SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)

[scandal 951]

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.

Aaron, you've actually been through it, we haven't yet. So I will certainly defer to your experience.

I don't think however that your example of SS and DVM offices in the US are comparable however. The clerks in those offices have reams of procedures to follow on many different situations and cases that come before them.

In the IV Unit of BKK embassy - processing visa requests is all they do. You betcha they should know the finer points of the Packet 3 checklist procedures!

[scandal 951]

. 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.

Oh, I certainly agree there is no reason to have two originals! Certainly the checklist doesn't call for any such things.

All of this is coming out of our general state of paranoia given the arbitrary rejection slips being handed out to birchbeer and the like, and what we can possibly do to preempt that.

We did follow procedure on this- mailed in the copy of divorce certificate, she will walk in with the original. The only think I'm wondering in hindsight is whether double originals might head off at the pass a silly rejection reason.

[*Robert* 2]

As a friendly reminder, Daboyz opened a new thread called appropriately enough "Thailand Thread" over in the Asia: East and Pacific (Except China) forum. Please drop by and participate in our banter!

Haven't seen AaronLV or BirchBeer over there yet, and Danny has only posted once, so come on by!

[scandal 951]

As a friendly reminder, Daboyz opened a new thread called appropriately enough "Thailand Thread" over in the Asia: East and Pacific (Except China) forum. Please drop by and participate in our banter!

Haven't seen AaronLV or BirchBeer over there yet, and Danny has only posted once, so come on by!

Oh yeah, it's been a blast. We've been doing shots of Sang Som, tequila, and draught beers from Robert's in-house beer machine. The party is in full swing

[Danno2 0]

Proof of Relationship

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

LOL, I was waiting for that and I'll take it.

I have always believed in "sending a message" without saying anything. Every time I have done this it has worked in my favor. In my original K-1 submission I did it. I have no idea if that made any difference at VSC or NVC but those have been pleasant experiences so far. That being said I want to continue the due diligence (or obsession) with this last step.

Also, when I see the stress that everyone goes through at the embassy I just want to feel calm in that I have done everything possible to prepare myself and Chada. Once I get these completed I can be at peace. That will let me focus on preparing a great life and summer for us in the US.

Edited April 18, 2009 by Danny and Chada

[*Robert* 2]

As a friendly reminder, Daboyz opened a new thread called appropriately enough "Thailand Thread" over in the Asia: East and Pacific (Except China) forum. Please drop by and participate in our banter!

Haven't seen AaronLV or BirchBeer over there yet, and Danny has only posted once, so come on by!

Oh yeah, it's been a blast. We've been doing shots of Sang Som, tequila, and draught beers from Robert's in-house beer machine. The party is in full swing

[AaronLV 12]

Haven't seen AaronLV or BirchBeer over there yet, and Danny has only posted once, so come on by!

The conversation in that thread has spiraled out of control. I have been reading, but have had nothing to add thus far.

I don't think however that your example of SS and DVM offices in the US are comparable however. The clerks in those offices have reams of procedures to follow on many different situations and cases that come before them.

In the IV Unit of BKK embassy - processing visa requests is all they do. You betcha they should know the finer points of the Packet 3 checklist procedures!

Yes my example might be extreme for the situation, however, their are reams and reams of regulations and rules related to Visa's, and they do change, and most likely not all the CO's keep up on the changes. Some people remember certain items and some people don't. Also don't assume just because Visa's are the only thing they process that they are good at their jobs, and remember the K visa's are only a small fraction of what they process, compared to tourist visa's which I am sure the CO's are better versed in the details then they are for the K's.

The CO's are still civil servants, and the majority of civil servants I have met don't care about their jobs, and are lazy to learn all aspects of them (no offense to any civil servants on this forum). This has been my experience working in the government contracting world.

[*Robert* 2]

The conversation in that thread has spiraled out of control. I have been reading, but have had nothing to add thus far.

The CO's are still civil servants, and the majority of civil servants I have met don't care about their jobs, and are lazy to learn all aspects of them (no offense to any civil servants on this forum). This has been my experience working in the government contracting world.

Then come steer it in the right direction.

As for civil servants... I am one, and I take my job very seriously, along with my co-workers. Though I've certainly met a few I'd like to seen thrown out on their ear, you can't judge us all in the same light.

As for government contractors, the same can be said for them, as I have worked for both, and see good and bad on both sides. If it weren't for the contractors bilking the government for every cent they can, not delivering their products on-time and on-budget, we wouldn't be in the financial bind we are today.

[Noi3125 1]

I am behind in this thread so excuse me if I am repeating someone.

I am interested to know if on BirchBeer's appointment letter it says the Thai police certificate was needed. Because we sent in our original, and that was not checked off on our appointment letter.

Also something my husband did which might be helpful or have worked to our benefit is (before they realized they would be doing a CR1 interview for us... so in preparation for the K-3) they didn't want the papers in anything so rather than letting the support staff scrambe things up he took the papers one by one and gave them to her saying this x, this is y, etc. I am not sure if it was helpful but it might be something you could suggest to your SOs.

Tomorrow we are off to work on the International Drivers Licence, does anyone have the address we have to go to? Then Tuesday we pick up the passport.

[Danno2 0]

I am behind in this thread so excuse me if I am repeating someone.

Tomorrow we are off to work on the International Drivers Licence, does anyone have the address we have to go to? Then Tuesday we pick up the passport.

Ask and you shall receive. Be sure to Thank "Mommy" she posted it in this thread in Feb.

"I called them to get the information because that is what I will be doing too. They said bring in the driving license that is valid for 5 yrs and passport to their head office near Jatujak Market/Park (JJ/weekend market), that is the only place that do international driving license. The fee is 500 baht and you can get it the same day that you go to do. I do have my new driving license that have both thai and English but it is international driving license. "

If anyone know how I can get my girl (who has never driven) a 5 year license please PM me!

[AaronLV 12]

As for civil servants... I am one, and I take my job very seriously, along with my co-workers. Though I've certainly met a few I'd like to seen thrown out on their ear, you can't judge us all in the same light.

As for government contractors, the same can be said for them, as I have worked for both, and see good and bad on both sides. If it weren't for the contractors bilking the government for every cent they can, not delivering their products on-time and on-budget, we wouldn't be in the financial bind we are today.

Like I said the majority I have met. My experience is there are the guys that don't care (majority I have met) and then the guys that should be working in the private sector making a bundle cause they are so good at their jobs.

Then there are contractors, you are correct, they are abysmal, they are bilking the government of billions, my friend told me about a team that works at a large defense contractor, he would get in daily and all of them would be sleeping at their desks for hours, and maybe do an hour of work per day. The company I used to work for was a contractor, and we always delivered on-time, and under budget. It is a rare find, we took pride in our work, and weren't treated as just a charge number.

Then come steer it in the right direction.

I will jump in at any moment I just need time to read the novels being written. LOL

[Danno2 0]

[/ quote]

I sent my fiancee to drviing school for 10 hours here and then paid for her to get her license (wink wink). My plan at the time was to do what you are doing, get her the international license and then teach her to drive in the US. However after she got her license is when I found out about the restriction on the 1 year license, that it cannot be converted to an international.

The 1 year license says:

Driving License at the top in Thai and english, then has a section with Thai (Dates, name, Thai ID etc), then at the bottom has the valid dates, name, birthdate, Thai ID in english. I think it will be suffiecient for teaching her to drive in the US. Plus it can be used for her ID, since it has her Birthdate and she won't need to carry her passport everywhere. In Vegas she will get ID'd everywhere.

I was quite confused myself with the entire international license, and we had several arguments about this, until I talked to another expat here, and then also the driving instructor which confirmed what I said above.

Aaron thanks again for the information you provided me about this. Do you think it possible to get the 1 year drivers license without the training. I guess I'm looking for the (wink wink)..

Having something in Thai and English that looks legit would be better than nothing.

[AaronLV 12]

Aaron thanks again for the information you provided me about this. Do you think it possible to get the 1 year drivers license without the training. I guess I'm looking for the (wink wink)..

Having something in Thai and English that looks legit would be better than nothing.

I am sure you can. I believe her mom did it, she went to the driving school, and told them she wanted a license, and she paid a fee, and went with them to the place they take their tests and goto it. The place we went, same place as her mom, was at the Prom Pong station on Sukhumvit.

The more I have been doing the research on the international license, the more I think it is completely useless to any of us anyways. Technically, at least in Nevada, you have 10 days to get a Nevada Drivers License when you become a resident. So I think having the regular license with both in Thai and English is good enough for what we need. I also think technically the International license would only be valid for the period of which the I94 is good for, after that being married and filing AOS, the spouse becomes a resident and must get a license.

On a side note I have slowly been teaching Nam to drive here, and I can tell you it is going to take me a lot longer then 90 days. I need a shot everytime I get out of the car. LOL

[rin and john 71]

On a side note I have slowly been teaching Nam to drive here, and I can tell you it is going to take me a lot longer then 90 days. I need a shot everytime I get out of the car. LOL

I know the feeling. Rin never learned to drive in Thailand. Over the past two years I have taken her out several times. We are at an impass now though. She wants to continue to drive (locally with me in the car), but I want her to begin studying the TN manual so she can pass the written test (since it has to be passed before a driving test is taken). I don't want to continue to have her drive without a license (and therefore insurance). Kind of the chicken and egg thing. I've looked into classes here, but not sure that would help her much.

Wish I could find a manual for any state written in Thai for her to study.

[rin and john 71]

[/ quote]

Plus it can be used for her ID, since it has her Birthdate and she won't need to carry her passport everywhere. In Vegas she will get ID'd everywhere.

quote]

You can probably get her a state ID. Rin got a TN ID for identification only (looks like a DL but is laid out in portrait instead of landscape. The first month she was here we went to Beale St. She got carded. I handed the guy her Thai ID and pointed to her birthdate (year 2521). He didn't ask, just let her in. Maybe he is versed in the Thai calendar?