SAWASDEE 2

[heyx2rr 0]

Bill, thanks very much for your quick reply.

I appreciate your feedback regarding the timing of bringing over my fiancee's daughter. I think you're absolutely right that we should go ahead now to ensure that she has sole custody of her daughter - very good point.

Regarding the timing of bringing the daughter to the US, I definitely need to understand the K2 process in more depth - that sounds like it should be my next area of detailed investigation. My fiancee currently runs a small restaurant in Bangkok with her younger sister and two partners, and her daughter lives with her Grandmother in their home town in Isaan. My Fiancee visits her home town often during the year, and her daughter comes to Bangkok during her school vacations. Our original plan was that after we were married in the US, we would travel to her home town and get married there in a Buddhist ceremony and enjoy time with the extended family. We would then travel back to Thailand several times during the next 6 months to a year (her likely more often than I, due to the demands of my job), and plan on bringing over her daughter at the end of that period. However, I hadnt done enough research yet on the K2 process to understand the timing restrictions.

Thanks again for your reply - I've followed your progress through the process on this forum - congratulations! I look forward to any further feedback or advice from you or others as I, my fiancee and her daughter begin our journey together.

- Rich

[goontar 0]

Could someone advise me on how to get an interview as soon as possible. They are telling my fiance that it could take several more months to get an appointment. She sent packet 3 back a couple of weeks ago. She already has everything she needs. Is there anything I can do to speed this up? Thanks.

[Yodrak 7]

goontar,

Typical time between receipt of DS-230-I and signed statement of readiness for interview by the IV unit and the scheduled date of the interview is 2-3 months. Someimes a little less, sometimes a little more, but it's been fairly consistent at ~3 months for years and a bit less for the past year or so.

Yodrak

Could someone advise me on how to get an interview as soon as possible. They are telling my fiance that it could take several more months to get an appointment. She sent packet 3 back a couple of weeks ago. She already has everything she needs. Is there anything I can do to speed this up? Thanks.

Edited March 7, 2007 by Yodrak

[Yodrak 7]

Rich,

My wife also lived and worked in Bangkok while her son lived with her parents upcountry. She visited there once or twice a year, he came to visit her during the annual school break, much as you describe your fiancee's situation. They applied for their K visas concurrently (called 'traveling with', regardless of whether or not they actually do).

I agree with Bill that your wife should bring her daughter with her. Everything will be a lot easier. If he does not apply for his K2 visa concurrent with her appication for her K1, someone will have to help him apply on his own. If that someone is you, then you will indeed be traveling back and forth to Thailand several times. The timing of his application will have to be such that his application can be processed and his visa issued within one year of the issuance of his mother's visa.

Yodrak

Bill, thanks very much for your quick reply.

I appreciate your feedback regarding the timing of bringing over my fiancee's daughter. I think you're absolutely right that we should go ahead now to ensure that she has sole custody of her daughter - very good point.

Regarding the timing of bringing the daughter to the US, I definitely need to understand the K2 process in more depth - that sounds like it should be my next area of detailed investigation. My fiancee currently runs a small restaurant in Bangkok with her younger sister and two partners, and her daughter lives with her Grandmother in their home town in Isaan. My Fiancee visits her home town often during the year, and her daughter comes to Bangkok during her school vacations. Our original plan was that after we were married in the US, we would travel to her home town and get married there in a Buddhist ceremony and enjoy time with the extended family. We would then travel back to Thailand several times during the next 6 months to a year (her likely more often than I, due to the demands of my job), and plan on bringing over her daughter at the end of that period. However, I hadnt done enough research yet on the K2 process to understand the timing restrictions.

Thanks again for your reply - I've followed your progress through the process on this forum - congratulations! I look forward to any further feedback or advice from you or others as I, my fiancee and her daughter begin our journey together.

- Rich

Edited March 7, 2007 by Yodrak

[goontar 0]

AHHHH! This is driving me crazy.

My fiance sent in her 230 part 1 right away as per the instructions. Then she later sent in her Photos, The signed Checklist and copy of her passport.

I only want to know that the Embassy has recieved this and all is in proper order. I can't get anyone at the Embassy to confirm or deny. I don't want to wait 2 months or more just to find out that we screwed something up.

How do I get a human, who can answer this question. I am perfectly happy to generously tip or bribe. What do I do.

[e_b_d 0]

Goontar,

I have been able to get email replies from the embassy regarding my case, by following the advice of others on this forum:

Email to: visasbkk@state.gov

Subject: 2nd IV Inquiry BNKXXXXXXXXX (Applicant: Name)

The embassy says your email should give them the details of your case first before your specific problem is stated. For example, this is what I wrote in the email body:

'Re: I-129-F (K-1 Visa) petition

Case Number: BNKXXXXXX

Petitioner: Name (Date of Birth xxxxxx)

Applicant (Thai national): Name (Date of Birth xxxxxx)

Please notify me at (email address) whether the Embassy has received our K-1 petition and whether Packet 3 has been mailed to the applicant yet.

Thank you'

If you don't receive a reply within one or two days, email again, with the subject line saying 3rd or 4th Inquiry. My "2nd inquiry" got no reply but my "3rd inquiry" got a reply in one business day.

And, for anyone who is waiting on packet 3, I'll post here the embassy's reply when I asked if I could go ahead and send my fiance's checklist, DS-230, etc, without having received packet 3. (This was after the embassy confirmed by email that they had sent packet 3 to us weeks ago.)

'Dear Madam,

The address of the applicant is changed according as requested. For your conveniences, the Packet 3 materials and forms and the checklist can also be obtained through this link; http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/services/visa...20Checklist.htm

You can mail

1. Signed checklist

2. 2 photos of the immigrant visa photograph requirements; http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/services/visa...requirement.htm

3. a photocopy of the passport photo page

4. DS-230 part I (unsigned)

to the IV Unit using this mailing address right away.

U.S. Embassy

Consular Section

Immigrant Visa Unit

95 Wireless Road

Bangkok

10330

Normally, when the returned Packet 3 materials are received by the IV Unit by mail, the interview appointment can be scheduled in 10-12 weeks later. By that time, the applicant will be notified by mail.

Regards,

Correspondence Unit'

Also, I'd like to make a note about the medical exam in case it might help someone. There is a required form DS-2053 that is not listed on the BKK embassy's website as a packet 3 form (http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/services/visa/K1%20for%20Thai.htm), but I knew about it from Bill's posting of his packet 3 forms, and I downloaded it from http://travel.state.gov/Publications/DS-2053.pdf. Of course the hospital asked us to bring the forms, but in the end, the doctor used some of his own forms, which I think we exactly the same except his were printed front and back. We went to Dr. Kitti at Ram 1 in Chiang Mai. It took a couple of hours, but there were no problems. My fiance had to go back to pick up the results and forms the next day.

I hope I've helped someone a little. Good luck to you all!

[ladywhite 0]

Hi there:

I have a question regarding how to put my address in Thailand to fit the designated spaces provided on I-129F Part B item 2.

Because we don't have town or city like you do in the US, I don't know how to put my address. I live in Muang district (which is "Amphur" in thai), Khon Kaen Province.

Should I put 'Muang' under Town/district? If I do so, Khon Kaen Province would be missing from this address because there is no "State or Province" here on this item to put Khon Kaen in. That would concern me because, if they used this address information to contact me, I would never get any contacts due to the incomplete address.

Or should I put "Khon Kaen" under Town/district? I was incline to choose this option. But if I do so, the address here would be inconsistent with that on item 15 where I put Muang under town/city and Khon Kaen under State or Province.

Please help. I greatly appreciate all the help you can provide.

Ladywhite

[SanFrancisco-BKK 0]

bump

Hi there:

I have a question regarding how to put my address in Thailand to fit the designated spaces provided on I-129F Part B item 2.

Because we don't have town or city like you do in the US, I don't know how to put my address. I live in Muang district (which is "Amphur" in thai), Khon Kaen Province.

Should I put 'Muang' under Town/district? If I do so, Khon Kaen Province would be missing from this address because there is no "State or Province" here on this item to put Khon Kaen in. That would concern me because, if they used this address information to contact me, I would never get any contacts due to the incomplete address.

Or should I put "Khon Kaen" under Town/district? I was incline to choose this option. But if I do so, the address here would be inconsistent with that on item 15 where I put Muang under town/city and Khon Kaen under State or Province.

Please help. I greatly appreciate all the help you can provide.

Ladywhite

[Yodrak 7]

ladywhite,

I wrote my wife's address on the 2 adress lines available as follows:

(number and street) 123 Moo 45, T. Tamboonname

(town or city) A. Muang, Provincename

(State/Country) Thailand

(ZIP/Postal Code) 91000

Yodrak

Hi there:

I have a question regarding how to put my address in Thailand to fit the designated spaces provided on I-129F Part B item 2.

.....

Edited March 15, 2007 by Yodrak

[ladywhite 0]

Thank you very much...

ladywhite,

I wrote my wife's address on the 2 adress lines available as follows:

(number and street) 123 Moo 45, T. Tamboonname

(town or city) A. Muang, Provincename

(State/Country) Thailand

(ZIP/Postal Code) 91000

Yodrak

[n2ojones 0]

Hi.....

I am new but have been reading this forum all weekend. I am quite grateful for it's existence as many questions have been answered. I do have a few more if you would be so kind....it would be much appreciated. I will give some history:

My (Thai) wife and I were (leagally) married in Thaland last December. We knew each other only 1 month..but that was all we needed. Jing Jing.

We filed both the 129 and the 130 thru a visa agency in Thailand.

We spent two months together during that visit.

I then returned home for 7 weeks before going back to my wife in Thailand for another month. (came back home last week) So we have spent 3 of the past 5 months together.

During my last trip, on feb 28th, our 130 was approved and sent to NH for processing. We await that now.

My wife (24) speaks excellent english and has a degree. She has always been employed, never married and has never been in trouble.

I own 3 properties in Hawaii worth 1.5 mil, 2 businesses worth about 1 mil and about 300 k in the bank. I am a very young 47 (ouch) and have been divorced for 10 years. I support 2 teenagers who live in another state.

I post this because In am worried that we will be refused. I have read in here that the 'powers that be' would like for us to have known each other longer.

Incredibly, we know each other very well. I cannot imagine a question they could ask her that she could not answer. BTW, my phone bills averaged $1000 per month (now I have Thaitel;) and we have no less than 300 e-mails between us. We have traveled all over Thailand and have about 1000 pics to show. More importantly, we love each other very much.

My questions:

What do you savvy posters think of our chance for approval?

Is it too early (1 month) for me to contact the embassy (BKK) or the NVC in NH?

Should I download the forms and ready them prior to her getting packet 3?

How long are the police and med reports good...in the event we have a long wait for the interview?

Any thoughts on how long io takes to get the interview once the forms are submitted?

I know I am long winded and I apologise for that. As you all know, this is incredibly stressful. I promise to return some info when I am able.

Thank you in advance and I wish you all well.

[goontar 0]

I am trying to arrange airline tickets. Does anyone know how long it takes from the interview to actually having the visa in hand. Is it the same day or does this take a while? Thanks.

[Yodrak 7]

n2ojones,

The consulate in Bangkok is known to be 'user friendly' with regard to family-based visas.

It's way too early to contact the consulate about an immigrant visa when there's been no contact from the NVC. Check the timelines, but I think you should expect to get something from the NVC soon now.

She's not going to get a packet 3, not in the traditional sense, with respect to the I-130. You and she are each going to receive mailings from the NVC, not just 1 packet to her. See the NVC's pages on the DoS web site for a description of what to expect from them.

It's interesting that the I-130 has been approved for a month now and no approval yet for the I-129f. When the I-129f petition is approved it will take 1-2 weeks to pass through the NVC, then 2-4 weeks to get to the consulate and have the consulate send out the K-visa application package.

Wait for the police and medical reports until the case file - be it the I-130 file or the I-129f file - is sent from the NVC to the consulate.

Interviews are typically 2-3 months from the date that DS-230 and the signed checklist are submitted to the consulate for K visas. I don't know how long from the time that an I-130 arrives from the NVC.

Yodrak

.....

My questions:

What do you savvy posters think of our chance for approval?

Is it too early (1 month) for me to contact the embassy (BKK) or the NVC in NH?

Should I download the forms and ready them prior to her getting packet 3?

How long are the police and med reports good...in the event we have a long wait for the interview?

Any thoughts on how long io takes to get the interview once the forms are submitted?

I know I am long winded and I apologise for that. As you all know, this is incredibly stressful. I promise to return some info when I am able.

Thank you in advance and I wish you all well.

goontar,

Didn't you ask this question once before?

Yodrak

I am trying to arrange airline tickets. Does anyone know how long it takes from the interview to actually having the visa in hand. Is it the same day or does this take a while? Thanks.

[goontar 0]

n2ojones,

The consulate in Bangkok is known to be 'user friendly' with regard to family-based visas.

It's way too early to contact the consulate about an immigrant visa when there's been no contact from the NVC. Check the timelines, but I think you should expect to get something from the NVC soon now.

She's not going to get a packet 3, not in the traditional sense, with respect to the I-130. You and she are each going to receive mailings from the NVC, not just 1 packet to her. See the NVC's pages on the DoS web site for a description of what to expect from them.

It's interesting that the I-130 has been approved for a month now and no approval yet for the I-129f. When the I-129f petition is approved it will take 1-2 weeks to pass through the NVC, then 2-4 weeks to get to the consulate and have the consulate send out the K-visa application package.

Wait for the police and medical reports until the case file - be it the I-130 file or the I-129f file - is sent from the NVC to the consulate.

Interviews are typically 2-3 months from the date that DS-230 and the signed checklist are submitted to the consulate for K visas. I don't know how long from the time that an I-130 arrives from the NVC.

Yodrak

.....

My questions:

What do you savvy posters think of our chance for approval?

Is it too early (1 month) for me to contact the embassy (BKK) or the NVC in NH?

Should I download the forms and ready them prior to her getting packet 3?

How long are the police and med reports good...in the event we have a long wait for the interview?

Any thoughts on how long io takes to get the interview once the forms are submitted?

I know I am long winded and I apologise for that. As you all know, this is incredibly stressful. I promise to return some info when I am able.

Thank you in advance and I wish you all well.

goontar,

Didn't you ask this question once before?

Yodrak

I am trying to arrange airline tickets. Does anyone know how long it takes from the interview to actually having the visa in hand. Is it the same day or does this take a while? Thanks.

Probably? But I don't remember.

[Yodrak 7]

goontar,

Maybe it was someone else.....

It depends on if the visa application gets approved at the interview. They don't always.

If the application is approved at the interview the visa is generally available to be picked up on the afternoon of the following business day. (consular business day)

Yodrak

goontar,

Didn't you ask this question once before?

Yodrak

I am trying to arrange airline tickets. Does anyone know how long it takes from the interview to actually having the visa in hand. Is it the same day or does this take a while? Thanks.

Probably? But I don't remember.