British Expats - Help: Questions about K1 Visa and Complications

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)

- Marriage Based Visas (https://britishexpats.com/forum/marriage-based-visas-35/)

- - Help: Questions about K1 Visa and Complications (https://britishexpats.com/forum/marriage-based-visas-35/help-questions-about-k1-visa-complications-191657/)

Help: Questions about K1 Visa and Complications

Hi All,

This is my first post here so I hope everyone will be patient with me...

I have had a relationship with a 28-year old Thai woman for the past two
years, and during my last visit with her we decided to marry! We have been
researching marriage visa information on the web, and I have a basic
understanding of what we need to do, however, there are some complications
that I am wondering if others have come up against and hopefully found
solutions for.

The first issue is that her family would like for her to visit me here in
America to be certain she will be able to adjust, and to satisfy her
families concerns about me. We both think this is a perfectly fair request
and we both want to honor her families wishes. However, this poses an
interesting problem because once she visits here, her family wants us to
have a Thai engagement ceremony in Thailand, and a Thai marriage ceremony,
before marrying in the US.

Since a tourist visa seems to be almost impossible from what I have read on
this newsgroup, I am wondering what happens if she comes here on a K1 visa,
then returns to Thailand where I will join her in order to satisfy her
families wishes. Can the K1 visa be extended to a 2nd visit? Do we have to
apply all over again? Will we be denied a 2nd K1 if we did not marry the
first time around?

Any help would be greatly appreciated because I do not want to go against
the wishes of her family, yet at the same time, the INS requirements make it
very difficult to proceed in the manner that we both would like. We are so
serious about marriage and this issue is worrying us very much.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Ron

Re: Help: Questions about K1 Visa and Complications

Quote:

Originally posted by Ron
The first issue is that her family would like for her to visit me here in
America to be certain she will be able to adjust, and to satisfy her
families concerns about me.

However, this poses an
interesting problem because once she visits here, her family wants us to
have a Thai engagement ceremony in Thailand, and a Thai marriage ceremony,
before marrying in the US.

Ron

Ron, in order for her to be eligible to apply for a K-1 visa at the U.S. Consulate, she would have to have the intent to marry you here in the U.S. within 90 days of her entry, â€œno strings attachedâ€?.

Since the plan is to marry back in Thailand, the K-1 would not be the appropriate visa for her to use in order to visit America.

And even if you now change those plans and instead decide to marry here in the U.S. within 90 days of entry, there are â€œstrings attachedâ€? in that she first wants to see how she would adjust to life in the states (before deciding to marry you). Therefore, she would not have the intention to marry you within 90 days with no strings attached and therefore would rightly be denied a K-1 visa.

Re: Help: Questions about K1 Visa and Complications

Excellent points! She is certain that she wants to marry, yet her family
requires a visit by her first...I'm still not sure how to proceed since now
a K1 is not the correct route, and a tourist visa is likely
impossible...HELP!!!

Thanks,

Ron
"Matthew Udall" <member@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Originally posted by Ron
    > > The first issue is that her family would like for her to visit
    > > me here in
    > > America to be certain she will be able to adjust, and to satisfy her
    > > families concerns about me.
    > >
    > > However, this poses an
    > > interesting problem because once she visits here, her family
    > > wants us to
    > > have a Thai engagement ceremony in Thailand, and a Thai marriage
    > > ceremony,
    > > before marrying in the US.
    > >
    > > Ron
    > Ron, in order for her to be eligible to apply for a K-1 visa at the U.S.
    > Consulate, she would have to have the intent to marry you here in the
    > U.S. within 90 days of her entry, "no strings attached".
    > Since the plan is to marry back in Thailand, the K-1 would not be the
    > appropriate visa for her to use in order to visit America.
    > And even if you now change those plans and instead decide to marry here
    > in the U.S. within 90 days of entry, there are "strings attached" in
    > that she first wants to see how she would adjust to life in the states
    > (before deciding to marry you). Therefore, she would not have the
    > intention to marry you within 90 days with no strings attached and
    > therefore would rightly be denied a K-1 visa.
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Re: Help: Questions about K1 Visa and Complications

Ron,

What your fiancee's parents ask is, as you seem to understand, not practical.

You should try to get agreement that your fiancee will come to the US on a K1 visa, you will marry as required, and then after applying for Adjustment of Status and obtaining Advance Parole you and your wife will go back to Thailand for the Thai wedding ceremony.

It's not impossible that if you lay out the complete plan your future in-laws have propose to the consular officials, your fiancee may be able to get a B2 visa. You don't say anything about her circumstances, and that is very important. As is how well you prepare and document your presentation of the plan.

If nothing else, attempting the B2 visa and failing may help to convince your future in-laws that marriage in the US is the only way. The cost is nominal in the overall scheme of things - $100 for the visa appliation fee and a few dollars for the visa photos.

Regards, JEff

Quote:

Originally posted by Ron
Hi All,

This is my first post here so I hope everyone will be patient with me...

I have had a relationship with a 28-year old Thai woman for the past two years, and during my last visit with her we decided to marry! We have been researching marriage visa information on the web, and I have a basic understanding of what we need to do, however, there are some complications that I am wondering if others have come up against and hopefully found solutions for.

The first issue is that her family would like for her to visit me here in America to be certain she will be able to adjust, and to satisfy her families concerns about me. We both think this is a perfectly fair request and we both want to honor her families wishes. However, this poses an interesting problem because once she visits here, her family wants us to have a Thai engagement ceremony in Thailand, and a Thai marriage ceremony, before marrying in the US.

Since a tourist visa seems to be almost impossible from what I have read on this newsgroup, I am wondering what happens if she comes here on a K1 visa, then returns to Thailand where I will join her in order to satisfy her families wishes. Can the K1 visa be extended to a 2nd visit? Do we have to apply all over again? Will we be denied a 2nd K1 if we did not marry the first time around?

Any help would be greatly appreciated because I do not want to go against the wishes of her family, yet at the same time, the INS requirements make it very difficult to proceed in the manner that we both would like. We are so serious about marriage and this issue is worrying us very much.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Ron