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  1. #101
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2
    She wants one but her Thai Drivers license is 100% accepted here with no constraints.
    Always worrying.

    Same in the UK. They'll accept a Thai one despite overwhelming proof they can't drive for shit, yet they're not supposed to accept a UK one which is stupid seeing as the UK has one of the highest standards of driving.

  2. #102
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2
    She wants one but her Thai Drivers license is 100% accepted here with no constraints.
    Always worrying.

    Same in the UK. They'll accept a Thai one despite overwhelming proof they can't drive for shit, yet they're not supposed to accept a UK one which is stupid seeing as the UK has one of the highest standards of driving.

    True in most cases. My GF drives exceptionally well but she has been driving for 12 years. Here in California the Vietnamese are downright scary and how they acquire a CDL is beyond me. My gripe is they have the behind the wheel test with a vietnamese instructor and written test in Vietnamese. How exactly does that work? FFS it should all be in English or you fail...

  3. #103
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2
    How exactly does that work? FFS it should all be in English or you fail...
    Spanish?

  4. #104
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    Good for you JPPR. This is useful info and encouraging.

  5. #105
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2
    My gripe is they have the behind the wheel test with a vietnamese instructor and written test in Vietnamese. How exactly does that work? FFS it should all be in English or you fail...
    I could imagine the uproar if the Thai driving test was only done in Thai...

  6. #106
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    So that means we can use a Thai driver's license in the US or UK instead of a national one if you living in Thailand, correct?

  7. #107
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    Nice one JP.

    Good of you to take the time to show others how its done and without the lawyers fees too.

    Green coming when it lets me

  8. #108
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers View Post
    So that means we can use a Thai driver's license in the US or UK instead of a national one if you living in Thailand, correct?
    I would say Yes. If you do not have a valid US DL but a current Thai DL then you should be legal. The only grey area is auto ins being it is mandatory under the SR22 mandate. However if you are borrowing a car from a person who has insurance covering all motorists then you are fine.

    My GF drives either of my cars as I have them insured as such that anybody driving them with a valid license is covered

  9. #109
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dillinger View Post
    Nice one JP.

    Good of you to take the time to show others how its done and without the lawyers fees too.

    Green coming when it lets me
    Thanks. The green thought is all that counts...

  10. #110
    CCBW Stumpy's Avatar
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    Summary

    For anyone interested

    The total cost of the process was $3654 from what I can tell. This includes all app fees (about half the costs), certified mail, medical certifications and required vaccinations.

    Total appx time to complete all of this with forms, mailings, doctor visits, bio appt, INS interview was ~40 to 45 hrs. Of course this is spread out over 2.5 months. So a little under an hour a day. The biggest chunk was up front filling out forms and triple checking them for accuracy. The rest was waiting for the next step in the process.

    Yesterday she got her work approval card in the mail. Should get greencard next week. Then off to get a social security card. After that she can do whatever she wants. Of course the mission is not yet complete. Now we have to wait 5 years for her to apply for US Citizenship and then acquire her US Passport which is what we really want.

  11. #111
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    Very informative and interesting thread about the trials and tribulations of the naturalization process.

    Good on you for sticking to it and seeing it through! I imagine most people would have thrown in the towel and/or hired a professional to walk them through the process. For some reason forms and paperwork seem to give people fits or makes them think the process is actually harder than it is.

    Again congrats,
    "Whoever said `Money can`t buy you love or joy` obviously was not making enough money." <- quote by Gene $immon$ of the rock group KISS

  12. #112
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers View Post
    So that means we can use a Thai driver's license in the US or UK instead of a national one if you living in Thailand, correct?
    I would say Yes. If you do not have a valid US DL but a current Thai DL then you should be legal. The only grey area is auto ins being it is mandatory under the SR22 mandate. However if you are borrowing a car from a person who has insurance covering all motorists then you are fine.

    My GF drives either of my cars as I have them insured as such that anybody driving them with a valid license is covered
    I am planning to come back next May to do a 3 month contract and bolster my bank account. They supply a rental car and a place to live plus my regular salary on top of that which would work for me.

  13. #113
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    ^When I go on one of my very occasional trips to the US, I drive on my Filipino license - no problem. I haven't had a US license in decades.

  14. #114
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    ^
    Good to know Davis, Thanks.

  15. #115
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers View Post
    So that means we can use a Thai driver's license in the US or UK instead of a national one if you living in Thailand, correct?
    I would say Yes. If you do not have a valid US DL but a current Thai DL then you should be legal. The only grey area is auto ins being it is mandatory under the SR22 mandate. However if you are borrowing a car from a person who has insurance covering all motorists then you are fine.

    My GF drives either of my cars as I have them insured as such that anybody driving them with a valid license is covered
    I am planning to come back next May to do a 3 month contract and bolster my bank account. They supply a rental car and a place to live plus my regular salary on top of that which would work for me.
    RC,
    If this helps, when we would have Thai staff come to the US to train on 3 month intervals I would get them set up in rental cars. At vehicle pick up you pay the supplemental insurance which would cover you no problem.

    Sounds like a good plan. Nice break, reserves replenishment and then back.

  16. #116
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers View Post
    So that means we can use a Thai driver's license in the US or UK instead of a national one if you living in Thailand, correct?
    I would say Yes. If you do not have a valid US DL but a current Thai DL then you should be legal. The only grey area is auto ins being it is mandatory under the SR22 mandate. However if you are borrowing a car from a person who has insurance covering all motorists then you are fine.

    My GF drives either of my cars as I have them insured as such that anybody driving them with a valid license is covered
    I am planning to come back next May to do a 3 month contract and bolster my bank account. They supply a rental car and a place to live plus my regular salary on top of that which would work for me.
    RC,
    If this helps, when we would have Thai staff come to the US to train on 3 month intervals I would get them set up in rental cars. At vehicle pick up you pay the supplemental insurance which would cover you no problem.

    Sounds like a good plan. Nice break, reserves replenishment and then back.
    Thanks JP. My CA license is still valid, but just thinking about the future. Not really sure how long I will be able or willing to come back for the short contracts, but it does definately help on the financial side of things. I also still have some personal property in the US that I will need to either liquidate or make sure is taken care of. I've really enjoyed being retired for the past 14 months, but it will be time to go back for a short visit by next May.

    Like others on this thread I give you a lot of credit for working thru the lengthy process and it shows it can be done with a lot of patience. A green also coming from me for all your efforts.

    Oopps, I was told I need to spread the greens more before giving you another, but you do have my utmost respect.

  17. #117
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers View Post
    So that means we can use a Thai driver's license in the US or UK instead of a national one if you living in Thailand, correct?
    I would say Yes. If you do not have a valid US DL but a current Thai DL then you should be legal. The only grey area is auto ins being it is mandatory under the SR22 mandate. However if you are borrowing a car from a person who has insurance covering all motorists then you are fine.

    My GF drives either of my cars as I have them insured as such that anybody driving them with a valid license is covered
    I am planning to come back next May to do a 3 month contract and bolster my bank account. They supply a rental car and a place to live plus my regular salary on top of that which would work for me.
    RC,
    If this helps, when we would have Thai staff come to the US to train on 3 month intervals I would get them set up in rental cars. At vehicle pick up you pay the supplemental insurance which would cover you no problem.

    Sounds like a good plan. Nice break, reserves replenishment and then back.
    Thanks JP. My CA license is still valid, but just thinking about the future. Not really sure how long I will be able or willing to come back for the short contracts, but it does definately help on the financial side of things. I also still have some personal property in the US that I will need to either liquidate or make sure is taken care of. I've really enjoyed being retired for the past 14 months, but it will be time to go back for a short visit by next May.

    Like others on this thread I give you a lot of credit for working thru the lengthy process and it shows it can be done with a lot of patience. A green also coming from me for all your efforts.

    Oopps, I was told I need to spread the greens more before giving you another, but you do have my utmost respect.
    RC,
    You know looking back on it all it was not difficult at all and quite honestly I thought it went very fast. As I said the biggest effort was the upfront forms and the medical certification. Then it was just the process which went along at a nice pace. The internet makes this process easy as there are links to everything including doctors approved by the US Govt and they were very affordable. I think the only duress incurred was from my GF because frankly the risk was all hers. It is not like I was going to lose my citizenship, they take my passport and deport me. She, on the other hand, would have had her Visa revoked, told to leave the US in 30 days and not been able to return to the US as she has shown that she wants to live here.

    IMHO, as you know RC, here the Attorney's want you to be afraid of it. If you are, they can sell you the security and charge you a fortune to do it. I guarantee you they have no interest in it working the first few go arounds. Being they charge you $250 to $400 a hour its in their best interest to have it drag on and on. I read many people that had a nightmare of a time getting approval. Some were outright denied. Its hard to understand how unless they met up with a INS rep who was hell bent against immigrants or they simply had a shady deal going on. An example of this; in the waiting room at Homeland Security there was a Caucasian guy and his Japanese wife. They sat behind us. It was those 2, her mother and an attorney/translator. This guy and his wife could not really even talk to each other. They required the translator on almost all discussions. I would suspect this came under tons of scrutiny. I do not know the outcome but do know after talking to the guy for a few moments before we went in that this was their 3rd visit and the Attorney had a folder 4" thick of stuff. I read many threads where they interview you. The INS Rep thinks something is not right and make you leave and reschedule a new appt requesting an additional form or doc or that something is missing etc. However I suspect the real intent was to see if their stories changed.

    Anyway I hope this thread helps others and shows it can be done with a bit of effort. Just her having a Greencard makes our traveling easier. No more approval to leave Thailand for her. She can come and go like we are able to as US citizens. Later her having a US Passport will make our lives even less complicated when it comes to travel here and abroad. In fact as much as I hate to say it, she will be way better off then any of us. We have to play that TL 90 day check in nonsense and then pay to leave the place where she will have dual citizenship and have more overall general freedom. Odd in many ways..
    Last edited by Stumpy; 12-12-2012 at 10:11 PM.

  18. #118
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    SSN and California Drivers license 12/17/2012

    Social Security;

    Did some research over this past weekend and found that once you have a "Green Card" and the "Authorization to Work" card you do not need to update your status at the Social Security office. Once approved you are in the system ready to legally work. However when you become a citizen(if you go that far) you must update your status and apply for a SSN.

    California Drivers license;

    The process is very straight forward.

    -Read the drivers handbook
    -When you are ready schedule a drivers test appt at any local DMV.
    -You will take the written test, if you pass then they will take you thumb print and a picture
    -You will also have to pass a vision test.
    -Pay applicable fees

    They will mail you the license in the mail.

    You can take this test up to 3 times. As far as I can tell they do not have a written test in Thai. They have them in Vietnamese and all variants of Chinese and Japanese.

  19. #119
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    ^^
    How true about having attorneys dragging out any process that will allow them to charge more. That would be another thread and I could contribute much to this topic since I had a divorce that was drug out for over two years at the cost of tens of thousands of dollars. I personally rate all attorneys once step above the BIB here.

  20. #120
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    Update 2/1/2013

    Since last update she has got a Social Security card and California Drivers license. Both of these were easy and not to much effort.

    On the SS card. A couple of things to think about. Really give a lot of thought about how long you plan on staying in the states in regards to her working and SS card. If the goal is short term then avoid it and seek a cash type job or contract. If you join a company and pay into SS, leave and not return you basically gain nothing but contribute to the US Social Security system. You need to contribute to SS for quite a few years before any benefits can be recognized and then it is only a % of what you contribute and is based on your last 3 months of earnings.

    Here is the downside of not acquiring a SSN. If you do not have one applying online for a majority of employment opportunities is simply impossible. You need as a required field. By not having it you do limit your avenues. However if you have a greencard and the Authorization to work card you can acquire gainful employment anywhere. I highly recommend contract employment if you are planning short term

    As for the California Drivers license, interestingly having a California Drivers license for employment is far more important. They use this number to check on your record(Drunk driving, Felony records etc). Without, a lot of companies will not hire you. Acquiring one is very straight forward. 2 conditions exist. 1 ) if you have a Thai drivers license and it has no expiration the US govt accepts as valid and all you have to do is take the written test. 2) If the license has an expiration date then you will be required to take a behind the wheel test and written. In California they do not have the written test in Thai so if your wife/GF does not have a solid command of the English language she may struggle.

    Landing her first job: So tomorrow she has an interview for a job. A Thai restaurant is looking for a manager/chef. The owner is from North Thailand and has been here for 9 years. When she spoke with them it was like a reunion of sorts being she grew up North Thailand. Chemistry seemed very good. More to come on that.

  21. #121
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    I would think most Thais that venture over to the US would have a pretty difficult time of it. It sounds like if you are well educated and speak/understand the English language, then there are some opportunities for employment.

    Right now I am struggling with the thought of my son staying in Thailand and whether he should go thru the Thai education system and have a good command on the English language, or just bring him over here to be educated. He is only 2.5 years old, so there is time since he would not start school in the States until he is 5. There are pluses and minuses for staying in Thailand or coming to the US. I will be working on getting him a US passport and SS card when I return after working a couple of 3 month contracts. He will have until the age of 18 before he has to declare a home country.

    JP, if your girlfriend ever does become a US citizen, is she still able to own property in Thailand?

  22. #122
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers View Post
    I would think most Thais that venture over to the US would have a pretty difficult time of it. It sounds like if you are well educated and speak/understand the English language, then there are some opportunities for employment.

    Right now I am struggling with the thought of my son staying in Thailand and whether he should go thru the Thai education system and have a good command on the English language, or just bring him over here to be educated. He is only 2.5 years old, so there is time since he would not start school in the States until he is 5. There are pluses and minuses for staying in Thailand or coming to the US. I will be working on getting him a US passport and SS card when I return after working a couple of 3 month contracts. He will have until the age of 18 before he has to declare a home country.

    JP, if your girlfriend ever does become a US citizen, is she still able to own property in Thailand?
    Luckily there are 2 or 3 really good primary schools in Udon which teach in both Thai and English (and Chinese if you feel inclined). I would worry more when your lad starts getting to double digits as the schools tend to be pretty poor then.

  23. #123
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers
    I would think most Thais that venture over to the US would have a pretty difficult time of it. It sounds like if you are well educated and speak/understand the English language, then there are some opportunities for employment.
    I agree. There is not a lot of infrastructure supporting Thais. Clearly if you are Vietnamese, Chinese, Mexican its a cake walk. In fact almost everything you buy here now has all the instructions in those languages. Its very rare to see a Thai here. We have met 3 or so since we arrived. We did find a temple not to far away that she visits. The Monk is from Isaan. I would say having great command of the English language is imperative as a Thai moving here.

    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers
    JP, if your girlfriend ever does become a US citizen, is she still able to own property in Thailand?
    RC,
    We have done some research on this. It is becoming a sticky situation especially with all the heightened visibility of foreigners dumping loads of money into starting businesses using their Thai wives as the owner. I would suspect more laws will come into play over the coming years in Thailand. As it stands now the best avenue is to retain dual citizenship and always travel back to Thailand using her Thai passport. If she arrives under the US Passport she is defined as a foreigner and believe it or not can create problems because she is now "Visiting". We have a lot more research to dig into. Years ago it was easy but the systems for tracking are getting better. I would suggest anyone who marries to have her retain her maiden name. If she adds your surname on a new passport it will raise a red flag. No law says you have to change names.

    Answering your question specifically, my Gf has been reading that it is becoming an issue to buy land if you have become a US citizen and are married to a foreigner. Others may be able to speak with real world experience, I am only going off what we have read and she has heard when doing inquiries.

    In my GF's case, while having a US passport makes traveling around to other countries significantly easier, quite honestly having a green card is almost as easy. I doubt we will pursue a US Passport for her. I most certainly do not want to complicate her life. Her green card is good for 10 years and you just renew it. You do not have to seek US citizenship to live here. Plus I seriously doubt we will live here long enough for it to really matter.

  24. #124
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers View Post
    Right now I am struggling with the thought of my son staying in Thailand and whether he should go thru the Thai education system and have a good command on the English language, or just bring him over here to be educated. He is only 2.5 years old, so there is time since he would not start school in the States until he is 5. There are pluses and minuses for staying in Thailand or coming to the US. I will be working on getting him a US passport and SS card when I return after working a couple of 3 month contracts. He will have until the age of 18 before he has to declare a home country.
    My soon to be 15 year old step-daughter went to school in Thailand for K-1; 2-3 at an American school in Japan; 4-6 in Thailand; 7-8 back at an American middle school in Japan and is now a 9th grader in the USA. She's probably the only Thai step kid I've met living in the states who can read and write Thai; and pull down roughly a 3.5 GPA at an American school. I'm pretty sure she already desires to get the US citizenship after 5 years even if it means giving up Thai citizenship. We've been in the USA about 7 months now.

    There are several Thai spouses in the area we live and most of them seem to be doing pretty well. Kitchen help at a casino seems to be a popular job with them.

  25. #125
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    my Gf has been reading that it is becoming an issue to buy land if you have become a US citizen and are married to a foreigner. Others may be able to speak with real world experience, I am only going off what we have read and she has heard when doing inquiries.
    I don't see my wife getting US citizenship either. But sometimes the wheels start turning in her head pondering it. But if she did then I guess she would have to worry about the three chanootes she already has in her name.

    My vote is she just follow the green card rules and not worry about the US citizenship.

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