SAWASDEE 2

[BishopMnA 0]

Hello all,

My wife-2-b completed her med exam Dec 30th at McCormick Hospital in Chiang Mai. The hospital told her that the med report would not be finished for about 7-10 days, because they have to send out for some of the lab results and because they are closed for quite a week during the holidays. So, we don't have the medical report in hand as of yet.

However, my wife-2-B then stated that she thought the hospital told her that they would mail the completed med report directly to the Consulate in Thailand, instead of asking her to pick it up. Is this the normal process? I thought that the hospital would hand the report directly to her and then we would carry it with us to the interview.

Peace,

MK

[TucsonBill 0]

Hello all,

My wife-2-b completed her med exam Dec 30th at McCormick Hospital in Chiang Mai. The hospital told her that the med report would not be finished for about 7-10 days, because they have to send out for some of the lab results and because they are closed for quite a week during the holidays. So, we don't have the medical report in hand as of yet.

However, my wife-2-B then stated that she thought the hospital told her that they would mail the completed med report directly to the Consulate in Thailand, instead of asking her to pick it up. Is this the normal process? I thought that the hospital would hand the report directly to her and then we would carry it with us to the interview.

Peace,

MK

I personally have never heard of this before. My understanding is that they give her a sealed envelope that she must bring to the interview, anyone else?

Bill

[EVOLUTION` 0]

Hello all,

My wife-2-b completed her med exam Dec 30th at McCormick Hospital in Chiang Mai. The hospital told her that the med report would not be finished for about 7-10 days, because they have to send out for some of the lab results and because they are closed for quite a week during the holidays. So, we don't have the medical report in hand as of yet.

However, my wife-2-B then stated that she thought the hospital told her that they would mail the completed med report directly to the Consulate in Thailand, instead of asking her to pick it up. Is this the normal process? I thought that the hospital would hand the report directly to her and then we would carry it with us to the interview.

Peace,

MK

I personally have never heard of this before. My understanding is that they give her a sealed envelope that she must bring to the interview, anyone else?

Bill

A friend of my fiance got her med sent directly to the embassy as for my fiance they sealed it up and told her to bring it to the embassy on the day of the interview.

[Peterson 0]

I've been checking out the BKK interview schedule religiously since submitting our Packet3 a couple of weeks ago. I noticed something that looks disheartening as of tonight's webpage update: None of the newly assigned interview dates for Thai nationals are in February. All the new ones are in March. All the ones assigned previous to December 26th -- the date of the last webpage update -- are in January. The only February dates listed are for Cambodian nationals. It's looking like the Thai applicants lost out on a month's worth of slots, possibly to make time for transferring Cambodian processing back to Phenom Phen.

Check it out here:

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/services/visa/IVschedule.htm

Please tell me I'm wrong. I'd love to hear that a month of wait time didn't just get added to our process.

Peterson

[BishopMnA 0]

Hello all,

Over the past few months I've posted a many questions/comments and received great replies from all. I want to thank you all for your help! Two of the questions that I've asked have concerned the Police Report and the Medical Report. I also emailed the embassy in Bangkok to get their responses. I've copied and pasted my questions to the embassy below, and then copied and pasted their exact responses beneath. I thought this would be good information to share with this group.

1. CONCERNING THE VALIDITY TIME FOR THE POLICE REPORT (< OR > 90 DAYS):

Q: Can you please confirm how recent the required Police Report must be for K-1 applicants? The Bangkok Royal Police states that the police report is valid for 12 months. However, I believe that the U.S. Consulate requires the Police Report to be less than 90 days old for K-1 Applicants.

A: Dear Sir, The police record requirement for K 1 visa applicant is as follows; The police record from Thai police authority is required for the applicant who lives in Thailand more than 6 months. The police record from other country is also required if the applicant used to live in other countries for more than 12 months or was arrested for any reason, regardless of how long they have lived there. For Thailand, the police record is good for one year. Regards, Correspondence Unit

2. CONCERNING THE MEDICAL REPORT FROM MCCORMICK HOSPITAL IN CHIANG MAI:

Q: My Fiancée recently completed her K-1 Visa Medical Examination at McCormick Hospital in Chiang Mai. McCormick Hospital told her they would mail the completed report forms directly to the Consulate in Bangkok. Is this the correct procedure, or should my fiancée ask for McCormick Hospital to give the completed medical report to her so that she may bring it herself to our interview on 30 January?

A: Dear Sir, It is the correct procedure. The hospital can directly mail the medical examination result to the IV Unit.

Regards, Correspondence Unit

Once again, thanks to all!

Peace,

Mark-N-AAm

[BishopMnA 0]

Hey Peterson,

I can just tell you my experience regarding our interview schedule. I received email confirmation from the Consulate that they received our completed Packet 3 on 27 November. I too thought that I would see our interview date posted on the internet in a couple weeks. However, it never was posted! So I emailed them about once a week, each time they stated that our interview had not been scheduled. Finally, they back to me replied to me on 2 January with good information, stating that our interview date had finally been scheduled for 30 January.

So, as you can see, about 5 weeks passed before our interview was scheduled. During those 5 weeks, I saw the same pattern that you've stated you're seeing on the interview schedule website. Lots of applicants getting their interview dates.

I can't say how exactly the Consulate determines the final interview date for all applicants, I can just say that it took longer than normal to get my interview date scheduled (probably due to holidays), and that once it was scheduled, it wasn't at the end of the line...it was squeezed in the middle of the list. So, have patience. I suspect that the Consulate may still be slow concerning the scheduling of final interviews, but I suspect that you won't lose an entire month either.

Here's hoping all goes well for you! Either way, congrats on getting this far in the process! You're almost there!!!!

Peace,

Mark-N-AAm

[small axe 0]

Hey, all...

I've got a few "Thailand-specific" questions, while awaiting notification from the BKK embassy that they've received our application from the NVC (received snail mail from the NVC one week ago, stating that they'd be forwarding to BKK "within a week", so...), and figured that this would be the place to ask?

First... the Thai address thing. When I originally filed the I-129F, there was no room on the form for my fiancee's complete Thai address (including tambol & amphur), so I simply filled in what was asked for: street address, village name, country & postal code. On page 2 of the form, when asked for her address abroad, there was a space for "State or Province", so I supplied that, as well.

Problem is... she's convinced that mail addressed to her in that fashion will not be deliverable, and that she will therefore not receive the packet 3 from the embassy. My thinking has been that it would be best to correct the address AFTER the BKK embassy receives the case, and BEFORE they send the packet 3, but... that might be a fairly small window of opportunity.

Has anyone else had the same issue?

Also... I'm a bit confused about the required photos. The IV checklist on the embassy's website asks for two front view "passport" style photos, but the checklist from the packet 3 scanned & posted to this thread a few weeks ago (Thanks!, by the way...) asks for 3/4 view photos. What gives?

And... I've sent my fiancee a completed DS230 pt 1, (along with the checklist posted to this thread earlier,in English AND in Thai), awaiting her signature, but NOW... I'm not sure whether she should sign it before returning it, or not. The checklist from the embassy's website says "no", but some folks on this forum say "yes".

Lastly (since I'd be surprised if these issues have not been discussed on this thread before..) is there anyway to do a keyword search on just this thread?

Anyway.... many thanks for your attention, and any info will be greatly appreciated!

[anya-D 8]

Small Axe

About the Thai address... how did you write it down? I'm sorry but i'm kinda confuse - did you mean you didnt write down the word Tumbon & Ampur? or you didnt write down then name of it?

for example.. if you write down

Name

1234 Sukhumvit Rd

Pratumwan, BKK 10130

That is fine.. For the address outside BKK - if it contain Road, Ampur (which is city) and Province , zip - it's OK too.. example

Name

1234 M.7 East Rd

Muang, Conburi, 20130

that should be fine

Edit to add that I've never have a problem sending mail to my family with a shorter address beofre.. so..

And about the pictures.. sorry i cant help

Edited January 11, 2007 by anya-D

[Yodrak 7]

small axe,

Interesting - I had no problem fitting my wife's address, in Roman characters, in the space provided for I-129f. Street, village, tambon, amphur, province, and country. I used the abreviations T. and A. for tambon and amphur, respectively. I used an attached sheet to provide the address in Thai characters.

Old info on the photos. The full frontal view replaced the 3/4 profile view quite some time ago.

My wife signed her DS-230-I before sending it in, without adverse consequence, but that was a couple of years ago. I would follow the current instruction from the consulate.

For what it's worth, while the airline industry may designate the airport in Bangkok as BKK the State Department designates its' embassy in Bangkok as BNK. Although I observe that they do sometimes slip up and use BKK themselves.

Yodrak

Hey, all...

I've got a few "Thailand-specific" questions, while awaiting notification from the BKK embassy that they've received our application from the NVC (received snail mail from the NVC one week ago, stating that they'd be forwarding to BKK "within a week", so...), and figured that this would be the place to ask?

First... the Thai address thing. When I originally filed the I-129F, there was no room on the form for my fiancee's complete Thai address (including tambol & amphur), so I simply filled in what was asked for: street address, village name, country & postal code. On page 2 of the form, when asked for her address abroad, there was a space for "State or Province", so I supplied that, as well.

Problem is... she's convinced that mail addressed to her in that fashion will not be deliverable, and that she will therefore not receive the packet 3 from the embassy. My thinking has been that it would be best to correct the address AFTER the BKK embassy receives the case, and BEFORE they send the packet 3, but... that might be a fairly small window of opportunity.

Has anyone else had the same issue?

Also... I'm a bit confused about the required photos. The IV checklist on the embassy's website asks for two front view "passport" style photos, but the checklist from the packet 3 scanned & posted to this thread a few weeks ago (Thanks!, by the way...) asks for 3/4 view photos. What gives?

And... I've sent my fiancee a completed DS230 pt 1, (along with the checklist posted to this thread earlier,in English AND in Thai), awaiting her signature, but NOW... I'm not sure whether she should sign it before returning it, or not. The checklist from the embassy's website says "no", but some folks on this forum say "yes".

Lastly (since I'd be surprised if these issues have not been discussed on this thread before..) is there anyway to do a keyword search on just this thread?

Anyway.... many thanks for your attention, and any info will be greatly appreciated!

[thai2luv 0]

Hey, all...

I've got a few "Thailand-specific" questions, while awaiting notification from the BKK embassy that they've received our application from the NVC (received snail mail from the NVC one week ago, stating that they'd be forwarding to BKK "within a week", so...), and figured that this would be the place to ask?

First... the Thai address thing. When I originally filed the I-129F, there was no room on the form for my fiancee's complete Thai address (including tambol & amphur), so I simply filled in what was asked for: street address, village name, country & postal code. On page 2 of the form, when asked for her address abroad, there was a space for "State or Province", so I supplied that, as well.

Problem is... she's convinced that mail addressed to her in that fashion will not be deliverable, and that she will therefore not receive the packet 3 from the embassy. My thinking has been that it would be best to correct the address AFTER the BKK embassy receives the case, and BEFORE they send the packet 3, but... that might be a fairly small window of opportunity.

Has anyone else had the same issue?

Also... I'm a bit confused about the required photos. The IV checklist on the embassy's website asks for two front view "passport" style photos, but the checklist from the packet 3 scanned & posted to this thread a few weeks ago (Thanks!, by the way...) asks for 3/4 view photos. What gives?

And... I've sent my fiancee a completed DS230 pt 1, (along with the checklist posted to this thread earlier,in English AND in Thai), awaiting her signature, but NOW... I'm not sure whether she should sign it before returning it, or not. The checklist from the embassy's website says "no", but some folks on this forum say "yes".

Lastly (since I'd be surprised if these issues have not been discussed on this thread before..) is there anyway to do a keyword search on just this thread?

Anyway.... many thanks for your attention, and any info will be greatly appreciated!

Hello smallaxe,

I also had a hard time fitting the addresses in the small boxes, so I used a supplemental attachment sheet and referred to it in the address fields with the statement "see supplemental attachment".

The required passport photos for the Bangkok Consulate should be frontal view, not 3/4 view. Here is the link with the specs:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/com...sition_874.html

If the Embassy checklist says do not sign the DS230 part 1, then don't sign it. I am sure she will need to sign both parts 1 and 2 at the time of the interview. I can't remember if my fiancee signed prior or not. I will check our copies and let you know.

Best of luck

[Randy 0]

Hey Peterson,

I can just tell you my experience regarding our interview schedule. I received email confirmation from the Consulate that they received our completed Packet 3 on 27 November. I too thought that I would see our interview date posted on the internet in a couple weeks. However, it never was posted! So I emailed them about once a week, each time they stated that our interview had not been scheduled. Finally, they back to me replied to me on 2 January with good information, stating that our interview date had finally been scheduled for 30 January.

So, as you can see, about 5 weeks passed before our interview was scheduled. During those 5 weeks, I saw the same pattern that you've stated you're seeing on the interview schedule website. Lots of applicants getting their interview dates.

I can't say how exactly the Consulate determines the final interview date for all applicants, I can just say that it took longer than normal to get my interview date scheduled (probably due to holidays), and that once it was scheduled, it wasn't at the end of the line...it was squeezed in the middle of the list. So, have patience. I suspect that the Consulate may still be slow concerning the scheduling of final interviews, but I suspect that you won't lose an entire month either.

Here's hoping all goes well for you! Either way, congrats on getting this far in the process! You're almost there!!!!

Peace,

Mark-N-AAm

Same here. Was waiting (impatiently I might add ) and sending emails trying to understand why we were not getting an interview date. All of the embassy's responses were basically "yeah we got your stuff, wait 10-12 weeks for an interview date". Finally, on Jan. 8 got an email telling us our interview was scheduled for Jan 29 and that the letter stating it had been sent to my fiance on Dec. 27.

I was told by an attorney that the interview date is based on your "priority date". I looked up "priority date" and found this website:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/glossary...1363.html#panel

that says:

Priority Date: The priority date decides a person's turn to apply for an immigrant visa. In family immigration the priority date is the date when the petition was filed at a Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office or submitted to an Embassy or Consulate abroad

Does this mean they are looking at your I-129f filing date to determine interview date? The attorney thought that is how it is done (for what it's worth).

Hang tough. Been a long journey for all of us, but almost there!!!!!

[Randy 0]

Hello all,

My wife-2-b completed her med exam Dec 30th at McCormick Hospital in Chiang Mai. The hospital told her that the med report would not be finished for about 7-10 days, because they have to send out for some of the lab results and because they are closed for quite a week during the holidays. So, we don't have the medical report in hand as of yet.

However, my wife-2-B then stated that she thought the hospital told her that they would mail the completed med report directly to the Consulate in Thailand, instead of asking her to pick it up. Is this the normal process? I thought that the hospital would hand the report directly to her and then we would carry it with us to the interview.

Peace,

MK

I personally have never heard of this before. My understanding is that they give her a sealed envelope that she must bring to the interview, anyone else?

Bill

Yup, same here Bill. I went with my fiance to the medical exam and the results were all handed to her in a sealed envelope with strict instruction to NOT open it and hand carry it to the interview.

[Yodrak 7]

Randy,

The definition of 'priority date' that you found is not relevant to K visas. It establishes when someone in a numerically-limited immigrant visa category becomes able to apply for a visa. K visas are neither immigrant visas nor a numerically limited category.

I don't know what the attorney meant by his use of the term 'priority date'.

Yodrak

.....

I was told by an attorney that the interview date is based on your "priority date". I looked up "priority date" and found this website:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/glossary...1363.html#panel

that says:

Priority Date: The priority date decides a person's turn to apply for an immigrant visa. In family immigration the priority date is the date when the petition was filed at a Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office or submitted to an Embassy or Consulate abroad

Does this mean they are looking at your I-129f filing date to determine interview date? The attorney thought that is how it is done (for what it's worth).

.....

[small axe 0]

Small Axe

About the Thai address... how did you write it down? I'm sorry but i'm kinda confuse - did you mean you didnt write down the word Tumbon & Ampur? or you didnt write down then name of it?

for example.. if you write down

Name

1234 Sukhumvit Rd

Pratumwan, BKK 10130

That is fine.. For the address outside BKK - if it contain Road, Ampur (which is city) and Province , zip - it's OK too.. example

Name

1234 M.7 East Rd

Muang, Conburi, 20130

that should be fine

Edit to add that I've never have a problem sending mail to my family with a shorter address beofre.. so..

And about the pictures.. sorry i cant help

Thanks for your input, and... I guess that I wasn't all that clear. My fiancee lives in a small village near Kalasin, and her full address is:

(name)

(street address)

Ban Dongbang

T. Huanakam

A. Yangtalad

Kalasin 46120

Thailand

On page 1 of the I-129F form, they only ask for "number and street", "town or city", "state or country" and "Zip/postal code", so I gave them:

(name)

(street address)

Ban Dongbang

Thailand 46120

On page 2 of the form, they ask for "Your fiancee's address abroad", and they have a space for "State or province", so I entered "Kalasin". BUT... they don't ask for a postal code. I've sent a "test" letter to my fiancee addressed like this, and she did receive it:

(name)

(street address)

Ban Dongbang

Kalasin 46120

Thailand

So.... I think that I've supplied enough info for them to get a letter delivered to her, but I don't know if they'll be able to put it together. (Actually, I believe that anything addressed using the 46120 postal code will eventually find it's way to the post office in Yangtalad, and that they'll know what to do with it...)

At any rate, I'd feel better if the embassy had the complete address, so I guess I'll e-mail them to see if they've received the case yet.

Again.... thanks!

[small axe 0]

Hey, all...

I've got a few "Thailand-specific" questions, while awaiting notification from the BKK embassy that they've received our application from the NVC (received snail mail from the NVC one week ago, stating that they'd be forwarding to BKK "within a week", so...), and figured that this would be the place to ask?

First... the Thai address thing. When I originally filed the I-129F, there was no room on the form for my fiancee's complete Thai address (including tambol & amphur), so I simply filled in what was asked for: street address, village name, country & postal code. On page 2 of the form, when asked for her address abroad, there was a space for "State or Province", so I supplied that, as well.

Problem is... she's convinced that mail addressed to her in that fashion will not be deliverable, and that she will therefore not receive the packet 3 from the embassy. My thinking has been that it would be best to correct the address AFTER the BKK embassy receives the case, and BEFORE they send the packet 3, but... that might be a fairly small window of opportunity.

Has anyone else had the same issue?

Also... I'm a bit confused about the required photos. The IV checklist on the embassy's website asks for two front view "passport" style photos, but the checklist from the packet 3 scanned & posted to this thread a few weeks ago (Thanks!, by the way...) asks for 3/4 view photos. What gives?

And... I've sent my fiancee a completed DS230 pt 1, (along with the checklist posted to this thread earlier,in English AND in Thai), awaiting her signature, but NOW... I'm not sure whether she should sign it before returning it, or not. The checklist from the embassy's website says "no", but some folks on this forum say "yes".

Lastly (since I'd be surprised if these issues have not been discussed on this thread before..) is there anyway to do a keyword search on just this thread?

Anyway.... many thanks for your attention, and any info will be greatly appreciated!

Hello smallaxe,

I also had a hard time fitting the addresses in the small boxes, so I used a supplemental attachment sheet and referred to it in the address fields with the statement "see supplemental attachment".

The required passport photos for the Bangkok Consulate should be frontal view, not 3/4 view. Here is the link with the specs:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/com...sition_874.html

If the Embassy checklist says do not sign the DS230 part 1, then don't sign it. I am sure she will need to sign both parts 1 and 2 at the time of the interview. I can't remember if my fiancee signed prior or not. I will check our copies and let you know.

Best of luck

Thanks, and... wish I'd done the same re: your "supplemental attachment". Never occurred to me. Also good to know that we can use the "frontal view" photos, since we've still got about a dozen of 'em (although, looking at the instructions for the medical, it appears that we're gonna need 3 more, 1" by 1 and a half", so we've got at least one more trip to the photographer...)