nice! From what I know of the financial requirements I don't understand why they needed to cross check your documents. Is there something different for requirements at the embassy vs doing online? I've got both US and Thai bank- but don't have a lot of money and sometimes by balances are pretty low.
good input! This is idle planning for the future, but I imagine it all applies double for getting her into the USA. In what form did you explain about caring for grandmamma? Supplemental document? Pics? Letter from doctor?
7kilo limit is a joke that they enforce arbitrarily. I had a new girl make a stink about my bag being too big and the supervisor solution was they gave me multiple plastic bags- somehow having 5 bags was fine as long as none of 7kilo. A rolling bag with a pair of shoes in it is 7kilo- it's fucking nonsense.
Sorry man, Ive only seen one other reference to using that office to avoid the financial requirements and the guy didn't respond when I asked for more details.