Very good experience at Bangkok US Embassy!!

[mrrobj 20]

I just wanted to tell everyone in the VJ community of a very good experience my fiance had at the Bangkok, Thailand US Embassy. I just recently joined the site and the information shared by other members was pretty much spot on, although some mentioned some bad experiences.

But , I almost feel obligated to share my experience, with the hope that I may help others in any manner. Please bear with me, as I am going to provide all the details of my experience.

I am currently working on my K1 Visa with my fiance in Thailand but also needed to obtain a U.S. Passport for our daughter, who is 1 1/2 years old. Initially, I am was somewhat scared of allowing my fiance to go to the U.S. Embassy alone. We heard several stories of how it was nearly impossible to obtain a passport for our baby, unless I was present at the Embassy. I was not in position to return back to Thailand to accompany her and was considering having our Immigration lawyer handle it out of Bangkok. I heard very good reviews about Brian Wright and was going to use his firm. However, at $1695.00 US Dollars, I just couldn't afford it. If I had the cash, I would definitely used their services. Nonetheless, I made an attempt to do some more research and also came across this website. I even submitted a post asking other members what documents I needed and received a few responses.

BTW, I did hire an Immigration attorney to handle my fiance' visa. I realize, now, that I could have done this all myself but what is done , is done. I already paid the firm $1695 to handler her Visa and they wanted another $1695 to do the baby's passport. As I stated, I just couldn't afford to pay a second time.

Curiously, just like I heard from a few people I knew in Thailand, one poster on this site indicated that more than likely I would need to do an expensive DNA test. In addition, another member stated how he went thru a whole ordeal of trying to get his daughter’s passport. This only added to my fears. I was already hesitant of trying to obtain this passport on our own.

Anyways, I read as many posts as I could on the process from this site and also the Thailand US Embassy website. I thought the information provided by the embassy website was pretty much self explanatory and just couldn't understand why others were stating it was impossible, without DNA tests and/or being present at the embassy with baby & fiance...etc, etc.

Here are the documents I submitted:

Copy of my driver's license(front and back), along with an affidavit certifying it was me. (Website requested photo copy of ID, but did not mention an affidavit was needed)

Copy of the "Entry and Exit" stamps from my US Passport, to show I was in Thailand when she became pregnant, along with affidavit too.

My Social Security History Statement I received a few years ago, to show I met the 5 year residency period in US.

A certified copy of my school transcripts from high school, to also show I met the 5 year residency in US.

Notorized copy of the DS-3053 application., which I obtained from the embassy website.

Certified copy of my birth certificate.

I filled out the DS-11 and DS-2029 applications, which I obtained from the embassy website. I left these blank for the mother's signature when she goes to the embassy.

I had to make an online appointment for my fiance to go to embassy and printed this letter for her to take with her.

I sent these documents to Thailand by Federal Express. I had to pay $113.00 dollars. BTW, they were a day late, as the package got held up in customs.

The hardest part of the process was walking my fiance thru the rest of the process. She can speak passable english, write english and understand the english language in basic terms. Therefore, I had to repeat things to her many times to make sure she understood. With this in mind, I can understand why some feel compelled to hire lawyers, as this process can be pretty intimidating, especially for a thai girl, who never had to compile so much paperwork and fairly new to the english language.

Luckily, we already had my name on the birth certificate. Our baby was born in Korat, Thailand, and the local hospitals were not too famiilar with the process of putting a US parent’s name on the thai birth certificate. It took a lot of back and forth but after she made a few trips to the hospital and registers office, it was sorted out.

Based on our experience with this, I knew obtaining the remaining paperwork for the passport application was not going to be too easy, but nonetheless, I knew it was possible and felt I had no choice but to make this work.

I worked with my fiance over a three week period in obtaining the necessary paperwork. She was going to need her original birth certificate, divorce certificate and a name change certificate. She obtained these documents and then we had to search for a local office to do the English translations of these documents. We found a location in Korat but they wanted almost 600 baht a translation.

I placed all the documents I obtain in US in three separate binders and I had a cover page for each binder that listed what exactly was in the binders. I learned from this site that it was essential that I make everything easily accessible for the Immigration officials.

I had my fiance review how I prepared the documents in the binders and stressed to her how we have to keep all the papers in this type of order. I already had a binder prepared for her but realized I needed to make changes to it, as I missed some things. I prepared new cover sheets for the binders and sent her an email with the new documents. I explained to her to go the Internet shop and print out the documents. I been the internet shop near her home and knew it could be done. In addition, the girl in the internet shop always helped her in the past.

What was funny was.....I had to explain to her to remove the incorrect sheets from the binders and replace them with the new cover sheets. This took a while but we accomplished it. She could read okay but I had to go slow and be patient with her. I guess, sometimes, you have to try and put yourself in their shoes. I realized she was being overwhelmed with all this paperwork, but at the same time, she also wanted to show me that she could do it.

I remember on one occasion, we had to stop and wait until the next day......as she was totally stressed in trying to figure out what I was asking her to do. But, after she took a break, she was able to follow my directions real good. To make sure, I had her take photos of the binders and how she assembled them. After she sent them to me, I realized, not only did she do a good job in preparing the binders of documents, she even went out and purchased other office items, including big binders to place everything in.

I had her obtain all the hospital records to show when the baby was born and obtained prenatal records to show her visits back and forth to the hospital. I had her make a binder for the photos, which included photos of her pregnant, photos showing our baby at different times and also photos with all of us together.

Then, everyday, we would review the documents but I knew this was somewhat overwhelming to her, therefore, I made sure she understood that when she sent to the embassy....just provide the binders and they should be able to locate everything they needed.

I felt confident we were ready after a few weeks and we had an appointment at the embassy a week away. My fiance also had an appointment to do her medical at the hospital in Bangkok. My Immigration lawyer set up the medical and we arranged for her to do both visits a day apart.

I located and booked a hotel near the US Embassy. Therefore, she could do her medical, which was suppose to take 3-4 hours. Then, she could take the baby to get her passport photos. I was told that sometimes the ladies get sick after obtaining all the shots and therefore we arranged for her to rest at the hotel and then go to her appointment at the US Embassy the next day.

Luckily, her mother wanted to go with her and this helped out a lot. Her mother realized that she was not going to be able to go into the embassy but still insisted she wanted to go with her daughter to help out.

As expected, my fiance was in a lot of pain after the medical and stated her arm felt completely numb after all the shots. She was not able to pick up the baby or carry anything. Her mother took care of baby and carried everything for her. She was in so much pain, that she was not able to go and get the passport photos. Therefore, we decided to do them in the morning. Her embassy appointment was not until 1:00 pm.

I booked her a nice room at the Centre Point hotel, which is very close to the US Embassy and within walking distance. I picked this hotel because it was not only close to the Embassy, but baby friendly. They had several playgrounds for the baby to play at. Unforunately, she was not able to enjoy the parks at the hotel with the baby.

Her mother never stayed at such a nice hotel and my fiancé thought it was funny how she acted at the hotel. What was even more funny was….when my fiancé went to the hospital for her medical. As you may realize, The embassy requires you to go the #1 hospital in Bangkok for the medicals. However, it such a nice hospital, that it looks like a luxury hotel resort. When they arrived, her mother asked, “why are we going to the hotel, I thought you had to go to the hospital for your medical?”. My fiancé had to explain to her, in a joking manner, that it was actually a hospital, and not a hotel. LOL!!

They had a good time at the hotel, but they were both tired, as our baby is a hand full..LOL!

We had a few minor problems along the way but nothing too critical. When they left the hospital to go back to the hotel, she gave the taxi driver 1000 baht ($33 US Dollars) for a 150 baht fare and then the driver took off before giving her any change.

Then, as she is going into the hotel, they have a huge lobby glass door and she did not know how to open it. She indicated that she seen the bellboys and hotel staff rushing to assist all the foreigners at the hotel, but they ignored her.

She didn’t know how to use the access cards the hotel provided to get into her room and someone cleaning the rooms had to help her.

She was already tired, in a lot of pain and baby was running around the hotel like a monkey, she said. I honestly couldn’t help but laugh at all of this…..but it literally brought her to tears!

I did my best to keep her spirits up and after a few hours, her arm started getting better. She indicated they were on the 22^nd floor and had a nice view and a huge balcony that even had four chairs on it. They spent a lot of time on the balcony enjoying the views.

The next day…..she calls me and state that the place I sent her to get the passport photos (next to embassy) was now closed. Luckily, we found another location across the street for photos. The next task she had was trying to get the baby to stay still… in order to take the photos..LOL! After a few attempts, they managed to get the baby’s passport photos.

So now, she goes to the embassy. I get another call at 1:00 am (US Time), but 1:00 pm Thailand time. I became scared as to why she was calling me, as I knew her appointment was for 1:00 pm.

I answered the phone and she is talking a frantic manner. “They say I cannot go into embassy because I don’t have paper….I need paper to get in”.

I was confident she had everything she needed but realized she must became totally nervous once she got to the embassy and forget everything. I thought this was a bad sign already.

I asked her to calm down and we would figure this out. After she calmed down, I made attempts to refresh her memory and asked her to remember what we talked about. Prior to this, I explained to her several times that she would need to provide the appointment letter to get into the embassy but she obviously forget about it.

She eventually found the letter and then she told me that she had to go because they was asking her to walk thru the scanners. I stressed to her to calm down and think about everything she does and listen carefully to what they ask you….then I hung up the phone and hoped for the best.

Now, I couldn’t sleep, as I wanted to know how this turned out and was somewhat scared.

Exactly one hour later, she calls me laughing! I knew instantly she got the passport.

She indicated that she was told to go into a room with foreigners and she couldn’t understand why all the other thai people with to a different area. I explained to her that she was getting a US passport and therefore she was led a different area.

She indicated she waited 20 minutes and was called to come up and she initially spoke with a thai guy who asked to see everything she had. He looked over all the paperwork and told her he was impressed how good the paperwork was layed out. He advised her that someone would come shortly and ask a few questions.

Five minutes later, she indicated that U.S. lady came to see her and asked if she spoke any English. My fiancé said “a little” and then Embassy Officer joked with her and stated, “well, I can only speak a little thai”.

My fiancé stated she could not laugh because she was so nervous and her heart was thumping.

The lady asked her to show what paperwork she had. She gave the embassy officer the three binders we discussed previously and then gave her thai passport to her. She told the officer she also had a book of photos, hospitals records and emails but the officer asked her to wait while she reviewed the other paperwork.

She indicated that the Officer reviewed the paperwork a few minutes and then started to take things out. She asked her to sign two of the documents and to make statements under oath. Surprisedly, she informed my fiancé that she didn’t need see anything else and then stated, “I happy to advise you that I will issue a passport”. My fiancé was also surprised she was not asked ANY questions.

Nervous and excited, my fiancé hollered “what” and then the other thai guy came over to inform her that she was getting a US passport for her baby. She then stated she started to cry. She indicated that several of the Embassy officials all started coming out and joking with the baby.

I’m a black American and our baby resembles me more than her mother. Therefore, she usually gets a lot of attention whenever we go out. She is only 1 ½ but she is not shy, has huge eyes and big black natural curly hair and loves to joke with other people. I think she is getting used to the attention…LOL!

The Embassy officers even made genuine attempts to give her advice when she returned for her fiancé visa. They even joked and told her to make sure she returned with the baby. One of the Embassy Officers asked if she could keep the baby until she returned.

Thereafter, they informed her to pay to have the passport mailed but she opted to pick it up. She has to return to Bangkok to prepare for her interview with the Immigration law firm and would pick up the passport then. They gave her a number that she could call to check if the passport is ready.

I think this good experience is going to help her with her interview. She indicated that the US Embassy officials were very nice and one of the officials also advised her to make sure she brings the baby’s passport for the interview and assured her that it would add a lot of credibility to her interview.

It was not only a long day for them, but a long night for me…LOL!

Again, thanks to all the members who took the time to post their experiences and advise. The information on this site is priceless.

[tru_loves_journey 117]

[canadian_wife 1,822]

Great review, I hope this helps others.

Congrats

I am sure that your organization and her presentation of the documents help in a huge way

good luck

[lonelywithouthim1 36]

wow...thank you for taking the time to share, it's information like this that makes this site priceless. Congrats on the passport and good luck on the rest of your journey. Please continue to sure :-)