Who needs this service and why
You need this service if you are travelling to the United States from Thailand and your passport is not covered by the Visa Waiver Program. Thai nationals are in this group and apply for a B1/B2 visa at the US Embassy in Bangkok. Many foreigners living in Thailand also apply here rather than in their home country.
The US application is different from every other country on this site, and understanding why changes how you should prepare. The decision is made in a face to face interview. The consular officer has your DS-160 on screen and works through a handful of questions with you. Your documents are supporting material, and many applicants are approved without the officer opening a single bank statement.
So the preparation splits in two. First, the paperwork has to be right: the DS-160 completed accurately, the appointment secured, the evidence assembled in a form you can produce instantly. Second, and just as important, you need to walk into that window knowing exactly what you are going to say. We do both, and we spend real time on the second one because that is where the conversation actually happens.
What the B1/B2 visa gives you
- B2 covers tourism, visiting family and friends, and medical treatment. B1 covers business meetings, conferences and negotiations. They are normally issued together as B1/B2.
- The visa is commonly issued for up to 10 years of validity with multiple entries, subject to your passport's expiry.
- Each entry allows a stay of up to 6 months, determined by the Customs and Border Protection officer when you arrive.
- The application fee is USD 185, paid before the interview.
Visa validity and permitted stay are two different things. A ten year visa lets you ask to enter repeatedly over ten years, and CBP decides each time how long you may stay.
Who this is for
- Thai nationals travelling to the US for holidays, to visit family, or for business meetings.
- People visiting relatives in the US, including parents visiting children who live and work there.
- Business travellers attending conferences, trade shows or client meetings.
- Foreigners living in Thailand who need a US visa and prefer to interview in Bangkok where their documents and life are based.
- Anyone who has been refused before and wants to prepare differently this time.
Requirements
1. Personal information
- Passport.
- Digital photograph to US specification.
- National ID card.
- House registration.
- Marital status documents.
2. Travel information
- Purpose of the trip, whether tourism, visiting family or business.
- Planned travel dates.
- Cities you will visit in the USA.
- Estimated travel budget.
- Who is paying for the trip.
- Invitation letter, if there is one.
- Host information, if there is one.
3. Employment documents
- Employment certificate.
- Employment contract.
- Salary certificate.
- Payslips.
- Leave approval letter.
- Tax documents.
4. Financial documents
- Personal bank statement.
- Bank certificate.
- Evidence of salary.
- Investment documents, if any.
- Asset documents, if any.
5. Proof of strong ties to Thailand
- Property ownership documents.
- Family documents.
- Marriage certificate.
- Children's documents.
- Other commitments in Thailand.
How it works
First, we complete the DS-160 properly. This form is long and detailed. It asks about your travel history, your family, your employment, your previous US visas and any prior refusals. The officer sees your answers on screen during the interview, so the form and what you say need to match exactly. We go through it with you question by question and confirm every answer before submission.
Second, we book your appointment and assemble your evidence. We pay the fee, secure the earliest realistic interview slot at the embassy in Bangkok, and prepare your document pack in a logical order so that if the officer asks for something you can produce it in seconds. We go through your documents thoroughly beforehand and tell you what else is worth bringing.
Third, we prepare you for the interview. This is where we spend the most time with you. We run through the questions officers in Bangkok genuinely ask, in the order they ask them. Why are you going. How long. Who is paying. What do you do for work. Who do you know in the United States. Have you travelled before. We work on answers that are honest, short and consistent with your DS-160, so you walk in composed and know exactly what you are going to say.
Process summary
- Complete and submit the DS-160 form.
- Pay the USD 185 fee and book the interview appointment.
- Attend the interview at the US Embassy in Bangkok.
What the officer is deciding
Under US law, every applicant for a visitor visa is presumed to intend to immigrate, and your job at the interview is to address that presumption. The officer is not trying to catch you out. They are looking for a coherent picture: a person with a reason to travel, the means to do it, and a life in Thailand they intend to return to.
What works is being clear, brief and truthful. If you are visiting your daughter in Los Angeles for three weeks and she is paying, say exactly that. Officers hear thousands of applicants and they recognise a straight answer immediately. Our preparation is aimed at making sure your answers come out that cleanly, which is a skill you can practise rather than something you either have or do not.
FAQ
1. What actually decides my application?
The interview. The officer works from your answers and their consistency with the DS-160. Documents support you, but many approved applicants are never asked to show them. This is why we put so much into preparing you for the conversation.
2. Can you attend the interview with me?
No. Only the applicant may attend, apart from an interpreter or a guardian in specific circumstances. That is exactly why we invest the time in getting you ready beforehand.
3. How long will my visa be valid?
B1/B2 visas for Thai nationals are commonly issued with up to 10 years validity and multiple entries. Your permitted stay per visit is set separately by CBP at the airport, normally up to 6 months.
4. How much money should I have?
There is no published minimum. Your funds should credibly cover the trip you have described. If a relative is paying, that is completely fine, and you simply need to be able to say so clearly and explain the relationship.
5. What if I have relatives living in the USA?
Declare them. Every time. The officer very likely already knows, and having family in the US is common and normal. Many applicants with US based children are approved because they answered honestly and their life in Thailand was clear.
6. I was refused before. Can I apply again?
Yes. There is no waiting period and you may reapply as soon as you wish. Tell us what you were asked last time and what you answered, and we will prepare differently for the next one. Preparation is the variable you can change.
7. How long does it take to get an appointment?
Wait times at the Bangkok embassy vary through the year and can be long in peak periods. We check current availability at the outset and plan around your travel dates.
8. Should I bring a big folder of documents?
Bring a well organised set of the key items rather than everything you own. We tell you exactly what to carry and in what order, so anything the officer asks for is in your hand immediately.
9. Can I work in the USA on a B1/B2 visa?
No. If work is your goal, that is a different visa category and we will point you to it.
10. I am a foreigner living in Thailand. Can I interview in Bangkok?
Yes. You may apply at any US embassy or consulate, and applying where you have residence and documented ties is the natural choice. If Thailand is your base, Bangkok is the right place.
11. Is the USD 185 refundable if I am refused?
No. It is non refundable regardless of the outcome, and it is paid again for each new application.
12. What exactly am I paying you for?
An accurate DS-160, a thorough review of your documents, an appointment secured, a properly assembled and ordered evidence pack, and full interview preparation based on the questions officers in Bangkok actually ask. The decision is the consular officer's. Everything leading up to that window, we handle.
The US process rewards clarity. Come to us early, get the DS-160 right, and walk into the window knowing exactly what you are going to say.
