Thai Birth Certificate RFE - info here

[ding 1]

We got a formal Thai document in lieu of original birth certificate from wife's Amphur (county seat).

USCIS gave us an RFE stating we needed the document to state on it; there is no original, and why the original is not available. Our doc just affirmed that she is who she is, parents, and when/where she was born.

So grandma had to drag the village cheif to the Amphur 4 times. Each time the Amphur said that they don't give a damn what the USA expects to see, that this is the doc they provide.

What we did:

got 3 sworn letters affirming they know wife, her birthdate, and location.

got school record stating wife's b-day and both parents' names.

certified translations of all the above -a hardship to wife's Thai friends and family (thanks to all)

provided this link and text copy from the Dept. of State's site;

http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/reciproc...ocity_3687.html

"Thailand

Birth Certificates

Available. The issuance of birth certificates in Thailand began in Bangkok in 1917. Records of birth are often lacking for people born in Bangkok before World War II and for those born in other areas of the country up until the 1970s. Birth Certificates are issued by "Amphur," (geographic subdivision roughly equivalent to a county in the U.S.) district authorities having jurisdiction over the place of birth. There may be a fee for this service.

A Thai citizen older than 15 and born in Thailand, whose birth was not registered, must present in its stead a household registration, together with a Thai national identity card ("bat prachachon"), and may also be required to submit additional proof of the claimed relationship. "

My wife was born before 1970 in the rural north and the document in lieu of original birth dertificate from the Amphur gave that information and was on official, stamped, letter head paper.

My Representative's immigration liaison could do nothing but his source said I should've been fine with initial submission.

Info Pass appointment, officer said we should have been fine initially as well.

The Amphur in Thailand refused to do anything and wanted the wife to be present before discussing doing anything. This was impossible of course because she could not get Advanced Parole to travel there until this passed at USCIS. We were stuck between 2 bureaucracies.

After her family and friend ran all over, village cief included, and translation desks got their dough, and enough international mailing fees to pay the mortgage - we got it. 5 months after submitting it.

So on to the proving the unprovable at the interview.... that we love each other!

Edited August 21, 2009 by ding