SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)

[Audy_Rob 26]

Hey you guys that have recently paid the Visa Application Fee. I think I saw where TheBears posted on this also in another thread but I don't remember where. OK, so I know Audy told me the US $131.00 is about 4,454 Thai baht based on reading at the Thai girl's web site.. But she TOLD me to be sure to send her 5,000 Thai baht.

Back to the point. What happens at the Post Office? Does she just pay the money and is given a receipt?

When she sends in the DS-2001 Checklist and other Packet 3 papers, she mails in the Receipt, is this correct? Why can't she carry in the receipt???

I assume she should make a copy of this receipt. But if the Embassy loses her original receipt she mails in, the copy probably is not useful because the Embassy will think she didn't mail in the original. I read a post a while back maybe in this thread or maybe a separate thread where the Embassy lost the receipt that was mailed in. They put the person's interview on hold until they found the receipt. But I think it was a few days, not like they found it that same day or in a half hour. If they do lose it, I would rather she continue the interview, PASS, then go get another receipt and trade it for the Visa when she goes to pick it up or something.

I know I am starting to worry about these little things but I am close to sending her Packet 3 although she will not send in Packet 3 for about 5 weeks.

Thanks to all cool Thai people.

[TheBears 9]

Hey you guys that have recently paid the Visa Application Fee. I think I saw where TheBears posted on this also in another thread but I don't remember where. OK, so I know Audy told me the US $131.00 is about 4,454 Thai baht based on reading at the Thai girl's web site.. But she TOLD me to be sure to send her 5,000 Thai baht.

Back to the point. What happens at the Post Office? Does she just pay the money and is given a receipt?

When she sends in the DS-2001 Checklist and other Packet 3 papers, she mails in the Receipt, is this correct? Why can't she carry in the receipt???

I assume she should make a copy of this receipt. But if the Embassy loses her original receipt she mails in, the copy probably is not useful because the Embassy will think she didn't mail in the original. I read a post a while back maybe in this thread or maybe a separate thread where the Embassy lost the receipt that was mailed in. They put the person's interview on hold until they found the receipt. But I think it was a few days, not like they found it that same day or in a half hour. If they do lose it, I would rather she continue the interview, PASS, then go get another receipt and trade it for the Visa when she goes to pick it up or something.

I know I am starting to worry about these little things but I am close to sending her Packet 3 although she will not send in Packet 3 for about 5 weeks.

Thanks to all cool Thai people.

Yes, sir. Send her the 5,000. Postal officers there have been known to add "service fees." It's how the country works.

She gives them her case number, name, date of birth, and the money. She gets a receipt. Keep that receipt safe! Have her scan you a copy and e-mail a copy to herself.

DS-2001. Pack 3. Receipt. All together.

If they lose the receipt, the prescreener will tell her at the interview. She might get to go pay it again and then come back to interview. Or she may be rescheduled. Usually, it's the latter, I'm sorry to say. On the upside, though, I had to search back 3 pages of posts on usvisa before I found an example of the embassy losing the receipt and what was done about it. I hope that means it's rare.

Edit: She can't carry the receipt because people waste the consulate's time by interviewing without paying first. If they're approved, they pay. If they're denied, they don't pay. Who wants to be out 5,000 baht for nothing?

Edited May 9, 2010 by TheBears

[Tom and Teaw 1]

I can't remember if Teaw took the receipt or mailed it with the P3 stuff. But she used the post office behind the embassy building across the street from where you do the interviews. They do many of them and

it cost her the 4454 baht and I had her make two copies of it just in case something happened. No extra fees were added and I understand not all POs do the fee so it's best to use one that knows what they are

doing.

[ThaitoUSA 15]

My wife has been in America for nearly a year now and it's been the best in my life. I've said before that if I could bottle up and sell patience, I'd make a fortune just from this site. If you are still waiting to be together, wish you all the very best. In the meantime, there is much you can do to prepare. One thing Thai's appreciate is access to Thai ingredients. We had to search for a few weeks to find the Asian markets that carry what she was looking for, but now we have a routine to go to this one for chilies, that one for Thai eggplant, etc. If any of you are in or near Maryland I can recommend several excellent shops. One in Frederick Maryland is owned by a pleasant Burmese family and over 80% of what they carry is imported from Thailand. I was joyful to find the khao soi (Northern curry noodle soup) mix there.

May you be reunited with your loved one soon.

[Audy_Rob 26]

@ Kari and Tom, thanks a lot. I guess I will just worry some. I don't think she said 5,000 baht because of Post Office fees. I think she is tryint to add to her shopping funds.

[TheBears 9]

My wife has been in America for nearly a year now and it's been the best in my life. I've said before that if I could bottle up and sell patience, I'd make a fortune just from this site. If you are still waiting to be together, wish you all the very best. In the meantime, there is much you can do to prepare. One thing Thai's appreciate is access to Thai ingredients. We had to search for a few weeks to find the Asian markets that carry what she was looking for, but now we have a routine to go to this one for chilies, that one for Thai eggplant, etc. If any of you are in or near Maryland I can recommend several excellent shops. One in Frederick Maryland is owned by a pleasant Burmese family and over 80% of what they carry is imported from Thailand. I was joyful to find the khao soi (Northern curry noodle soup) mix there.

May you be reunited with your loved one soon.

@ Kari and Tom, thanks a lot. I guess I will just worry some. I don't think she said 5,000 baht because of Post Office fees. I think she is tryint to add to her shopping funds.

I like her way of thinking!

[Herk Driver 0]

Hello Folks-

I was hoping some one with recent experience could give me some advice on a couple of things:

1. Would anyone happen to know if there is somewhere in the Isaan area where the apllication fee for packet 3 can be paid? My fiancee is saying the post office in her area does not offer that service and she is thinking she will need to go to Bangkok (not an easy trip) just to find a post office where she can pay this thing.

2. When she mails in packet 3 should she include the evidence of relationship (photos, e-mails, etc) or is this something that is typically hand carried to the interview? The checklist is a little vague on this.

3. The checklist says she will get instructions for the medical exam when she is scheduled for an interview. I have been reading some posts here and noticed than some people have been getting this done prior to mailing in packet 3. Is this something she can do now or should she wait for the e-mail from the embassy saying she is scheduled for the interview? If she does have to go to Bangkok for the application fee it would also be nice if she could get the medical done.

Any recent experience inputs are greatly appreciated. We are both very ready to get this mailed in and unfortunately it seems to be taking longer than we would like to complete everything. Thank you for reading my post.

[ThaitoUSA 15]

Good day Herk Driver,

Answers to your questions may be found at the US Embassy in Bangkok's website.

Here is a list of post offices

...just scroll down to page 9 to see those in Isaan. Looks like most provinces in Isaan have a single post office in the capital town where one can pay. Do you know in which province she lives?

Here is Packet 3 Document

. . . in which it states

Original documents below must be presented at interview. No need to mail them to us at this

stage.

EVIDENCE OF RELATIONSHIP:. . .

MEDICAL EXAMINATION:

If you go here for Packet 4 Document

. . . you will see a link to the requisite medical forms. There is no need to wait for Packet 3.

Medical examination forms (DS2053, DS3024, DS3025 and DS3026) downloadable from

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visas/medforms.html

Hopefully that takes care of your questions. If you have any more, feel free to post or PM me.

[Herk Driver 0]

Good day Herk Driver,

Answers to your questions may be found at the US Embassy in Bangkok's website.

Here is a list of post offices

...just scroll down to page 9 to see those in Isaan. Looks like most provinces in Isaan have a single post office in the capital town where one can pay. Do you know in which province she lives?

Here is Packet 3 Document

. . . in which it states

If you go here for Packet 4 Document

. . . you will see a link to the requisite medical forms. There is no need to wait for Packet 3.

Hopefully that takes care of your questions. If you have any more, feel free to post or PM me.

This is a huge help. Thank you! She is in Beung Khong Long and if memory serves me right from two different visits then Nakon Phanom would be the closest. Thank you very much.

[Audy_Rob 26]

Hi Guys: I have posted here twice before asking about submitting pictures from our Formal pithee mhand or Engagement Ceremony. My fiancee wore a rented White American (Western) style wedding dress. I have explained we will not submit any photos from the engaement ceremony and the reason, the COs might suspect we married which is forbidden for the K-1 visa.

She insists this is what will convince the COs at the Embassy to pass her, she calls it the Finishing touches. It could very likely finish us at the Embassy for a K-1 visa. I cannot force her to NOT submit the photos. She refuses to post the question at www.usvisa4thai.com. She says she has no question to ask. She knows it will be OK to submit these photos.

Any suggestions please ?

EDITED to add:

If any Thai fiancees or wives out there would like to comment, I would be happy to send you copies of the photos (2 or 3) she wants to submit so you can judge what the Embassy might think or do.

Belioeve me, if you tell me I am 100% wrong, and this is a perfect idea to submit these photos as the Finish to our package, I will happily go for it to end this problem.

Thanks to all.

Edited May 9, 2010 by Audy_Rob

[Tom and Teaw 1]

Audy_Rob, the only thing I would be afraid of is getting put into AP while they do some investigating. Since they seem to be AP happy now and have been putting lots of girls in AP, and if you have enough

evidence to make it, I wouldn't put those pics in. See what some of the others in here say. Of course, as long as you didn't register a marriage in Thailand, if they check, they won't find it. But to my thinking

they would put it in AP so they could check to see if it is registered somewhere. Sucks, ya know?

[Audy_Rob 26]

Audy_Rob, the only thing I would be afraid of is getting put into AP while they do some investigating. Since they seem to be AP happy now and have been putting lots of girls in AP, and if you have enough

evidence to make it, I wouldn't put those pics in. See what some of the others in here say. Of course, as long as you didn't register a marriage in Thailand, if they check, they won't find it. But to my thinking

they would put it in AP so they could check to see if it is registered somewhere. Sucks, ya know?

Hey Tom, thanks for the answer. She did get a Marital Status certificate of Single. I wonder if that would be proof to the COs at the Embassy.

Packet 3 says the Marital Status certificate is only required for a mother with a child born out of wedlock. My fiancee is not in that category.

Also Tom, that is the problem, I think our Evidence is solid. Why risk a problem or 221g or AP when it isn't necessary. We can easily avoid those pictures and get right through the photo part of the interview. But she insists that they be included adding risk to the interview that is risk I will not take.

EDITED to add:

Did you watch the Lakers and Jazz last night? I cannot believe the Jazz blew it so badly in the last 3:00 tio 3:30 minutes.

Edited May 9, 2010 by Audy_Rob

[toma1 10]

Hi Guys: I have posted here twice before asking about submitting pictures from our Formal pithee mhand or Engagement Ceremony. My fiancee wore a rented White American (Western) style wedding dress. I have explained we will not submit any photos from the engaement ceremony and the reason, the COs might suspect we married which is forbidden for the K-1 visa.

She insists this is what will convince the COs at the Embassy to pass her, she calls it the Finishing touches. It could very likely finish us at the Embassy for a K-1 visa. I cannot force her to NOT submit the photos. She refuses to post the question at www.usvisa4thai.com. She says she has no question to ask. She knows it will be OK to submit these photos.

Any suggestions please ?

EDITED to add:

If any Thai fiancees or wives out there would like to comment, I would be happy to send you copies of the photos (2 or 3) she wants to submit so you can judge what the Embassy might think or do.

Belioeve me, if you tell me I am 100% wrong, and this is a perfect idea to submit these photos as the Finish to our package, I will happily go for it to end this problem.

Thanks to all.

I'm not sure that this has been tried by anyone on this forum. There are other cultures that have similar customs, though, so you might try searching the general forum for info about this issue. I seem to recall reading something like this elsewhere several years ago.

In the end, you are trusting that highly trained agents of the US government are fully cognizant of the culture in which they work. This should, for obvious reasons, be a requirement for working abroad as a representative of the United States. As the Federal government's track record over the last couple hundred years has been that of utmost sensitivity to other cultures, I would suppose you have very little to worry about.

[toma1 10]

Does anyone here know about shipping items TO Thailand--specifically with regard to import duties?

I'm in Bangkok for the next few months and my office bought me a new laptop that I need to use while I'm here. (Unfortunately, Apple wasn't checking my departure schedule when shipping out the new MacBook Pros.) Shipping costs are not an issue, but I am concerned about import duties. Technically, they shouldn't apply, as the item is not being imported permanently, but I'm not sure. Any ideas? A friend was going to bring it with her when she came over in a week, but she ended up having to cancel her trip due to some immigration issue.

[Audy_Rob 26]

In the end, you are trusting that highly trained agents of the US government are fully cognizant of the culture in which they work...

This is one of her arguments. She says the "people" at the Embassy will be familiar with Thai traditions and realize that just because she is wearing a white Western style wedding dress, they will know this is not a wedding.

Thanks for your input toma1.

Sorry, I know nothing about Thai import laws or restrictions. I wish I could help. Do you have someone in the USA that can try to contact FedEx or DHL first thing Monday morning, USA time? Do you think that will help?