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| Bangkok, Thailand |  Review on July 11, 2008: |
Esoterica
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
At the interview, my fiancee was challenged about why she didn't know exactly how many times I've been to Thailand. Given that I've made the trip maybe 30 times in the past 50 years for business, I didn't know the exact number myself. Finally, gave her a tentative thumbs up except requested she get a document from the local offical of her home town that she had never been married before, presumably because she has a daughter but the relationship with the father was never registered. Had to scramble with that and took them a week to get the visa afterwards. In fact, said they'd call us when it was ready but should be ready by 6/6 at the latest. Didn't hear anything and we were getting antsy by the morning of Friday 6/6, since we had tickets to fly out Saturday 6/7, so just showed up at the embassy. The immigration agent (a Thai man) said he was supposed to have issued the visa that morning but "made a mistake and didn't get to it". I told him it had been promised to us by Friday and we had made plans based on that to fly out the next day. He sheepishly, said to come back that afternoon and he'd try to get it for us. Fortunately he did.
Frankly, I felt the immigration officer was rather rude to my fiancee during her interview, who speaks reasonably good English, and who I could overhear during the interview. But then, he came across that way with other people I heard him with. I appreciate they need to vet out these people to be sure it is legitimate, but it is also a difficult and intimidating process to being with and he clearly could care less. I think the Thai agent who was processing the visa probably just screwed up and was hoping no one would catch him (I think he actually had to go ask for a favor from a superior to get her visa issued on Friday) but I can fault him for not at least calling us to let us know the status. If we hadn't shown up Friday, we wouldn't have heard anything whereas they promised they'd tell us by Friday.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #3114