DCF in Bangkok?

[hendo25 11]

I am currently residing in Thailand with my Thai national partner. We celebrated with the traditional Thai wedding ceremony about 2 years ago.  We were initially going to file for a K-1 visa, as our marriage has not been registered and is therefore not legal.  However, several forum members strongly discouraged us from doing this, saying that if the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok had any hint of this wedding ceremony, they would deny our K-1 visa.  Whether that is true or not, I wouldn't want any chance of denial at the interview step.

 

In looking further into the the CR-1 process, I came across the term "Direct Counselor Filing" or DCF.  Bangkok has a USCIS office across the street from the U.S. Embassy.  You can file an I-130 there without an appointment. Everything I've read online about this process seems to indicate that it is significantly faster than the standard CR-1 process.  However, I can't find any information about whether this option is available in Bangkok.  The U.S. Embassy website makes no mention of it at all. The local immigration law firms in Bangkok make no mention of it. I'm wondering why information about it is so scant. It definitely seems like the way to go if it's still available here in Bangkok, Thailand.

 

Any information on this would be appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice on DCF in Bangkok, Thailand.

'

[Ryan H 3,812]

~~~Moved from K1 Progress Reports to DCF Discussion; duplicate thread removed.~~~

[millefleur 5,046]

On 1/31/2019 at 7:51 AM, hendo25 said:

I am currently residing in Thailand with my Thai national partner. We celebrated with the traditional Thai wedding ceremony about 2 years ago.  We were initially going to file for a K-1 visa, as our marriage has not been registered and is therefore not legal.  However, several forum members strongly discouraged us from doing this, saying that if the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok had any hint of this wedding ceremony, they would deny our K-1 visa.  Whether that is true or not, I wouldn't want any chance of denial at the interview step.

 

In looking further into the the CR-1 process, I came across the term "Direct Counselor Filing" or DCF.  Bangkok has a USCIS office across the street from the U.S. Embassy.  You can file an I-130 there without an appointment. Everything I've read online about this process seems to indicate that it is significantly faster than the standard CR-1 process.  However, I can't find any information about whether this option is available in Bangkok.  The U.S. Embassy website makes no mention of it at all. The local immigration law firms in Bangkok make no mention of it. I'm wondering why information about it is so scant. It definitely seems like the way to go if it's still available here in Bangkok, Thailand.

I think the main issue is, the phrase "DCF/Direct Consular Filing" is mostly VisaJourney lingo, so if you are searching for that phrase anywhere else, especially official websites, most likely it won't show up. What the official phrasing will be is filing an I-130 petition to bring your spouse to the US.

 

USCIS does have a field office in Bangkok:

 

https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/international-offices/thailand-uscis-bangkok-field-office

 

I recommend calling them and asking if you are eligible to file the I-130 there directly for your spouse. From their website, it seems there is an option to file if you meet the conditions they list:

 

Quote

 

Purpose:

To establish your relationship to a relative who wishes to immigrate to the United States.
Who May File or Receive Service:

U.S. citizens residing in Thailand filing on behalf of their spouse, unmarried child under the age of 21 or parent (if the U.S. citizen is 21 years of age or older).

U.S. citizens residing in this field office’s jurisdiction but outside of Thailand may file with the Department of State only if the USCIS Bangkok field office director determines that there are exceptional circumstances.

Active duty U.S. Military: Active duty U.S. military service members stationed permanently at a military base in USCIS Bangkok's jurisdiction but outside of Thailand may file this form directly with the Department of State without needing to establish exceptional circumstances.
Filing and Other Special Instructions:

Residents of Thailand filing with USCIS Bangkok must submit the petition and supporting evidence in person.

Evidence of residency must be submitted with the petition.  The evidence you submit must support a determination that you are a resident in Thailand.

Please Note: Certain pieces of evidence may more strongly support a finding of residency than others.  For petitions filed at this field office, you must submit one or more of the following:

•     Passport entry stamp(s) and visa reflecting that you are residing in Thailand and not just visiting Thailand
•     Residency permit or card
•     Work authorization document
•     Military or government orders assigning you to reside in Thailand

In addition, other evidence of residency may include, but is not limited to:

•     Utility bills
•     Housing lease
•     Work contract or other employment documents
•     Proof of local registration
•     Local bank statements
•     Proof of school enrollment
•     Vehicle registration
•     Local driver’s license
•     Tax documents listing a Thai address
•     Foreign property deeds or registration (although proof of property ownership in itself, may be insufficient if there is no evidence that the petitioner resides at that property)

Any document issued in a foreign language must be accompanied by a full English translation and by the translator's certification that he or she is competent to translate the foreign language into English. The original documents, with one copy of the originals, and the English translation should be submitted with the petition.  Any original documents submitted upon USCIS’ request will be returned.

If you live outside of Thailand in a country where we do not have an office, and you believe that exceptional circumstances justify filing your petition overseas, please go to the nearest U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate to make your request to file. You must provide evidence of exceptional circumstances. The consular section will contact the field office director to request permission to accept your petition overseas. If your request is denied, you will need to file with the Chicago Lockbox.

Petitions from lawful permanent residents and petitions for relatives of U.S. citizens other than those mentioned in the "Who May File or Receive Service" section must be filed with the Chicago Lockbox.

 

Contacting the USCIS Bangkok filed office directly to find out if you qualify would be the best thing to get clarification. According to official USCIS processing times, the I-130 turn around time is about 1.2 months for Bangkok: https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/international-operations-office. That is much, much faster than filing via the Chicago lockbox, so it's worth it if you qualify.

 

 

Edited February 3, 2019 by millefleur

[Just Paul 4,595]

Yes you can file the I-130 at the USCIS Office in Bangkok.   See the link for details.

https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/international-immigration-offices