Was I scammed

[SuperDuper! 230]

I have to ask... was this your first time in BKK??? Most people who have spent time in Bangkok usually learn very quickly not to respond to people appearing out of nowhere with offers too good to be true.

-David

HAHA, yes, appearing out of nowhere to offer a great deal. Be sure to jump on that offer before someone else does. Seriously, not a good idea. Sorry for your loss. Cheers.

[rebeccajo 14]

I have to ask... was this your first time in BKK??? Most people who have spent time in Bangkok usually learn very quickly not to respond to people appearing out of nowhere with offers too good to be true.

-David

HAHA, yes, appearing out of nowhere to offer a great deal. Be sure to jump on that offer before someone else does. Seriously, not a good idea. Sorry for your loss. Cheers.

Same thing can happen on the streets in any big city in the US.

[SuperDuper! 230]

I have to ask... was this your first time in BKK??? Most people who have spent time in Bangkok usually learn very quickly not to respond to people appearing out of nowhere with offers too good to be true.

-David

HAHA, yes, appearing out of nowhere to offer a great deal. Be sure to jump on that offer before someone else does. Seriously, not a good idea. Sorry for your loss. Cheers.

Same thing can happen on the streets in any big city in the US.

Above pic is from mexico city.

[David Allen 3]

LOL - no. I was refering more to the scam aspect from Tuk Tuk drivers to Those sellilng gems. Thankfully, I did my homework before visiting.

I have to ask... was this your first time in BKK??? Most people who have spent time in Bangkok usually learn very quickly not to respond to people appearing out of nowhere with offers too good to be true.

-David

Hmmmm... did somebody pick up a katoey on Sukhumvit, and was shocked to discover the "surprise" within?

[scandal 951]

Same thing can happen on the streets in any big city in the US.

when it comes to shady operators u ain't seen nothing till you've seen Bangkok

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

When I was researching getting a K1 Visa in Bangkok and went to the Embassy, it was closed, but there was a man standing in front that said he worked for an agency across the street. Long story short, I ended up using this agency that is supposed to assist in getting a visa. It cost me a pretty penny... $1800 to be exact which I put on my credit card..... I thought they were saying $1800 Baht, but they were talking dollars.

In hindsight, I think I could have done everything they are doing, and saved a lot of money. But, it's too late I already paid them, and pretty much what they did so far, was fill out all the paperwork for me, which was 2 different forms, and put it in a package for me to send with a payment to Homeland Secuirty. I thought they would be submitting something in Thailand, but then I realized that the whole process starts here in the USA. I am reading people's timelines, and I see that it takes a good 4-6 months for the whole process, some longer.

I am about to submit the forms on April 13th.... I wish I had known that it was as simple as it was to fill out the forms, as I could have had this paperwork in February when I returned from Thailand to the states. Instead I waited for this agency to put it together for me, but it took a while for my fiancee to get all the appropriate documents, and then when I did get the package I was short on cash so I had to wait until I had $455 to send with the package.

My question is has anyone used one of these agencies? Do you think I was ripped off, knowing that I could do all this myself? I am not sure if having this agency will be useful later on in the process??

Yes, lots of people use them. They are called immigration attorneys in the USA. Why is it a scam when a Thai "agency" does it and not when an American attorney does? If you got what you agreed to pay for, what's the problem? It isn't a "scam", it is a service for a fee. Not much of a service, to be sure, and for less than many attorneys so, be happy.

If you hired an Americna attorney it would add to the process just the same, it is IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to file this for you. Yeah, they can lick the stamp, but not without YOU providing all the documents and information to fill in the forms. The typical attorney gets you to fill out a K-1 "questionaire" which is really just all the information they need to fill in the forms. By the time you complete the questionaire, you could fill in the form yourself!

Agreiing to pay someone else a fee for that which you can do yourself is NOT a scam. Now if he took your money and disappeared...THAT's a scam. He is just a Thai attorney.

What if you ever need an immigration attorney, Gary?

How do you know you won't?

Hey, I was agreeing with you Rebeccajo! You once said I should expand my mind about this stuff, and lookie here! I did. I felt I was expanding my mind and thinking globally and all that. I said it was NOT a scam, just like when American attorneys charge the same for doing almost nothing. Gosh I try to defend attorneys by telling the truth about their legitimate business....and look what happens.

Well, still working on expanding

Agreeing with me? Just what exactly do you think it is I "recommend"?

That attorneys and Thai visa service people are NOT scams, they are legitimate "fee for service" businesses

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I have to ask... was this your first time in BKK??? Most people who have spent time in Bangkok usually learn very quickly not to respond to people appearing out of nowhere with offers too good to be true.

-David

HAHA, yes, appearing out of nowhere to offer a great deal. Be sure to jump on that offer before someone else does. Seriously, not a good idea. Sorry for your loss. Cheers.

Fortunately for US attorneys they do not have to advertise their good deals to anyone like this Mexican attorney. They have yellow pages and google ads.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

When I was researching getting a K1 Visa in Bangkok and went to the Embassy, it was closed, but there was a man standing in front that said he worked for an agency across the street. Long story short, I ended up using this agency that is supposed to assist in getting a visa. It cost me a pretty penny... $1800 to be exact which I put on my credit card..... I thought they were saying $1800 Baht, but they were talking dollars.

In hindsight, I think I could have done everything they are doing, and saved a lot of money. But, it's too late I already paid them, and pretty much what they did so far, was fill out all the paperwork for me, which was 2 different forms, and put it in a package for me to send with a payment to Homeland Secuirty. I thought they would be submitting something in Thailand, but then I realized that the whole process starts here in the USA. I am reading people's timelines, and I see that it takes a good 4-6 months for the whole process, some longer.

I am about to submit the forms on April 13th.... I wish I had known that it was as simple as it was to fill out the forms, as I could have had this paperwork in February when I returned from Thailand to the states. Instead I waited for this agency to put it together for me, but it took a while for my fiancee to get all the appropriate documents, and then when I did get the package I was short on cash so I had to wait until I had $455 to send with the package.

My question is has anyone used one of these agencies? Do you think I was ripped off, knowing that I could do all this myself? I am not sure if having this agency will be useful later on in the process??

Yes, lots of people use them. They are called immigration attorneys in the USA. Why is it a scam when a Thai "agency" does it and not when an American attorney does? If you got what you agreed to pay for, what's the problem? It isn't a "scam", it is a service for a fee. Not much of a service, to be sure, and for less than many attorneys so, be happy.

If you hired an Americna attorney it would add to the process just the same, it is IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to file this for you. Yeah, they can lick the stamp, but not without YOU providing all the documents and information to fill in the forms. The typical attorney gets you to fill out a K-1 "questionaire" which is really just all the information they need to fill in the forms. By the time you complete the questionaire, you could fill in the form yourself!

Agreiing to pay someone else a fee for that which you can do yourself is NOT a scam. Now if he took your money and disappeared...THAT's a scam. He is just a Thai attorney.

What if you ever need an immigration attorney, Gary?

How do you know you won't?

Hey, I was agreeing with you Rebeccajo! You once said I should expand my mind about this stuff, and lookie here! I did. I felt I was expanding my mind and thinking globally and all that. I said it was NOT a scam, just like when American attorneys charge the same for doing almost nothing. Gosh I try to defend attorneys by telling the truth about their legitimate business....and look what happens.

Well, still working on expanding

Agreeing with me? Just what exactly do you think it is I "recommend"?

I have to admire you Rebeccajo. You do not have it easy. I mean for me, a person that consideres imigration attorneys a couple notches below a tapeworm, it is easy. there is alwasys a "teachable moment" right around the next thread. Such as this wonderful OP asking if he was scammed to pay someone $1800 for filling out his I-129f and G-325a for him. And to think they did this right on street without the benefit of "banner ads".

They do not have to worry about repeat business, like say, a shady used car salesman. I mean how many people are going to be in need of an attorney for this...TWICE? Lure 'em in and KILL them first time around

But you keep plugging along, hoping one day for the "Gosh, I am so GLAD I hired the immigration attorney" thread.

What do you think of this? I think people who pay these fees should be able to write them off on their income tax. What do you think? Like a "moving expense". That way, the US congress can have some hearing about these fees and determine if they should be allowed to be deducted like other legitimate expenses. Hmmmm. Maybe a little congressional oversight of the fees charged by attorneys to process US Government visas would be to everyone's benefit. What do you think?

[SuperDuper! 230]

When I was researching getting a K1 Visa in Bangkok and went to the Embassy, it was closed, but there was a man standing in front that said he worked for an agency across the street. Long story short, I ended up using this agency that is supposed to assist in getting a visa. It cost me a pretty penny... $1800 to be exact which I put on my credit card..... I thought they were saying $1800 Baht, but they were talking dollars.

In hindsight, I think I could have done everything they are doing, and saved a lot of money. But, it's too late I already paid them, and pretty much what they did so far, was fill out all the paperwork for me, which was 2 different forms, and put it in a package for me to send with a payment to Homeland Secuirty. I thought they would be submitting something in Thailand, but then I realized that the whole process starts here in the USA. I am reading people's timelines, and I see that it takes a good 4-6 months for the whole process, some longer.

I am about to submit the forms on April 13th.... I wish I had known that it was as simple as it was to fill out the forms, as I could have had this paperwork in February when I returned from Thailand to the states. Instead I waited for this agency to put it together for me, but it took a while for my fiancee to get all the appropriate documents, and then when I did get the package I was short on cash so I had to wait until I had $455 to send with the package.

My question is has anyone used one of these agencies? Do you think I was ripped off, knowing that I could do all this myself? I am not sure if having this agency will be useful later on in the process??

Yes, lots of people use them. They are called immigration attorneys in the USA. Why is it a scam when a Thai "agency" does it and not when an American attorney does? If you got what you agreed to pay for, what's the problem? It isn't a "scam", it is a service for a fee. Not much of a service, to be sure, and for less than many attorneys so, be happy.

If you hired an Americna attorney it would add to the process just the same, it is IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to file this for you. Yeah, they can lick the stamp, but not without YOU providing all the documents and information to fill in the forms. The typical attorney gets you to fill out a K-1 "questionaire" which is really just all the information they need to fill in the forms. By the time you complete the questionaire, you could fill in the form yourself!

Agreiing to pay someone else a fee for that which you can do yourself is NOT a scam. Now if he took your money and disappeared...THAT's a scam. He is just a Thai attorney.

What if you ever need an immigration attorney, Gary?

How do you know you won't?

Hey, I was agreeing with you Rebeccajo! You once said I should expand my mind about this stuff, and lookie here! I did. I felt I was expanding my mind and thinking globally and all that. I said it was NOT a scam, just like when American attorneys charge the same for doing almost nothing. Gosh I try to defend attorneys by telling the truth about their legitimate business....and look what happens.

Well, still working on expanding

Agreeing with me? Just what exactly do you think it is I "recommend"?

That attorneys and Thai visa service people are NOT scams, they are legitimate "fee for service" businesses

Any "Fee for Service" person who charges outrageous, egregious fees are scamming. As opposed to the "Fee for Service" person who charges a fair, market rate fee. When westerners go to third world countries, westerner is perceived as "rich" so prices for him are tripled. Medi-cal doctors charge inflated fees to the goverment, mechanics overcharge women, dry cleaners charge more if a shirt is called a "blouse". Need any more examples of what is called "scamming the system"? I'm sure you have been a victim of one just as we all have. Heck, Social Security could classify as a scam. Peace.

[TimS 0]

Was the name of the agency TSL & Associates Thailand Co., Ltd?

My fiancee and I were at the embassy back when we didn't know anything about the process and this guy (David) came up to her and gave us a card. She (we) later used him to try to get us a Tourist Visa for her to visit the US. I had her have him call me. He assured me that they were running at 80% success rate for the Tourist Visa, I believed him, didn't know better at that point. We paid the agency fee and also the visa fee. Naturally she was rejected in about 1 minute. The agency acted surprised when my fiancee went to its office immediately afterward hysterically crying because the consul never looked at her supporting documents. They convinced her to try again, so we paid another $131 to have her told to get out and basically not come back.

If I knew then what I know now ........

When I was researching getting a K1 Visa in Bangkok and went to the Embassy, it was closed, but there was a man standing in front that said he worked for an agency across the street. Long story short, I ended up using this agency that is supposed to assist in getting a visa. It cost me a pretty penny... $1800 to be exact which I put on my credit card..... I thought they were saying $1800 Baht, but they were talking dollars.

In hindsight, I think I could have done everything they are doing, and saved a lot of money. But, it's too late I already paid them, and pretty much what they did so far, was fill out all the paperwork for me, which was 2 different forms, and put it in a package for me to send with a payment to Homeland Secuirty. I thought they would be submitting something in Thailand, but then I realized that the whole process starts here in the USA. I am reading people's timelines, and I see that it takes a good 4-6 months for the whole process, some longer.

I am about to submit the forms on April 13th.... I wish I had known that it was as simple as it was to fill out the forms, as I could have had this paperwork in February when I returned from Thailand to the states. Instead I waited for this agency to put it together for me, but it took a while for my fiancee to get all the appropriate documents, and then when I did get the package I was short on cash so I had to wait until I had $455 to send with the package.

My question is has anyone used one of these agencies? Do you think I was ripped off, knowing that I could do all this myself? I am not sure if having this agency will be useful later on in the process??

[daboyz 36]

Was the name of the agency TSL & Associates Thailand Co., Ltd?

My fiancee and I were at the embassy back when we didn't know anything about the process and this guy (David) came up to her and gave us a card. She (we) later used him to try to get us a Tourist Visa for her to visit the US. I had her have him call me. He assured me that they were running at 80% success rate for the Tourist Visa, I believed him, didn't know better at that point. We paid the agency fee and also the visa fee. Naturally she was rejected in about 1 minute. The agency acted surprised when my fiancee went to its office immediately afterward hysterically crying because the consul never looked at her supporting documents. They convinced her to try again, so we paid another $131 to have her told to get out and basically not come back.

If I knew then what I know now ........

When I was researching getting a K1 Visa in Bangkok and went to the Embassy, it was closed, but there was a man standing in front that said he worked for an agency across the street. Long story short, I ended up using this agency that is supposed to assist in getting a visa. It cost me a pretty penny... $1800 to be exact which I put on my credit card..... I thought they were saying $1800 Baht, but they were talking dollars.

In hindsight, I think I could have done everything they are doing, and saved a lot of money. But, it's too late I already paid them, and pretty much what they did so far, was fill out all the paperwork for me, which was 2 different forms, and put it in a package for me to send with a payment to Homeland Secuirty. I thought they would be submitting something in Thailand, but then I realized that the whole process starts here in the USA. I am reading people's timelines, and I see that it takes a good 4-6 months for the whole process, some longer.

I am about to submit the forms on April 13th.... I wish I had known that it was as simple as it was to fill out the forms, as I could have had this paperwork in February when I returned from Thailand to the states. Instead I waited for this agency to put it together for me, but it took a while for my fiancee to get all the appropriate documents, and then when I did get the package I was short on cash so I had to wait until I had $455 to send with the package.

My question is has anyone used one of these agencies? Do you think I was ripped off, knowing that I could do all this myself? I am not sure if having this agency will be useful later on in the process??

I went to this same guy David at TSL, but for a Thai visa for myself. I paid him 1000 USD to basically take us to the Amphur to get married. I was able to get him to pay for a plane ticket to Singapore to apply for my one year Non-immigrant O visa. I basically paid 1000 USD for 2 witnesses at the Amphur, some translated documents, and a R/T ticket to Singapore. I ended up getting a 1 year multiple entry visa for Thailand.

Looking back on it, I probably could've done it on my own. I don't really feel ripped off by the guy, although $1000 does seem steep for the work they did.

Tourist visas to the US are next to impossible to get in Bangkok.

As for the attorney I hired here in the US, I paid $1800 to have him make no less than 10 mistakes, and delay my IR-1 visa for 3 months minimum. When she got 221g at the interview, the guy didn't respond to me for 3 days. By that time I had already received all the information I needed from the good people here at VJ.

Based on my experience, I would have never hired the US attorney for my wife's IR-1 visa.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

When I was researching getting a K1 Visa in Bangkok and went to the Embassy, it was closed, but there was a man standing in front that said he worked for an agency across the street. Long story short, I ended up using this agency that is supposed to assist in getting a visa. It cost me a pretty penny... $1800 to be exact which I put on my credit card..... I thought they were saying $1800 Baht, but they were talking dollars.

In hindsight, I think I could have done everything they are doing, and saved a lot of money. But, it's too late I already paid them, and pretty much what they did so far, was fill out all the paperwork for me, which was 2 different forms, and put it in a package for me to send with a payment to Homeland Secuirty. I thought they would be submitting something in Thailand, but then I realized that the whole process starts here in the USA. I am reading people's timelines, and I see that it takes a good 4-6 months for the whole process, some longer.

I am about to submit the forms on April 13th.... I wish I had known that it was as simple as it was to fill out the forms, as I could have had this paperwork in February when I returned from Thailand to the states. Instead I waited for this agency to put it together for me, but it took a while for my fiancee to get all the appropriate documents, and then when I did get the package I was short on cash so I had to wait until I had $455 to send with the package.

My question is has anyone used one of these agencies? Do you think I was ripped off, knowing that I could do all this myself? I am not sure if having this agency will be useful later on in the process??

Yes, lots of people use them. They are called immigration attorneys in the USA. Why is it a scam when a Thai "agency" does it and not when an American attorney does? If you got what you agreed to pay for, what's the problem? It isn't a "scam", it is a service for a fee. Not much of a service, to be sure, and for less than many attorneys so, be happy.

If you hired an Americna attorney it would add to the process just the same, it is IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to file this for you. Yeah, they can lick the stamp, but not without YOU providing all the documents and information to fill in the forms. The typical attorney gets you to fill out a K-1 "questionaire" which is really just all the information they need to fill in the forms. By the time you complete the questionaire, you could fill in the form yourself!

Agreiing to pay someone else a fee for that which you can do yourself is NOT a scam. Now if he took your money and disappeared...THAT's a scam. He is just a Thai attorney.

What if you ever need an immigration attorney, Gary?

How do you know you won't?

Hey, I was agreeing with you Rebeccajo! You once said I should expand my mind about this stuff, and lookie here! I did. I felt I was expanding my mind and thinking globally and all that. I said it was NOT a scam, just like when American attorneys charge the same for doing almost nothing. Gosh I try to defend attorneys by telling the truth about their legitimate business....and look what happens.

Well, still working on expanding

Agreeing with me? Just what exactly do you think it is I "recommend"?

That attorneys and Thai visa service people are NOT scams, they are legitimate "fee for service" businesses

Any "Fee for Service" person who charges outrageous, egregious fees are scamming. As opposed to the "Fee for Service" person who charges a fair, market rate fee. When westerners go to third world countries, westerner is perceived as "rich" so prices for him are tripled. Medi-cal doctors charge inflated fees to the goverment, mechanics overcharge women, dry cleaners charge more if a shirt is called a "blouse". Need any more examples of what is called "scamming the system"? I'm sure you have been a victim of one just as we all have. Heck, Social Security could classify as a scam. Peace.

I guess I disagree just a bit. I do not approve of what these services charge or waht attorneys charge, BUT if they deliver what they promise for the agreed upon price, it is not, in my opinion, a "scam". It is certainly unethical in my opinion to charge far above what would normally be the going "hourly rate" for the time involved. I guess I consider a scam when you do not get what you paid for. Other than that, the phrase "buyer beware" comes to mind. People are certainly responsible for the decisions they make. If you make a bad decision out of ignorance or fear, it is still a bad decision. Educated, informed people make less bad decisions. I think everyone gets taken advantage of at one time or another. If I can avoid it, I will. I expect to pay for anyone to do anything for me, it is the same the world over. If it is reasonable and a "good deal", meaning I want the service more than I want the money it costs, we are all happy. If it is an outrageous fee for service I am not interested.

I learned plenty living in Ukraine and believe me I was taken advantage of several times before I caught on (whatever you do ALWAYS have small cash bills available, cab drivers "never have" change) I paid tow to three times the going rate for apartment rent by using a "service" and found I could get the same place for 1/3 the cost once I knew how. I do not begrudge the guy that made some money from me, I agreed and I got exactly what I agreed to. I just found a cheaper way after being educated. Education costs money and takes time.

[rebeccajo 14]

When I was researching getting a K1 Visa in Bangkok and went to the Embassy, it was closed, but there was a man standing in front that said he worked for an agency across the street. Long story short, I ended up using this agency that is supposed to assist in getting a visa. It cost me a pretty penny... $1800 to be exact which I put on my credit card..... I thought they were saying $1800 Baht, but they were talking dollars.

In hindsight, I think I could have done everything they are doing, and saved a lot of money. But, it's too late I already paid them, and pretty much what they did so far, was fill out all the paperwork for me, which was 2 different forms, and put it in a package for me to send with a payment to Homeland Secuirty. I thought they would be submitting something in Thailand, but then I realized that the whole process starts here in the USA. I am reading people's timelines, and I see that it takes a good 4-6 months for the whole process, some longer.

I am about to submit the forms on April 13th.... I wish I had known that it was as simple as it was to fill out the forms, as I could have had this paperwork in February when I returned from Thailand to the states. Instead I waited for this agency to put it together for me, but it took a while for my fiancee to get all the appropriate documents, and then when I did get the package I was short on cash so I had to wait until I had $455 to send with the package.

My question is has anyone used one of these agencies? Do you think I was ripped off, knowing that I could do all this myself? I am not sure if having this agency will be useful later on in the process??

Yes, lots of people use them. They are called immigration attorneys in the USA. Why is it a scam when a Thai "agency" does it and not when an American attorney does? If you got what you agreed to pay for, what's the problem? It isn't a "scam", it is a service for a fee. Not much of a service, to be sure, and for less than many attorneys so, be happy.

If you hired an Americna attorney it would add to the process just the same, it is IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to file this for you. Yeah, they can lick the stamp, but not without YOU providing all the documents and information to fill in the forms. The typical attorney gets you to fill out a K-1 "questionaire" which is really just all the information they need to fill in the forms. By the time you complete the questionaire, you could fill in the form yourself!

Agreiing to pay someone else a fee for that which you can do yourself is NOT a scam. Now if he took your money and disappeared...THAT's a scam. He is just a Thai attorney.

What if you ever need an immigration attorney, Gary?

How do you know you won't?

Hey, I was agreeing with you Rebeccajo! You once said I should expand my mind about this stuff, and lookie here! I did. I felt I was expanding my mind and thinking globally and all that. I said it was NOT a scam, just like when American attorneys charge the same for doing almost nothing. Gosh I try to defend attorneys by telling the truth about their legitimate business....and look what happens.

Well, still working on expanding

Agreeing with me? Just what exactly do you think it is I "recommend"?

I have to admire you Rebeccajo. You do not have it easy. I mean for me, a person that consideres imigration attorneys a couple notches below a tapeworm, it is easy. there is alwasys a "teachable moment" right around the next thread. Such as this wonderful OP asking if he was scammed to pay someone $1800 for filling out his I-129f and G-325a for him. And to think they did this right on street without the benefit of "banner ads".

They do not have to worry about repeat business, like say, a shady used car salesman. I mean how many people are going to be in need of an attorney for this...TWICE? Lure 'em in and KILL them first time around

But you keep plugging along, hoping one day for the "Gosh, I am so GLAD I hired the immigration attorney" thread.

What do you think of this? I think people who pay these fees should be able to write them off on their income tax. What do you think? Like a "moving expense". That way, the US congress can have some hearing about these fees and determine if they should be allowed to be deducted like other legitimate expenses. Hmmmm. Maybe a little congressional oversight of the fees charged by attorneys to process US Government visas would be to everyone's benefit. What do you think?

I have to admire you too, Gary. You keep plugging along looking for your 'teachable moments'. You're so committed to the cause. So committed in fact that - you didn't answer my question! Instead of answering, you wheel off on another tangent about tax deductions.

Unlike you however, I'll answer:

If the government wants to give me a tax deduction, I'm all for it. However, since for the last twenty years they've been taking away more deductions from the individual taxpayer than they've been creating, I don't think you've got much of a prayer. AND since they themselves tripled their own fees in 2007, well I don't think they would be terribly concerned.

Now back to what I asked you the first time (and I shall expand on my question in case it confused you the first time)- what exactly is it you think I recommend when it comes to the use of an attorney for immigration matters?

[busterbrown 0]

Tourist visas to the US are next to impossible to get in Bangkok.

I have to disagree. My gilfriend at the time (now my fiancée) had a 2 minute interview and was granted a 2 year multi entry visa. All that documentation she brought with her wasn't even looked at. The interviewer asked her a couple of simple questions and told her that her passport and visa would be mailed to her in 2 days. ...unbeknownst to him, her boyfriend (fiancé....me) had already submitted her I-129 petition.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

When I was researching getting a K1 Visa in Bangkok and went to the Embassy, it was closed, but there was a man standing in front that said he worked for an agency across the street. Long story short, I ended up using this agency that is supposed to assist in getting a visa. It cost me a pretty penny... $1800 to be exact which I put on my credit card..... I thought they were saying $1800 Baht, but they were talking dollars.

In hindsight, I think I could have done everything they are doing, and saved a lot of money. But, it's too late I already paid them, and pretty much what they did so far, was fill out all the paperwork for me, which was 2 different forms, and put it in a package for me to send with a payment to Homeland Secuirty. I thought they would be submitting something in Thailand, but then I realized that the whole process starts here in the USA. I am reading people's timelines, and I see that it takes a good 4-6 months for the whole process, some longer.

I am about to submit the forms on April 13th.... I wish I had known that it was as simple as it was to fill out the forms, as I could have had this paperwork in February when I returned from Thailand to the states. Instead I waited for this agency to put it together for me, but it took a while for my fiancee to get all the appropriate documents, and then when I did get the package I was short on cash so I had to wait until I had $455 to send with the package.

My question is has anyone used one of these agencies? Do you think I was ripped off, knowing that I could do all this myself? I am not sure if having this agency will be useful later on in the process??

Yes, lots of people use them. They are called immigration attorneys in the USA. Why is it a scam when a Thai "agency" does it and not when an American attorney does? If you got what you agreed to pay for, what's the problem? It isn't a "scam", it is a service for a fee. Not much of a service, to be sure, and for less than many attorneys so, be happy.

If you hired an Americna attorney it would add to the process just the same, it is IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to file this for you. Yeah, they can lick the stamp, but not without YOU providing all the documents and information to fill in the forms. The typical attorney gets you to fill out a K-1 "questionaire" which is really just all the information they need to fill in the forms. By the time you complete the questionaire, you could fill in the form yourself!

Agreiing to pay someone else a fee for that which you can do yourself is NOT a scam. Now if he took your money and disappeared...THAT's a scam. He is just a Thai attorney.

What if you ever need an immigration attorney, Gary?

How do you know you won't?

Hey, I was agreeing with you Rebeccajo! You once said I should expand my mind about this stuff, and lookie here! I did. I felt I was expanding my mind and thinking globally and all that. I said it was NOT a scam, just like when American attorneys charge the same for doing almost nothing. Gosh I try to defend attorneys by telling the truth about their legitimate business....and look what happens.

Well, still working on expanding

Agreeing with me? Just what exactly do you think it is I "recommend"?

I have to admire you Rebeccajo. You do not have it easy. I mean for me, a person that consideres imigration attorneys a couple notches below a tapeworm, it is easy. there is alwasys a "teachable moment" right around the next thread. Such as this wonderful OP asking if he was scammed to pay someone $1800 for filling out his I-129f and G-325a for him. And to think they did this right on street without the benefit of "banner ads".

They do not have to worry about repeat business, like say, a shady used car salesman. I mean how many people are going to be in need of an attorney for this...TWICE? Lure 'em in and KILL them first time around

But you keep plugging along, hoping one day for the "Gosh, I am so GLAD I hired the immigration attorney" thread.

What do you think of this? I think people who pay these fees should be able to write them off on their income tax. What do you think? Like a "moving expense". That way, the US congress can have some hearing about these fees and determine if they should be allowed to be deducted like other legitimate expenses. Hmmmm. Maybe a little congressional oversight of the fees charged by attorneys to process US Government visas would be to everyone's benefit. What do you think?

I have to admire you too, Gary. You keep plugging along looking for your 'teachable moments'. You're so committed to the cause. So committed in fact that - you didn't answer my question! Instead of answering, you wheel off on another tangent about tax deductions.

Unlike you however, I'll answer:

If the government wants to give me a tax deduction, I'm all for it. However, since for the last twenty years they've been taking away more deductions from the individual taxpayer than they've been creating, I don't think you've got much of a prayer. AND since they themselves tripled their own fees in 2007, well I don't think they would be terribly concerned.

Now back to what I asked you the first time (and I shall expand on my question in case it confused you the first time)- what exactly is it you think I recommend when it comes to the use of an attorney for immigration matters?

Sorry, but I DID answer. I was agreeing with you that attorneys, like the Thai Service, ARE NOT scams. They provide an unneeded service for an outrageous price, but it is willingly agreed to by the host organism.