IR1 Sequence of Events to Approval, DCF Bangkok

[slc12312 11]

For those of you who are about to embark on the IR1... visa for family member/green card route, I thought I'd let you know how it went for us. Since I have been living in Thailand (Chiang Rai) for the past 6 years we decided to go with the Direct Consular Filing route as it seemed to be the easiest. 
December 6th - dropped off the I-130 Application form to the USCIS office on Wireless Rd on BKK. Walked across the street to pay the $535 processing fee at the cashier widow at the Embassy. Returned with the receipt and gave it to the Thai woman working the window at the USCIS office. We were told it would be about 3 months before we heard anything. 

Mid February - Sure enough, about 3 months later we got the approval letter in the mail (delivered to a neighbor who forgot to give it to us for about a week). The letter stated that the application was approved, and said to follow the link below for further instructions. The link was for Packet 3. The letter also included her case number which you need for any further correspondence. 
Mid February thru May 11 - collected and made duplicate copies of all required items, this took me almost 3 months because many items had to be ordered for government agencies in the U.S.. Things like 1977 marriage license, 1978 divorce decree which all had been long lost. Also needed IRS Tax transcripts to prove income and a tax return to be safe. Also registered with the GSS and DS-260 (both online), plus printed and filled out the I-864 Affidavit of Support. We also had to fly to BKK to order the police report which is also required for her, that took 3 weeks to get. Once we had everything, it was mailed by Thai post to the Consulate. 
May 12  - mailed the Packet 3 on a late Saturday afternoon to the Consulate, figuring we would hopefully hear from them regarding an interview within the next week or so. 
May 14 - just two days later, we received an email from the visa unit at the Consulate with the appointment letter for an inview set for May 22nd at 8:00AM... along with that letter came the Packet 4 directions... which included directions to get the physical/medical exam. My wife immediately called Bumrungrad Hospital (only one of three hospitals you can go to in Thailand for this) to make an appointment for her medical exam. Appointment was made for the next day. 
May 15 - Flew to BKK from Chiang Rai, catching a 6:30AM flight for a 10:00AM appointment. The medical was thorough, blood, shots, and x-rays and took almost 3 hours from start to finish. Total cost for exam and shots was 11,800 baht. The results were ready to be picked up May 17th. Seeing as how we were going to spend the night in BKK, we decided to just pick up the results on the 21st... the day before her appointment. 
May 16 - 21 - Final few days to stress about everything. The consulate wanted everything in a particular order, most had to be original copies of items we sent along with Packet 3 in the first place. Flew to BKK on May 21. 
May 22 - The big day. We arrived at the Consulate at 7:15AM for her 8:00AM appointment. There was only one other person in line, so she entered fairly quickly. Of course no cell phone allowed or any electronic devices (even an Apple watch). Submitted the Packet 4 stuff to the lady at window 5 (?) then paid the fee of $325. I suggest paying in USD because they were using an exchange rate of 34 Thai baht to the dollar, which was over 2 baht off the going rate... so it is less if you pay with USD. She was called to the interview window at about 9:00AM and asked six questions.  

 

1. How did you meet your husband. (FB)
2. When did you meet him. (2013)
3. When were you married. (2015)
4. Where does he live (we live together in Chiang Rai)
5. Does he own a house in the states (no... we are going to live with his mother who needs support)
6. Where does she live (Hilo, Hawaii).

Then he said your application has been approved, and BAM that was it. They said her passport and visa packet will arrive within a week. All in all a straightforward process if you have no hitches. Honestly, I think if one was prepared, you could do the whole thing and be done in probably less than 4 months. For us, it was five and a half months, which to me was quick. 

Hope this helps anyone who is curious as to the steps and timelines.

 

[TBoneTX 43,058]

Very helpful, valuable information.  Thanks for taking the time to supply it.

[hendo25 11]

This is very helpful information.

 

We are in Thailand also and just filed our I-130 at the end of April...so waiting for the initial approval. While waiting we're gathering our documents for the I-864 submission which we'll do after our approval.  

 

Our lawyer has some concerns regarding income, because the amount stated on the 1040's is only the taxable amount. I'm retired, and the bulk of my retirement income is Social Security; which as being a non-taxable item, is not included on the total income line of the 1040 or the IRS transcripts. This really should not be a problem as my SS income is easily documented and U.S. bank statements confirm its direct deposit into my account each month. Along with my other two retirement pensions, I have almost double the 2 person household minimum amount of income.

 

We're in a small town about 3 hours south of Bangkok, so no airports, just a very long bus ride. But cheap so no complaints about that. My Thai wife and I have been living together for the past two years in a townhome that she owns outright. But we only registered the marriage a few months ago. So we're filing the "CR-1."  We met on FB as well.

 

Thanks again for the detailed information. I'm sure I'll refer back to it many times over the next 3 or 4 months.

 

DH

 

 

 

[slc12312 11]

1 hour ago, hendo25 said:

This is very helpful information.

 

We are in Thailand also and just filed our I-130 at the end of April...so waiting for the initial approval. While waiting we're gathering our documents for the I-864 submission which we'll do after our approval.  

 

Our lawyer has some concerns regarding income, because the amount stated on the 1040's is only the taxable amount. I'm retired, and the bulk of my retirement income is Social Security; which as being a non-taxable item, is not included on the total income line of the 1040 or the IRS transcripts. This really should not be a problem as my SS income is easily documented and U.S. bank statements confirm its direct deposit into my account each month. Along with my other two retirement pensions, I have almost double the 2 person household minimum amount of income.

 

We're in a small town about 3 hours south of Bangkok, so no airports, just a very long bus ride. But cheap so no complaints about that. My Thai wife and I have been living together for the past two years in a townhome that she owns outright. But we only registered the marriage a few months ago. So we're filing the "CR-1."  We met on FB as well.

 

Thanks again for the detailed information. I'm sure I'll refer back to it many times over the next 3 or 4 months.

 

DH

 

 

 

Yeah, you won't have a problem qualifying income wise. Since it didn't pertain to me (I don't get Social Security), I never looked at other ways of proving income, but there shouldn't be an issue since I know there is a form you can get from SS that states your income... can't remember what it is called though. Once you get approval (which took 3 months for us), and if you have all your ducks lined up in a row (while waiting for approval), the process will be very fast. All of that can be done now. So if you are doing a DCF here in Thailand, start on all of the Packet 3 stuff, it will save you loads of time, hassle and stress. Here is the link if you don't have it yet.  https://th.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/iv-packet-3-instruction-april2019-english.pdf   As a matter of fact, the only thing you can't do now is register your/your wife's address on the GSS system and do the online DS-260, you need a case number to do those, and that comes along with your approval letter that you will receive in the mail. Once you get the approval letter, hightail it to BKK and do the police check  https://photos.state.gov/libraries/thailand/591452/iv/082013_thaipolicecert.pdf ... the fee was 100 baht for the report and 50 baht for EMS mail service, so 150 baht in total... that will get you your report in less than three weeks. They also pedal and "expedited" service where they want 1,500 baht to get it within a week. I didn't pay it, but only because I'm cheap and don't like being taken advantage of like that. You can't do the police report now because you need the approval letter for that too, otherwise I'd say do it now since it is valid for one year. So if you have gathered all of the Packet 3 materials now, then by the time you get the approval letter, register with the GSS system (takes about 3 minutes...don't forget to print the confirmation, 2 copies in case one is lost), do the online DS-260 (took about 15 minutes, print the confirmation for this too), then do the police report... you will be ready to mail everything to the Consulate in about 3 weeks from approval. For us, it took them two days... ONLY two days once they received our Packet 3 info to send us (by email only) the Packet 4 information along with our appointment date and time for the interview which was scheduled for 7-8 days later. Call Bumgrand Hospital once you have the appointment email. and make an appointment asap, get that done (cost us just shy of 12,000 baht).  If you are not in a hurry, disregard the rush aspect and do it all at your leisure, but if you want to be done with it, get it all done now. Here is the Packet 4 link... all of which you can do now too... that is, everything but the medical. https://th.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/iv-packet-4-appointment-april2019-english.pdf  You can't do the medical until you have the email confirmation for your appointment. All i know is once you submit the Packet 3, things happen really fast, almost too fast, haha. It took us five and a half months from start to finish, and I believe that could be knocked down to close to 4 months if one had everything they needed, before they needed it... if you know what I mean. 

Good luck. Don't envy the bus ride, but hey... what can you do. 

[jamesandor 0]

Thanks for info . I am getting ready to file DCF in Bangkok and it is difficult finding info on DCF . I have email from ISCIS saying it appeared as i was eligible to DCF at Bangok.

 thanks JRV