Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Thanks again Ken! I do have the recepits for the "rock" Chutima is wearing, and like you said, they will see it when we go to the interview, as I will definitely be there with her! It's hard to say there isn't a bonafide relationship when the couple is right there together!!! We do have plenty of pictures of our "engagement" ceremony, even though we all know what it truly stood for, but after all, this IS a K-1 Visa!!! And yes, we will be "legally" married here on Kauai up on the North shore at Hanalei Bay after we get back! (Where South Pacific was filmed!) Thanks for reminding me about the Tabian Baan. Of course she will have her Thai ID card with her, but we will bring the House Registration as well. The only reason I'm taking a copy of the English translation of her Birth Certificate, was because William (Dakineman) got into trouble at Window 5 for not having it?! I'm pretty sure I'm ready, but I'm just wanting to double check, and make sure to cross my t's and dot my i's!!! Robert She's going from one paradise to another, that's great to hear. Except the standard of living in kauai is alot better than in thailnad generally speaking,lol. I was stationed on sand island in honolulu when I was in the coast guard. I have great memories of hawaii. I've only been to the big island and maui, along with living on oahu. Great fishing there! What do you do there? I would love to move back there but the cost of living is a bit prohibitive.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-25 02:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Ken (et al), Could you please tell us what all you took to the interview in terms of "proof of relationship"? I figured on bringing the photos I submited for my I-129F, and boarding passes, along with what else? Phone records and e-mails, but the same as what was submitted with the I-129F along with recent e-mails, or all new stuff? And just for review, please verify that the following documents are needed: Passport Original birth certificate Certified English translation of birth certificate DS-156 (with barcode) DS-156K DS-157 I-134 with the following: -last years (2005) tax return and W-2(s) -letter from employer -recent pay stub(s) -bank statement Receipt for visa fee from Post Office Packet from Medical Exam Police Certificate Is there anything I missed? Thanks, Robert That's about it except the birth certificate isn't required to be translated for the interview, but it's a good idea to have a certified translation for the US when she goes there. C got hers certified at the YMCA in chiang mai. Also, ask your fiance to bring her tabian ban document and her current ID, it can be used in place of the birth certificate in case there's any question of authenticity of the birth cert. C brought hers because the amphur office where she was born had no record of her being born! They said that they lost all records from before 1979. Luckily C had a copy of her original and they certified that there. For the proof of relationship, we submitted the same thing as you as well as a certificate from the jewelry store that contained a picture of the engagement ring along with the diamond carat weight and the gold karat. We did this just to prove we were engaged, and C was also wearing the engagement ring at the interview. She did ask us at the interview if we had a picture of the day of the engagement or in the same time frame as the engagement. We didn't have one but we had about 6 other pictures of C and I together from all over thailand taken within a couple of months after the engagement. We didn't have phone records though, but it didn't matter much for us because her and I live together here in Thailand. We submitted emails for the I-129F but didn't submit them for the interview. I figured that I'm an American living in thailand with her, telling them right there that I love this woman and want to marry her and that should be enough for them! lol. seriously, how can they prove you really love her anyway? The embassy can tell the ones misusing the visa for the most part. You guys sound like you have everything, I wouldn't worry too much. The one thing that I would add though is a receipt of the engagement ring or, in my case, since I didn't want C to know how much I paid for it,lol, the jewelry store printed out an inventory card of the ring with the details I mentioned before. We also made copies of everything we submitted to them and brought extra blank copies of forms in case we made a mistake and needed to fill another one out right there. OK, I'll look at our file again and let you know if I missed anything.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-25 02:16:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	A few questions... What is the address of the Bangkok Post Office where the US$100.00 visa fee is paid? Does my fiancee need to bring anything regarding her case to the post office? What identification is required at the Medical Exam? thanks For the medical exam she took the forms from packet 3, her passport, 2 photos and money to pay the fee. Here is what the cost was last year, Medical exam cost: 2 shots – 3000 baht, 3 shots 4300 baht The medical exam BASE cost is 2000baht in bangkok and 1500baht in chiang mai. The shot cost will vary depending on the vaccinations required, if any. Figure max 100$ US for everything if she needs the vaccinations. Mike, Yes, that's what I'm saying. I think they put expiration dates on the forms so that they'll be reviewed periodically, but if nothing changes they just continue using the supply of old ones until they're gone. Look at the USCIS and the list of it's forms - for most of them several versions back continue to be acceptable. I checked out Rodjanaa's medical forms. All of them - DS-2053, DS-3024, DS-3025, and DS-3026 all had a printing date of 01-2001 (January 2001) and an expiration date of 01/31/2004. The medical was done on 2/26/2004, the interview was 4/05/2004. The 'expired' forms were not an issue, although they were'nt all that old. Just out of curiosity, are your 'new' forms really any different from the old ones? Any changes to any of the items? Again you write that the forms on the consulate in Japan's web pages are "unacceptable" - has someone told you that they are? Yodrak Yodrak I am delighted that we finally have the forms that are not expired. So it is a moot point and i do not have to worry about it any longer. But are you saying that you think that the Embassy would have accepted the forms that had expired in 2004. I must admit i do find it hard to believe that the US Embassy in Japan would have forms on there web site that are out of date (but they did) and unacceptable. But then again...why do they put expiration dates on these forms if they will always be accepted? I guess it's just how things are done. (We never did get a visa application package...i wonder why?) Mike From what you describe those expiration dates don't really mean anything. I was probably worried for nothing. I thought they were unacceptable because they were out of date. The forms look basically very similar. But I am still sleeping better at night knowing that Jass's medical is on forms that do not look expired. Mike Chances are they won't even notice it and if they do you can explain how you got the one from the japanese embassy website since you didn't see it on the bangkok embassy site. They're not going to deny you for something like that. At the very worst, they'll make you go back to the hospital the same day and have the doctor fill out the form again and you'll have the visa the next day. But in my opinion, they probably won't even notice it since the forms are the same and like Yodrak said they do officially accept prior revisions that are out of date sometimes.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-24 11:31:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Hi I will come through Bangkok from Cambodia for K1. Can I deliver in person the checklist and get the interview schedule or mail it in . I am not sure about the procedure. What documents besides the checklist I will turn it in. please advise. Thanks I believe you must mail it to them and cannot deliver it in person. This is what we gave them to get our interview date: DS230 Part I - Unsigned Copy of Passport Completed Checklist 2, 2x2" pictures of beneficiary Don't send this to them unless you know they have your case. Also, plaster the case # everywhere so they don't have to waste time trying to figure out what it is. They speak the cambodian language there and are very helpful generally speaking.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-23 01:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	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...	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-22 11:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	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!	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-22 07:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	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.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-22 00:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	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	Male	Thailand	2006-03-21 23:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	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...	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-21 22:08:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Approved!! She gets her visa tomorrow! What a relief! After a 4 hour grueling wait, the interview took a total of about 4 minutes and then it was "congratulations, come back tomorrow and get your visa". I'll post the details later...in bkk now... thanks everyone for your help..	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-20 01:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	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!!!	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-17 06:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Search the immigration timelines by clicking on the link at the top of the page. Look at our timeline also. It took almost exactly 2 months for the interview date after packet 3 was given to them. Allow a couple of weeks from NOA2 to the time the embassy gets your case. Make sure you get the case # assigned by NVC, the BNK embassy can't help you with by answering questions without the case #. Hello and thanks again for the Thailand thread! How fast is the Bangkok embassy once the NOA2 is on the way? We were wondering what time frame to expect between the packet 3 being turned in and the interview and K1 visa being "in hand"? And we hope we do not have to encounter the infamous "window 5" lady! Pim & Joe	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-15 23:46:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Ray, thanks for the update. We are going for C's interview on monday the 20th and ended up getting our x-rays from the hospital just in case we needed them for some reason at the interview. It doesn't look like we'll need it there but we are bringing it anyway. So march 20th 7am is D-Day for us, I'm looking forward to it but am nervous at the same time. We have everything in order though and are hoping for the best.. Pom Kid Thung Khun Krap, When are you going to explain to us the item you posted a few days ago about your fiancee's visa not being issued until she returned to the consulate with her x-ray? Did she go back with the x-ray, and did they then issue her visa? I am sorry I thought I did explain it. Well when the Dr was looking at her Xray he saw something on her Lung that was in question. There was Xray from when she was a child to compare it to. The Dr said that she will need to wait two months to see if the area grows. Since her interview was only two days away he told her to go to the interview and once he can clear her he will. So at the interview when asked for the Xrays she told the interviewer what the Dr said and they still did the interview. She passed and all we need to do now is wait the two months to get the clarence letter and Xrays from the Dr. As for her situation once she was back in her home town of Hat Yai she went to a Dr there and he said that he did not see anything on the xrays and not to worry. She went back to the Dr a month later and had another Xray done. The Dr in BKK could still see something on her lung but it did not grow. So he gave her a CT scan. The CT scan did show something but it is not solid it is a old scar or infection. He put her on a strong dose of antibiotics that should clear it up. The scary thing is that I am so far away form her and it is hard to understand all the issues with the Dr reports. I had her email them to me and I took a look at them and had some friends who are Dr's and in the medical field and they also said that it nothing to worry about. I guess once this is all over there will be another issue to look for when K1er's are applying for the visa. I would say from what I have learned to get the medical as soon as possible. We had a chance when I was there in Nov 05 but did not. At this time I wish we had done it then. Ray Edited by ufkenmill, 15 March 2006 - 04:51 AM.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-15 04:47:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Brent, did they give any reason that they called her in for a "qualification" pre-interview? We have our interview on the 20th of this month and haven't been requested to come in for anything. Are there special circumstances here? Have you had a K-1 visa application for someone else before or something else? Thanks for your help... Ken Did you have to send in photos and a copy of the passport photo page when you received your interview date in the mail( Packet 4 ). Mike Yes, we gave them: DS230 part I unsigned checklist 2 passport style photos copy of passport photo page (including exit stamps she had from when she visited singapore and indonesia) and if I'm remembering correctly, that's it. We received our appt via email and letter but we didn't have to go in and do a pre-qualification/preparation interview although that would've been nice just for peace of mind. We live in chiang mai so maybe they didn't offer us that just due to the fact that we'd have to travel to bangkok for it. Brent, I'm a little confused here. Most everyone else has either handed in at the Consulate, or mailed in, the following items: Checklist DS-230 Part I Copy of passport Two passport photos (2x2") After that is when they received their "Packet 4" and interview date. The only thing that had recently changed was that they were no longer accepting walk-ins to turn in the above items, and they had to be mailed. What exactly did you do? Robert Ditto - we submitted this information before receiving packet 4.. Edited by ufkenmill, 08 March 2006 - 10:02 PM.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-08 22:05:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	This is from the mythaifiance website For someone who doesn’t seek assistance from a professional like yourself, what general advice would you give for someone applying for a visa to the US? It is really simple. There’re a few American people who feel like they can do it themselves. Most American men when they start getting the information get overwhelmed by it, are confused by it and don’t know where to go. There are a few who want to attempt it themselves. Personally, I think that that is a selfish approach because now they are expecting that their girlfriend who has to do most of the work because it is her visa is going to be able to function the same as an immigration attorney is going to function and file all the forms, all the documents, prepare for the embassy interview, know the questions that are going to be asked, how to apply for the interview and numerous other things. It is just not fair to put all of this on the girl whose English speaking, reading and writing ability is limited. So when a guy decides he wants to do it himself, he might be making a clear decision for himself, but he is not making a conscious decision about how his fiancée or wife is going to be able to handle everything that has to be done – and she is 80% of the equation. People hire us when they really want to take good care of their fiancée or wife. What a load of nonsense. Just like Dan said, this guy didn't even take the bar (or maybe he did and failed it?) so I don't consider him a lawyer if he's not even eligible to sit before any court in the US as a lawyer! Also, his comments about American men reading all the forms and then becoming confused are just plain ridiculous. US Government forms are pretty simple to understand generally speaking, and if not understood, the answers are easy to find. Yes, it is a marketing ploy to say things like this but it's also demeaning to Thai women as if they're just obedient little women who will just sit back and be subservient all the time. Hi VJ members, Wi's meeting went great on friday, March 3rd. She handed in her (well thought out) folder of all requirements, along with her passport. She was asked a few questions. "If she had quit her job yet?" (Wi told her, "not yet".) And, "If I had been sending her money, and does she have reciepts for it"? (Wi told her, "yes" and gave her the reciepts.) She was told, "everything is in order". And, "to report back on March 13th for final interview". As you know, We never recieved packet 3. They accepted all our downloaded forms from the embassy site. I believe our application was a special exception, asking her to come in person, to hand in her packet 3, instead of mailing it to the embassy. Due to the timing of her interview. But then again, this may be the new procedure. This gives them time to review, and us time to bring in any missing items before our interview. Anyway,,, hope this helps someone. Brent Brent This is a strange change of procedure ...I wonder if they are going to do this to everyone. We received packet 4 in the mail yesterday 03/06/2006. Today Jass has mailed out the 2 photos and a copy of her photo page of her passport per the packet 4 request. I don't remember anyone mentioning before that we had to mail this stuff in to the Embassy in preparation for the interview. Is this a change of procedure? Mike Brent, did they give any reason that they called her in for a "qualification" pre-interview? We have our interview on the 20th of this month and haven't been requested to come in for anything. Are there special circumstances here? Have you had a K-1 visa application for someone else before or something else? Thanks for your help...	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-07 22:16:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Can someone please give me us a heads up about the x-rays? Do we really need to take the x-ray into the embassy for the interview? Seems unlikely that the interviewer is also a radiologist, why would you possibly need the x-ray? Our interview is coming up in a couple of weeks and I was hoping someone could shed some light on this... Thanks Ufkenmill, My fiance had a successful interview on February 2. We did bring the X-ray with us. Nobody at the embassy had the slightest bit of interest in looking at it. I believe the results of the X-ray are written on one of the DS forms that the doctor fills out and sends to the embassy, so they already have the information. Good Luck, Evan and Meaw Thanks for the info. The reason I ask is because there was another poster in the sawadee thread that said they refused his fiance's visa that day because she didn't have her x-ray and that they had to come back at a later date with the x-ray in order to be approved for the visa. Can't for the life of me figure out how DOS employees plan to evaluate an x-ray at their desk, is it possible that there's an in-house doctor working somewhere at the embassy complex? We will bring the x-ray just to be on the safe side..	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-05 11:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Can someone please give me us a heads up about the x-rays? Do we really need to take the x-ray into the embassy for the interview? Seems unlikely that the interviewer is also a radiologist, why would you possibly need the x-ray? Our interview is coming up in a couple of weeks and I was hoping someone could shed some light on this... Thanks	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-05 02:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Ray, I've never heard of anything like this with regard to the x-ray. My wife did not get her x-ray and no one at the consulate asked for it. And now that I think about it, I don't recall ever seeing anyone with their x-ray at the interviews (which seems strange to me since I think that most people would reasonably expect that they need to have it with them). The form DS-3024 of the medical report contains the result of the x-ray examination, there should be no need for the x-ray itself unless, perhaps, the examination revealed a condition that will require follow-up in the future. Yodrak .... When my finance had her interview she did not have her xray films with her and they let her go through with the interview and passed with no problems. She just needs to provide the xrays before they will issue the visa. .... Ray Ray, can you give a little more info about your case? We are going for our interview on the 20th and I need to know if I need to get the xray from the hospital in chiang mai. Do we really need to bring this form in?	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-04 10:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Guys... I can't believe it!!!! After two touches in a row... APPROVED!!! NOA1 12/06/06 then... Receipt Number: WAC0XXXXXX474 Application Type: I129F , PETITION FOR FIANCE(E) Current Status: This case has been approved. On March 2, 2006, an approval notice was mailed. If 14 days have passed and you have not received this notice, you may wish to verify or update your address. To update your address, please call the National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283. I guess being "touched" IS a good thing!!! Chutima is one happy camper right now, as am I!!! Robert Congratulations guys, good to see your approval. Felt bad seeing you had been waiting so long and we lucked out with the VSC approving ours so quick. Maybe the embassy will give you an interview date that's not too far off in the future...	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-03 09:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Woohoo! I'm a senior member now, whatever that means. Will I be receiving royalties from the site now? B)	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-02 03:38:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Here's a link to all the latest DOS forms, including the forms for the medical exam. These are all updated and the latest editions: http://foia.state.gov/FORMS/visa.asp Also, here's another copy of the medical exam forms that we just used successfully in Chiang Mai on March 1st. Attached Files  Medical_Exam_Documents.zip   444.16KB   11 downloads	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-02 03:25:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Yeah, my response was definitely "ben rai!". I was kindof surprised at her insistence that it didn't matter when all I was asking was for a strike-through of an incomplete section along with the doctors signature. Didn't seem like much of a request to me... Not sure about the mailing address for the IV section but that is the general mailing address you wrote. Also, address it to the Immigrant Visa section so it can get to the right dept quicker. We dropped ours off in person (actually had a friend do it for us before the new reg's) so not sure.. maybe someone else can comment..	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-01 03:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	I also noticed that the bottom of the DS3025 it says" Give copy to applicant" which they did not do for Jass. Thanks for your opinions Mike Not sure why they didn't, they gave one to C today and explained what she would need it for along with explaining every other doc. We went to Mcormack hospital in Chiang Mai though which was started by foreigners (over 100years ago) though which may expalin that... Did you make a copy of it yourself? If not, you'll need it in the US for your AOS.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-01 02:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Oh, and we never received packet 3 and don't expect to either. We received packet 4 after we submitted our checklist, pictures and DS230 part I. We just downloaded the packet 3 from their site and added the DS2053 which I got from the DOS webpage.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-01 01:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Dennis, hope all goes well with Tik's medical. I'm very interested in finding out whether or not the DS-2053 is really required. Ken, you said C had her medical on Monday. How did it go? Did she take in the DS-2053? Did you ever receive a Packet 3 from BKK (BNK)! I'm hoping my NOA2 will come any day, and it's really starting to get to me. She felt sick on monday so she went Tuesday to Mcormack hospital on kaewnawarat road. She had to go to two sessions, the second one was today. They said the forms that they normally use are smaller (?) than the ones we gave them from the packet 3 we downloaded but they just asked us if it was ok to use that and I told them yes. And yes, you'll need the DS-2053. I don't know why they don't have it on the embassy site for downloading, could be a mistake on their part but on form DS 3024 it clearly says on the top "For use with DS2053". The DS2053 is the form that pictures must be attached to so you'll definitely need it. I've attached a zipped folder with all documents we took to the hospital (we also took our NOA2, 3 pictures, and the packet 4 letter in addition to these) The physical went well (day 1) except for when they attempted to draw blood they couldn't get the vein in one arm and had to use the other arm also. So she came out with both her arms bandaged up. Then today, she had to go back and do a physical exam with the doctor and also get 3 vaccinations (MMR, Diptheria, Varicella), so she's got bandaids all over her arms,lol. She's ok though. Also, I insisted that they line through a couple of sections that were not completed due to her not having any problems in that area but the nurse gave me a hard time about it saying "mai pen lai, mai pen lai" (don't worry/nevermind), "ben bogadtee" (it's normal like this), only because she didn't want to go back and get the doctor. But I insisted so they still have the forms and we will pick them up tonight after the doctor lines through and "n/a"'s 2 sections he didn't fill out. Attached Files  Medical_Exam_Documents.zip   444.16KB   24 downloads	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-03-01 01:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Hey George, good to hear from you! Yes, all is well, and I also hope all is well with you, Pocky and the baby! As for the whole political thing, there definitely seems to be some confusion. I have been searching hard to find something more concrete, and I can't. Chutima also confirmed the resignation, and that Thaksin is now in a caretaker position, but all the English sources make it sound like he has not. I wonder if it's not a case of actually "leaving" office as opposed to his dissolution of the House of Representatives, which requires a new election, giving him another chance to remain in office? Ken, I am well aware you are in Chiang Mai, and that's why I'm confused about what is actually happening, considering what I heard while I was in Bangkok. No matter what happens, I just hope that there isn't a major upset in the stability of the Thai economy. Though Thaksin has the support of 70% of the people, mostly farmers and people in the rural areas of Thailand, this is not a good thing for the country. Considering his popularity has dropped by over 35%, his days could very well be numbered. I'm curious as to all the other members with Thai spouses, or soon to have, who plan on or are considering retiring in Thailand? In addition, how many have learned how to speak Thai, or have gone even further and learned how to read and write Thai? Robert Yeah, when they talk about it in the english press it's mostly non-commital on any type of resignation. I think what happened, is that he announced the dissolution of the house or rep's. Meaning that since he's the head of the thai rak thai party and he's their "nominee" for prime minister then the fact that there's no official house of rep's now until april 2nd, then he can't be their "nominee" for prime minister. But, whatever, I don't like discussing politics on the internet and especially not on a visa forum. Seems that he will probably be officially out of office soon if the anti-thaksin people get their way. I think Thaksin has helped Thailand and really could be a great leader. But he apparently can't shake his greed and he's used the government here to enrich himself financially so many times that the people have finally had enough. As far as the other issue, I'm 32 and don't plan on retiring for awhile but I can speak thai at an intermediate level and can read thai at an advanced level. Writing thai is a different story though, I can write basic thoughts and ideas but written thai is different than spoken thai and I'd have to spend years practicing to be able to just write anything I'm thinking. Definitely learn to read thai if you can. It's not as difficult as you'd think and will really help you get around here. Also, Thai's are really impressed when they hand you a menu in Thai and they see you can read it.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-28 05:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Ken, you need to go back and read the newspapers! I was there on Friday when he announced his resignation and when it came out in the Thai newspapers. Here is a quote from an online news source: "Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra resigned this evening after a day of first rolling out populist measures giving civil servants a pay rise and tax breaks to professionals, street hawkers and office workers and then in an about face announcing dissolution of parliament and calling it quits shortly after meeting Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej late Friday afternoon. In a televised broadcast carried on all Thai channels 20:00 hrs (GMT +7) Friday evening, Shinawatra said he was “Giving power back to the people” and apologized saying “I tried to do my best”. Thaksin had been under heavy attack from opponents who have been holding mass rallies in Bangkok every weekend for the last month. His popularity began to take a more dramatic spiral downward in the past month since his family sold their $1.9 billion stake in Shin Corp, the telecoms empire he founded, to a Singapore state investment firm." Thaksin is currently in a "caretaker" position. The latest news is that the other parties are threatening to boycot the elections. As for Thailand being beautiful, I completely agree, since I have been going there at least two times a year, 3 weeks at a time, for the last 4 years, and have traveled extensively throughout Thailand. I even have two Town Houses in Chiang Mai, and rent the apartment in Nonthaburi. I prefer Chiang Mai because of the climate and cost, and was there in both Feb and Nov of last year, but also enjoy all the different things to do in Bangkok and Nonthaburi. All the flooding in Chiang Mai is making me reconsider where I want to build a house! Robert Roy, please don't misunderstand, I'm not trying to argue about anything on this forum but Thaksin has not resigned. I see the online news source, it looks like it's a quote from here: http://news.monsters...Thai_PM_Resigns but this news story is incorrect. I listen to thai news all day and so does my wife, as we live in Chiang Mai, and I guarantee you 100% that Thaksin has not resigned. Here's a more reputable news site with a story regarding the situation: http://edition.cnn.c...and.thaksin.ap/ He announced a dissolution of the house on friday, not his resignation. Edited by ufkenmill, 28 February 2006 - 01:41 AM.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-28 01:38:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	For those of you who don't keep up with Thai politics, PM Thaksin resigned, under heavy pressure from both parties, including his own TRT party. Roy, thaksin hasn't resigned. He announced for a dissolution of the house and a new election to be held on april 2nd but only for house representatives. The house doesn't plan on doing this however. The anti-thaksin people are giving him a dead-line of this sunday to resign but Thaksin will never resign in my opinion (but I could be wrong on that). Glad you enjoyed your trip...Thailand's a beautiful country.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-28 00:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Someone was talking earlier about which forms were needed for the medical and a link to the US embassy in tokyo was given out for an additional form that was needed that the Bangkok embassy wasn't providing. The form is the DS2053. The DS2053 from the US embassy in Japan's website has the old version of it that expired in 2004. Here's a link to the new DOS forms (including the DS2053) which expire in 2007: http://foia.state.gov/FORMS/visa.asp	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-26 01:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Malydon and Thai2luv, I have corresponded with the BKK embassy (BNK for yodrak,lol,j/k) several times and have always found them to be polite and courteous. Remember, they're swamped there at the embassy. If you emailed them, just give them time to get back to you. I didn't always receive an email back from them after I had emailed them, and when I did, it wasn't always right away. They will not ignore your case, you just have to be patient. I've even had them semi-joking in emails when I told them I planned on bear-hugs all around when we see them on the 20th and they said they're looking forward to it! Just be patient, they're not going to let you down... C is getting her medical on Monday at Mcormick hospital, we'll update everyone as to what exactly happened and how the forms were filled out.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-25 03:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	The other hospital in Chiang Mai doing medicals is Ram I not sure about the packet being sealed...have your husband call the hospital and ask them.. My husband just had his medical done today in Chiang Mai, not McCormick but the other hospital. Sorry, I can't remember the name. They gave him all the forms back in an envelope that was NOT sealed. Is that ok? Does it have to be sealed when he takes it to the embassy? Please advise. Thanks. Song	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-23 04:40:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Great to hear about the medical going well with those forms. The police report was a piece of cake according to C, although it took a few hours of her time to do it with traveling and all. Did you search DHL using the reference as "EXPEDITE IV Section" also (in addition to the I-730)? If they shipped DHL on feb 9th and you're positive of that, it's probably in their system by now. It took them about 4 business days after receiving it for them to have it in their system with us. Your probably safe in shipping the stuff to them. We never received packet 3 and don't expect to, apparently many others have had the same results. We received packet 4 though after submitting our checklist and other doc's. Jass called me today from BKK. She used the medical forms we got off the Japan US Embassy web site for her medical at Bumrungrad....NO PROBLEMS......She did however ask them for a copy of the completed medical forms (I believe we need some later?) But they did not give them to her...They said she can get a copy from the US Embassy at her interview...True/False? She also paid her fee at the post office....She was exhausted tonight...it was a long day! Tomorrow she applies for her Police Certificate. She asked me if she could mail in her completed "packet 3 forms" that we got off the web site...I told her we shouldn't risk sending them in until we know the Embassy has the case in their system ( I heard they throw them away). NVC said they sent them out on Feb 9th.....But i just cannot see the DHL shipment going to BKK when I search....Sure I see Portsmouth shipping every where else in the world BUT not BKK! I am thinking we should wait until the "real" packet 3 arrives in the mail. I wish I could just call the Embassy and verify they have it or have her stop in while she is in BKK but I believe they will not allow either???? Thanks Mike Thanks for the form, very informative. Looks like the embassy basically doesn't want to see or talk to anyone unless they ask for you. Luckily we were one of the last ones to be able to schedule an interview in person but only after a verbal thrashing by the staff saying things like "how did you get in here" and "this isn't allowed". They still processed it though and gave the interveiw date that day. They are good people there at the embassy, they're just seriously overwhelmed with people and it sounds like they're understaffed. Seems that they do the best they can considering the circumstances. I really feel for those going through Manilla or China though, they have it rough... All, I've attached a new informational form that has been sent to me specific to the IVU that may be of interest. (Thank you, Bill.) Wish it answered our question about signing, or not, DS-230-I. Yodrak Just wanted to let everyone know what information you get for your money with the new Embassy web site. .... Don't waste your money. This is all you get! Mike	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-18 01:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Yodrak, still hung up on the BKK vs BNK abbreviation?? lol. j/k. If it makes you feel any better, the email for the IV unit at the embass is visasBKK@state.gov,lol. C will call the hospital today to confirm the process here in Chiang Mai but we're under the impression that all that is needed are the forms from the packet 3 off the internet along with the pictures and maybe the NOA2 (?). I will post the results after she calls them today (thailand time).	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-14 01:06:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	She went to Buamrungrad hospital. at 8AM 2/14/2006. They said she needed a form with her passport photo attached. Can someone please comment here on what is needed for the medical? I have read some posters here who were able to get the medical exam without any packet 3 sent from the embassy. All we have is the packet 3 from the website. Does anyone know what this other form he's talking about is? Thanks..	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-13 22:05:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Things are a bit better now. We still have some issues, but we are trying to work on them. I took her to the olive garden yesterday and she seemed to like it. I still have no idea what to get her for our fist valentines day together. She loves the weather here. While NY got hit with 26 inches of snow, we have had 80 degree weather here. So she is starting to adjust a bit more. Dan Hi all I have a couple of questions. I thought i understood how to track a DHL package from NVC to Bangkok but i am not able to find MINE. I practiced before i was notified that it was shipped and it worked fine and i can see packages going all over the world but not Bangkok. I was notified that it was sent on 2/9/2006. I searched using the reference and I-730 but just do not see Bangkok as a destination. I would appreciate it if someone would give it a try and post the results for me and tell me what i did wrong. I would like to know how to search for all of a particular individuals post her on VJ. I have found many different members that have already gone through what i am trying to do. If i could find all the posts from an individual it would keep me from asking questions that had already been answered and maybe answer some that i don't know enough to ask. Thanks Mike Try searching for "Expedite IV Section" as a reference also, I believe that one worked for me Hello all, Wi went to get her medical today. She was turned away for only having the three forms we downloaded from the Bangkok Embassy Site. She was told to return when she has all six forms that are provided for her in packet 3. We still have not recieved packet 3 from the Embassy. The three forms she has is DS3024, DS3025 and DS3026 along with BKK-MEI (Instructions) What 3 forms is she missing? Thanks! Brent What hospital did you go to? We didn't get packet 3 either. We received packet "4" though and will take that with us to the hospital. I've heard many people from BKK embassy NEVER got packet 3, so what is this hospital talking about? Call another one. We're in Chiang Mai and we can go to 2 different hospitals and we'll try going to both if we have to.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-13 20:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	This thread is getting quiet now. Dan, how are things with you and your fiance? 4422, keep us updated on things C and I are still preparing documents for the interview. Getting medical this week (postponed it due to her work schedule) and then I will go to US Consulate in chiang mai to get my I134 "notarized" by the consular staff. Received police report last week. We're also preparing for the anticipated move out of the LOS. Selling household items, packing, attempting to schedule interviews for a job when I return to the US. C's nervous but is hiding it well..	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-12 23:08:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Malydon, can you link your timeline with the rest of the VJ timeline?	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-11 21:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Ken I found the information on how to track with DHL. I even gave it a test drive with a random date. It seems to work well. Thanks for the information. I noticed in your time line that the BKK Embassy confirmed with you that your case was in there system 8 days after it was shipped from the NVC. How were you able to confrim with them? Is this when they would answer the phone and will they still answer it? I am thinking i will track the package on DHL and then wait 5 days after they receive it and then mail in our checklist, DS-230 Part1 and photos. I hope that will be the correct timeframe. What is in packet 4? Can i get the forms now and begin filling them in? Thanks Mike I did the same thing after confirming with the NVC that they shipped it via DHL and the date of shipping. It takes about 2 days to get to the embassy and then yeah, maybe 5 days to get to the IV unit and for them to get it into their system. The embassy is a huge complex with several buildings so be patient about them getting it into their system. They do not take phone calls anymore and I've never spoken with anyone other than through email. If you email them (the IV Unit) be extremely polite and do not pressure them or you may find your case is suddenly "lost" in the system for a while. They just changed the rules on allowing the fiance or others to drop off packet 3 and we found this out the hard way when we had a good American friend who lives in bkk (we live in chiang mai) try to drop it off for us. They accepted it but only after a sound verbal lambasting. Luckily my friend is a lawyer (although not immigration) and is used to being lambasted,lol... Just mail it to them within the time frame you stated and you should be fine. The packet "4" is a term I've only seen here on this site but it's just the letter confirming the interview date and instructions regarding how/where to pay and about making sure you have everything or you will be turned away. Be patient with them, they're processing visas for Cambodia there also and it's a madhouse most of the time. They are pretty efficient for the 7000+visas they process per year. Although Manilla has it the worst with 50,000+visas processed per year.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-09 23:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Jacksonj51 How did you know when to send in your forms? I know that the case number has been assigned by NVC but how did you know that it was in the Bangkok Embassy "system"? I would hate send in my checklist and Ds-230 and have them throw it away on me because they do not have it yet. Mike Technically you're supposed to wait until you get a letter from the embassy with packet 3 and that's how you would know. Call NVC again and find out the day they ship it and then you can track it in DHL (using a reference number such as I-730) and see when it arrives in bangkok. Once they get it it'll take 3-5 business days to be in their "system" and then you can mail in your checklist and other forms. But since there's no tracking number you kindof have to guess if the package they received is yours or not using the DHL system. Search the old forum for how to track in DHL.	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-09 10:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	SAWASDEE 2	Robert, Interesting issue. I see the instruction you cite in the consulate in Bangkok's instructions for immigrant visas and note that - except in DCF cases, which are rare in Thailand - DS-230 is submitted to the NVC in the case of immigrant visas, not the consulate, and the NVC's instructions are to sign Part I but not sign Part II. In the consulate's instructions for K-visa applicants, which are included in the visa application packet but are not provided on the consulate's web pages, it says to complete and return DS-230-I but makes no specific mention of whether or not it is to be signed. It does specifically say that the checklist certification is to be returned signed, and it also specifically says that the other application forms are to be brought to the interview un-signed. But there is no instruction about signing or not signing DS-230-I. My wife sent her DS-230-I signed. Yodrak Mike, Where have you seen or heard that DS-230-I is to be sent un-signed? Yodrak Is leaving the DS-230 Part 1 unsigned something new? Does it make sense to you people? Mike YES, leaving the DS-230 Part I unsigned makes VERY good sense, since the Instrustions for Immigrant Visa Applicants clearly states "Application for Immigrant Visa: The beneficiary should complete part 1 of form DS-230. Please do no sign this form." Robert I'm not sure exactly what the requirement is, I was under the impression for some reason (maybe I read somewhere but don't remember where) that it should be unsigned. We submitted ours unsigned and had no problems scheduling the interview. The walk-in allowance has been stopped, we had a friend drop our checklist off in person but was only allowed to submit the documents after a thorough chewing out by the staff at window 5 (not sure who it was). Luckily my friend is an american lawyer (but not immigration attny) and they let her submit probably because of that. The new procedures are to mail in the checklist and other forms...	ufkenmill	Male	Thailand	2006-02-08 20:38:00