interview date and aditional evidence.

[steve n songsang 45]

NOA-1 September 19 to being ready to send in packet 3 by November 24...unreal.I have studied the timeline between "sent packet3" and the interview date, seems to be 3-4 weeks.My boss has allowed me to extend my trip and I will be in Thailand from Jan.9-Feb24.We have our hearts set on traveling to bkk for the interview together,also we want to have time to prepare for the interview.Also we want to use the beginning of my trip as additional evidence. I can only bring as additional evidence phone and text records,i was just there in aug-sept. Karee and others have said pictures,pictures,pictures which we would have time to provide.We are considering delaying submission of the packet 3 until maybe early December for there reasons.thoughts please...thx....steve

[Karee 4,190]

NOA-1 September 19 to being ready to send in packet 3 by November 24...unreal.I have studied the timeline between "sent packet3" and the interview date, seems to be 3-4 weeks.My boss has allowed me to extend my trip and I will be in Thailand from Jan.9-Feb24.We have our hearts set on traveling to bkk for the interview together,also we want to have time to prepare for the interview.Also we want to use the beginning of my trip as additional evidence. I can only bring as additional evidence phone and text records,i was just there in aug-sept. Karee and others have said pictures,pictures,pictures which we would have time to provide.We are considering delaying submission of the packet 3 until maybe early December for there reasons.thoughts please...thx....steve

I don't know if I'd delay the interview over it. You can't attend the interview anyway. As long as she has her ducks in a row and she's wasn't/isn't a bargirl, then I don't see the problem. At worst they just ask you for more relationship evidence, and you submit that later. Slowlyman's girl just went through it recently, and it seemed like a pretty easy deal for her.

[slowlyman 118]

I would send in the P3 now. With all the holidays coming up I would guess a Jan or Feb interview date. Of course you have been darn lucky so far you might get to fill a cancellation slot sooner. The holidays will also create backlog of cases to interview early next year. If the date is too early for you. You can always ask for a new date, but if you hold off on the P3, you could end up with a date later then you would like. I guess what I'm saying is an early date gives you more control then a late date.

My take on preparation: Jin and I did not talk about the interview at all. My thinking is. These guys interview all day every day. They have heard it all and seen it all. You are not going to get one past them. they will see your relationship for what it is. I was afraid Jin would be thinking "ok, what did he tell me to say to this question" etc. I thought it was better for her to just be herself and give honest answers as they occurred to her.

Evidence: I had a passport full of Visa's. I didn't fly over once to see her then filed the 129. I also had a boat load of photos with her, her family, and her daughter. Those are the photos she was asked about at the interview. I think with Thai culture the fact she showed me to the family carries more weight then photos of the two of us at a tourist Wat.

Ning has mentioned, the decision is most likely made before the interview takes place. If they have concerns, they will ask questions at the interview. If you have additional photos at that time, you can present them.

Bottom line, they are looking for a real and genuine relationship. If you have that, don;t over think the interview.

Edited November 17, 2013 by slowlyman

[steve n songsang 45]

thx guys...have read a lot about this frontloading thing and we really didn't do that...sent about 30 photos including with her mother and son. I have been to see her this next trip will be my 6th time but visa stamps in passport don't necessarily reflect this. steve

[slowlyman 118]

Steve, The Consulate has put a couple good Thai language videos on YouTube. You may want to have your girl watch them so she has some idea what to expect.

[Ning 619]

NOA-1 September 19 to being ready to send in packet 3 by November 24...unreal.I have studied the timeline between "sent packet3" and the interview date, seems to be 3-4 weeks.My boss has allowed me to extend my trip and I will be in Thailand from Jan.9-Feb24.We have our hearts set on traveling to bkk for the interview together,also we want to have time to prepare for the interview.Also we want to use the beginning of my trip as additional evidence. I can only bring as additional evidence phone and text records,i was just there in aug-sept. Karee and others have said pictures,pictures,pictures which we would have time to provide.We are considering delaying submission of the packet 3 until maybe early December for there reasons.thoughts please...thx....steve

Why not just submit what is required with a note indicating what you would like to do? They probably will tell you they cant promise a date exactly but will do what they can.

Preparing for the interview is very simple. Songsang just needs to understand the real work is already done. If there is any serious problem they will not set the interview date before you have taken care of any issues. That is unlikely so the interview is simple and takes about 15 minutes. They just want to see her to determine how the info they have relates to the person in front of them.

If you submit now you could attempt to almost request an interview window of time. If you wait to do it, it would be right in the middle of a busy time for them. Max holidays, min staff; same case load equals difficult scheduling or so it seems to me.

[Ning 619]

thx guys...have read a lot about this frontloading thing and we really didn't do that...sent about 30 photos including with her mother and son. I have been to see her this next trip will be my 6th time but visa stamps in passport don't necessarily reflect this. steve

You will be a great model for why this idea of sending a mountain of info isn't a effective as people want to believe. In fact your case has gone about as fast as any case I have ever seen. Could it be that less is more?

Keep in mind its the officer at the embassy that grants the visa and the officer at the POE that allows entry. This means this info isn't needed until a certain point in the life of the case file.

The weight is in the documents I think. The addition of pics ect is fine but in moderation of after more is requested. They don't have time to look at all of this meaningless info.

[steve n songsang 45]

thx people...we will submit the packet 3 the day after songsang receives the police clearance...as slowlyman stated, I am over thinking, has happened so fast and I thought to have an additional visit would be beneficial. Besides...if I ran this by songsang I would look like karee`s avatar.

[Karee 4,190]

I remember when I was going through this and wanted my wife here ASAP. I had a decision to make. I could get her here 2-3 months earlier if I went the K-3 route, or go the IR-1 route and be apart the extra 2-3 months, and not have to deal with USCIS until citizenship. I chose the IR-1 route. Glad I did. Dealing with USCIS sucks.

Just an observation

[Sam B 1]

You're not sending the pictures and evidence of relationship with packet 3 are you?

[duckybb 6]

I suggest that you send the packet 3 now so that you could have the interview schedule.

Try to have at least 50-100 photos.

My fiancee prepared our phone bills/statements, Skype chat logs, emails. But the Consular officer didn't look at them. But of course, better to be well-prepared and ready.

Pictures are important evidence.

According to my fiancee, some ladies made a scrapbook.

[Cathi 5,748]

I remember when I was going through this and wanted my wife here ASAP. I had a decision to make. I could get her here 2-3 months earlier if I went the K-3 route, or go the IR-1 route and be apart the extra 2-3 months, and not have to deal with USCIS until citizenship. I chose the IR-1 route. Glad I did. Dealing with USCIS sucks.

Just an observation

K3 hasn't been an option since 2009, they rarely,if ever grant them anymore

thx guys...have read a lot about this frontloading thing and we really didn't do that...sent about 30 photos including with her mother and son. I have been to see her this next trip will be my 6th time but visa stamps in passport don't necessarily reflect this. steve

What wouldn't your passport stamps reflect your trips? Edited November 18, 2013 by mimolicious

[Karee 4,190]

K3 hasn't been an option since 2009, they rarely,if ever grant them anymore

Right. When I went through the process K-3 was still an option. I filed in 2008.

[slowlyman 118]

I remember when I was going through this and wanted my wife here ASAP. I had a decision to make. I could get her here 2-3 months earlier if I went the K-3 route, or go the IR-1 route and be apart the extra 2-3 months, and not have to deal with USCIS until citizenship. I chose the IR-1 route. Glad I did. Dealing with USCIS sucks.

Just an observation

If I had it to do again, I would do the CR-1. Next time. Lol

[Tango777 3]

50-100 photos? I sent 5. I also did not send any copy of my passport with the packet 3 as there were not instructions to do so. I did include some flight records and a bunch of phone records. Also a couple of the photos showed us in front of a big sign at the 2012 car show and it showed 2012 in big letters.

I still have a question about paying the fee at the post office. I have a doc written in Thai that says in the middle of it - 1.3 K - 7440 baht (with a lot of Thai writing in between)? Is this how much she must pay at the P.O.? And the include a copy of the receipt in packet 3? thanks !