SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)

[*Robert* 2]

It would be kinda nice to get this show on the road....

Come on Ron... you know you love all the waiting!

Oh, sure! That's why I posted this sappy thing today: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=2871943

A lot more waiting to come, but it's always better when you're waiting "together"!

That's what I'm figuring.... I mean, even if AOS or removing conditions takes forever, what difference does it make? We're already living our normal lives by that point. I can see AP&EAD being very important since she'll want to work and to travel. Robert, you're further along on this whole Journey thing so perhaps you can shed some light on whether the waiting for post-POE steps of the journey are as difficult as pre-POE.

I sent in my AOS paperwork almost 2 months ago and have yet to hear anything after the NOA's. To be honest though, the waiting is no big deal compared to the K1. So far it seems to be cake for the post-POE other then having to call weekly and talk to people and wonder why everyone else is getting Biometrics dates and we haven't. I am wondering if it is due to the fact that we filed 2 weeks after POE.

Ron, Aaron pretty much summed it up. Getting your SO here is 8/10ths of the difficulty. After that, it's just a case of more waiting and wondering what's going on, and if you will have to interview, or if you will get an RFE, and what it will be for, and gathering them the information they want. Being together makes everything else pale in comparison, but you never like being at the mercy of the USCIS, or wondering what the hell is going on with your case. Nothing is a done deal until you finish each individual step of the process, which then allows you to move on to the next one. Until your spouse is naturalized, its not over. It's just dealing with the uncertainties that can be frustrating.

[scandal 951]

It would be kinda nice to get this show on the road....

Come on Ron... you know you love all the waiting!

Oh, sure! That's why I posted this sappy thing today: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=2871943

A lot more waiting to come, but it's always better when you're waiting "together"!

That's what I'm figuring.... I mean, even if AOS or removing conditions takes forever, what difference does it make? We're already living our normal lives by that point. I can see AP&EAD being very important since she'll want to work and to travel. Robert, you're further along on this whole Journey thing so perhaps you can shed some light on whether the waiting for post-POE steps of the journey are as difficult as pre-POE.

I sent in my AOS paperwork almost 2 months ago and have yet to hear anything after the NOA's. To be honest though, the waiting is no big deal compared to the K1. So far it seems to be cake for the post-POE other then having to call weekly and talk to people and wonder why everyone else is getting Biometrics dates and we haven't. I am wondering if it is due to the fact that we filed 2 weeks after POE.

Ron, Aaron pretty much summed it up. Getting your SO here is 8/10ths of the difficulty. After that, it's just a case of more waiting and wondering what's going on, and if you will have to interview, or if you will get an RFE, and what it will be for, and gathering them the information they want. Being together makes everything else pale in comparison, but you never like being at the mercy of the USCIS, or wondering what the hell is going on with your case. Nothing is a done deal until you finish each individual step of the process, which then allows you to move on to the next one. Until your spouse is naturalized, its not over. It's just dealing with the uncertainties that can be frustrating.

Are there any cases in which people actually get denied outright, in legitimate situations? For example, at your current stage of Removing Conditions. I mean - consider a case where a relationship is genuine, all terms and conditions are being met. However for whatever reason - sloppiness on behalf of petitioners in presenting evidence, or surly USCIS officials - they decide to decline the evidence. Can it get as far as busting up a marriage and deporting the non-USC spouse of the country? I know they have the power to deport if they determine the marriage is a sham. But what if they determine it's a sham even it really isn't?

Certainly at the pre K-1 phase such things happen at the consulate and even at USCIS. You can be denied, and that's pretty much that, just because they don't want to believe your evidence of relationship. Sure, you can petition your congressman or whatever, but basically you're screwed if the Consulate outright denies your case. Can a similar thing happen at Removing Conditions to someone who is in the US already? That would be a real nightmare scenario

[birch- phuk_beer 0]

you can always fly to mexico city and walk across the border for free.

#######, I hear its all the rage now..........

[*Robert* 2]

you can always fly to mexico city and walk across the border for free.

#######, I hear its all the rage now..........

Don't go there!

[*Robert* 2]

Are there any cases in which people actually get denied outright, in legitimate situations? For example, at your current stage of Removing Conditions. I mean - consider a case where a relationship is genuine, all terms and conditions are being met. However for whatever reason - sloppiness on behalf of petitioners in presenting evidence, or surly USCIS officials - they decide to decline the evidence. Can it get as far as busting up a marriage and deporting the non-USC spouse of the country? I know they have the power to deport if they determine the marriage is a sham. But what if they determine it's a sham even it really isn't?

Certainly at the pre K-1 phase such things happen at the consulate and even at USCIS. You can be denied, and that's pretty much that, just because they don't want to believe your evidence of relationship. Sure, you can petition your congressman or whatever, but basically you're screwed if the Consulate outright denies your case. Can a similar thing happen at Removing Conditions to someone who is in the US already? That would be a real nightmare scenario

I haven't read about anyone who got denied. If it is a truly bonafide relationship, then there is really nothing to worry about, Ron. On top of that, even if it were to go to a local office for an interview, and the person doing the interview was unfair and disaproved either AOS or Removing Conditions, you can then take it to an Immigration Judge. Once here in the country, the burden of proof switches to USCIS to prove it is a fraudulent marriage, not the petitioner proving otherwise.

So don't getting all paranoid at this point!

(If all else fails, refer to Frank's post! )

Edited April 25, 2009 by roi_aggie

[Danno2 0]

Mailing completed Packet 3 before receiving it from the embassy

I've read a few people who have said its perfectly fine to mail in the packets 3 to the embassy after you confirm the embassy has received your case from NVC. Chada read the same thing on the Thai forums.

Who has done this?

Did you do anything special?

Did it cause any problems?

Thanks in advance for the information

[ThaitoUSA 15]

If you've confirmed the arrival, go ahead and send it in.

Waiting for Packet 3 might take an additional week. We sent ours in last week, so perhaps the interviews shall be scheduled together.

[magic girl 0]

Mailing completed Packet 3 before receiving it from the embassy

I've read a few people who have said its perfectly fine to mail in the packets 3 to the embassy after you confirm the embassy has received your case from NVC. Chada read the same thing on the Thai forums.

Who has done this?

Did you do anything special?

Did it cause any problems?

Thanks in advance for the information

Hi Danny ,

I read the same as Beer from our favorite site,and it was a plan of us (Ron and me)

We planed to send P3 in the first week of April anyway though we didn't get P3.

We got confirm email from the embassy that our case is there.

Some say you will save time about 1-2 weeks from this way,and send by ems.service is the best choice

It's luck that we got P3 in the week we planed and I sent it back in the next day.

I think she will get P3 before the police certificate which you have to wait for anyway,and in P3 the checklist has been updated 09/08 she needs to put the case no. ,Applicant Name and her signature before mail it back.(just checklist form I think)

I didn't check the link for the new form but I made one copy of it (blank) if you would like to have one please let me know (cost not much just those pics )

ummm......... any Q ?

Good luck

Thanti

[ThaitoUSA 15]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=185987

I posted the updated Packet 3 there.

[HYENA 4]

In Maryland, one needs to show two primary sources of ID. One can be a Passport and the other can be:

Out-of-Country driver’s license, with an international driver’s license,

or a translation into English, if required

It seems as though they want both.

There are other acceptable primary sources, such as a marriage certificate, but we'll use that for proof of MD residence, and sources can't be used twice.

I can say all this ended up to a good thing! She started taking classes yesterday (550 baht)! It's for 20 hours. She's learning manual transmission (I told her not to bother since we wouldn't use manual)...but on the other side of the coin, it gives her something to accomplish and be proud of. She said her brain needs to wake up (last school was 5th grade since she had to work to support her family when her dad left) so her learning opportunities have been slim and I cannot say enough- the tone of her voice, she actually sounds happy for the first time in a long time (she's got a sad life story and somehow believes her life was destined not to be "lucky"). Once she gets that, I'll have her get the international DL (whether needed or not, better to err on the side of getting..and keep her busy).

She's doing work for our business over there but that's a huge headache. This type of learning (aside from the ez cart go-carts we drove when I was there) seems like it would be fun for her. I'm so proud of her! I told her she could drive me everywhere once she gets here and she seemed quite happy. THis whole journey will be life changing and things are starting to happen in her life; something i've been wanting for so long. It's one thing to have a fiancee "husband" but have to stay homein Thailand and not much changes in her life after I go; except for a/c, learning and using computer and financial stability (reduces fear of not having enough) for her and her family, I imagine this is a real and tangible enough step for her to be smiling for some time (at least it's a good time consuming thing that's good for her while we try not to go nuts awaiting our NOA2!

I couldn't be happier for her! I'd LOVE to see her jerking around in a stick shift the first time. I asked her if her instructor needed to go to the hospital from whiplash yet! LOL! Life is just getting exciting..real things are happening!

Edited April 25, 2009 by HYENA

[*Robert* 2]

[AaronLV 12]

Once she gets that, I'll have her get the international DL (whether needed or not, better to err on the side of getting..and keep her busy).

Just for an FYI, she can't get an international license with the 1 year Thai License. They will only issue it if you have the 5 year.

[Danno2 0]

I have to say I'm ashamed of all you Sawasdee slackers. I go away for a few days and find you have not kept our thread top posted!

So its spring time and all of you have better things to do??? I personally spent the weekend up in the attic running network, HDMI, video and power cables so my Chada can get HD / DVR and the Internet on the 46" LCD mounted in our bedroom along with the slingbox on her 3g cell... (...sticking his chest out if you cant see me).

So what the he11 have you done for your SO lately..

[scandal 951]

I have to say I'm ashamed of all you Sawasdee slackers. I go away for a few days and find you have not kept our thread top posted!

Yeah, I agree. Both Sawasdee and Thailand threads were looking sorely in decline for a few days. TH thread has picked up a bit, maybe we can kick-start SW into high gear again too.

Can I take a poll here? Now that we've had two threads for a little while, who likes this idea of 2 Thailand related threads? I've been active on both, but I find I'm getting whiplash jumping back and forth between them, trying to follow the action on both. The main difference I see so far is that "Thailand" is all about random non-immigration talk, and Sawasdee is (now, since the split) more or less reserved for visa related topics. Is that how you guys perceive it? Is there value in that? It seems to be pretty much the same set of folks in both threads, so what's the value of the split?

Personally I vote for one thread. I do like the fact that Thailand thread is in the Regional forums under Asia, East Pacific. That makes more sense than K1 forum. But I like keeping the historical continuity of the "Sawasdee" thread name on VJ. So my suggestion would be a single thread, under Asia-East Pacific, called "Sawasdee 4".

So its spring time and all of you have better things to do??? I personally spent the weekend up in the attic running network, HDMI, video and power cables so my Chada can get HD / DVR and the Internet on the 46" LCD mounted in our bedroom along with the slingbox on her 3g cell... (...sticking his chest out if you cant see me).

So what the he11 have you done for your SO lately..

Show Off.

What's a slingbox, anyway?

[daboyz 36]

I have to say I'm ashamed of all you Sawasdee slackers. I go away for a few days and find you have not kept our thread top posted!

Yeah, I agree. Both Sawasdee and Thailand threads were looking sorely in decline for a few days. TH thread has picked up a bit, maybe we can kick-start SW into high gear again too.

Can I take a poll here? Now that we've had two threads for a little while, who likes this idea of 2 Thailand related threads? I've been active on both, but I find I'm getting whiplash jumping back and forth between them, trying to follow the action on both. The main difference I see so far is that "Thailand" is all about random non-immigration talk, and Sawasdee is (now, since the split) more or less reserved for visa related topics. Is that how you guys perceive it? Is there value in that? It seems to be pretty much the same set of folks in both threads, so what's the value of the split?

Personally I vote for one thread. I do like the fact that Thailand thread is in the Regional forums under Asia, East Pacific. That makes more sense than K1 forum. But I like keeping the historical continuity of the "Sawasdee" thread name on VJ. So my suggestion would be a single thread, under Asia-East Pacific, called "Sawasdee 4".

So its spring time and all of you have better things to do??? I personally spent the weekend up in the attic running network, HDMI, video and power cables so my Chada can get HD / DVR and the Internet on the 46" LCD mounted in our bedroom along with the slingbox on her 3g cell... (...sticking his chest out if you cant see me).

So what the he11 have you done for your SO lately..

Show Off.

What's a slingbox, anyway?

One thread seems like a good idea. Just for housekeeping purposes it seemed that it should be under the regional forums. That's where all the other country specific threads are.

Slingbox is cool if you live in Thailand. You can watch US TV shows remotely. I suppose for that matter you could hook it up in Thailand and do the opposite. I have a friend in KL that uses it. I was a little late, but she swears by it.

http://www.slingmedia.com/