SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)

[AaronLV 12]

I feel sorry for all you guys. Hopefully they will sort their $hit out and things will get back on track!

[daboyz 36]

I guess it was a bad week to stop the IV drugs...

On a serious note I wish they would amend the packet 3 instructions to include 1 jar of lube "For petitioner"

I thought you said you don't keep beer at the house?

[scandal 951]

Oh $h!t, I am going to go throw up again... Last time I was only kidding but this is going to be a real mess. I promise

all right there Mikey.... keep it together....

I guess it was a bad week to stop the IV drugs...

On a serious note I wish they would amend the packet 3 instructions to include 1 jar of lube "For petitioner"

<grimace>

[Danno2 0]

I guess it was a bad week to stop the IV drugs...

On a serious note I wish they would amend the packet 3 instructions to include 1 jar of lube "For petitioner"

I thought you said you don't keep beer at the house?

That's right. I cant do the black tar heroin without a beer. I need something to sterilize the needle.

Edited May 28, 2009 by Danny and Chada

[wasabi 4]

Oh $h!t, I am going to go throw up again... Last time I was only kidding but this is going to be a real mess. I promise

all right there Mikey.... keep it together....

I guess it was a bad week to stop the IV drugs...

On a serious note I wish they would amend the packet 3 instructions to include 1 jar of lube "For petitioner"

<grimace>

uscandual are you certain the embassy has received your packet 3? I asked my lawyer today what's the longest he's heard of anyone waiting after the embassy acknowledges receipt of packet 3 and he said 1 month. I asked if someone had been waiting 2 and a half months if that was normal and he said no it indicates something wrong. I'm not trying to scare you and he could be wrong but I do suggest following up if you haven't.

[goat 1]

We got our packet 3 letter from the Bangkok consulate a few days ago. It is a leter with a slip of paper instructing us to download the forms. We had anticipated this and had gotten everything ready to go.

I wanted to be sure it was the same forms that were in effect last month.

First, I could not access the forms at the web address on the slip of paper using internet explorer (6). I had to download Mozilla Firefox. That worked.

Second, the forms have changed!!! At the bottom it says Rev: May/09

There is a new form, DS-2001, unique to bangkok that is used for scheduling the interview. I had never seen it before in either the 2007 packet 3 or the revised undqated packet 3 that some people have posted here.

Finally, these instructions come to me while we are in Bangkok. I have put the pdf file on a thumb drive and tomorrow we will look for a shop that can plug this into a USB port and print them out so we can submit them.

This visa process has a onnection to the recently-named disorder known as post traumatic embitterment disorder. Google if interested. It is a test of our patriotism.

Goat

[magic girl 0]

One case study;

Dear

Applicant:

Bangkok’s Immigrant Visa (IV) Unit has

received documents for your immigrant visa application. From

the preliminary document screening, some documents are still

missing. We CANNOT schedule an interview appointment unless

below item(s) are submitted.

**Please mail only photocopies and bring

originals on your interview day.**

· Birth Certificate of the applicant

· Thai ID card of the applicant

· Thai House Registration Book of the applicant

· Thai Police Certificate

· Form I-134 and tax1040/2007/08 from petitioner

Thai_Police_Apr09.pdf I-134.pdf

· Thai ID card of the applicant

· Thai House Registration Book of the applicant

**They are not in the checklists but they will be asked for anyways please becarefull before send back P3 .

Good luck

[Danno2 0]

Thanti THANK YOU for the information. I sent it over to Chada via email but they are having problems with the Internet. Would it be possible to call her tomorrow to discuss?

Also here is a link to the Bangkok website for the DS2001 Form

[scandal 951]

· Thai ID card of the applicant

· Thai House Registration Book of the applicant

**They are not in the checklists but they will be asked for anyways please becarefull before send back P3 .

Good luck

This is just insane.

They only just updated the checklist and procedure now, May 2009.

The new procedure is to direct applicants to the website to use the NEW CHECKLIST.

The new checklist does NOT mention Thai ID card or Thai House Registration Book.

But both are now REQUIRED in Packet 3 response.

#######???????????????????

This is perverse.

They are seriously TRYING to get people to fail in this process. There can be no doubt about it. I think Scott is right - there is an internal ####-covering operation going on there, and this is just the external manifestation of it that we are seeing.

[scandal 951]

uscandual are you certain the embassy has received your packet 3? I asked my lawyer today what's the longest he's heard of anyone waiting after the embassy acknowledges receipt of packet 3 and he said 1 month. I asked if someone had been waiting 2 and a half months if that was normal and he said no it indicates something wrong. I'm not trying to scare you and he could be wrong but I do suggest following up if you haven't.

They have it. We've received several emails from them acknowledging that they received our P-3 on April 8th.

We even got an email from them last week requesting a "missing" document (my name-change at age 7, which had already been provided in initial I-129F filing). I've posted several times here about these interactions.

Regarding your lawyer - 'nuff said. That's about what I'd expect from a lawyer. Useless advice. What he's saying may have been true up until this year, but he's clearly misinformed about current processing behavior at the embassy circa right now.

For this kind of intel, I'll take the real-time info-swapping of other applicants going through the process - here on VJ and on usvisa4thai.com -- over the word of a lawyer, any day. We've got at least 5 members here on VJ in roughly the same circumstances and we're swapping our stories as they unfold. Stick with us, you'll learn more than you will from your lawyer. imho, of course.

[Danno2 0]

I agree with USCANDUAL 100%. If you want to get through the process as painless as possible its a good idea to participate in this group and convince your significant other (SO) to be as diligent as possible on the Thai website. My girl and many other have such a laid back attitude they very much under estimate the process. If you or she choose not to do this it doesn't mean you wont get a visa. It just means you will likely have more delays because of missing something or making mistakes.

I guess another lesson learned would be to do everything for Packet 3 yourself. Chada did not send in my divorce decree in packet 3... To do packet 3 yourself you need to start working on everything after your NOA1. The only exception would be waiting 60 days (VSC) to get TWO police reports. Seeing how slow the embassy is processing the NVC and packet 3 paperwork there is no longer a reason to get the medical done before packet 3.

Man this is all very upsetting.

[rin and john 71]

I am very sorry to hear of all the delays going on in BKK. Perhaps it is the changing of the guard (new admin). Saw recently that SOS Clinton will be visiting Thailand in July; perhaps that has everyone at the Embassy working on other items.

From the DOS website:

http://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/rm/2009/02/119967.htm

"She (SOS Clinton) announced at that time that she would look forward to coming to Thailand in July for the ASEAN post-Ministerial meeting and ARF meeting."

Perhaps now would be the time to flood the DOS with complaints regarding the handling of family-based visas in BKK?

Suggest you include their customer service guidelines:

http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/visa_2796.html

"Customer Service Statement to Visa Applicants

The Department of State manages the visa process strictly but fairly in order to best protect the United States. We are committed to the essential openness for which the United States has always been known. Travel to the United States is welcomed and encouraged.

We promise to you, the visa applicant, that:

We will treat you with dignity and respect, even if we are unable to grant you a visa.

We will treat you as an individual and your case as unique.

We will remember that, to you, a visa interview may be a new or intimidating experience and that you may be nervous.

We will use the limited time available for the interview to get as full a picture as possible of your travel plans and intentions.

We will use our available resources to fairly assist all applicants to get appointments to allow travel in time for business, study, and other important obligations.

We will post detailed and accurate information on visa requirements and application procedures on every Embassy and Consulate website.

We will provide information on nonimmigrant appointment waiting times at every Embassy and Consulate posted on http://travel.state.gov.

We will explain the reason for any visa denial to you. "

Really like #6, not even close to doing that in BKK at the current time.

[daboyz 36]

Maybe now is the time to start complaining to DOS since Hilary is going there.

Maybe now is the time to start complaining to DOS since Hilary is going there.

Sorry John, didn't notice you said the same thing.

[rin and john 71]

Maybe now is the time to start complaining to DOS since Hilary is going there.

Maybe now is the time to start complaining to DOS since Hilary is going there.

Sorry John, didn't notice you said the same thing.

No problem!

Just looking over the stats on the DOS website:

http://www.travel.state.gov/pdf/FY2008.pdf

The total number of K1 and K3 applications for 2008 was about 40,000 (vs. 8.7 MM for all non-immigrant visa applications). The initial refusal rate for K1/K3 is about 5%; for all NIV applications it is 24%. After waivers/overcomes, the approval rate for K1/K3 is over 99%; for all NIV applications it is 82%. It was stats like these a few years ago that kept me sane during my wait. knowing that with a 99% likelihood that Rin would get her visa and join me in the USA eventually. It was a lesson in patience that continues to serve me well!

[daboyz 36]

Maybe now is the time to start complaining to DOS since Hilary is going there.

Maybe now is the time to start complaining to DOS since Hilary is going there.

Sorry John, didn't notice you said the same thing.

No problem!

Just looking over the stats on the DOS website:

http://www.travel.state.gov/pdf/FY2008.pdf

The total number of K1 and K3 applications for 2008 was about 40,000 (vs. 8.7 MM for all non-immigrant visa applications). The initial refusal rate for K1/K3 is about 5%; for all NIV applications it is 24%. After waivers/overcomes, the approval rate for K1/K3 is over 99%; for all NIV applications it is 82%. It was stats like these a few years ago that kept me sane during my wait. knowing that with a 99% likelihood that Rin would get her visa and join me in the USA eventually. It was a lesson in patience that continues to serve me well!

I bet the initial refusal rate for Bangkok is quite a bit higher. I wonder what it is after the waivers/overcomes in Bangkok.