Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (TL to AZ @ Nov 4 2009, 09:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE Sounds to me like A LOT of stereotyping and conjecture going on. Adding to the fun wrt stereotypes.... US national approvers... After going through the lengthily essays and entrance requirements to some high-speed school, say Georgetown's School of International Relations, and being told over and over again during the difficult Foreign Service Exam process that they are special akin to Jefferson and Dulles, and after finally securing a position representing the good-old-US of A in a hostile world where they are the only line of defense, all FSO's start out in the Embassy/Consulate processing paperwork, mostly for the local nationals where they are stationed. This is a tedious job, but all must do this before being considered for the truly career making (history making...wealth making) positions dealing with policy development, international negotiations, and financial deal brokering.... In fact, poorer performing FSOs in those career paths tend to end up managing the consulates... not high-end statesmen... no pictures on stamps....or passages in text books...etc. There are few opportunities to shine as a droog, but many opportunities to screw up and end a career path they have been told...is their special ... destiny. And the easiest anomaly to trace back to a specific 1st year FSO is when a visa beneficiary violates their visa. I am surprised anyone gets a visa to come to this country... Interesting... where did you find that? Or did you write it?	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-11-04 23:02:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (AaronLV @ Nov 4 2009, 10:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> But since you are a professor, I will over look most of what you say I look forward to that very much, Aaron.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-11-04 22:56:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (*Robert* @ Nov 4 2009, 06:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sounds to me like A LOT of stereotyping and conjecture going on. I wonder, Tom, if your wife fell into category 2, if you'd be going on the way you are about how great category 1 is? I also find it amazing how you know the inner thought process' of the COs so well. That is a true gift. The bottom line concerning getting a visa is: having all the proper evidence and proving a bona fide relationship. I'm going on about how great category 1 is? Where? I just believe it tends to be easier for that group. I didn't say that one group was better, and certainly have nothing to do with the process. I didn't say that I agree with this situation or anything like that. You are being overly sensitive. I don't know their inner thought processes at all--and that is exactly the point. We just know the outcomes. The embassy is a black box. We can look at what goes in and what comes out. We have no idea how the data is processed inside the box, and therefore it simple probability--from our perspective--as to what comes out of that box. You are correct about the bottom line, which I have not addressed at all.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-11-04 18:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (DaveTX @ Nov 4 2009, 03:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> We've gone over all my info several times... practiced again last night. Explaining any detail about my job is probably a problem.... it's not easy to explain to a native English speaker to start with and she has a lot of trouble pronouncing the word "semiconductors". I guess we're just going through normal obsessing that there is some random red flag we don't know about which is based on the examiner's discretion that she'll get surprised with at the interview! Actually--in my opinion and perhaps no one else's--I think that not that much depends on the specific examiner, EXCEPT that Thai-speaking examiners seem to be more harsh than English-speaking examiners. Also the examiner is going to have a preconceived notion about you before you walk through the door. In most cases, it seems that the examiner is either instantly mean or instantly friendly. I suspect that that positive or negative attitude is not based on the thoughts of just one single examiner. It then becomes the beneficiary's job to either change the negative opinion or maintain the positive opinion. I have seen "instantly friendly" interviews go down the toilet, but it is usually because of something that the beneficiary did during the interview. Like show up with wedding pictures for a K1 interview, or not know anything about her fiancee's personal life. Once in a while it is because the examiner notices something in the documentation that they did not notice before. Yes, sometimes there is a loose cannon at the embassy, but I think that is the exception rather than the rule. One of my wife's friends used to work there and she told us that--in the end--very few K1s are ultimately denied in Bangkok. But many do require more than one interview, and some take quite a while. I had a student there that said the same thing... but his number one memory of working in the BKK embassy was the number of Americans that called the embassy (from the US) to say that their son/husband/uncle/friend/cousin went to Thailand and has disappeared. He said that happened every day. It always ended up being a voluntary disappearance... QUOTE (DaveTX @ Nov 4 2009, 03:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> FWIW I don't think she would have a chance in hell of getting a B Visa...... Most under 30 single women that I know that get them own a business and/or a house and have multimillion baht bank accounts (or they have parents that hire them as officers in their parents' companies). Edited by toma1, 04 November 2009 - 05:49 PM.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-11-04 17:46:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (Kang Lang @ Nov 4 2009, 12:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> i don't want to get into the debate on what causes additional scrutiny etc. i do however want to point out that there are MALE beneficiaries. i realize the vast majority here are female beneficiaries but not all. actually in my actual life i know more male benficiaries. just pointing it out as there are OTHER points of reference and different experiences. Good point.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-11-04 12:37:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (rsn @ Nov 4 2009, 10:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> B and F visas? This is what you are basing some of your conclusions on? Non-immigrant visas are not even in the same ballpark as IVs/spousal/fiancee visas. Of course employment and wealth have an effect on B visas, but they have no effect whatsoever on IVs! Some of your experience appears to be with non-immigrant visas, yet you are applying the same standards to immigrant visa cases when offering advice to the poster. I am pointing out that people in certain categories seem to be treated better than others regardless of the type of visa they have applied for. As I said, I have seen the same things with K and CR visas. QUOTE (rsn @ Nov 4 2009, 10:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Also, it is NOT "common knowledge" that your English proficiency has any effect on the outcome of an IV interview. You can find many cases in the Sawasdee threads alone of successful interviews conducted in Thai. Saying something is common knowledge doesn't make it so. I absolutely disagree. The fact that there are "many" does not mean that the probability is equal. Basic stats. For example, one approval rate may be 80% and the other 95%... both would have "many" that are approved on the first try. QUOTE (rsn @ Nov 4 2009, 10:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Please show me one case where an applicant's visa approval was prolonged because they worked as a legitimate employee in a bar. Please show me an applicant that worked as a legitimate employee in a bar... I have no idea what they were doing in the bar, but the fact that they worked in the bar raised a red flag that had to be dealt with later.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-11-04 10:54:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (DaveTX @ Nov 3 2009, 09:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> More lively set of responses than I expected! My situation doesn't fit cleanly in either of those lists.... my fiancee is from the NE, but she has a college degree, she only graduated in December 2008 so her job history is nothing to write home about.. 1 month waiting tables until she found a job as a CSR in a law firm which she quit recently. If she ever worked in a bar, it's not on the forms and I'm not aware of it. The relationship has gone on around 8 months, not sure if that is short or not. A lot of the information in the lists doesn't seem like it would be available to the examiner unless they asked... there is no education section that I could find. My fiancee has "student" on her G-325 simply because it asks for the last 5 years and 4 of those she was a student. I get the strong impression, especially given people's responses to my question, that it's heavily dependent on the discretion and subjective judgment of whichever person in the embassy works on it. So what causes red flags with one examiner might change completely when it's someone else looking at it. For evidence to take to the interview we have 28 pictures together taken over two different trips in various places from Angkor Wat to pictures with her family at their home. I put in about 60 pages of email and chat (I have 100s of pages more). Since I noticed Skype supported Thailand we've talked on the phone more than anything... 3-5 times a day since July and I included all those phone records. Passport stamps/boarding passes/etc for my 3 trips are in there too. English is how we communicate and I can't see her having any problem doing the interview in English unless she got really flustered or nervous. Neither of us have kids, nor have either of us ever been married before. Ironically her sister, who lives in France, speaks the best English in the family-- she could almost pass for a US native. Wasted in France! She was MUCH more worried about it before her medical exam. There were several other ladies there she was talking to who were getting exams for Visas then too.. including one who said she'd gotten a K-1 in the past and was trying for another. A lot of them had far more complications (prior marriages, kids, a couple with bar girl employment, etc.). In comparison, it made our situation seem a lot less risky to her. They ask for education and employment history on the DS-230. Based on this, I think, unless you have a problem in your paperwork that I am unaware of, that you will be fine. DO make sure that she knows your basic life history and practice some of the questions that you find here. She should know your birthday, occupation, education, and family (brothers, sisters, parents names) information. As long as she knows the basics, I would be surprised if she did not get a visa two days after the interview. Don't worry about it.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-11-03 21:54:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (rsn @ Nov 3 2009, 06:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Actually, I take back my comment about agreeing with "ever worked in a bar". Unless there is compelling evidence that the person working in the bar was involved in any seedy transactions, the embassy has no basis to deny the visa. Thinking about this even more, I can't fathom how you can come to the conclusions you have drawn here. I simply don't see any reason why most, if not all of these items would have any affect on the outcome of a visa application at all. I don't think we are talking about "basis to deny". The OP appeared to be talking about receiving the visa immediately, and I said that certain things seem to cause "increased scrutiny" which leads to delays in the process. The effect on the outcome comes because when an application receives increased scrutiny, the person adjudicating the case is more likely to find a problem than if the case receives lower scrutiny. Is that not obvious? If you actually believe that putting "Bar Employee" on an application in BKK will not increase the probability that that application will receive administrative processing (regardless of the final outcome), then I'm not sure what else to say. Frankly, nearly all of my experience outside VJ is with people in the first group. Not only have there been no K or CR visa denials within that group, they have all received visas immediately and ALL of them (100%) reported that the Americans that they dealt with in the BKK Embassy were friendly and professional. (I have heard a FEW complaints about the Thai nationals that work there, but not many.) Of people in that group that applied for B visas, I have seen, I believe, TWO denials, one of which turned up with no documentation AT ALL. The vast majority of the rest (including a lot of single women under age 30) received 10 year visas on the first try. I've seen zero F visa denials among the kids of parents that fall into that group, as well. I'm not saying that there have never been any, but I have not seen one, and I have seen a LOT. My experience with the second group comes mostly from VJ denials. In the cases in which I have seen problems, assuming we knew something about the beneficiary, it turned out, in every case that the beneficiary fell--to one degree or another--into the second group. I found it to be quite humorous that the LV poster denied all of this and then later said, "We had issues when we went through, but it wasn't related to any of the above, it was related to our evidence...my wife was from the NE, and we had a short relationship". That's all well and good, but I have seen people that fall into the first group approved on what appeared--to me at least--to be rather light evidence more than once. We have also seen MANY cases here in which women whose English was poor reported being treated badly in the Embassy. I think it's common knowledge around here that if you are capable of interviewing in English, that you would be wise to do so. Yet you "can't fathom" how I come to these conclusions? That's fine; we can agree to disagree on the subject and move on.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-11-03 20:40:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (AaronLV @ Nov 3 2009, 05:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> And I am sure because you have a Large Sampling (from visa journey), it does not happen. This website is a small percentage of the people who go through BKK, maybe everyone who is educated here on VJ has made it through, but I have seen plenty of un-educated people go through also, so your statement has no basis in facts. We have talked with many people that have gone through the process that are here now, and have found those things to be generally true. I've met a lot of college educated+ Thais. (I teach at the university level over there in the summer.) And as I said before, I have yet to meet a college educated Thai that had a good job in Bangkok that was not approved on the first try after what--from the interviewee's perspective--seemed like a perfunctory interview. The fact--and you are correct about that--that an educated person might realistically have even more reason to come here does not seem to matter in reality. QUOTE (AaronLV @ Nov 3 2009, 05:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Education does not correlate to having money, and the people at the embassy I am sure are well aware of this That's utter BS. Do you need me to corroborate that, or can you Google it on your own?	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-11-03 17:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (AaronLV @ Nov 3 2009, 05:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think you are way off base with your comments above, and typical thinking of someone who thinks education and money makes you a better person. I didn't say that it was fair. I said it seems to be true.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-11-03 17:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (rsn @ Nov 3 2009, 05:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (toma1 @ Nov 3 2009, 04:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (DaveTX @ Nov 3 2009, 04:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> So in the excruciating count down to interview time, my fiancee is obsessing about all the possible things that can go wrong in the interview and have the visa denied. I don't recall seeing anyone denied from the Bangkok embassy for a K-1 and post about it here. Anyone know of anyone denied and why? Most people are eventually approved. Bangkok is better than many other places, that's for sure. But if you haven't seen any denials, then I think you probably didn't go back far enough. There are lots that have not been approved on the first try. Many of those got a visa on the second try. I think the most common reason was that the embassy did not believe the relationship was real. From what I can tell, the more reasons the beneficiary has NOT to leave Thailand, the more likely the visa is to be granted. For example: Things like this tend to result in a favorable decision on the first try: has a good job owns property in Thailand has money has a college education speaks English fluently is from Bangkok long relationships Things like this tend to cause more scrutiny: not enough photos of you together in different places at widely different times does not speak English well (especially if you do not speak Thai) no high school education no job/money is from the Northeast short relationships ever worked in a bar Hmm, I'm not sure I agree with your list. In fact, the only ones I agree with are from your 2nd list are: not enough photos of you together in different places at widely different times ever worked in a bar (possibly) short relationships The rest of your items sound more like speculation and I'm curious how you came up with these lists. For example, how would the CO even know if the applicant has money or owns property? This information is never requested on any of the spousal or fiancee visa forms I've seen. Perhaps income is simply correlated with education and job, which IS asked on the forms and I have never heard of a 4-year college graduate with a good job in Thailand being refused. Call it speculation if you like, but I have not seen it happen. There are people who have been around here longer than me, however. Maybe one of them can provide an example. The English issue is clear. Women that speak English poorly seem to be treated very poorly in the BKK embassy. Women that speak fluently tend to be treated very well. This issue has come up many times.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-11-03 17:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (DaveTX @ Nov 3 2009, 04:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> So in the excruciating count down to interview time, my fiancee is obsessing about all the possible things that can go wrong in the interview and have the visa denied. I don't recall seeing anyone denied from the Bangkok embassy for a K-1 and post about it here. Anyone know of anyone denied and why? Most people are eventually approved. Bangkok is better than many other places, that's for sure. But if you haven't seen any denials, then I think you probably didn't go back far enough. There are lots that have not been approved on the first try. Many of those got a visa on the second try. I think the most common reason was that the embassy did not believe the relationship was real. From what I can tell, the more reasons the beneficiary has NOT to leave Thailand, the more likely the visa is to be granted. For example: Things like this tend to result in a favorable decision on the first try: has a good job owns property in Thailand has money has a college education speaks English fluently is from Bangkok long relationships Things like this tend to cause more scrutiny: not enough photos of you together in different places at widely different times does not speak English well (especially if you do not speak Thai) no high school education no job/money is from the Northeast short relationships ever worked in a bar	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-11-03 17:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	I found a phone company that will give you a phone number with two lines and UNLIMITED calling around the US AND to Thailand (and several other countries) for $7.95 a month. No setup fees, no contracts, no taxes. I don't know how they will stay in business doing that, but right now it works. Remember: It's not just long distance. They provide you home phone service for that price as well. You do need to buy a VOIP router or provide your own. You need to be a bit tech savvy to get it set up. There is almost ZERO customer service and for that price you should not expect any. This is a do it yourself phone service to a large extent. I would not consider using this as my only phone, but its great to have in addition to you mobile phone. If you have problems getting a multi computer home network working, you should probably look elsewhere. But once you get it working the calls are very clear. My wife says the calls to her parents are as clear as being in the next room. I successfully unlocked the old Linksys SPA2012 VOIP router that SunRocket gave me before they went bankrupt, and I got it to work with this service after fooling around with it for a few days. The company is Versafon.com If you happen to have an SPA2012, I may be able to help with the settings. I will warn you, however that if you got it from Sunrocket, unlocking it is quite a chore! Edited by toma1, 30 October 2009 - 08:27 PM.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-10-30 20:23:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (daboyz @ Oct 25 2009, 10:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (toma1 @ Oct 25 2009, 09:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (daboyz @ Oct 25 2009, 10:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (thongd4me @ Oct 25 2009, 09:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Being neutral does not mean refusing to stand when the King's anthem is played in a cinema. I'm just going with the flow. Walk a fine line here sunshine. I doubt anyone would take the view of disposing the king. Look at the countries nearby. Laos, Cambodia, Burma. They are all in disarray. You'll never be a Thai citizen. I would love to be in that movie theater when you don't stand. I would be the first one to put my foot in you're a$$. You have no idea what that man did for Thailand. I'll leave at that. Don't ever.. ever talk bad about the King here. Huh?? I think you've misread something. I added some hi-lighting for you... Look because you bought a few condos or what ever over there. You don't have a clue. I'm real tired of your fake a$$ Thailand. Go up country and get back to me. What the hell is wrong with you? First, you've confused me with someone else. Second, you didn't even read his post correctly.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-10-25 21:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (daboyz @ Oct 25 2009, 10:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (thongd4me @ Oct 25 2009, 09:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Being neutral does not mean refusing to stand when the King's anthem is played in a cinema. I'm just going with the flow. Walk a fine line here sunshine. I doubt anyone would take the view of disposing the king. Look at the countries nearby. Laos, Cambodia, Burma. They are all in disarray. You'll never be a Thai citizen. I would love to be in that movie theater when you don't stand. I would be the first one to put my foot in you're a$$. You have no idea what that man did for Thailand. I'll leave at that. Don't ever.. ever talk bad about the King here. Huh?? I think you've misread something. I added some hi-lighting for you...	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-10-25 21:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (DaveTX @ Oct 21 2009, 02:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You got the visa... chalk it up as a win and get on with your life together. This doesn't seem like a worthwhile battle. That's exactly right. This kind of behavior actually has a name, of course: http://en.wikipedia....ng_at_windmills	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-10-21 14:00:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (MarkNAam @ Oct 12 2009, 04:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey Hyena, Thanks for the clarification. I now understand that you were talking about a shortage of jobs for nurses...most likely due to an overabundance of nurses, currently. My mistake... My ex is a nurse (RN)...and I remember when she was in college and for the longest time there it was the opposite situation...more openings than nurses... Tough spot...blessings and good luck! Just saw this today: Some studies and reports have found that the shortage of hospital nurses in the USA has been temporarily reduced by the 2009 economic recession. However, emergency and acute care nurses are still in great demand, and this temporary reduction of the shortage is not expected to last as the economy improves. In 2009, it was reported that in places like Des Moines, Iowa that newly graduated nurses are having more difficulty finding jobs and older nurses are delaying retirement due to economic conditions. This hiring situation was mostly found in hospitals whereas nursing homes continued to hire and recruit nurses in strong numbers.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-10-12 16:08:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (eric_f @ Sep 22 2009, 11:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi all, just dropping in to say that we got the visa on 9 September. 7 1/2 months in AP :'( We're planning on going to the states when I finish my deployment to Japan in January. Later, ~Eric Congrats! Do you have any idea what caused you to get AP in the first place or why you were in AP for so long?	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-24 20:16:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (AaronLV @ Sep 17 2009, 01:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Not exactly sure why you would open an educational IRA for your SO. They are for a child under 18. It can be used up to age 30.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-17 09:31:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (TL to AZ @ Sep 16 2009, 10:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I was wondering... at what point can I open accounts like a Roth IRA or educational IRA for my soon to arrive SO? Is the SS Card the gating item? SHe will eventually be working and she does plan on getting some high quality US education... 1. Will it be long enough into the future to make going to all that trouble worthwhile? If she's planning to go to school in 10 years... fine. But if she's planning to go in two... that's unlikely to be worthwhile. 2. You don't have to put it in her name in order for her to get the eventual benefit. Edited by toma1, 17 September 2009 - 09:27 AM.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-17 09:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (HYENA @ Sep 17 2009, 01:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You can find me with this picture...type Rob Hyena on the search and that's me! I didn't find you on Facebook with that info.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-17 00:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (daboyz @ Sep 17 2009, 01:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> seems like it could go on for more than 10 years if the beneficiary doesn't work. Bingo... that's why I said "If you read the instructions carefully, the 10 years is a minimum, it could be much longer."	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-17 00:30:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (HYENA @ Sep 17 2009, 01:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey one question...I need to still qualify for income requirements here for AOS? Definitely, and the documentation requirements become much more strict on the AOS forms. The other change is that on that form, you (or your co-sponsor if you go that route) must agree to support your beneficiary for 10 years--even if you get divorced. The beneficiary can sue you OR your co-sponsor for support. If the beneficiary gets government aid, the government can sue you OR your co-sponsor to repay the benefits given. If you read the instructions carefully, the 10 years is a minimum, it could be much longer. Be sure your co-sponsor is aware of this. QUOTE (HYENA @ Sep 17 2009, 01:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I know Thai embassy doesn't accept cosponsors but any direction I'd greatly appreciate. You're not dealing with the embassy anymore, so it's a non-issue. You can have a co-sponsor.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-17 00:20:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (*Robert* @ Sep 14 2009, 08:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> As you pointed out... traveling before "Residency" is approved, doesn't count. Once someone receives either their 2 yr or 10 yr GC, that is when the clock starts ticking. It's too bad that they don't just issue a 3 year GC and replace it with a passport at the end of the three year period, instead of converting it for just one year... but then again, who ever said the process was logical.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-14 20:08:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (*Robert* @ Sep 14 2009, 07:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> As a reminder, keep track of all your trips outside of the US, and the total number days you were outside the country, as you will need that for Naturalization. A lot of people at this stage of the immigration process aren't aware of the requirements for Naturalization. I would recommend to anyone thinking about filing a N-400 to download the form and instructions, and be prepared to provide all the information. Just because its 3 years away doesn't mean you can't be prepared! That's good advice. However it may not apply to us, because: 1. She had advance parole at the time and was not yet a PR. 2. We are in a special category as I am "a U.S. citizen who is an employee of an American institution of research recognized by the Attorney General". This apparently wipes out the continuous residency requirements. If I am sent overseas for more than a year, it apparently wipes out ALL residency requirements. Edited by toma1, 14 September 2009 - 07:43 PM.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-14 19:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	Does anyone here live in Tampa Bay, and if so, would you like to get together for dinner, drinks, movies, whatever sometime? Let me know! On another note... how come no one posted any of their engagement/wedding pix?!!	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-14 18:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (MarkNAam @ Sep 14 2009, 03:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Of course I am evangelical, that comes along with being a practicing Catholic. Well, theoretically, yes. But in reality I've known very few Catholics that were REALLY evangelical. (Maybe I should point out that I am defining evangelical in the same sense that certain Southern Baptists, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc. define it. My ex- fell into one of those groups.) QUOTE (MarkNAam @ Sep 14 2009, 03:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I (just personally) find this method so much more efficient for opening up considerate inter-religious dialogue than being a ‘bible banger’ and spreading fear about Christianity through condemnation. You won't find me on a street corner with a bullhorn That's good! We already have one of those here on campus that shouts down all of the students. QUOTE (MarkNAam @ Sep 14 2009, 03:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Actually, it is pretty easy to be a Catholic and talk faith with other religions…where I have the most difficult time is when I try to talk faith with other Christian sects…<sigh>…I just don’t dig all the fire and brimstone…or the literal (compulsary...as you said) approach to faith…I think that is what you’re getting from your friend… Well, I meant that my wife's friend (a Thai woman) is getting that treatment from her Christian (not Catholic) husband and is not very happy. QUOTE (MarkNAam @ Sep 14 2009, 03:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Its good that you respect your wife’s faith…perhaps you can pick up on it more in the future…that would be good for the family. Haha, well, while she chats with her friends outside the Temple, I take a half hour to sit silently inside and meditate. Like I said I'm not religious, but I see the value in meditation, and that is a very conducive place for it.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-14 16:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (*Robert* @ Sep 14 2009, 05:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Good to see you again Tom, and congratulations on the AOS! Thanks! We were in Asia most of the summer. QUOTE (*Robert* @ Sep 14 2009, 05:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (He just added the floating Jesus gif to his signature which scares me a little!! ) Haha, yeah, that was exactly what made me think to ask him...	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-14 16:13:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (HYENA @ Sep 13 2009, 10:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm sure she feels she's in a pressure cooker wanting to help out, frustrated she can't work yet and we're in limbo. I have no idea what to do...have enough for marriage but AOS before 3 months (that's the next step, right?) is over a grand so I gotta wait on that. We wanted a nice, pretty wedding but I'm completely screwed jobwise...never been without one in my life. You're not married yet? So you didn't file your AOS? If not, you may ALSO need a cosponsor in addition to the $1000, because you have to meet some pretty serious income requirements to file the AOS paperwork.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-13 21:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (louisthani @ Sep 13 2009, 07:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well I was previously in Aircraft maintenance (yes I had an aviation management bachelors prior to that) at the time we were getting married and bringing her to US, she boasted to her family and friends that I was an Engineer and made lots of money (no idea where she was getting this, I was not sending her money and I made it straightforward that I had debt, she didnt or must have not known what debt was???). And things went downhill when she realized none of this was true and she had to work, she was dreaming of a BMW and all kinds of luxuries and very dissappointed that it was not a reality. Well we became incompatible anyway and divorced. (real reason was she was extremely violent with everyone around her in the US including her coworkers and me) Even the police had to come to get her off of me. She had 30 days to leave the country after divorce, but I guess she stayed because it seems she is some accountant for the state government 4 years later and still retains my last name I never got anything back from immigration and I had never filed for AOS when she came on her K3, you have 2 years to do it, but it was over in 1 year so I never bothered and did nothing else since we divorced 1 year from entry and rule was 30 days to leave US. But yes my case is very rare and isolated. Wow... that sucks. The most spoiled girl I ever dated was a professor. I later found out that she was the daughter of a provincial governor. I thought she was wonderfully funny and articulate, but she did act a bit spoiled in "life". When she got mad at her boss, she just wouldn't turn up for work for three days. I said, "won't they fire you?", and of course the answer was, "they can't fire me..."	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-13 19:05:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (MarkNAam @ Sep 13 2009, 10:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey Brother toma1, My wife and I are both life long Catholics...so we never had any difficulties...and her entire family is Catholic as well. Catholics tend to be ecumenical, and my wife and I happen to be extremely ecumenical and realize that there are nuggets of truth in all religions, and therefore all religions are deserving of respect. So, for us, it was not difficult to be Catholics in Thailand and therefore I never really had to deal with that issue. However, I can imagine that it would be difficult for a Buddhist to move to America...we tend to be less gracious that our Thai counterparts (at times...) Peace to you and your wife, MarkNAAm IC, that's great for you two! My best friend is Catholic, and super-ecumenical as well. But most Catholics I know are also not very religious, so I wrongly assumed you to be evangelical. My wife has one friend in particular that feels (what word is just short of "forced" or "compelled", maybe "very strongly pressured" would be correct) to be a member of their husband's evangelical church and are not happy with that aspect of their lives so I wondered about your situation. My wife is Buddhist, but not strongly so, so we have no religious issues whatsoever. We go to the Thai temple 3-4 times per year. Even if she was a strong Buddhist, it would probably not have been an issue. Which is a welcome change from my ex- who was also a fan of compulsory religion.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-13 18:54:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (HYENA @ Sep 13 2009, 05:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> guess I write too much. The "friend" I saw on FB after 22 years so no I didn't know his whole situation that's just the little he told me; I'm sure there was much more to it but I wasn't about to ask. Maybe I vented too much here and got crabby amidst my stop drinking/smoking (which was not easy) but I'm all done. I definitely don't vent like that to her so please forgive me. If you don't smoke, don't start! It's hell getting off them like a demon inside you trying to kill you before it leaves and you're reaching for something you can't have. I told her it wasn't fair to her I did and she didn't so I had to stop...for me also and for spiritual reasons...just clean it all out and be done. I just feel I'm in a pressure cooker and about to fall apart with no job and she wants a job now and almost seems angry, doesn't believe me she can't yet and she reminds me (Mr. No job who's about to lose everything) she wants a house in Thailand and a car...in Thailand. I've never been without a job in my life. She is angry I seemed to have come down with the non pig flu (high fever, etc...apparently pig flu I had last month has no cross immunity so here I go again)! She told me to go to the doc but she doesn't understand no insurance, no job, no doc and it's only the flu. I'm sure there's some communication gap where she thinks I'm full of excuses not to work and pretending to be sick? I dunno but her reaction is opposite what i'd think as I knew her before. I just can't keep up with what she wants, trying to keep my own head above water and overall I'm worried. I have listened to all of you; critical or not. THanks for taking the time. I'm not perfect; just not used to someone being angry for things out of my control, we both likely assume too much and this no job ####### is killing me. Her demands for large items abroad sickens me and worries me, as well. Oh well, she's got the door locked upstairs so I'm on the couch; I thought we had a great day, too. If this is truly a balanced perspective, then yeah, it doesn't sound good. But only you know that. My wife (AND I) also want to get a condo in Bangkok for investment purposes as well as to have somewhere to stay in Sukhumvit. (She already owned a house and a car there long before I met her, but its not convenient to where I typically work.) But it was my idea and we both want that. There are a lot of unanswered questions in your post: Why does your wife want a house and car in Thailand? There could be a million reasons... many good. What did she do for work before you met? Can she do that here? You said, "her reaction is opposite what i'd think as I knew her before". How long did you know her? Was she a gentle lamb for 3 years and now is not? That could be homesickness. The last sentence, in my mind, is the worst one: "she's got the door locked upstairs so I'm on the couch". I'm not sure what to say about that, but it's not a healthy sign for any marriage, let alone newlyweds.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-13 08:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (MarkNAam @ Sep 13 2009, 07:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> For me, I pray alot...give it a shot...since you mentioned the spiritual aspect... I looked at your profile. You seem to be overtly Christian, and I'm guessing your wife is or was Buddhist. How did you deal with that issue? I'm non-religious, so it was not a problem for us, but it has been an issue for some of my wife's friends here.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-13 08:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	Q-bar has good music and DJs for sure, but my wife (girlfriend at the time) never would go with me. She finally told me that it was because there were "too many prostitutes there". Apparently another Western guy took her there once before. Her friends all asked her, "Are you really going to Q-bar?" It was almost scandalous. And sure enough, she had several farang ask her, "hey honey, how much?" That was her one and only visit. I can't even get her to go to Phuket because the rude farang will actually walk up and ask for sex. She just avoids it... and in her own country, too. And yet so many farang have the nerve to talk about "Thai women". If anyone wants to see some of the better clubs in Thailand--where normal Thai's go with their friends--get in a Taxi and tell them to take you to "RCA" (Royal City Avenue). They have some fantastic clubs on that street, and nary a prostitute in the entire area. You can buy a bottle of JW Black Label for around $45-$50--a fantastic price for a club--and most of them will store it for you when you are ready to go so that you can make multiple trips to that club and keep using that same bottle. As Louis mentioned, there is no cover. QUOTE (louisthani @ Sep 12 2009, 03:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yeah but I happend to go to QBar before, one of my ex gf took me there just for drinks but we both felt it was overpriced and atleast I was lucky to transfer my drink coupons to appetizer coupons, no need for extra drink. But there seems to be a reasonable priced hotel accross the street, Le Fenix. Well I would only pay 15 dollars a night with my airline employee discount, so I often stayed at Le Fenix even I had to go often to Pakkret or other areas of BKK to hangout with my friends. Most of my discounts often were closer to the downtown, yet most of my social life was in the suburbs. but I would also stay with my ex gf at her apartment too. There are good girls and bad girls everywhere in the world. But I would say I had more joys, pains, and happiness with Thai girls than here in the US My friends would take me to discos like CM2 (so so) RCA Flix (I liked it cause I could go in free) etc... and some nice dinner places like BSC. Never got chance to check Santika before it burned down.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-12 15:41:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (louisthani @ Sep 12 2009, 02:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I meant all my experiences were in Thailand thats all. my ex gf and my ex wife and my fiancee all from Thailand. everyone is different, I just put the thailand part as to geographically where it was all happening. My fiancees father is not so sure of me and he is also a police officer, yet her mom is okay with me. Umm I have never been to a bar or some redlight place in thailand anyway for all those 40 times I have been in Thailand, maybe occasionally my girl and friends would take me to the disco, my exwife was a graduate from Thammasat University, my ex gfs came from Ramkhamhaeng University, Rangsit University, Silipakorn University, Khon Kaen University, Chiang Mai University, Maejo, University, ABAC etc. And I hold 2 degrees as well. Well, that's good. Like I said, I didn't know where or how you met them, but I always hear people complaining about "Thai women", when--in the vast majority of cases, but evidently not yours--they should really be complaining about "bar girls". And you're right about some clubs being different than others. There are some fantastic clubs in Bangkok that have nothing whatsoever in common with Patpong or Soi Cowboy (or Q-bar for that matter).	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-12 14:13:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (louisthani @ Aug 22 2009, 05:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well generally speaking a disabled farang is a NO NO in the eyes of most conservative Thai families, of all my ex-gf or those whose parents I met in Thailand, never found any parents satisfied with me, it was a deal breaker for the girl in the past and she felt she had to go with her parents opinion after meeting. I have had other dramas where the Mother of the girl forced her to pay me back for a family trip I took with them after her Mom and I found out that her daughter had a Thai bf on the side. It was nice of her Mom feeling that her daughter treated me wrong. I rarely had any experience with Thai fathers because almost all my ex-gf come from broken families, the Dad ran away in most cases My ex-wife was a special case, the parents were so glad to get her off their hands (no sinsot or wedding). and I realized later that I opened up a pandoras box. Yes this is all about Thailand That's a sweepingly broad generalization. It's not about Thailand. It's about a certain side of Thailand. You can find that side of America, too. And you don't have to look very hard: http://www.jerryspringertv.com/ http://tampa.craigslist.org/ads/ You want every foreigner to judge America based on trash like that? I'm not sure how you met these girls, so the following is just a general response, not directed at your specific relationships: I've dated several Thai women while I've worked in Asia: a professor, two RNs, a perfusionist, a business owner, etc. I've never once had a problem with cheating, lying, or any of these other issues that people constantly raise. I've also never personally known anyone that did have these problems. If nothing else, a decent Thai woman wouldn't be caught dead cheating, because--forget her husband--her decent family and decent friends would immediately brand her a #######--and that humiliating label never goes away. Sure, read Stickman and you'll find boatloads of stories. But you have to think about where a lot of those men hang out. If you spend your time in the sewer, you shouldn't be surprised that you meet only rats. I'm glad that foreigners don't come here, hang out in strip clubs and brothels and then proclaim that all American women are tramps, whores and liars. I met a guy on Facebook who said that he never met a nice, honest Thai woman after spending six weeks in Thailand. Then I looked at his photo albums. The majority of the photos were in bars, and in the background in nearly every photo was at least one stripper pole. He spent the vast majority of his time in Pattaya bars. That he expected to meet a "nice, honest Thai woman" there boggles the mind. Does he go to strip clubs in his own country to meet women? Then why does he do it in Asia? It's ridiculous.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-12 13:41:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (MarkNAam @ Aug 25 2009, 12:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Great story about her getting her DL. It basically mirrors AAm's story. The DMV study booklet was AAm's first real book that she read in the USA. She would sit down and translate it into Thai and study it. I was very impressed! The first time she took the test she failed by three also and was a little bit upset. The second time she failed by one, and became highly motivated. The third time she passed! Florida gives you the complete universe of questions that may be asked on the drivers test. It actually took me a while to figure that out, because they are in the appendix at he back of the book. (And who really looks at appendices anyway...?)	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-12 09:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (HYENA @ Aug 25 2009, 01:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think "that time of the month" is rolling near (she hates my guts for about 2-3 days then feels bad afterwards). I'm used to it. Unfortunately this is an international problem LOL! Google "Yaz!"	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-12 09:08:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (AaronLV @ Aug 24 2009, 11:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I bought a USB Thai keyboard for her, and was going to set up a desktop for her, but she uses her little EEEPC I bought her, which we put the thai stickers on. It is funny we just saw the Thai stickers at the local Thai store over the weekend. When we were in LA the thai market there had keyboards and the stickers to put on. You can get the stickers on eBay, too. They come in a variety of colors.	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-12 09:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 3 (2009 Thai thread restarted)	QUOTE (HYENA @ Aug 27 2009, 12:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I feel for them and am motivated to find the means to get them into an airtight, air conditionable house. Do they want A/C? Some don't. My wife hates A/C. She's from BKK and our condo there has A/C, but she never turns it on. Here in the states we live in Florida and she turns it off when I'm not home. Before we were married, she never used it in her place even though she had it and could easily afford to do so. "Too cold and bad for the skin."	toma1	Male	Thailand	2009-09-12 08:56:00