SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)

[NillandNan 0]

What did you guys do that already brought your wives to the states?

I brought one small suitcase for me, and 2 large suitcases (one inside the other) for her. She also had one of her own that she used. Most airlines seem to allow 2 bags per ticket for international travel. Also, you could probably just buy suitcases for her in Thailand without spending too much money. Good luck.

I am thinking this route is the one we will take... Feels like it is never going to happen though.

Neil

[daboyz 36]

What did you guys do that already brought your wives to the states?

I brought one small suitcase for me, and 2 large suitcases (one inside the other) for her. She also had one of her own that she used. Most airlines seem to allow 2 bags per ticket for international travel. Also, you could probably just buy suitcases for her in Thailand without spending too much money. Good luck.

I am thinking this route is the one we will take... Feels like it is never going to happen though.

Neil

NillandNan, I think your timeline is messed up. It shows packet 3 received 2009-07-24. Today is 2009-07-14.

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=64736

[rsn 135]

What did you guys do that already brought your wives to the states?

I brought one small suitcase for me, and 2 large suitcases (one inside the other) for her. She also had one of her own that she used. Most airlines seem to allow 2 bags per ticket for international travel. Also, you could probably just buy suitcases for her in Thailand without spending too much money. Good luck.

I am thinking this route is the one we will take... Feels like it is never going to happen though.

Neil

It'll happen. I felt the same way, even though things were moving pretty quickly for us, relatively speaking.

Edited July 15, 2009 by rsn

[NillandNan 0]

What did you guys do that already brought your wives to the states?

I brought one small suitcase for me, and 2 large suitcases (one inside the other) for her. She also had one of her own that she used. Most airlines seem to allow 2 bags per ticket for international travel. Also, you could probably just buy suitcases for her in Thailand without spending too much money. Good luck.

I am thinking this route is the one we will take... Feels like it is never going to happen though.

Neil

NillandNan, I think your timeline is messed up. It shows packet 3 received 2009-07-24. Today is 2009-07-14.

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=64736

Good catch daboyz! fixed...

[rin and john 71]

One more step done (Almost). We had our AOS interview today. Went fine except the file from the Bangkok embassy from the K1 has not made it here yet. The officer said he requested the file and it should take a week, and then we should get a letter in two weeks with the approval. Apparently his last thai case a few months ago, he had the same problem, they never sent the paperwork from Bangkok.

Progress..

Great posts about where to score some good cookware etc. Nan wants to take her cook stuff with her, but I am afraid with all her shoes, clothes, and everything else, there will not be any room... I hope we can find some stuff local on oahu in sept/oct. Anyone else with a thai wife down in HI?

Neil

Pots, pans, and whatnot will be OK. Probably a waste of time to bring a rice cooker or water heater as they most likely will be the wrong voltage (220 vs. 110).

Yeah I already have a huge rice cooker, mostly think her mortar pestle set, and pots and pans will just be too heavy/big for luggage. What did you guys do that already brought your wives to the states? I was planning on bringing a large empty suitcase so we can fit more of her stuff. I travel pretty light, but we will be moving Nan out of her apartment... Lots o' stuff

Rin just brought her clothes, shoes, and a few other small items. The mortar and pestle woud be a load. We've bought two since she got here two years ago. She used the granite one alot more than the "thai" style clay one I posted earlier. The clay one really only gets used for som tom.

[AaronLV 12]

I went to MBK and bought four large duffle bags with wheels. Most places want 1500 baht but I found a place that sold them for 850, it is a small shop on the cell phone floor, kind of hidden in the middle right where and escalator goes down (no up only down). Then being a Gold card member on Eva I got an extra bag, so we had 5 bags at approximately 25 Kg each and then our carry on. We brought back a 10 lb buddah given to her mom by the Head monk at the temple in her home town, and then brought a mortoar and petsle, then there were just tons of clothes and shoes. It worked out well. One thing to keep in mind if you are not flying into your destination city, and have to switch to a domestic carrier you will most likely be charged a bunch if you go to the weight and bag limit on the international flights. We fly into LA and then I rented a car and drove to Vegas, because it was so much cheaper. With our tickets and excess weight and number of bags on Southwest it was going to be close to 500 to come back to Vegas. I paid 100 with gas one way to rent the car and drive.

[shawndoc 0]

Just one little thing to note, if you are traveling from or to the United States, the weight allowances are greater than if you are flying anywhere else. So be sure when you are checking weight allowances, you check International flights originating or flying to the US, vs the normal International travel weight allowances.

I remember the difference was quite significant.

I also haven't had any problems being charged for overweight bags with China Air, Eva, or Cathay Pacific when the overage was just a few kilos.

[GeneT 0]

Wow sure is quiet...

Just wondering and maybe for people who have not gone through it... Social Security number request, I did not know you could request this through the embassy. Looks like the second part of the DS-230 form, not required by the embassy ( only first part is for Package 3). Would they have accepted this second part without any questions? I have seen where some people said they got the SS card mailed to them automatically , so they must have filled this out? Anyway, we did not so we will wait the 10 business days after her entry and go visit the local SS office.

We have her plane ticket bought and she arrives here on Aug. 4th! Unfortunately I don't have the time off from work to go and get her so she is on her own to make it here.

[daboyz 36]

Wow sure is quiet...

Just wondering and maybe for people who have not gone through it... Social Security number request, I did not know you could request this through the embassy. Looks like the second part of the DS-230 form, not required by the embassy ( only first part is for Package 3). Would they have accepted this second part without any questions? I have seen where some people said they got the SS card mailed to them automatically , so they must have filled this out? Anyway, we did not so we will wait the 10 business days after her entry and go visit the local SS office.

We have her plane ticket bought and she arrives here on Aug. 4th! Unfortunately I don't have the time off from work to go and get her so she is on her own to make it here.

I didn't think you used DS-230 for K visas. Maybe I'm wrong.

[daboyz 36]

Wow sure is quiet...

Just wondering and maybe for people who have not gone through it... Social Security number request, I did not know you could request this through the embassy. Looks like the second part of the DS-230 form, not required by the embassy ( only first part is for Package 3). Would they have accepted this second part without any questions? I have seen where some people said they got the SS card mailed to them automatically , so they must have filled this out? Anyway, we did not so we will wait the 10 business days after her entry and go visit the local SS office.

We have her plane ticket bought and she arrives here on Aug. 4th! Unfortunately I don't have the time off from work to go and get her so she is on her own to make it here.

I didn't think you used DS-230 for K visas. Maybe I'm wrong.

I stand corrected. It is there on the Embassy checklist for packet 3.

[AaronLV 12]

Maybe it is for K3, that seems weird no one would have ever mentioned it for the K1.

We waited til we got married and then went and applied for the SS number, that way we would not need to do a name change. I filed AOS without the SS also, and it was no problem, when we went in for the interview they just asked if we had gotten one, and I gave it to them.

[rin and john 71]

The only applicant that can request the SSN via the State Dept is CR-1/IR-1.

[rin and john 71]

See link - http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnvisa/whatyou_need.htm

SSN on DS230 is for immigrant visas. The K-1 and K-3 use the form, but are NIVs. I actually filled the DS230 in requesting the SSN, but it obviously was never issued since Rin was K-3. Had to wait until she had her EAD to get the SSN.

[daboyz 36]

See link - http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnvisa/whatyou_need.htm

SSN on DS230 is for immigrant visas. The K-1 and K-3 use the form, but are NIVs. I actually filled the DS230 in requesting the SSN, but it obviously was never issued since Rin was K-3. Had to wait until she had her EAD to get the SSN.

That clears it up. Thanks.

[John & Nan 0]

any one shop at this place on the internet for Thai food and supplies ?

templeofthai