SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)

[Noi3125 1]

Congratulations Danny and Chada!!!

Visa approved... thanks everyone for your help and support here. I will write an interview review later, perhaps tomorrow but will give a bit here. We will pick up our CR-1 on the 21st.

We went for the K-3 interview but as people on VJ taught us if they have your CR1 file they should issue that, not K-3. So we decided what the heck we will try it rather than waiting for the CR1 interview at the end of May.

We arrived at 5:30 were let in aroudn 6:45. There was only us until 7:00. I was let into the American Services but I promised the lady I would do what I needed to do and leave, so I did. I then stood outside the embassy (They wouldn't even let me stand in the front of it) until about 11:30 when I had to use the bathroom and the gaurd said just go sit in the ACS part. I did... I didn't want to push thier policy and I felt confident in my husband. There were 8 applicants all togther.... according to my husbands estimates: 2 tourist, 5 K-1, and us- CR1. The tourists and 4 of the K-1's were denied. It wasn't the bald guy. We were the first people there, first to hand in our documents and the last to be called. There was only one person interviewing and the Thai woman helping him was nice to my husband.

My husband after some discussion with the interviewer did a 50/50 Thai English interview which focused mainly on why and what we were doing in Israel (that's where we met) and why I spoke Thai. He spent quite a while looking at our photos apparently and then the interviewer stared at him as if trying to think of something else to ask, and couldn’t. He slammed the file closed and wrote in huge letters across the front APPROVED. The interview itself was only about 15 minutes and was fairly painless.

I then met my husband outside and he handed me an index car with a red stamp saying to come pick up your visa on the 21/4/2009.

If those preparing to interview want I can send you the list of our evidence of relationship and of domicile.

Hope other people have a similar experience.

Take care.

Noi

p.s. daboyz I don't know what you decided about your marriage certificate but in Thailand if you have a copy of it you can go to the ampure or khet where you were married and they can stamp and sign it making it a certified copy... we did this with all our documents so we have 5 certified copies of everything.

UScandual - hopefully you will get your interview soon. It didn't seem fully staffed today. I would email them Monday to ask your interview date.

[Noi3125 1]

Anyone know a decent place to celebrate in Bangkok that doesn't cost much?

Sorry know this isn't really the place to ask as it has little to do with visas but most of you have spent far more time in Bangkok than I have. thanks for all suggestions.

[mommymeow 0]

Congrats to K. Noi It is time to celebrate!

Edited April 17, 2009 by Mommy

[*Robert* 2]

Anyone know a decent place to celebrate in Bangkok that doesn't cost much?

Sorry know this isn't really the place to ask as it has little to do with visas but most of you have spent far more time in Bangkok than I have. thanks for all suggestions.

Congratulations Joe & Noi! Though an IR1 would be even better, the CR1 will still save you some hassels with the USCIS once you're back in the US of A.

Try going to Soi Khau San (sp?) for celebrating!

Edited April 17, 2009 by roi_aggie

[Danno2 0]

^{CONGRADULATIONS!}

Of course this is the place to ask!! As much as anything else I see this thread as supporting others... Tell us about how much you want to spend, what part of town your looking for (if any), inside or outside and what you want to do. I'll get the info from Chada ASAP.

Before that happens I can tell you that:

The Banyon tree hotel has a very cool restaurant on its roof. Its expensive to eat but they have a bar as well. Many people go for 1 drink only just to see it. Its an awesome view at tonight, very romantic and just overall very cool.

Waterside is a "resort" Thai restaurant with upscale looks but normal Thai prices. Its very popular with the local's and I was the only foreign person there. Its seen as a special place to go..

Waterside

PM me if you want and I will get Chada to call you. Both of us would love to help.

[San Mig Lite 0]

Hi my new friends.

I am new here

Just wanting to stop by and say hi to all my new friends

[Danno2 0]

I never had to preface questions in this thread before but I will a little with this one.

Chada and i want to go through the post NOA2 process as efficiently as possible in hopes of her spending a really great summer in the US. (we have a 6 state road-trip and a second vacation on the books). By now everyone should know "I'm a planner".. In order to pull that off we want to be prepared for best case scenario processing times. (us waiting on the visa and not the other way around). Because she has a TON of things to do outside the visa process to leave her country along with 4 week notice to give at her job we really need to get things organized. To get this started I have taken information from VJ stats page for the remaining steps pertinent to us. Can you please review and compare those to your time frame. The most important one for me would be the last 2 items.

NOA2 to NVC receive = 8 Days

NVC processing = 6 days

NVC to BKK receive = 5 days

Bangkok initial processing time (sending pk4) = 10 - 25 days

Receiving pk3 to interview date = ?

Thank you in advance!

Danny

Edited April 17, 2009 by Danny and Chada

[Danno2 0]

Hi my new friends.

I am new here

Just wanting to stop by and say hi to all my new friends

Welcome aboard. There are lots of good people in this thread. If your new to VJ a great way to get caught up is to look in the guides and FAQ's for K1's or K3's. Being a guy I first refused to do that but after I did I was shocked at just how good these items were. I think everyone here will be glad to help with things specific to Thailand.

Good Luck!

[scandal 951]

Hi my new friends.

I am new here

Just wanting to stop by and say hi to all my new friends

Welcome aboard... asDanny said, we're generally a friendly bunch over here. Once you get started on the application process, you are encouraged to fill in your timeline. It's helpful for you, and for the general community.

[scandal 951]

Congratulations Danny and Chada!!!

Visa approved... thanks everyone for your help and support here. I will write an interview review later, perhaps tomorrow but will give a bit here. We will pick up our CR-1 on the 21st.

There were 8 applicants all togther.... according to my husbands estimates: 2 tourist, 5 K-1, and us- CR1. The tourists and 4 of the K-1's were denied. It wasn't the bald guy.

UScandual - hopefully you will get your interview soon. It didn't seem fully staffed today. I would email them Monday to ask your interview date.

CONGRATULATIONS Joe and Noi ... that's marvelous news!!!! :dance:

Are you making travel plans to the US yet? And have you determined where your US destination is? Last we spoke it was between MI, IA, and MN, as I recall. All in the upper midwest.

As to where to go out and celebrate, I'm guessing you're already out and doing that now. It's ~ 9PM in Thailand (9Am here in Chicago). I would agree that Khao San Rd. is always a fun and cheap place to see the action and commotion, have a few drinks and good eats, etc. There's a bar there called Suzy's Pub with really loud music and lots of young people dancing like crazy.

I have to admit that you are scaring me like the dickens with your report. 5 K1s. 4 denied. 4/5. 80% Denial rate. Wow. wow. wow. Oh.My.Fri**cking.Gawd. Excuse my language. Do we even stand a chance??

We are still waiting for our interview date, thanks for your support. I'll post our most recent email correspondence with the embassy in a moment.

Once again.... fantastic news! I'm so happy for you guys. Congrats!

[scandal 951]

Danny, I don't want to burst your bubble, but all you can do is hope to meet a target. You really have no control over how long it's going to take. It's very hard to plan. You are making summer plans - I hope they work out, I really do. I initially had hoped that Thanti would be here in time to move into our new home together (that was back in Feb). Then I hoped she'd be here by Passover - my parents came and it would have been wonderful if she was here as part of that (that was last week). Now I'm just hoping she gets here by June, because if it goes longer than that I am liable to go postal!

I never had to preface questions in this thread before but I will a little with this one.

Chada and i want to go through the post NOA2 process as efficiently as possible in hopes of her spending a really great summer in the US. (we have a 6 state road-trip and a second vacation on the books). By now everyone should know "I'm a planner".. In order to pull that off we want to be prepared for best case scenario processing times. (us waiting on the visa and not the other way around). Because she has a TON of things to do outside the visa process to leave her country along with 4 week notice to give at her job we really need to get things organized. To get this started I have taken information from VJ stats page for the remaining steps pertinent to us. Can you please review and compare those to your time frame. The most important one for me would be the last 2 items. Mm... I think the one you want to worry about most at this stage is NVC. Just pray to whatever deity you pray to that you don't get stuck there.

NOA2 to NVC receive = 8 Days Yeah, that's about right. But there are reports on VJ about cases taking weeks before they show up at NVC. Look for "Raj&Monica', it happened to them, and he started a thread about this a few weeks ago.

NVC processing = 6 days Ha ha ha. I just have to snicker on this one. Sure, you could be in and out of NVC in a day or two. Or, you could get stuck. I humbly submit that I'm the VJ expert on that one! Just click on the stats page from my signature below. We got stuck 50 days. That's 7 long weeks to add to your timeline. That'll blow up summertime planning in a hurry! Good luck - hope this DOES NOT happen to you

NVC to BKK receive = 5 days I could never figure this out. NVC told us they sent it DHL March 13. BKK says they got it March 13. Impossible. Then again BKK didn't do anything with it till at least March 26, so what difference does it make?

Bangkok initial processing time (sending pk4) = 10 - 25 days We turned around packet3 within 24 hours of receiving it. We were all prepared in advance, as you are too. We're still waiting to get the interview date scheduled however.

Receiving pk3 to interview date = ? We're still hoping for a May interview date, but it would not surprise me if we've missed that and will get it in June.

Thank you in advance!

Danny

[scandal 951]

This has been our most recent correspondence with the BKK consulate.

Now that the file is in Bangkok, Thanti has been doing all the corresponding with the Embassy. It's kinda weird... instead of her asking me Is there any news? Did you call NVC again? Did we get a CRIS email? ... Now I'm asking her if she's pestered them the embassy with yet another email

We got this email on April 8:

Subject: RE: IV Inquiry Case BNK2009xxxxxx

Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2009 13:36:45 +0700

From: visasbkk2@state.gov

Dear Khun xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

The IV Unit of the U.S. Embassy has just received your returned Packet 3 materials through the mail on April 8, 2009.

Please allow some 4-6 weeks for us to schedule an interview appointment for you. Once your interview appointment is set, we will notify you by mail to this address:

Regards,

Correspondence Unit

and this one today:

Subject: RE: IV Inquiry Case BNK2009xxxxxx

Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:50:06 +0700

From: visasbkk2@state.gov

Dear Ms. xxxxxxxxx

Your interview appointment date has not yet been scheduled at the moment. We will notify you by mail after the interview appointment date is set.

Regards,

Correspondence Unit

How long does it take to find an empty slot on the calendar and schedule the interview date?? I just can't understand this bureaucracy. Every hurdle you cross (NOA2, NVC, you think... ok... we're on our way now. We got out of NVC on March 13, and the end is still not in sight.

[Danno2 0]

Its a Thai conspiracy cooked up for our girl to come to the same flight.

OK , I'm putting the crack pipe down now...

Edited April 17, 2009 by Danny and Chada

[daboyz 36]

Congratulations Danny and Chada!!!

Visa approved... thanks everyone for your help and support here. I will write an interview review later, perhaps tomorrow but will give a bit here. We will pick up our CR-1 on the 21st.

We went for the K-3 interview but as people on VJ taught us if they have your CR1 file they should issue that, not K-3. So we decided what the heck we will try it rather than waiting for the CR1 interview at the end of May.

We arrived at 5:30 were let in aroudn 6:45. There was only us until 7:00. I was let into the American Services but I promised the lady I would do what I needed to do and leave, so I did. I then stood outside the embassy (They wouldn't even let me stand in the front of it) until about 11:30 when I had to use the bathroom and the gaurd said just go sit in the ACS part. I did... I didn't want to push thier policy and I felt confident in my husband. There were 8 applicants all togther.... according to my husbands estimates: 2 tourist, 5 K-1, and us- CR1. The tourists and 4 of the K-1's were denied. It wasn't the bald guy. We were the first people there, first to hand in our documents and the last to be called. There was only one person interviewing and the Thai woman helping him was nice to my husband.

My husband after some discussion with the interviewer did a 50/50 Thai English interview which focused mainly on why and what we were doing in Israel (that's where we met) and why I spoke Thai. He spent quite a while looking at our photos apparently and then the interviewer stared at him as if trying to think of something else to ask, and couldn’t. He slammed the file closed and wrote in huge letters across the front APPROVED. The interview itself was only about 15 minutes and was fairly painless.

I then met my husband outside and he handed me an index car with a red stamp saying to come pick up your visa on the 21/4/2009.

If those preparing to interview want I can send you the list of our evidence of relationship and of domicile.

Hope other people have a similar experience.

Take care.

Noi

p.s. daboyz I don't know what you decided about your marriage certificate but in Thailand if you have a copy of it you can go to the ampure or khet where you were married and they can stamp and sign it making it a certified copy... we did this with all our documents so we have 5 certified copies of everything.

UScandual - hopefully you will get your interview soon. It didn't seem fully staffed today. I would email them Monday to ask your interview date.

She has them both. Crazy. Thanks for thinking of me though. Congratulations!

[ThaitoUSA 15]

5 K1s. 4 denied. 4/5. 80% Denial rate. Wow. wow. wow. Oh.My.Fri**cking.Gawd. Excuse my language. Do we even stand a chance??

Technically, none of these could be denials. They probably asked most of them to return with more and/or proper evidence and/or documents. From my experience here in VisaJourney, many people are not entirely prepared, in spite of the abundance of resources; they simply neglect, misunderstand, and forget forms, evidence, etc.

Even if the consulate decides that the relationship is not bona fide, they do not reject it. Rather they send it back to USCIS where it dies a slow painful death.

One last thought is that if you prepare everything the best you can, you are in a bona fide relationship, and you still are 'rejected,' then you pick yourself up and move on. Nothing in life is worth worrying about.