SAWASDEE 2

[George-Joom 0]

Hi Everybody!

Well Joom and I are married!!

October 20.

Her family was able to attend.

Believe it it or not her Father, Sister and Niece got tourist visas to come over and witness the marriage.

We were married by a JP and everything went very well.

Her family returned to Thailand Oct 26 and we are settling in.

All is well and life is good

Now what is the next step for us?

Thanks much everybody!

George and Joom

[*Robert* 2]

Hi Everybody!

Well Joom and I are married!!

October 20.

Her family was able to attend.

Believe it it or not her Father, Sister and Niece got tourist visas to come over and witness the marriage.

We were married by a JP and everything went very well.

Her family returned to Thailand Oct 26 and we are settling in.

All is well and life is good

Now what is the next step for us?

Thanks much everybody!

George and Joom

Congratulations on your marriage.

Time to start boning up on the AOS process. Once you get your certified marriage certificate, you can apply.

Good luck!

[B74L 0]

Simply, the most incredible and friendly forum I have seen..from having read extensively thru the Sawasdee forum here--cant help but feel like its a group of good, long-time friends here..

At any rate--thx in advance for your time and input..seeking some thoughts on some approach options relative to my situation..

Basic background..me (35) and my Thai g/f (29) have known each other very very well for 3 years (I work for the airlines and travel to Asia and BKK 4-6 times a year)--we have decided to marry. My g/f spend 8 months this past year working as a staff member on a major cruise line, based in the US at first, then transfered to Europe for the remainder of the contract. Working on that jail barge 7 days/week, 12 hours a day throughout. She has the option of doing another contract starting end of November. I dont want her to at all..but of course, her decision/thoughts are equally important.

We would like to get started with the US K1 visa ASAP..but before that, I put some thought into her applying for the B2 tourist visa. I think I am pretty well versed on the ins/outs on that routine--and she must show strong reason to return to Thailand, and must not reveal her relation to me, etc. While she is currently in a transitions of sort in BKK, having just returned to BKK from the last contract, and possibly starting another one--proving fully her intent to return to BKK is going to be most difficult. Why do I feel the B2 vsa is important?--well, I want HER to have the choice and decision as well that she wants to live and stay with me here, in USA. the tourist visa will give her that exposure without the "pressure" of the K1 visa and get marry in 3 months. Not to worry, we know beyond the shadow of the doubt that we get marry---and of course, as soon as possible---that is not the issue at all.

I feel she stand at least some chance at B2 tourist visa---and rather than hide info, that she knows me, fm tourist visa interview--I was actually just thinking of having her tell the interviewer at the BKK embassy the truthful reason for her need for tourist visa, with letter from me. I know this is totally the wrong approach---but I dont want to just do nothing. The tourist visa, should we get it, will allow her to come here ASAP, and spend 30 days periods here--at least she can see everything I see and do her---to allow her the equal choice and decision.

I am just concern that, during her B2 tourist visa interview, if she not mention about me, and if rejected, and when we apply for K1 visa and she get the interview, what impact would applying for the tourist visa have on the K1 approval, if any? bad or no impact? Going the path of her telling them about me in the tourist visa interview I know sounds outlandish, I know that.

As for the K1 visa interview for her in BKK -- I can see that it seems to take 6-8 months for her to get the call about the interview. Her family is somewhat pressuring her to take the cruise contract again---Of course, I can offer my dislike for that idea--but she also has to be happy and do what she thinks is the right thing--especially of K1 interview can take 6-8 months. But I have the concern---what happen if K1 visa phone call for interview come earlier, and she on the boat, with no way to get to BKK quickly?

How does the contact process go, for Thai fiancee, with notification of K1 interview in BKK? Her contract goes from DEC thru June, I think. Do they contact her via email, phone? How much lead time? Do you recommend she take the cruise job? Please note, she can leave the cruise at any time, even mid contract, once the boat get back to port (every 12-18 days)--or do you recommend that she remain in BKK, and wait for the K1 interview contact there?

Thank you for your thoughts and input on the tourist visa application we are thinking of (I really dont care of the embassy blows that outta the water, to be honest, but I want to ensure that it wont have any negative impact on K1 visa chances--and why lie to them about why she want to come here anyways?) And for what you recommend she do--take the contact and the K1 interview contact will give her enought time to return to BKK for interview? I thought I read that the lead time for the K1 interview is one month? That should be ok, and take the cruise and return to BKK even on short notice....

Best regards....thanks again

[*Robert* 2]

B74L, Welcome to VJ and the Sawasdee thread!

As far as the B2 visa is concerned, I would not have her mention anything about you at all, and see if she can get the visa. If she mentions she has a US b/f, I can almost guarantee you they will deny her the visa. If she gets the visa, w/o mentioning you... great. If she doesn't... no problem, even when it comes to the K-1 visa. There have been a lot of people who get K-1 visas that were denied B2 visas. Not the same criteria. Will just have to mention that fact in the mounds of paperwork you will have to fill out! If she does get a B2 visa, that creats other options, but no point discussing them unless she gets the B2 visa first.

Once again, welcome, and good luck on your journey!

Robert

[rin and john 71]

As for the K1 visa interview for her in BKK -- I can see that it seems to take 6-8 months for her to get the call about the interview. Her family is somewhat pressuring her to take the cruise contract again---Of course, I can offer my dislike for that idea--but she also has to be happy and do what she thinks is the right thing--especially of K1 interview can take 6-8 months. But I have the concern---what happen if K1 visa phone call for interview come earlier, and she on the boat, with no way to get to BKK quickly?

How does the contact process go, for Thai fiancee, with notification of K1 interview in BKK? Her contract goes from DEC thru June, I think. Do they contact her via email, phone? How much lead time? Do you recommend she take the cruise job? Please note, she can leave the cruise at any time, even mid contract, once the boat get back to port (every 12-18 days)--or do you recommend that she remain in BKK, and wait for the K1 interview contact there?

B74L - Congrats and welcome to VJ!

The process is described well in the guides on VJ (see tab at the top of page). Basically, you will file a 129F (petition for fiancee) with USCIS here in the USA. That will typically take 2 to 4 months (sometimes longer) for approval. Once approved, USCIS forwards the approved petition to the National Visa Center in NH; NVC forwards it (usually within 1 - 2 weeks) to the consulate in Bangkok. Once Bangkok receives it, they send your fiancee a "packet 3" to her home address. You can check the embassies website for more details.

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/immigrant_vis...structions.html

She will be required to send back the checklist, 2 passport photos, DS-230 part I, and a copy of her passport. The embassy will not schedule her interview until the checklist and required info are returned. Once received, they send out "packet 4" to her address with the interview date and further instructions.

Recent interviews are averaging between 30 and 60 days following petition approval at USCIS (depending on her promptness at returning the necessary info for packet 3).

All that said, she could take the contract and return home every 2-3 weeks and be fine. You will receive the approval notice in the USA 2-3 weeks before the packet 3 arrives at her home so you could advise her when it is coming and she could leave the cruise at that time. That would still leave her with 30 to 60 days (or longer) in Thailand before the interview.

Best of luck!

John

[Thai family 0]

First of all, Congratulations to George and Joom on officially tying the knot! Many happy years to you two!

B&4L - Welcome to Sawasdee. Having thought long and hard about the denial of my DIL's tourist visa about this time last year, I would probably attempt what you're thinking about doing. The consular officers like it when they know applicants are being absolutely honest. They also might think a K-1 visa is more appropriate. The kids hadn't decided where they would be living either. You would only lose $131 and a brief amount of time, at the most. I would have her write up a brief statement about the purpose of her visit, which you have fully explained, and include a statement that she understands that it is visa fraud if there is intent to immigrate on the tourist visa, and fully intends to abide by the law, knowing that she could be banned from ever entering the US. Any letter from you needs to be addressed to her, not the consulate. You could mention that if she decides she likes it here and wants to stay, that she would then return home and await either a K-1 visa or a K-3 or immigrant visa. Either of the latter would be appropriate if you got married while she is here. She would have to bring plenty of proof of ties to Thailand in order to get a visitor's visa. The chances of a single young woman from Thailand getting a tourist visa are pretty slim, any way you approach it, but you can always try. The kids didn't fully understand the criteria when she applied. We have learned a lot from all of the kind VJers, especially from those on this thread.

After the denial the kids jumped through all the hoops for the K-3, and I'm still not sure if she is going to like it here, even though she has been to the states before on a J-1. She is coming from paradise to a cold high mountain desert in December! No more beach, no more greeting guests at a four star hotel on the Gulf on Siam. No more ocean view from her condo. No more decent food. The only thing she'll have is her husband. They do truly love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together, so that trumps everything else. Her welcome to the USA gifts include long underwear and a goose down comforter. I hope she likes to ski.

Thai Mom

[toma1 10]

Hello,

The woman that is helping my fiancee fill out her forms in Bangkok says that the info on the I-129F form and the I-134 must be exactly the same. My fiancee moved since we completed the I-129F, but she can still get mail at that old address.

Should we put her new address on the I-134? Or should we keep using the old one?

[Kang Lang 7]

congrats george and joom! wish you a lifetime of happiness.

welcome B74L!

have any of the american spouses here, obtained the thai version of the green card if so how is it obtained?

[daboyz 36]

congrats george and joom! wish you a lifetime of happiness.

welcome B74L!

have any of the american spouses here, obtained the thai version of the green card if so how is it obtained?

I haven't, but I know many people that have. Their equivalent is a work permit. You have to either get it through a Thai company, or set up your own Thai company. The way it worked when I was there, I believe you need to have 4 Thais for every foreigner, and the foreigner can not own more than 50% of the company. This site here is a really good resource for stuff like that.

www.thaivisa.com

If you're looking for a long term visa in Thailand, and are married to a Thai, the best way to go is get a Non-Immigrant O visa. It is a multiple entry good for 12 months. ( you can stretch it to 15 if you play your cards right.) It took me a two day trip to Singapore, and I think it was like $150 SGD. You need to show them your Thai Marriage certificate. Some places are harder than others to get these. Check the site above. It has alot of good stuff for this.

[ThaitoUSA 15]

I lived and worked in Thailand on a Non-Immigrant B work visa with accompanying work permit. I was employed by a Thai university that would handle everything for me each year. All I did was pay about 5,000 Baht and go to the immigration office to show my face.

After three years of living and working there, I was eligible to apply for a resident visa. In the end I did not because I was planning on returning to America after my fourth year.

If you wish to find out more please go here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/300.0.html

[rin and john 71]

Hello,

The woman that is helping my fiancee fill out her forms in Bangkok says that the info on the I-129F form and the I-134 must be exactly the same. My fiancee moved since we completed the I-129F, but she can still get mail at that old address.

Should we put her new address on the I-134? Or should we keep using the old one?

Rin's were different as she moved after we married (K-3 visa). It wasnt a problem. We had a photocopy of her old house registration and the new one for proof that she had moved (just in case they asked - they didn't).

John

[Kang Lang 7]

thanks daboyz and thaitoUSA that helps a ton!

[afisher 0]

Got NOA1 hard copy today, one small step closer.

[ThaiStyleUSA 1]

Congratulations everyone! Well, my fiance Aoy arrived here at San Fran Int. this past Sat. Nov. 1st with no problem. Sorry it took awhile for me to check-in on this thread. (You get the big picture) lol Anyway, our wedding will be next month on Sunday Dec. 14th. (a day B4 her B-Day)

Today, we had just went and applied for our marriage license. Things are coming right along. I know there are several threads here about name changes but I was wondering if anyone knows the process of doing that w/o me trying to dig through the threads? She wants to change her first name.

Thanks,

Luke

[Thai family 0]

Hi Luke,

It's so good that the two of you are together. It is easy to change one's name at the time of naturalization, because they ask on the application if a person wants to. Otherwise California's procedures are here:

http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/other...changeadult.htm

It sounds like to you have lots to do besides that right now.

Happy wedding planning!

Thai Mom