SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)

[ThaiStyleUSA 1]

Good luck and best wishes always! :thumbs:

[*Robert* 2]

Free at last, free at last, thank Buddha almighty we're free at last!!! :joy:

NO MORE USCIS!!!

Chutima became a U.S. Citizen today, along with 98 other people from 41 different countries!!!

Though the journey can be difficult and expensive, its worth it in the end!

Good luck to everyone else!

[BishopMnA 0]

Brother Roi is Chutima's Oath Ceremony today?

Whoops! NEVER MIND! <hahaha> As I was FastReplying this I looked up to the last posting and saw that it indeed was!

Congratulations Brother! AAm and I could not be happier for you both (we know what you've gone through!

Peace and Buddha's blessings to you both...and we'll see you in Chiang Mai, where the Chang will flow like wine!

Brother Mark

[*Robert* 2]

Brother Roi is Chutima's Oath Ceremony today?

Whoops! NEVER MIND! <hahaha> As I was FastReplying this I looked up to the last posting and saw that it indeed was!

Congratulations Brother! AAm and I could not be happier for you both (we know what you've gone through!

Peace and Buddha's blessings to you both...and we'll see you in Chiang Mai, where the Chang will flow like wine!

Brother Mark

Thank you brother Mark! Blessings to you and AAm as well, and I look forward to drinking Chang with you soon!

[ThaiStyleUSA 1]

Congratulations Robert & Chutima. :dance: Best wishes to you both. :thumbs:

[*Robert* 2]

Congratulations Robert & Chutima. Best wishes to you both.

ขอบคุณมากครับ คุณ Luke!

Edited October 30, 2009 by *Robert*

[Pii Sam 0]

We're a long way from being where you are now Robert, but it's good to know that with perciverence we can reach our goals. A big Congratulations to the two of you!

[DaveTX 2]

Free at last, free at last, thank Buddha almighty we're free at last!!! :joy:

NO MORE USCIS!!!

Chutima became a U.S. Citizen today, along with 98 other people from 41 different countries!!!

Though the journey can be difficult and expensive, its worth it in the end!

Good luck to everyone else!

Congratulations!

[ThaiStyleUSA 1]

Congratulations Robert & Chutima. Best wishes to you both.

ขอบคุณมากครับ คุณ Luke!

ครับพม I know how you both felt. I was relieved when I got my citizenship in 1990. Mine was pretty quick because I was in the military at the time. I had helps from my 1st Sgt. & Commander to expedite my process though. I have to wait a little longer now for my wife to obtain her 10 yrs GC & citizenship. Anyway, Congrats again.

[*Robert* 2]

Congratulations Robert & Chutima. Best wishes to you both.

ขอบคุณมากครับ คุณ Luke!

ครับพม I know how you both felt. I was relieved when I got my citizenship in 1990. Mine was pretty quick because I was in the military at the time. I had helps from my 1st Sgt. & Commander to expedite my process though. I have to wait a little longer now for my wife to obtain her 10 yrs GC & citizenship. Anyway, Congrats again.

I think it is great that you got your citizenship through serving in the USAF. I myself am a Navy veteran, but currently work for the 45th SW here at Patrick AFB and Cape Canaveral AFS as an Air Force civilian launching rockets for a living! In my squadron, 45th RMS, we have 2 Filipino MSgts, but we don't have any Thai nationals. I do know of one Thai Capt in the 1st SLS, but that's all. The DoD is all I have known throughout my career as I have worked for the DoD in one form or another since I was 17. Thank you for your service to our country and for being one of the many proud Airmen in the USAF!

[toma1 10]

I found a phone company that will give you a phone number with two lines and UNLIMITED calling around the US AND to Thailand (and several other countries) for $7.95 a month. No setup fees, no contracts, no taxes. I don't know how they will stay in business doing that, but right now it works. Remember: It's not just long distance. They provide you home phone service for that price as well.

You do need to buy a VOIP router or provide your own. You need to be a bit tech savvy to get it set up. There is almost ZERO customer service and for that price you should not expect any. This is a do it yourself phone service to a large extent. I would not consider using this as my only phone, but its great to have in addition to you mobile phone. If you have problems getting a multi computer home network working, you should probably look elsewhere. But once you get it working the calls are very clear. My wife says the calls to her parents are as clear as being in the next room.

I successfully unlocked the old Linksys SPA2012 VOIP router that SunRocket gave me before they went bankrupt, and I got it to work with this service after fooling around with it for a few days.

The company is Versafon.com

If you happen to have an SPA2012, I may be able to help with the settings. I will warn you, however that if you got it from Sunrocket, unlocking it is quite a chore!

Edited October 31, 2009 by toma1

[DaveTX 2]

So in the excruciating count down to interview time, my fiancee is obsessing about all the possible things that can go wrong in the interview and have the visa denied. I don't recall seeing anyone denied from the Bangkok embassy for a K-1 and post about it here. Anyone know of anyone denied and why?

Knowing that, more than likely, it'll be a 5-10 min thing and no problems is unfortunately not comforting at this particular moment. Any good strategies for reassuring a worrying Thai fiancee in the home stretch?

[toma1 10]

So in the excruciating count down to interview time, my fiancee is obsessing about all the possible things that can go wrong in the interview and have the visa denied. I don't recall seeing anyone denied from the Bangkok embassy for a K-1 and post about it here. Anyone know of anyone denied and why?

Most people are eventually approved. Bangkok is better than many other places, that's for sure. But if you haven't seen any denials, then I think you probably didn't go back far enough. There are lots that have not been approved on the first try. Many of those got a visa on the second try. I think the most common reason was that the embassy did not believe the relationship was real.

From what I can tell, the more reasons the beneficiary has NOT to leave Thailand, the more likely the visa is to be granted. For example:

Things like this tend to result in a favorable decision on the first try:

has a good job

owns property in Thailand

has money

has a college education

speaks English fluently

is from Bangkok

long relationships

Things like this tend to cause more scrutiny:

not enough photos of you together in different places at widely different times

does not speak English well (especially if you do not speak Thai)

no high school education

no job/money

is from the Northeast

short relationships

ever worked in a bar

[rsn 135]

So in the excruciating count down to interview time, my fiancee is obsessing about all the possible things that can go wrong in the interview and have the visa denied. I don't recall seeing anyone denied from the Bangkok embassy for a K-1 and post about it here. Anyone know of anyone denied and why?

Most people are eventually approved. Bangkok is better than many other places, that's for sure. But if you haven't seen any denials, then I think you probably didn't go back far enough. There are lots that have not been approved on the first try. Many of those got a visa on the second try. I think the most common reason was that the embassy did not believe the relationship was real.

From what I can tell, the more reasons the beneficiary has NOT to leave Thailand, the more likely the visa is to be granted. For example:

Things like this tend to result in a favorable decision on the first try:

has a good job

owns property in Thailand

has money

has a college education

speaks English fluently

is from Bangkok

long relationships

Things like this tend to cause more scrutiny:

not enough photos of you together in different places at widely different times

does not speak English well (especially if you do not speak Thai)

no high school education

no job/money

is from the Northeast

short relationships

ever worked in a bar

Hmm, I'm not sure I agree with your lists. In fact, the only ones I agree with are from your 2nd list are:

• not enough photos of you together in different places at widely different times
• ever worked in a bar
• (possibly) short relationships

The rest of your items sound more like speculation and I'm curious how you came up with these lists. For example, how would the CO even know if the applicant has money or owns property? This information is never requested on any of the spousal or fiancee visa forms I've seen. Edited November 3, 2009 by rsn

[toma1 10]

So in the excruciating count down to interview time, my fiancee is obsessing about all the possible things that can go wrong in the interview and have the visa denied. I don't recall seeing anyone denied from the Bangkok embassy for a K-1 and post about it here. Anyone know of anyone denied and why?

Most people are eventually approved. Bangkok is better than many other places, that's for sure. But if you haven't seen any denials, then I think you probably didn't go back far enough. There are lots that have not been approved on the first try. Many of those got a visa on the second try. I think the most common reason was that the embassy did not believe the relationship was real.

From what I can tell, the more reasons the beneficiary has NOT to leave Thailand, the more likely the visa is to be granted. For example:

Things like this tend to result in a favorable decision on the first try:

has a good job

owns property in Thailand

has money

has a college education

speaks English fluently

is from Bangkok

long relationships

Things like this tend to cause more scrutiny:

not enough photos of you together in different places at widely different times

does not speak English well (especially if you do not speak Thai)

no high school education

no job/money

is from the Northeast

short relationships

ever worked in a bar

Hmm, I'm not sure I agree with your list. In fact, the only ones I agree with are from your 2nd list are:

• not enough photos of you together in different places at widely different times
• ever worked in a bar
• (possibly) short relationships

The rest of your items sound more like speculation and I'm curious how you came up with these lists. For example, how would the CO even know if the applicant has money or owns property? This information is never requested on any of the spousal or fiancee visa forms I've seen.

Perhaps income is simply correlated with education and job, which IS asked on the forms and I have never heard of a 4-year college graduate with a good job in Thailand being refused. Call it speculation if you like, but I have not seen it happen. There are people who have been around here longer than me, however. Maybe one of them can provide an example.

The English issue is clear. Women that speak English poorly seem to be treated very poorly in the BKK embassy. Women that speak fluently tend to be treated very well. This issue has come up many times.