Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing Thai Bank Accounts in the context of the K-1 Visa process. As noted in another video I made contemporaneously with this one where we talked about the Immigrant Spouse Visa process, it is first of all notable there are two different processes that one goes through when dealing with a K-1 in terms of getting the Visa issued as opposed to an Immigrant Spouse Visa where you are getting a Visa issued up front.  In the K-1 you have still got to deal with the Green Card process in the United States, so there is two sides of the analysis. I am not going to go into Adjustment in this video but just strictly talk about getting the K-1 itself. 

Now strictly speaking, the financial requirements associated with a K-1 are different and arguably more lax compared to the Immigrant Spouse Visa. That said, at the end of the day, generally speaking they want to see evidence of income so you are talking tax documentation - we have discussed that in other videos - but sometimes people may be deficient on income or they may have no income, they may be retired and therefore they need to use Financial proof so things like Bank Account documentation. The question posed by this video is "can you use a Thai Bank Account in proving up Financial ability?" and generally speaking the answer is no. The reason for that is because generally the American Government wants to see one's finances in American Banks and financial institutions for a variety of different reasons. Most notably I think one of the main reasons is the fact that when you are dealing with offshore institutions, the US doesn't have jurisdiction over them. And ultimately where you act as a sponsor for an immigrant to the United States, be it a fiancée that then gets married in the US and then you sponsor them for Green Card status or you are bringing in a spouse from abroad already - in either case, they are asking you to act as a sponsor and also do an Affidavit of Support that you will support your spouse, and part of the Affidavit is they want you to be 'on the hook' if you will with regard to basically paying back, reimbursing the US Government in the event that your spouse becomes dependent on the government, basically goes on so-called welfare or what we call means tested benefits. They want to have an avenue to go ahead and recoup that money. Well offshore bank accounts do not provide that avenue of recompense. 

So the thing to take away from this video and understand is no, effectively Thai Bank Accounts or any other offshore bank account, are not going to be good evidence as part of sponsorship documentation associated with a K-1 Visa.