slc12312

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.

 

Only your husband will need a financial sponsor ... assuming you are also a USC

You're right....i could...but I'd have to cancel the flights I've booked already.  My wife's flight for the medical appointment...and then i've already booked and paid for our flights to the interview as well, which I'd probably have to cancel since the July 25 date is just over 6 months from my planned date of arrival in the USA of January 23rd.   I've already taken one extra trip to manila when a page was missing from my initial package (they could have let it slide, but the USCIS person didn't).  I'll probably just head to the USA a month early.   That's doable.  Thanks again for your help on this.

As a CR-1 you don't do the I-134, you do the I-864 through NVC. Once that is completed the case is sent to the consulate. I am guessing the I-601A has already been approved.

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. 

Yes, send them to Guangzhou... if you are doing a DCF, all of that stuff goes to the Embassy there. Those lockboxes (Chicago and such) are used for people filing in the states.  You didn't blow the interview, it is just unfortunate the paperwork wasn't correct. Did you get a 221 form saying what you need to do to correct the problem?

Yes, I would go with the adjusted gross income, which I believe is line 4 of the 1040EZ return. For my I-864 I ordered Tax Transcripts, and if you are in the U.S., I believe they will email them to you... but you need a U.S. based cell phone to do that. I'm in Thailand, so it wasn't an option. If you order those by mail, it is straightforward and you get them in a week. On the standard 1040 you would use line 22 (total income)... which in my case is the same as line 37 which is adjusted gross income. 

I know the I-864 is confusing, but not too bad if you live in the states as your mailing address, residence address, and country of domicile will all be the U.S. All they want to do is to make sure you earn enough. Also on that form, don't count your spouse twice as you are only sponsoring one person (later they will ask to to list your spouse, but will also say to not list the same person twice, so that was a little confusing). If you do click them twice, then that will change your household size to three instead of two, which will mess up the whole application. 

Save your money and do this yourself... if you are at the I-864 stage, most of the hard work has already been done. 

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.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/international-immigration-offices
 
So far, the only *official* closure is Moscow.

Hi all! This is LightSear's wife speaking  After chatting with LightSear, we decided to let me clarify the medical records thing since I went through it by myself. Poor LightSear got the stories mixed up after hearing my experiences with both hospitals... In short, they DIDN'T reject my old records; they simply asked questions about them. However, I think Guangzhou would only accept the original copies of immunization records; whereas the Tianjin hospital accepted photo copies.
Longer version of the story:
I got 1 shot of chicken pox vaccine and 1 shot of MMR up in Tianjin at the end of last year. But when I came down to Guangzhou, they required me to get a 2nd shot of both. It wasn't a big deal and I went along. I just was a bit surprised because the Tianjin hospital didn't inform me that these two vaccines require 2 shots. Perhaps different hospitals have different rules. Last year, I gave the photo copies of my childhood records to the Tianjin hospital, and they transferred the records onto the "little yellow book" (the officially accepted immunization record book by the Consulate). At the Guangzhou hospital this week, I handed in my "little yellow book". They were just a tiny bit surprised that I came in so prepared, having the little yellow book and all. They accepted it after asking me a few questions, such as "Which country did you intend to travel to when you received these shots (referring to my chicken pox and MMR shots)?" "Where are the original copies?" (After I said the originals are with my parents in my hometown, they were ok with it since the records had been transferred to the little yellow book) I also would like to personally thank you all at Visajourney who have been taking the time and effort to support us and encourage us! This journey would've been much harder without you guys. We are so thankful and proud to be a part of this community. You guys rock!

3x for the spouse of a USC.

So most likely I'll get my results on Monday, then it's waiting time again. 😁

As her spouse you must complete the I-864 affidavit of support, even if your income and/or assets are insufficient. If you do not meet the financial requirements you can use a joint sponsor who does meet them. 

That should be more than enough if it is similar to the Philippines. That is pretty much what I gave them as well. I would think they won't allow you to file DCF if you claim the USA as your country of domicile.

Ok, I was just wondering because the list is kind of long and some of the shots need to be spaced out (I think). My wife has had some shots, but her records are kind of incomplete. I guess we will find out when she does her physical. 

Best of luck!

First, this is all going fast now after getting used to the waiting from NOA1.
 
Second, sorry I'm not familiar with I-864 coz I think that's for CR1 (?). Better to start a new thread for that. Again, sorry I can't help you on that.
 
Third, after I got our NOA2, I started working on my vaccinations (got the list from the embassy website) as I don't have any records of it. I went to PhayaThai 2 Hospital and had some blood works done to check what I already have and decided to get the shots that I needed. I read in some thread that others went to Red Cross and another clinic near Victory Monument but can't remember the name.
 
Anyway, will update you once my medical is done.

Wow, that is amazingly fast, so fast it kind of stresses me, and I'm not even related to your journey, hahaha. All I can say is best of luck! 

I have a question about the I-864 form and the country of domicile. I'm not sure what to put, and now I am second guessing (as the sponsor) myself. I have a two bank accounts in the states, a mailing address, and a residence address (no mail service to the house). However the residence is my mother's and I'm an not on record in anyway. I have been living mostly in Chiang Rai Thailand since 2014, built a house two years ago with my wife which I consider to be my permanent address, since that is where I live 75% of the year.  What do you think I should list on the I-864 as my Country of Domicile? Should it be where all my IRS and tax statements go? Or do I list Thailand as that is where I live for the majority of the year. I'm stressing out over this. I am doing a Direct Consular Filing for my wife's green card, and the only way you can do this is if you live in Thailand, which I figured I do on a retirement visa, just not all the time. Any insight on this?

Regardless, I am wishing you the very best. Good luck, I'm sure all will be ok. For another update, could you let me know the medical went? I'm curious about the immunizations and how many are actually required. 

Well if there is anything to be OCD about, it is this! I don't blame you one bit. Let me know when th P4 gets here, I'm interested in the timeframe. I will mail our P3 right around the 10th of May, give or take a day or two. On my end, I have to leave Thailand, so my wife will have to travel to BKK and do this on her own. Wish I could be here for moral support, but I can't. Wishing you he best!

Will do! I'm in knots too just by submitting our papers LOL

If you don't mind, let us know how the interview went. I'm curious what is asked. 

I understand they are scheduling interviews pretty quickly. Those instruction for the P3 threw me for a loop. They seem contradictory in many ways, but with that said, I'm probably reading too much into it, and should just chill. 
 Please keep us posted on how it goes. I'm very curious about the interview. I'll be submitting my P3 around May 10, once I get the divorce decree from 1978, lol. Should arrive her on the 9th. 

Plenty of people. Plenty of people has been allowed entry also. No one can tell you what will happen
 

To the best of my knowledge, as well as what someone who works there says all of the records for Los Angeles County are stored at the Archives Center, with most being kept in what they call the catacombs. Evidently the storage area is vast, and filed with records going back to the 1800's. Recently digitized ones that can be accessed by computer in other buildings though. Mine being from 1978 and being that old, evidently are kept in the basement somewhere. I'm sure it will be found eventually as in your case. If not, then I hope to get a certified letter from them saying it was destroyed and couldn't be found. Anyway, I'll get it one day. Thanks for the imput!

You can't get something that doesn't exist.  However, you might find that since you know it ONCE existed, that a copy of it is stored in a place you haven't looked yet.
 

There are only three facilities that do the medical. Two are in Bangkok one in Chaing mai