How
quickly are immigrant visas issued?
Certain
immigrant visas are numerically limited and may
require a waiting period before further applications
can be reviewed. However, applications for spouses,
immediate family, and fiance(e)s of US citizens
will be processed as soon as the request is approved.
Generally, applications for spouses, immediate family,
and finance(e)s should be submitted six months prior
to departure to the United States.
How
can I file a petition for an immediate relative
living in Thailand?
A
US citizen residing in Thailand can file a petition
for an immediate relative at the USCIS office in
Bangkok. Form I-130 must be completed and submitted
by mail or in person during their normal business
hours.
What paperwork is
required if I wish to adopt a Thai child?
For a petitioner living in Thailand, a form may
be submitted to the USCIS to classify an orphan
as an immediate relative (Form I-600 or I-600a).
Petitions should be submitted by mail or in person
to the Bangkok office during working hours.
If
I am not a resident of Thailand, can I still submit
a petition for an immigrant visa at the Bangkok
office?
American
citizens residing in Australia, Burma, Cambodia,
Laos, or New Zealand may be allowed to submit a
petition to the USCIS office in Bangkok in order
to classify an orphan as an immediate relative as
the Bangkok USCIS office has jurisdictional control
over benefits and enforcement in these countries.
Is
there any other way to get an immigrant visa?
The
Diversity Immigrant Visa program provides, by way
of a lottery, immigrant visas to 50,000 qualified
foreign applicants each year. Contact the US Embassy
to determine if applications for the DIV program
are currently being accepted.
