Gumballl

I am in the middle of trying to apply for a visa for my wife to come to the US. The National Visa Center is stringing me along, sending me bills, followed by various forms to complete.

Right now there is just one more form to complete before all of the forms are sent to the US Embassy in BKK. It is the first part (Biographic Data) of the DS-230 form.

In a particular Section 19 of the form, it asks for a listing of the names of my wife's children. The only child she/we have is our 2 year old daughter, who was born in Thailand, and who has dual citizenship with Thailand and the US (in Sep 2005 she obtained her US Passport and SSN).

Since my daughter is a US citizen, and hence does not require a visa to come to the US, should I list her on the DS-230 form? I want to believe the names of the children are requested so that they too can be issued a visa stamp in their passports, but as I stated earlier, my daughter does not require this. Am I wrong? Should I list my daughter's name?

Btw, I should note that I have not listed my daughter in any of the other forms that I have submitted to the National Visa Center, with the exception of the I-864 (affidavit of support) in relation to this visa application because I knew that she did not require a visa. On I-864, I did not have to list her name, but merely that I had a child dependent.

Anyhow, any kind thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you.

LA I believe has the largest Thai community outside of Thailand

Dagnabbit! Well, that is one of places that I can work, too...hey, they do have Disneyland there so it can't be half bad...and I know that have Bhuddist temples that she can go too. That part is important for her I know.

I used to live in Redondo Beach, about 30 miles southwest of downtown LA, yet still in the same county. My ex-wife (who was Thai) never appeared have a problem. She was able to go to the Asian market (near the intersection of Vermont & Artesia) to buy her food stuff, and there were at least 4 to 5 different Thai restuarants in the general vicinity of our home. Amazingly, she also liked going to Baja Fresh for mexican fast-food.

Driving time from RB to to the Thai Consulate (and Thai town) was a cinch. Took about 30-45 minutes.

At this moment, I live in Ft. Wayne, IN. What a bore this place is! Even for a caucasian. I hate to bring my new/second wife (who is also Thai) here.

Anyways, I personally would choose the Southern CA area. Screw what the critics say about traffic, cost, etc, etc. For me, a diverse community is the best for a foreigner to live in. It gives them confidence when they see other foreigners (regardless of nationality) making the adjustment to American culture. As for me, it gives me insight into other cultures.

About a month(?) after my baby was born my wife's mother shaved the baby's head. Anyone else have this done?

Yes, me! My mother, who is far from being thai, had me go thru this with the hopes that my hair will grow back thicker. It worked.

As for in thailand, it is done during the buddhist "baptism" ceremony. My daughter's hair was shaven off after she reach 6 months of age.

You cannot apply for a "marriage" visa if you are not married. Your best bet is to apply for the K-1 visa (which is also known as the "fiance" visa).

With the K-1, your fiance would be admitted into the US, and at that time, you would have 90 days to formally tie the knot (at a courthouse, church, etc).

To see what you need to apply for the K-1, search the TV site. Here's a keyword: I-129F.

Good luck.

update, recieved the I-797 (notice of action) approval in the mail yesterday. I had learned of the approval thru e-mail on Sept 5 (mail 8 days) and it looks like they mailed the notification on the same day.

So, they've turned it over to the national visa center in NH and they're saying 2-4 weeks processing here before sending it along to BKK. Apparently they will also notify me at the same time. I'm not clear how this works. There is a packet 3 and and packet 4 mentioned on the BKK website that BKK sends out with forms to complete.

It's looking like the whole process will take longer than 3 months. This part alone has taken 2 and who knows what the rest will be.

Btw, Packet 3 is a lot of forms (in English) that your thai partner has to complete. However, you can do it yourself and have her sign the forms. Then your partner has to get a medical examination (at Bumrungrad Hospital or another - I forgot which) and also a Thai police report. Once this is complete, she needs to notify the US Embassy in BKK (by mailing in one of the forms), and then they will schedule her for an appointment.

The appointment will cost $100 (approx 4000 baht) which must be paid at a BKK Post Office - in return you will get a money order type thingy which is given to the Embassy. I think she also has to bring a couple of US-style passport photos, and a slew of other things (birth certificate, thai passport, etc).

A lot of hassle, but all is easy to accomplish with patience.

Total time between submitting the I-129F and getting the appointment vary. At a minimum I would say 6 months. But if it takes a long time to complete the forms, and do all of the other things, then it could be longer. Also, make sure you do not forget something on the forms (ie. a signature).

Good luck.

Instead of visa, bring a mastercard or gringo express when you enter LOS.

Ok... good, i got your attention.... for those of you griping over the new regs, please read the other sane posts. Get a real visa. Those of you who enter LOS without a visa (tourist, O, B, etc) get a stamp in the passport... this stamp is a VOA (a visa-on-arrival).

Want to stay in LOS for a year... get 4 multiple-entry tourist visas... duh!!!

No it is not!!! The stamp you get to enter thailand WITHOUT a visa is just a permission to stay 30 days stamp. The Visa on Arrival (VOA) is a completely different thing and is only available at a limited number of entry points into Thailand.

ok, maybe I am wrong. But you gotta love my humour!

Anyhow, I will be in LOS soon (mid October). I want one of these VOAs. I have never had one before. How do I get one? Do I merely ask the gov't agent at the immigration check-point that I want a VOA instead of the show-up-and-get-a-30-day stamp in my passport? Or do I have to slip him some tea-money?

Instead of visa, bring a mastercard or gringo express when you enter LOS.

Ok... good, i got your attention.... for those of you griping over the new regs, please read the other sane posts. Get a real visa. Those of you who enter LOS without a visa (tourist, O, B, etc) get a stamp in the passport... this stamp is a VOA (a visa-on-arrival).

Want to stay in LOS for a year... get 4 multiple-entry tourist visas... duh!!!

The receipt of the application is just a confirmation that your initial application (the I-129F) has been received by the USCIS, not that it has been reviewed/approved. I believe they have a site where you can check on the processing status of the application (this is it), and where you can register for email notifications of the progress of your application.

Also, the USCIS has different processing sites around the US. Historically, the one in the Southwest US (Laguna Beach, CA) has always been the busiest, and hence the slowest when it comes to processing applications. Other USCIS sites generally are quicker, but there is no guarantee of that and I'm sure it varies from time to time. Unfortunately the applicant is stuck filing their I-129F (or I-130) at the facility closest to where they live.

For an I-129F, you can expect anywhere from 7 months to a year before the US Embassy in BKK contacts your fiance. For those on the other route (i.e. those already married) and using the I-130, it can seem a lot longer!

To ensure that things progress at the fastest rate possible, always make sure that every document you send is correctly completed and is legible (best if using a typewriter or online Adobe forms). Most delays are caused because the applicant forgets to submit the proper evidence to show that they are a US citizen, or they forget other simple things like proof of income, evidence of relationship to fiance, etc.

Also, always make copies of everything you send the USCIS. Sometimes they mysteriously lose things.

out of curiousity, where were you married and divorced?

With the topic of shopping and planning ahead... How many of you actually remember to take with you the stack of "worthless" 25- and 50-satang coins with you when you go shopping at a supermarket?

Many times I have forgotten, but when I do remember (and I take my wife's stash as well), she gives me a funny look as to why I care about those insignificant coins. I tell her it is because I do not want anymore these coins!

There have been times when I buy two of "something" just to avoid having to get back a 50-satang coin.

I am in middle of trying to apply for a US visa for my spouse, and everything is on track... except for the latest blunder.

About 2 1/2 weeks ago I sent my spouse (who is in LOS) a form to sign. I just received it back from her today. It turns out that she has signed the form in the wrong place... I mean way off from where it should have been signed.

I have several choices:

1) Be content, and forward the form to US immigration folks and take my chances;

2) Bark at my spouse because her lack of attention;

3) Repeat the process again by sending her the form to sign, and smile like a Thai and whisper "mai pen rai" over and over again to myself.

How would you react if this were to happen to you?

Can foreigners (non-citizens) form Political Action Committees (PACs) or become lobbyists? Do they need a work permit to rally others (Thai citizens of course) to support whatever cause it is that they support.

Before a vote can count for anything, a good majority of the voters must agree on a cause or course of action. Without wide support, one dissenting vote is meaningless.

By the way... I would never want to become a Thai citizen. Too much hassle, and very little to gain.

While I agree cwilliam's comment was bad, let's all try to keep it civil.

Also, I understand that private schools can only get one work permit for every classroom they have. There may also be a magic formula of so many Thai employees per farang. It depends on the willingness of school administrators, and the local labour officials. It's not easy at all, even for well qualified people.

We can't discuss the licensing and work permit problems without addressing qualifications. One suggestion by our own kenkaniff was that there be tiers of qualified levels. My version of the tiers would go something like this:

a. B.Ed. majoring in education, plus lots of courses in the special area to be taught.

b. A bachelor's degree without an education major; hopefully with a classroom TEFL course over 100 hours of lessons, and enough supervised practice teaching.

c. No degree; a good TEFL course, and qualifying experience.

But never mind; mai bpen rai. We're farang; the solutions have to come from the Thai authorities, and I hope they might listen to us. However, I doubt they'd take our suggestions very seriously.

You forgot option d. Degree, and no TEFL, for those who want to teach in other disciplines, such as other languages, mathematics, the sciences, etc.

What would really be nice is for these Walmart wannabe's is to offer online shopping. That way one could do their shopping from home, pay with a credit card, and wait for the delivery to show up at their front door. Oh wait... this is Thailand.... must adjust watch to reflect that it is the hub of the 19th century.

Gumball,

First, thank you for the info...the USCIS is a place i was not looking. I thought the scary US Embassy Thailand site was the only place. I have spent some time reviewing my options of fiancee or spouse, Im going with the I-130...getting officially married will classify her as an immediate relative and therefore we dont have to wait for a visa number as she will no longer be subjected to the "immigrant visa limit". It is also what we both want to do...especially before the child is born.

Seems fairly straight forward considering. The only thing that im concerned about is her lack of documented employment history that will show up on the G-325A. Is this a deal breaker?

Thanks

No, the lack of employment is not an issue (at least I do not see how it would be relevant if your spouse goes to the US). Just list where your soon-to-be wife has worked, or whether she is now a housewife (homemaker).

The thing you should concern yourself with is the I-864 that you may have to complete to show that you can support your spouse in the US. The minimum salary is not much (for a family of 2 it is like $25K per year). However, you may have to prove that you have a job in the US (if you are not self-employed) and/or you may have to prove you have other assets (mutual funds, money in the bank, etc).

Get 4 multiple-entry visas. Each can be used up to 60 days + an additional 30 days if you extend it (at an immigration office). Much easier to get these visas while you are still in your home country.

Btw, before any of the 60+30 visas expires, you must exit Thailand, say to Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, or someplace further if you wish. Then you can re-enter Thailand to begin using your next visa.

Depending on your luck, it might be quicker to get your fiance over to the US on a K-1 visa (for fiance). If you get married, then it is a different ballgame. Either way, you will to prove that you earn enough to support her in the US.

As for your upcoming child, it does not matter that he/she is born in a foreign country. You can petition to get US citizenship for the child at the US Embassy. If you have hopes that your kid will someday be President of the US, then consider having the kid in the US. Otherwise, don't sweat it.

As I have mentioned in other posts, all you need to get started on the visa for your fiance is right here at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services

Good luck with everything!

No, you do not have to be in the US. There is plenty of information here: USCIS (US Citizen & Immigration Service)

Post your questions here (on TV) if you still have concerns about how to proceed. I'll give you a hint... look for the I-129F form. Everything (i.e. answers) you need are contained within that form. I believe you will also need the G-325A (one for yourself and one for your fiancee).

Consult with the US Embassy as to whether these forms need to be submitted to an office in the US (you can mail them if so), or if they can simply be submitted in BKK. There is an application fee; it used to be $170. I do not know what it is now.

Good luck.

No doubt it will be agreed that the US make all the rules and manage to screw Thailand (and it's people) in the process.

totster

Well maybe so, but fortunately being a US citizen, it might help me with retirement.

I have heard in the past that LOS and the US are trying to put together a free trade agreement. Has anyone heard anything about this issue? Do you think that everything will be able to be traded without duties, or will there be any exceptions?

If you have an account at Bangkok Bank, ask your US client to deposit the monies directly into your account, via the NYC branch of Bangkok Bank. You will need to give your client the ABA number of this branch and your account number.

Similarly, it should be possible for the client to deposit monies into your foreign account by using the Swift code and account number.

Sulaphat, thanks for your reply. Soon after my first attempts to use Skype, I gave up and , I decided to get a 6 Mbps hi-speed internet service with my local cable-tv provider. Now I just rely on my Vonage service which I have had for over a year, and which was not available while I was moving residences from point A to B.

Personally I am really disappointed with Skype, because it does not transmit anything worthwhile to the callee about who is calling. And they delays... those occurred even when I was calling within my own country (the US). I am glad I only invested $15 (or so) in buying international-calling credits. I have already cut my losses on the Skype-POS. In fact, I even took back to my local electronics dealer the headphone/microphone headset I bought so that I could get a refund.

Skype = Hype.

I disagree... I think that when one sets up a network (preferably a wifi network), that they remain totally oblivious to what they are setting up. They should not have to concern themselves with anything, especially passwords and user-ids.

Is your blood pumpin' yet? Good. My point was to state that the OP probably deserves an award for the silliest post this year.

Duh! I think that most folks who venture into setting up a local network do tend to read the manuals that come with their router, and if they are stupid enough not too, then why bother with trying to educate them. I love these folks, especially when they setup wifi networks.

Access to the internet should be free!!!!

I have no direct experience with interviews at the UK embassy, but it seems to me that a lot of folks complain about it.

It is quite possible that many interviews are carried out by those who try to agitate the one being interviewed, thus possibly revealing the true character of the interviewee as to how the situation is handled.

One thing I have learned (in a recent interview process with an organization that I will not name), is that those conducting the interviews have absolutely no clue about the person being interviewed, other than what the person has written in their application. (To this day, this organization still does not know my favorite color. )

The last point I made might not make sense to some, but think about it.... If a person states that they are a homemaker, or a salesperson, or whatever, how is the UK embassy or anyone else for that matter going to refute that (unless they perform an in-depth investigation). It is unlikely that any background investigation will be performed by the UK embassy, or any other embassy for that matter (too costly).

The simply make their decisions based on the information provided by the applicant, police reports, medical reports, etc. It would be impractical, if not impossible for any embassy to send out a field agent to determine the true background of a foreign individual.

Therefore, if you know someone who will be interviewed, tell them to relax and stick to the information provided in the application, regardless of any attempts by the interviewer to befriend them and then get them to alter their background "story". Many of these interviewers are psychologists, and believe me, they know how to trip a person up.

Please tell your friend good luck with her interview.

I guess it's a problem to interrupt people who are drinking whiskey? I'll certainly be more careful in the future!

It's ok to interrupt someone... just make sure you are doing it to top off their glass with more whiskey.