rito

I registered my account but didn't receive a PIN. I entered the following number

17602777368 (USA)

Thanks

I was to young for Vietnam, but I met and spoke with with Tony on a number of occasions. The man was quite a character and a legend. I met him in 93 when I joined the VFW in Udon. I saw him again when I went to visit him after his triple by-pass at the San Fran VA 96 or 97, anyway he remembered me and called me by my name when I showed up. I was impressed, this old warrior 3 days out of surgery recalled my name and shook my hand with a firm grip. I was sorry to hear about his passing and disappointed that I missed his memorial service.

RIP and Semper Fi Tony,

Rito

ok, 45 minutes if you can start arguing with your wife about something during the interview

Hmm, that shouldn't be to hard to do , Thanks.

Also, thanks to JDR & TT.

your documents will need to be translated from thai to english, as you probably already know. the appt. is about 1 hour, fill out the application and then an interview where they ask to see pictures of you and your wife together. your application, copies and passport size pictures will be sent back to the US to be processed. you will then be told when you can come back to pick it up (pickup can be by yourself). there will be a social security application that you take with you and send yourself when the little squirt gets older.

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Thanks Huski appreciate your reply,

Wow, an hour. I imagin that's to establish a relationship between husband & wife.

Any idea if the interview would be expedited being that we were married in the US and have a US born son. The only reason I ask is that I depart LOS later the same day. Unfortunaly it was the only appointment I could get before I departed.

Thanks again...

Just wondering if anyone has been through the process and willing to share there experience or advise. Already have appointment & documentation, just waiting on the baby

BTW, my TW has Geen card and have one son with dual citizenship (born USA).

Thanks,

Rito

Sunny San Diego, CA

Come over. Have a great time. Dont go out looking for a wife. Enjoy the company of many TG's and you never know you might actually meet one who in the future. could become your wife. Just enjoy it and dont be desperate. They will see you coming.

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Worked for me. Been traveling to LOS off and on since 1986 with no intentions of ever getting married. Now married to my TW coming up on 8 years...01/20/05

I use dialpad.com. Experience some delay, but I got use to it. I also use a phone card that offers good rates. thaitel.com

Hi all,

Just taking in the information, not much of a chatter box. This forum has been really helpful to me. Have a couple of years before I retire and join my family in Udon.

In fact, two of her cousins presently live in America (one in Portland, OR and the other in Newark, NJ). However, they can't help us with joint-sponsorship. They only have Green Card status themselves.

Shaun & Natlada

[email protected]

We send our blessings out to those families affected by the earthquake and tsunamis .

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5. What is a joint sponsor?

" A joint sponsor is a person who is not the petitioner for the sponsored immigrant but who meets the citizenship, residence, and age requirements and who meets the 125 percent minimum income requirement for his or her household size. Joint sponsors are permitted when the petitioner cannot meet the income requirements or has died before all family members have immigrated. Joint sponsors must accept joint legal responsibility for supporting sponsored immigrant(s) and reimbursing the cost of any means-tested public benefit used until the sponsored immigrants naturalize, can be credited with 40 qualifying quarters of work, depart the United States permanently, or die".

I don't want to be insensitive to your situation. But I think you need to take a closer look at the above paragraph. If her cousins have "Green Cards" then that means they have Permanent Residence status. Hence they meet the requirements. You need to research the INS website it's clearly defined there.

Additionally, I would think you would get better support from family members rather total strangers. It's just not signing a piece of paper, it's also accepting financial responsibilty.

BTW, I brought my wife over on a K-1 visa, did it all myself, no lawyers (not that I have anything against lawayers). I took the time to research what I needed. Overwelming at first, but it turnout to be a piece of cake. 6 mos from start to finish. I don't know what the process time is these days, especially after 9/11...

Good luck

We have a container with used personal effects and household goods that was shipped to TH in my wife's name (both as the sender and consignee). Now we need someone to do customs clearance and unpack our stuff and drive it to our house (in BKK).

Can anyone recommend a company for this?

Preferrably one that has previously dealt with similar shipments (as personal effects are supposed to be duty free when a thai returns from living abroad).

Any other tips/recommendations from anyone who have done the same thing before..?

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I posted this earlier this month.

Hi all,

"FYI...my wife and I shipped our household goods from US to LOS. US end easy enough...Thai interesting experience. Used shipping broker in LA with Thai rep. Paid about $850 for approx 2000lbs. In wife's name only. Upon arrival, no duties paid. However; paywork was screwed. Wife name spelled two different ways in two different places (hard to imagin when they had a copy of her Thai PP )

Customs agent says we're required to adjust paperwork before release of goods. DIY-major pain in the ass or pay money to middleman agent (about bth 5000). 30 min later go to warehouse, ID stuff, no problem. Paid another bth 1200 , agent says "customs no open, inspection no, no see, mai pen lai... welcome to Thailand go to www.customs.go.th for more information"

Anyway, that was our experience. If it wasn't for the paperwork being screwed up it would have been DIY easy and less expensive. Once the documentation was corrected, we were escorted to our HHG, identified it and paid a little extra because customs didn't inspected (not at our request). Also, my sister in law works for Toshiba, and was able to hire us one of her company trucks to transport HHG's to Udon.

In your case you have a container and may require a suitable truck to transport it. However, everything else you and your wife can accomplish fairly easy. Try www.thailandguru.com they have a section in there for moving/relocation. They also list a website for a relocation company.

Good luck...

Rito

I now have a retirement visa and need to move my household stuff over.

Any special paperwork or regulations I need to know other than the prohibited goods?

Any special wording on the BOL and manifest?

How to declare personal tools and a complete bike in bits?

Thanks

Robert

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We moved our household goods. But we did it under my wife's name, so we didn't pay any duty. Here's the Thai Customs website, maybe it will help.

http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/indexEng.jsp

Greetings,

FYI...found this site in Khon Kaen forum. www.thaiimmigration.com website for Nong Khai Imm. office. Don't recall coming across it here, so I thought I post it.

Rito

Yes the wather storage tank is a good idea even with city water, at the moment the house that we are renting is on City water they have been working on the mains for months, hence long periods of the day no water. The systen will probably be better after they are finished but things don't happen in a hurry here. You should also consider a booster pump with your system, since water pressure is usually lacking they will run about 5,000 Baht

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All good info, thanks. The house we have our eye won't be ready until Jan/Feb. But I would appreciate it if you let me know how goes with your lawyer. We're also, waiting on approval from the bank. 99.9% it's going to go through, so my wife says. Good luck with everything, hope it goes in your favor

Rito

Appreciate the advise Ray,

I will never build a house again, dream that turned into nighmare. Actually the thought of the attorney was for building a house, but for $75.00 for a contract review, it may not be a bad idea in any event.

Good luck you will love UDon

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I agree, $75 is worth to avoid any hassels. Any recommendations for a Udon based lawyer?

Also, I have a basic idea how the water storage tanks are used, are they also used when the house has city water piped in.

Appreciate the advise Ray,

I thought about building, but seems like too many pitfalls. Not something I want to rush into, especially since I won't be around (permanently) for another couple years. While there (last month) we looked around quite a few properties and settled on the development or estate properties. Although, I didn't consider the other factors you mentioned-elect, water supply and more importantly a lawyer. Definitely, something I'll have to take a closer at.

Thanks

Hi all,

I'm married to a TG with child. Family recently moved from US to Udon. I will follow in about 2 years. Decided to settle in Udon, being that is where my wife is from and I've visited off and on since 93. Anyway, I have some questions about the new developments going up in and around Udon eg First Home, PK Tahni. Had the opportunity to see a few townhouses at different locations. Was impressed and are considering buying at PK Thani. Has anyone heard anything good or bad about these developments-buyers beware tips appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Rito

Hi all,

FYI...my wife and I shipped our household goods from US to LOS. US end easy enough...Thai interesting experience. Used shipping company in LA with Thai rep. Paid about $850 for approx 2000lbs. In wife's name only. Upon arrival, no duties paid. However; paywork was screwed. Wife name spelled two diferent ways in two different places (hard to imagin when they had a copy of her Thai PP )

Customs agent says we're required to adjust paperwork before release of goods. DIY-major pain in the ass or pay money to middleman agent (about bth 5000). 30 min later go to warehouse, ID stuff, no problem. Paid another bth 1200 , agent says "customs no open, inspection no, no see, mai pen lai... welcome to Thailand go to www.customs.go.th for more information

Rito