SAWASDEE 2

[toma1 10]

Don't pay anything. 0 Baht. You're giving her a future she would never have. Don't get sucked in to this. My opinion. Take it for what it is worth. You are going to be supporting her family for the rest of your life. Agree to help them out when they need it, and leave it at that.

Ignore my previous posts. I asked my wife about this. I guess they just felt sorry for me. I was broke and unemployed in Bangkok. At the end of the day, they just wanted their daughter to be happy.

That's quite an epiphany in only 20 minutes.

Very nice of you to come back and post a retraction.

[ThaitoUSA 15]

HYENA,

You have repeatedly expressed discontent over your fiancee working at McDonalds. There is absolutely nothing wrong with some back-breaking work. I would be much happier for my fiancee to be doing that, then just sitting at home living off someone else's income. And as tough as it is, it's still probably easier than working in the rice fields. I found it a big enough challenge just walking in the rice fields!

This situation is not permanent. Perhaps another 5 months at most? Seems like a mountain is being made of a mole hill. Also regarding your fiancee's employment opportunities, perhaps she could consider further education once she arrives in America. This would certainly be empowering for her and could lead to all sorts of opportunities.

Finally regarding all things asian food, check out H-Mart on Route 40! The filipino teachers here in the city flock there on a weekly basis. They do have Thai products and reasonable substitutes.

[daboyz 36]

Don't pay anything. 0 Baht. You're giving her a future she would never have. Don't get sucked in to this. My opinion. Take it for what it is worth. You are going to be supporting her family for the rest of your life. Agree to help them out when they need it, and leave it at that.

Ignore my previous posts. I asked my wife about this. I guess they just felt sorry for me. I was broke and unemployed in Bangkok. At the end of the day, they just wanted their daughter to be happy.

That's quite an epiphany in only 20 minutes.

Very nice of you to come back and post a retraction.

Probably should've made the call BEFORE the post. Oh well.

[birch- phuk_beer 0]

Don't pay anything. 0 Baht. You're giving her a future she would never have. Don't get sucked in to this. My opinion. Take it for what it is worth. You are going to be supporting her family for the rest of your life. Agree to help them out when they need it, and leave it at that.

Ignore my previous posts. I asked my wife about this. I guess they just felt sorry for me. I was broke and unemployed in Bangkok. At the end of the day, they just wanted their daughter to be happy.

That's quite an epiphany in only 20 minutes.

Very nice of you to come back and post a retraction.

Probably should've made the call BEFORE the post. Oh well.

sorry scott, couldnt help myself

[daboyz 36]

Don't pay anything. 0 Baht. You're giving her a future she would never have. Don't get sucked in to this. My opinion. Take it for what it is worth. You are going to be supporting her family for the rest of your life. Agree to help them out when they need it, and leave it at that.

Ignore my previous posts. I asked my wife about this. I guess they just felt sorry for me. I was broke and unemployed in Bangkok. At the end of the day, they just wanted their daughter to be happy.

That's quite an epiphany in only 20 minutes.

Very nice of you to come back and post a retraction.

Probably should've made the call BEFORE the post. Oh well.

laugh..... you're killing me.

sorry scott, couldnt help myself

[daboyz 36]

Thanks Frank. Glad you're there to keep me honest. ;-)

[Devkpaik 1]

Oh man, when I first started up my fiancee's food vending business, her sister was helping her and she had the wisdom to cook up a pot of baa laa in our kitchen at 0430. I about woke up barfing and choking on the fumes. Needless to say, that never happened again I am glad I left her something to earn some baht and to keep her busy. 1,000 baht a day is not uncommon after expenses, but it is a long day's work. (dawn-dusk, maybe longer) I thought I was the first farang in Thailand shoestringing papaya until someone mentioned to me there was a movie or something about it.

Oh, and don't let your wife mention that she is married to a foreigner to anyone that could possibly take extra money for knowing so. Often times, I'll sit outside near the motorbike somewhere and when she's settled on a price for said expensive thing, she'll call me and I'll stroll up. The storekeepers get a kick out of that one. Once her landlord found out about us, even in a long-distance relationship, rent jumped 4,000 more a month for "bogus expenses." My fiancee pays for the home with income from the food stand. I'm the biggest penny pincher you'll meet, and not wealthy by no means; I'm in the Marine Corps... so you had best believe what words I wanted to have with that fellow. However, I would be making a grave mistake in doing so When I'm in Thailand, I'm very flexible and go-with-the-flow until someone tries to hustle my wife for being married to a farang.

My fiance's family has never asked me for money and her friends haven't either. I'm just a broke college student and her family understands this.

My fiance's dad lives in Udon Thani and her mother (they are divorced) lives in Phuket, and my fiance and I spent about 9 months in Phuket and her mother let us stay in one of her houses and also let us use her motorbikes, among many other things, and never asked for a thing in return.

Regarding the sinsod, my fiance and I spoke about it and she told me her family didn't want it, and she didn't really like the idea of it either. I guess I'm lucky? About respecting the culture, I do respect the culture but (and I know this may offend people) I don't like the idea of sinsod and even if the family wanted it, I wouldn't even be able to give it to them because like I mentioned, I'm a broke college student haha .

[symbiosis 0]

I have a question about Packet 3. Do I understand the instructions correctly that the ONLY thing to be returned to the embassy is Checklist (but not accompanying documentation), DS-230 Part I, two passport photos and copy of passport photo page.

My confusion is on the word "checklist" - it's unclear if that means everything on the checklist, or just the checklist itself.

Many thanks

[toma1 10]

Regarding the sinsod, my fiance and I spoke about it and she told me her family didn't want it, and she didn't really like the idea of it either. I guess I'm lucky?

Yes, you're lucky... about as lucky as winning the lottery because that is EXTREMELY uncommon even among wealthy Thai marrying other wealthy Thai.

Usually this happens only when the PARENTS (not the daughter) in question were educated in some western society.

[toma1 10]

I have a question about Packet 3. Do I understand the instructions correctly that the ONLY thing to be returned to the embassy is Checklist (but not accompanying documentation), DS-230 Part I, two passport photos and copy of passport photo page.

My confusion is on the word "checklist" - it's unclear if that means everything on the checklist, or just the checklist itself.

Many thanks

We are just sending the list itself and not the supporting documentation. Step 3 says to bring all the OTHER items to the interview. (It doesn't say bring a copy of everything to the interview, too.) Some things are originals and that might be the reason that they don't require mailing.

I also noted that it appears that you do not have to have the medical exam done before sending the form anymore. That's a change from the old form I think.

Edited November 17, 2008 by toma1

[toma1 10]

I tried to edit my post to make it more clear, but it timed out... here are my edits:

We are just sending the list itself and not the supporting documentation. Step 3 says to bring all the OTHER items to the interview. (It doesn't say bring a copy of EVERYTHING to the interview which is what it probably would say if they wanted two copies of everything.) Some things are originals and that might be the reason that they don't require mailing.

I also noted that it appears that you do not have to have the medical exam done before sending the form anymore. That's a change from the old form I think.

[symbiosis 0]

I tried to edit my post to make it more clear, but it timed out... here are my edits:

We are just sending the list itself and not the supporting documentation. Step 3 says to bring all the OTHER items to the interview. (It doesn't say bring a copy of EVERYTHING to the interview which is what it probably would say if they wanted two copies of everything.) Some things are originals and that might be the reason that they don't require mailing.

I also noted that it appears that you do not have to have the medical exam done before sending the form anymore. That's a change from the old form I think.

Thanks much for the clarification. That's what I thought was meant, but just wanted to make sure!

[toma1 10]

Does anyone know how long it takes to get a Thai passport in Bangkok? My fiancee has one, but it will expire in nine months which is JUST OVER the eight month visa limit.

I am concerned that once she has the interview (which had not yet been scheduled) that the visa might not be issued before the eight month cutoff.

Does anyone know if a copy of the current passport can be sent in with the packet 3 materials and then a new passport be produced at the interview?

[Devkpaik 1]

I have a question about Packet 3. Do I understand the instructions correctly that the ONLY thing to be returned to the embassy is Checklist (but not accompanying documentation), DS-230 Part I, two passport photos and copy of passport photo page.

My confusion is on the word "checklist" - it's unclear if that means everything on the checklist, or just the checklist itself.

Many thanks

We are just sending the list itself and not the supporting documentation. Step 3 says to bring all the OTHER items to the interview. (It doesn't say bring a copy of everything to the interview, too.) Some things are originals and that might be the reason that they don't require mailing.

I also noted that it appears that you do not have to have the medical exam done before sending the form anymore. That's a change from the old form I think.

This is not correct. You send the supporting documents with the checklist. When it says bring all OTHER documents to interview, it means all other supporting documents though the previous steps of the process such as evidence of ongoing relationship, I-134, etc.

Send in the packet 3 checklist with the required items.

[Devkpaik 1]

Does anyone know how long it takes to get a Thai passport in Bangkok? My fiancee has one, but it will expire in nine months which is JUST OVER the eight month visa limit.

I am concerned that once she has the interview (which had not yet been scheduled) that the visa might not be issued before the eight month cutoff.

Does anyone know if a copy of the current passport can be sent in with the packet 3 materials and then a new passport be produced at the interview?

It took my fiance two days to get hers from the time she requested to the time she received it in hand.