SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)

[birch- phuk_beer 0]

You're probably right. I'm eager to hear an update from birchbeer, as to whether his rejection also fits this pattern of "routine" relationship-testing.

On the other hand, what sane person pays the money and waits the ~6-8 months through USCIS, NVC and all the paperwork, just to get to the interview stage, and then cop out at the end due to a rejection slip? Of COURSE we're bloody serious!! And yes, we'll jump through their damned hoops.

This entire process is ridiculous! But of course, that's the reason VJ exists in the first place, right?

well, as I posted before, we got a 221g. THey want another police report cause he said the one we handed in was a copy. Of course it was, I sent the original in. so, knowing that this one will take the longest and most difficult of the 6 documents. We went ant re applied for 1-the police report.

2-they want original my wife's divorce decree....(gave them already)

3- wifes name change from when she was a kid.

4- name change paper from her divorce, which we gave them already

5- mothers name change....#######?! the mothers dead and gone...im not married to the mother

6- the embassy's official sole custody of the kid paper. gave it to them but they want their own paper verified.

we can pick the police report up the 27th so she is getting all these things together this coming week and official translations. and then going to BKK the 27th or 29th to turn the papers and passports in.

for those of you that have gone through the 221g,

does the interviewee need to get interviewed again or do they just go in with the documents, see someone else and the person says, "yea, ok, you have this, this and this...come back ???day and get your visa?

Edited April 17, 2009 by Birch-Beer

[dvddvd 0]

Turned out there was a guy standing a few yards away who was shooting the bird and waving it high while waiting on the President to pass and my wife did not want to get involved with the police when they came over to beat the you know what out of that guy. She didn't want police to lump her in with him when they came to get him ... etc.

We saw the motorcade and it wasn't until afterwards that I learned that my wife was scared to death the entire time.

It was an eye opening moment for me .... and my wife.

dvd

Just had to laugh when I read that, because I can picture it so well!

As for being scared, that's a shame, and I hope you were able to calm her fears.

Yeah, I think she knows now, regarding speech about the President, that things are different here in the USA. I look back on it now and just laugh. Only one group of 3 people were standing on the side of the road. My wife, myself, and some random guy giving the President the bird. I can only imagine what must have been going through her mind.

She had been here about a year when this happened and it made me realize, AGAIN, how big of a transition this has been for her.

Good luck to all

Dvd

[afisher 0]

I was thinking of letting my girl go to the interview then flying to LOS after she got the visa. But after reading these reviews I think that It's probably best to be there for the interview.

How long between P3 received and the interview date?

[Danno2 0]

I was thinking of letting my girl go to the interview then flying to LOS after she got the visa. But after reading these reviews I think that It's probably best to be there for the interview.

How long between P3 received and the interview date?

I was just PM'ed it was 4 weeks.

[afisher 0]

I was thinking of letting my girl go to the interview then flying to LOS after she got the visa. But after reading these reviews I think that It's probably best to be there for the interview.

How long between P3 received and the interview date?

I was just PM'ed it was 4 weeks.

Thanks.

[AaronLV 12]

for those of you that have gone through the 221g,

does the interviewee need to get interviewed again or do they just go in with the documents, see someone else and the person says, "yea, ok, you have this, this and this...come back ???day and get your visa?

In our case, when she went back in to give the additional information, the red shirt girl went through the papers she brought in, to make sure it was all there. Then she told her to wait, and 3 hours later, the girl gave her the 3x5 card and told her she was approved. She didn't have to interview again.

However I was told by the attorney, sometimes they will just take the paperwork and say thank you we will contact you. She went in with Nam and was going to ask the girl to have it reviewed that day while she waited, so we didn't have to wait, luckily they did it automatically.

It is seeming like they are using the 221g as a bonafide relationship checker, rather then for missing paperwork. I think the other thing that might be happening is the thai girl that is going through the packet for the consular is not being thorough enough. It seems like people here are getting 221g requests for information that was in their packet.

[birch- phuk_beer 0]

for those of you that have gone through the 221g,

does the interviewee need to get interviewed again or do they just go in with the documents, see someone else and the person says, "yea, ok, you have this, this and this...come back ???day and get your visa?

In our case, when she went back in to give the additional information, the red shirt girl went through the papers she brought in, to make sure it was all there. Then she told her to wait, and 3 hours later, the girl gave her the 3x5 card and told her she was approved. She didn't have to interview again.

However I was told by the attorney, sometimes they will just take the paperwork and say thank you we will contact you. She went in with Nam and was going to ask the girl to have it reviewed that day while she waited, so we didn't have to wait, luckily they did it automatically.

It is seeming like they are using the 221g as a bonafide relationship checker, rather then for missing paperwork. I think the other thing that might be happening is the thai girl that is going through the packet for the consular is not being thorough enough. It seems like people here are getting 221g requests for information that was in their packet.

Thanks for replying Aaron.

yes, I have to agree. 2 of the 6 things they are asking for was already in the information we handed in. SO, we'll have them done again and handed in.

I'll have to remember to tell her to have it reviewed while she waits.

Maybe I'll send an email to the Embassy nearer the time as well.

My wife is going back on the 29th, so we'll see. Its going to really tick me of if she gets another one and I need to take my a$$ back there again just for the 221g. Like I havent jumped through enough hoops while they give so many K-1's out with ease, "oh come on in, no problem...."

[scandal 951]

well, as I posted before, we got a 221g. THey want another police report cause he said the one we handed in was a copy. Of course it was, I sent the original in. so, knowing that this one will take the longest and most difficult of the 6 documents. We went ant re applied for 1-the police report.

2-they want original my wife's divorce decree....(gave them already)

3- wifes name change from when she was a kid.

4- name change paper from her divorce, which we gave them already

5- mothers name change....#######?! the mothers dead and gone...im not married to the mother

6- the embassy's official sole custody of the kid paper. gave it to them but they want their own paper verified.

Thanks for posting this again birch-beer!! You are performing an INVALUABLE service to those of us who are right behind you in line.

Honestly, I can't imagine how ill prepared we would be if not for the help VJ members give each other with this kind of accurate real-time intelligence on how to prepare for the interview.

Of your 6 items, I think we are well covered on 2-6. My fiancee (Thanti) has her name change certificate for #3. She was never divorced and has no kids, so I think we're fine with all of that.

The one that of course is most concerning and of most general interest to all of us is #1, the police certificate.

We have done exactly what you did - we mailed in the original as part of the Packet 3 response. And Thanti has a photocopy that she'll bring with her to the interview.

It seems like there's a catch-22 at work here. If you mail in the original, as you did, they'll ignore it and demand that you present "an original".

If you mail in the copy and bring the original in person, I can see them insisting that it's no good because you should have put the original in the packet.

Damned if you , damned if you don't.

I was talking about this on Skype with Thanti last night. We came up with what we think is a brilliant plan.

She's going to go back to the police station this week and get ANOTHER original certificate. It will take the typical 2 weeks or whatever, but it's free, and she lives locally in BKK, so pretty easy for her to do.

Then she'll come to the interview armed with a second ORIGINAL in hand. Along with the ORIGINAL in the packet3, that we mailed. Let's see them object to that!!!

In other words, rather than have birchbeer's experience of getting rejected with a 221g and need to spend 2 weeks after interview to get another certificate, we'll just preempt that and get it now before interview.

Can anyone see any downside to this?

If not, I'd highly urge everyone lining up for an interview (Danny ... this means YOU!!) to do the same.

[Danno2 0]

I was talking about this on Skype with Thanti last night. We came up with what we think is a brilliant plan.

She's going to go back to the police station this week and get ANOTHER original certificate. It will take the typical 2 weeks or whatever, but it's free, and she lives locally in BKK, so pretty easy for her to do.

Then she'll come to the interview armed with a second ORIGINAL in hand. Along with the ORIGINAL in the packet3, that we mailed. Let's see them object to that!!!

In other words, rather than have birchbeer's experience of getting rejected with a 221g and need to spend 2 weeks after interview to get another certificate, we'll just preempt that and get it now before interview.

Can anyone see any downside to this?

If not, I'd highly urge everyone lining up for an interview (Danny ... this means YOU!!) to do the same.

LOL, I had the SAME IDEA this morning and did everything I could to talk Chada into it over MSN. So if you can get Thantita to mention it to her as well that may convince her. Actually my plan was to get originals of every document you send in and just make two packet 3's. One for the embassy and 1 for the interview.

[scandal 951]

I was talking about this on Skype with Thanti last night. We came up with what we think is a brilliant plan.

She's going to go back to the police station this week and get ANOTHER original certificate. It will take the typical 2 weeks or whatever, but it's free, and she lives locally in BKK, so pretty easy for her to do.

Then she'll come to the interview armed with a second ORIGINAL in hand. Along with the ORIGINAL in the packet3, that we mailed. Let's see them object to that!!!

In other words, rather than have birchbeer's experience of getting rejected with a 221g and need to spend 2 weeks after interview to get another certificate, we'll just preempt that and get it now before interview.

Can anyone see any downside to this?

If not, I'd highly urge everyone lining up for an interview (Danny ... this means YOU!!) to do the same.

LOL, I had the SAME IDEA this morning and did everything I could to talk Chada into it over MSN. So if you can get Thantita to mention it to her as well that may convince her. Actually my plan was to get originals of every document you send in and just make two packet 3's. One for the embassy and 1 for the interview.

Already in motion. Thanti is working a double shift at the hospital today, and another through Sunday/Monday. But she's planning to call Chada and work together with her so both are as prep'ed as they can be.

I love your idea of trying to have two complete sets of originals for Packet3. I'm not sure we would be able to entirely reproduce it. For example, I left my notarized and certified divorce certificate from Israel with Thanti, and she copied it. But we have only one unique original of that. Had I thought of it, I could have had two notarized versions done. Oh well.

[AaronLV 12]

I was talking about this on Skype with Thanti last night. We came up with what we think is a brilliant plan.

She's going to go back to the police station this week and get ANOTHER original certificate. It will take the typical 2 weeks or whatever, but it's free, and she lives locally in BKK, so pretty easy for her to do.

Then she'll come to the interview armed with a second ORIGINAL in hand. Along with the ORIGINAL in the packet3, that we mailed. Let's see them object to that!!!

In other words, rather than have birchbeer's experience of getting rejected with a 221g and need to spend 2 weeks after interview to get another certificate, we'll just preempt that and get it now before interview.

Can anyone see any downside to this?

If not, I'd highly urge everyone lining up for an interview (Danny ... this means YOU!!) to do the same.

LOL, I had the SAME IDEA this morning and did everything I could to talk Chada into it over MSN. So if you can get Thantita to mention it to her as well that may convince her. Actually my plan was to get originals of every document you send in and just make two packet 3's. One for the embassy and 1 for the interview.

We did not bring a photocopy of the originals that we had submitted. Personally on the police report I would bring up that fact, along with the packet 3 instructions that says, mail in the original, and let them know they have it. I think it again comes down to the Thai Girl helping not going through the packet thoroughly enough.

. For example, I left my notarized and certified divorce certificate from Israel with Thanti, and she copied it.

That one you are suppose to only send a copy in, and then present the original at the interview, so there is no reason to have two originals.

Edited April 18, 2009 by AaronLV

[Danno2 0]

Proof of Relationship

As I stated before our relationship length doesn't compare to many of yours and although we communicate daily its minuscule compared to USCANDUAL's for example So my strategy for Proof is to send everything and I mean everything in 4 inch / 3 ring binders with Chada for the interview. She will answer everything possible by referring to some form of the proof in them. If the Embassy asks for more we can honestly say this is everything we have and there is nothing else we can do.

So FWIW I just completed our Chat log's and I'm doing something different so I'll be the test rat for this with the embassy. Some of the reasons for this is that I used two computers for chats and in the process I lost 4 months of logs and had to get a copy emailed from Chada. So what does all of this mean...

Well I combined multiple logs from different MSN computers by importing the xml files into a single Excel spreadsheet so I could more efficiently manipulate the data. Once in Excel I:

Searched and deleted any rows I thought were private.

Used Find / Replace for several items

Deleted unnecessary columns & adjusted the width of the remaining ones

Changed all text to Arial 8pt

Added a message count column and incremented a count for each row

Setup .37 top and bottom margins

Added a footer "Page x of xxx

Setup duplex printing to reduce amount of paper used by 50%

Added a statement asserting the accuracy and reason for the changes.

Added a line for a notary signature

Second document - Letter about Embassy concerning Chat logs

Created a single page letter referring to the log and used the same statement i attached to the spreadsheet

Created a notary signature for the letter

Both the logs and the letter will be signed and notarized and in our Proof of relationship 3 ring binder. Besides giving me allot of flexibility it allowed me to put every single text conversation on 132 pages of 8x11 and show we have 2 way communication totallying 18,000 messages.

I know someone outside of our thread said anything altered is useless but that seems ridiculous. I can alter any XML file to make it look like a chat log and send it. I can also alter an previous email and print it. Who in the world would go to the trouble to create an 18,000 message fake chat log where you can follow the conversation the whole way through.

So we will see how that works...

[AaronLV 12]

I think the problems are more with the support staff then the consular himself. At least from my experience and Nam's experience it was the support staff that kept telling him things were not in the packet, that were in our stack of paperwork. I would not be surprised if he didn't even know that the originals on the Thai documents are to be sent in with Packet 3. I noticed the revision date on my packet 3 instructions were 09/08. If you think about new policies being implemented in government, and business, 95% of the time people skim the memos and don't bother taking them to heart until it has been pointed out to them. I am guessing most of the staff isn't well versed on the new policies or for that matter what is and isn't supposed to be sent in with packet 3. That is why some people have had no problems using the old packet 3 checklist and some people have had problems.

Go read some of the experiences people have had at the SS office when getting their SSN once here int he states, and it makes perfect sense. Some of the people know what they are doing and some of them do not. It is just like when I went to DMV to turn in the license plates for a car that had been totaled, I was owed a refund on my registration, since it was over 125.00, I spent 30 minutes arguing wit the clerk, him telling me they don't give refunds, I even pointed him to the website where it stated it, he insisted I was wrong until finally I grabbed a supervisor and she said I was right and here is the form. The guy was so pissed off at me, he had been an employee at the DMV for 15 years and didn't know the policy.

[AaronLV 12]

Added a statement asserting the accuracy and reason for the changes.

I would not even mention the fact you had altered or changed the conversation at all. Puts up a BIG RED FLAG.

I would also not put it in a 3 ring binder, that will make it very difficult for them to slide it through the window.

Edited April 18, 2009 by AaronLV

[scandal 951]

Proof of Relationship

As I stated before our relationship length doesn't compare to many of yours and although we communicate daily its minuscule compared to USCANDUAL's for example So my strategy for Proof is to send everything and I mean everything in 4 inch / 3 ring binders with Chada for the interview. She will answer everything possible by referring to some form of the proof in them. If the Embassy asks for more we can honestly say this is everything we have and there is nothing else we can do.

So FWIW I just completed our Chat log's and I'm doing something different so I'll be the test rat for this with the embassy. Some of the reasons for this is that I used two computers for chats and in the process I lost 4 months of logs and had to get a copy emailed from Chada. So what does all of this mean...

Well I combined multiple logs from different MSN computers by importing the xml files into a single Excel spreadsheet so I could more efficiently manipulate the data. Once in Excel I:

Searched and deleted any rows I thought were private.

Used Find / Replace for several items

Deleted unnecessary columns & adjusted the width of the remaining ones

Changed all text to Arial 8pt

Added a message count column and incremented a count for each row

Setup .37 top and bottom margins

Added a footer "Page x of xxx

Setup duplex printing to reduce amount of paper used by 50%

Added a statement asserting the accuracy and reason for the changes.

Added a line for a notary signature

Second document - Letter about Embassy concerning Chat logs

Created a single page letter referring to the log and used the same statement i attached to the spreadsheet

Created a notary signature for the letter

Both the logs and the letter will be signed and notarized and in our Proof of relationship 3 ring binder. Besides giving me allot of flexibility it allowed me to put every single text conversation on 132 pages of 8x11 and show we have 2 way communication totallying 18,000 messages.

I know someone outside of our thread said anything altered is useless but that seems ridiculous. I can alter any XML file to make it look like a chat log and send it. I can also alter an previous email and print it. Who in the world would go to the trouble to create an 18,000 message fake chat log where you can follow the conversation the whole way through.

So we will see how that works...

Does the phrase "obsessive-compulsive" mean anything to you Wow!!

We are certainly not going anywhere near these lengths.

Also, I don't think our evidence of relationship is particularly deeper than yours, or many others. We chat and SMS and skype a fair bit, but not obsessively.

There are many here (Scott, Aaron etc.) who lived full time in Thailand with their fiancees/wives - that's certainly more "evidence of relationship" than we have.

We're just doing our best to be organized, not go nuts about it, and hope for the best. That's all you can do, really.