symbiosis

ANNA GOT HER INTERVIEW SCHEDULED DECEMBER 8!! How soon will the visa be issued (assuming all goes well....)? (Remember that December 10 is a public holiday in Thailand.)

Wow! Congrats. But this scares me a bit. We sent in our Packet 3 a few days after you and Dec. is too soon for me to be in Bkk! I was planning to be there when Noi had her interview, but I was thinking best-case scenario would be a Jan. interview.

BKK to JFK = $1021 24 hours

BKK to EWR = $1414 23 hours

BKK to IAD = $1300 21 hours

It's a tough one. I appreciate the advice toma1 to take two flights and perhaps save $200, however she may be travelling with her dog, so the shortest flight may be best.

Birch and eric, if you two wouldn't mind sharing any information you find while in Bangkok, I would be most grateful.

The dog will go into quarantine I'm pretty sure, right? You should check into that. Quarantine can be pretty long...

I'm not sure about your dates, but you can beat that price on Sidestep.com. I've see it as low as $640 to JFK in December on Kuwait Airlines.

On those discount flights, you've got to click on "taxes and fees" though. My experience is the low, low, prices have very high fees which brings them into line with the more "regular" fares. I've been checking and anything less than about $1,100 is not coming up.

I looked into this week about a one way to bkk and I called delta and told me since I am a usa citzen that I have to have proof of a return ticket or a forward of onward travel.

While technically true, in practice I've never heard of this being enforced. Personally, I have been to Thailand many times and have never been required to show such proof. In fact, I have even been there without a return ticket.

Actually, I got the runaround from United one time in the U.S. I had a one-way because, at the time, I lived in Thailand. I even had the proper work visa and all. It was a major hassle that almost caused me to miss my flight.

AJ if you need a gun for home security, hubby has extras for you and the wife.

It takes months to get a permit for a firearm around here. And I hear you may not get it at all if you're not willing to drop by the police station every few weeks to push things along.

This was the scene at our local Costco's cash registers last Sunday...

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...ost&id=8868

sounds like a good reason to not live in jersey.

sure, if you're a gun freak.

It's funny how life is so often a self-fulfilling prophesy. I have never had a gun and never felt the need for one. I have lived in New York and Washington, D.C. areas, as well as all over Asia. I know others who would never be without theirs. They tend to be people who, in general, are stay-at-home paranoids. They won't go anywhere or do anything without first dreaming up an improbable worst-case scenario.

In short, I see guns as more a symptom of one's psychological state than anything else. Is it really any surprise that the Party of Fear (GOP) has a pro-gun base of support?

It's rich GOP gestapo to talk about ethics and abuse of power after eight years of Bush-Cheney and Palin's antics up in Alaska.

When Joe, uh, Steve, the rich, uh not so rich, Plumber, uh not licensed, stepped into the spotlight, he opened himself up. Hey, the guy didn't pay his taxes. Shouldn't he have kept his head low. You think?! And then to ask a question ABOUT TAXES?!

Let's face it, Joe the Plumber is an idiot who had way more than the 15 minutes he deserved. It's time for him to shut up or just get the porn film over with.

and here's the other side. what's worse: uninformed or misinformed?

I'm in Yuma, Arizona.

Next time you get to Thailand jump on an Air Asia flight to Kota Kinabalu on Borneo (you will probably have to fly through KL first) and climb Mt. Kinabalu. The climbing fee is not outrageous, but you are required to hire a mountain guide. The total vertical climb (from base camp to summit) is about 2/3 the vertical distance of Everest (from base camp to summit), but without the deep freeze. It's still quite cold at the top, but normal ski-type clothing is enough to get you by. If you like that kind of thing you will LOVE this--it was one of the coolest things I've ever done. The mountain is the fourth tallest in Southeast Asia and the world's 20th most prominent peak. (K2 is 22nd!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_peaks_by_prominence

Man, I love Borneo. It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen! Get there quick, though, before it becomes just one giant palm oil plantation!

I'd much rather have my fiancee get the vaccines in Thailand to get them out of the way. One less thing to worry about and it's about $200 all said and done with the medical exam. I'm pretty sure she'd feel better about getting them in her home country as well because if anyone had to stick me in Thailand you'd better believe unless it's life or death they can forget it!

I guess you haven't had much opportunity to see Thailand's OUTSTANDING medical facilities! I had elective eye surgery in Thailand. Bumrungrad hospital is like a 5-star hotel. A bell-boy even checks your luggage at the door. The physicians are excellent, the prices are lower and the service is better than in the states. I highly recommend it.

That said, my fiancee trained as a registered nurse, and is now a key account manager for the largest stem cell banking company in Asia, so she's pretty familiar with the nuances of medical care around the world. We talked about this and she wasn't concerned at all about having the vaccines here.

Also, the closest ob/gyn to my house happens to be a Thai woman!

I'd take my chances at Bumrangrad any day compared to most of the facilities I have seen in the states!!

I'm a June filer, just got approved:-) Haven't had a single touch since July, but Kyle got an NOA2 in the post yesterday. Our online case status doesn't show the NOA2. Good luck to any remaining June filers!!!

We had the same thing.

I didn't prepare her to decline the immunizations, so BNH probably just did it automatically. I suspect if she had said she didn't want them then and there, it wouldn't have been a problem. After all, they couldn't really force her, right?

Actually, she seems to have gotten the whole medical packet. She says she asked the secretary at BNH whether to send it to embassy now or wait for the interview. Secretary did not know.

Does anyone know?

WASHINGTON (AP) - Global warming could be a boon to Russia, a

European country could be overrun by organized crime and the U.S.

and its dollar could further decline in importance during the next

two decades, says a U.S. intelligence report with predictions for

the world in 2025.

The report, Global Trends 2025, is published every four years by

the National Intelligence Council to give U.S. leaders insight into

looming problems and opportunities.

The report says the warming earth will extend Russia and

Canada's growing season and ease their access to northern oil

fields, strengthening their economies. But Russia's potential

emergence as a world power may be clouded by lagging investment in

its energy sector, persistent crime and government corruption, the

report says.

Analysts also warn that the same kind of organized crime

plaguing Russia could eventually take over the government of an

Eastern or Central European country. The report is silent on which

one.

It also says countries in Africa and South Asia may find

themselves unstable and ungoverned, as state regimes collapse or

wither away under security problems and water and food shortages

brought about by climate change and a population increase of 1.4

billion.

The potential for conflict will be greater in 2025 than it is

now, as the world's population competes for declining and shifting

food, water and energy resources.

Despite a more precarious world situation, the report also says

al-Qaida's terrorist franchise could decay "sooner than people

think." It cites its growing unpopularity in the Muslim world,

where it kills most of its victims.

"The prospect that al-Qaida will be among the small number of

groups able to transcend the generational timeline is not high,

given its harsh ideology, unachievable strategic objectives and

inability to become a mass movement," the report states.

The report forecasts a geopolitical rise in non-Arab Muslim

states outside of the Middle East, including Turkey and Indonesia,

and says Iran could also be a central player in a new world order

if it sheds its theocracy.

The report, a year in the making, also suggests the world may

complete its move away from its dependence on oil, and that the

U.S. dollar, while remaining important, will decline to "first

among equals" among other national currencies.

U.S. global power also will likely decline, as Americans'

concerns about putting resources into solving domestic problems may

cause the United States to pull resources from foreign and global

problems.

Question about medical: My SO had her K-1 medical exam yesterday at BNH in Bangkok. First, they gave her all the vaccinations (apparently), running up the cost to more than 6,000 baht. I was a little upset about that, as she does not need to get those until later, but anyway, it's out of the way now ...

My main question: I was under the impression that the doctor sent the medical report directly to the consulate. Instead, they've handed it over to my fiancee. Should she mail this to the embassy herself?

I have never heard of that either. Are you sure they handed the whole report to her (incl. x-ray etc.) or only the form where they indicate the vaccinations she had and got there? The latter she will need it for her AOS once married.

If she really got the whole report, maybe I would try to call doctor and/or embassy and ask about it.

Hmmm. Okay, I'm thinking they gave her both the exam and the immunizations, probably forwarded the exam to the embassy and handed her the rest. I'll try to figure that out.

Question about medical: My SO had her K-1 medical exam yesterday at BNH in Bangkok. First, they gave her all the vaccinations (apparently), running up the cost to more than 6,000 baht. I was a little upset about that, as she does not need to get those until later, but anyway, it's out of the way now ...

My main question: I was under the impression that the doctor sent the medical report directly to the consulate. Instead, they've handed it over to my fiancee. Should she mail this to the embassy herself?

Ok. Another question about medical. My tirak had her K-1 medical exam yesterday at BNH in Bangkok. First, they gave her all the vaccinations (apparently), running up the cost to more than 6,000 baht. I was a little upset about that, as she does not need to get those until later, but anyway, it's out of the way now ...

My main question: I was under the impression that the doctor sent the medical report directly to the consulate. Instead, they've handed it over to my fiancee. Should she mail this to the embassy herself?

The embassy info here says the DS-230 Part I should be returned to the consulate UNSIGNED (as part of packet 3), but the packet 3 information doesn't mention this. Can someone please clarify?!

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3194.html

Sign part I, part II must be signed at the interview.

Thank you!

The embassy info here says the DS-230 Part I should be returned to the consulate UNSIGNED (as part of packet 3), but the packet 3 information doesn't mention this. Can someone please clarify?!

The embassy info here says the DS-230 Part I should be returned to the consulate UNSIGNED (as part of packet 3), but the packet 3 information doesn't mention this. Can someone please clarify?!

Question about packet 4:

After fiancee receives appointment letter, is that when the I-134 (affidavit of support) should be returned to consulate?

I tried to edit my post to make it more clear, but it timed out... here are my edits:

We are just sending the list itself and not the supporting documentation. Step 3 says to bring all the OTHER items to the interview. (It doesn't say bring a copy of EVERYTHING to the interview which is what it probably would say if they wanted two copies of everything.) Some things are originals and that might be the reason that they don't require mailing.

I also noted that it appears that you do not have to have the medical exam done before sending the form anymore. That's a change from the old form I think.

Thanks much for the clarification. That's what I thought was meant, but just wanted to make sure!

I have a question about Packet 3. Do I understand the instructions correctly that the ONLY thing to be returned to the embassy is Checklist (but not accompanying documentation), DS-230 Part I, two passport photos and copy of passport photo page.

My confusion is on the word "checklist" - it's unclear if that means everything on the checklist, or just the checklist itself.

Many thanks

I want to give some hope to them who received their NOA1 on 24 th of june and last touch was en 10th of july!! YESTERDAY WE RECIEVE OUR APROVAL NOTICE NOA2!! We havent seen any touchs or modification online only the notice in the mail! maybe as soome of you indicated the system is not working.

Well now we start with the second part of the procees gathering documents, certificates, etc. We think the things are going to be faster from now onwards.

Best wishes for everyone who has their NOA2 pending.

Good luck!

Diego&Erin

great news!

We received packet 3 today!!

I realize this subject has probably been covered numerous times before, but I can't seem to find specific references:

Can someone tell me what the deal is with a temporary EAD work permit (90 days). Is this automatic for K-1 visa holder upon U.S. entry? If not, what are the restrictions, or which specific POEs do it? The latter could make a difference on my fiance's flight arrangements.

Also, how long does it typically take to get a permanent(?) work permit?

Good luck to all of you who are still waiting! Crossing our collective fingers that approvals come soon!