Integrity Legal

Since the last posting on this blog there have been a number of developments and discussions with respect to both Thai and American immigration issues. One development which has received substantial media coverage has been the Executive Orders signed by President Biden with regard to Immigration policy. Of particular note to the administration of this web log was the order titled: Executive Order on Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans. The content of this Executive Order seems designed to impose a new policy paradigm upon the Immigration bureaucracy (or perhaps reimpose of a previously existing paradigm). This effort to change the prevailing paradigm is evidenced in the opening lines of the order itself:

Consistent with our character as a Nation of opportunity and of welcome, it is essential to ensure that our laws and policies encourage full participation by immigrants, including refugees, in our civic life; that immigration processes and other benefits are delivered effectively and efficiently; and that the Federal Government eliminates sources of fear and other barriers that prevent immigrants from accessing government services available to them…The Federal Government should develop welcoming strategies that promote integration, inclusion, and citizenship, and it should embrace the full participation of the newest Americans in our democracy.

Clearly, the administration seeks to re-establish a sense of decorum and compassion tot eh immigration system. The order goes on the delineate as to more concrete steps toward those ends:

Sec. 3.  Restoring Trust in our Legal Immigration System.  The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall review existing regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, and any other similar agency actions (collectively, agency actions) that may be inconsistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of this order.

(a)  In conducting this review, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall:

(i)   identify barriers that impede access to immigration benefits and fair, efficient adjudications of these benefits and make recommendations on how to remove these barriers, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law; and

(ii)  identify any agency actions that fail to promote access to the legal immigration system — such as the final rule entitled, “U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements,” 85 Fed. Reg. 46788 (Aug. 3, 2020), in light of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act (title I of division D of Public Law 116-159) — and recommend steps, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to revise or rescind those agency actions.

(b)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall each submit a plan to the President describing the steps their respective agencies will take to advance the policy set forth in section 1 of this order.

(c)  Within 180 days of submitting the plan described in subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall each submit a report to the President describing the progress of their respective agencies towards implementing the plan developed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and recognizing any areas of concern or barriers to implementing the plan.

It remains to be seen precisely how this will impact the American immigration system, and it should be noted that the apparatus is unlikely to fundamentally change over night. That stated, there is good reason to hope there may be “light at the end of the tunnel” after months of seemingly unnecessary delay and obfuscation in the visa process. There does appear to one area of particular interest to the current administration with respect to US immigration. Namely, there have been a number of issues associated with the “Public Charge rule” and prior to the issue of COVID-19 coming to the forefront of immigration analysis, public charge was shaping up to be a significant obstacle for a number of family based immigration cases (including, but not limited to: the K-1 visa, the K-3 visa, the CR-1 visa, and the IR-1 visa categories). The recently promulgated order seems to take this issue seriously:

The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of other relevant agencies, as appropriate, shall review all agency actions related to implementation of the public charge ground of inadmissibility in section 212(a)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(4), and the related ground of deportability in section 237(a)(5) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(5).  They shall, in considering the effects and implications of public charge policies, consult with the heads of relevant agencies, including the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

(a)  This review should:

(i)    consider and evaluate the current effects of these agency actions and the implications of their continued implementation in light of the policy set forth in section 1 of this order;

(ii)   identify appropriate agency actions, if any, to address concerns about the current public charge policies’ effect on the integrity of the Nation’s immigration system and public health; and

(iii)  recommend steps that relevant agencies should take to clearly communicate current public charge policies and proposed changes, if any, to reduce fear and confusion among impacted communities.

(b)  Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall each submit a report to the President describing any agency actions identified pursuant to subsection (a)(ii) of this section and any steps their agencies intend to take or have taken, consistent with subsection (a)(iii) of this section.

It seems the administration is particularly keen to address the difficulties imposed by rules changes pertaining to public charge and hopefully some revision of the rules may be forthcoming sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, although there has not been a great deal of substantive change to current immigration policy in Thailand, there has been a great deal of discussion regarding possible policy changes to in an effort to revitalize the Thai tourism sector which, depending upon the source, seems to have seen between 1-3 million layoffs since the response to the pandemic began. Once solution discussed has been the notion of a “vaccine passport” or “immunity passport“. Essentially, this notion centers upon the idea that those who can prove they have been inoculated against COVID-19, via one of the many vaccinations currently on the market, will be allowed to travel to Thailand without the need to quarantine in one of the alternative state quarantine (ASQ) facilities. Notwithstanding the fact that there has ben a great deal of discussion on this matter, it currently appears, as with the so-called “travel bubble” scheme, that this program will not be implemented any time soon. As the tourism sector in Thailand languishes, long stay tourists may avail themselves to special tourist visas or standard TR visas to stay in Thailand. Furthermore, the Thai retirement visa remains a viable option for those wishing to travel to Thailand for retirement purposes.

Tags: American Embassy, American Embassy Bangkok, American Embassy Thailand, American Immigration, American Visa, common pass, commonpass, CR1 Visa Thailand, Embassy, immigration, immunity passport, immunity passports, IR1 Visa Thailand.k1, K-1, K1, K1 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa Thailand, Thai, Thai Embassy, Thai Immigration, Thai Visa, Thai Visas, ThaiEmbassy, Thailand, Thailand Immigration, Thailand Visa, Thailand Visas, thaivisa, travel document, travel documents, u.s. embassy, US Embassy, us embassy bangkok, us embassy thailand, US Immigration, US Visa, US Visa Thailand, USCIS, vaccination passport, vaccine passport, vaccine passports, visa, visas
Posted in Comprehensive Immigration Reform, CR1 Visa, Department of Homeland Security, Fiance Visa Thailand, IR1 Visa, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K2 Visa, K2 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, Thailand Visa, US Embassy Thailand, US Visa, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | No Comments »

As 2021 dawned the situation in Thailand, specifically the response to COVID-19, deteriorated. Presently, in place of full lockdowns, much of Thailand is operating under a system of provincial imposition of “highly controlled area” status which is restricting many operations many people once took for granted. How has this impacted the immigration system? Initially, it seemed this turn of events would not impact prospects for gaining admission to Thailand. Then, it appeared that those from the UK might be restricted from arriving in Thailand. To quote directly from the Bangkok Post:

The Ministry of Public Health will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to defer the entry of British visitors to the country after the fast-spreading B117 strain of Covid-19 was found in four British nationals entering Thailand on Dec 21.

This caused a great deal of consternation especially among those seeking Thai visas from the Embassy in the UK. However, further deliberation seems to have resulted in the decision that arrivals from the United Kingdom will not be impeded. Quoting directly from The Nation:

Based upon the above information, it seems logical to presume that the overall situation regarding foreign nationals arriving in Thailand remains much as it did prior to the new year. Meanwhile, a number of travelers are finding that trying to process their Thai visa application on their own from abroad is a cumbersome endeavor. The overall process of gaining lawful admission to Thailand is greatly changed compared to times past. One major sticking point for many is the addition of the certificate of entry to the process. This document is required in addition to a Thai visa. Concurrently, documentation showing a lack of infection for COVID-19 in addition to fit to fly documentation has proven nettlesome for many. Couple this with the fact that those entering Thailand are still required to undergo Alternative State Quarantine for 14 days prior to gaining total access to the Kingdom. There was some discussion regarding the possibility of seeing the quarantine time frame reduced to 10 days or even less. However, under present circumstances this seems highly unlikely. The notion of “travel bubble” arrangements also being brought online seems unlikely at this time as well.  Although many in Thailand are hopeful that the disbursement of a vaccine may result in a return of tourists in 2021. As of the time of this writing, this remains conjecture.

Turning to American immigration, many have found themselves in a kind of processing “limbo” with respect to cases such as the K-1 fiance visa as well as the various marriage visas including the K-3 visa, CR-1 and IR-1 visa categories. Currently, a large number of cases remain at the National Visa Center and seem unlikely to be processed out for interview soon. There appeared to be hope in the last part of the final quarter of 2020 as some cases were being scheduled for interview, but that hope may be dashed as the current situation in Thailand may result in further interview cancellations. This situation is fluid and still evolving.

Many hope that a transition to a new administration will herald an end to certain arbitrary and capricious aspects of the immigration process in its current form, but it should be noted that it takes time for bureaucracies to change and therefore a Biden presidency may not immediately see major changes to visa case processing in 2021.

Tags: American Embassy, American Embassy Bangkok, American Embassy Thailand, American Immigration, American Visa, Embassy, immigration, K-1, K-3, K1, K3, Thai, Thai Embassy, Thai Immigration, Thai Visa, Thai Visas, ThaiEmbassy, Thailand, Thailand Immigration, Thailand Visa, Thailand Visas, thaivisa, u.s. embassy, US Embassy, us embassy bangkok, us embassy thailand, US Immigration, US Visa, US Visa Thailand, USCIS, visa, visas
Posted in Thailand Visa, US Embassy Thailand | No Comments »

The coronavirus pandemic continues to create issue in the realm of immigration. However, in an American context, politics may also be playing a role as noted in a recent article from Forbes:

“Earlier this month, the USCIS notified about two-thirds of its employees that they would be furloughed starting August 30th because of budget shortfalls, which the agency hoped Congress would fill in its next relief package before negotiations stalled recently…“I don’t think I can emphasize enough how large an issue this will be – we’re looking at the final days of legal immigration as we know it in the United States,” said Ruark Hotopp, a representative for USCIS workers in Nebraska…”

A decrease in manpower of the scope and scale contemplated in the article above, when discussing this possible USCIS furlough, would have a tremendous impact upon the American immigration apparatus as it would likely cause substantial increases in processing times and therefore delays in the acquisition of visas. It stands to reason that no visa category would be unaffected by this turn of events. Therefore, it is likely that those seeking employment based visas as well as family based visas (such as the K-1 visa, K-3 visa, CR-1 visa, or IR-1 visa) will see negative consequences should funding fail to materialize.

Meanwhile in Thailand, the Thai immigration system remains in a strange state. On the one hand, those stranded in Thailand have seen a chaotic situation unfold, to quote directly from the Bangkok Post:

“Immigration rules tend to remain unchanged and rather rigid for a prolonged period of time, but when they shift, they shift dramatically. COVID-19 may prove to be the catalyst for a major paradigm shift in terms of Immigration policy thinking in Thailand.”

Concurrently, those with long term Thai visas stranded abroad have had to wait patiently as returning to Thailand has proven effectively impossible until recent days and even those permitted to return to Thailand are only permitted to do so under extremely constrained parameters. The Thai government seems keen to permit entry of tourists to Thailand, while simultaneously concerned about forestalling the spread of infections. For these reasons, initiatives such as the “travel bubble” scheme were initially floated, only to be reassessed as it now appears that the “safe and sealed” initiative to allow in certain foreign tourists may be taking off. However, as the flight ban on the vast majority on in-bound air travel remains in force it seems unlikely that Thailand will see standard tourist numbers return in the immediately foreseeable future. That stated, the future of immigration policy in Thailand remains to be seen.

Tags: furlough, immigration, layoffs, safe & sealed, safe and sealed, shutdown, Thai Immigration, Thai Visa, Thailand Immigration, Thailand Visa, thaivisa, travel bubble, travel bubbles, USCIS, visa, visas
Posted in Thailand Visa, US Visa and Immigration | No Comments »

It would appear that Thailand is not the only jurisdiction which is tightening immigration regulations and enforcement. In recent weeks, an announcement from the agency which oversees immigration matters is likely to have a significant impact upon future immigrants and non-immigrants alike. For example, in a recent press release from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) it was noted that certain non-immigrants such as J-1, F-1, and M-1 visa holders will no longer be granted an effective reprieve from accruing unlawful presence in the USA through use of so-called “duration of status” exemption.

What is “duration of status”? Duration of status (also referred to as “DS”, “D of S”, or D/S in certain immigration circles) refers to the status by which certain non-immigrant are admitted into the United States. In this blogger’s opinion it was designed to streamline immigration functions as certain exchange visitor programs and course curricula do not necessarily have a definite end date (this is especially the case with so-called practicum courses following after a more organized academic schedule). Due to the fact that it is somewhat difficult to nail down policymakers allowed for “duration of status” to act as a sort of floating grace period. In the past, those admitted in this status were unable to accrue unlawful presence once admitted even where a course or other reason for admission had clearly terminated. This lead to what some would describe as abuse of the system. This was simply a “loophole” in the rules that allowed such individuals to obtain later immigration benefits without the need to worry about an finding of inadmissibility for overstay since unlawful presence could not ever be determined. Pursuant to a recent announcement from USCIS this appears to be changing. To quote directly from the USCIS website:

Individuals in F, J, or M status who fail to maintain their status on or after Aug. 9, 2018, will start accruing unlawful presence on the earliest of any of the following:

• The day after they no longer pursue the course of study or the authorized activity, or the day after they engage in an unauthorized activity;
• The day after completing the course of study or program, including any authorized practical training plus any authorized grace period;
• The day after the I-94 expires; or
• The day after an immigration judge, or in certain cases, the BIA, orders them excluded, deported, or removed (whether or not the decision is appealed).

This change in policy will have a significant impact upon those who have been admitted to the USA in one of the above categories. Moreover, those previously admitted in duration of status who are no longer pursuing the program for which they were admitted are well advised to consult an immigration attorney soon in order to understand their options. Obviously, failure to remain in lawful status could harm future applications for further immigration benefits pursuant to the forthcoming rule change. It seems logical to infer that more findings of accrued unlawful presence are likely to be made in future immigration cases and in that case such matters will only be remedied through use of an I-601 waiver petition.

Tags: Duration of Status, Exchange Visitor Visa, F1 Visa Thailand, I-601 Waiver, J1 Visa Thailand, legal grounds of inadmissibility, overstay, student visa, unlawful presence, US Visa Thailand, USCIS
Posted in US Visa and Immigration | No Comments »

Khmer language translation of the video found here: ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ K-1 ពី​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា៖

នៅ​ក្នុង​វីដេអូ​នេះ យើង​នឹង​ពិភាក្សា​អំពី​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ K-1 សំរាប់​គូដណ្ដឹង ​ក្នុង​បរិបទ​នៃ​ការ​ដំណើរ​ការ​របស់ការិយាល័យ​កុងស៊ុល​នៃ​​ស្ថានទូត​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក​ប្រចាំ​នៅរាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញនៃ​ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រ​កម្ពុជា ។

សំរាប់​អ្នក​ដែល​បាន​ចូល​មក​កាន់​ទំព័រ​របស់​យើង ហើយ​បាន​ឃើញ​វីដេអូ​មួយ​ចំនួន​របស់​យើង​ហើយ អ្នក​ប្រហែល​ជា​ដឹង​ហើយ​ថា​យើង​មាន​ទីតាំង​នៅ​ក្នុង​ទីក្រុង​បាងកកនៃ​ប្រទេស​ថៃ ។ យើង​ធ្វើ​ការ​ដោះស្រាយជា​​ចម្បង​លើ​សំណុំរឿង​អន្តោប្រវេសន៍ ។ ជា​ទូទៅ​គឺ​សំរាប់​ជនជាតិ​ថៃ​អាមេរិកាំង ហើយ​យើង​ធ្វើ​ការ​រត់​ការ​សំណុំរឿង​ជាច្រើន​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​សំណុំរឿង​អន្តោប្រវេសន៍សំរាប់​គ្រួសារ​អាមេរិក ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​គូដណ្ដឹង ទិដ្ឋាការប្រភេទ​រៀបការ ។ល។

ដោយ​សារ​យើង​មាន​ទីតាំង​ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្នុងទី​ក្រុង​បាងកក មិន​មែន​មាន​ន័យ​ថា​យើង​ធ្វើ​ការ​ផ្ដាច់​មុខ​លើរឿង​អន្តោប្រវេសន៍​អាមេរិក​​តែនៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​នេះ នោះ​ទេ ។ វា​គួរ​អោយ​ចាប់​អារម្មណ៍​ដែរ ដែល​មេធាវីអន្តោប្រវេសន៍ជា​ច្រើនដែល​ធ្វើ​ការ​នៅ​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក​ហាក់​ដូច​ជាធ្វើ​ការ​ជាមួយ​អតិថិជន​ចំរុះ​ជាតិសាសន៍ ប៉ុន្តែ​ផ្ទុយ​ទៅ​វិញ​ យើង​នៅ​ទី​ក្រុង​បាងកក​នេះ ហាក់​ដូច​ជា​ធ្វើ​ការ​តែ​ជាមួយ​​ជនជាតិ​ថៃ​ ។ ទោះ​បី​ជា​យ៉ាង​ណា​ក៏​ដោយ ខ្ញុំ​ក៏​ធ្លាប់​បាន​ធ្វើ​ការជាមួយ​សំណុំរឿងមួយចំនួនដែរ​ដែល​​ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ស្ថានទូត​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក​ប្រចាំ​នៅរាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញនៃ​ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រ​កម្ពុជាដែរ​ ដោយសារ​តែ​ប្រទេស​នេះ​នៅ​ជិត​ប្រទេស​ថៃ ។ សំរាប់​អ្នក​ដោយ​ចាប់​អារម្មណ៍​លើ​ដំណើរ​ការដោយ​មើល​ពី​ទិដ្ឋភាព​ទូទៅ ជា​ការ​ល្អ​បំផុត​គឺ​អ្នក​គួរ​មើល​ទៅ​លើ​រឿង​នេះ​ជា​២​ដំណាក់​កាល៖ ដំណាក់​កាល​មួយ​គឺ​ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ក្រសួង​សន្ដិសុខ​មាតុភូមិ ។ ស្ថាប័នអន្តោប្រវេសន៍ ​ហៅ​កាត់​ថា USCIS​ ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្រោម​ការ​គ្រប់​គ្រង​របស់​ក្រសួង​សន្ដិសុខ​មាតុភូមិ នឹង​ចាប់​ផ្ដើម​ដំបូង​ដោយ​ធ្វើ​ការ​សំរេច​យល់​ព្រម​លើ​ទំរង់បែបបទធានា I-129F ។ ពាក្យ​ធានា​នេះ គឺ​ជា​ចំនុច​ចាប់​ផ្ដើម​ដំបូង​នៃ​ដំណើរ​ការ​នេះ ។ អ្នក​ត្រូវ​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​ធានា ហើយ​អ្នក​ត្រូវ​តែ​ទទួល​បាន​ការ​សំរេច​យល់​ព្រម​ពី​ USCIS​ នៃ​ក្រសួង​សន្ដិសុខ​មាតុភូមិ មុនពេល​ដែល​អ្នក​អាច​បន្ត​ដំណើរ​ការ​ជាមួយ​នឹង​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ K-1 រប​ស់​អ្នក​ ។ បន្ទាប់​ពី​ទទួល​បាន​ការ​​សំរេច​យល់​ព្រមលើ​ពាក្យ​ធានា​របស់​អ្នក​ហើយ យើង​នឹង​និយាយ​អំពី​តំរូវ​ការ​លំអិត​ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ពាក្យ​ធានា ។ អ្វី​ដែល​ត្រូវ​កំណត់​ចំណាំ​ជាង​គេ​បំផុត​នោះ​ គឺ​ដៃ​គូ​ដែល​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​ធានាទាំង​ពីរ​នាក់​​ត្រូវ​តែ​នៅ​ទំនេរ​និង​អាច​រៀប​ការ​បានដោយ​ស្របច្បាប់​ នៅ​ពេល​ដែល​ពាក្យ​ធានា​ត្រូវ​បាន​ដាក់​ ។ លើស​ពី​នេះ​ទៅ​ទៀត ភាគីទាំង​ពីរ​ត្រូវធ្លាប់​បាន​ជួប​គ្នា​ផ្ទាល់​ក្នុង​កំឡុង​ពេល​២ឆ្នាំមុន​ពេល​ដែល​ពួក​គេ​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​ធានា​សុំ​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ K-1 ។ រឿង​ដែល​សំខាន់​ជាង​គេ​ដែល​ត្រូវ​ចាំគឺ «អ្នក​ត្រូវ​តែ​នៅ​ទំនេរ​និង​អាច​រៀប​ការបាន​ដោយ​ស្របច្បាប់ ។ អ្នក​មិន​អាច​ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្នុង​ស្ថានភាព​កំពុង​លែង​លះនោះ​ទេ ។ អ្នក​​ត្រូវតែ​លែង​លះ​រួច​រាល់​ហើយ ប្រសិន​បើអ្នក​មាន​ប្ដី​ឬ​ប្រពន្ធ​មុន ។ ​អ្នក​ត្រូវ​តែ​នៅ​ទំនេរ​និង​អាច​រៀប​ការ​បានដោយ​ស្របច្បាប់ ហើយ​អ្វី​ដែល​អ្នក​ត្រូវចង​ចាំ ​ដែរ​នោះ​គឺ​ថា​ តំរូវ​ការ​នេះ​អាច​នឹង​មាន​នៅ​ក្នុងយុត្តាធិការ​នៃ​ច្បាប់​សាមញ្ញ ឬ​ពេល​ខ្លះ​ក៏​មាន​នៅ​ក្នុងយុត្តាធិការ​នៃ​​ច្បាប់​រដ្ឋ​ប្បវេណី​ផង​ដែរ ។ អ្នក​មិន​អាច​ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្នុង​ស្ថានភាព​មាន​ប្ដី​ឬ​ប្រពន្ធ​ នៅពេល​ដំណើរ​ការ​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ K-1 នោះ​ទេ បើ​ទោះ​បី​ជា​អ្នក​ទាំង​ពីរ​ជាប្ដី​ប្រពន្ធ​ក៏​ដោយ ។ អ្នក​ត្រូវ​រង់ចាំ និង​ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្នង​ស្ថានភាព​ជាគូដណ្ដឹង រហូត​ដល់​គូដណ្ដឹងបរទេសរបស់​អ្នក​ដែល​ក្នុង​សំណុំរឿង​នេះ ជា​ជនជាតិ​ខ្មែរ ចាកចេញ​ពី​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ ទៅ​កាន់​សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក ហើយ​បន្ទាប់​មក​អ្នក​នឹង​មាន​រយៈពេល​ ៩០​ថ្ងៃ ដើម្បី​រៀប​អាពាហ៍​ពិពាហ៍ និង​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​សុំ​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​ស្ថានភាព​អន្តោប្រវេសន៍​ ។ ការ​​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​ស្ថានភាព​អន្តោប្រវេសន៍ គឺ​ជា​ដំណើរ​ការ​មួយ​ផ្សេងទៀត ។ វា​កើតឡើង​បន្ទាប់​ពី​ការ​រៀបការ​នៅ​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក ។ មាន​វីដេអូ​មួយ​ផ្សេងទៀត​នៅ​ក្នុង​ទំព័រ​នេះ ដែល​ពិភាក្សា​ជាពិសេស​លើ​សេចក្ដី​លំអិត​នៃ​ការ​​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​ស្ថានភាព​អន្តោប្រវេសន៍ ។ យើង​អាច​និយាយ​បាន​ថា ជា​មូលដ្ឋានវា​គឺ​ជា​ដំណើរ​ការដែល​គូដណ្ដឹងបរទេស​ ដែល​បន្ទាប់​មកនឹង​ក្លាយ​ទៅ​ប្តី​ឬ​ប្រពន្ធ នឹង​ទទួល​បាន​សិទ្ធិ​ជាអ្នក​រស់​នៅ​ជា​អចិន្ត្រៃយ៍​ដោយ​ស្របច្បាប់ ឬ​ដែល​ត្រូ​វ​បាន​គេ​ស្គាល់ថា​ជា​អ្នក​កាន់​ green card នៅ​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក ។ អញ្ចឹង​ វា​គឺ​ជា​រឿង​ដែល​កើត​ឡើង​ចុង​ក្រោយ​នៃ​ដំណើរ​ការ​នេះ ។ ត្រឡប់​មក​និយាយ​ពីសំណុំបែបបទធានា​វិញ ដៃ​គូត្រូវ​តែ​បាន​ជួប​គ្នា​ផ្ទាល់​ក្នុង​កំឡុង​ពេល​២ឆ្នាំ​មុន​ការ​ដាក់​ពាក្យ ត្រូវ​តែ​នៅ​ទំនេរ និង​អាច​រៀប​ការបាន​ដោយ​ស្របច្បាប់​ ។ មាន​ពត៌មាន​លំអិត​ជា​ច្រើន​ទៀត​ដែល​ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​រឿង​នេះ​ ដែល​ខ្ញុំ​នឹង​មិន​ពិភាក្សា​ស៊ី​ជម្រៅ​ពេក​ទេ ។ ​សន្មត់​ថា ស្ថាប័ន USCIS DHS​ បាន​ធ្វើ​ការ​សំរេច​យល់​ព្រម​លើ​ពាក្យ​ធានា ។ សំណុំរឿង​នេះ​នឹង​ត្រូវ​បញ្ជូន​​យ៉ាង​លឿន​ទៅ​កាន់​មជ្ឍមណ្ឌល​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ជាតិ ដែល​ដើរ​តួ​ដូច​ជា​កន្លែង​លាង​សំអាតឯកសារ ឬ​ទីតាំង​សំរាប់​បញ្ជូនឯកសារ ដើម្បី​បញ្ជូន​សំណុំ​រឿង​នេះ​ទៅ​កាន់ស្ថានទូត ឬ​ស្ថាន​កុងស៊ុល​ក្រៅ​ប្រទេស​ដែល​សមស្រប ហើយ​នៅ​ក្នុង​សំណុំរឿង​នេះ​គឺកម្ពុជា ។ សំណុំរឿង​នឹង​ត្រូវ​បញ្ជូន​ទៅ​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញនៃ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា ហើយ​នៅ​ពេល​នោះ អ្នក​ត្រូវ​ធ្វើ​ការ​រត់​ការ​តាម​ដំណើរ​ការ​ជាក់លាក់​របស់​ផ្នែក​ទិដ្ឋាការនៃការិយាល័យ​កុងស៊ុល​របស់​ស្ថាន​ទូត​នៅទីនោះ ។

ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ K-1 មាន​លក្ខណៈគួរ​អោយ​ចាប់​អារម្មណ៍ ដោយ​សារ​វា​ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​ចាត់​ទុក​ថា​ជា​ប្រភេទ​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ដែល​មាន​គោល​បំណង​ពីរ ។ បើ​យើង​និយាយ​តាម​ច្បាប់ វា​ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រភេទ​ទិដ្ឋាការ​មិន​មែន​អន្តោ​ប្រវេសន៍ ប៉ុន្តែ​ចំពោះ​​ការ​ដំណើរ​ការ​នៅ​ក្នុង​កុងស៊ុល និង​ដំណើរ​ការនៃ​ដាក់​ពាក្យ វា​ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​គិត​ថា​មាន​បំណងដើម្បីទទួល​បាន​​ទិដ្ឋាការ​អន្តោប្រវេសន៍ ដូចជា​​ទិដ្ឋាការប្រភេទ​ប្តី​ប្រពន្ធ​ ឬ CR-1 ឬ IR-1 ដែរ ប៉ុន្តែ​លើក​លែង​តែ​ទិដ្ឋាការប្រភេទ K-3 ។ ដូច្នេះ ជា​សរុប​រួមនៅ​ក្នុង​វីដេអូនេះ ដំណើរ​ការ​នៃ​ការ​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​សុំយក​គូដណ្ដឹងជនជាតិ​ខ្មែរ​ទៅ​កាន់​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក ចាប់​ផ្ដើម​ពី​សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក ដំណើរ​ការ​តាម​រយៈភ្នាក់ងារ​មួយ​ចំនួន​នៅ​ទី​នោះ មុន​ពេល​បញ្ជូន​ទៅ​ដល់​ស្ថានទូតសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិកប្រចាំ​នៅ​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ ។ បន្ទាប់​មក​ទៀត មាន​ឯកសារ​ជា​ច្រើន​ដែល​ពាក់​នឹង​ដំណើរ​ការ​រួម​ និង​ឯកសារ​មួយ​ចំនួន​ដែល​ត្រូវ​បកប្រែពី​ភាសាខ្មែរ ទៅ​អង់គ្លេស ។ សំរាប់​សេវាកម្ម​របស់​យើង​ខ្ញុំ​ យើង​អាច​ធ្វើ​ការ​បក​ប្រែ​ឯកសារ​ទាំង​នោះបាន​ ដែល​វា​គឺជា​ផ្នែកដ៏​សំខាន់មួយ​នៃអ្វី​​យើង​ត្រូវ​ធ្វើ​ការ​រត់​ការជាធម្មតា ។ ជា​រឿយៗ ខ្ញុំ​ត្រូវ​ទៅ​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ ដើម្បី​ដោះស្រាយ​សំណុំរឿង​ជាមួយ​អតិថិជន ហើយ​ពេល​ខ្លះ​អាច​នឹង​ត្រូវ​ការ​ការ​បក​ប្រែដែរ ។ ប៉ុន្តែ​និយាយ​ជារួម​ទៅ បើ​យើង​មើល​ទៅ​លើ​លក្ខណៈទូទៅ​នៃ​ដំណើរ​ការ​នៃ​ការ​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​នេះ ហើយ​និង​អ្វី​ដែល​យើង​អាច​ជួយ​បាន​ប្រសិន​បើ​ចាំ​បាច់ គឺ​ថា​វា​ត្រូវ​ចាប់​ផ្ដើម​ចេញពី​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក ហើយ​និង​មក​ស្ថានទូត​ជា​ចុង​ក្រោយ ។ ខ្ញុំ​គិត​ថា​វា​អាច​នឹង​ទាម​ទារ​ពេល​ប្រហែល​ជា​ ៨ ឬ ៩​ខែជា​មធ្យម សំរាប់​ដំណើរ​ការ​ទាំង​អស់​ដើម្បីទទួល​បាន​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ K-1 ។ វា​អាច​ដំណើរ​ការ​លឿន​ ឬ​យឺត​ជាង​នេះ ។ អ្វី​ដែល​ត្រូវ​ចាំ​ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ពាក្យ​សុំ​ទិដ្ឋាការ​ទៅសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក គឺ​ថា​វា​ដូច​ជា​ដុំ​ព្រិល​អញ្ចឹង ដុំ​នីមួយៗ​មាន​លក្ខណៈពិសេស​ខុសៗគ្នា ហើយ​អ្នក​អាច​នឹង​ឃើញ​ថា​សំណុំរឿង​មួយ​អាច​នឹង​ដំណើរ​ការ​យ៉ាង​លឿនដោយ​នឹក​ស្មាន​មិន​ដល់ ។ យើង​ធ្លាប់​រត់​ការ​សំណុំរឿង​មួយ​ដែល​ដំណើរ​ការ​យ៉ាង​លឿន បើ​ប្រៀបធៀប​ទៅ​នឹង​សំណុំរឿង​ផ្សេងៗ​ទៀត​ជា​មធ្យម ហើយ​ខ្ញុំ​គិត​ថា​នេះគឺ​ដោយ​សារ​តែ​វា​ទៅ​កាន់​ចំទីកន្លែង និង​ពេល​វេលាដែល​ត្រូវ​ជា​ទី​បំផុត ដែល​ធ្វើ​អោយ​វា​ដំណើរ​ការ​លឿន ខណៈពេល​ដែល​សំណុំរឿង​ខ្លះ​ដំណើរ​ការ​យឺត ។ សំណុំរឿងនីមួយៗមាន​លក្ខណៈខុសៗគ្នា​ទៅតាម​សំណុំរឿង និង​ស្ថានភាព​ផ្សេងៗគ្នា ប៉ុន្តែ​ដូច​អ្វី​ដែល​យើង​បាន​និយាយ ទិដ្ឋាការ​ប្រភេទ​ K-1 សំរាប់​ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ គឺ​ត្រូវ​ចាប់​ផ្ដើម​ចេញ​ពី​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក ហើយ​វា​នឹង​ត្រូវ​មក​បញ្ចប់​នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា ។ បន្ទាប់​ពីពលរដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរនោះ​ធ្វើ​ដំណើរ​ទៅ​កាន់​សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក​ ហើយ​រៀបការ​ជាមួយ​គូដណ្ដឹង​ដែល​មាន​សញ្ជាតិ​អាមេរិក​របស់​គេ​ហើយ ពួក​គេ​អា​ច​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​សុំ​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​ស្ថាន​ភាព​អន្តោប្រវេសន៍ និង​ទទួល​បាន​ប័ណ្ណ Green Card នៅ​ក្នុង​សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក ។

Tags: 90 Day Fiance, American Fiance Visa, DHS, Fiance Visa Cambodia, I-129f, K-1 Visa, K-1 Visa Cambodia, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Cambodia, US Embassy Phnom Penh, US Fiance Visa, USCIS
Posted in US Embassy Cambodia | No Comments »

Below is a transcript of the video which can be found at the following link: K-1 Visas From Laos

In this video today we are going to be discussing K-1 visas but with the specific context of Laos. As previously mentioned, we’re based here in Bangkok and for those who have checked out this channel before, you can probably surmise that a lot of our activity with respect to, especially Immigration practice surrounds the US Embassy here in Thailand and a lot of our clientele are Thai nationals. But that being said, we do deal with cases that come up with respect to nationalities within this region rather frequently so it’s not uncommon for us to have a case or cases that may or may not end up, or will likely end up at the US Embassy in Vientiane, Laos.

The overall process for those of you who are watching this video and have never really dealt with the K-1 before. The process has got to begin in the United States, you have got to deal with DHS, the Department of Homeland Security, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, petition needs to be filed for fiancée visa benefits and certain requirements that are inherent to the petition with some exceptions, the couple needs to have met within 2 years of initial filing for K-1 visa benefits, they have to physically have met in person at least once within 2 years of the filing. The other thing to keep in mind with respect to the K-1 visa or the petition thereof is both parties need to be legally free to marry and moreover have to remain that way throughout the process. So, this can kind of be a little bit confusing to folks; you can’t marry each other while you are going for a fiancée vise benefit because it’s specifically is a fiancée visa benefit. So you can’t get legally married to one another. Now having a party to celebrate impending nuptials or something like this, that’s a different story but something to keep clearly in mind with respect to the fiancée visa category.

The thing that’s interesting with respect to Laos is you often will see a little bit of, you’ll see the occasional Laos national living and working in Thailand who will process through the embassy down here in Bangkok because they’re living and working down here in Bangkok and where certain local jurisdictions requirements are met for consular processing here, a Lao national could theoretically process through the US Embassy in Bangkok rather than up in Laos. Depending on the circumstances of the given case, that may or may not be more or less convenient for the applicant in question but that being said, presumptively, consular processing jurisdiction is based on the nationality of the applicant so if they’re a Lao national that happens to live in Thailand, but would prefer to process up in Laos that is certainly acceptable and they can go ahead and do that.

So basically, once the case, let’s presume it gets approved, the petition gets approved by the Department of Homeland Security, the case will move over to the national visa center. The National Visa Center acts as a sort of clearing house, or routing hub if you will, for immigrant visas, or for cases going throughout the world on behalf of the Department of State. It will then go to the Embassy in Vientiane and the Consular Section, the Immigrant Visa section of the Embassy in Vientiane will go ahead and inform the applicant what needs to be undertaken in order to finish up the process to get the visa issued.  It should be noted, it’s rather an interesting aspect of the K-1 visa it that it is considered a dual intent travel document and the reason that this is interesting is because, as a dual intent travel document, it’s a non-immigrant visa category, but for practical purposes, for consular processing purposes, it is treated as if it was an immigrant visa category. So that’s something to sort of keep in mind and once the applicant obtains their K-1 visa, they can go to the United States within the window of time for the expiration of the underlying visa, and then once they arrive in the United States they can go ahead and remain in the US lawfully for 90 days but with the sole purpose of marrying their American citizen fiancée and then subsequently adjusting status to lawful permanent resident. There is another video on this channel, which specifically gets into adjustment of status. I recommend those who are interested in that topic,  to specifically go to that video to check that out but suffice it to say, once one has adjusted to lawful permanent resident, the Green Card status, that’s effectively sort of the end of the  process, in a way. Definitely, I look at is as a kind of conclusion  of what was being sought which was bringing ones Lao fiancée into the United States to live permanently with the American citizen counterpart. So to sum up, the thing to keep in mind with respect to how this process works, it starts at the Department of Homeland Security, proceeds to the National Visa center and then finally ends up at the Consular Section of the US Embassy in Vientiane, Laos.

Tags: Consular Processing, DHS, Fiance Visa, Fiance Visa Laos, Fiancee Visa, Immigrant Visa, K-1 Visa, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Laos, US Embassy Laos, US Embassy Vientiane, US Visa Laos, USA Visa Laos, USCIS
Posted in US Embassy Laos | No Comments »

It recently came to this blogger’s attention that the officials of the Royal Thai Immigration Police have made policy changes regarding passport holders of certain countries. It appears that passport holders from 37 different countries will now be able to obtain a 30 day visa exemption stamp by crossing a land border into Thailand. The recently announced list includes the following countries:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bahrain, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey

It should be noted that most holders of passports on the above list were already eligible to receive 30 day exemption stamps when arriving at one of Thailand’s many international airports. However, 30 day exemption stamps were apparently not available when arriving at land borders. While this liberalization is likely welcome news to prospective tourists who wish to travel to countries surrounding Thailand it should be be analyzed in conjunction with recent announcements regarding so-called border runs.

As previously noted on this blog and other sites, Thai border runs are effectively a thing of the past as recent laws have been enacted which bar individuals from making border runs more than 2 times per calendar year. Although this new rule is unlikely to impact genuine tourists in Thailand, those who have used ostensibly temporary visas and visa exemption stamps to live in Thailand are likely to find maintaining their status in this way to be very difficult in the future. This news comes at the same time as a number of foreign owned or managed businesses in Thailand are reporting significant increases in immigration inspections as well as well known hostels are being raided by those seeking not only criminals, but over-stayers in particular. How this will all play out in 2017 remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: staying long term in Thailand is becoming increasingly difficult, expensive, and time consuming.

Meanwhile, as Thai Immigration cracks down, it appears that the Department of Homeland Security’s United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has made new regulations regarding the forms which must be submitted in connection with petitions for various immigration benefits. Forms such as the I-130 (associated with spousal immigration petitions for visas such as the CR-1 or the IR-1) have been upgraded and apparently the USCIS will no longer accept forms of an older pedigree. The same is apparently true with respect to the I-129f (the form associated with the K-1 visa used to bring fiancees of American Citizens to the USA) as that form has been updated.

Concurrently, it appears that there has been an across-the-board increase in the fees associated with the filing of certain immigration petitions. It is advised that those interested in this matter either speak with a qualified professional or conduct their own research to ascertain the current costs and fees associated with a visa to the USA.

Tags: 30 day visa exemption, CR-1, CR-1 Visa Thailand, IR-1, IR-1 Visa Thailand, K-1 Visa, K-1 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, Thai border run, Thai land border, Thai Visa, Thai visa border run, Thai visa exemption, Thailand border run, Thailand Visa, US Immigration, USCIS
Posted in CR1 Visa, IR1 Visa, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, Thailand Visa, US Visa, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | No Comments »

In light of recent events in the United States election and the campaign promises made by the now President-elect, it seems appropriate to assume that Immigration matters will likely come to the forefront of American political discussion. For this reason, this blogger finds it relevant to provide an overview of the Immigration apparatus and how the components function.

In order to understand U.S. Immigration matters and the enforcement of U.S. Immigration law one must first understand the Department of Homeland Security. This Department oversees most of the Immigration matters arising in the United States (The Department of State deals with matters pertaining to US visas issued abroad, for more information on the role DOS plays in the immigration process please check out the many pages on this blog dedicated to Consular Processing information).

There are three agencies under the jurisdiction of DHS which deal with different aspects of Immigration law and policy. The first agency that many intending immigrant will no doubt have had dealings with is the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service or USCIS. This agency is tasked with adjudicating petitions for immigration benefits such as immigrant visas, work visas, and certain temporary stay visas. Furthermore, the USCIS also adjudicates I-601 waivers of inadmissibility as well as I-212 waivers for those who have previously been subjected to expedited removal. Those wishing to travel from abroad to the United States on some sort of immigrant or work authorized visa will likely have contact with USCIS.

Another component of DHS which deals with Immigration is the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service or USICE. USICE is often the agency tasked with ascertaining the legal status of foreign nationals physically present in the USA and if found to be present in the USA illegally USICE agents are tasked with apprehending such individuals and placing them in deportation proceedings.

Finally, there is the United States Customs and Border Protection Service or USCBP. In the US visa process, USCBP is arguably the most overlooked yet one of the most significant agencies an intending immigrant will deal with. Unbeknownst to most, notwithstanding the issuance of a valid visa, USCBP has the authority to turn away any alien attempting to enter the USA. In actual practice, an alien with a validly issued visa is unlikely to be refused admission at a port of entry, but it can happen. In most cases such refusal is due to a belief on the part of a USCBP officer that an alien attempting to enter the USA on a non-immigrant visa in fact has immigrant intent. This happens frequently to tourist visa holders who are attempting to conduct a so-called visa run in order to remain in the USA. In those cases involving immigrant spouses of US citizens holding visas such as the K-3, the CR-1, or the IR-1 refusal to admit the alien spouse is quite rare. The same can be said for foreign fiancees of US Citizens holding a K-1 visa, but the fact that USCBP has plenary power to turn away any alien seeking admission should not be forgotten.

Meanwhile in an interesting article in The Intercept, it was noted that certain documents have come to light which apparently show that although USCBP has traditionally recognized law enforcement functions (especially with respect to Customs matters) they also work with the FBI in matters not routinely thought of when pondering USCBP’s role. To quote directly from the aforementioned article:

“It is no surprise that law enforcement closely monitors border crossings for criminals or terror suspects. The initiatives described in these documents, however, are explicitly about gathering intelligence, not enforcing the law. A person doesn’t have to be connected to an active investigation or criminal suspect in order to be flagged; the FBI might want them for their potential to provide general intelligence on a given country, region, or group. The goal, according to an FBI presentation on an initiative at Boston’s Logan Airport, is “looking for ‘good guys’ not ‘bad guys.’”

Although immigration matters are often viewed as a “boring” aspect of the United States bureaucracy it should be noted that agents of the Department of Homeland Security play a significant role in maintaining the security of the USA and assist even in the gathering of intelligence.

Although the ultimate policies of the new administration regarding immigration matters remain to be seen it seems logical to infer that should the administration wish to make the immigration process more difficult for foreign nationals, then the sophisticated mechanisms mentioned above would likely have the capacity to make certain that such a course of events actually transpires.

Tags: CR-1 Visa, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, IR-1 Visa, K-1 Visa, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, US Customs, US Customs and Border Protection, US Visa, US Visa Process, USCBP, USCIS, USDHS, USDOS, USICE
Posted in USCBP, USCIS, USICE | No Comments »

It recently came to this blogger’s attention that the United States Consulate-General in Chiang Mai will be suspending services from September 12, 2016. It may be best to quote directly from the US Consulate’s website:

Except for U.S. citizen emergencies, consular services at the U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai will be suspended from September 12, 2016 to November 1, 2016, due to necessary renovations to the Consular Section…All nonimmigrant visa (NIV) applicants who intend to travel during this period should make appointments with the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok…The American Citizen Services (ACS) Unit will remain available by email and phone for emergency U.S. citizen services such as death and welfare/whereabouts cases; and we will continue to accept voter registration, absentee ballot requests, and absentee ballots.  Also, please note that the ACS Unit will conduct several U.S. citizen outreach events in and around Chiang Mai during this period…

Those wishing to learn more are well advised to click the link above.

Those seeking non-immigrant visas such as US Tourist visas and US student visas will, at least for the time being, be required to interview for such travel documents in Bangkok. It should be noted that this announcement has no impact upon those seeking immigrant visas such as the IR-1 visa or the CR-1 visa nor does it change the current processing protocols of the K-1 fiancee visa as although such fiance visas are considered non-immigrant visas they are processed in much the same manner as immigrant visas. As dual intent visas, holders of the K-1 visa may enter the United States in non-immigrant status with the intention of remaining and thereby use the adjustment of status process in order to convert into lawful permanent resident status (aka Green Card holder status) once in the USA. All of the aforementioned visa categories are initially adjudicated by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), a division of the Department of Homeland Security; before undergoing further Consular Processing at the United States Embassy in Bangkok, under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of State.

Notwithstanding the continuation of regular immigration services for those wishing to permanently move to the USA. It would appear that this situation may cause inconvenience for those in the North of Thailand seeking American Citizen Services such as passport renewal, notarization, and issuance of Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA). Other than occasional Consular outreach, many of these services will apparently need to be obtained from the Post in Bangkok during this renovation period.

Tags: Adjustment of Status, American Citizen Services, American Consulate Chiang Mai, American Embassy Thailand, consular report of birth abroad, dual intent visa, Green Card, Lawful Permanent Resident, United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, United States Consulate General Chiang Mai, United States Embassy in Bangkok, US Consulate Chiang Mai, us embassy thailand, US student visas, US Tourist visas, USCIS
Posted in US Consulate Chiang Mai | No Comments »

The administration of this blog routinely posts the updated processing times for the various service centers of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). The following is quoted directly from the official website of USCIS:

It should be noted that the above quoted processing estimates may not accurately reflect the entire visa process as Consular Processing may be required at a US Embassy or Consulate abroad. Concurrently, the above cited processing time estimates may not accurately reflect the time it takes process an immigration petition at a USCIS field office abroad or through the process once referred to as Direct Consular Filing.

Tags: American Visa Process, CR1 Visa Process, IR1 Visa Process, K1 Visa Process, K3 Visa Process, US Visa Process, USCIS, USCIS Processing Times
Posted in CR1 Visa, E1 visa, E2 Visa, EB-1 Visa, EB-2 Visa, EB-3 Visa, EB-4 Visa, EB5 Visa, Fiance Visa Thailand, I-601 Waiver, IR1 Visa, K-3 Visa Thailand, K1 Visa, K1 Visa Thailand, K2 Visa, K2 Visa Thailand, K3 Visa, L1 Visa, lgbt immigration, same sex visa, US Visa Thailand, USCIS | No Comments »