Marrying a Thai girl in the US

[CondomKing]

quote:

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Originally posted by JAYBLOOM:

Pablo,

And now the adventure really begins!

27 months backlog for the interview sounds like a nightmare. Here in Denver a few years back we waited 2 weeks for the interview. Just want to make sure that you know that if she leaves the country before the interview she will need permission from the INS. I believe they call it Advanced Parole(it sounds so criminal). Good luck, Jay

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Yes, that's exactly what it's called (form I-131). My wife just got her advance parole documents from INS in NYC. What a hassle, we filed I-485 and I-131 in Oct. 2000 and all we ever recieved was a cash register receipt in an envelope. No letter, no instructions. After seven months of waiting for her papers to arrive and many frustrating phone inquiries, she decided to go in person only to be told that the INS was unable to locate her application. We filled out a new application and she returned the next day and somehow miraculously was able to leave with a parole document. The INS is very confusing and disorganized. When you file I-485 you must also file I-765 which is for her US ID and Social Security card. I never knew that and it probably slowed the entire process. I-131 is only if you wife intends to leave the country during the adjustment of status process, which is now taking more than two years. Good luck, Guido.

PS. We're heading back to Thailand next week to be married again in Phrae for her family. Another wild trip of a completely different nature. The focus there will be on how much of my money I can manage to return to Bangkok with. I'm lovin' life and having a great time.

[JAYBLOOM]

Condom King:

"When you file I-485 you must also file I-765 which is for her US ID and Social Security card"

Perhaps the systems has changed since I did this 3 years ago. When we filed the I-485,we had the interview 2 weeks later and after passing the interview the interviewer stamped in her passport that she is now a Conditional Permanent Resident and the employment is authorized. We took the passport to our local Social Security office and then she was processed for the Social Security card. The I-765 is an Application for Employment Authorization. Is this to be used while you are waiting for the interview? What is a US ID card? Jay

[CondomKing]

"Perhaps the systems has changed since I did this 3 years ago. When we filed the I-485,we had the interview 2 weeks later and after passing the interview the interviewer stamped in her passport that she is now a Conditional Permanent Resident and the employment is authorized. We took the passport to our local Social Security office and then she was processed for the Social Security card. The I-765 is an Application for Employment Authorization. Is this to be used while you are waiting for the interview? What is a US ID card? Jay[/QB]

Jay, if it were only that easy! Maybe the system has change or maybe there are more applicants in NYC. There seemed to be about 1000 applicants, mostly Asian, on line outside the INS offices in Federal Plaza the day we went, no fooling. I was told by an information officer over the phone that the 1-765 was required as part of the I-485 application. Maybe it's because of the long delays in processing. A US ID card is a state issued DMV ID card for those who do not drive. I'm about to call INS again for more information and I have some time off from work this week, so I just might take a trip to the INS office to see if I can sort this all out. So far so good, for right now I'm happy to have gotten this far and have the Advance Parole papers in hand which will allow my wife back into the country. We don't need to have ID and SS card for her until she returns next spring, so, I guess, now would be a good time to start working on it. Guido.