SAWASDEE 2

[ufkenmill 0]

ufkenmill,

Her interview should be a breeze! Living there and being there for the interview probably helps.

I was there for Jum's interview and she was asked one question, How many times had I been to visit?

The visa was scheduled to be ready the next day at 3PM. We had other travel plans that day to celebrate and after the visa was approved, we made arrangement to pick up the visa the next week.

Hanging out in the lobby outside the interview windows while others get a visa is quite an experience. Just seeing the happy smiles and excited faces of those being granted visas to the U.S. really makes a USC appreciate the country in which we live.

Even hanging out in the little room to the right where the visas are handed out was a good feeling. And when the person's name is called, the long wait is over.

C.J.

It was a piece of cake. Of course I say that now AFTER the fact! lol. Man, those 4 hours of waiting for brutal. C and I were both on the edges of our seats wondering what they were going to ask and if we'd get approved. They asked these questions:

1) She asked me how long I'd been living in thailand and if I spoke thai

2) She asked C how we met

3) She then asked what out plans were upon arriving in the US

4) She asked what degrees we had (I have BS, C has MBA)

5) She showed us each picture we had given her and asked the approximate dates of each and where we were at.

I got the impression she was new on the job, just due to her nervousness (yes, hers). She was extremely nice though and just seemed like an all-around good person. She did her best to make us feel comfortable and told C to not be nervous that everything was going to be fine.

Then, after about 4 minutes total she whipped out the appointment card (which was already filled out by the way) and said congratulations.

That's it, then we picked up the visa yesterday and now we're back in chiang mai after a long over-night busride. We were in BKK for 4 days and had a great time although we're beat. C's a trooper, she's even gone to work today after no sleep on the bus all night.

Can you recommend a hotel in BKK. The one I usually stay at doesn't have any more king bed nonsmoking rooms available. I really hate to change hotels because mine was a really nice Thai hotel and it was only $41.00/ night.

Thanks

Mike

Sure, I've stayed in many hotels in BKK of varying price range. It all depends on the area you're interested in. One of our favorite hotels there is called Rama Gardens. It's got an incredible sports center along with professional tennis courts where the WTA plays tournaments and has a great breakfast buffet. You can generally get a standard room there for about 1700baht (about 42$) but it's in the older wing. If you splurge and spend 65$ for the executive room, watch out man, you'll never want to leave. It's gigantic and luxurious with an incredible bose sound system in the bathroom. It's great for when you're in the jacuzzi with your fiance/wife.. Search the sites like http://www.asiarooms.com or http://www.hotelclub.com for the best price. Rama gardens is about 5 minutes from the airport.

We just stayed at the prince palace this past stay and it's only about 25minutes to the embassy via taxi. The location itself isn't that great since it's in a local neighborhood but it's attached to the wholesale garment district and if you want to think about exporting anything, then stay here. Ask for the new wing, it's only a month old and it's a great deal at 40$ including breakfast. Truly a palace in the new wing. If you stay there, eat breakfast in the old wing since you'll get a great view of the city.

I've stayed at these hotels:

Ebina house (2x) (40-60$)

Rama Gardens (4x)(40-70$)

Comfort Suites (3x) (45$)

above all 5 min's from the airport

Also:

karnmanee palace (3x) - about 30$ and is OK, maybe 2.5 stars but it's location is ok near lad praogh and jatujak market

KT Guest house (10$ a night and a steal at that price)

Super motel (10$ anight)- was "super"maybe 40 years ago

Radisson (50+) - recommended

Novotel lad praogh (75$) - recommended if you can afford it

prince palace (3x) (30-60$) - recommended, great value

Grand Diamond (50+$) - huge suite rooms with great views but 50$ is on the low side of their rates

And more but i can't remember right now.

If you want to know about any of these let me know...

[LastSurvivor 0]

Can someone please explain this to me? I am in the process of filing for AOS in the next day or so. I've been trying to decide whether or not to file the EAD paperwork as well. A friend directed me to this link:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/36f3b2ee954...b4?OpenDocument

From the above link is the following statement:

The following lists nonimmigrants, by alien classification, who are authorized to work in the U.S. without specific authorization from INS. The alien’s I-94 will not have the INS employment authorization stamp and the alien will not have an EAD.

In that list for class of admission is K-1 (Fiance(e) of U.S. citizen)

What am I missing here? My wife would like to work and the above indicates there should be NO NEED to file for EAD and pay the fee. But, her S.S.N. card indicates:

VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION

Rich

Edited March 22, 2006 by LastSurvivor

[ufkenmill 0]

Damn it...so damn close..

I got a dreaded RFE. They said I need to provide more evidence that my fiancee was in Bahrain during the time we met. I sent a damn Good Conduct certificate from the Kingdom of Bahrain that is only issued to people that have lived there and provided her address and work address and phone numbers for when she was in Bahrain.

The only other thing I can send is a copy of her passport (which she got scanned and sent to me via email) I received that today. So I will send that back to California tomorrow.

Anyone else have any ideas??? I hate the thought that this petition could be disapproved if I can't come up with anyother evidence besides her Thai passport. By the way, does anyone know if I need to get the Passport translated??? It's in both Thai and English anyway.

Anyother help??? Comments??? Thanks!

Blacson30,

Sorry to hear about the RFE...once USCIS is satisfied though, the petition should get approved. The passport showing entrance and exit from Bahrain should be the best evidence for your fiancee being in that country...My opinion is that you shouldn't need to translate her passport it since its already in English.

Good luck,

George

Ditto, no translation necessary as Thai passports are in English. Also, no translation is necessary of any documents if it's submitted to the BNK embassy as part of something that is requested by them. If it's sent to the SC then you'd need it translated if it's in thai or another foreign language.

Congratulations, we're up for monday morning 7am. Can't tell you how nervous I am, I think I'm more nervous than she is and I'm a USC!

Great to hear about your success, good luck in the future..

Dear vj members,

Visa pick up today. Yeaaaa!!! Anyway my fiancee never received a phone call from the Embassy to pick up her visa. I mentioned earlier that her visa was held for a final "computer check" and the Embassy would call her when it was ready.

Well having her flight on the 21st a monday pick up would be the latest to make the flight. my impatience was overflowing. So I e-mailed the Embassy a second time. They e-mailed me back the same day and said that she can pick up her visa tomorrow at 1500.

What I am saying to people is that if anyone in the future gets this type of call back situation--give them a day or so then e-mail them. I was very impressed they replied to me the same day yet very unhappy that they never called her back when everything was ready.

One more hour till pick up.

By the way she was only asked 2 questions at her interview--when did she see me last? and where did we meet?

Take care all

Greg and Nin

Las Vegas bound!!!

Ken and C

I have a good feeling about you two for Monday morning. I think things will be just fine and you will be celebrating like crazy!

Mike and Jass

Thank you! And we were celebrating like crazy, we were both just so relieved to have the approval on the visa. That 4 hour wait was like purgatory!

But she's got the visa now and we're both heading to the US on april 4th to JFK, can't wait!

Robert,

They send it to the visa applicant.

Yodrak

... When BNK sends an e-mail with the interview date, do they send it to BOTH the petitioner and beneficiary?!

Robert

In our case they sent the email to me, the petitioner, which I guess technically is the visa applicant? We also received packet 4 in the mail not long after..

[ufkenmill 0]

Thanks Yodrak. The only reason I enquired about an e-mail, is because in Ken's signature, it states he received an e-mail from BNK with the interview date. In Mike's signature, he states he got their interview date from the NVC. That's why I was wondering if there is another way of finding out when the interview date is without waiting for the Consulate to "snail mail" Packet 4 to Chutima, i.e. send an e-mail to BNK or to call the NVC. Either way, I will try doing both, just to see what responce I get.

Robert

Robert,

My appologies - I did not read your post correctly. I read "an e-mail with the interview date" as "mail the interview date".

The notification by post will go to the visa applicant, I don't know about an e-mail with the interview date. Neither my wife not I got an e-mail notification.

As you indicate I don't know how they'd have an e-mail address for either of us. I would not expect them to hunt through the case file for an e-mail address, nor do I expect that they'd note it for the file from any e-mail inquiries about the case.

Yodrak

Yes, I received email notification of an interview date but I don't believe that's the standard method they use to notify the parties involved. In our case, I had been communicating with them regarding other issues in our case and after they received the checklist and DS-230 part I, they emailed and gave us our interview date. Our situation was unique in that we had a good friend of ours who's an American lawyer in bkk (although not immigration lawyer) drop our checklist off for us. This was right at the tail-end of the embassy allowing people to drop off their checklists in person. Anyway, our friend emailed us right after she went there saying that they seemed to be very upset that we had her drop our checklist off for us. So I immediately followed up with the embassy by emailing them and apologizing if we had not followed the correct procedure. They responded back by email with a one liner "your interview date is set for March 20th at 7am".

Also, if you haven't seen it yet, they also post interview dates on their website, but it's usually behind a week or two in updates. Just look for your case # on the Immigration Visa Interview schedule page.

Sorry for any confusion. Best bet is to just email them and ask them. They've always been friendly to me when I've communicated with them.

[mr4422 0]

just an update - Paiwan completed her biometrics today. one step closer.

see the complete "news" article in the Sawasdee AOS thread

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t=0entry86813

[chivasgeo 0]

ufkenmill,

Her interview should be a breeze! Living there and being there for the interview probably helps.

I was there for Jum's interview and she was asked one question, How many times had I been to visit?

The visa was scheduled to be ready the next day at 3PM. We had other travel plans that day to celebrate and after the visa was approved, we made arrangement to pick up the visa the next week.

Hanging out in the lobby outside the interview windows while others get a visa is quite an experience. Just seeing the happy smiles and excited faces of those being granted visas to the U.S. really makes a USC appreciate the country in which we live.

Even hanging out in the little room to the right where the visas are handed out was a good feeling. And when the person's name is called, the long wait is over.

C.J.

It was a piece of cake. Of course I say that now AFTER the fact! lol. Man, those 4 hours of waiting for brutal. C and I were both on the edges of our seats wondering what they were going to ask and if we'd get approved. They asked these questions:

1) She asked me how long I'd been living in thailand and if I spoke thai

2) She asked C how we met

3) She then asked what out plans were upon arriving in the US

4) She asked what degrees we had (I have BS, C has MBA)

5) She showed us each picture we had given her and asked the approximate dates of each and where we were at.

I got the impression she was new on the job, just due to her nervousness (yes, hers). She was extremely nice though and just seemed like an all-around good person. She did her best to make us feel comfortable and told C to not be nervous that everything was going to be fine.

Then, after about 4 minutes total she whipped out the appointment card (which was already filled out by the way) and said congratulations.

That's it, then we picked up the visa yesterday and now we're back in chiang mai after a long over-night busride. We were in BKK for 4 days and had a great time although we're beat. C's a trooper, she's even gone to work today after no sleep on the bus all night.

My wife also had a fast interview, except from a falang male that spoke some Thai!! Anyways, CONGRATS!! and good luck with everything else.

[chivasgeo 0]

George,

We found some very nice homes in Chiang Mai. The price was great. The complex had a club/exercise room room, swimming pool and tennis courts. Homes ran between $60K-$70K and most had a balcony with a view of the mountains in the distance. We also saw some cheaper ones but they were not as nice. We also started looking into a condo in Bangkok which are also reasonable.

We want to get a place either in Chiang Mai or Bangkok to use as a winter home when I retire. It will sure beat spending Dec-March in Wisconsin!

Gene

Hey Gene,

Thats cool, hope it all works out for you. I also have a friend that is in planning stages to retire in Chiang Mai (within 4 years), and he described similar houses at around the same prices. As for me, retire? perhaps in 20 years

[*Robert* 2]

Ken,

First of all... Congratulations to you and C!!! That is great news, and thanks for giving some of the details. Does this mean that Thomas no longer works there?!

I've been checking their Interview schedule page, but haven't seen our case number.

It seems I've hit a brick wall with both e-mailing BNK and calling the NVC. When I talked to the operator at the NVC, she said once it leaves there, they have nothing more to do with it. When I sent an e-mail to BNK, I got an automated reply, which took 5 minutes to read!!! In order to write them back, I need to provide retina scans, DNA strands, and a few other things... don't remember now!

Is that the new practice as well, or were you able to actually e-mail them?

Either way, looks like we'll just have to wait for them to mail "Packet 4" to Chutima. It's just that I'm also nervous about having gotten the timing right with sending in "Packet 3", and hope that it wasn't too early and they put it in the "round file", like they threaten on their web site!!!

I JUST WANT AN INTERVIEW DATE!!! Once we have that, we can take a collective breath, and start making more tentative plans! The waiting is just getting to both of us!

Anyway... I'm glad that you and C will be on your way back to the States, even though I know it will be hard for you to leave Thailand, because I know I wouldn't want to leave! Good luck to both of you!

Robert

Yes, I received email notification of an interview date but I don't believe that's the standard method they use to notify the parties involved. ... They responded back by email with a one liner "your interview date is set for March 20th at 7am".

Also, if you haven't seen it yet, they also post interview dates on their website, but it's usually behind a week or two in updates. Just look for your case # on the Immigration Visa Interview schedule page.

Sorry for any confusion. Best bet is to just email them and ask them. They've always been friendly to me when I've communicated with them.

Edited March 22, 2006 by roi_aggie

[ufkenmill 0]

Thanks alot, we're just really happy to have it over with, the wait, although for us we lucked out and it was only 3 months, is the worst part of the whole process.

I'm not sure who Thomas is but there were 2 american males there helping with other classes of visas it looked like. This woman appeared to be new on the job but was just an outstanding individual in that she really tried to make us both comfortable. She seemed to be genuinely interested in helping us.

As far as the email goes, you have to write "2nd IV Inquiry" in the subject line, followed by YOUR last name and case #. The server automatically responds with the robot email if you don't have that in there.

I also restated this info every time I emailed them:

Petitioner Name

Petitioner SS#

Beneficiary Name and Address

Case # and contact phone #

They replied every time I emailed them although it wasn't always right away. They're pretty busy there. They're doing cambodian visas there too and on the day we were there there were probably 2-300people there over a period of a few hours submitting applications for non-imm and imm visas. We got to the embassy at 6:20am and were last in line.

When you go there, just make sure you're there by 7, you don't need to be first in line at 5am because it doesn't matter much once you get in there. We were last in line outside but everyone else went and sat down inside because there was noone at the window 5, so we stood right next to the window and when the thai staff got there to take the paperwork we were #3 in line. Also, it seemed that they were calling people for interview in a random order and that it didn't matter that we were #3 in line. The couple behind us went before us but each interview only took 15 min's maximum and most were 5 min's.

Leaving Thailand isn't that hard really, I've been here for over 2.5years now and need to get back to the US for awhile to get back to reality.lol. Over here is lala-land and you need a break from it occassionally. Also, I"m tired of eating rice! I love grabpao gai kai dao but I'm tired of it! hehe. I just need a break from here is all. Chiang Mai's a great place to live and to retire though if you wanted. Time doesn't exist here and the people are the friendliest people I've ever known.

I think when we come back though in a 2-3 years we're going to phuket or one of the islands if I can swing it. I prefer salt-water fishing and being near the ocean.

Ken,

First of all... Congratulations to you and C!!! That is great news, and thanks for giving some of the details. Does this mean that Thomas no longer works there?!

I've been checking their Interview schedule page, but haven't seen our case number.

It seems I've hit a brick wall with both e-mailing BNK and calling the NVC. When I talked to the operator at the NVC, she said once it leaves there, they have nothing more to do with it. When I sent an e-mail to BNK, I got an automated reply, which took 5 minutes to read!!! In order to write them back, I need to provide retina scans, DNA strands, and a few other things... don't remember now!

Is that the new practice as well, or were you able to actually e-mail them?

Either way, looks like we'll just have to wait for them to mail "Packet 4" to Chutima. It's just that I'm also nervous about having gotten the timing right with sending in "Packet 3", and hope that it wasn't too early and they put it in the "round file", like they threaten on their web site!!!

I JUST WANT AN INTERVIEW DATE!!! Once we have that, we can take a collective breath, and start making more tentative plans! The waiting is just getting to both of us!

Anyway... I'm glad that you and C will be on your way back to the States, even though I know it will be hard for you to leave Thailand, because I know I wouldn't want to leave! Good luck to both of you!

Robert

Yes, I received email notification of an interview date but I don't believe that's the standard method they use to notify the parties involved. ... They responded back by email with a one liner "your interview date is set for March 20th at 7am".

Also, if you haven't seen it yet, they also post interview dates on their website, but it's usually behind a week or two in updates. Just look for your case # on the Immigration Visa Interview schedule page.

Sorry for any confusion. Best bet is to just email them and ask them. They've always been friendly to me when I've communicated with them.

ufkenmill,

Her interview should be a breeze! Living there and being there for the interview probably helps.

I was there for Jum's interview and she was asked one question, How many times had I been to visit?

The visa was scheduled to be ready the next day at 3PM. We had other travel plans that day to celebrate and after the visa was approved, we made arrangement to pick up the visa the next week.

Hanging out in the lobby outside the interview windows while others get a visa is quite an experience. Just seeing the happy smiles and excited faces of those being granted visas to the U.S. really makes a USC appreciate the country in which we live.

Even hanging out in the little room to the right where the visas are handed out was a good feeling. And when the person's name is called, the long wait is over.

C.J.

It was a piece of cake. Of course I say that now AFTER the fact! lol. Man, those 4 hours of waiting for brutal. C and I were both on the edges of our seats wondering what they were going to ask and if we'd get approved. They asked these questions:

1) She asked me how long I'd been living in thailand and if I spoke thai

2) She asked C how we met

3) She then asked what out plans were upon arriving in the US

4) She asked what degrees we had (I have BS, C has MBA)

5) She showed us each picture we had given her and asked the approximate dates of each and where we were at.

I got the impression she was new on the job, just due to her nervousness (yes, hers). She was extremely nice though and just seemed like an all-around good person. She did her best to make us feel comfortable and told C to not be nervous that everything was going to be fine.

Then, after about 4 minutes total she whipped out the appointment card (which was already filled out by the way) and said congratulations.

That's it, then we picked up the visa yesterday and now we're back in chiang mai after a long over-night busride. We were in BKK for 4 days and had a great time although we're beat. C's a trooper, she's even gone to work today after no sleep on the bus all night.

My wife also had a fast interview, except from a falang male that spoke some Thai!! Anyways, CONGRATS!! and good luck with everything else.

Thanks!

[statman78 0]

Hi Gene,

Welcome back to the forum..I am very glad to see you here again!

Sumitta

Thanks! It's good to be back.

[statman78 0]

Can someone please explain this to me? I am in the process of filing for AOS in the next day or so. I've been trying to decide whether or not to file the EAD paperwork as well. A friend directed me to this link:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/36f3b2ee954...b4?OpenDocument

From the above link is the following statement:

The following lists nonimmigrants, by alien classification, who are authorized to work in the U.S. without specific authorization from INS. The alien’s I-94 will not have the INS employment authorization stamp and the alien will not have an EAD.

In that list for class of admission is K-1 (Fiance(e) of U.S. citizen)

What am I missing here? My wife would like to work and the above indicates there should be NO NEED to file for EAD and pay the fee. But, her S.S.N. card indicates:

VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION

Rich

Rich,

I think your wife's status changes after marriage. She may not be considered a K-1 visa holder. Ying was in the same situation and needed EAD to work while waiting for her green card.

George,

We found some very nice homes in Chiang Mai. The price was great. The complex had a club/exercise room room, swimming pool and tennis courts. Homes ran between $60K-$70K and most had a balcony with a view of the mountains in the distance. We also saw some cheaper ones but they were not as nice. We also started looking into a condo in Bangkok which are also reasonable.

We want to get a place either in Chiang Mai or Bangkok to use as a winter home when I retire. It will sure beat spending Dec-March in Wisconsin!

Gene

Hey Gene,

Thats cool, hope it all works out for you. I also have a friend that is in planning stages to retire in Chiang Mai (within 4 years), and he described similar houses at around the same prices. As for me, retire? perhaps in 20 years

George,

I still have some time before retirement too (10-14 years) but we are still considereing buying something within the next few years. May be we can rent it out to VJ members that are heading back to Thailand to visit family.

[Tiksman 0]

Our case was sent to Bangkok yesterday the 21st. There was 2 cases sent to BNK on the 21st.. Hey Thai2luv maybe the other case is yours!!!

[statman78 0]

Our case was sent to Bangkok yesterday the 21st. There was 2 cases sent to BNK on the 21st.. Hey Thai2luv maybe the other case is yours!!!

Congratulations! One step closer! Good Luck!

About 1 week after Ying's case was sent to Bangkok she started calling the embassy to make sure it arrived. The day after it arrived she turned in her paperwork so that an interview date could be assigned.

[Yodrak 7]

Mike,

I agree with them - if it were my wife, I wouldn't be worrying about it. I don't think there is a problem.

But then, I wouldn't have gone off and gotten the forms from a source other than the visa application package from the consulate or the clinic that performed the examination.

Yodrak

I am a little frustrated right now. I just got off the phone with Jass and a very nice lady at the hospital. The nice lady is insisting that her medical is good for one year(wrong only 6 months). They just don't understand! I told her they were the wrong forms.... that they had expired. She said that they would call the Embassy to make sure we could use these forms.( I do not believe she understands the problem sufficiently enough to explain it to the Embassy) I told her that I would pay whatever they wanted to transfer the information on to the new forms...but i was not going to fly half way around the world to be told by the Embassy that I have given then expired forms. She said that they didn't have any different forms there at the hospital. I told her that Jass had the new forms with her. She looked at the forms and could see the new expiration dates of 2007. She said that she understood. I am hoping that she did but i just don't believe it at this time.

Why are they so convinced that i am asking for something that I do not need?

Mike

[ufkenmill 0]

Our case was sent to Bangkok yesterday the 21st. There was 2 cases sent to BNK on the 21st.. Hey Thai2luv maybe the other case is yours!!!

Congratulations! One step closer! Good Luck!

About 1 week after Ying's case was sent to Bangkok she started calling the embassy to make sure it arrived. The day after it arrived she turned in her paperwork so that an interview date could be assigned.

But now the embassy doesn't accept any phone calls in the IV unit for these types of inquiries. You have to email them or write them a letter. If you call you'll get a voice mail with a dead end...