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Can my Thai wife get a visa to the USA on a doctor's recommendation before our marriage anniversary?

Sep 13, 2025
2 days ago
Doug *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Don’t know if the right group but here goes.

This is about my Thai wife’s visa to the USA 🇺🇸.

We were married 1/12 weeks were planing to visit the USA 🇺🇸 in two years from marriage. From what I read that’s the magic number needed ( 2 years ) for a visa to be granted.

The question is I have a good friend that has lung cancer. I doubt if she will make it to our two years anniversary.

Is it possible to get her a visa with a doctors letter to visit my friend?

Is a different city more lenient ?

I’m good Non O with reentry permit.

Just wondered if someone here had a similar situation.

Thanking you in advance

Doug and Somying
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The post discusses concerns regarding the process of obtaining a visa for a Thai spouse to visit the USA before their two-year marriage anniversary. The author mentions a serious health situation involving a friend in the USA and inquires if a doctor's letter might help in securing a tourist visa. Community responses clarify that there is no specific two-year requirement for visas, and highlight that the US Embassy in Thailand often does not grant tourist visas to married Thais out of concern for potential immigration fraud. They suggest that the friend’s illness would likely not influence the visa decision.
Greg ******
A few months ago, friend’s wife was denied a US tourist visa after 8 years of marriage and a US citizen child.

I’d like to take my wife to visit the US, so I’m doing an immigration visa. The USCIS website said 16 months to process.

Instead of just spending a few weeks, we will probably do enough time in America for her citizenship. Then come back to Thailand.

The US visa policy is insanity.
Donald ******
Should have marroed in US woth 90 day marriage visa! Easy.
Frank **********
No there is not another city more lenient as it is up to the American Embassy in Thailand to grant a visa or not. Unfortunately your friend being ill has no bearing on a visa. Good luck.
Wylie *******
There is no two year magic number. My wife got hers a few months after our marriage while I've seen others say their wife was denied after 5-10+ years or marriage.
Brandon ************
The only "2 year" thing I know of is that it takes about 2 years to get a marriage visa. That's 2 years from the time you apply, until you finally get the visa. It's not something magical that happens at 2 years.

You can try applying for a tourist visa, but the embassy almost never grants those to married Thais because they think you are just trying to do an end-run around the 2-year marriage visa process. They think she will get to the US as a tourist and then you will apply for adjustment of status to get a green card for her.
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