rcoyote Posted April 20, 2017 Share Posted April 20, 2017 Hi, I am a US citizen I live and work in Thailand and have been living with my Myanmar GF for 2 years. We want to visit my parents in the US. We want to get an apartment in Myanmar to get the right visas etc. But there are many questions we need to get answers before we commit. For one, I have heard we cannot live together in Myanmar i.e.. in a hotel. I'm sure we could live with family, but I'd prefer a little more personal space. Obviously she could live with her mother during the process, but I'd just like to hear from anyone who has been through this scenario. My understanding so far is that a spousal or fiancé visa are our best bets to be able to visit my parents in the US (assuming we want to be married.. we do) So, I'm looking for pros and cons of getting married in Thailand, Myanmar or the US. I'd appreciate any thoughts or experiences in these matters. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phuketrichard Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 Unless ur married or working, u wont get anything but a tourist visa for Myanmar. Rents are very high as well and not sure they will rent to a farang that does not have a wp. All my friends that live in Myanmar and have apts, have wp's Fiancee visas for traveling to the us are expansive and take at least 6 months to obtain and UNLESS you intend of living in the states do not suggest u got his route. getting her a tourist visa... does she have land, her own house, a healthy bank account,( showing deposits every month for the past year), a job? without these.... forget it. also u will need someone to sponsor her from the states as u dont live there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcoyote Posted April 21, 2017 Author Share Posted April 21, 2017 Thanks - that helps. Looks like I will need to come up with a long term plan. From what you and others have said - I think a tourist visa is out. She will need to be a dependent of mine. I do currently have a job, however, I won't in a few months. Does it make more sense to get married Myanmar/Thailand (I've heard Thailand) and then work toward a spouse visa for a US visit? or will that take as long to get as the fiancé visa? I mostly concerned with ability to get the visa. No she doesn't have land/house/healthy bank account etc. She does have a real passport and her mother has a house with her name on it, but I'd rather not depend on her side... thus marriage, but still on the planning and researching end. thanks again, S assuming I do get a 1 month rental with help of her family etc. Do you think we can live together? Or even have consistent overnight stays? I heard in the past this could be problematic especially in Hotels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcoyote Posted April 25, 2017 Author Share Posted April 25, 2017 On 4/21/2017 at 9:26 AM, phuketrichard said: Unless ur married or working, u wont get anything but a tourist visa for Myanmar. Rents are very high as well and not sure they will rent to a farang that does not have a wp. All my friends that live in Myanmar and have apts, have wp's Fiancee visas for traveling to the us are expansive and take at least 6 months to obtain and UNLESS you intend of living in the states do not suggest u got his route. getting her a tourist visa... does she have land, her own house, a healthy bank account,( showing deposits every month for the past year), a job? without these.... forget it. also u will need someone to sponsor her from the states as u dont live there. Hi PR, Did any of your friends get married in Myanmar? I'm obviously searching for different answers and opportunities. I would like to stay in Myanmar, but not being able to live together for an extended time frame isn't my idea of a good plan. Some of your comments have given me a good dose of reality. I realize that any plan I decide to try will take time. Time involves my next job and also next home.. So at the moment at least I'm dealing in broad strokes figuring what will be a smart and doable plan. So firstly, have you heard anything good about getting married in Myanmar? For me it seems all things considered this would be the fastest way for my gf and I to live and work in Myanmar and then take the next 6 months to a year getting a visa to visit my folks in the US... that's actually doable. Thanks - I get a feeling you've experienced plenty - appreciate your take on things. Anyone else please jump in too. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phuketrichard Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 1 friend got married in Myanmar ( he runs motorcycle tours out of Mandalay) two have thai wifes and married in Thailand but live /work in Myanmar, others are expats with expat wifes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcoyote Posted April 25, 2017 Author Share Posted April 25, 2017 Well at least I know it can be done. Do they like it more than Thailand? Or what do they like more about it? I'm sure there are pros and cons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tai4de2 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Going back a long way to my own experiences, I recall that having traveled to and returned from other countries (i.e. not the US or Burma, or probably Thailand in your case) can provide positive evidence to the visa-issuing US consulate, which may help because it is evidence of having a home base to return to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoBrainer Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 If it's anything like living with a Thai girlfriend, it will start out great, but turn into a nightmare a few months down the road. Being single does have a lot going for it. 555 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickb Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 I think your chances of getting a tourist visa to the USA without being married are, as previously reported, closed to zero. But, I think your chances would be greatly increased if you were married to your girlfriend. Generally a tourist visa for your spouse is possible when you demonstrate that you are working in Thailand, thus showing that you have reason to come back to Thailand, with your wife. As you said, obtaining a spouse visa (K-3 or whatever it's called now) is a lengthy process and is more designed for someone returning with his wife to the US to live permanently. Getting the K-3 visa would then lead to a Green Card for long term stay. So it doesn't seem appropriate for a simple visit to see your parents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12DrinkMore Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 35 minutes ago, NoBrainer said: If it's anything like living with a Thai girlfriend, it will start out great, but turn into a nightmare a few months down the road. Being single does have a lot going for it. 555 Yep, been there a few times and each time it is not different except for how long it takes and how much it costs to escape. Nowadays I simply can't be bothered searching out Miss Perfect for life. Miss Okay for a day is enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donmuang37 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 It has been quite a while since I got my fiancée a K1 visa; however, I believe that you are still required to have sufficient income to support her above the poverty level. This was no problem for me because I was working at a good job. As I recall, I had to submit copies of my prior income tax returns, plus a letter from an officer of my company stating that my job was secure for the foreseeable future. Since you are not working in the USA, it seems unlikely that you could meet the income requirement. For the latest requirements, I suggest you should check out relevant U.S. Government websites which will provide more accurate info than Thaivisa. (With all due respect to Thaivisa!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
statman78 Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 It's been about 12 years now but back then it was recommended to get a fiancée visa for my Thai wife instead of getting married and getting a spouse visa. It would take longed with a spouse visa because the US Gov feels that she would be an immigrant and you would need to go through the process of getting a green card while you were still living in Thailand. That is a longer process. For a fiancée visa it took us about 4 months. I'm not sure what it would take now. To get advice I followed the Thai thread on www.visajourney.com. The people there were very knowledgeable and helpful. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dentonian Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Technically it's illegal for a Myanmar women to marry a foreigner in Myanmar. If getting her a Fiancé Visa to marry in the US is another major hurdle, then you should consider marriage in Thailand, but still not easy for her to get the correct documents. Read this thread: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Get Real Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 same-same Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abab Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 So lucky me that I do not have to face all people problems :-) Sometimes I really think that some guys do not want a easy life... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicamera Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Depends on what work you will be doing. Can come on visa and look around. Rent is 400-600 USD per month, you will have to pay 6 or 12 months up front. Can check ADS.com Yangon for apt., jobs etc.....Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timendres Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 3 hours ago, statman78 said: It's been about 12 years now but back then it was recommended to get a fiancée visa for my Thai wife instead of getting married and getting a spouse visa. It would take longed with a spouse visa because the US Gov feels that she would be an immigrant and you would need to go through the process of getting a green card while you were still living in Thailand. That is a longer process. For a fiancée visa it took us about 4 months. I'm not sure what it would take now. To get advice I followed the Thai thread on www.visajourney.com. The people there were very knowledgeable and helpful. Good luck! This is still true. Getting the Fiancee visa, then marrying in the States is preferred by US immigration. Marrying here (or Myanmar) first, looks like a marriage designed solely for the purpose of getting passage to the States. Of course, there are exceptions. For example, if you have been married and living in Thailand for 10 years, that would appear more acceptable than applying for the visa just weeks after getting married. Every Visa Attorney I have spoken with has said this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewsterbudgen Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Technically it's illegal for a Myanmar women to marry a foreigner in Myanmar. If getting her a Fiancé Visa to marry in the US is another major hurdle, then you should consider marriage in Thailand, but still not easy for her to get the correct documents. Read this thread: If marrying in Thailand won't she need an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry from her Embassy? If marrying a foreigner is illegal in Myanmar, would the Affirmation still be issued? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dentonian Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 13 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said: If marrying in Thailand won't she need an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry from her Embassy? If marrying a foreigner is illegal in Myanmar, would the Affirmation still be issued? I can only quote from the experience of a friend. He works in Thailand but gave up trying to obtain an 'affirmation of freedom to marry' for his Myanmar g/f so they could marry in Thailand. After a couple of months of greasing palms for ever increasing amounts, they were getting no closer to achieving their goal. He eventually got her a Fiancée Visa for the UK, where no proof is required, and they married there before returning to Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewsterbudgen Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 I can only quote from the experience of a friend. He works in Thailand but gave up trying to obtain an 'affirmation of freedom to marry' for his Myanmar g/f so they could marry in Thailand. After a couple of months of greasing palms for ever increasing amounts, they were getting no closer to achieving their goal. He eventually got her a Fiancée Visa for the UK, where no proof is required, and they married there before returning to Thailand.That's exactly what I did, in order to marry my Lao wife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcoyote Posted April 27, 2017 Author Share Posted April 27, 2017 Thanks - some great comments here. One strange scenario would be that I get a job in Myanmar and then we cannot get married or live together. But up until that point I will keep gathering information. I've heard from many recent sources that a foreigner can marry a Myanmar gal in Myanmar. Lots has changed, however, I would imagine that there is still a lot of greasing that may have to be done. I will take it as it comes and appreciate everyones feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcoyote Posted April 27, 2017 Author Share Posted April 27, 2017 On 4/26/2017 at 2:45 PM, NoBrainer said: If it's anything like living with a Thai girlfriend, it will start out great, but turn into a nightmare a few months down the road. Being single does have a lot going for it. 555 Maybe, but we've long been passed the few months.. Nearly 3 years.. She's quite different than any Thai girl I dated etc. Should work - we'll see. Maybe you just like being single - definitely better than a bad catch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hnsighttha Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 Did this get figured out yet? Similar question, about living with Burmese gf in Burma. Local opinion points to a definite no to the unmarried cohabiting, but not quite sure what the practical deal is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Tuft Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 On 5/17/2017 at 10:56 PM, hnsighttha said: Did this get figured out yet? Similar question, about living with Burmese gf in Burma. Local opinion points to a definite no to the unmarried cohabiting, but not quite sure what the practical deal is. Replying to an old post, I know. Myanmar is more enlightened than most think - there are many foreigners who live with their local girlfriends here. It does depend on the background of the girl and her family (I am not talking bar girls here) as to how this works Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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