Integrity Legal

The method of making an appointment at the US Embassy in Bangkok depends upon the reason for the appointment. For example, the appointment process for obtaining a Consular Report of Birth Abroad is different than the process for obtaining an appointment for a non-immigrant visa interview.

Many expatriates in Thailand seek such services as: Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (a document akin to a birth certificate) , notarization, visa page replacement, and new passport issuance. Virtually all of the issues surrounding these services can be dealt with at the American Citizen Services Section of the United States Embassy in Bangkok.  For those interested in making an appointment with the American Citizen Services Section of the US Embassy in Bangkok, it may be wise to click on this link.

For those who need a non-immigrant visa to the United States a visa interview appointment will likely be required. For those unfamiliar with the US visa process, a non-immigrant visa is granted to an individual who does not have the intention of remaining in the USA. Popular non-immigrant visa categories are the J1 visa, the F1 visa, the B1 visa, and the B2 visa (also known as a Tourist visa). The aforementioned visa categories are not the only non-immigrant visas, but they are currently the most popular among those interviewing at the US Embassy in Bangkok. For those interested in more information about non-immigrant visas please click here.

Another common reason for needing an appointment at the US Embassy in Bangkok is the need to finish the American Immigration process. For those who wish to immigrate to the United States, in order for a US visa to be issued, the applicant must undergo a visa interview. In Thailand, the popular immigrant visas are category CR-1 and IR-1 for Thai spouses. Although not immigrant visas in the strict sense of the word, the K1 visa and the K3 visa are treated as immigrant visas because they are dual intent travel documents. A dual intent visa (travel document) is designed for a foreign national to enter the United States in non-immigrant status with the option of adjusting status to that of an Immigrant at a later date. For many, the Immigrant visa process is time consuming and the final phase of the process can cause anxiety in many applicants. However, for the applicant who tells the truth and is forthright in their application, there is usually no reason to be anxious as the visa interview is nothing more than an exercise of due diligence on the part of the Consular officers. For more on immigrant visas please click here.

Tags: B1 Visa Thailand, B2 Visa Thailand, F1 Visa Thailand, J1 Visa Thailand, K-1 Visa, K-1 Visa Thailand, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, K3 Visa Thailand, US Tourist Visa Thailand, US Visa Thailand, US Visa Thailand Appointment
Posted in Adjustment of Status, CR1 Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, IR1 Visa, J1 Visa Thailand, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, US Consulate Chiang Mai, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Thailand, US Tourist Visa, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand | No Comments »

In previous postings on this blog the holiday closing schedule for US Embassies and Consulates have been posted in order to promulgate information about the dates that posts will be open for the regular transaction of business. This is done in an effort to forestall futile trips to the Embassy by those who are unaware of the times it will be closed. In general, a US Embassy or US Consulate overseas will be closed in recognition of both National Holidays in the United States of America as well as those national holidays recognized by the host country. Below is a schedule of holiday closures for the United States Embassy in New Delhi, India:

Date	Day	Holiday	Type
January 1	Friday	New Year’s Day	American
January 5	Tuesday	Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday	Indian
January 18	Monday	Martin Luther King’s Birthday	American
January 26	Tuesday	Republic Day	Indian
February 12	Friday	Mahashivratri	Indian
February 15	Monday	Washington’s Birthday	American
March 1	Monday	Holi	Indian
April 2	Friday	Good Friday	Indian
May 31	Monday	Memorial Day	American
July 5*	Monday	Independence Day	American
August 24	Tuesday	Raksha Bandhan	Indian
September 2	Thursday	Janmashtami	Indian
September 6	Monday	Labor Day	American
October 11	Monday	Columbus Day	American
November 5	Friday	Diwali	Indian
November 11	Thursday	Veterans’ Day	American
November 17	Wednesday	Idu’l Zuha (Bakrid)	Indian
November 25	Thursday	Thanksgiving Day	American
December 17	Friday	Muharram	Indian
December 24**	Friday	Christmas Day	American

* in lieu of July 4, Sunday
** in lieu of December 25, Saturday

The above information is quoted from the website of the US Embassy in New Dehli. It should be noted that an Embassy can close for reasons other than recognition of official holidays so it would be wise to check the Embassy’s website directly before traveling to the Embassy as local conditions could require the Post to be closed with little notice. For those interested in checking the official website of the US Embassy in India, please click: here.

Many people travel to a US Embassy in another country in order to obtain documentation that cannot be obtained from another location. For example, those who need a new passport, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or an American Notary overseas go to the American Citizen Services Section of a US Embassy abroad in order to obtain this type of documentation. Prospective immigrants travel to an Embassy in order to interview for US Visas such as the K1 visa, the K3 visa, or an Immigrant visa. No matter what one’s reasons are for traveling to the Embassy, foreknowledge of their hours of operation could avert frustration.

Tags: American Citizen Services, consular report of birth abroad, Holiday Closing Us Embassy New Dehli India, Immigrant Visa, K-1 Visa, K-3 Visa, K1 Visa, K3 Visa, US Embassy India, US Embassy New Dehli
Posted in CR1 Visa, IR1 Visa, K1 Visa, K2 Visa, K3 Visa, US Embassy India, US Embassy New Dehli, US Tourist Visa, US Visa and Immigration | No Comments »

As with any large government agency, errors can occur in processing government documentation. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is not immune to human error and recently the Service issued some advance parole travel documents with incorrect dates. To quote a press release promulgated by the American Immigration Lawyers Association:

“U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS) announced today that it will reissue Advance Parole documents (Form I-512) in response to documents that were mailed to applicants with an incorrect issue date of January 5, 1990. All affected documents have been identified and USCIS will automatically reissue documents to individuals who have received a document with the incorrect issue date.”

It is fortunate that USCIS caught this problem and took steps to remedy the situation. The aforementioned press release went on to say:

“All documents continue to be valid as the expiration dates remain accurate, therefore it is not necessary for applicants to contact USCIS regarding their pending application unless their application is outside the normal processing time of 90 days.”

Again, as USCIS took steps to quick deal with this problem the impact upon prospective immigrants or those with pending visa applications is likely to be blunted.  However, sometimes prospective immigrants or non-immigrants in the United States need to leave the country for an emergency, but do not wish to forfeit their immigration benefits by doing so, this press release went on to detail the steps that immigrants can take to obtain an emergency advance parole travel document:

“If you need to travel urgently and you have received a document with an invalid issue date, then you may travel using the incorrect document. U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) has been alerted however, you may be questioned about the issuance date. Therefore, please print this explanation to share with CBP if necessary.”

For those unfamiliar with the subject of advance parole, it is the legal staus that a prospective immigrant or non-immigrant must obtain in order to leave the USA and return in status. This can be a particularly important issue for those present in the US on a K1 visa or a K3 Visa where the applicant has submitted an application for adjustment of status. Unlike an Immigrant Visa (CR1 or IR1), a K1 fiance visa or a K3 marriage visa requires that the applicant adjust status in order to obtain lawful permanent residence. Although this rarely comes up in the context of a K3 visa, the validity of a K1 visa is of such short duration that the underlying visa usually expires before the adjustment of status is approved. While the application is pending the K1 holder will be allowed to remain in the US, but if they leave before adjusting status they will fall out of status if they do not receive advance parole.

Tags: advance parole, Fiance Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, Fiancee Visa, Fiancee Visa Thailand, K-1 Visa, K-1 Visa Thailand, K-3 Visa, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, K3 Visa Thailand, travel document, US Visa Thailand, USCIS
Posted in CR1 Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, IR1 Visa, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | No Comments »

Recently, one of the administrators of this blog came across an article on the Telegraph’s website. The article reported on the recently announced future legalization of same-sex marriage in the country of Nepal. To quote the article directly:

“Nepal’s homosexual community, which is led by Asia’s only openly gay member of parliament, will next month host a tourism conference to explore how to attract wealthy gay visitors to boost the country’s war-ravaged economy. The country’s new constitution will legalise homosexual marriage in May this year, when “Pink Mountain” will begin offering luxury honeymoon and wedding packages.”

This is a rather stunning announcement as few countries in Asia have legalized marriage between individual’s of the same sex. The article went further:

“Sunil Babu Pant, a Communist legislator and leader of the country’s homosexual rights movement, has launched a travel company dedicated to promoting the former Hindu kingdom to gay tourists in an effort to tap the so-called “Pink Pound” and dollar…Mr Pant is hoping to build on the government’s new determination to maximise income from tourism by targeting all potential markets…’The government is hoping to increase the number of tourists from 400,000 to one million next year and has taken a positive attitude to welcoming gay and lesbian visitors to help meet their ambitious target,’ he told The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday.”

This move should be applauded not only because many feel that it is the morally correct thing to do, but also because it will likely result in a major economic boon for Nepal.  A question on the minds of many who are interested in the issue of same-sex marriage and US Immigration is: how will this impact rights of gay couples who wish to immigrate to the United States of America?

In the short term, movements such as this will not have a direct impact on US Federal Immigration policy as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) still precludes the promulgation of US Immigration benefits based solely upon a same-sex marriage. However, as more countries begin to legalize marriage between people of the same sex it becomes more apparent that the movement has gained something of a critical mass internationally. Further, the legality of DOMA is likely to eventually be taken up by the United States Supreme Court as there is currently a pending Federal Court Case in Massachusetts as well as a challenge in California Federal District Court to the provisions of “Prop 8″ in California.

It would seem that if the US Supreme Court overturns DOMA, then a valid same sex marriage in a country such as Nepal could be used as a basis for applying for US Immigration benefits. That being said, if DOMA were repealed then same-sex partners could possibly be entitled to file for such US Immigration benefits as a K1 visa or a K3 Visa at a US diplomatic post abroad (such as the US Embassy in Nepal). However, these issues have not been fully resolved and current US same-sex family immigration policy remains as an insurmountable obstacle to re-uniting many same-sex couples in the USA.

Another issue to remember on this topic is the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) which would provide US Immigration benefits to the “Permanent Partners” of US Citizens or lawful permanent residents. A valid marriage would probably be seen as a strong piece of evidence supporting a claim of “permanent partnership.”

Tags: Defense of Marriage Act, DOMA, K1 Visa, K1 visa gay marriage, K1 visa same sex marriage massachusetts, K3 Visa, K3 visa gay marriage, Same Sex Marriage, same sex us immigration, uafa, Uniting American Families Act, US visa gay marriage
Posted in CR1 Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, IR1 Visa, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, Legal Opinion, Miscellaneous, US Embassy Kathmandu, US Embassy Nepal, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand | No Comments »

United States Diplomatic Missions are posted around the world. In many cases, a US Embassy will have a Consular Section for dealing with administrative matters for Americans overseas (i.e. notarial services, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, second passport, etc). A US Consulate is also tasked with adjudicating American visa applications.

In many cases, US Consulates and Embassies close on both US Federal holidays as well as those holidays recognized by the host country. Foreknowledge of an Embassy’s holiday closing schedule can be beneficial to both American expatriates and prospective US immigrants as this knowledge can help forestall an unproductive trip to the US Embassy. Below is a list of the holidays that the US Embassy in Singapore recognizes. The US Embassy will close in observance of the following American and Singaporean holidays:

Notwithstanding holiday closures, the Embassy could also close for internal administrative purposes, the following dates are noted on the Embassy’s website as times that the Embassy will not be open for transaction of regular business:

- February 15, 16 2010 (Monday & Tuesday)
Singapore Holiday - Chinese New Year’s Day
U.S. Holiday - Washington’s Birthday

- February 25, 2010 (Thursday)
Admin/Training Day*

- March 25, 2010 (Thursday)
Admin/Training Day*

* Admin/Training Days:  We will be closed for all Consular Services, including American Citizen passport renewal, extra passport pages and notarial services on these days.  Regular services will resume the following day.  For emergency services at any time during an Admin/Training day, please call 6476-9100 during normal business hours.

Please note that the above information was promulgated by the website of the US Embassy in Singapore. To view the Embassy’s website, please click on this link. It should be noted that the US Embassy could close for other reasons at other times so this information should not be viewed as definitive. For those wishing to deal with issues at the US Embassy in Singapore, we recommend contacting the post directly. Contact information can be found at the Embassy’s website by clicking on the above link.

For information about US Visas please see: K1 visa or K3 Visa.

Tags: American Visa Singapore, Holiday Closing US Embassy Singapore, K1 Visa, K3 Visa, US Consulate Singapore, US Embassy, US Embassy Singapore, US Visa Singapore, visa applications
Posted in CR1 Visa, IR1 Visa, K1 Visa, K3 Visa, US Consulate Singapore, US Embassy Singapore, US Tourist Visa, US Visa and Immigration | 17 Comments »

The US visa process is a time consuming endeavor, but for those who eventually obtain a visa the process can seem well worth the wait as United States Permanent Residence entails both the right to remain in the USA as well as the right to take up employment. The Resident Alien Card, also know as the “Green Card,” is a very important document for US permanent residents. Upon entry in the United States on an Immigrant visa (such as an IR-1 visa or CR-1 visa), the entrant is given an I-551 stamp in his or her passport. This stamp is, for all intents and purposes, the entrant’s “green Card,” until a proper resident alien card is issued. In the past, Resident Alien Cards were sent to American lawful permanent residents by mail, but there were situations where the Resident Alien did not receive there “Green Card” and this caused problems. In a recent USCIS stakeholder’s meeting this issue was discussed as the following question was posed:

“According to current USCIS practice, when a green card is sent to an address, but the applicant does not receive it, and the package is not returned to USCIS as undeliverable, the client must pay a $370 fee to request another card. This is very difficult for indigent clients. Given the importance of this document, could USCIS institute a policy of sending green cards by certified mail, return receipt requested?”

The issues involved in this question impact aliens in the USA on a daily basis and luckily the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) appears to have come up with a solution to deal with this problem. The details of this solution are contained in the Service’s response below:

“USCIS has developed a means to deliver our secure documents called the Secure Mail Initiative (SMI). This involves sending the secure documents using U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation. Using this process allows us to track each individual piece of mail electronically through the U.S. Postal Service and speeds our delivery time while enhancing accountability to customers. Currently, we are experiencing tremendous success with SMI in our travel booklet product line (Refugee Travel Documents, Form I-571 and Re-entry Permits, Form I-327).”

Hopefully the Secure Mail Initiative will solve this problem in the vast majority of cases. Although no plan is perfect, it seems like this new method of mailing important immigration documentation will ensure document receipt in most cases as the recipient, or someone in the same household, will be required to confirm delivery of this documentation.

This issue is not only relevant for those with an Immigrant visa, it is also of importance for those who enter the USA on a K1 visa or a K-3 Visa as these travel documents are dual intent visas and require adjustment of status in order for the alien spouse to remain in the USA in Lawful Permanent Resident Status. Assuming that the I-485 adjustment of status application is approved, the alien will receive his or her resident alien card in the mail as well. Due to timing issues, the Secure Mail Initiative may be as beneficial, if not more so, to immigrants in these visa categories as it is more likely that these aliens will have changed their address while awaiting approval of the adjustment of status application.

We at Integrity Legal commend USCIS for taking this issue seriously and providing a workable solution to what can be a difficult problem.

Tags: CR-1 Visa, CR-1 Visa Thailand, Green Card, IR-1 Visa, IR-1 Visa Thailand, K-1 Visa, K-1 Visa Thailand, K-3 Visa, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, K3 Visa Thailand, Secure Mail Initiative, SMI, US Visa Thailand, USCIS
Posted in Adjustment of Status, CR1 Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, IR1 Visa, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | No Comments »

The United States Consulate at the American Embassy in Bangkok conducts most, if not all, of the immigrant and non-immigrant family based visa application interviews submitted by those resident in the Kingdom of Thailand. The Immigrant Visa Unit is a division of the United States Consulate which has been given the specific task of adjudicating Immigrant visa applications for travel documents such as the IR1 and the CR1 visa as well as the non-immigrant dual intent travel documents such as the K1 visa and the K3 visa.

The visa interview itself is viewed by many applicants with apprehension and fear as they are worried that it will be used in an attempt to undermine the applicant’s visa application. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. In cases where the applicant has been candid, told the truth on the application forms,  and provided proper documentation the interview is simply an exercise on the part of the Consular Officers to determine that the applicant is who they say they are and that they meet the legal and factual requirements for visa issuance. The interview is not conducted in an effort to somehow humiliate or degrade the applicant, it is truly an investigation into the facts of the case. This being said, those that lie on an application or falsify documentation will likely have an unpleasant experience at the US Embassy as an Administrative Processing interview with the Fraud Prevention Unit can be a less-than-pleasant undertaking. Although courteous, the Consular Officers will often conduct their due diligence zealously in order to uncover the truth regarding the facts of the application.

Honesty is always the best policy when it comes to US Immigration matters. Unfortunately, some so-called “visa agents” in Thailand encourage applicants to lie in order to cover up some perceived problem with the application.  Not only is this practice unethical, but in the case of visa interviews it is almost cruel to send a non-native English speaker into the Embassy to be interrogated by officers trained and experienced in conducting these kinds of due diligence.

After the visa interview, should the application be approved, the Consular Officer will usually take the applicant’s passport and provide them with a “Red Card.” Many who research US Immigration are quite familiar with the so-called “Green Card,” which is the Resident Alien Card provided to aliens in the US as proof of lawful permanent residence in America. A “Red Card,” is the appellation that some Immigration attorneys in Thailand as well as Thai visa applicants have applied to the the small index card that the US Embassy in Bangkok provides the applicant should their passport be taken for visa issuance. The reason that this card is referred to it as a “Red Card” is due to the fact that the stamp on the card, which denotes (in Thai and English) the date and time that an applicant can pick up the passport and visa, is red.

Red Cards are not necessarily a guarantee of visa issuance as in rare cases necessary documentation is overlooked and must still be presented by the applicant. However, in the vast majority of cases when a Red Card it issued it means that the visa will more than likely be issued and can be picked up a few days after the conclusion of the interview.

Please note that each US Embassy or US Consulate has different administrative procedures and rules. Therefore, the information regarding “Red Card” issuance at the US Embassy in Bangkok may be completely irrelevant when it comes to other posts such as the US Embassy in Myanmar or the US Consulate in HCMC. Therefore it is advisable to refer to each Embassy’s individual website for specific information about processing a visa application through that particular post.

Tags: Administrative Processing, American Embassy Bangkok, American Embassy Thailand, CR-1 Visa, CR1 Visa, Fraud Prevention Unit, Green Card, K-1 Visa, K-1 Visa Thailand, K-3 Visa, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, Red Card, US Consulate, US Embassy, us embassy bangkok, us embassy thailand, Visa Interview
Posted in CR1 Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, IR1 Visa, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, US Consulate Chiang Mai, US Consulate HCMC, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Burma, US Embassy Cambodia, US Embassy Hanoi, US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, US Embassy Malaysia, US Embassy Myanmar, US Embassy Phnom Phen, US Embassy Rangoon, US Embassy Thailand, US Embassy Vietnam, US Embassy Yangon, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand | 1 Comment »

One of the major questions invariably on the lips of prospective visa applicant’s and petitioners is: how long will the process take? This question is not as easily answered as some might think because the entire process is actually three processes in one. First there is the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) adjudication phase, then there is the National Visa Center (NVC) processing phase, and finally there is the US Embassy interview and adjudication phase. In most cases, the interview phase is the final phase of the process as the visa application is either approved or denied at this point. However, if there is a legal grounds of inadmissibility or if the applicant has previously been subject to deportation or expedited removal in the US, then either an I-601 waiver or an I-212 waiver may be necessary. In routine cases, the interview is usually the last major phase of the visa obtainment process.

That being said, the first major phase of the process involves the submission of petitions to USCIS. As many petitions are filed with USCIS each year, this phase of the process is often the most time consuming as the US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident’s petition must wait in the queue for adjudication.

Recently, USCIS updated their processing time estimates, below please find the most recent processing time estimates for family based petitions for K-1 visas, K-3 visas, and Immigrant visas.

The California Service Center processing times are as follows:

The Vermont Service Center processing times are as follows:

One should not misunderstand the above information, these processing times do not reflect the entire time that it takes to complete the entire visa process as a US Family visa petition must also process through the National Visa Center as well as the Embassy in the country where the visa is to be issued. In Thailand, most visa applications for family members of US Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents are adjudicated at the US Embassy in Bangkok.

Tags: American Visa Thailand, K-1 Visa, K-3 Visa, K1 Visa, K1 visa processing time, K1 Visa Processing Times, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, K3 Visa processing time, K3 Visa Thailand, us embassy bangkok, us embassy thailand, US Visa Thailand
Posted in CR1 Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, IR1 Visa, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Burma, US Embassy Cambodia, US Embassy Hanoi, US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, US Embassy Malaysia, US Embassy Myanmar, US Embassy Phnom Phen, US Embassy Rangoon, US Embassy Thailand, US Embassy Vietnam, US Embassy Yangon, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | No Comments »

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is tasked with adjudicating Immigration applications such as the I-129f, I-130, and the I-601 waiver. They have offices throughout the United States and around the world. In Bangkok, the USCIS office is the administrative hub for virtually all US Immigration matters arising in Southeastern Asia.

This author recently came across a press release from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) in which Director Alejandro Mayorkas explained that USCIS will be undergoing some organizational changes. The author obtained this information through the American Immigration Lawyers Association website. To quote directly from the press release:

“We at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have realigned our organizational structure to achieve greater efficiency and to more ably accomplish our mission. The realignment reflects the prioritization of certain critical Agency responsibilities. The three most significant changes are:

The creation of a Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate. This change reflects our prioritization of our anti-fraud and national security responsibilities and will bring greater focus to them.

The creation of a new Customer Service Directorate. This change reflects our prioritization of customer service and recognizes the significant efforts that will be needed to ensure that we are at the cutting edge of service modeling.

The division of the existing Domestic Operations Directorate into two separate directorates, Service Center Operations and Field Operations. This change will foster greater innovation and achieve greater efficiency in our delivery of immigration services.”

Fraud prevention is a constant priority for USCIS as the US Immigration system is, at times, plagued by sham marriages, fraudulent petitions, and unlicensed operators claiming to be immigration attorneys. Further, the internal bifurcation of Service Center Operations and Field Operations will likely lead to greater efficiency in both areas as they require different types of administrative supervision.  In the case of K visas, there are two service centers that handle K1 and K3 visa petitions. Meanwhile, applications for Immigrant visas are received at the USCIS lockbox.

Finally, the creation of a Customer Service Directorate will be a boon to Immigration attorneys and laymen alike as the confusing aspects of the Immigration process can be clarified by contacting a USCIS Customer Service Representation. This author is happy to see that USCIS is taking the time to internally reorganize in an effort to provide better service to both United States Citizens as well as foreign nationals.

For those interested further reading about the US Immigration process please see: K1 visa process.

Tags: Immigration attorneys, K-1 Visa, K-3 Visa, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Process, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, US Visa Thailand, USCIS, USCIS Reorganization
Posted in K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, Upcoming Legislation, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS, Visa Waiver | No Comments »

Virtually every United States Embassy or Consulate will close in recognition of United States Federal Holidays. Most will also close in recognition of local holidays or customs. The United States Embassy in Vietnam is no different. Below, please find the 2010 holiday closing schedule for the US Embassy located in Hanoi:

The above notation of “A” and “V” denotes the type of holiday. “A” stands for American, while “V” stands for Vietnamese.

In Vietnam, the bulk of United States visa and immigration matters are handled at the US Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. This situation is the opposite of the internal mechanics of the posts in Thailand as the US Embassy in Bangkok handles nearly all Immigrant visa petitions while the US Consulate in Chiang Mai deals with Non-Immigrant visa applications for visas such as the US Tourist Visa, the J1 visa, and the F1 visa.  That being said, the holiday closing schedule of the US Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is identical to the schedule of the US Embassy in Hanoi. Therefore, those interested in that post’s closing schedule should look to the information above.

For those in a legitimate emergency, it may be possible to contact the Embassy during a holiday. That being said, this is contacting Embassy staff may be difficult as most Embassy and Consulate personnel use holidays to take much needed time off. Therefore, those with an impending issue would be wise to take care of it before a holiday as it is unlikely that the Embassy will make special accommodations.

For those who need passports, notary services, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, or visa pages it would be wise to contact the American Citizen Services Section of the local US Embassy or US Consulate.

For those interested in learning more about the US Embassy in Hanoi please click here. For those who wish to learn maore about the US Consulate in HCMC please click here. Finally, for those interested in US visas from Southeast Asia please see K-1 visa, CR-1 visa, or K-3 visa.

Tags: American Citizen Services, CR-1 Visa, CR1 Visa, K-1 Visa, K-3 Visa, K1 Visa, K3 Visa, US Consulate HCMC, US Consulate Ho Chi Minh City, US Embassy Hanoi, US Embassy Vietnam, US Tourist Visa, US Visa Hanoi, US Visa HCMC, US Visa Southeast Asia, US Visa Vietnam
Posted in K1 Visa, K3 Visa, US Consulate HCMC, US Embassy Hanoi, US Embassy Vietnam, US Tourist Visa, US Visa and Immigration | 29 Comments »