Important Lessons Learned about the Consular Unit in Thailand

[khrfx4 16]

ALL OF THIS BELOW WAS DERIVED FROM ANSWERS GIVEN BY THE IV UNIT TO MYSELF AND A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE I'M IN CONTACT WITH FROM QUESTIONS OR EXPERIENCES WE HAVE HAD.

1. Be prepared to get a 221(g). First of all, it's not the end of the world. It looks like many people are getting them and it seems Consular Officer(s) are looking for any little thing they can to issue a 221(g). My own personal theory is they are testing people’s resolve on how badly they really want to marry. They are completely inconsistent on what they want from one person to another. Two people I know of did not send in the last week of chats on their WhatsApp for the "Evidence of Relationship" and in one case the IV unit gave a 221(g) for that last week and in the other person’s case they found a technical problem with his child’s birth certificate so they picked that for his 221(g) even though he DID NOT give them the last week’s chats just before the interview.

2. One person even received a second 221(g) after successfully submitting the only document asked for on the first 221(g), delaying their visa further. The IV Unit either missed the second item at the interview and only spotted it on final review or they are testing people or just trying to frustrate people.

3. If they slip up and say they want mail sent to them “Registered”, then understand that normal Thai Post EMS with tracking is perfectly acceptable.

4. If they tell you they want originals or certified documents of something they are asking for and you are in the US then, unless it’s a birth certificate or marriage license or some other court document IT IS acceptable to send them high quality color copies or scans that have been printed. I still have yet to ask them if I need to mail them through something like UPS from the US or if I can send them via eMail direct to them or if I need to email them to my fiance and have her print and mail them with her passport, which actually seems the best choice, but I will ask them later.

5. VERY IMPORTANT: Always send a copy of the DS-160 confirmation page in with whatever documents they are asking for on a 221(g) along with your fiancé’s passport. They have been asking people for this DS-160 page after-the-fact causing many unnecessary delays. They are not forewarning people at the time of the 221(g) that they will need this. They did give us our DS-160 confirmation page back at the interview along with the 221(g) so they do not keep this, which is incredibly stupid.

This IV Unit in my opinion is intentionally making things hard on people (IMO) and they are being incredibly obtuse in the answers they give; they almost never give complete detailed answers of exactly what they want or how they want it and sometimes they miss a question so it does not get answered. I have had to send three different emails to clarify everything they want from me to prove "Domicile".

Make sure you ALWAYS send any mail to the Embassy via Thai Post EMS so it can be tracked by you and so it can get there very fast. Never, I repeat, never allow mail to be sent to the Embassy via normal Thai post. It will be significantly delayed compared to EMS.

DO NOT hesitate to send emails until your questions are fully answered.

EMAIL: visasbkkiv@state.gov

[escheytt 0]

Watch out for the beauracratic govermental high handedness of this Consular office. They are looking for anything they can do to make the process as difficult as possible. Even after the NVC has forwarded all documents to Bangkok as complete; they will second guess and create as many hurdles as possible. They call it exercising local expertise.

Documents that where pefectly acceptable for the issuance of K1 and IR1 visas for the same applicant in 2005 and 2007 are now rejected as not acceptalbe; proxy documents for lack of hospital or Ampear issued birth certificate. Do not expect them to do anyhing to help resolve issues.

Then EMS delivered and documented delivery on the 21st of month, is reported by the IV visa unit as being delivered on the 30th. How in the World can it take nine days to get a documents entered into there system and recorded as received? They now advise to expect another 30 days after there recorded date before can submit request for status update.

Be prepared to be confronted about everything and anything when entering into the process at Bangkok.

It is to bad that these employees of US citizens like myself have not been reminded who is paying there salary.

[Wanpen28 0]

jumping hurdles here myself,requesting nonfiling of taxes letter from IRS,(have always filed)!, original death certificate from my son's mother,your former wife( we were never married!) stuff like this can only make me beliieve,these are definatley stall tactics! time ran out on trying to get this death certificate ,now hve ,went to submit,then they want another sputum test, as the first has expired ,low and behold ,now one of the 3 tests,is positive,.....another month to test that............!!!!!

[Wanpen28 0]

jumping these hurdles too! 2month sputum test,first 1 passed 8 months ago ,wanted death certificate from my son's mother ,your former wife,(we were never married!!!)finally obtained that,came back sutum test was expired ,!took again, 2 months,1 petri was positive for something ,they don't know ,but in another month should know if it's TB or not.....CRAZY!

[cristina16 81]

oh wow! that is too much that they are asking for proof of continued relationship. I thought they are strict in Manila, Philippines but I was only asked for photos. Not even communication logs.

Hang on guys, we just have to around the loop no matter what it is in the name of Love. Just bring more patience on the processing. Everything will be much better by the end of this all.

[khrfx4 16]

My fiance had to return to Bangkok for another medical as it has been 5 months since the first medical...this is through no fault of the embassy...we have delayed our departure until 2016 for our own reasons. We are still flying on a 221(g) for me to prove domicile, which should be no problem. I say "should".

Anyway, she mailed the medical to the embassy and returned to our home last week...two hours from Bangkok. We had been planning on moving to our home in Issan this Tuesday (Jan 19) before I returned to the US on February 1, 2016.

We just got a message from the embassy today that they had received the medical, but there is a problem with it and so now my fiance has to return to the embassy, pick up her medical, go to the hospital and get whatever the problem is corrected.

I was furious, because these hospitals and doctors are chosen by the Embassy and it is the Embassy's JOB to train the doctors properly so I put this down as their fault...NOT OURS, but, we are the ones who have to pay the price by traveling back to Bangkok wasting money and almost an entire day. A day where we needed to get ready to move.

These people are infuriating.