Just want to share my experience with DCF in Bangkok in case anyone on these boards is considering filing this way. I was really intimidated and paranoid about doing this all on my own without any legal assistance, especially considering my financial status and questions about being "domiciled" in America.
However, with the help of the internet and sites like visa journey, it really was quite easy in retrospect, but still nervewrecking.
anyways, I'll give those interested a quick breakdown of what happened:
after deciding that DCF was the best way to go, I decided to get married in Bangkok at one of the local offices.
1) First, I went to the US embassy in bangkok to get a form that verifies that I am single and got it notarized at the embassy for $30.
2) I took this form to get translated into Thai at a translation service for 300 baht. (i have since found out that you can get it translated by anyone, as long as they state that they are competent and sign it, and they cannot be related to the husband or wife)
3) I took this translated and original form to another office way out in the northern region of bangkok to get it legalized by the thai government. This can be done in a few hours or less (for 800 baht i think) or in two days and mailed to your address (for around 200 baht)
4) We took these forms and got married at a local ampur office. This process was simple, free and took about 30 minutes.
5) I filled out the I-130 form (using my address in Thailand) and submitted it to the Department of Homeland Security, which is on the top floor of an office building right across the street from the US Embassy in Bangkok (Therefore, this is technically not "DCF" but the process basically identical)
This was done on Mar 27.
6) On April 4, my wife recieved "packet 3" with a checklist of documents to collect (including I-864, police certificate, birth certificate, 2 photos, copy of passport, house registration, marriage certificate and DS-230)
Part I of the DS-230 and the checklist was filled out immediately and mailed to the US embassy in Bangkok, along with 2 passport photos and a copy of the passport. We also sent a brief note asking for a quick interview date so that we could travel back to america together by the end of may.
This was sent out on April 7.
7) Packet 4 was sent out around April 12 and included the appointment date of May 2, as well as the medical forms. The medical forms can be done at two hospitals (BNH hospital and Bumrungrad Hospital). The medical exam took around 3 hours including wait time for the results and cost 2,000 baht. Make sure that you have a record of your immunizations though, otherwise, you will have to get the required immunizations.
8) I completed my I-864 and got it notarized by an officer at the US Embassy in Bangkok. This service is actually free, so definitely make the trip to the embassy if you can, instead of paying a public notary. I also wrote a 1 page explanation to explain that my domicile was in the US (I don't know if they even read it, but I did it just in case it was an issue, since I have been in Thailand for nearly 3 years now)
9) Interview was on May 2. We arrived around 7:30 for the interview at 8:00. We turned in all the forms around 8:00 and paid for the visa ($380). The interview happened at 10:00 am and consisted of two questions: How did you meet? How many times have you met since then?
We were out of the embassy at 10:10.
10) Visa was approved and will be issued in the afternoon on May 3.
So, from the I-130 petition on March 27 to visa in hand on May 3, it took just 38 days.
Everything was quite smooth and I didn't have to pay a lawyer 1 baht.
Full Version: DCF in Bangkok rules!
VisaJourney.com > Marriage Based Immigration (K1, K2, K3, etc) to the USA > Direct Consular Filing (DCF) General Discussion
Great information and Congratulations!
oldskool,
Excellent explanation of both the process for an American getting married in Thailand (items 1-4) and the 'DCF' process in Thailand (which, as you correctly observe, isn't true DCF but is effectively the same).
A couple points of clarification and questions for you.
- In items 1-3, if one has been married before there is a second affidavit that has to be filled out, notarized, translated, and legalized, affirming that the prior marriage(s) were terminated
- The legalization of the translated affidavit(s) in item 3 is done at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Chaeng Watthana Road.
- In item 6, did the consulate ask for your wife's tabian bahn for the visa application? Or was that only needed by the Royal Thai Police Department for her police clearance certificate?
- Item 8 conflicts with item 1 with regard to the fee for notarizations. The notarization service does involve a fee, $30 for the first notarization and $20 for each additional notarization. You got the I-864 notarized for free because it was for the visa application.
- If you don't mind sharing, what were the elements that contributed to your retaining US domicile while you were living in Thailand for 3 years? This could be very handy information for US expats in Thailand.
Thanks for the great report, and congratulations.
Yodrak
Just want to share my experience with DCF in Bangkok in case anyone on these boards is considering filing this way. I was really intimidated and paranoid about doing this all on my own without any legal assistance, especially considering my financial status and questions about being "domiciled" in America.
However, with the help of the internet and sites like visa journey, it really was quite easy in retrospect, but still nervewrecking.
anyways, I'll give those interested a quick breakdown of what happened:
after deciding that DCF was the best way to go, I decided to get married in Bangkok at one of the local offices.
1) First, I went to the US embassy in bangkok to get a form that verifies that I am single and got it notarized at the embassy for $30.
2) I took this form to get translated into Thai at a translation service for 300 baht. (i have since found out that you can get it translated by anyone, as long as they state that they are competent and sign it, and they cannot be related to the husband or wife)
3) I took this translated and original form to another office way out in the northern region of bangkok to get it legalized by the thai government. This can be done in a few hours or less (for 800 baht i think) or in two days and mailed to your address (for around 200 baht)
4) We took these forms and got married at a local ampur office. This process was simple, free and took about 30 minutes.
5) I filled out the I-130 form (using my address in Thailand) and submitted it to the Department of Homeland Security, which is on the top floor of an office building right across the street from the US Embassy in Bangkok (Therefore, this is technically not "DCF" but the process basically identical)
This was done on Mar 27.
6) On April 4, my wife recieved "packet 3" with a checklist of documents to collect (including I-864, police certificate, birth certificate, 2 photos, copy of passport, house registration, marriage certificate and DS-230)
Part I of the DS-230 and the checklist was filled out immediately and mailed to the US embassy in Bangkok, along with 2 passport photos and a copy of the passport. We also sent a brief note asking for a quick interview date so that we could travel back to america together by the end of may.
This was sent out on April 7.
7) Packet 4 was sent out around April 12 and included the appointment date of May 2, as well as the medical forms. The medical forms can be done at two hospitals (BNH hospital and Bumrungrad Hospital). The medical exam took around 3 hours including wait time for the results and cost 2,000 baht. Make sure that you have a record of your immunizations though, otherwise, you will have to get the required immunizations.
8) I completed my I-864 and got it notarized by an officer at the US Embassy in Bangkok. This service is actually free, so definitely make the trip to the embassy if you can, instead of paying a public notary. I also wrote a 1 page explanation to explain that my domicile was in the US (I don't know if they even read it, but I did it just in case it was an issue, since I have been in Thailand for nearly 3 years now)
9) Interview was on May 2. We arrived around 7:30 for the interview at 8:00. We turned in all the forms around 8:00 and paid for the visa ($380). The interview happened at 10:00 am and consisted of two questions: How did you meet? How many times have you met since then?
We were out of the embassy at 10:10.
10) Visa was approved and will be issued in the afternoon on May 3.
So, from the I-130 petition on March 27 to visa in hand on May 3, it took just 38 days.
Everything was quite smooth and I didn't have to pay a lawyer 1 baht.
Excellent explanation of both the process for an American getting married in Thailand (items 1-4) and the 'DCF' process in Thailand (which, as you correctly observe, isn't true DCF but is effectively the same).
A couple points of clarification and questions for you.
- In items 1-3, if one has been married before there is a second affidavit that has to be filled out, notarized, translated, and legalized, affirming that the prior marriage(s) were terminated
- The legalization of the translated affidavit(s) in item 3 is done at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Chaeng Watthana Road.
- In item 6, did the consulate ask for your wife's tabian bahn for the visa application? Or was that only needed by the Royal Thai Police Department for her police clearance certificate?
- Item 8 conflicts with item 1 with regard to the fee for notarizations. The notarization service does involve a fee, $30 for the first notarization and $20 for each additional notarization. You got the I-864 notarized for free because it was for the visa application.
- If you don't mind sharing, what were the elements that contributed to your retaining US domicile while you were living in Thailand for 3 years? This could be very handy information for US expats in Thailand.
Thanks for the great report, and congratulations.
Yodrak
QUOTE(oldskool @ May 2 2006, 05:37 AM) 
Just want to share my experience with DCF in Bangkok in case anyone on these boards is considering filing this way. I was really intimidated and paranoid about doing this all on my own without any legal assistance, especially considering my financial status and questions about being "domiciled" in America.
However, with the help of the internet and sites like visa journey, it really was quite easy in retrospect, but still nervewrecking.
anyways, I'll give those interested a quick breakdown of what happened:
after deciding that DCF was the best way to go, I decided to get married in Bangkok at one of the local offices.
1) First, I went to the US embassy in bangkok to get a form that verifies that I am single and got it notarized at the embassy for $30.
2) I took this form to get translated into Thai at a translation service for 300 baht. (i have since found out that you can get it translated by anyone, as long as they state that they are competent and sign it, and they cannot be related to the husband or wife)
3) I took this translated and original form to another office way out in the northern region of bangkok to get it legalized by the thai government. This can be done in a few hours or less (for 800 baht i think) or in two days and mailed to your address (for around 200 baht)
4) We took these forms and got married at a local ampur office. This process was simple, free and took about 30 minutes.
5) I filled out the I-130 form (using my address in Thailand) and submitted it to the Department of Homeland Security, which is on the top floor of an office building right across the street from the US Embassy in Bangkok (Therefore, this is technically not "DCF" but the process basically identical)
This was done on Mar 27.
6) On April 4, my wife recieved "packet 3" with a checklist of documents to collect (including I-864, police certificate, birth certificate, 2 photos, copy of passport, house registration, marriage certificate and DS-230)
Part I of the DS-230 and the checklist was filled out immediately and mailed to the US embassy in Bangkok, along with 2 passport photos and a copy of the passport. We also sent a brief note asking for a quick interview date so that we could travel back to america together by the end of may.
This was sent out on April 7.
7) Packet 4 was sent out around April 12 and included the appointment date of May 2, as well as the medical forms. The medical forms can be done at two hospitals (BNH hospital and Bumrungrad Hospital). The medical exam took around 3 hours including wait time for the results and cost 2,000 baht. Make sure that you have a record of your immunizations though, otherwise, you will have to get the required immunizations.
8) I completed my I-864 and got it notarized by an officer at the US Embassy in Bangkok. This service is actually free, so definitely make the trip to the embassy if you can, instead of paying a public notary. I also wrote a 1 page explanation to explain that my domicile was in the US (I don't know if they even read it, but I did it just in case it was an issue, since I have been in Thailand for nearly 3 years now)
9) Interview was on May 2. We arrived around 7:30 for the interview at 8:00. We turned in all the forms around 8:00 and paid for the visa ($380). The interview happened at 10:00 am and consisted of two questions: How did you meet? How many times have you met since then?
We were out of the embassy at 10:10.
10) Visa was approved and will be issued in the afternoon on May 3.
So, from the I-130 petition on March 27 to visa in hand on May 3, it took just 38 days.
Everything was quite smooth and I didn't have to pay a lawyer 1 baht.
congratulations and thanks for sharing 
Congratulations
Excellent report, thank you! And, congratulations on your speedy case. I always thought that it would take much longer in Thailand, but your case was smokin'!
Happy travels
Happy travels
congrats!
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