Joost Th.A. Doe

Hi All, I have a Thai wife (not oficially, only 'traditional' ceremony) and i'm
thinking of applying to jobs in the USA where my expertise is in height requirement.
(IT-related, what else?)

My wife has basically no problem aquiring a visa for Europe on her own, we have been
there together 6 times in the last 2 years. She has a good job, money in the bank and
real estate in Thailand. (Lucky me!)

I am dutch, do not need a visa for the states, but will require a 'green-card' to
work over there but I suppose that for a future employer this will be quite easy to
arrange because I have specific knowledge/experience not available in trainloads. (Am
I arrogant or what?)

But how would it turn out for my wife? What kind of steps should I follow to arrange
that we can go together to the states? We don't want to get married in Thailand
because of the problems with real estate ownership. I know the regulations are eased
up, but do the land departments know this? I anticipate not. We can get married in
'for instance' holland, before we would consider the move to the USA, but how would
that work out when we apply for a visa in Bangkok while only married in Holland and
not in Thailand?

Ok guys, extended challange, not the normal K1 questions, but would like some help
from the specialists.

Regards,

Joost

Andy Platt

alt.visa.us is better for you. However, getting a GC in one step is pretty tricky.
What is much more likely is that you would be able to find an employer who would
sponsor you for an H-1B and then, after a couple of years, sponsor you for the GC.
Your wife would be able to get a derirative H-4 visa (which would *not* allow her to
work) and get a GC when you do. During the latter stages of GC processing she would
be able to get work authorization.

Andy.

--
I'm not really here - it's just your warped imagination. "Joost Th.A. Doevelaar"
<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > Hi All, I have a Thai wife (not oficially, only 'traditional' ceremony) and i'm
    > thinking of applying to jobs in the USA where my expertise is in height
    > requirement. (IT-related, what else?)
    >
    > My wife has basically no problem aquiring a visa for Europe on her own, we have
    > been there together 6 times in the last 2 years. She has a good job, money in the
    > bank and real estate in Thailand. (Lucky me!)
    >
    > I am dutch, do not need a visa for the states, but will require a 'green-card' to
    > work over there but I suppose that for a future employer this will be quite easy to
    > arrange because I have specific knowledge/experience not available in trainloads.
    > (Am I arrogant or what?)
    >
    > But how would it turn out for my wife? What kind of steps should I follow
to
    > arrange that we can go together to the states? We don't want to get married in
    > Thailand because of the problems with real estate ownership. I know the regulations
    > are eased up, but do the land departments know this? I anticipate not. We can get
    > married in 'for instance' holland, before we would consider the move to the USA,
    > but how would that work out when we apply for a visa in Bangkok while only married
    > in Holland and not in Thailand?
    >
    > Ok guys, extended challange, not the normal K1 questions, but would like some help
    > from the specialists.
    >
    >
    >
    > Regards,
    >
    > Joost

Des

As for the marriage part - get married in Holland, and get an apostille for the
application. You need to have proof of a 'formal' marriage for both of you to get US
visas. As far as I know, there are very few countries in the world that do not accept
marriage certificates with valid apostilles, and in that case, you need to have the
marriage certified at the local embassy for your foreign spouse. (Don't know if
THailand is one of these countries?). Then take your spouse with marriage certificate
and apostille to the Thai Embassy in Holland to register the marriage. And get her
registeres with the local authorities in Holland as resident there.

Anyway, I think you have to figure out first how to get married in Holland, and get
her to move there 'legally'. That way, you can apply for the H1B in the US, and she
can apply for the H4 from Holland not Thailand. Once in the US, your employer may
sponsor you for a GC. A very long paper-trail you are looking at!

Hope this helps & good luck, Des

Hyacinthus

I am a bit curious what kind of expertise in the IT field you possess?

"Joost Th.A. Doevelaar" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi All, I have a Thai wife (not oficially, only 'traditional' ceremony) and i'm
    > thinking of applying to jobs in the USA where my expertise is in height
    > requirement. (IT-related, what else?)
    >
    > My wife has basically no problem aquiring a visa for Europe on her own, we have
    > been there together 6 times in the last 2 years. She has a good job, money in the
    > bank and real estate in Thailand. (Lucky me!)
    >
    > I am dutch, do not need a visa for the states, but will require a 'green-card' to
    > work over there but I suppose that for a future employer this will be quite easy to
    > arrange because I have specific knowledge/experience not available in trainloads.
    > (Am I arrogant or what?)
    >
    > But how would it turn out for my wife? What kind of steps should I follow
to
    > arrange that we can go together to the states? We don't want to get married in
    > Thailand because of the problems with real estate ownership. I know the regulations
    > are eased up, but do the land departments know this? I anticipate not. We can get
    > married in 'for instance' holland, before we would consider the move to the USA,
    > but how would that work out when we apply for a visa in Bangkok while only married
    > in Holland and not in Thailand?
    >
    > Ok guys, extended challange, not the normal K1 questions, but would like some help
    > from the specialists.
    >
    >
    >
    > Regards,
    >
    > Joost