Evidence to get a B2 from Thailand?

[JCThailand 0]

We are all trying to help and hope you know that as we go thru this.

I do appreciate all the replies and the time you have invested in helping us. Thank you. I also apologize for venting my frustration yesterday... I was a little surprised that the consensus was so negative, but I'm glad I asked so we can change our approach!

I suggested to my fiancee that we re-write the letter in her name, and she asked me to write it for her. I came up with the following. Is this good? Feedback is appreciated... I know you all don't hold back!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Thai fiancée

Address

Chiang Mai 50000, THAILAND

Mobile: 081-555-1212

Email: ThaiFiancee@somewhere.com

To whom it may concern:

I am writing this letter to explain the purpose of my planned trip to the USA in October 2012. My fiancé, Mr. JCThailand, who is a US citizen, has invited me to visit his country and meet his friends and family. I will tour with him through Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Missouri.

I am employed by ABC Ministry Thailand (ABC), and I am the founder and director of XYZ prayer room Chiang Mai, which is a ministry of ABC. I have been granted a leave of absence by ABC for six weeks to tour the United States, as the cultural experience will also improve my job performance. It is a hardship to the XYZ Prayer Room for me to leave for such a long time, but I have made plans for the ministry to continue in a reduced way until I return.

At the end of my tour of America, I will return to Thailand along with my fiancé, and we will be married on December 8 in Chiang Mai. See the attached evidence for our plans to be married in Thailand.

My fiancé will provide for my expenses while I am in the USA.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Thai fiancée

Attachments:

• Promotional brochure from XYZ Prayer Room

• Leave of absence letter from ABC Ministry

• Agreement to rent church on 8-Dec-2012

• Wedding invitation for 8-Dec-2012

• Plane ticket to Thailand for JCThailand

• Round-trip plane ticket for Thai fiancée

[Boiler 48,089]

Can not see any harm, unlikely it will be looked at.

[Ning25 619]

I do appreciate all the replies and the time you have invested in helping us. Thank you. I also apologize for venting my frustration yesterday... I was a little surprised that the consensus was so negative, but I'm glad I asked so we can change our approach!

I suggested to my fiancee that we re-write the letter in her name, and she asked me to write it for her. I came up with the following. Is this good? Feedback is appreciated... I know you all don't hold back!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Thai fiancée

Address

Chiang Mai 50000, THAILAND

Mobile: 081-555-1212

Email: ThaiFiancee@somewhere.com

To whom it may concern:

I am writing this letter to explain the purpose of my planned trip to the USA in October 2012. My fiancé, Mr. JCThailand, who is a US citizen, has invited me to visit his country and meet his friends and family. I will tour with him through Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Missouri.

I am employed by ABC Ministry Thailand (ABC), and I am the founder and director of XYZ prayer room Chiang Mai, which is a ministry of ABC. I have been granted a leave of absence by ABC for six weeks to tour the United States, as the cultural experience will also improve my job performance. It is a hardship to the XYZ Prayer Room for me to leave for such a long time, but I have made plans for the ministry to continue in a reduced way until I return.

At the end of my tour of America, I will return to Thailand along with my fiancé, and we will be married on December 8 in Chiang Mai. See the attached evidence for our plans to be married in Thailand.

My fiancé will provide for my expenses while I am in the USA.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Thai fiancée

Attachments:

• Promotional brochure from XYZ Prayer Room

• Leave of absence letter from ABC Ministry

• Agreement to rent church on 8-Dec-2012

• Wedding invitation for 8-Dec-2012

• Plane ticket to Thailand for JCThailand

• Round-trip plane ticket for Thai fiancée

I think your attitude about this has been good and may be key in getting what you want. The ability to understand how to approach this difficult subject is most important.

The letter explains what the true intent is not only for the travel to the USA but the reason she must return. I think I would add some indication that after the marrige, will become a legal resident of Thailand and be working there for the known future. This eliminates any chance that she would remain in the USA with you simply because you wont be there. Other than that its well done.

If this letter doesnt do it, it wasnt going to happen anyway. This is the best way to get the facts in front of the officer prior to the interview. My husband was told by an officer in that very embassy that they do review every document submitted prior to the interview.

Please take the time to let us know how this went as it may help others in the future. Good luck.

Edited August 21, 2012 by Ning

[JCThailand 0]

If this letter doesnt do it, it wasnt going to happen anyway. This is the best way to get the facts in front of the officer prior to the interview. My husband was told by an officer in that very embassy that they do review every document submitted prior to the interview.

Please take the time to let us know how this went as it may help others in the future. Good luck.

Thanks for the feedback and the encouragement.

I didn't realize that it was possible to submit the documents in advance. That would be very helpful. How do we go about doing that? Can it be mailed to the consulate? It seems as though the consulate in Chiang Mai does not allow people to come in unless they have an appointment.

[Ning25 619]

Thanks for the feedback and the encouragement.

I didn't realize that it was possible to submit the documents in advance. That would be very helpful. How do we go about doing that? Can it be mailed to the consulate? It seems as though the consulate in Chiang Mai does not allow people to come in unless they have an appointment.

Do not submit anything in advance of the P 3 docs. Include your letter with that info. The embassy in BKK for example doesnt keep files for these cases so anything sent in is trashed unless its part of what they asked for.

[JCThailand 0]

Thanks all for your help.

Unfortunately, your predictions were correct. My fiancée was denied a visa. They had already made the decision based on the DS160, and declined to look at any of the documentation she had brought with her to the interview, which would have at least explained that we were getting married in Thailand and intended to live in Thailand instead of the US.

She was told that she could apply for a K1 visa, or else reapply for a B2 at the Bangkok embassy instead of Chiang Mai.

My suspicion is that neither of those options will work.

For the K1, we plan to be married in Thailand on December 8. I suspect that if we started the application process for a K1 today, we wouldn’t even have the visa before it was time for me to go back to Thailand. On top of that, if we used a K1 visa as though it was a B2 – i.e. to visit family, and then leave again without getting married – would it hurt our chances of getting a K3 a few years down the road?

Regarding reapplying for the B2, if it will be handled the same way as our first attempt, there’s no point. As long as I am in the US and she and I are engaged, it seems like that’s grounds for an automatic denial. The only chance would be if I were not in the US. Leaving the country is not practical for me right now, and we're not going to lie or try to hide the relationship.

So if I’m understanding the situation correctly, we need to give up our plan of having her visit the US before the wedding.

Is this correct? Anything I’m missing?

[Boiler 48,089]

No

[james5 1]

When I study this its all about you. The situation must be about her because its she that must confirm beyond a question she MUST come back.