិភាក្សា​លំអិត​ ឬ​ជាក់លាក់​អំពី​ទិដ្ឋាការ​នេះ​ ។ ទោះ​បី​ជា​យ៉ាង​ណា​ក៏​ដោយ ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ CR-1 និង IR-1 ដែល​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ CR-1 គឺ​ប្រភេទ​អ្នក​រស់​នៅជា​អចិន្ត្រៃយ៍​ដោយ​មាន​លក្ខខ័ណ្ឌ និង IR-1 ជា​ប្រភេទ​សាច់ញាតិ​ផ្ទាល់ ហើយ​អ្នក​ដែល​ចូល​ទៅកាន់​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក​តាម​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ IR-1 គឺ​ជា​អ្នក​រស់​នៅ​ជា​អចិន្ត្រៃយ៍​ដោយ​ស្របច្បាប់​ដោយ​មិនមាន​លក្ខខ័ណ្ឌ ដែល​ខុស​ពី​​អ្នក​រស់​នៅ​ជា​អចិន្ត្រៃយ៍​ដោយ​ស្របច្បាប់​តែមាន​លក្ខខ័ណ្ឌ ។ និយាយ​ជា​រួម គឺ​ខ្ញុំ​និយាយ​អំពី​ជន​បរទេស ដែល​បាន​រៀប​ការ ហើយ​ខ្ញុំ​និយាយ​ជា​ពិសេស​អំពីពលរដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរ ដែល​រៀបការ​ជាមួយ​នឹងពលរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក ។ ទោះ​បី​ជា​ការ​វិភាគ​នេះ​អាច​យក​ទៅអនុវត្ត​បានចំពោះ​​​​អ្នក​រស់​នៅ​ជា​អចិន្ត្រៃយ៍​ដោយ​ស្របច្បាប់​នៅ​ក្នុង​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក​ដែល​មាន​បំណង​ចង់​យក​ប្ដី​ឬ​ប្រពន្ធ​ជនជាតិ​ខ្មែរ​របស់​ពួក​គេទៅ​កាន់​​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិកក៏​ដោយ​ ក៏​ប៉ុន្តែ​ខ្ញុំ​នឹង​ព្យាយាម​និយាយតែ​​អំពី​ពលរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក ដែល​មាន​បំណង​ចង់​យក​ប្ដី​ឬ​ប្រពន្ធ​ជនជាតិ​ខ្មែរ​របស់​ពួក​គេទៅ​កាន់​​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិកតែ​ប៉ុណ្ណោះ ។

ដូចនេះ អ្វី​ដែល​ត្រូវ​គិត​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ពលរដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរ​ដែល​ចង់​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​សុំ​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​រៀបការដើម្បី​ទៅ​រស់​នៅ​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក គឺ​ថា​វា​គឺ​ជា​ដំណើរ​ការ​ដែល​មាន​៣​ផ្នែក ដែល​អ្នក​ត្រូវ​តែ​ចាប់​ផ្ដើម​ដោយ​រត់ការ​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​នៅ​​ក្រសួង​សន្តិសុខ​មាតុភូមិ​ និង​ភ្នាក់ងារ​សេវាអន្តោប្រវេសន៍ និង​ពលរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក ។ បន្ទាប់​មក​ទៀត អ្នក​ត្រូវ​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​ជាមួយ​នឹង​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ជាតិ ដែល​នៅ​ក្នុង​បរិបទ​ទិដ្ឋាការ​អន្តោប្រវេសន៍ប្រភេទ​ប្ដីឬ​ប្រពន្ធ​ មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ជាតិមាន​តួនាទី​ផ្សេងពីតួនាទីរបស់​ខ្លួន​ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ទិដ្ឋាការ​​ប្រភេទ K គឺ​ប្រភេទ K-1 និង K-3 ។ នៅ​ក្នុង​សំណុំ​រឿង​សុំ​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ K-1 និង K-3 ដែល​ក្នុង​ករណី​ទាំង​នោះ​​​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ K-3 ត្រូវ​បាន​សំរេច​យល់​ព្រម នោះ​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ជាតិគ្រាន់​តែ​ដើរ​តួ​ជា​ទី​កន្លែង​លាង​សំអាត​ឯកសារ ឬ​កន្លែង​បញ្ជូន​ឯកសារ ដើម្បី​ធានា​អោយ​ប្រាកដ​ថា​សំណុំ​រឿង​នោះ​ចាក​ចេញ​ពី​ភ្នាក់ងារ USCIS ទៅ​កាន់​ស្ថានទូត​ក្រៅ​ប្រទេស​ដែល​សមស្រប ។ ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ទិដ្ឋាការអន្តោប្រវេសន៍​ទៅ​រស់​នៅ​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក វិសាលភាព​នៃ​ការ​ងារ​របស់​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ជាតិគឺ​មាន​លក្ខណៈ​ទូលំទូលាយ ។​ ពួក​គេ​ធ្វើ​ការ​ប្រមូល​ឯកសារ​ជា​ច្រើន ពួក​គេ​នឹង​ទាក់​ទង​ទៅ​អ្នក​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​ប្រសិន​បើ​ពួក​គេមាន​អារម្មណ៍​ថា​ខ្វះឯកសារ​ណាមួយ ឬ​ពួកគេ​មាន​អារម្មណ៍​ថាត្រូវ​ការ​ពត៌មាន​ចាំបាច់​បន្ថែម​ទៀត ។ នៅ​ក្នុង​វីដេអូ​មួយ​ផ្សេង​ទៀត​នៅ​ក្នុង​ទំព័រ​នេះ​យើង​បាន​ពិភាក្សាអំពីអ្វី​ដែល​គេ​ហៅ​ថា និតិវិធី​នៃ​ការ​ត្រួតពិនិត្យ​ដ៏​ខ្លាំង​បំផុត​របស់​រដ្ឋបាល​ប្រធានាធិបតី​ Trump ក្នុង​ពេល​ឥឡូវ​នេះ ។ ខ្ញុំ​មិន​ដឹង​ដែរ ហើយ​​ខ្ញុំក៏​​មិន​ទាន់​បាន​ឃើញ​ការ​​ត្រួតពិនិត្យ​ដ៏​ខ្លាំង​បំផុត​ណាមួយ​ត្រូវ​​បានធ្វើ​ឡើង​នៅ​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ជាតិនៅ​ឡើយ​ទេ ប៉ុន្តែ​ខ្ញុំ​អាច​មើល​ឃើញ​ថា​នៅ​ក្នុង​ពេល​ណា​មួយ​នៅ​​ថ្ងៃ​អនាគត មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ជាតិ​នឹង​អនុវត្ត​និតិវិធី​នៃ​ការ​ត្រួតពិនិត្យ​ដ៏ខ្លាំង​បំផុតនេះ ។ ទោះ​បី​ជា​យ៉ាង​ណា​ក្ដី ពួក​គេ​មាន​តួនាទី​យ៉ាង​សកម្មក្នុង​សំណុំ​រឿង​ទិដ្ឋាការ​អន្តោប្រវេសន៍ ។ នៅពេ​ល​ដែល​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ជាតិយល់​ថា​ឯកសារ​មាន​គ្រប់​គ្រាន់​ហើយ ពួកគេ​នឹង​បន្តដំណើរ​ការ​សំណុំរឿង​ទៅ​កាន់​ស្ថានទូតសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិកប្រចាំនៅរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ ហើយ​ថ្ងៃ​សំភាស​នឹង​ត្រូវ​កំណត់​នៅ​ស្ថានទូត ។ នៅ​ពេល​សំភាស មាន​រឿង​ជា​ច្រើន​ដែល​អាច​កើត​ឡើង ដែល​មាន​ដូច​ជា​អ្វី​ដែល​គេ​ហៅ​ថាសំណើ 221-G ដើម្បី​ស្នើសុំ​អោយ​បេក្ខជន​ដាក់​ឯកសារ​បន្ថែម ដែល​មន្ត្រី​ដែល​ធ្វើ​ការ​សំភាស​ចង់​ឃើញ​ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ករណី​នោះ ។ ជា​ទូទៅ បន្ទាប់​ពី​មាន​ការ​ត្រួត​ពិនិត្យ​ពីមជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ជាតិហើយ ការ​ស្នើ​សុំ​ឯកសារ​បន្ថែម​នេះ​មិន​សូវ​ជា​មាន​ញឹក​ញាប់​ទេ ប៉ុន្តែ​វា​អាច​កើតឡើង​បាន ។ ខ្ញុំមិន​គួរ​និយាយ​ថា​វា​កំរ​កើត​ឡើង​នោះ​ទេ ។ នៅ​ក្នុង​ករណី​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ K-1 វា​អាច​កើត​ឡើង​ជា​ញឹកញាប់​ ដោយ​សារ​តែ​ស្ថានភាព​នីមួយៗ​គឺ​ផ្សេងៗគ្នា ។ ទិដ្ឋាការប្រភេទ​រៀបការ ហាក់​ដូច​ជា​មាន​ភាព​ច្បាស់​លាស់ និង​ងាយ​យល់ ហើយ​ខ្ញុំ​គិត​ថា​វា​ជា​រឿង​ដែល​ត្រឹម​ត្រូវ​ក្នុង​ការ​មើល​ទៅ​លើ​ករណី​នេះ​តាម​បែប​​ហ្នឹង ។ ប៉ុន្តែ​អ្វី​ដែល​ខ្ញុំ​ចង់​និយាយ​នៅ​ពេល​នេះ​គឺថា មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ជាតិនឹង​កំណត់​ថ្ងៃ​សំភាស ហើយ​កាល​កំណត់​នោះ​នឹង​ត្រូវ​បញ្ជូន​ទៅ កាន់​ស្ថានទូត​នៅ​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ បន្ទាប់​មក​អ្នក​ត្រូវ​តែ​ចូល​សំភាស ។ ជា​រឿយៗ យើង​ធ្វើ​ការ​ត្រៀម​សំភាស​ជាមួយ​អតិថិជន​របស់​យើង ដើម្បី​អោយ​ពួកគេ​មាន​ការ​យល់​នូវ​អ្វី​ដែល​មន្ត្រី​កុងស៊ុល អាច​នឹង​ចង់ដឹង​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ពាក្យ​សុំ ឬ​ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ចំណុច​ជាក់លាក់​ណា​មួយ​នៃ​អ្នក​ដែល​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​សុំ ។​ រឿង​ផ្សេង​ទៀត​ដែល​យើង​ធ្វើ​គឺ​ផ្ដល់​នូវ​ការ​យល់​ដឹង​ខ្លះៗ​ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​និតិវិធី​ដែល​សំណុំ​រឿង​នឹង​ត្រូវ​ដំណើរ​ការ​នៅ​ស្ថាន​ទូត ។

ជា​រួម​ ខ្ញុំ​គិត​ថា​វិធីមើល​ទៅ​លើ​ដំណើរ​ការ​ទូទៅ​នៃ​ការ​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​សុំ​ទិដ្ឋាការអន្តោប្រវេសន៍​ទៅរស់​នៅ​សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក​គឺដូចនេះ៖ វា​ចាប់​ផ្ដើម​នៅ​ក្រសួង​សន្តិសុខមាតុភូមិនៃ​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក ហើយ​បន្ត​ទៅ​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ជាតិដែល​ខុសពី​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ K មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ជាតិ​ មាន​តួនាទី​យ៉ាង​សកម្ម​ក្នុង​ដំណើរ​ការ​នេះ ហើយ​បន្ទាប់​មក​វា​នឹង​ត្រូវ​បញ្ជូន​ទៅ​កាន់​ស្ថានទូតសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិកប្រចាំនៅរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ ។ នៅ​ពេល​នោះ ការ​សំភាស​នឹង​ត្រូវ​ធ្វើ​ឡើង ហើយ​ឯកសារ​បន្ថែម​ផ្សេងៗ​អាច​នឹង​ត្រូវ​ស្នើសុំ ដែល​អ្នក​នឹង​ត្រូវ​ ​រក​ឯកសារ​ដើម្បី​ដាក់​ជូន​ទៅ​កុងស៊ុលមុនពេល​ដែល​ ទិដ្ឋាការ​អាច​នឹង​ត្រូវ​សំរេច​យល់​ព្រមចេញ​អោយ​អ្នកនៅ​ចុង​បញ្ចប់ ។

Tags: American Visa Cambodia, CR1 Visa, CR1 Visa Cambodia, Fiance Visa Cambodia, IR1 Visa, IR1 Visa Cambodia, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Cambodia, K3 Visa, K3 Visa Cambodia, US Visa Cambodia, USA Visa Cambodia
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The following is a transcript of a video which can be found here: US Marriage Visa Cambodia

In this video today, we are going to be discussing marriage visas in the specific context of the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

As you can see from the aforementioned preamble to this video, we are based here in Bangkok. I am an American attorney but the firm is based here in Bangkok. The bulk of our work in US immigration matters does revolve around Bangkok and the Consular section of the US Embassy here primarily our cases that are going to end up at the US Consular Section here. That being said, we do take other cases in the region, I do deal with a fair number of these rather frequently. Cambodia is one I deal with probably more often than any other country in the region if I ‘m being very specific. It kind of depends on the year, I guess. But that being said, the K-1, we discussed specifically in another video, that’s a fiancée visa. In this video, we are discussing US marriage visas specifically. So for now, I’m talking about the CR-1, IR-1 or the K-3 visa. There’s another video on this channel which goes specifically into the K-3 visa and I am going to sort of leave it to that video to discuss that directly if there’s specific things to think about with respect to the K-3. But suffice it to say, the CR-1 and the IR-1, CR-1 is Conditional Resident category, IR-1 is Immediate Relative and the person that enters on an IR-1 enters in unconditional lawful permanent residence as opposed to conditional lawful permanent residence to the United States. Generally speaking, I am talking about foreign nationals married, and I am specifically talking about Khmer, Cambodian Nationals married to an American citizen. Although some of this analysis could apply to a lawful permanent resident in the United States trying to bring their Cambodian spouse over as well but I’m going to try to keep it more on point with respect to an American citizen, seeking to bring a Cambodian female or male spouse to the United States.

So the thing to think about with respect to Cambodian nationals applying for marriage visa benefits to the US, it’s kind of a 3 part process in so far as you have to initially deal with the Department of Homeland Security and their United States Citizenship and Immigration Service  apparatus. Then you have got to go ahead and deal with the National Visa Center which in the context of Immigrant Spousal Visas, the National Visa Center is a very different animal than when you compare it to the K categories, the K-1 and the K-3. In the K-1 and the K-3 cases, in those cases where the K-3 gets processed through, in a way NVC just acts as a sort of clearing house or sort of a postal hub, if you will, to make certain that the case gets from USCIS over to the correct embassy abroad. With respect to US Immigrant visas the NVC’s job is much more broad in scope, and depth for that matter. They do a lot of document collection, they will do follow ups if they feel there’s a document deficiency or they feel that more information is necessary. In another video on this channel we discussed the so called extreme vetting protocols of the Trump Administration right now. I don’t know, specifically I haven’t seen anything with extreme vetting happen yet at NVC but I can see theoretically, sometime in the future, extreme vetting protocols may pertain directly to NVC at some point as well.  But that being said, they have a much more active role in the immigrant visa cases.  Once they are satisfied documentarily at National Visa Center, they will then go ahead and process the case out over to the embassy in Phnom Penh and an interview date will be set at the embassy. At the interview, things can happen like what are called the 221-G request for further documentation where basically the interviewing officer determines that they would like to see something more with respect to the case. Generally speaking, after an NVC vetting, this isn’t very frequent, but it does happen. I shouldn’t say that it’s infrequent. In K-1s, it can happen quite frequently because the circumstances are different. Marriage visas, the cases tend to be more clear-cut, I guess is the right way to look at it.  But that being said, basically the point I want to get across is, NVC will set that interview appointment, it will get over to the embassy in Phnom Penh and you have got to get in for an interview. We oftentimes do an interview prep with our clients so that they have an understanding, generally speaking, what the officer is probably going to want to know regarding the application or regarding the specifics of the person making the application and the other thing is we provide some insight with respect to the protocols for how the case is going to be taken in and dealt with at the post.

So to sort of sum up, I think the way to look at the overall process of applying for a US immigrant is this: it starts in the United States with the Department of Homeland Security, it moves over to the NVC which unlike the K categories, the NVC has a very active role in this process and then finally, it’s going to end up at the US Embassy at Phnom Penh and at that point the interview is going to take place and it’s possible more documentation could be requested and you may have to deal with a follow on submission before hopefully, the visa is ultimately approved.

Tags: American Visa Cambodia, CR-1 Visa, CR1 Visa, CR1 Visa Cambodia, I-129f, I-130, IR-1 Visa, IR1 Visa, IR1 Visa Cambodia, K-3 Visa, K3 Visa, K3 Visa Cambodia, Marriage Visa Cambodia, US Visa Cambodia, USA Visa Cambodia
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The following is a transcript of the video which can be found here: K-3 Visas from Cambodia.

In this video today, we are going to specifically discuss one visa that is sort of an interesting little niche visa, the K-3 visa, in the specific context of a Khmer, Cambodian national who would be seeking that in connection with marriage to a US citizen. Let’s be clear, you have got to be married to a US citizen in order to apply for a K-3.

First things first. As previously noted in my preamble, we’re located here in Bangkok. We do deal with a large number of Thai cases but being fairly geographically close to Cambodia, over the years we’ve done a fair number of Cambodian cases or cases that arise with a Cambodian national, a Khmer national involved. That being stated, it should be noted that the K-3 is an interesting animal.

To provide a little background on what the K-3 visa is. The K-3 visa was created pursuant to the provisions of the LIFE act created under the Clinton presidency and it was created at a time when the back log associated with spousal visas, CR-1 and IR-1, and there’s another video on this channel specific to CR-1 and IR-1 visas, in Cambodia. Basically, at the time, it was taking multiple years to get finalized Department of Homeland secure the approval of the petition for marriage visas. Meanwhile, at the same time it was like 6 or 7 months, 8 months to get a fiancée visa petition approved. So you ended up with the sort of counter intuitive situation where fiancées were moving through the system more quickly than spouses and it should be noted that from a legal perspective there is no qualitative difference as far as the law is concerned, specifically Immigration law is concerned, with respect to a fiancée versus a spouse; from a legal standpoint they’re treated the same way.  From an administrative standpoint, they just had a high back log of marriage visas or marriage petitions, for whatever reason, were they were processing K-1s more efficiently or they just had a lower case load, I don’t know what the deal was, but at the time it was taking multiple years to get a petition for marriage to an American citizen process through and meanwhile it was taking a matter of months for fiancées. So what happened is they created this K-3 category and the K-3 category was created, basically they said “look if you have got a petition on file for a spousal visa benefits in the normal manner, the CR-1 or IR-1 category basically, you can take that filing and do a duplicative version of that and go ahead and file for this K-3 category. You just go ahead and file it again through the K line. That’s basically what they did. They just took these marriage visa cases and said – Okay, it’s been filed, you have got to prove it’s filed and you put it in the line that was processing for fiancées so what ended up happening is K-3 has kind of become the ubiquitous term for a US marriage visa but in point of fact, the traditional methodology of bringing someone into the United States is through a CR-1 or IR-1 visa.  The K-3 just sort of became rather common place in the lexicon of these matters because people got used to dealing with K-3s because that was effectively the way to get your spouse into the United States. It’s interesting because K-3 still requires adjustment of status to lawful permanent residence.  Those of you who are interested in learning about that, in order to get a green card you have to undergo the adjustment of status process and I urge you to take a look at the video that specifically discusses the adjustment of status process on this channel, but something to bring up with respect to K-3s in the present context. Although they may be useful under present processing conditions, in the past there was an administrative ruling, it was a policy of administrative closure that was undertaken by the National Visa Center whereby they basically said – “Look, the K-3 was created for these situations where basically a marriage visa, an immigrant visa case got lost in the back log of USCIS. Not lost but stuck in the back log of USCIS. So if we got the K-3 position first we will process through on the K-3. But if we get the petition for the Immigrant Spouse Visa first, we’re going to process the Immigrant Spouse Visa benefits. We’re going to disregard the K-3”. This is important because NVC’s function is qualitatively different in an immigrant visa context that it is in a K Visa context. The K Visa context, NVC just shoots the case on to the embassy in question and the embassy sort of deals with all the nuts and bolts of the consular processing. In an immigrant visa context, the NVC process is slower because NVC deals with the nuts and bolts of document intake and in a way, I won’t say, adjudication but sort of pre vetting to make sure that they have generally what they need to go ahead and continue to process and get an interview scheduled. So in a way, the K-3 may still, if you can go ahead and get one through, the K-3 may still process more quickly compared to an immigrant visa but it’s my understanding that NVC still maintains the policy of administrative closure, where they get the immigrant case first and now processing of immigrant matters, immigrant spouse matters of American citizens, has reduced significantly. USCIS, to their credit, took significant substantial steps to make their process more efficient and they streamlined it, and I think they got more staff and things to deal with those matters and they put more resources on getting those cases processed, and as a result, in a way the K-3 is, I won’t say it’s obsolete, but its original reason for being there is not quite so pressing as it was at the time that it was created. And for that reason, I think it’s very probable that you are going to see fewer and fewer K-3 visas being processed in Cambodia or elsewhere.

Tags: American Embassy Cambodia, American Embassy Phnom Penh, American Visa Cambodia, CR-1 Visa, CR1 Visa Cambodia, I-129f, I-130, Immigrant Visa Unit, IR-1 Visa, IR1 Visa Cambodia, K-3 Visa, K3 Visa, K3 Visa Cambodia, US Marriage Visa Cambodia, US Visa Cambodia, USA Embassy Cambodia, USA Embassy Phnom Penh, USA Visa Cambodia
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The following is quoted directly from the official website of the United States Embassy in Phnom Phen, Cambodia:

Those wishing to visit the official homepage of the US Embassy in Cambodia please click HERE.

Those seeking services such as issuance of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, US Passport, or the addition of visa pages to a previously issued US Passport are well advised to contact an American Citizen Services Section of a US Embassy, US Consulate, American Institute, or US Mission abroad. It should be noted that those seeking the aforementioned services may find processing streamlined when setting an appointment online in advance.

Those seeking a temporary visa such as a US B-2 visa (Tourist), F-1 visa (Student), J-1 visa (Exchange Visitor), B-1 visa (Business) are likely to see their visa application processed through a Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Unit abroad. It should be noted that those seeking a United States non-immigrant visa are likely to have their visa application scrutinized pursuant to section 214(b) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act.

Those seeking immigrant family visa benefits such as an IR-1 visa or a CR-1 visa are likely see their visa application processed through an Immigrant Visa (IV) Unit of a US Post abroad. For processing purposes the K-1 visa (a non-immigrant US fiance visa) is treated in much the same way as the Immigrant visa categories. The same could once be said for the K-3 visa as well, but since the inception of the “administrative closure” policy K-3 visa applications are processed with far less frequency compared to years past.

Those seeking visas such as the EB-5 visa (Immigrant Investor Category) or the L-1 visa (intra-company transferees) are likely to only see their visa application processed after a positive adjudication of an immigration petition by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

For related information please see: K-1 Visa Cambodia or US Visa Cambodia.

Tags: 214(b), American Embassy Cambodia, American Embassy Phnom Penh, consular report of birth abroad, CR-1 Visa Cambodia, EB-5 Visa Cambodia, IR-1 Visa Cambodia, K-1 Visa Cambodia, K-3 Visa Cambodia, K1 Visa Cambodia, K3 Visa Cambodia, L-1 Visa Cambodia, US Embassy Cambodia, US Embassy Phnom Penh, us passport
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On the internet the term “K3 visa” seems to have become the ubiquitous buzzword used to refer to a US Marriage Visa. However, this type of visa is not the classic method employed by American Citizens wishing to bring their Cambodian spouse back to the United States of America. In reality, many utilize either a CR1 Visa or an IR1 Visa when seeking immigration benefits for a foreign spouse. This is largely due to the recently enacted policy of the National Visa Center (NVC) to “Administratively close” K3 visa applications arriving contemporaneously with, or after, the arrival of an approved I-130 petition at the National Visa Center.

At one time, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) had a major backlog of pending I-130 petitions for spouses of Americans. President Clinton and the Congress at that time promulgated legislation known as the Life Act which created a new visa category called the K3 Visa. This type of travel document was a sort of expedited non-immigrant marriage visa for spouses of American Citizens (Lawful Permanent Residents have never been eligible for K visa benefits including the K1 visa). Those using such a travel document were required to file an adjustment of status application following their spouse’s arrival in the USA, but the K3 visa was issued as a multiple entry travel document so physical presence in the USA was not a rigorously demanded during the adjustment process for K3 visa holder, as opposed to K1 visa holders who cannot leave the USA while the adjustment of status is processing without applying for an advance parole travel document. Under such circumstances, should a K1 visa holder leave the USA without adjusting status then they will fall out of status and the whole process must begin anew.

Since the the creation of the K3 visa USCIS has cut down their backlog of US Marriage visas tremendously. Currently, it takes approximately 5-6 months for USCIS to adjudicate an I-130 for the spouse of a US Citizen. This brought K3 visa processing times and CR1 visa processing times into greater alignment resulting in a situation where it took virtually the same amount of time to fully process either type of visa, give or take a few weeks depending upon the unique circumstances of a case. As a result, the National Visa Center seems to have adopted the policy that there is little use for the K3 visa under the current circumstances which lead to the automatic “administrative closure” of such applications where the underlying I-130 petition has been adjudicated. This does not mean that the entire visa process is at an end, but the applicant is effectively required to seek an Immigrant spouse visa rather than a K3 visa where the I-130 is adjudicated in a timely manner.

For related information please see: K3 Visa Cambodia or K1 Visa Cambodia.

Tags: Add new tag, Administrative Closure, administratively closed, American Marriage Visa, CR1 Visa Processing Time, K-1 Visa, K-1 Visa Cambodia, K-3 Visa, K-3 Visa Cambodia, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Cambodia, K3 Visa, K3 Visa Cambodia, K3 Visa processing time, National Visa Center, NVC, United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, US Marriage Visa, US Visa Cambodia, USCIS
Posted in CR1 Visa, K1 Visa, K2 Visa, K3 Visa, National Visa Center, US Embassy Cambodia, US Embassy Phnom Phen, US Visa and Immigration, USCIS | No Comments »