Package 3 documents

[Mark&Took 1]

My fiance and I are getting the package 3 documents together ahead of time. We are waiting on our NOA2 from the VSC (please no RFE's!). She will be interviewing in Bangkok eventually. Can someone confirm the forms DS-156, DS-156k and DS-157 are all for her and none of them apply to me? It all just seems redundant giving them the same info over and over. If anyone is interested I joined the long wait in late Oct 2011. From what I've read so far we have a long way to go. Thanks to the creators and contributors of this site. There is a lot of good info here.

I'll be posting more in the future looking for others who have been through this and might live near me (Raleigh, NC). The country immigrating from is not important. It would be nice for us to have some friends locally who can relate to the process and living in a new country.

I'm also interested on things you have done to make your spouse more comfortable on arrival. I'm currently trying to get my tv hooked up to the internet for watching Thai tv (my Dish provider has a lot of international packages.....except Thailand . I've located some Thai restaurants and thought about making a welcome banner with American and Thai flags. Any other ideas?

Mark

[az110965 252]

My fiance and I are getting the package 3 documents together ahead of time. We are waiting on our NOA2 from the VSC (please no RFE's!). She will be interviewing in Bangkok eventually. Can someone confirm the forms DS-156, DS-156k and DS-157 are all for her and none of them apply to me? It all just seems redundant giving them the same info over and over. If anyone is interested I joined the long wait in late Oct 2011. From what I've read so far we have a long way to go. Thanks to the creators and contributors of this site. There is a lot of good info here.

I'll be posting more in the future looking for others who have been through this and might live near me (Raleigh, NC). The country immigrating from is not important. It would be nice for us to have some friends locally who can relate to the process and living in a new country.

I'm also interested on things you have done to make your spouse more comfortable on arrival. I'm currently trying to get my tv hooked up to the internet for watching Thai tv (my Dish provider has a lot of international packages.....except Thailand . I've located some Thai restaurants and thought about making a welcome banner with American and Thai flags. Any other ideas?

Mark

Yes... All the DS forms pertain to your fiance, don't forget the DS-230 from your list! The only documents that will pertain to you are the financial docs. You'll need I-134, letter of employment, recent pay stubs, at least a couple of years tax returns with W-2's, and you'll need updated letter of intent to marry.

Best of luck!

[Ning 619]

My fiance and I are getting the package 3 documents together ahead of time. We are waiting on our NOA2 from the VSC (please no RFE's!). She will be interviewing in Bangkok eventually. Can someone confirm the forms DS-156, DS-156k and DS-157 are all for her and none of them apply to me? It all just seems redundant giving them the same info over and over. If anyone is interested I joined the long wait in late Oct 2011. From what I've read so far we have a long way to go. Thanks to the creators and contributors of this site. There is a lot of good info here.

I'll be posting more in the future looking for others who have been through this and might live near me (Raleigh, NC). The country immigrating from is not important. It would be nice for us to have some friends locally who can relate to the process and living in a new country.

I'm also interested on things you have done to make your spouse more comfortable on arrival. I'm currently trying to get my tv hooked up to the internet for watching Thai tv (my Dish provider has a lot of international packages.....except Thailand . I've located some Thai restaurants and thought about making a welcome banner with American and Thai flags. Any other ideas?

Mark

Find the book Thailand Fever on Amazon. Have her find it in Thailand or send her a copy.

I use You Tube to stay connected to Thai shows. There are many & even some videos of her area probably.

When she gets here it would be fine to do something special of course but she would appreciate time to get used to her new area. Everything is so different.

Food is a big deal. She would like to know where she can buy food to prepare at home. She will find people to connect with at those stores.

Locate the local temple to allow her to practice her faith. Again she will find people to relate to there. Hopefully you will have some knowledge of what we do at our temples.

Look into ESL classes at schools near you. She wont want to begin this right away but its a very good idea for many reasons.

[Mark&Took 1]

Yes... All the DS forms pertain to your fiance, don't forget the DS-230 from your list! The only documents that will pertain to you are the financial docs. You'll need I-134, letter of employment, recent pay stubs, at least a couple of years tax returns with W-2's, and you'll need updated letter of intent to marry.

Best of luck!

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have seen the DS-230 as well. I downloaded all the forms to help her fill them out. My understanding is the Bangkok Embassy only wants part 1 of the DS-230. Anyone with recent experience care to comment? I'm getting the documents together now for the I-134....putting it off a few days to get the current year W2. I'm sending her a package soon with copies of all my docs. I hate having all my personal info out there but feel like she might need it during the interview. If she doesn't interview until summer I don't want to send the updated intent letter too early. I'm going to visit her again in April maybe I will just take it all with me then.

Mark

[Mark&Took 1]

Find the book Thailand Fever on Amazon. Have her find it in Thailand or send her a copy.

I use You Tube to stay connected to Thai shows. There are many & even some videos of her area probably.

When she gets here it would be fine to do something special of course but she would appreciate time to get used to her new area. Everything is so different.

Food is a big deal. She would like to know where she can buy food to prepare at home. She will find people to connect with at those stores.

Locate the local temple to allow her to practice her faith. Again she will find people to relate to there. Hopefully you will have some knowledge of what we do at our temples.

Look into ESL classes at schools near you. She wont want to begin this right away but its a very good idea for many reasons.

Thanks Ning, I will look for that book and some youtube listings. I saw a website (can't remember it now) where she could hopefully watch 6-8 Thai channels. I'm not actually certain they all work, although I did watch one channel for a few minutes. Unfortunately North Carolina doesn't have a big Asian (much less Thai) community. Finding Thai foods in stores will be a challenge but I will look....Latin foods are much easier to find. We do have a few temples so that part is easy. I will find some ESL classes and offer that to her. It may be just for friendships or getting out as she teaches English.

Can anyone comment on their experience learning to drive in the U.S.? My fiance has driven before but not much. Everything here is so spread out we have to drive or move somewhere more convenient.

Mark

[Ning 619]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have seen the DS-230 as well. I downloaded all the forms to help her fill them out. My understanding is the Bangkok Embassy only wants part 1 of the DS-230. Anyone with recent experience care to comment? I'm getting the documents together now for the I-134....putting it off a few days to get the current year W2. I'm sending her a package soon with copies of all my docs. I hate having all my personal info out there but feel like she might need it during the interview. If she doesn't interview until summer I don't want to send the updated intent letter too early. I'm going to visit her again in April maybe I will just take it all with me then.

Mark

I know you are trying to do everything you can which is normal. However you may be doing these things again when the time is more appropriate.

The 134 for example is part of the submittal for the interview. That wont happen at least 6 months. When you do submit it attach a tax transcript rather than tax forms & W2s ect. BKK is one embassy that prefers them.

BKK is busy all year. They see about 700 cases per month many of which are not immigration based. During the summer they have tons of students to deal with. This is why immigrant visas are done on Mon & Wed only.

Because she is an English teacher there isnt a reason to have her do ESL classes. From what you say there wont be any Thais there anyway. A different idea that might work would be to find out what it would involve to have her become a teacher in the area.

The temples will serve to help her find where to buy food & many other things. This will be very important to her.

[Pocho 1]

I know you are trying to do everything you can which is normal. However you may be doing these things again when the time is more appropriate.

The 134 for example is part of the submittal for the interview. That wont happen at least 6 months. When you do submit it attach a tax transcript rather than tax forms & W2s ect. BKK is one embassy that prefers them.

BKK is busy all year. They see about 700 cases per month many of which are not immigration based. During the summer they have tons of students to deal with. This is why immigrant visas are done on Mon & Wed only.

Because she is an English teacher there isnt a reason to have her do ESL classes. From what you say there wont be any Thais there anyway. A different idea that might work would be to find out what it would involve to have her become a teacher in the area.

The temples will serve to help her find where to buy food & many other things. This will be very important to her.

Somethings to keep into consideration are the following:

1. Make sure she will have enough time on her passport for the required validity, when the time arrives.

2. If she has children, make sure she has received the proper reelease from the father and seal from the Ampur.

3. Depending on where she lives in Thailand, she will have to go and obtain the Police Certificate, which is taking 2 weeks.

Good luck with the process.

Edited December 29, 2011 by Pocho

[fm2002 0]

I just sent in Packet 3 10 days ago. Waiting for the interview date.

What I would add is buy an iPad. I actually live in Thailand with my fiance and she uses my iPad all the time to watch her Thai TV shows either from the night before or whenever which are posted on YouTube. She uses it in bed, living room etc. She also downloads receipes and uses it to cook. She made me a great roasted lamp rack the other night. When we get to the America should work the same !

[NoneYa 73]

I just got my NOA2 today. It was exactly 4 months from filing and it went through Vermont. I have seen many others going through Vermont get approved in Three and 1/2 months. It won't be as long as you think if you don't get any RFE's in most cases.