khun_khon_neua Posted April 21, 2008 Report Share Posted April 21, 2008 You continue to confuse the Homeland Security (USCIS) office and the consulate. You submit the I-130 petition to the DHS (USCIS) office in Bangkok (it is across the street from the consulate). They should approve that within a week or so and pass it on to the consulate, who will send you the packet 3 (That may be called Packet 4 now) to complete. This inlcudes the financial support documents and whole list of the other stuff. There is a checklist, use it. You can download all the documents now to get an early start. After you turn that into the Consulate, they will schedule the interview, used to be in about 6-8 weeks. The interview is pretty much a formality, since all the paperwork as been reviewed before that. You should be able to make your October deadline easily since you are filing in Bangkok and not a US Service Center. You really need to pay attention to the details, or you will get rejected for what you may consider a small technicality. That is what the dragon lady at the DHS office is trying to help you avoid. Be sure to listen to her. Be sure to take your wife when you submit the I-130, there will probably be a small problem and you will have to come back. Be nice and let your wife talk to her, you stay out it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dean Posted April 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 As it turns out, my wife called the proper phone number in Bangkok and was told this can not be done over the phone. She and her 18 year old daughter will take the train Sunday night, take care of business on Monday and return by train Monday night. What a waste of time and money for anyone living outside of Bangkok. It would be nice if the U.S. embassy put together a leaflet explaining the proceedures on applying for a permanent residency visa. Right now, I'm in Taipei airport, waiting for my 12.5 hour flight to LAX, followed the next morning by a 3 hour flight to KC. No more Thai food for 2 weeks which is a good thing but not seeing my 4 month old son for over two weeks, which is a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passingthru69 Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 Hi Dean, Ok I read about the money thing. Happy I was wrong. I just tired of peple coming and want to live on welfare.. I hope you have a good trip to K.C. Good ribs there. Yes the paperwork is a hassle, but like other posters have said. Make sure you have it all right or they will deny it, because you did'nt dot the I or cross the T correct. My wife's 2 year permant was held up due to the fact I forgot to send a copy of her birth papers. We then got them and translated it into English and sent in both copies. Certified. We did the translation copies on line with a company out of Ca. Emailed them the birth records and they sent us a proof read copy to make sure it was right and then they sent us the orginals via overnight mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khun_khon_neua Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 ... It would be nice if the U.S. embassy put together a leaflet explaining the proceedures on applying for a permanent residency visa. .. You mean like this The Immigrant Visa Process in 3 Steps ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dean Posted April 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2008 Thanks for posting that. Its helpful but I would put in it things particular to dealing with applying in Thailand and where to get things that are needed, like the criminal report, which has to be obtained in Bangkok. I was in Pattaya for the last week of March and could have easily got the crinimal report for my wife and oldest child in Bangkok. Now, they both have to go by train this Sunday and waste Monday tryng to get it (it will probably be mailed to Chiang Mai to my house). I would still prefer that this kind of information be kept at the embassy in Bangkok and the consolute in C.M. rather than have to surf the internet to find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dean Posted April 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2008 When I went to the Homeland office originally, I brought the Thai and English documents and the English translation of the Thai documents. For the interview, my wife will be with me, so finding the right documents when asked should be no problem. I'm still working on the sponsorship/co-sponsorship probem but I should be able to prove that I have $105,000 in assets in the U.S. without a problem. I met today with my account and should have the documentation to bring back to Thailand with me. Of course, if my brother co-sponsors, it would probably make it a lot easier. I'll meet with an immigration lawyer next week to find out what the government does in practical tems to recover money spent on immigrants in a worst case scenario. I don't like thinking in those terms but if you ever read the terms listed in the co-sponsorship form, the government puts the fear of God into anyone that may be a canidate for co-sponsorship. I've had Irish pub food, great hamburgers and Mexican foood so far. I may go today to Strouds, a nationally famous southern fried chicken dinner place. BBQ will have to wait for the weekend. I'm also getting my Dr. Pepper fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted May 10, 2008 Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 I believe the gov looks at the assets, not as $105,000 but as $21,000. I think they divide by 5, or at least that is how I look at it when I did this stuff for my wife. When we went for the interview, unfortunately we were in the USA, they never looked at the financial. Actually the interview lasted less then 5 minutes. Figure it out, I can't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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