Hi all, I am new in here and I am pleased to meet everyone.

I have known my girlfriend in Vietnam for about 2 years (December 2005 to present) and I travelled to Vietnam to meet her 3 times already (June 2006, Dec 2006, Dec 2007). Each time, I spent about 3 to 4 weeks getting to know her.

We plan to have our engagement in the Summer 2008.

Should I file the K1 Fiancee Visa right now or wait after the engagement in the Summer 2008 and file the application after the engagement?

Thank you for your help.

Regards,

It doesn't matter, If you want to have the visa by next summer or fall you need to start now.

yup, you can file it now, as long as you have picture of your engagement on the interview date for them to see ... approximately 8 months from your 1st notice that the USCIS receives your application, see my and others timelines for reference.

I think that you should get engaged first that is the way of Vietnam Custom I sent in many photos of our engagement thats just my thoughts

I'm with Eric!
You know you will marry this girl, then an Engagement is expected culturally and "legally" helpful in your Visa journey with HCMC.
I understand you have your reason why not have the engagement ASAP but wait until July 08. However, these days HCMC will 99.99999% want to see your Engagement ceremony pictures/video/evidence of some sort as part of their Visa Review/Approval process.
Yes, you can apply right now based on the fact that you two have met within the past 2 years from the day you apply. After you start your application, before the scheduled interview date, hopefully you should have already had the engagement ceremony.
Keep in mind, all the Guides and FAO's above are recommended if not required reads for everyone who visits VJ or plan to apply for someone to enter the US via K-1/K-3/CR-1 Visa. However, each Consulate is different, ESPECIALLY "HCMC"
Prepare yourself for an emotional ride that you've never seen before Come back often on VJ for Q&A. There is no dumb question, just stupid answers! (ME, guilty!)

Good luck and I think you should start gathering the evidence to support your Petition ASAP. Good luck!

You can start K1 now, but you must have Engagement ceremony picture before she has an interview.

Hi all, thank you for your replies.

Yesterday, I went with my future fiancee to the US Consulate General at 4 Le Duan Street, Ho Chi Minh City to process my Affidavit of Birth Certificate. It costed me $30. I was born in Vietnam in 1976 and migrated to Los Angeles, United States in 1990. My parents told me that they lost my Birth Certificate.

I think it is better for us to wait after our Engagement in Summer 2008 and then file the K1 Application. Meanwhile from now until Summer 2008, we will document more about our relationship.

Please let me know if you have any more advice. Thank you.

Regards,

you don't have to wait until after your engagement party, just apply end of Feb ... a friend of mine filed the before the engagement party, then showed the pictures to the CO, and guessed what they passed....
of course the final decision is yours ...good luck

If this is something you know you are going to do for sure, then I would file as soon as possible because the waiting sucks. I waited about 2 months before I sent in papers and now regret it because we could almost be done by now if I had.

Tell him Chuck!

Hi All:

Is it easy to file the K1 Application by myself or do I need to hire an agency to file it?

In your cases, do you file it by yourself?

Regards

If you don't have any complications (overstays, criminal convictions, medical issues), you can certainly do it yourself. Most of the people on this site have done it without an agency or lawyer.