Visas at the US Embassy in Thailand
The United States Embassy in Thailand, located at 120/22 Wireless Road in Bangkok, is one of the largest embassies in the world. Among other functions, the Embassy processes US visa applications.
The Visa Section at the US Embassy Thailand serves foreigners who would like to enter the U.S. While the Embassy recommends that all foreigners apply for US visas from their home country, if you are living in Thailand and wish to travel to the US it may also be possible to apply through the Embassy in Bangkok. The Embassy processes both non-immigrant and immigrant visa applications. Non-immigrant visas include tourist visas and business visas while immigrant visas can be in the form of CR-1 and IR-1 spouse visas among others.
While the visa application process ends with an interview at the Embassy in almost all cases, all immigrants and some non-immigrant visa applications begin at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The USCIS Bangkok Field Office is located next door to the Embassy and has jurisdiction over US immigration matters in Australia, Burma, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. These include processing refugee claims, military naturalization, orphan petitions (Forms I-600A and I-600), petitions for alien relatives (Form I-130 which is required for spouse and fiance visas), special immigrant petitions (Form I-360), applications for waivers (Forms I-601 and I-212), and abandonment of status (Form I-407).
The Consular Section of the US Embassy in Bangkok is located opposite the main Embassy building at 95 Wireless Road, Bangkok, Thailand 10330. It operates Monday-Friday from 7 AM to 4 PM. It is closed on official holidays of both the US and Thailand. Visitors to the Embassy’s Consular Section will only be admitted if they have an appointment.
The US Embassy does not have a walk-up window where visitors can receive visa information. An automated telephone service provides information on non-immigrant visas in Thai at 02-205 5007 and English at 02-205-5003. Automated information on the immigrant visa process is available in English only at 02-2-5-5004. Foreign citizens who need visa information should call or visit the Embassy website. The visa information service is available online at CSRA Visa Information Service.
If you are applying for a US visa at the Embassy in Bangkok you should be sure to apply well ahead of your intended departure. In addition, you should wait to make any travel plans that cannot be changed until your visa has issued. As you make your plans, you may want to check the Department of State website that indicates average wait times for nonimmigrant visa interview appointments and processed. This web page is updated weekly, the Visa Wait Times page. Immigrant visa processing is more complicated and involves processing by the USCIS before a visa interview can be scheduled.
For further information about the US Embassy in Bangkok, visit the US Embassy website.
Category: Immigration
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