What can I do to improve my Thai girlfriend's chances of getting a US tourist visa after her initial rejection?

Jul 10, 2023
a year ago
Jake *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I want to bring my Thai girlfriend to the US for 2 weeks but she applied for a US tourist visa with her mom 3 months ago and was rejected. She wanted to take her mom to the US to visit her sister who lives in Tennessee. Any idea why her appplication might have been rejected? Is there anything I can do to ensure that her next application gets accepted? Should I go with her to the US embassy and sit with her during the interview? Should I tell the interviewer that she is my girlfriend? I need to travel to the US for medical reasons and I want her to be there with me. Should I mention that? Will they even allow me to be there during the interview? I've never done this before. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! 🙏
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The application for a US tourist visa can be quite challenging for Thai women, especially if they have a history of rejection. Common reasons for denial include applicants not demonstrating strong ties to their home country, which raises concerns about the risk of overstaying. Advice from the community suggests ensuring the applicant shows clear reasons to return to Thailand, such as stable employment, ownership of property, or strong family connections. It is generally recommended not to disclose personal relationships with Americans during the visa interview, as this could complicate her application further. Additionally, the interviewer will not allow anyone to accompany her into the embassy during the interview. Preparing significant documentation that highlights her ties to Thailand may improve her chances in a subsequent application.
Brian ***********
Things like these helped me.

.. letter of employment and granted holiday time. From registered Thai company.

.. $$$$$$ in bank.

.. proof of house , land ownership

.. house or apartment lease paid in advance

So many things that make it appear it would be better for her to return , not stay
Rich *******
If she has tattoos, worked in a bar, or no assets or job stable history, forget it. No chance even among Thais.
Lawrence **********
Make NO mention of yourself as a boyfriend. That's an immediate rejection. They want to be assured she has reason to return to Thailand and will actually return. Have a "friend" in the USA invite her. You can use a visa service such as Babel in Bangkok like I did.
Robin *******
Janne ***********
Also, they never allow the other party to sit in either.
Robert **********
Thats what happened with my Thai partner. US immigration is so strict they don’t even want tourists from non-western countries. If they know the applicant has a US GF/BF, they’ll usually reject because they want them to go through consular processing (takes 1-4 years). If they let your GF into the USA, you have the right to get married and she can get a green card. There is a rule that consulate officers must assume she will stay illegally, and i think their work culture is to look on applicants as villains.
Michael **************
You can try again. I know people who have tried a second time and they got it

Sometimes I think it is easier to send to Mexico and cross over.
Albert *******
Maybe you shouldn’t try to go with your girlfriends mom as well ! That looks so suspicious. You were probably asking for too much at one time . The next time you apply ask your lady to NOT apply also with her mother ! Tell them to apply separately
Sorry . And maybe register some kind of business in your girls name, even a very small one . The USA immigration like when business owners apply . Shows they’ve maybe got a REAL reason to return 

Ma *****
It never hurts to try again until you succeed. The consul will tell your girlfriend why they are rejected. And there is a certain time to apply again for tourist visa after rejection too but not sure how long.Prepare documents like proof that she will be back to her home country, proof of funds, you can provide your medical records as well for her application or you can sponsor her trip but make sure that she we will be back to Thailand and the main purpose for US trip is only for holiday,Hope this helps you in a little way,best of luck.
Brook ********
@Em ****
This is bad advice.

They can deny you for any reason or no reason at all, and they do not have to tell you why. Also, there is no such thing as sponsorship.
Jay *******
@Brook *******
there is, but it will almost guarantee denial.
Ma *****
@Brook *******
sponsorship for like food and accommodation while in the US,tour packages will be handled by boyfriend who is a US citizen. A lot of paper work but the more proof on both sides that the intention will just be a holiday will be a big chance for them to get approve. Any advice that might help him would be great but he will still be the one who will decideđŸ‘đŸŒđŸ˜Š
Brook ********
@Em ****
You don’t understand. Try reading everything again.
Frank **********
@Em ****
the Interviewer will not tell you the exact reason. All they do is give them a slip of paper saying not qualified under immigration standards. Not the exact wording but you get the idea. You can reapply and hope she gets it. Every time you reapply you have to pay a new fee.
Ma *****
@Frank *********
my mistake,I forgot the consul will give a paper for the reason denying their visa
Jay *******
@Em ****
no they do not, the piece of paper says denied. Absolutely nothing about why or what the applicant can do to get approved. I have one.
Michael **************
My gf went for interview and was ask only one question and was denied. She told me that the guy ask everyone the same question and denied each one while she was there.

Do not mention family in USA.

Must have strong tides to Thailand

You cannot go in only she is allowed in.

Make sure she has money when she goes sometimes they make you get new picture than tell you denied

Good luck.

We since have applied for K1 visa they are saying 15 to 18 months to get interview
Neal *******
She might try telling the embassy that her purpose for coming to the US is tourism. To see DC or NYC. You should not be seen by anyone at the embassy nor should she mention her American boyfriend.
Frank **********
There is a high rejection rate for Southeast Asia. Bad thing is there are no appeals to be made as the person interviewing has the final word.
Us *****
They got denied because no one believes that there are Asians in Tennessee.
Brook ********
Per a friend who worked in the Consulate, your “sponsorship”, pledge to support, and her ties to the US will virtually guarantee a denial. The hearing officers prefer visitors not to have a US support system and resources, thus guaranteeing a return to Thailand.

As mentioned previously, a strong foundation (property, business, work, family) ie reasons to return to Thailand are key.
Neal *******
@Brook *******
Based upon my experience, this is quite true. My youngest stepson (in his early 30s at the time) was denied several times. No spouse, children, job, money, or property. US Embassy knew it was a ploy by his Mom to get him with us. Eventually, he got his green card.
Miriam ***********
Not going to happen, dude.
Cliff *********
It is extremely difficult to bring a young person, especially a woman from a Third World country to USA.

They are all considered a flight risk.

They have to show a very strong reason to go back home.

Try having her travel to other more cooperative Western countries first.

She needs money, land, job,car, children etc back home.

Good luck.
Bill ********
thats the point rocket man.... nobody there does...
Roy ***********
@Cliff ********
not a flight risk, it's a stay risk
Robin *******
@Cliff ********
Yes, get a travel history in passport, other Asian and western countries if you can

Bill ********
@Cliff ********
held to mexico and cross the southern borde....dont you watch the news?
Cliff *********
@Bill *******
She can’t get a visa for Mexico either.
David ***********
Money making they like to take your money, she got to prove 100% she has a good reason to return back to Thailand,
John **********
It's going to be all about what she has in Thailand to ensure she returns. Business, money, family etc
Ed ********
It's not even a gender or age thing. My mother, who is an expat wanted to bring her Thai boyfriend to meet our family in the US. She was 76, he was 65 at the time. Visa denied, even though my brother and I wrote a letter vouching for him. We'd known him for 12 years by that time. They tried multiple times but ended up getting married. When married, the visa was no problem.
Jeremy ********
Try for a fiancé visa it might be easier
Jackie ***********
The first two questions are:

1. What do you do for work in Thailand ?

2. What does your boyfriend do for work ?

If they don't like the answers, visa is denied immediately and they don't even look at your documents.

Being married is better than girlfriend

If you, the US citizen sponsor/husband, can prove you live in Thailand full time with your wife and have no property in the USA and no intention to make a domicile in the USA, this helps.

If your thai girlfriend/spouse has relatives living in the USA, this hurts your chances because these people will help her if she decides to overstay.
Mike **********
My wife was rejected twice before we married. You won’t be allowed to accompany her into the consulate.

They really are tough on single ladies into the US

Didn’t matter all the documents we had accumulated and prepared. They wouldn’t even look at it. Our long history together, my guarantee as sponsor, evidence of her being a business owner, her income, house owner, mother, 
 all proof of her intent to return to Thailand. I also was baffled.

We wound up using an agent to navigate the system, but again was after our marriage. She got her 10yr visa couple years ago.
Bob **********
@Mike *********
Wow. What agent please.
Mike **********
@Bob *********
TSL & Associates in Trendy Bldg in Bangkok
Bob **********
@Mike *********
Thank you!
Mark ********
US does not like single asian women right now. Most of them are denied. Many of them overstayed in the US and have ruined it for others now. My wife's tourist visa was also denied twice before we were married. Now we are just doing the CR1 process.
Brandon ************
If you haven't already done a lot of research on this then you're not very serious about it. There's nothing you can do. It's all about the applicant and their situation. In fact knowing she has an American boyfriend is likely to count against her.
Milan *******************
100% if you inform she is your girlfriend she will be rejected, they afraid she won’t return to Thailand especially if you have a medical issue.

Let her proof she has a job in Thailand with a letter of her employer that she will return or show proof that she owns a property.

Otherwise I’m afraid you will be out of luck on this one.
John-Paul ******
@Milan ******************
this is the best way. Property... family... aged mother/father... much easier with a thai government position or with large company with letter. NEVER say girlfriend maarage official or religious.... but never "girlfriend" for sure.
Wylie *******
Bad news for you. It's extremely difficult for thai women to get a US tourist visa. Having an American boyfriend actually makes it harder. My now wife was told flat out that she needed to apply for a K1, fiance visa, instead before we were married when she tried the first time. They also do not let anyone except for her into the embassy, let alone sit at the interview. Even when she does go they may ask a couple questions at most and will not let her explain herself in any way.
Daniel ******
@Wylie ******
I heard less than 5 minutes, this guy thinks there’s a conference room Ffs
Colin *********
@Daniel *****
so you know it all and expect everybody else to also, right?
Daniel ******
@Colin ********
well I do 19 years in Thai yes I do , Right
Andy *******
Interview is 1 on 1. Her going to USA is tough. Easier to go to Mexico and swim across the Rio Grande.
Steve **********
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