Sawasdee 4 (Thai K-1s in 2010)

[toma1 10]

We never got a packet 3 or a packet 4...

[Kaiser 0]

Any other posters that have sent in Packet 3?? Feels like we are back to waiting on NOA 2......LOL

Just to give you a recent timeline: we sent packet 3 on Nov 3 and didn't hear anything until the middle of December. When we did hear (through my lawyer), the interview date was out about one month on Jan 18. Right before they issued the list of interviews for January (on Dec 28), we found out they delayed it by 2 days and set the interview for Jan 20th.

BTW: She passed, but I'm holding off the celebration until the lawyer picks up the visa on Thursday.

[Daryl&Jeep 0]

Great news Jeep and I each got an email today with her Interview date of Feb. 18th at 7 am.

Thanks to everyone here for the support over the last 6 months, and wish everyone here who's

still waiting good luck with there journey.

[Kang Lang 7]

great news darryl. best of luck to you and jeep for a painless approval.

[Egg & Andy 0]

Congratulations.... it won't be long now! Egg's on a bus back home from Bangkok so probably hasn't heard the news yet from Jeep, so i just sent her an SMS. Hopefully were not far behind you!

[Daryl&Jeep 0]

Congratulations.... it won't be long now! Egg's on a bus back home from Bangkok so probably hasn't heard the news yet from Jeep, so i just sent her an SMS. Hopefully were not far behind you!

Yes I know Egg and Jeep were hoping for an Interview the same day.......but I do hope you get yours very soon also.

They have become good friends and hope it does continue after this Journey is over.

Best of Luck with a very quick Interview !!

[PoaJinAmerican 0]

Yes I know Egg and Jeep were hoping for an Interview the same day.......but I do hope you get yours very soon also.

They have become good friends and hope it does continue after this Journey is over.

Best of Luck with a very quick Interview !!

Yes, best of luck for your interview and your futures together. I'll be anxious to hear the outcome.

We found out today our interview is 2/28, a Monday. Wish us luck, better yet, wish for the immigration officer to have a pleasant morning that Monday, and is in a good mood.

[Daryl&Jeep 0]

Yes, best of luck for your interview and your futures together. I'll be anxious to hear the outcome.

We found out today our interview is 2/28, a Monday. Wish us luck, better yet, wish for the immigration officer to have a pleasant morning that Monday, and is in a good mood.

We do wish you a very painless and easy interview.......after all these months of waiting it would be very nice to have an easy interview.

Best of Luck !!

[Just13 0]

Hello. I'm a new member here and I have a question.

This whole K-1 process takes like 5-6 months. During that time I'm thinking to get married to her in Thailand. After she is approved for her visa to the US, then we would get married in the US. There are no children or other family.

Does this mean I should be filing for a K-3 or a K-1?

Thank you

[Kang Lang 7]

welcome just13...

the k-3 no longer exists, so if you decide to get married in thailand the spousal visa is the cr-1/ir-1. which could take 9-12 months or so the difference is your wife would receive her permanent resident card on arrival. the k-1 is not likely to be completed in 5-6months more like 6-9 but check against timelines for thailand and you get more information.

as for getting married if you get married in thailand, and plan to get married here, you must be careful. married is married. if you register your marriage at the local amphur you will not need to get married in the u.s. if you decide to do the k-1 and just have the ceremony but not register at the amphur you will be fine. check with some of the other members but i think you need to be careful of the photos (secondary evidence)not indicating marriage at the k-1 interview.

good luck!

[Just13 0]

as for getting married if you get married in thailand, and plan to get married here, you must be careful. married is married. if you register your marriage at the local amphur you will not need to get married in the u.s. if you decide to do the k-1 and just have the ceremony but not register at the amphur you will be fine. check with some of the other members but i think you need to be careful of the photos (secondary evidence)not indicating marriage at the k-1 interview.

good luck!

Hmmmm, that was my concern. Thanks for the information.

[Daryl&Jeep 0]

Hello. I'm a new member here and I have a question.

This whole K-1 process takes like 5-6 months. During that time I'm thinking to get married to her in Thailand. After she is approved for her visa to the US, then we would get married in the US. There are no children or other family.

Does this mean I should be filing for a K-3 or a K-1?

Thank you

Welcome to VJ !!

[Just13 0]

if you decide to get married in thailand the spousal visa is the cr-1/ir-1. which could take 9-12 months or so the difference is your wife would receive her permanent resident card on arrival. the k-1 is not likely to be completed in 5-6months more like 6-9 but check against timelines for thailand and you get more information.

After doing some reading, it seems like the CR-1/IR-1 route is better.

--cheaper. less flights back and forth. Process itself is cheaper.

--quicker for her to get a job, since the residency is immediate. No sitting at home for 4 months.

--Would allow us to get married in Thailand first. I think her family would like that.

The only downside I see is longer time to wait to live together.

K-1. Apply for K-1 immediately, wait 7 months, move to USA, can't work, wait a few months, residency. (7months + 4months)

CR-1. Plan wedding, fly to Thailand, get married. Apply for CR-1. Wait 9 months, move to USA, residency. (2months + 9months)

What do you guys think? If I'm planning (well, hoping) to be married in Thailand and the USA, is it wise to go the K-1 route or CR-1/IR-1?

[AaronLV 12]

After doing some reading, it seems like the CR-1/IR-1 route is better.

--cheaper. less flights back and forth. Process itself is cheaper.

--quicker for her to get a job, since the residency is immediate. No sitting at home for 4 months.

--Would allow us to get married in Thailand first. I think her family would like that.

The only downside I see is longer time to wait to live together.

K-1. Apply for K-1 immediately, wait 7 months, move to USA, can't work, wait a few months, residency. (7months + 4months)

CR-1. Plan wedding, fly to Thailand, get married. Apply for CR-1. Wait 9 months, move to USA, residency. (2months + 9months)

What do you guys think? If I'm planning (well, hoping) to be married in Thailand and the USA, is it wise to go the K-1 route or CR-1/IR-1?

It is really more of a personal choice, an extra 4 months apart for me, wasn't worth dong a CR-1. Getting the EAD for work authorization doesn't take that long, between 1 and 2 months. A couple of other things to think about, she is not going to get here and get a job immediately, it will take some adjustment time to life here. So those months waiting for EAD and resident card, might be good for the transition and adjustment.

We had a wedding ceremony in Thailand before we got our K1, just no paperwork. We just made sure when we did our interview not to include wedding pics and she didn't wear her wedding ring. With all the research I did, that seems to be normal in Thailand. I know there are quite a few guys on the forum that have done the same thing.

[toma1 10]

After doing some reading, it seems like the CR-1/IR-1 route is better.

--cheaper. less flights back and forth. Process itself is cheaper.

--quicker for her to get a job, since the residency is immediate. No sitting at home for 4 months.

--Would allow us to get married in Thailand first. I think her family would like that.

The only downside I see is longer time to wait to live together.

K-1. Apply for K-1 immediately, wait 7 months, move to USA, can't work, wait a few months, residency. (7months + 4months)

CR-1. Plan wedding, fly to Thailand, get married. Apply for CR-1. Wait 9 months, move to USA, residency. (2months + 9months)

What do you guys think? If I'm planning (well, hoping) to be married in Thailand and the USA, is it wise to go the K-1 route or CR-1/IR-1?

I don't get what you mean by: "can't work, wait a few months, residency. (7months + 4months)".

Do you have a job lined up for her already? Unless her English is in the top 5 percent of Thais or she has a professional degree (RN, physician, medical tech, engineer), I wouldn't necessarily expect that she will find something instantly regardless of how she enters the country. You can look for a job while the K1 remains valid. If you have a ceremony in Thailand and have all of the paperwork ready, you can go to the justice of the peace a few days after she arrives and file the paperwork immediately. In that case, you should have an EAD within 60 days or so.

Few Thai families care (or for that matter even know) if you register you marriage. You can have the ceremony there either way.'

IMO the choice is between:

1. Cheaper (11-12 months)

2. Faster (6-7 months)

I don't get what you mean by: "can't work, wait a few months, residency. (7months + 4months)".

Do you have a job lined up for her already? Unless her English is in the top 5 percent of Thais or she has a professional degree (RN, physician, medical tech, engineer), I wouldn't necessarily expect that she will find something instantly regardless of how she enters the country. You can look for a job while the K1 remains valid. If you have a ceremony in Thailand and have all of the paperwork ready, you can go to the justice of the peace a few days after she arrives and file the paperwork immediately. In that case, you should have an EAD within 60 days or so.

Few Thai families care (or for that matter even know) if you register your marriage in Thailand. You can have the ceremony there either way.'

IMO the choice is between:

1. Cheaper (11-12 months)

2. Faster (6-7 months)