Adul's story on how it all happened. Day 1 of 2 :)

Adul

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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danny.tangtam.com
I just wanted to explain the reason my girlfriend and I got married now instead of later when we plan to have a wedding (which we are still going to do). You see it takes the immigration process about 9 months or so. And costs all kinds of fees. So rather than wait for my girlfriend to be able to come to the US after we got married. We decided to get the marriage license now, and have the wedding later on. That way when we do have the ceremonial wedding, she will be able to come back to the US with me. :)

Now getting the marriage to be recognized in the US was another thing. The two days spent running around Bangkok was definitely interesting experience.

Our day started off on Tuesday around 11 AM. We left for Bangkok via bus. That was a first for me to take a bus in another country. Well our bus trip was over an hour long to get to the bus station in Bangkok. When we got off, we then proceed on with taxi, my first stop I wanted to go was the US embassy. But some how he took us to the Thai consular office instead. :| Well, we needed to know where that was anyway, but I still needed to head to the embassy. So we grabbed another taxi. He decided to take the toll road to get us there faster, off course we had to pay the toll. Not a big deal, only 1.25. Hell the cab fare was only 2 bucks when we got to the embassy.

Anyway, we are now in the US Embassy and I head off to the citizens line. I wait to talk to one of the friendly people behind the window. Which I then request for papers to marry Thai citizens. I was handed a affidavit and instructions I needed to follow. I also had to pay a $55 dollar fee for notarizing my affidavit. Oh no problem I will head off to the bank down the street. So my girlfriend and I head off to the bank and hit up the ATM. I try to withdraw 8k Baht. No go, there is some sort of transfer error. DOH! So I have to go inside the bank, which of course had a very long line. So while in line I counted how much money I had on me and my girlfriend. 2200 Baht, damn almost enough. Then I notice my girlfriend has a $10 bill in her wallet, I am like perfect, we can use that. So we got out of line and head back to the embassy again. I go to the window to pay for fee's. Guess what, I can only use either dollars or Baht. DOH again!!

So I tell my girlfriend to wait for me at the Embassy while I go run back to the bank again. I get back in line and wait. I finally get up to the counter when I ask to withdraw 8000 Baht again from my visa debit card. The clerk says ok, but I need to see your passport first. Awww crap, its with my girlfriend. So I now run back to the embassy and once again. The guards by now are laughing has the see my go through the gate again for the third time. Anyway, I grab my passport and anything else they might ask for and head out to the bank again. Wait in the freaking line one more time and ask another clerk for 8000 Baht. I show them my passport and two other forms of ID. Sign my credit card slip and receive my 8000 Baht. (wahoo) So now I run back to the US embassy for the last time. go inside and pay the notary fee in Baht. 2360 was the total I paid, got my receipt and head back over to the citizens window. It's closed. DOH!!! They apparently close at 3:30 PM.

Well I was not willing to give up, I proceeded to the side and try to get someone's attention. I do finally manage to do that and a lady comes and helps me out. Hand them my affidavit and receipt. I swear I everything is truthful, and then I wait a few minutes while they notarize it. Finally get my papers back with the notary on it. Yeah! Ok, next on the check list is the to head over to get this thing translated. Oh great, where do we find a translators office. So we head outside to grab yet another taxi. He takes us to some Thai government facility for god knows what. It is not what I needed. But we get out and go inside. Maybe they can tell us where. No go with that either, so we head back outside again. By this time We are famished from our days of catching buses and Taxis. I was thinking food when I noticed across the street there was a translators office. Wahoo! :)

So now we rush across the street and hand them my affidavit. They tell me what the fee is and proceed to ask a few questions on how certain things are pronounced. Now the lady goes to type up everything in Thai and we have wait for her to finish typing it. We get the translated version back and my girlfriend reads through it. We handed it back a couple of times for revisions. Finally with that is all done we decide to head home since it was too late to go the Thai consular office.

Under suggestion of the people of the translator office we take the BTS train. Which is basically an elevated electric train that cuts across much of Bangkok. And since traffic is major suck in Bangkok at that time we head off to the BTS station down the street. We ride the train to the end and get off to catch a bus back to Saraburi. When we get there we eat dinner and take a couple of motorcycles home and crash around 11 that night.

And this is just day one... I'll post day 2 later on.

edit


Here is Day 2
 

unxpurg8d

Golden Member
Apr 7, 2000
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A guy willing to do all THIS to marry a woman.................now THIS is romance!! LOL Seriously impressed - and can't wait for the second installment. :D

 

Stark

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2000
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Congrats Adul. It's good that you learn early on that marriage isn't easy! :)
 

Windogg

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
10,241
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The amazing lengths one will go through for love. :) Nice story. Can't wait for part two.

Windogg
 

ArkAoss

Banned
Aug 31, 2000
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hmm you go adul,
hafta rest abit just after reading that,
so we can see why you've gotta wait to write day 2.
 

jAcKeL

Senior member
Aug 29, 2000
454
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thats beautiful son... /me wipes a few tears aways... goodluck w/ the marriage...
 

Adul

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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danny.tangtam.com
Considering this is the longest single post I think I have made yet, I did not want to scare anyone away with clumping on day 2. :) I will have that part sometime today. Even though it was a pain in ass it was well worth it and we had fun doing it. :)
 

Yeeny

Lifer
Feb 2, 2000
10,848
2
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Geez, and my hubby bitched when he had to pick out a ring on his own. :p
Congrats Adul, I am so glad everything worked out for you two. You deserve all the happiness in the world. :)

And I already heard part two, so neener neener everyone. :D
 

damien6

Golden Member
Oct 11, 1999
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A great story, makes me think how it was back then before...before.... the ball and chain thingy. Don't want to spook you so just enjoy the moment. :)


As for dealing w/INS and lawers?? Don't bother!! (w/lawyers I mean) Few of my friends/family went through that route but after hearing some horror stories regarding lawyers, their screw ups, reprocessing which caused extended delays, not to leave out extra $$$ and aggravations, we did it ourselves. The INS returned our entire application once because it included two copies of a same form so they mail us telling us to take one out and return it back to them. After that incident, we're good to go and we recived the receipt for our application payments, which mean it's all on them now. One of my friends who went w/a lawyer well before us received their receipt two weeks before us. I'm telling you, take your time, take few visits to the INS (to asks questions), get to learn few things along the way, save some money and lots of headaches in the end.

Btw- I didn't know squat about what form was what or needed when all this began. I just asked sh_t loads of questions at the INS + the people standing in lines as well. Believe it or not I had all of my questions answered (correctly).
 

yakko

Lifer
Apr 18, 2000
25,455
2
0
I want a part in the movie they make about that. I can't wait until part two. Congratulations again on the marriage.



GirlFriday,

You expect a man not to complian about shopping for a non man item?
 

Antisocial Virge

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 1999
6,578
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We did the INS forms by ourselves so far. I came into the US on a K1 Fiance Visa. It took a little time but I think it might be easier in the long run. I forget what type of Visa your wife will have to use. For some reason 430 comes to mind.
 

Optimus

Diamond Member
Aug 23, 2000
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Great story so far - I like the cliffhanger ending... but when do we get to hear about the REST of that evening, eh? ;)

Good luck with the immigration work - I went through it all here in Canada without a lawyer fine, but the US is very different I'm sure.

Lots of paperwork!


 

Nutcase99

Golden Member
Dec 22, 1999
1,639
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Congratulations!!

I hope you stay married forever and are happy with your marriage.













Oh yea one problem your not going to have time or money for the computer anymore :Q
 

Wedesdo

Platinum Member
Jun 5, 2000
2,108
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[sarcasm]what the heck!?!?!?! the taxi in Thailand only costs USD $2!?!?1

Those in China cost at least $5?!?!?![/sarcasm]

hehe... US dollars are worth A LOT in those east asian countries. With $20 USD, I can by a metric ton of cabbage in china, if the prices are good... :p
 

PCAddict

Diamond Member
Nov 19, 1999
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Congratulations. I didn't know that Thailand recognized same-sex marriages. ;)

Just kiddin, bud. :) I wish you the best.
 

Adul

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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91
danny.tangtam.com
Shhh Pc addict, no ones suppose to know that ;)

oops I mean, whatever are you talking about? :)

I am typing up part two now. I will run it through word before posting to spare you guys my horrible spelling and gramar. :)
 

lavie

Senior member
Mar 1, 2000
413
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Adul, I wish you and your wife the very best.

The story you just told will be a lasting memory to you and your wife.
Type it and frame it with the pictures. :)

How romantic! :)