chris-pung

Thursday, October 26, 2006

1pm PDT

Dear Bill:

I am not knowledgeable regarding the issue of bringing your wife's child.

What I am suggesting should help expedite obtaining an interview date. The previous poster, James, lists the 4 items that need to be returned with Packet 3. This is also listed at http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/inde...amp;cty=Bangkok

The DS-230 Part I may be obtained on VisaJourney, the Packet 3 checklist may be obtained on the Thai Embassy website, and your fiance will have photos and passport copies. Note that the previous link says that the DS-230 Part I should be unsigned, which has been a point of confusion for us (we previously sent NVC a signed version of it, because we are IR-1/CR-1 process).

Those 4 items may be sent as soon as the Embassy acknowledges that they have your fiance's package (which you determine by emailing the Embassy). And, apparently long before the Embassy sends you Packet 3 by postal service. Therefore, the shortcut appears to be 3 weeks, at present IV Unit processing speed.

Chok dee,

Chris

Thursday, October 26, 2006

7:50am Novato (GMT-8)

Hello Bill, et.al.:

I am glad to see this timely thread. On 10/18, Bangkok Embassy acknowledged receipt of Pung's (my wife's) NVC package. We followed Yodrak's recommendation, and Pung sent DS-230 Part I with checklist on Friday, 10/20. Now we are checking Embassy interview list daily; FYI it is at http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/services/visa/IVschedule.htm

I notice that Embassy received Randy's fiance's NVC package on 9/30, but didn't deliver Packet 3 until 10/24. In my estimation, that is slow processing within IV Unit (see my post http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=37187).

These experiences indicate to me that Bangkok Embassy is currently slow at processing Packet 3 and setting interview dates. And therefore, following Yodrak's recommendation may speed up setting interview date by about 3 weeks. This is of immediate usefulness for Bill, because he still is in window of opportunity to take advantage that shortcut.

So, 3 of us are in same stage of process. I suggest that we continue this thread to pass useful info throughout remainder of our VisaJourney.

B.T.W., my research indicates that Yodrak's shortcut has been used successfully by others on VisaJourney.

Best regards,

Chris

Thursday, October 19, 2006

6:55am PDT

Dear Forum:

1) I just received email from Embassy "Bangkok Auto-Replies," in response to my query whether they have received NVC package:

"The IV Unit has received the returned Packet 3 already. Please allow

several weeks for the interview to be scheduled. Normally, the

interview appointment will be scheduled in the next 10 - 12 weeks after

the returned Packet 3 is received."

I don't think my wife (petitioner) returned the Packet 3. What's going on?

2) Suggested shortcut for interview (from other Forum members in Thailand) is to mail checklist and copy of DS-230 Part I to Embassy, as soon as they have acknowledged Embassy has received NVC package.

3) Maybe "Bangkok Auto-Replies" system is stupid and sent us wrong message? (Checking with my wife now to see if she already mailed checklist & copy of DS-230 Part I).

4) Has anyone else used the shortcut, at Bangkok or other Embassies?

Input will be greatly appreciated

Best regards,

Chris

Sunday, October 15, 2006

9:20am California (GMT-8)

Dear Forum:

I gained some insight to why embassy processing may be slow. At least in Thailand

I lived in Bangkok for 3 years, a year of which I managed about 20 staff on a work permit with a structural engineering firm. And, dealt with US Embassy on several occasions; most recently, last October, when we had to obtain citizenship for our Thai-born daughter.

Anyway, I discovered that U.S. Embassy prefers for Thai staff to handle as much of workload as possible. Thais are not known for their adaptability to English language, nor for their acumen toward western business practice.

Since NVC completed our case on September 26th; this past Tuesday, I sent an email to Embassy IV unit to check if they'd gotten the package. Answer: not received.

I emailed again on Thursday.

Answer was not promising, but most revealing: "We have not received the file from NVC yet. Please allow some weeks for the file to be arrived and done the data entry."

Reading between the atrocious grammar contained in that second sentence, I have a good guess that it wasn't written by American staff person. And don't anticipate rapid processing of our package. Ha-ha-ha.

But, This Is Thailand (the western businessman's mantra for maintaining sanity). So, I will be patient.

Best regards,

Chris

Saturday, September 30, 2006

2:30pm Novato (GMT-8)

Dear Yodrak & Hahuhobrad:

I was busy busy yesterday, so didn't have time to acknowledge your kind responses. You answered in detail; since you are both Bangkok, the advice was especially useful.

I am aware of the checklist that Pung needs to send back after Embassy gets her package. I located and downloaded it from the Bangkok Embassy website a couple of days ago. That is certainly useful, and looks to me like a potential one week shortcut if timed correctly. As you both know, Thai mail within Bangkok usually is one day (we live in Phromphong/Thonglor area; I've actually bicycled from our townhouse to embassy before). But, one sure hates to trust Thai mail service for important documents! So, I'll start making email interrogatories with Embassy late next week to find out when Embassy gets package. Then maybe shortcut across the checklist signoff.

I say maybe, because interesting date falls within our case timeline. Since we were legally married on November 23, 2004, it would be in our best interest to schedule interview after that date. Then we get IR-1 for certain, instead of CR-1.

Best regards,

Chris

Dear Forum:

NVC completed our case Tuesday, 9/26. Up to now, we went through immigration process without benefit of VisaJourney knowledge (didn't find website until 9/21). Now we know there was a lot we didn't know.

So here are some questions, so we are working smarter at this step :

How do we find out date NVC sends to embassy?

Does NVC send to Embassy by snail mail or diplomatic pouch or some other fancy government method?

Are there any cute shortcuts for Packet 3, Packet 4, or anything else we should know about?

Should we be getting police report, or other Packet 3 forms filled out in advance?

Should we contact embassy to set up way for them to contact us by email of notifications?

Thank you,

Chris

Dear Forum:

NVC completed our case Tuesday, 9/26. Up to now, we went through immigration process without benefit of VisaJourney knowledge (didn't find website until 9/21). Now we know there was a lot we didn't know

So here are some questions:

How do we find out date NVC sends to embassy?

Does NVC send to Embassy by snail mail or diplomatic pouch or some other fancy government method?

Are there any cute shortcuts for Packet 3, Packet 4, or anything else we should know about?

Should we contact embassy to set up way for them to contact us by email of notifications?

Thank you,

Chris

I dreamed last night that I called the NVC and I was told "case complete" and this what happend today. Thank you to this forum and everybody, the shortcuts made it much faster. I also called the NVC about the K3, which was approved on Aug 24th, they dont even have it in the system. Oh well!

Dear Andre:

Yes, we got our news yesterday, too! Feels good to be in the final lap!

Best regards,

Chris

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

3:30pm Novato (GMT-8)

Dear Forum:

Today, I called the automatic message line at NVC. "Case complete!" Followed up with call to live operator, Tanya. Asked if this meant that package on its way to Embassy, and she said "Yes."

Thank you everyone. Good luck to you, and look forward to seeing all of you in Embassy forum.

Best regards,

Chris

Dear Thread:

Trying to add photo. Hope this works.

Best regards,

Chris

Update for Thread Readers:

I took alix's advice, and just now called and spoke to an operator at NVC. The info she gave me was different than automated response. Her name was Mia.

Mia said usual "documents received September 1st, etc." What was different was that she said it will take 2 to 4 weeks to review, and they will contact me if they need additional information. I asked her to confirm that was counting from September 1st date? And, she said "Yes."

So, maybe it is running 2 to 4 weeks at the moment. Time will tell ;-)

Best regards,

Chris

Dear Thread Readers:

All of you are confirming what I expected. After tedious review of similar timelines for past year, it looks like 3 weeks is best reasonable time, and 8 weeks is only an extreme. 3 to 4 weeks appears to be median value, for similar cases.

Naturally, we all pray for one another that there are no RFE's and only good luck :-)

I did not discover VisaJourney until last week, so just got onboard. I am so grateful for the support group! Everyone appears to be wonderful, unlike some public websites.

I intuit from reading posts over the past week, that many have this in common: We start the process not too anxious about time, because we know most cases require considerable wait. However, the closer I get to interview, the more anxious I have become! Now I find myself ringing the silly NVC line every night, looking for good news on an automated voice recording, ha-ha.

So thank you, Morocco4ever; alix; madu11; simple male; MrsWhizz; for your kind responses. I see most of you are at or near Embassy stage. So, I imagine we soon will be sharing again in the "Foreign Embassy and Consulate" general discussion forum :-)

Best regards, In'sha'allah, chok-dee, bon chance, etc.

Chris

Ours was over a year ago, but it took them 3 weeks from the time they received the final papers (had an RFE) until they sent the application to the consulate.

Dear Morocco4ever:

I saw you reading for a long time my post, and see you replied. Thank you for that.

We were patient until about a month ago. Something about this getting closer makes me less patient, maybe also has to do with the fact that I miss my wife and daughter!

Anyway, when looking at timelines, I saw that a number of these went through in 3-4 week time period. Which is what your experience reflects.

Thanks again,

Chris

Dear Group:

We finished DS-230, and when I call NVC automated phone response and enter our case number, I get following message:

"The completed checklist items were received on September 1st. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for us to complete review of the case, and you will be notified."

Not exact wording, but that's the gist of it. I know we are in that limbo period where we wait for NVC to complete and send to Embassy (in our case, Bangkok).

Realistically, how long has NVC been taking to review and complete cases lately?

Maybe useful to add that we have clean documents for DS-230 and I-864, no oddities. Been married since November 2004, over a year before filing I-130. Have Thai-born daughter who is already been given U.S. citizenship, Mom (beneficiary) and daughter have never visited U.S. No blanks or conflicting info on any forms.

Looking for what expererience has been on average for the past several months.

Thanks,

Chris

Dear Yodrak:

Yodrak is a good correspondent. Yes, I did that. There were 8 records for IR-1/CR-1 for Thailand, all within last 24 months. A few of the timelines looked wrong, wrong, wrong; e.g. one person claimed they sent I-130 and got Packet 3 four days later!

Nonetheless, confirmed what I really wanted to know. NVC got DS-230 & checklist complete on September 1st. We should reasonably expect NVC to be complete and send package to Bangkok within 2 weeks, any earlier then that's good luck.

Best regards,

Chris

Dear Yodrak:

Aha, because I have memory like a sieve for these alpha-numeric immigration designation categories, I was confused. Based on your reply, I've determined that we are indeed going IR-1/CR-1 route.

Now I will correct my timeline/data info, and check into the other forum

Best regards,

Chris

Hi K-3 Forum:

We decided not to file K-1. NVC received DS-230 on September 1st, and phone message says "6-8 weeks to complete case and then we'll be notified." Assuming that we have no mistakes in DS-230, and I-864 is approved, how long should we realistically expect NVC to finish and send to Embassy in Bangkok?

Thanks,

Chris

P.S. My first post, so I'll respond and add timeline if VisaJourney doesn't generate it automatically.