How to ship fiancée's clothes to USA?

[sirineou]

2 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

I've long since stopped going with Mrs G to shop.

 

She gets off works, meets a friend then can do all their hunting and gathering without me!

 

This weekly event of the female of the species is leading me to conclude we need a bigger closet!

He have a walk in closet in the Master bedroom, that is the length of one side of the bedroom (I would say 16 ft .dont remember and cannot check because she is sleeping in there now, )  and four  ft wide with shelves and hangers on one side, of which, without exaggeration I would say three  ft are mine. ????

When ever I see her getting upset at me , (which lately is often, and usually with good reason)   I tell her that I need something from Ross and would she mind driving me,  and while pretending to look for what I need I let her look around, by the time we leave she forgot why I was such an A-hole and she is telling be about the cute top she found and how she spend so little for it.

And I pretend to listen and care ???? IMO  money well spend.

[Nout]

Shipping by air freight is dirt cheap. Sea freight even cheaper.  As for the journey. Baggage allowance varies from 20 to 35 kilos.

[sirineou]

8 hours ago, sirineou said:

He have a walk in closet in the Master bedroom, that is the length of one side of the bedroom (I would say 16 ft .dont remember and cannot check because she is sleeping in there now, )  and four  ft wide with shelves and hangers on one side, of which, without exaggeration I would say three  ft are mine. ????

When ever I see her getting upset at me , (which lately is often, and usually with good reason)   I tell her that I need something from Ross and would she mind driving me,  and while pretending to look for what I need I let her look around, by the time we leave she forgot why I was such an A-hole and she is telling be about the cute top she found and how she spend so little for it.

And I pretend to listen and care ???? IMO  money well spend.

I was very proud of myself , thinking 11 years of marriage, and she still haven't figured what I am doing. LOL  God I am clever!!  but I could never figure out why she was getting mad at me so often, What am I doing? and then I figure it out, 

She is getting upset with me because she need a new top ????

[Elkski]

You guys are funny and probably all correct. 

I do hope she doesn't go up sizes except in the rear.   I do like many of her clothes.  She has ben trying stuff on for me.  She does have many of these baggy shirts that would be big on me.  She is one of those thai that like to hide their midsection even though she fits in the size 0&2 shorts i brought her and her waist is  22".   She did say ok she not bring much and we can go shopping.  I told her ok we go once a month and she said ok.   I do plan on 1500$ just for good cold weather coats and boots.   I sure hope Thailand  gets this latest florid flare-up under control  and the US embassy stays open or I'm really screwed ots been 300 days so far with no known time-line.. probably another  120-200 days.  1 year ago these Visas were taking 260 days  total. 

[GinBoy2]

8 hours ago, Elkski said:

You guys are funny and probably all correct. 

I do hope she doesn't go up sizes except in the rear.   I do like many of her clothes.  She has ben trying stuff on for me.  She does have many of these baggy shirts that would be big on me.  She is one of those thai that like to hide their midsection even though she fits in the size 0&2 shorts i brought her and her waist is  22".   She did say ok she not bring much and we can go shopping.  I told her ok we go once a month and she said ok.   I do plan on 1500$ just for good cold weather coats and boots.   I sure hope Thailand  gets this latest florid flare-up under control  and the US embassy stays open or I'm really screwed ots been 300 days so far with no known time-line.. probably another  120-200 days.  1 year ago these Visas were taking 260 days  total. 

Some of us try to at least be somewhat humorous, and at times helpful, so I'm glad you enjoyed some of our Thai spouse shopping/clothes hoarding stories.

 

On the visa issue this whole covid nightmare has thrown yet another wrench in the whole visa immigration process, with embassies being essentially locked down.

 

Now when you do get the K1, the next part of this 'adventure' will be the green card application. This used to be a fairly short, if tedious process. 

However under the Trump administration USCIS has basically ground to a halt. My wife has a friend in Utah. She arrived August 2018, still has yet to get her green card.

 

Now Biden has said he will undo some the current directives, moving resources away from enforcement back to adjudication, but the there will be a huge backlog to deal with, and who knows where that will be in his list of priorities.

 

So what I'm I'm trying to say is, hang tight but be prepared to have the 'Patience of Job'

Edited December 20, 2020 by GinBoy2

[Elkski]

I had heard that trump even tried to cut all funding for immigration.   They did raise prices on the  green card process. And many visas.  Therexare several lawsuits ongoing and discovery has shown an attitude of delay.  I had not heard it could take  2 years for a green card. We were thinking 6-8 months.  Does this Utah friend have a work permit?  Via The I-765?

https://www.uscis.gov/i-765

 

Most Americans want to close the door after their families immigrated. They don't know that these immigration laws and procedures are the same as their ancestors used to entee the US

[sirineou]

47 minutes ago, Elkski said:

I had heard that trump even tried to cut all funding for immigration.   They did raise prices on the  green card process. And many visas.  Therexare several lawsuits ongoing and discovery has shown an attitude of delay.  I had not heard it could take  2 years for a green card. We were thinking 6-8 months.  Does this Utah friend have a work permit?  Via The I-765?

https://www.uscis.gov/i-765

 

Most Americans want to close the door after their families immigrated. They don't know that these immigration laws and procedures are the same as their ancestors used to entee the US

A couple of things you might not know, or have considered.

With wait time for Green Cards getting longer, Upon her arrival, Get married ASAP , have a civil marriage first  to get the ball rolling on the change of status. And later on if you want to have a church wedding ,you can. . That way upon Applying for a change of status she can also get a Temporary SSN and work permit , that would allow her to work.

(I was told that she could had applied for a temp. SSN at the airport when she arrived and was processed trough immigration, but I don't know how true it is because wen did not do it)

Most communities have night english classes  for immigrants  , depending on her english proficiency  level it might be something she might want to do. 

My wife did it even though her english was sevisable, it gave her a chance to socialise with other in the same situation as he, in fact there were two othe Thai girls there, and she did not feel as isolated with me as her only contact.. 

When my now wife then Fiance arrived in the US, even though we did not need the money, I got her a part time job at a friends local, Thai restaurant, It allowed her to have some of her own money, be around other Thai people  speak Thai, and get out of the house. It helped to soften the culture shock IMO .  While waiting for the green card , she will not be allowed to exit the country and re-enter unless she had a "Advance parole" to return to the US. , That might be something to also consider.

-Many of the Thai shows are on YouTube, my wife watches the all the time, even after 11 years in the US.

Best of luck to both of you

 

 

[Elkski]

Ty sirineou,   I have heard to get married quickly to shorten times by 89 days but after so long apart I think its best we not rush things.   I did read you  should apply for ability to leave ASAP.  I worry what would happen if a close relative died. In the first 7 months.    As leaving the country voids the K1 visa.  I think she needs to work for same reasons you stated.   Did your wife get drivers license quickly? 

[GinBoy2]

2 hours ago, Elkski said:

Ty sirineou,   I have heard to get married quickly to shorten times by 89 days but after so long apart I think its best we not rush things.   I did read you  should apply for ability to leave ASAP.  I worry what would happen if a close relative died. In the first 7 months.    As leaving the country voids the K1 visa.  I think she needs to work for same reasons you stated.   Did your wife get drivers license quickly? 

Now I was in a slightly different position to you, since one of the reasons we wanted to return to the US was that my wife wanted to restart her career, which had pretty much ground to a halt in Thailand.

 

But, being able to drive is a major contributor to a Thai lady's chances of being able of making that transition a success.

 

Now, I don't know anything about her English ability, but that written test can be a challenge for many

 

In some States an adult can do a drivers ed course can remove the requirement to pass a written test.

My wife's friend, who's spoken English is good, but would never have been to read enough to pass a written test here in South Dakota did exactly that.

So take this time to check out the options where you are

 

That sense of independence, I think, goes a long way to helping the acclimatization

[Elkski]

She did , does have a Thai license but hasn't driven much.  I count her like a newbie 15 yr old new driver.  I plan to send her to a driving school.  Her English is pretty good both spoken and written.  I think our Drivers license place will provide a translator.  I plan on her driving  within 9-12 months.  

My reason for moving her here and marriage is because at this time Thailand isn't looking like a great place to retire.   I think I am a man who can live without the bennies of living in Thailand.  

[impulse]

On 12/17/2020 at 1:20 AM, Elkski said:

No no no!   Don't want to encourage any growth in a shopping habit. Yes  plenty of stores here. 

Yes I plan to buy warm stuff.  she will need sweaters, warm clothes, hats, gloves, thermal layers, wind breakers. Down coats, for cold.  

 

She'll need all of that (and more) for the warm weather.  Well, warm for here in the USA anyway...

[kingofthemountain]

11 hours ago, Elkski said:

My reason for moving her here and marriage is because at this time Thailand isn't looking like a great place to retire.   I think I am a man who can live without the bennies of living in Thailand. 

Do you know usualy in a couple there are two persons?

i hope for you she is in the same mindset as you

whatever she had said to you about it only the real experience will count

so wait and see and fingers crossed ?

[GinBoy2]

21 hours ago, Elkski said:

I had heard that trump even tried to cut all funding for immigration.   They did raise prices on the  green card process. And many visas.  Therexare several lawsuits ongoing and discovery has shown an attitude of delay.  I had not heard it could take  2 years for a green card. We were thinking 6-8 months.  Does this Utah friend have a work permit?  Via The I-765?

https://www.uscis.gov/i-765

 

Most Americans want to close the door after their families immigrated. They don't know that these immigration laws and procedures are the same as their ancestors used to entee the US

So I did confirm with my wife's friend, that as of yesterday she still hasn't received a green card. 

 

USCIS returned documents to her back in April, requested additional tax documents for the affidavit of support, and as of yet nothing.

 

So all  can say, is from what I see right now, the experiences most of us had before have no bearing on the situation today.

 

Buckle Up!