US Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand
In Thailand, the United States maintains its presence at the US Embassy in Bangkok and US Consulate in Chiang Mai.
The US Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand is the third largest American embassy in the world. As such, it provides a wide range of services primarily focusing on the advancement of the American economic and commercial interests and the protection of US citizens not only in Thailand but in the South East Asian region as a whole.
To carry out its multifarious functions, the embassy has several sections and offices working together towards the achievement of its goals and objectives in the region. These include the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok is bifurcated into American Citizen Services and the Visa Section.
US Embassy in Bangkok Thailand
The American Citizen Services unit is tasked to assist American expatriates and visitors to Thailand and neighboring countries by providing assistance in passport application including the issuance of emergency passports and other related travel documents, reports of birth and death in Thailand, legalizations, facilitating applications for federal benefits and providing emergency assistance to distressed Americans.
The Visa Section, on the other hand, services foreigners who would like to enter the the US for temporary visit or for indefinite or permanent stay. In particular, the embassy in Bangkok processes all types of visa applications i.e. non-immigrant and immigrant visas. Non-immigrant visas include tourist visas and business visas while immigrant visas can be in the form of K1 Fiancé Visa, K3 Marriage Visa, CR-1, IR-1, and Work Visa among others. Meanwhile, the U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai can only process nonimmigrant visas in the north-western 16 provinces and assists Americans living in or visiting the province.
The US embassy in Bangkok is located at 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok, Thailand 10330. It operates Monday-Friday from 7 AM to 4 PM. It is closed on official holidays. The embassy can be reached via Tel: +66-2-205-4000. For further information about the US embassy in Bangkok, you can log into http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/
The US Consulate in Chiang Mai is found on Wichayanond Road. You may contact the consulate via Tel: +66-53-107-700. You can also log in to the consulate’s official website at http://chiangmai.usconsulate.gov/ for more information.
Attorney at US Visa Interview in Thailand
Visa applicants sometime believe they have a right to attorney representation at a visa appointment interview, and while this may be true before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), this is prohibited for the US Consulates and Embassies abroad. The general rule for most US Consulates and Embassies is that only the visa applicant may appear for the interview, although in cases where the applicant is a minor then a legal guardian or attorney may appear on the child’s behalf.
The State Department follow the United States Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) which gives guidance to State employers and attorneys on correspondence with client’s representatives. Each consulate has the discretion to establish its own policies regarding attorney representation, and generally consular officers will correspond with the attorney directly so long the attorney has submitted a properly executed G-28 Notice of Representation. If so then the officers will notify the attorney of records regarding issues with their client’s case.
The advantage to this direct communication is invaluable when the attorney is “on the ground.” This expedites and removes any unnecessary delays via mail or phone, merely by the attorney being able to appear before the consular officer to make a direct inquiry. This being said, the State employees are required to provide the same communication to American lawyers in the US and abroad.
While American attorneys are not accompanying visa applicants to interviews, there’s an infinite amount of information from websites promising legal representation at the US Embassy. These visa agents are not permitted to enter as the attorney of record and thereby prohibited from submitted a G-28 form. Without this executed g-28 form in place, the US consular officers will not communicate with anyone except the alien applicant regarding the status. Therefore, while American attorneys are not at the interview, they are able to investigate and facilitate the case to adjudication.
Contact us to find out how we can serve you with our team of experienced staff and American attorney for either Consular Processing Services or American Citizen Services.
Exchange Tower 42nd Floor
388 Sukhumvit Road
Bangkok, 10110 Thailand
(+66) 02 302 1448
EB-5 Investor Green Card Benefits
EB-5 Investor Green Card Program is a fast track path to getting your U.S. green card within 18 months. It has the highest U.S. Immigration approval, more than the Tourist Visa, Student Visa, and Employment based green cards, and Marriage Visa. U.S. Congress designated 10,000 visas to individuals in the EB-5 Category and each year thousands go unused. With a secure investment of $500,000 into a State certified project in the U.S. you and your family will be able to qualify for a U.S. green card with all the benefits of a resident.
You Can Live Anywhere in the U.S.
If you have always dreamt of living next to the beach in Hawaii or the coast of California, you can do so. If you prefer the lights and sounds of Las Vegas or New York, then the option is available. No matter where you want to live in the U.S., the EB-5 Green Card gives you the ability to choose where you can set up your business in a completely different state than where you live.
Travel to U.S. Hassle Free Anytime
The freedom to travel back home when you please. Once you have a Green Card in the U.S., you can return to your home country and then back to your new home anytime you wish. If you have an emergency in your home country or need to return to the U.S. immediately, just board a plane and leave without having to apply for a visa.
U.S. Education at Citizen Rates
Access to education at resident prices. As a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. you can afford to get higher education while paying the same money citizens pay. The same can be said for family that moves here with you, which includes any children under age 21. If you have always wanted the best education for you and your children, you can have it now with the EB-5 Green Card.
Be An American Citizen in 5 years
Fast track to becoming a U.S. citizen. You might think you will never become an American citizen, but it is possible to obtain your U.S. citizenship 5 years after your Green Card is approved. You need an experienced immigration attorney to process the file smoothly, however, the INA clearly allows citizenship application if you meet all the requirements. Once you have your citizenship, you can never lose it and do not even have to travel back to the U.S. to maintain it.
Own A Business
Owning your own business. Many people will never have the satisfaction of working for themselves, but with one initial investment, you can achieve that dream. The investment does not require you to be involved in daily operations if you apply at a Regional Center. You can be as involved in the business as you want, and you get to choose what you do with your time and money. This is a luxury many people in most countries do not have.
Secure Investment Earning Interest
Investment with a projected return on investment. By working with our EB-5 Investor Green Card Program, your investment money is secure and will earn interest higher than at a traditional U.S. bank.
High Immigration Approval Rate Than Any Other Visa
High U.S. immigration approval rate. In 2009, 85% of EB-5 Investor Green Card petitions were approved by U.S. immigration. This is a much higher rate than student visas, tourist visas, and marriage visas.
Our Services For Regular & Regional Center Programs
We are ready to provide you with comprehensive EB-5 Green Card services that apply to both the Regular and Regional Center programs, including:
- Confirm the source and availability of funds available for your EB-5 Green Card business investment, which generally requires the submission of 5 years of tax filings
- Advise on due diligence for your preferred business investment
- Prepare and file your I-526 petition as an alien entrepreneur with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS)
- Once you are approved, we help you file for an Adjustment of Status or Immigrant Visa
- When you are granted conditional resident status, we monitor your case during the 21-24 month wait period required to verify that the full investment has been made and 10 jobs created (if applicable)
- We help you file the Form I-829 application to remove conditional resident status at the specified time to obtain permanent residence.
EB-5 Green Card Regional Center Application Services
The Regional Center program is ideal for the retiree or inactive investor due in large part to the “indirect employment creation” requirement and usual limited partner feature of this program. If you choose to invest $500,000 plus acquisition costs through one of more than 70+ Regional Centers, we can assist you by discussing the Regional Center program options that may be best suited to you.
There are several steps in the Regional Center program category which vary based on your individual circumstances.
EB-5 Green Card Regular Program Application Services
If you choose to invest $500,000 to $1 million through the EB-5 Green Card Regular Program, we can help you:
- Advise on reorganizing an existing business to become a qualifying new commercial enterprise
- Identify a “troubled business” that may allow you to create fewer than 10 new jobs
Start The EB-5 Green Card Process Now
Getting started is easy. Schedule a consultation to speak to EB-5 Green Card attorney Cathy Tran Reck in more detail about your case, or contact us at one of our international offices in Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City.
Who Qualifies for an EB-5 Investor Green Card?
There are no limits as to who can qualify for an EB-5 Investor Green Card as long as they can meet the three requirements. Some examples are student visa holders who want to get a green card without having to marry, retirees who want to be able to live and receive some benefits in the U.S., entrepreneurs who do not qualify for E visas, and families with young children who want the benefits of a U.S. school system.
Why Use our EB-5 Investor Green Card Program?
Safe investment with your money. Your investment money is secure and will earn interest higher than at a traditional U.S. Bank. We have a proven management team that has already earned over $800 million gross in previous projects. We have a virtual reality online gaming product that has been profitable for over eight (8) years, and we have the Hollywood connection to make the business successful and profitable.
About the Company: SEE Virtual Worlds
What is the Hollywood Connection?
What makes our online virtual reality games special is that we can use characters and images from famous Hollywood movies. We are able to do this because of the past success of SEE Virtual Worlds www.seevirtualworlds.com
Paramount Studios, MGM, Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox and Universal Studios have already signed contracts for the use of their movies. Some of the movies that are being discussed are: Batman, James Bond, Star Trek, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, X-Men, King Kong and The Mummy. You too can be part of the magic of a Hollywood success. Visit See Virtual Worlds at www.seevirtualworlds.com
How Do I Get Started?
You can send an inquiry with a completed EB-5 Green Card Questionnaire to our office.
EB-5 Investor Green Card Program
EB-5 Investor Green Card Program is a fast track path to getting your U.S. green card within 18 months. It has the highest U.S. Immigration approval, more than the Tourist Visa, Student Visa, and Employment based green cards, and Marriage Visa. U.S. Congress designated 10,000 visas to individuals in the EB-5 Category and each year thousands go unused. With a secure investment of $500,000 into a State certified project in the U.S. you and your family will be able to qualify for a U.S. green card with all the benefits of a resident.
If you are a foreign investor from any country looking to enter the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident, then the EB5 investor Green Card Program is the way to go. High net worth individuals are able to make an investment which creates 10 jobs and obtain their Green Cards as fast as one who marries a U.S. citizen. Other relative petitions take 5-15 years and employment based Green Cards 3-8 years.
Consider the following advantages this program has over other visa programs. The EB-5 Investor Green Card process takes approximately 18 months before you have your Green Card, and qualifying family members are approved at the same time. Here are the five top reasons the EB-5 Investor Green Card Program is ideal for foreign investors.
- Live and work anywhere in the U.S. that you choose
- Work or conduct any type of legitimate business in the U.S. that you choose
- Your children can attend school as a U.S. premanent resident and with lower tuition
- You can travel in and out of the U.S. as many times as you wih
- You can apply for U.S. Citizenship within five (5) years of getting your EB-5 Investor Green Card.
To learn more about this, please contact us or click here.
Who Qualifies for an EB-5 Investor Green Card?
There are no limits as to who can qualify for an EB-5 Investor Green Card as long as they can meet the three requirements. Some examples are student visa holders who want to get a green card without having to marry, retirees who want to be able to live and receive some benefits in the U.S., entrepreneurs who do not qualify for E visas, and families with young children who want the benefits of a U.S. school system.
To learn more about this, please contact us or click here.
Our Full Service EB-5 Investor Green Card Program
For one fee, we will provide you with experienced, professional law office to prepare and submit all necessary papers to the U.S. Immigration and the U.S. Consulate. We have American attorneys on the ground at the U.S. Consulate to assist you with your case, assistance and consultation for the U.S. Consulate interview. All translation and notary services in your country and in the U.S. Setting up all business documents, bank accounts, tax identification numbers. Upon arrival to the U.S., we will provide you with airport pick up, assistance with housing (purchase or rental), consultations for school for children, drivers’ license and identification applications. Additionally, we can provide assistance in applying for social security numbers, and insurance.
The EB-5 Green Card law firm of CTR & Associates Ltd. is available to help you pursue your goal of becoming a U.S. permanent resident through an EB-5 Investor Green Card Program.
There are two EB-5 programs, the Regular Program and the Regional Center Program, and CTR & Associates offer legal assistance with both.
To find out more about the services we provide, please contact us or click here.
Client Testimonials
Below are testimonials of people who have used CTR and Associates and were willing to share their experiences.
Tourist Visa B2: William Rowley
William Rowley
Cathy Tran Reck helped my Thai girlfriend, Pam, obtain a B-2 Tourist Visa to the US. Despite the fact that Pam does not have strong financial ties to Thailand, Cathy encouraged us to focus on my background of having worked and lived in Thailand for several years. Cathy provided extremely valuable advice to Pam and I regarding the DS-160 application, the interview process and how to provide user friendly supporting documents to the US Embassy personnel.
Cathy prepared Pam for the interview by suggesting brief and accurate answers to questions that would probably be asked by the interviewing officer. Working with Cathy was a pleasure. She promptly responded to my emails and phone calls, and she spent a lot of time during our consultation to make sure that Pam understood what to expect when she arrived at the US Embassy for her interview.
I would highly recommend Cathy to anyone who is seeking a B-2 Tourist Visa to the US for their Thai girlfriend.
William Rowley,
Bangkok, Thailand
Widow Penalty: I-360 Widow Petition Based on Deceased US Citizen
Nuhieng & James Bell
My uncle married a very nice Thai lady several years ago and they had a son together. Sadly, before my uncle and his wife were married for two years, he had a heart attack and died. Due to the Widow Penalty she was unable to apply for her residency visa. In October of 2009, the Widow Penalty ended thanks to an attorney Brent Renison in Portland, Oregon who had worked to end the Widow Penalty, for several years.
I contacted to inquire if he knew anyone that could help me get everything going for my uncle’s widow and her Thai son to be able to come to the US to live and work. Brent recommended Cathy Tran Reck to me. I contacted her via email and explained the situation, told her what I wanted to do for my uncle’s widow, ask what I needed to do to start the process, the cost and about the length of time before everything was done. Cathy responded back to me immediately, outlining the entire process from start to finish, a breakdown of the costs and the time frame for completion.
Cathy has been amazing. She was very knowledgeable on the Widow Penalty and the law change. The application process has been approved and we are now in the final stage of the process. She has been in touch with me on a regular basis to keep me informed of what is happening, the communications she’s had with the government officials, where we are in the process and informing me of what the next step will be in the process.
Melody Hagerty
Cathy has personally telephoned me on several occasions for information I could understand and provide better than my uncle’s widow. Cathy has personally met and explained the process in detail to my uncle’s widow, answered all her questions and advised her of what would be expected of her in the process. My uncle’s widow told me that Cathy is a very, very nice lady and she likes her very much.
Cathy has definitely lived up to her recommendation and gone beyond. If you have questions, she’s quick to give you answers. She is always pleasant, has never made me feel as though I was bothering her or that she was too busy to talk with me when I would call. Cathy made me feel that my case was as much a priority to her as it was to me. Her passion and dedication made me feel important and she always provided excellent, personal service all the way from Thailand.
It’s refreshing to meet someone who is caring and honest. She doesn’t build up your hopes, drain your bank account and then tell you it just can’t happen. Cathy is honest from the get go. She won’t make you promises she can’t keep.
Melody S Hagerty
Vancouver, Washington
Ki Fiance Visa & Student Visa: Stuart Schwartzberg
I am an American citizen by birth, and my wife is a naturalized U.S. citizen. She petitioned for two of her adult daughters to immigrate to the U.S., and they were placed on a “priority” waitlist that currently takes six years to be called. Her third and youngest daughter immigrated to the U.S. with her as she was not yet an adult at that time. We tried several times to obtain a visitor visa for the oldest daughter, but were denied the visa each time. After much frustration and failure, when the oldest daughter became engaged to an American citizen, we turned to one of the “visa agencies” that claim to be able to obtain a U.S. visa without difficulty so that she could apply for a fiancée visa. We also used the same agency to apply for a visa for our seven year old granddaughter, so that she could come on a visitor visa and subsequently convert it to a student visa. It turns out that these visa agencies do nothing more than fill out the forms. They are not recognized by the U.S. Embassy and cannot even enter the grounds of the embassy. After spending a large amount of money paying their fees, the visas were denied.
Stuart Schwartzberg
At that point, I researched the internet for a U.S. immigration lawyer to help us. We found Cathy Tran Reck and contacted her. Cathy immediately gave us sound advice and we retained her services. Cathy was instrumental in overcoming the obstacles we previously encountered, and had access to the embassy and the visa section, where she was personally able to contact the visa officers directly. The end result is that our daughter is now in the U.S.A. and is happily married. Our granddaughter obtained a student visa and is living with us in New York while attending school. We are hopeful that her mother (the last of my wife’s three daughters to remain in Thailand) will join us next year.
I highly recommend Cathy to anyone needing immigration assistance. She is extremely knowledgeable and personally handles each case. I found out the hard way that only a licensed U.S. attorney can access the embassy on our behalf. I have since recommended Cathy to all of my friends seeking to marry a Thai woman. Her fees are reasonable and she is very responsive to questions and concerns. Cathy clearly had the ability to turn a hopeless situation into a successful resolution.
Stuart Schwartzberg
Wappinger Falls, New York
Tourist Visa B2: Wayne Davis
Cathy Tran Reck assisted my efforts to obtain a visitor’s visa for my fiancée to allow her to visit the U.S. with me. The initial application for a visa was refused by the U.S. embassy. The reason given, that my fiancée had insufficient ties to her native country, Thailand, was clearly not true. All of my efforts to get the embassy to disclose the true reason for the denial were rebuffed, only the same boiler-plate 214(b) response was given. Even my U.S. senator got the same standard response. Finally, in desperation, I used Google to search for a U.S. immigration attorney practicing in Bangkok. Cathy came up at the top of the list. When I phoned for an appointment and discussed the case with her she told me that, in her opinion, the problem was that we had planned to be married during the U.S. visit and that this would be considered as contrary to the terms of a tourist visa. We dropped the plans for the wedding during the trip, it was an afterthought anyway, and following Cathy’s advice we strengthened our documentation of my fiancee’s ties to Thailand including adding an English translation of deeds of property that my fiancee owns and a translation of the deed to my condo in Bangkok. The embassy web page and the embassy’s responses to my emails had strongly emphasised that I could not sponsor my fiancée’s trip, that her visa application would be considered on her merits only. Cathy pointed out that my strong ties to Thailand strengthened my fiancée’s case so in addition to a translation of my condo deed I submitted copies of my passport and the three years of Thailand retiree visas.
My fiancée’s second visa interview was successful. I am certain that the success was due to Cathy’s advice and highly recommend her for U.S. immigration matters.
Feel free to contact me to confirm this recommendation (except for 30 June through 16 July 2010 when my fiancée and I will be in the U.S.).
Wayne Davis
Bangkok, Thailand
K1 Fiancee Visa: Roy Joslin
Roy and Hang Joslin
I met Cathy Tran Reck back in November 2007 after an exhaustive search for an immigration lawyer. I was looking for a lawyer which had extensive knowledge and experience within the immigration laws and in particularly the Fiancee Visa process. I definitely wanted a lawyer who was also licensed to practice in the United States. I had consulted with numerous other immigration lawyers (locally and abroad) prior to meeting Cathy and after the initial consultation with Cathy I knew this was the lawyer that I had been searching for! Cathy answered all my initial questions in thorough detail and comprehensible manner. I chose Cathy and her associates as my sole immigration attorney for all my legal issues which may arise while going through the Fiancee Visa process and with any possible future issues after the process was completed.
In my opinion Cathy’s firm went above and beyond my expectations from what I was expecting from an immigration lawyer. All communication with Cathy from the beginning to the end and in every aspect was conducted in a very professional manner which I cannot say enough about. I myself, being in the Law Enforcement profession for eighteen years, realize how far professionalism and professional conduct accounts for a person and their work ethics in today’s society and Cathy displays such above and beyond in my personal opinion. I and my lovely wife fully and without any doubt would recommend Cathy and her firm for any and all of someone’s needs relating to any of her firm’s practices.
Roy & Hang Joslin
Parrish, Florida
