biggish data

Well, Herk, that probably was Teaw and she said she talked to a few other ladies that got their visas that day. But we weren't in AP for 6 months although it felt like a year or so. Only since Mar 24 after her first interview.

On the really good side, I got confirmation that I can take off work and be covered from Aug 16th for two weeks so I am heading over to bring Teaw back. The only time she has flown is when we went to Phuket in Dec so I don't want her flying all that way and trying to go through immigration alone so I feel better being able to go over and get her. She is excited and chatted it up with the ladies at work all night and I hope to get all her friends together for dinner again before we go up to Buriram to see family before she leaves.

More positive news, it appears my dad can come home Wed from the hosp which is good news. He will need a hosp bed for awhile and physical therapy and a nurse to check on him a few times a week and I am sure my mom is going to be exhausted for awhile but their long term care insurance and health insurance will take care of all this stuff that needs to be done. So it's been a pretty good day overall.

I am really looking forward to Teaw being here. We discussed her missing her family again but she said even though she will miss them she will not want to go home but wants to be here with her "husband"!! So I think she will be fine...and we talked about setting up something so her brother can pay for getting online from Buriram so we can do emails and chat and keep in touch. Like maybe AIS has a way to pay for internet time online so he can log on with the modem we bought him.

Man, it's time for relaxation and bed!!! It's been a longggggggggggg exhausting day. Thanks for all the well wishes and advice. I feel pretty good it's going to work out real good with Teaw. She is a really great, sweet, loving lady.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-20 23:53:00

We have had many discussions about missing her family and she knows she will...but we also plan on going back in Dec for two weeks and having the ceremony for her family at the village. Our courthouse shuts down for two weeks over Christmas so it's a prefect time to go over. And she has set up her half-brother with her desktop computer and a modem so she can email them and I told her she can call them when she wants to. There are also some Thai ladies at the restaurant where I eat that said they will take her shopping and stuff so that will be good for her too. But I am sure she will have periods of missing them a lot but hopefully having discussed it a lot she will be ready for it and be okay knowing she will see them in Dec again.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-19 22:50:00

Thanks all. I am sure Teaw will do just fine here. She is happy and excited and a little scared but she is also looking forward to no longer working 12 hour night shifts!!! Although I told her she would have to put in a couple hours at night and then she could sleep.... :devil:

So now I am waiting to hear when I can get off work and get over there. Might not be until early Sept which would bum me out.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-19 22:15:00

NEWS FLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Teaw went to the embassy today, Monday, to see why they tried to call her Friday. So she got to the embassy about 1:30, got in by showing them on her phone that they tried to call. He sent her back out while he checked her case, then called her back in and said SHE GOT THE VISA and told her to wait out front until 3pm. So at that time they called her back in and gave her the packet and visa and she went outside and called and woke me to tell me. She said 3 AP cases got visas yesterday.

So now the planning starts as I have to see when I can get off work for two weeks to go over and get her, spend time in Buriram with the family and move some of her stuff back up there.

Now I can finally rest easy and quit worrying when they will get off their butts.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-19 10:47:00

Congrats Herk!!

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-18 22:29:00

The embassy tried to call Teaw twice today, Friday, while she was working. She has told them before when her break times are but I guess they didn't think of that. So we don't know what they were calling for...but hope it was to tell her to come pick up her visa. Now we have to wait until Monday!! Bad timing for them as I had to fly out to Calif as my dad is in the hosp. and my mom wanted me here. But at least if she gets the visa that will be one good thing next week. Keeping my fingers crossed..

Oh, the caseworker has not emailed me so they apparently have not replied to the Congressman yet either.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-16 19:49:00

Well, after the initial interview they called her to come get her passport back and then when they did the second interview in June they have kept it. It's almost a month now since the second interview.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-15 12:09:00

Thanks, Herk. I too work for State govt here in NC and I know what you mean. But......the thing that aggravates me the most is they grill Teaw but if they have a concern or question why not just ask me to explain? Back in March when she had the initial interview, if they had just asked me to explain why the divorce was so close to filing the K-1 for Teaw, I would have gladly explained it to them and in fact said in an email right after the interview if they had any questions or concerns to let me know and I would be happy to respond. I know they have called other people here in the states to clarify things so it just pisses me off that they have taken so long when it could have been such an easy thing to take care of. Oh, well, they have one more week to answer the Congressman and for some reason I think they will purposely take the whole 14 days they have just to be jerks.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-15 07:11:00

Congrats, Herk. I think the easy interview had more to do with your relationship, the visits to Japan and length. If they had suspected anything she would have gotten the Gestapo interview. But good luck!!! Still waiting to hear from the embassy now that they have got the info from the Congressman.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-13 08:20:00

Reddstars, we think the problem is we ended the relationship at the end of April 2009 but I could go back to get the divorce until Oct 09 and in the meantime Teaw and I went full speed ahead and I filed the K-1 about 2 weeks after I got the divorce. So I don't think you will have a problem with yours. They are just worried because they were so close in time but I hope the stuff the congressman's office sent them will take care of their concerns.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-11 17:23:00

Man, took me forever to find our Sawasdee thread!!! We were wayyyyyyyyyy down the list.

An email with the letter from my Congressman, all the attachments, went to the BKK embassy today. I am told they are required to answer them within 14 days but usually answer within 5. So they will have it on Monday
and I am hoping Teaw just gets a call to come pick up the visa. The attached letters from family and my explanation of the quick demise of the mistake marriage should hopefully satisfy their curiosity. I am surprised we
have not heard anything from them yet after that last 2 hour interview of Teaw.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-09 12:27:00

Got an email from the congressman's caseworker and she heard from DOS who told her they were looking at my "marital history" which she interpreted to
mean what I told her I suspected....the divorce being done in Oct 09 and the filing of the K-1 after I returned home. She will be sending an email to the embassy today that has the letter I prepared explaining the events from going over and getting married to the quick demise of it and not being able to get back until Oct 09 and in the meantime Teaw and I moving ahead with our relationship. Also going in the email are three letters in Thai with translations from her father, aunt and father's neighbor whom have all met me and spent time with me. She said though that since the case is with the fraud unit they are not required to tell her a lot of specifics, but hopefully all the stuff she is sending with the email will take care of their concerns and they will issue the visa. They are still holding her passport. I wonder if they have called the ex to ask what happened. Her phone number was on many of the cell bills they have but I am sure she would email me if they did call her. So I am keeping my fingers crossed!!!!

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-07 11:19:00

I have not heard of that happening before. Teaw got her xrays even though there was nothing wrong with her. And yes, you paid for them so you are entitled to them. I think Five should go back to the hosp and talk to an administrator higher up and demand that she be given her xrays, not only for the interview, but also because she paid for them! I would have been really ticked off and I would not care what the doc thinks. It's like buying a new car and the dealer saying oh, you don't need the tires cause it will drive just fine on rims so you don't need the tires you paid for. Go after them!!!

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-06 08:57:00

I guess this is a lesson for all that we make sure they get copies of their records. I had Teaw get copies of her records separate from what the embassy got to make sure we had them for when she is here so the docs
could see what has gone on with her. I wonder about the Thai record keeping also but maybe some of it is not wanting to dig them out or they do just not keep them very long.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-06 07:03:00

Audy_Rob .....Teaw brought back some letters from her father, aunt and neighbor. The neighbor is the only one that speaks some English. Kari (The Bears) translated them for me and they are such sweet, nice, wonderful letters
that will go with the letter about the divorce that the congressman's caseworker will send next week. That should show them that I have not given up and am anxious to get this thing done!!! I am lucky that she has such a great
family that has so many nice things to say about me and Teaw.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-03 18:06:00

I know. But part of what the caseworker will email them is a letter explaining the chronology of how the marriage happened and how quickly it fell apart and why. So hopefully that will satisfy their curiosity and get them moving.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-02 22:05:00

Yeah, I have a friend who's fiancee has gotten about a week's notice her interview is July 8th. He has gone out and bought a ticket for Sunday and her one for the 17th. I sure hope she gets the visa cause he will be
stuck with her ticket if something happens. But they have had a very long relationship so it probably won't be a problem.

The senior caseworker at the congressman's office emailed me and said she had contacted the DOS. Here is part of what she said: I have called the DOS visa office congressional unit (in DC) to see what information I can gather from that office.

Did not hear back from her but we'll see what that produces. I will be sending her an email Monday with all the stuff she wants to forward with her email to the embassy.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-02 21:12:00

Finally got tired of the embassy taking too damn long to get us out of AP so I paid a visit to my Congressman's office across the street. Thankfully I can just walk over there at lunch. Had a nice chat with a senior caseworker and she said they would be more than happy to contact the embassy to get a status on the visa. Told her some of the events and chronology and she said to email her a letter about how the divorce came about with the ex. Teaw went to visit her family in Buriram for a few days and is coming back with a letter from her aunt and her father about meeting me, etc. She said to have Teaw scan and email them to me to include in her email.

She did say that the divorce and visa being done so close together was probably a big red flag to them but it could be any number of reasons other than that or including that. And she said things generally speed up after a Congressional inquiry. So I plan to have it all emailed to her Monday so she can get it off to the embassy Tuesday. My luck they will call Teaw and tell her to come pick up the visa the same day as the email goes out to them but before they get it. :lol:

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-07-02 11:39:00

Hey Everyone,

Sorry but another stupid question Mimi finally sent Packet 3 off on Monday. Will we be notified when they receive Packet 3 or only after they set the interview date? I'm guessing it takes about 3-4 weeks before we find out about interview date? Will they email us or just send Packet 4 via postal mail? Sorry I should know this by now but do not. Thanks,

Mike

Mike, if Mimi put both of your emails on the form when she sent it back they will email both of you with the interview date. That's what I did and we both got the emails. Not sure how fast you will get a date. I
have a friend in Calif that his girl sent in P3 a few weeks ago and he has not heard about the date yet. Good luck.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-06-29 18:54:00

I love American Airlines....but mainly because I am Platinum now and they put me in business class when I fly to Thailand and that's where all my miles are. Plus we have a direct nonstop flight from the airport here, which is about 10 mins from my house, to London Heathrow courtesy of the Glaxo drug company who contracts with AA to keep the flight going for their employees. It's kind of nice when you want to head over to the UK.

Can't stand the food on JAL though when I go from Tokyo to BKK but some of the Japanese and Thai flight attendants are quite nice and cute!!

But the immigration at the AA terminal in Dallas is so nice to go through. Never gone through LAX but just looking at the international terminal when I visit my parents out there...which I did last week...it looks like it would be a total mess. So I'd avoid it like the plague.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-06-29 11:29:00

"Actually, I'm very surprised that they haven't said anything yet since they are holding her passport."

When I talked to Teaw this morning before she started work, she said a Thai lady friend of hers she met through visa4thai website who lives here in the US and is married to a Thai man
and waiting for their visa got a call from the embassy about 7am Thai time to question her for 30 minutes. They have been in AP and her husband has been through about 2 or 3 interviews so far.
At Teaw's second interview they asked her about my phone number, which of course she does not have memorized. But she said they may call me to ask me questions. Her friend's husband I believe
had his last interview Monday the day before Teaw did. So I will be waiting to see if they call me tonight to grill me. I plan on asking for a name and ID number if they do because I want to
know who I am talking to and how to identify them if need be in the future. I do hope we get an answer soon.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-06-28 06:58:00

Was this the second interview?

Yes, this was at the second grilling last Tuesday...the surprise interview after she was told only to bring her passport in.

That's all. They're just trying to sniff out fraud.

I'd like to give them something to sniff!!!!! HAHAHA!!!

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-06-27 22:14:00

Oh and no she was not asian she was american....what was I thinking

Just better safe than sorry and get put into AP. If she has the answers hopefully it will go okay.

At the interview with Teaw they surprised her with "Do you know you have a cousin in the USA?" Up until recently she did not know she had a cousin in the US who is married to a US man. When her father was in the hospital a couple months ago from a motorbike accident one of her uncles was at the hosp. and she was there and they were talking about her having a farang fiancee and her uncle told her about this cousin she has never met, does not know her name, no phone number. But somehow the embassy found out about this cousin that she has never known and questioned her about her. So they apparently have good resources and find out things we don't know about.

Also, if you and Laddawan communicate by email and chat in English, they might question her a lot about that. They grilled Teaw twice about who was writing emails for her as she interviewed in Thai because she felt better
that way. They seemed to not believe that she wrote the emails and chats and made her write an exemplar email on a piece of paper in English to see how she wrote it. I guess they don't understand some Thais can type English
better than speak it!! So if she interviews in Thai have her prepared for questions relating to how she can type English. If she interviews in English well she should be fine.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-06-27 21:47:00

I had been seperated for about 16months before I met with Laddawan in Thailand....upon my return back from Thailand I instantly started the divorce process then 4 months later it was finalized. Then about a month later we started the K1 process. I hope this doesnt cause a problem to the embassy.

Did you outline all that in your letter you sent with the visa packet? They grilled Teaw and The Bears' husband a lot about our exes. So to be on the save side you might want to make sure she knows some specifics
OR send a letter to her that she can take with her that explains the timeline of your separation, meeting her, the divorce, etc. I am assuming your ex is not Asian. If she is, then they might look harder into the divorce
aspect. Better safe than get put into AP like we did. You could also write the letter, have her keep it with her at the interview and if they start asking a lot about your ex and the divorce she can just whip it out and
give it to them and let them read it then.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-06-27 21:18:00

Yeah it has been a little quiet on here, lol! Kinda funny how many of us are divorced and are going through the visa process....myself included. Atlest knowing some of the questions they will possibly be asking Laddawan about my previous marriage....is very helpfull. However she has her first practice interview with our visa company on tuesday the 29th and her real interview on July 16th....so as much practice as she can get will help out alot too Im hoping!

Not sure how long ago your divorce was, but make sure she knows a lot about it. They seem to ask a lot of questions about your ex if it was anywhere close to when you met your fiancee or did the visa. Good luck!!

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-06-27 21:05:00

Yes, there IS a Soi 6!! Teaw has a good friend that lives in a condo back on Soi 6. It's nothing all the way back from Sukhumvit until you get to the curve and then you have a few big bldgs. of condos and as you walk up the backside toward Soi 3 there are some bars and stuff.

I figured Sae Daeng was doomed after being shot in the head like that. I figured he was already brain dead after he was shot.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-17 07:04:00

Yes, nice pic but I believe it's all the tires the shirts are burning to try to keep the army out of their space. I saw another pic something similar to that with all the tires burning.
I saw the post about the meeting. You going to go? They are now saying that Americans should cancel all travel plans to Thailand and stay away for now. But I think as long as you are
not going anywhere that there is trouble from the shirts, you will be okay.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-16 18:08:00

To Audy_Rob.....I looked at the section you cited and the way I read it would apply to the INITIAL application, which they pretty much do process them within 30 days. Says nothing about AP so I think
they can get away with delaying things by issuing the paper asking for additional proof of relationship and sit on it until they get around to looking at all of it. It would be nice if that applied to
all of it including when it is put into AP. Maybe we can lobby Congress to set a time limit for AP also!!

There was an interesting article in my local paper this morning about why the King has not stepped forward and said anything about the violence. Many people think that the whole business is a challenge to
the way the monarchy is run and a bunch of other stuff. Too long to put the whole article here. Wish I could. But they also mentioned how the prince does not carry the same love that the people have for
the King. I think this whole mess is just going to have to play out to the end and see what happens. If the red shirts would agree to something and stick with it instead of always trying to add more
demands after they get pretty much what they want then maybe things could move forward.

As to traveling to Thailand, I would have no problem flying in tomorrow if I could pick up Teaw. She lives in Pathumthani anyway and we have no reason to go into BKK unless we want to do something there.
As long as you stay away from where the trouble is I don't imagine there would be a problem. I laugh when they talk about the journalists being shot...DUHHHHHHHH...if you want to play in fire you get
burned!!! I'd be up in Buriram for quite a few days anyway when I come to see her.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-16 08:21:00

Ah, come on, guys!! They live off our tax dollars and the money we pay to have the visas processed. I say put them to work. Just send in the Marines to guard the embassy!!!

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-15 09:42:00

Wow, it's gotten so quiet in this thread!! Maybe the fighting in BKK is making everyone take a break?? Let's hope the embassy opens Monday and starts processing visas again. This is just causing
delays for everyone.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-15 08:11:00

The latest from BKK Post: The US embassy visa section would be closecd on Friday, but would hopefully be be able to reopen on Monday, spokesman Michael Turner said.

So looks like delays are going to happen until they get the situation under control with the red shirts.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-13 07:06:00

With mail it'####### or miss when it goes through customs. Sometimes they hit you up and sometimes they don't. When I sent stuff to the ex over there sometimes she had to pay duty and sometimes not. Didn't seem to
matter what it was. More like okay, she pays this time. Unless there is some way you can flag it as being business related and for business use then maybe it could go through okay. Maybe someone can talk to the
customs people and see if there is something you can put on there that will get it through without duty.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-12 18:14:00

Nice map, but that's assuming nothing spills over if they try to run them out. Hopefully it won't affect the embassy but I would think in BKK it is not like the US where you can maybe just shut down electricity to one specific block or half block. Heck, we all know if a dog pees on an elec. pole
the elec. goes out!!! I hope nothing slows down at the embassy cause I want them working if we are paying them!!!!

As far as emailing the embassy, I never put that much info in my emails. I only put the subject line 1st IV INQUIRY, my name and bkk number and
they always reply. And either email address will work but sometimes the visabbk2 address works better.

After I wrote this I checked the BKK Post online and it now appears they shut off plans have now been "delayed".
They are afraid of how it might affect the embassies and other big stuff and residents around there since they are
not sure exactly what will apparently be cut off where. Of course, it does no good to announce your plans BEFORE you take the action so the red shirts know exactly what is going to happen.

Edited by Tom and Teaw, 12 May 2010 - 01:03 PM.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-12 12:59:00

The Bangkok Post article about the red shirts having water, power and supplies being cut off and asking people that live in the are to leave during the shut down also reported
"Co-leader Korkaew Pikulthong said the protesters have their own generators, so they would still have electricity. They would also tap into the water pipes supplying the UK and the US embassies."
If they shut down the area so no workers can enter, let's hope the embassy can still operate and process the visa applications.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-12 07:11:00

"The Immigrant visa Unit is now loading the electronic file of the above captioned case from NVC. Please allow some weeks for us to receive the physical file of the case. Once we have received the completed case files and opened the case in the system, we will notify the applicant by mailing the Packet 3 instructional letter to this address. Please verify."

That's a new one on me as well. When I emailed them to ask I addressed it to attn: duty officer. But maybe they are doing things different now and receiving the files electronically...which makes sense...so they can do preliminary reviews and then get the physical file later. But that's a lot of scanning documents and stuff from people and very time consuming especially when guys send in thousands of pages with the app. My first reply
was different than what you got. Since you know the date it was shipped from NVC, call DHL, give them the zip of NVC, the embassy zip and the date it was sent. They can tell you when it was delivered to the embassy. They might ask you for a few more things and they might tell you there were multiple packages sent the same day to BKK but you can just figure one of yours was in there and what day it arrived physically at the embassy. That's how I figured out when it would arrive and it was right on.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-11 22:01:00

Well I received a letter yesterday from the NVC saying that my case had been sent to the Bangkok Embassy on May 5th. I had read that people had received letters like this only to call the NVC and find out that their case was still in Admin Review so I didn't take it seriously. However, I called the NVC today and when I finally got through the NVC representative also told me that my application left for the embassy on May 5th. I'm in disbelief because it's only been two weeks since the NVC received my application so I'm not sure if I believe him or not I think I will call again just to be sure before I celebrate

Mike

I think you can celebrate. When I got my NOA2 the case had been sent the day before the letter was dated. DHL delivers them in 3 business days and a day for processing at the embassy and they will be ready to be
sending out the P3 info. You can write the consulate at the embassy, give them the BNK number, both of your names and ask them to let you know that it has arrived and they will email you back after it's logged into
their system. So give it a shot!!! Good luck!!

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-11 18:41:00

Go Sharks!!!
Not much else worth dancing about...

Ya, I was kinda rooting for the Sharks to knock out the Wings!! Heck, I remember when they first came into the league. My kids had to have Sharks jackets.
My middle daughter is now an avid Kings fan and goes to several games a year.

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-10 06:53:00

Yeah, I wouldn't trust the people at the embassy at all. You never know what they are thinking at a particular time and if the Thai lady that was at Teaw's interview is at hers, then I would
worry. Teaw said she was not nasty but very stern in her questions. And a big issue with them was her wanting to answer in Thai when we write emails in English. They can't seem to understand
that the ladies are nervous and in a situation they are not used to and being grilled.

The single certificate MIGHT help. Teaw had one that I sent in with the initial app last Oct. But I would not take a chance on them wondering what kind of ceremony you really had. If she shows
even a hint of deceit or nervousness if they asked her about it I bet they would AP her to check into it. It's best to avoid anything that they can question and get the visa and get her out of there.

No, I didn't watch the Lakers. I am more of a hockey fan and have been watching the playoffs while I work on appeals transcripts. Crime pays me....haha!!!!

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-09 19:43:00

Audy_Rob, the only thing I would be afraid of is getting put into AP while they do some investigating. Since they seem to be AP happy now and have been putting lots of girls in AP, and if you have enough
evidence to make it, I wouldn't put those pics in. See what some of the others in here say. Of course, as long as you didn't register a marriage in Thailand, if they check, they won't find it. But to my thinking
they would put it in AP so they could check to see if it is registered somewhere. Sucks, ya know?

Tom and Teaw

Male

Thailand

2010-05-09 18:05:00