SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)

[wasabi 4]

Do you have to include the police report in packet 3 or can you give it to them on the day of the interview? My lawyer mentioned they recently changed it to accepting it on the day of the interview.

[Danno2 0]

I would get 2 original copies. One for packet 3 and one for the interview. I know it sounds crazy but if you read posts from about 6 weeks ago you will understand.

[magic girl 0]

I would get 2 original copies. One for packet 3 and one for the interview. I know it sounds crazy but if you read posts from about 6 weeks ago you will understand.

COOL !

We did the same

[rsn 135]

I would get 2 original copies. One for packet 3 and one for the interview. I know it sounds crazy but if you read posts from about 6 weeks ago you will understand.

I've seen that mentioned a few times, and we read the issue that led up to this. But, no way are we getting 2 police certs. That's a huge hassle. If the embassy complains, I submitted a copy of an email they sent me with packet 3 and I can print this out again if they complain at the interview:

One more question:

The police certificate, proof of engagement, and I-134 (and supporting I-134 evidence) are listed as requirements on the DS-156K. You mentioned below that we need to send the original DS-156K, does that mean we also need the original I-134, I-134 supporting evidence, police certificate, and proof of engagement, or will photocopies of those items be sufficient when we mail the packet back to the embassy? Thanks.

Sincerely,

<h3 class="gD" style="color: rgb(121, 6, 25);">Bangkok Auto Replies (Not for Public Use) ✆</h3> to me show details Apr 21 Reply

The photocopies of the mentioned documents will be sufficient.

Regards,

Correspondence Unit

Edited May 27, 2009 by rsn

[scandal 951]

I would get 2 original copies. One for packet 3 and one for the interview. I know it sounds crazy but if you read posts from about 6 weeks ago you will understand.

I've seen that mentioned a few times, and we read the issue that led up to this. But, no way are we getting 2 police certs. That's a huge hassle. If the embassy complains, I submitted a copy of an email they sent me with packet 3 and I can print this out again if they complain at the interview:

One more question:

The police certificate, proof of engagement, and I-134 (and supporting I-134 evidence) are listed as requirements on the DS-156K. You mentioned below that we need to send the original DS-156K, does that mean we also need the original I-134, I-134 supporting evidence, police certificate, and proof of engagement, or will photocopies of those items be sufficient when we mail the packet back to the embassy? Thanks.

Sincerely,

<h3 class="gD" style="color: rgb(121, 6, 25);">Bangkok Auto Replies (Not for Public Use) ✆</h3> to me show details Apr 21 Reply

The photocopies of the mentioned documents will be sufficient.

Regards,

Correspondence Unit

You're right that it's not required. And if the embassy acted logically, we would all be following their instructions to the letter, no more no less.

The problem is that they don't seem to act logically. They do whatever the heck they please. They may ignore documents that are in their own hands and demand to see them presented by you. Yes,it's a hassle to get duplicate documentation. But think of it this way: would you rather be hassled now, while you're waiting for your interview? Or be hassled later, when you are at the interview and just want your visa to be issued, but they send you on a goose chase for more info?

We're taking the approach of using this time to be as prepared as we can possibly be to improve our chances for a smooth interview, even if that means overkill on things like police cert. You're free of course to do otherwise.

[rsn 135]

They may ignore documents that are in their own hands and demand to see them presented by you..

I agree, which is why we mailed a copy of the police cert and will be presenting the original at the interview.

[rsn 135]

FYI: The embassy answered a "do we have an interview date yet" question I asked a couple days ago yesterday (today Thai time). So I wouldn't give up on asking them yet. No mention of them not answering future questions. Looks like they still might be answering these questions after all.

[scandal 951]

They may ignore documents that are in their own hands and demand to see them presented by you..

I agree, which is why we mailed a copy of the police cert and will be presenting the original at the interview.

According to the new Packet 3 checklist http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/k_i...ckage_may09.pdf

the Police Certificate is amongst the documents they claim must be submitted as original documentation, not photocopied.

I realize that you got an email response to the contrary. However there's no ambiguity of the instructions in the checklist, which you've decided not to follow. Good luck, hope you succeed in getting your interview scheduled. We've been bending over backwards to try to comply with their rules and are still getting static from them - no way would I advise willfully disregarding their instructions.

[rsn 135]

According to the new Packet 3 checklist http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/k_i...ckage_may09.pdf

the Police Certificate is amongst the documents they claim must be submitted as original documentation, not photocopied.

I realize that you got an email response to the contrary. However there's no ambiguity of the instructions in the checklist, which you've decided not to follow. Good luck, hope you succeed in getting your interview scheduled. We've been bending over backwards to try to comply with their rules and are still getting static from them - no way would I advise willfully disregarding their instructions.

Actually 4 email responses to the contrary, on 4 separate occasions. I wanted to get a description of what they wanted direct from the horse's mouth instead of wondering if the checklist was correct/incorrect/out-of-date or whatever, and I asked several different ways to be sure. I included all responses with my packet 3 mailing.

Good luck to you and everyone else too. This sure is one crazy ride.

Edited May 27, 2009 by rsn

[rsn 135]

We've been bending over backwards to try to comply with their rules and are still getting static from them

Yep, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't, that's the way this is starting to look.

[scandal 951]

FYI: The embassy answered a "do we have an interview date yet" question I asked a couple days ago yesterday (today Thai time). So I wouldn't give up on asking them yet. No mention of them not answering future questions. Looks like they still might be answering these questions after all.

My last correspondence with them goes like this:

May19 1:07am Chicago time - they initiated an email exchange with me, by asking for a document (which had already been included in our original I-129F petition last Sept.)

May 19 7:28pm Chicago time - I responded to their email, pointed out that they were given the document in question, and attached a pdf scan of said document.

May 20 - Thanti sent a photocopy of said document by EMS to embassy. According to tracking information it was received the next day.

...

May27 - no response. No email, no physical mail, nothing. That's 1 full week with no response to an email exchange they had initiated, and which was not merely a 'ping' for interview date, but a factual discussion of a document they claimed they needed. They have not even acknowledged receipt of the document, or given any indication of what's going on.

To say that we are frustrated is a massive understatement.

We are now in a holding pattern at the embassy since late March, and it's almost June.

[rsn 135]

FYI: The embassy answered a "do we have an interview date yet" question I asked a couple days ago yesterday (today Thai time). So I wouldn't give up on asking them yet. No mention of them not answering future questions. Looks like they still might be answering these questions after all.

My last correspondence with them goes like this:

May19 1:07am Chicago time - they initiated an email exchange with me, by asking for a document (which had already been included in our original I-129F petition last Sept.)

May 19 7:28pm Chicago time - I responded to their email, pointed out that they were given the document in question, and attached a pdf scan of said document.

May 20 - Thanti sent a photocopy of said document by EMS to embassy. According to tracking information it was received the next day.

...

May27 - no response. No email, no physical mail, nothing. That's 1 full week with no response to an email exchange they had initiated, and which was not merely a 'ping' for interview date, but a factual discussion of a document they claimed they needed. They have not even acknowledged receipt of the document, or given any indication of what's going on.

To say that we are frustrated is a massive understatement.

We are now in a holding pattern at the embassy since late March, and it's almost June.

Holy #######. I thought for sure my longest wait would be between NOA1 and NOA2. That might turn out to be incorrect. Isn't this fun? Is everyone having fun yet?!

[Danno2 0]

I would not trust someone sending an email about what to include. My SO has read on the Thai forum where during the interview the american guys asks a Thai assistant if they have the documents in the packet. Without ever looking the girl responds "don't have" when the documents are there. In many cases the beneficiary's will not argue with the embassy employees and do whatever they ask.

My advise to anyone going through the Bangkok embassy is to:

Follow the instructions

Overkill on proof of relationship

Have duplicate originals of anything you have to mail them.

Yes this is ridiculous but the question you have to ask yourself is would you rather do more work upfront while waiting for the interview or after? I want my girl here as soon as possible after the interview and don't mind the extra work. I think it also lets you sleep better at night knowing you have the bases covered.

Edited May 27, 2009 by Danny and Chada

[girarm 0]

FYI: The embassy answered a "do we have an interview date yet" question I asked a couple days ago yesterday (today Thai time). So I wouldn't give up on asking them yet. No mention of them not answering future questions. Looks like they still might be answering these questions after all.

My last correspondence with them goes like this:

May19 1:07am Chicago time - they initiated an email exchange with me, by asking for a document (which had already been included in our original I-129F petition last Sept.)

May 19 7:28pm Chicago time - I responded to their email, pointed out that they were given the document in question, and attached a pdf scan of said document.

May 20 - Thanti sent a photocopy of said document by EMS to embassy. According to tracking information it was received the next day.

...

May27 - no response. No email, no physical mail, nothing. That's 1 full week with no response to an email exchange they had initiated, and which was not merely a 'ping' for interview date, but a factual discussion of a document they claimed they needed. They have not even acknowledged receipt of the document, or given any indication of what's going on.

To say that we are frustrated is a massive understatement.

We are now in a holding pattern at the embassy since late March, and it's almost June.

I have been following your story and to me it is just unbelievable, the stress you must be feeling and yet you stay very calm.... I do not have your level of patience for sure. I read so many of these stories and they are just incredible. It is hard to believe that our goverment could really be this screwed up, and this cruel. Well enough said, as people who are living this nightmare when we should be enjoying our dream, we can all feel it... Sorry ranting again.

[scandal 951]

Holy #######. I thought for sure my longest wait would be between NOA1 and NOA2. That might turn out to be incorrect. Isn't this fun? Is everyone having fun yet?!

LOL. 'Fun' is not quite the word I would choose.

We spent 4.5 months NOA1-NOA2 (Sept 5- Jan 14). Even that is longer than average for CSC, but I'd be grateful if those 4 months were the biggest part of our wait.

We've since spent another 4.5 months NOA2-now (Jan14-late May) and still don't have an interview. So yeah, we will have spent longer post-NOA2 than pre-NOA2 for sure. That's if they schedule our interview NOW and everything goes quickly from this point forward. Which I have no illusions is likely, given how things have gone thus far.

I look at timelines like yours which started in Jan or Feb 09 and are now basically on the same track we are on, and just get even more depressed about this hopeless system. We started last Sept That's not to complain about you!! I hope you get to the end just as quickly as possible. I hope everyone does. I'm not racing with you guys. I just feel that the system is inherently unfair and capricious by arbitrarily delaying cases at different stages. We just had the bad luck to get delayed at every stage possible so far. Slow NOA1-NOA2. 50 days AP@NVC. Slow getting the Packet 3 out. And now this ridiculous wait to get our interview scheduled.

All right, I better stop. I know I'm sounding really cranky.

Good luck everyone!!! I know there's lots of us queued up here. Danny, Pete, Mike, afisher, rsn ..... this waiting will come to an end.