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Landy
SHE GOT THE VISA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just talked with Lan (my fiance). She just got the K1 visa!!!!!!!! YAH YAH YAH!!!!

The interview was 5 minutes long. Very shortl.... just a few questions. Details to follow tomorrow, ok???
STL_HCMC
QUOTE(Landy @ Mar 29 2006, 01:51 PM) *
SHE GOT THE VISA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just talked with Lan (my fiance). She just got the K1 visa!!!!!!!! YAH YAH YAH!!!!

The interview was 5 minutes long. Very shortl.... just a few questions. Details to follow tomorrow, ok???


THE BEST OF CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH LANDY!!!

I'm sure there are a lot of us that are looking forward to your detail of the interview!

What an exciting moment and day for you! Best of luck to you both in the future.

STL_HCMC
Vietnam
I didn't doubt it for a minute.

Congratulations! dancin5hr.gif
mike1972e
QUOTE(Landy @ Mar 29 2006, 01:51 AM) *

SHE GOT THE VISA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just talked with Lan (my fiance). She just got the K1 visa!!!!!!!! YAH YAH YAH!!!!

The interview was 5 minutes long. Very shortl.... just a few questions. Details to follow tomorrow, ok???



good.gif kicking.gif good.gif kicking.gif good.gif

I am so happy for both of you!!!!

I know you probably couldn't sleep after her call.

I wish the best for you both on your future together. You gave us all hope!!!
chuckandkim
Lan and Andy,

I think we all expected the Visa all along smile.gif Come on, remember how i said I jeolous of you both for you having her visiting you while waiting for K-1 Visa? smile.gif smile.gif smile.gif

I know EXACTLY how you feel when that phone call arrived... Heart pounding like an african drum, then the news broke, then a million plans start forming in your head... GREAT!!!!

Congrats to you both...
menyoo
Congrats and continue success with your journey. I'm almost there to where you're today. Hopefully I'd get the same news in a few more months.
Landy
OK.... this is my recollection of what Lan (my fiancee) told me about her experience in dealing with the HCMC consulate. I will have her post her experience so you can all get a first-hand account when she wakes up in the morning (it is sleeping time right now in Vietnam).

Lan's interview was at 10 am. She arrived there before 9 AM in typical business attire (long skirt, blouse -- you know what I mean). She gave her documents to the person at the consulate and they told her to wait. At noon the consulate closed for lunch so they told her to come back at 1:30 PM.

After lunch she returns to the consulate. The CO who would adjuciate her case was a woman, about 35-40 years old. The interview lasted all of 5 minutes. This is what I can recall as far as the questions that were asked:

1) How many times has Lan visited USA? How many times have I (the petitioner) visited Vietnam?
2) Are her parents concerned that she will leave Vietnam and live in America?
3) How long have you known your fiance?
4) When did you get engaged?
5) Has Lan met my parents?
6) Did my parents come to the engagement ceremony? She asked to see pics of the engagement.
7) The CO kept the I-134 form (notorized), the letter from my employer that states my position/salary, and a copy of my 2004 tax return and W2s. That's it... they did not even look at my bank statements or any of the other financial documentation I provided (and Lan was carrying a boat-load of information!)

So after you few basic questions, the CO approved the K1. It will be ready to be picked up at 4 PM the next day (March 30).

Off the top of my head that is all I can remember right now! I am sure Lan will be able to provide a more detailed recollection. A few more items of interest:

Lan said that 9 out of every 10 visa applicants were getting turned away with a blue slip! She attributed this to two things. First most of them cannot speak english so they had to use the services of the consulate-provided interpreter. Very arrogant, not helpful at all, and downright hostile to several of the applicants. She probably is a hindrance to the overall process. Second reason people get blue slips is they are just not properly prepared- they did not seem to be aware of the process and the procedures. In general, it pays to dot all your I's and cross all your T's when working with this particular consulate!

I hope that helps; as I said Lan will follow-up with some more details. If anybody has any questions about the process feel free to ask either in the public forums or you can email me privately if you like.
dalegg
QUOTE(Landy @ Mar 29 2006, 08:49 AM) *


Lan said that 9 out of every 10 visa applicants were getting turned away with a blue slip!


Everyone should take particular interest in this statement. It has always been the case at HCMC. Almost every applicant who has posted their interview experience has made this statement (including my own wife). This is the most telling testament to the effectivness of this website, because those statistics are not the same for VisaJourney members. It pays to know what you are doing ahead of time, and obviously people who use this site do.

I think once your fiance showed she had been to the US to visit you, that clinched it. You are pretty fortunate to have that in your case.
chuckandkim
Andy and Lan,

What is your thought about the Journey so far? Is it too hard? I thought it was pretty straight forward myself...
Landy
I think it's pretty straight-forward. It's definitely a lot of work, but it's definitely not rocket-science.

The government muddles the process up by making it somewhat murky as to what they want from the applicants, but thanks to VJ it's much much clearer.

In this process I have relied upon VJ and one book that I bought from Nolo Press about this subject. The book is sometimes nice to have because I know exactly where to go to get information quickly as opposed to wading through the site. The site is nice to have because there's a wealth of current up-to-date information and a whole community to ask questions and collaborate with.



QUOTE(chuckandkim @ Mar 29 2006, 12:35 PM) *

Andy and Lan,

What is your thought about the Journey so far? Is it too hard? I thought it was pretty straight forward myself...

kvtran
QUOTE(Landy @ Mar 29 2006, 08:49 AM) *

OK.... this is my recollection of what Lan (my fiancee) told me about her experience in dealing with the HCMC consulate. I will have her post her experience so you can all get a first-hand account when she wakes up in the morning (it is sleeping time right now in Vietnam).

Lan's interview was at 10 am. She arrived there before 9 AM in typical business attire (long skirt, blouse -- you know what I mean). She gave her documents to the person at the consulate and they told her to wait. At noon the consulate closed for lunch so they told her to come back at 1:30 PM.

After lunch she returns to the consulate. The CO who would adjuciate her case was a woman, about 35-40 years old. The interview lasted all of 5 minutes. This is what I can recall as far as the questions that were asked:

1) How many times has Lan visited USA? How many times have I (the petitioner) visited Vietnam?
2) Are her parents concerned that she will leave Vietnam and live in America?
3) How long have you known your fiance?
4) When did you get engaged?
5) Has Lan met my parents?
6) Did my parents come to the engagement ceremony? She asked to see pics of the engagement.
7) The CO kept the I-134 form (notorized), the letter from my employer that states my position/salary, and a copy of my 2004 tax return and W2s. That's it... they did not even look at my bank statements or any of the other financial documentation I provided (and Lan was carrying a boat-load of information!)

So after you few basic questions, the CO approved the K1. It will be ready to be picked up at 4 PM the next day (March 30).

Off the top of my head that is all I can remember right now! I am sure Lan will be able to provide a more detailed recollection. A few more items of interest:

Lan said that 9 out of every 10 visa applicants were getting turned away with a blue slip! She attributed this to two things. First most of them cannot speak english so they had to use the services of the consulate-provided interpreter. Very arrogant, not helpful at all, and downright hostile to several of the applicants. She probably is a hindrance to the overall process. Second reason people get blue slips is they are just not properly prepared- they did not seem to be aware of the process and the procedures. In general, it pays to dot all your I's and cross all your T's when working with this particular consulate!

I hope that helps; as I said Lan will follow-up with some more details. If anybody has any questions about the process feel free to ask either in the public forums or you can email me privately if you like.


Congradulations!!! I have one question. When Lan submitted the documents at the front desk did anyone go through it? Or did they just give it to the CO and they look at it? Also, is it important for your fiancee to meet your parents? I've met her parents and also did the engagement party just recently this January.
chuckandkim
Tran,

When your fiancee entered the Consulate, she will hand in ALL of her paperworks, except the evidence, to the Consulate workers. These workers will sort out your fiancee's documents/paperwork, check-off "must-have" items (Birth Certificate, Affi-Support etc.), put/organize them in a nice folder to prepare your file for the Consulate Officer who will interview your fiancee. During this phase, IF your fiancee is missing any of the MUST have documents, they could send you home right there. Or they still could send you home after the interview, it depends! But these "WORKERS" are major pain!!!

No, they won't just give it to the CO, the workers will check it out first.

I think it's not more or less important ifshe met your parents or not. Each case is different. Think of Lan and Andy, it's a normal question for the CO to ask, just in case "did you meet his parents"? Of course Lan did smile.gif she was here visiting Andy during Christmas.... It would be crazy for them to ask you smile.gif knowing that she never been to the US and your parents never come to VN. (at least in my case, it is) Either way, the key is having an engagement ceremony and reception smile.gif which you did! So rest easy!

my 2 cents...

Love,

chuck and kim
kvtran
QUOTE(chuckandkim @ Mar 29 2006, 11:12 AM) *

Tran,

When your fiancee entered the Consulate, she will hand in ALL of her paperworks, except the evidence, to the Consulate workers. These workers will sort out your fiancee's documents/paperwork, check-off "must-have" items (Birth Certificate, Affi-Support etc.), put/organize them in a nice folder to prepare your file for the Consulate Officer who will interview your fiancee. During this phase, IF your fiancee is missing any of the MUST have documents, they could send you home right there. Or they still could send you home after the interview, it depends! But these "WORKERS" are major pain!!!

No, they won't just give it to the CO, the workers will check it out first.

I think it's not more or less important ifshe met your parents or not. Each case is different. Think of Lan and Andy, it's a normal question for the CO to ask, just in case "did you meet his parents"? Of course Lan did smile.gif she was here visiting Andy during Christmas.... It would be crazy for them to ask you smile.gif knowing that she never been to the US and your parents never come to VN. (at least in my case, it is) Either way, the key is having an engagement ceremony and reception smile.gif which you did! So rest easy!

my 2 cents...

Love,

chuck and kim



Thanks chuck. Yeah, the "workers" are a major PITA. I've called the place a few times and they are so damn rude. They also wanted to speak Vietnamese to me most of the time after they ask my name. When I'm back in VN next time, I'll give them a few words too. mad.gif
yellow123
Wow. We feel your excitement just by reading your texts. We're all excited for you Landy. I'm next in line in our little community of VisaJourney, so I better pay close attention to whatever you say. I hope i'll be excited as you on April 12th.

STL_HCMC
A few questions for all of you:

I've read a lot lately about the engagement ceremony. My first question is not in regards to having one - we did - but to the necessity of the elaborateness?

I live/work in HCMC. Our ceremony was small (30 people). I was the only one, representing myself. Of her guests it was family only. We did the ceremony (i.e. meal, drinking, etc.) while we were visiting her family in the countryside of Can Tho this past Tet holiday. They, like my family, are very laid back and were more than pleased with the occasion.

We hired a photographer, no DVD made (nobody in the countryside available during Tet), had a cake made, she wore the traditional pink ao dai, have pictures presenting the ring, etc.

I see her EVERY day, she cooks dinner for me every night, and technically (VN laws) she has her own place in HCMC, but lives with me every night.

Right now our evidence (aside from checklist items & I-134) looks like this:

1. MobiFone (cell phone) call logs for her and I both.
2. Emails from her and I, and also her frequent emails with my family (i.e. mom, dad, sister) in the USA.
3. Skype Chat Transcripts. Sometimes we chat a bit on my lunch break at work
4. Phu Hai Resort (Phan Thiet) receipt (no signature, but pictures showing us there)
5. Engagement ring sizing receipt (passed down the ring my dad gave my mom 30 years ago)
6. English school receipts (I sign for payment)
7. Pictures (engagement ceremony; showing dates consistent with me living here)
8. Airline boarding passes (I pay up front for ticket, company reimburses me)
9. Passport stamps and business visas
10. Congratulatory emails/cards from family/friends on engagement
11. Letter I wrote to her family
12. Letter her mom sent back to me (translated to English)
13. Probably something else I'm forgetting to list as I write this at work!

- Pictures: should we only show pictures that have BOTH of us in them? I've got many of myself with her family, their place in Can Tho, etc. Perhaps we just put em all in there!

- Will the fact that I live/work in HCMC be a benefit to our situation?

I just wonder if the process will be different for us seeing that I'm currently living/working here. I still maintain a domicile in St. Louis, Missouri (parents home; the home I moved here from), and my contract here is finished in December 2006, although an earlier departure only requires 30 days notice. I've got a co-sponsor (father) lined up as we all know VN salaries bring one very close to the poverty line in the USA.

We are just a normal happy couple (met June 2005) and so very lucky that we get to spend every day together during this process. I just hope that doesn't take the edge off for us and get us too relaxed. So I'm writing to let you all "check us" and make sure we're in line.

Sorry for the length and thanks your responses in advance!

STL_HCMC
patricks
STL-HCMC
Are you getting married in VN? I filed a CR1 from VN and it only took 4 months for everything. Mind you, I had to prove I had been living and working in VN for that previous year, BEFORE filing. (Plus, my wife got her SS# within 2 weeks of arrival in the USA) Sounds like you're sincere and you have a lot evidence; you'll be fine.............My wife is from Can Tho also!
mike1972e
My fiancee lives in Hanoi, which is far far north of HCMC, and she needs to fly to HCMC for her medical as well as her interview. The site says that she should get her medical at least one week before her interview. THis would mean that she would have to fly to HCMC for her medical then return to Hanoi, and then fly back to HCMC for her interview, and then she may have to stay for a few days to wait for her visa? Does anyone have any suggestions that would enable her to just make one trip? I know that she could stay for like two weeks, but I don't think she would be able to do that. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help
dalegg
QUOTE(mike1972e @ Mar 29 2006, 07:09 PM) *

I know that she could stay for like two weeks, but I don't think she would be able to do that.

huh.gif
Bruce and Han
Well,
We are in the line up for our interview. The only thing I am most concered about is not having the formal Dam Hoi. We just had a very small get together at a resturaunt, We do have a few pictures, and she does have her engagement ring. It is certainly too late now to have one before the interview. Has there been a case when a blue slip was handed out because of the Dam Hoi lack of proof thing. I pray I will not be the first case.
dalegg
QUOTE(Bruce_Han @ Mar 29 2006, 07:52 PM) *

Well,
We are in the line up for our interview. The only thing I am most concered about is not having the formal Dam Hoi. We just had a very small get together at a resturaunt, We do have a few pictures, and she does have her engagement ring. It is certainly too late now to have one before the interview. Has there been a case when a blue slip was handed out because of the Dam Hoi lack of proof thing. I pray I will not be the first case.

Mmm, seems like this guy fastfred had the ceremony one day before the interview and he got a blue slip and put on AR for a month. It might be better not to have one than to have one a day before the interview.
Bruce and Han
QUOTE(dalegg @ Mar 29 2006, 11:07 PM) *

QUOTE(Bruce_Han @ Mar 29 2006, 07:52 PM) *

Well,
We are in the line up for our interview. The only thing I am most concered about is not having the formal Dam Hoi. We just had a very small get together at a resturaunt, We do have a few pictures, and she does have her engagement ring. It is certainly too late now to have one before the interview. Has there been a case when a blue slip was handed out because of the Dam Hoi lack of proof thing. I pray I will not be the first case.

Mmm, seems like this guy fastfred had the ceremony one day before the interview and he got a blue slip and put on AR for a month. It might be better not to have one than to have one a day before the interview.



I agree with you there, It would send the wrong message if I were to have the Dam Hoi just before the interview. We will just have to wait and see.

Matt_Stevens, I will be the Guinee pig on this one.
STL_HCMC
QUOTE(patricks @ Mar 30 2006, 10:04 AM) *
STL-HCMC
Are you getting married in VN? I filed a CR1 from VN and it only took 4 months for everything. Mind you, I had to prove I had been living and working in VN for that previous year, BEFORE filing. (Plus, my wife got her SS# within 2 weeks of arrival in the USA) Sounds like you're sincere and you have a lot evidence; you'll be fine.............My wife is from Can Tho also!


Hi Patricks,

Thanks for the reply. I have lived/worked in HCMC since the end of May 2005 (May 25, 2005 to be exact); not quite a year yet. Plus I was back in St. Louis for 26 days over the holidays. So it looks like either way the timing would be about the same since we're already in this deep with the K-1 process. To answer your question, we are NOT married and didn't plan on doing that in Vietnam.

I wonder how your process was done so quickly? Did you DCF?

STL_HCMC
Landy
STL_HCMC,

I don't think the engagement ceremony has to be fancy. Ours was pretty basic, and it involved just Lan's family. Actually the fact that you LIVE in HCMC and spend time with your fiance every single day probably has more weight than an engagement ceremony. It's nice to have (a feather in your cap) but not essential.



QUOTE(STL_HCMC @ Mar 29 2006, 09:34 PM) *

A few questions for all of you:

I've read a lot lately about the engagement ceremony. My first question is not in regards to having one - we did - but to the necessity of the elaborateness?

I live/work in HCMC. Our ceremony was small (30 people). I was the only one, representing myself. Of her guests it was family only. We did the ceremony (i.e. meal, drinking, etc.) while we were visiting her family in the countryside of Can Tho this past Tet holiday. They, like my family, are very laid back and were more than pleased with the occasion.

We hired a photographer, no DVD made (nobody in the countryside available during Tet), had a cake made, she wore the traditional pink ao dai, have pictures presenting the ring, etc.

I see her EVERY day, she cooks dinner for me every night, and technically (VN laws) she has her own place in HCMC, but lives with me every night.

Right now our evidence (aside from checklist items & I-134) looks like this:

1. MobiFone (cell phone) call logs for her and I both.
2. Emails from her and I, and also her frequent emails with my family (i.e. mom, dad, sister) in the USA.
3. Skype Chat Transcripts. Sometimes we chat a bit on my lunch break at work
4. Phu Hai Resort (Phan Thiet) receipt (no signature, but pictures showing us there)
5. Engagement ring sizing receipt (passed down the ring my dad gave my mom 30 years ago)
6. English school receipts (I sign for payment)
7. Pictures (engagement ceremony; showing dates consistent with me living here)
8. Airline boarding passes (I pay up front for ticket, company reimburses me)
9. Passport stamps and business visas
10. Congratulatory emails/cards from family/friends on engagement
11. Letter I wrote to her family
12. Letter her mom sent back to me (translated to English)
13. Probably something else I'm forgetting to list as I write this at work!

- Pictures: should we only show pictures that have BOTH of us in them? I've got many of myself with her family, their place in Can Tho, etc. Perhaps we just put em all in there!

- Will the fact that I live/work in HCMC be a benefit to our situation?

I just wonder if the process will be different for us seeing that I'm currently living/working here. I still maintain a domicile in St. Louis, Missouri (parents home; the home I moved here from), and my contract here is finished in December 2006, although an earlier departure only requires 30 days notice. I've got a co-sponsor (father) lined up as we all know VN salaries bring one very close to the poverty line in the USA.

We are just a normal happy couple (met June 2005) and so very lucky that we get to spend every day together during this process. I just hope that doesn't take the edge off for us and get us too relaxed. So I'm writing to let you all "check us" and make sure we're in line.

Sorry for the length and thanks your responses in advance!

STL_HCMC

yellow123
Landy,

i'm so eager to hear your fiancee's version.
Landy
So am I! She will go online in about 15 more mins so just hang in there for a little longer, ok? smile.gif smile.gif



QUOTE(yellow123 @ Mar 30 2006, 12:13 AM) *

Landy,

i'm so eager to hear your fiancee's version.

Landy
QUOTE(Landy @ Mar 30 2006, 12:14 AM) *

So am I! She will go online in about 15 more mins so just hang in there for a little longer, ok? smile.gif smile.gif



QUOTE(yellow123 @ Mar 30 2006, 12:13 AM) *

Landy,

i'm so eager to hear your fiancee's version.



Hi folks smile.gif

I'm Lan, Andy'sfiance. I am so sorry to make you wait for so long for my post! smile.gif

Here is the detail of my interview

First, my interview appointment was 10am. So I thought it's ok to get to the U.S. Consulate around 8:30 to 9:00am since they wouldn't process my case by 10am anyway. Actually, this is not the true statement.
It seems to me that they process the case in turn no matter what your appointment is. (Because I got to the office quite late, my interview had to postpone until 1:30pm)

When I came to the front door of the U.S. Consulate (around 8:30am), I showed them my interview appoinment. The security guys let me in. I had to hand the cell phone to them (cell phone is not allowed) and had my handbag, and the bad carried the interview documents through the scan machine.
Anyway, after these security checks, I turned right when entering to the office to go to the Immigration Visa Unit.

When I was there, I gave my interview appointment to the girl sitting at window A and she gave me the number A042. (If you came to the office early, you may have to get line to get the number)

After getting the number, I proceced to the interview waiting area to wait for my number called. This area is in front of the interview windows 5 to 15. There are totally 10 windows served the interview.

I was waiting quite long. While waiting there, I noticed that the IR visa cases and K3 cases were called to be served ealier than the K1 cases sad.gif

Here is what happened during my waiting time:

I was observing the C.O. when they did the interview, some of them are really nice and gave a lot of pink slips. But some of them are not nice at all.
As my estimation smile.gif Out of 10 cases, they gave 1 or 2 pink slips only. And most of the approved cases are IR.

As I noticed (and I asked the people went to the interview too), there are only about 3 K1 cases got the pink slips at that day.

I talked to one of the girl that had blue slip for her interview, she said they told her that her fiance didn't put enough money on the saving account. And they told her the minimum amount should be more than 20,000$.

I listened to the interview of the other girl in Vietnamese with the help from translator. She was introduced to her fiance via her aunt and grandmother in US via mails. I saw the C.O. was quite mad when interviewing her since she didn't answer the question correctly/properly. She asked her when .... but she answered for where question. I don't know that the translator translated the question wrongly or the girl answered not properly sad.gif. At the end of her interview, she got the blue slip to submit more documents about their relationships. Because of that, the girl was getting angry and argued with the C.O. but the C.O. said the interview was finished and she needed to give more proofs then she could have the other interview.

Anyway, I told to myself that C.O. is not very nice either. I hope I didn't have to see her for the interview. (Poor me tongue.gif I did have to see her for my interview)

Around 11:15am, my number was called to window 9. I went to the window and the Vietnamese girl there asked me to give my documents.
I gave her:
- 4 VISA pictures but she asked me to give her 2 more to attach to the DS156 form (in duplicate)
- MRV visa application receipt,
- DS156, DS156K, DS230,
- the househood registeration and copy,
- ID card and copy,
- my birth certification, its translation and copy,
- Andy's birth certification and copy, my passport and copy,
- the polices certification and copy,
- the medical exam result sealed envelope. She opened it out to get the MEDEX form inside and gave my back the lung film
- The I134 form and support documents. Andy gave me the whole file 2 inches smile.gif But she un-assembled every thing and got the I134 form, the W2 and tax return transript of 2004, the employment verification letter from Andy's company and returned me the rest of them.

Then she asked me couple questions to fill out a form (all in Vietnamese):
1. When did I and my fiance first meet
2. How could we meet?
3. How many years different in our ages
4. Have I ever been in US, how many times and in which visa (B1)
5. My company name
6. How many times has Andy been in Vietnam
7. Did we have the engagement? When and Where? and how many guests (I told her we had 20 guests, all in my family)

Then she asked me to sign the single status statement paper in front of her and to fill out Andy name on the bottom line of the DS156K

Then she asked me to go back to the waiting area in front of window 8 to wait for my number called again to have the interview with the C.O. And she asked me to arrange the evidences to time order and divide it to 2 parts: before and after the engagement.

I went to the window 8 area and the C.O. mentioned above was the one was going to interview me sad.gif

I waited there until 12pm and they called my name and some other people to tell that our interview was postponed until 1:30pm. They gave us back the interview appoinments with the number on it.

I went out to have lunch and to call Andy to let him know what was going on.

I went back to to the consulate at 1:20pm and went through the same security check process.

Then I walked to the waiting area in front of window 8 and handed my interview appointment.
Then at 1:30pm they called my number again to have the interview.

I said "good afternoon" to the C.O. and she asked me to put my index fingers (left and right) to get the fingerprint. When I was talking to the C.O. during the first process, the translater told us that we might not need her any longer and she walked out.

Then the C.O. asked me to write my name and sign to the DS156K form. After that she began to interview me. Here are the questions:
1. Q: How could you two meet
A: We met through a friend of us when I was on the business trip to SC
2. Q: Where did you two first meet?
A: In Santa Clara, CA
3. Q: How can my friend know my fiance?
A: Since Andy used to work in the same company with us. Then he moved to the other company
4. Q: Why did you go to US?
A: For training since I worked for the outsourcing company
5. Then she asked for the name of my company
6. Q: How many times have you fiance been in VN
A: 3 times
7. Q: Tell me the month of each of his visit
A: Nov 2004, Aug 2005, Dec 2005
8. Q: When did he propose to you
A: On his second trip to VN, August 12, 2005
9. Q: Where did he propose to you
A: In Phu Quoc
10: Q: Did you say yes at that time or later
A: I said "yes" at that time smile.gif
11: Q: And when was the engagement party? On the same trip?
A: Yes
12: Q: Did his parents come to VN for the engagement party?
A: No they didn't
13: Q: Did you even meet his parents?
A: Yes. When I was in US, I visited them very often
14: Q: Where did his parents live?
A: In the same city with him, just 5 minute drive from his house
15: Q: Now can you show me the evidence of your relationship?
A: I have 20 month evidences with me. Which one do you want me to show first?
Then she asked me to show her the very first month
I showed her emails and chat logs of the first month we knew each other. She took a look and said nothing
16: Q: How could you two communicate with each other
A: We talked with each other every day through emails, chat, phone
17: Q: Can you show me some phone bills?
A: Here is the phone bill of December 2005. It's on the back of the folder
I showed her the evidences of Dec 2005, emails and chat logs and the phone records on the back
She took a look through the whole file and said nothing still smile.gif
18: Q: Can you show me the pictures of your engagement?
A: (I showed her the engagement pictures, 8 of them with the descriptions on the back of each picture.)
Then she asked me if that was my Mom on the picture.
19: Q: Did your Mom worry when you move to US to live
A: Yes she did worry. But she didn't worry so much since even in Vietnam I had to stay away from her any way.

Then she was smiling smile.gif and told me that she approved my K1 visa and I can go to the US consulate again tomorrow at 4pm to pick up my visa

And she gave me the pink slip!!!! YESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!

She also returned my original ID card, househood registeration, birth cerification and Andy's birth certification.

I walked out of the U.S. Consulate, got my cellphone back and called Andy, his Mom and my Mom to tell them I got the VISA!!!! smile.gif So happy!!!!!

OK!!! That was what happened on my interview smile.gif

If you have any question, feel free to post or send email to us, ok?

Thanks so much for your guys' helps during our process smile.gif If we didn't have you, we couldn't know the process that well and have the well-prepared for the interview like that.

Thank you again!!!! And wish you good luck!!!!

Lan and Andy


dalegg
Lan,

Could you please add a bit more details to this account? I mean, like, what color shoes were the other people wearing?!!

Just kidding. That's excellent recollection. I didn't even get that detail out of my wife! Also- very impressed with your English. It's about 5 times better than my teenaged kids who were born here.
patricks
I agree with Dalegg:

I taught English for 5 years in Vietnam and your written skill is very good and you'll have no problem adjusting to the USA, now start learning how to drive. You can take practice multi-choice tests on the internet to prepare. Seperately, I went to the interviewing side of the consulate ( vs. the air conditioned office for ACS, American Citizen Services) during my wife's visa interview. You could....."cut it with a knife" .....I had NEVER heard so many Vietnamese people being so Q u i e t.........interesting (Note, the consulate staff finally kicked me out of the HOT interview section after about 30 minutes, my white face just didn't fit in....go figure?)
yellow123
A very detailed description, thanks Lan. Maybe you can help me out with some questions.

1) is an appointment time supposed to be listed in pack 4 ? I see that you have an appointment time of 10:00 am. The reason i'm saying this is that i just talked to my fiancee and she told me that she'll leave the house at 4:30 am when the date comes because there will be many people in line.

2) - the househood registeration and copy,
- ID card and copy,
- my birth certification, its translation and copy,
- Andy's birth certification and copy, my passport and copy,
- the polices certification and copy,

my fiancee never scanned me a copy of Pack 4, but do we need to hand in a copy of the above documents as well ?

Again, congratulations to both of you. Hope you'll have a fun and safe trip to the USA!
Landy
QUOTE(yellow123 @ Mar 30 2006, 11:19 PM) *

A very detailed description, thanks Lan. Maybe you can help me out with some questions.

1) is an appointment time supposed to be listed in pack 4 ? I see that you have an appointment time of 10:00 am. The reason i'm saying this is that i just talked to my fiancee and she told me that she'll leave the house at 4:30 am when the date comes because there will be many people in line.

2) - the househood registeration and copy,
- ID card and copy,
- my birth certification, its translation and copy,
- Andy's birth certification and copy, my passport and copy,
- the polices certification and copy,

my fiancee never scanned me a copy of Pack 4, but do we need to hand in a copy of the above documents as well ?

Again, congratulations to both of you. Hope you'll have a fun and safe trip to the USA!


Hi yellow123,

For your first question, the appointmnet time is listed in the Interview Appointment Letter, in the same line with the interview date (As I remembered correctly) smile.gif

And for the second question, in the instructions of packet 4, they do require to submit a copy of househood registeration, ID card (no need to translate to English) with notarized, birth certificate (with translation), petitioner's birth certificate, passport and police certificate (with translation)

Your fiance can see these requirements in the Intruction for Packet 4 she has with her smile.gif

Thanks for your congratulation. We wish you good luck with the interview too smile.gif

BTW: When I arranged the evidences of our relationship, I put emails, chat logs, pictures, phone bills, greeting cards, travel docs in time order, monthly basic. I also put the notes for what is included in each month file at the front page. It will help when the C.O. asks you to give evidences of the certain time and you can find them quickly.
Hope this will help you two.
chuckandkim
Unless your fiancee lives in the countryside which i do recommend her to stay in HCMC the night before. She does not need to be there as early as 3 hours before her appointment. ONLY people who have been scheduled for interview that day will be allowed inside the Consulate. The consulate does have their limitation and workload cut out for themselves, so there isn't any LOOOOOOOOONG line like some said. YES, they may be a long line, but you already have your appointment, you will be let in no matter how many people who have arrived before you but do not have the appointment letter.

Eat a good meal that morning, since she'll be waiting for awhile before they will interview the K-1 cases. Just how they work, IR and K-3 go in first, the rest of their time is for K-1. I never once heard anyone with K-1 in HCMC got let in at the very first hour of the day. smile.gif

So, relax, bring everything but the kitchen sink... notice what Andy said, be VERY organize and chronological about your evidence.

Good luck and Congrats Andy and Lan... your English is perfect... i'm still working on mine... still smile.gif hahaha

When are you arriving in the US? Big party in Landy Land smile.gif
Landy
I (Andy) am flying to Vietnam on April 20. Lan and I will spend ten days with her family and then on April 30 we will fly to San Francisco. Now I have already s tarted reading up on the process about what I need to do once she gets here (ie get SSN number, getting legally married in USA, EAD stamp, etc etc etc)!

--Andy

----
QUOTE(chuckandkim @ Mar 31 2006, 07:05 AM) *

Unless your fiancee lives in the countryside which i do recommend her to stay in HCMC the night before. She does not need to be there as early as 3 hours before her appointment. ONLY people who have been scheduled for interview that day will be allowed inside the Consulate. The consulate does have their limitation and workload cut out for themselves, so there isn't any LOOOOOOOOONG line like some said. YES, they may be a long line, but you already have your appointment, you will be let in no matter how many people who have arrived before you but do not have the appointment letter.

Eat a good meal that morning, since she'll be waiting for awhile before they will interview the K-1 cases. Just how they work, IR and K-3 go in first, the rest of their time is for K-1. I never once heard anyone with K-1 in HCMC got let in at the very first hour of the day. smile.gif

So, relax, bring everything but the kitchen sink... notice what Andy said, be VERY organize and chronological about your evidence.

Good luck and Congrats Andy and Lan... your English is perfect... i'm still working on mine... still smile.gif hahaha

When are you arriving in the US? Big party in Landy Land smile.gif

thuycannon
Hi Dalegg,

How are you? Just quick question for you and your wife. Is her Greencard two years or more? When are you guys going to file for lifting condition?

Thanks,

Thuy & Bob
dalegg
QUOTE(thuycannon @ Apr 2 2006, 06:27 AM) *

Hi Dalegg,

How are you? Just quick question for you and your wife. Is her Greencard two years or more? When are you guys going to file for lifting condition?

Thanks,

Thuy & Bob


Here greencard is only for two years. I imagine we will wait until about 6 months before it expires to file for lifting the conditions.

We are doing great by the way. Hope you are too.
Matt_Stevens
Question for you folks. Howlong after Packet 3 is being sent is the wait for an interview these days? It looks like the wait has shrunk from what I am seeing? Am I wrong on this? My case should be at the HCMC Consultae any day now, which means packet 3 will be soon. Will my fiancee have her interview before August then?

By the way, I need to send her money for the Dam Hoi. What is the best way to send money to her? I want it to get to her safely, but without too many fees.
syee999
QUOTE(chuckandkim @ Feb 2 2006, 09:10 AM) *

QUOTE(dellngoc @ Feb 1 2006, 07:43 PM) *

Well, hi your all smile.gif
I just being update from a friend that one of their relative who recently had the interview with the consular in hochiminh, and yes seems like they starting to discard all the co-sponsor (not officially but did happen)
QUOTE(chuckandkim @ Feb 1 2006, 01:31 PM) *

QUOTE(3AD @ Feb 1 2006, 11:53 AM) *

Somone told me that for K1 Visa the petitioner alone must meet minimum income requirements and CANNOT have a co-sponsor. Is this true?

3AD


False!

You, petitioner can have a co-sponsor if your income doesn't meet the poverty guideline.



Are you kidding me???? If this is true, these guys in HCMC are asking for a lawsuit at their door... Please give us more detail about this issue, is it an "undocumented" practice in HCMC to discard all cases with Co-sponsor??? We need to hear more from people who going through HCMC... That's crazy!


Yeah! That's true and last week my fiancee couldn't get a k-1 visa because I didn't earn enough income from last year and I did ask for a co-sponsor but the conofs in ho chi minh didn't take that into account! My past week experience has shown it's the case! Even though in the form I-134 states that I can ask for a co-sponsor if my income doesn't meet the 125% poverty guideline, but it's a contradiction!
dalegg
QUOTE(syee999 @ Apr 2 2006, 11:25 PM) *

Yeah! That's true and last week my fiancee couldn't get a k-1 visa because I didn't earn enough income from last year and I did ask for a co-sponsor but the conofs in ho chi minh didn't take that into account! My past week experience has shown it's the case! Even though in the form I-134 states that I can ask for a co-sponsor if my income doesn't meet the 125% poverty guideline, but it's a contradiction!


So, I'm curious. What do you plan to do now?
chuckandkim
QUOTE(Matt_Stevens @ Apr 2 2006, 02:47 PM) *

Question for you folks. Howlong after Packet 3 is being sent is the wait for an interview these days? It looks like the wait has shrunk from what I am seeing? Am I wrong on this? My case should be at the HCMC Consultae any day now, which means packet 3 will be soon. Will my fiancee have her interview before August then?

By the way, I need to send her money for the Dam Hoi. What is the best way to send money to her? I want it to get to her safely, but without too many fees.


Best way to send money? In short answer: Any asian supermarket will have at least one or two "Travel Agency" which also provide "wire-transfer" or sending cash "FAST" services. These range from $5 flat-fee for each $100-$350 fund transfer, or % upto but no more than $3000 per fund transfer transaction. I've never had to send money to my wife family for "Dam Hoi" or anything like that, it's a sign of insult for some family if you "send" money to help them out, in my case, it was out of the question for me to send money! Check with her family before you do send the money, unless they are economically challenged then, by all mean, send the cash!

You can do this way, which i've done before to send gift to my wife's nephews in VN. Ask friends who are going back to VN, or who are already there to bring the cash to your family and you will pay them back here in the US. Work well, no fees, and guarantee the money will get there, FAST!

Just my 2 cents.
Matt_Stevens
Well, I offered to send her money to make the deposit for the restaurant and for the photographer. She said she could probably pay for most of that , but would let me know if she ran into trouble.
Bruce and Han
QUOTE(Matt_Stevens @ Apr 3 2006, 02:20 PM) *

Well, I offered to send her money to make the deposit for the restaurant and for the photographer. She said she could probably pay for most of that , but would let me know if she ran into trouble.




I always used Western Union, 6 bucks for each transfer. Quick and secure.
Matt_Stevens
That's it?! Wow. OK, I guess I'll try them. That's hardly a fee at all.
yellow123
At dillions they charge you $10 for a $100 and $15 for $200 sending money through Western Union.
STL_HCMC
Dillons - The Kroger grocery chain in Kansas! That just brought back some memories of my days growing up in Andover, Kansas. Thanks yellow123!

STL_HCMC

QUOTE(yellow123 @ Apr 5 2006, 02:19 AM) *
At dillions they charge you $10 for a $100 and $15 for $200 sending money through Western Union.
Vietnam
QUOTE(Vietnam @ Jan 28 2006, 12:29 PM) *

IPB Image Note: PM member Vietnam to be added to this list or to update your information.


12/09/04 --k1 interview -- Tim -------------------------------- AOS Passed ---- 02/09/05
03/08/05 --k1 interview -- chuckandkim ------ visa 05/04.......AOS Passed ---- 03/08/06
06/13/05 --k1 interview -- kd4yal & ThuHuong-----------------AOS Passed ---- 03/21/06


09/26/05 --k1 interview -- nychang ----------- visa 11/05......AOS Interview- 03/31/06
01/28/05 --k1 interview -- top-gorilla ---------visa 02/23.......EAD Received--10/12/05
12/07/04 --k1 interview -- sportGuy -------------------------- Case Xferd CSC -9/19/05
09/08/05 --k1 interview -- mk4tt ------------------------------AOS NOA1 ----- 12/06/05
05/10/05 --k1 interview -- duclinhreo --------- visa 09/06.......SSN ----------- 10/18/05

05/08/03 ----interview----wait4ever----------delayed
05/16/05 ----interview----sweetiewynn ------delayed
08/29/05 ----interview----Kevin&Loan--------delayed
10/07/05 ----interview----thai0699 -----------visa....12/12 dancin5hr.gif
11/07/05 ----interview----dangho731 CR1 ----passed------ dancin5hr.gif
12/20/05 ----interview----atlmatt31vn1 k3 ---passed------ dancin5hr.gif
01/24/06 ----interview----nodownguy -------- passed------dancin5hr.gif
02/16/06 ----interview----scy K3 ------------- visa.....2/28 dancin5hr.gif
03/21/06 ----interview----ct94 --------------- passed------dancin5hr.gif
03/24/05 ----interview----JOSmith2 ---------- passed------dancin5hr.gif
03/29/06 ----interview----landy -------------- passed------dancin5hr.gif


02/09/06 ----interview----pxtran -------------
huh.gif

04/13/06 ----interview----yellow123 ---------yes.gif
04/24/06 ----interview----Bruce Han ---------yes.gif
05/12/06 ----interview----kvtran -------------yes.gif


00/00/00 ----- Pack 3----- ----------------------


03/20/06 -Case at HCMC--STL_HCMC --------- cool.gif
03/25/06 -Case at HCMC--menyoo------------ cool.gif


03/16/06 ----Left NVC-----Matt Stevens ------ good.gif


02/27/06 ------NOA2------gurugreg -----------kicking.gif
03/23/06 ------NOA2------Icarus --------------kicking.gif
03/27/06 ------NOA2------mike1972e ---------kicking.gif


12/30/05 ------NOA1------My Le K3------------
02/14/06 ------NOA1------songsparrow --------
02/15/06 ------NOA1------3AD------------------
03/03/06 ------NOA1------Robert & Van--------
03/09/06 ------NOA1------Idinh CR1------------






I miss all of my pack 3s crying.gif
STL_HCMC
I would venture to guess those of us awaiting packet 3 are missing it more! blink.gif

I sent an email to the US Consulate on Tuesday for an update. Still awaiting their reply. I'll let you know ASAP on ours.

STL_HCMC

QUOTE(Vietnam @ Apr 6 2006, 10:53 AM) *
QUOTE(Vietnam @ Jan 28 2006, 12:29 PM) *

IPB Image Note: PM member Vietnam to be added to this list or to update your information.


12/09/04 --k1 interview -- Tim -------------------------------- AOS Passed ---- 02/09/05
03/08/05 --k1 interview -- chuckandkim ------ visa 05/04.......AOS Passed ---- 03/08/06
06/13/05 --k1 interview -- kd4yal & ThuHuong-----------------AOS Passed ---- 03/21/06


09/26/05 --k1 interview -- nychang ----------- visa 11/05......AOS Interview- 03/31/06
01/28/05 --k1 interview -- top-gorilla ---------visa 02/23.......EAD Received--10/12/05
12/07/04 --k1 interview -- sportGuy -------------------------- Case Xferd CSC -9/19/05
09/08/05 --k1 interview -- mk4tt ------------------------------AOS NOA1 ----- 12/06/05
05/10/05 --k1 interview -- duclinhreo --------- visa 09/06.......SSN ----------- 10/18/05

05/08/03 ----interview----wait4ever----------delayed
05/16/05 ----interview----sweetiewynn ------delayed
08/29/05 ----interview----Kevin&Loan--------delayed
10/07/05 ----interview----thai0699 -----------visa....12/12 dancin5hr.gif
11/07/05 ----interview----dangho731 CR1 ----passed------ dancin5hr.gif
12/20/05 ----interview----atlmatt31vn1 k3 ---passed------ dancin5hr.gif
01/24/06 ----interview----nodownguy -------- passed------ dancin5hr.gif
02/16/06 ----interview----scy K3 ------------- visa.....2/28 dancin5hr.gif
03/21/06 ----interview----ct94 --------------- passed------ dancin5hr.gif
03/24/05 ----interview----JOSmith2 ---------- passed------ dancin5hr.gif
03/29/06 ----interview----landy -------------- passed------ dancin5hr.gif


02/09/06 ----interview----pxtran -------------
huh.gif

04/13/06 ----interview----yellow123 --------- yes.gif
04/24/06 ----interview----Bruce Han --------- yes.gif
05/12/06 ----interview----kvtran ------------- yes.gif


00/00/00 ----- Pack 3----- ----------------------


03/20/06 -Case at HCMC--STL_HCMC --------- cool.gif
03/25/06 -Case at HCMC--menyoo------------ cool.gif


03/16/06 ----Left NVC-----Matt Stevens ------ good.gif


02/27/06 ------NOA2------gurugreg ----------- kicking.gif
03/23/06 ------NOA2------Icarus -------------- kicking.gif
03/27/06 ------NOA2------mike1972e --------- kicking.gif


12/30/05 ------NOA1------My Le K3------------
02/14/06 ------NOA1------songsparrow --------
02/15/06 ------NOA1------3AD------------------
03/03/06 ------NOA1------Robert & Van--------
03/09/06 ------NOA1------Idinh CR1------------






I miss all of my pack 3s crying.gif
Matt_Stevens
I just wish I could find out if my case is actually at HCMC. I emailed them (again) yesterday using a different email address. Hope hope.
STL_HCMC
Matt,

I emailed them back on the 21st of March and received a pretty general response. Perhaps you'll receive the same thing. I've emailed them a second time this week (Tuesday) to see what the status was. It is Thursday evening in Vietnam now, and I haven't heard back from them yet. They say 4-5 days on the website, I believe. I would guess both of our cases are close together. If I remember correctly, we both shipped out of the NVC on the 16th of March.

Here was their reply to me on the 27th of March:

"Please be informed that we received the electronic file for your fiancée on March 17. It usually takes one week for us to receive the physical file. However, it takes approximately 8 weeks for us to process the case and update the information in our system due to the large volume of visa petitions we receive monthly. We will send an Instruction Package (packet 3) to your fiancée at the earliest opportunity."

STL_HCMC

QUOTE(Matt_Stevens @ Apr 6 2006, 07:47 PM) *
I just wish I could find out if my case is actually at HCMC. I emailed them (again) yesterday using a different email address. Hope hope.
chuckandkim
I want to say this, based on our experience at the Visa Interview, HCMC's workers (the vietnameses) have the LIFO or FILO systems smile.gif

Last In, First Out
First In, Last Out

they do not follow the FIFO or LILO models like we do here in American. smile.gif

So if your files get there at the sametime, whose ever file arrives last at their door will get process first. Why? Just because the last file will be on top of the pile and the workers will grab the first one, on top! smile.gif

Sometimes, the files get shuffled around and who knows what will happen to them... but all and all... your file will get process and pack-3 get sent with in a week or two of its arrival.
mike1972e
QUOTE(Matt_Stevens @ Apr 6 2006, 08:47 AM) *

I just wish I could find out if my case is actually at HCMC. I emailed them (again) yesterday using a different email address. Hope hope.


Matt,

Your petition arrived at the NVC before ours. I just called today to check the status and they mailed it to the consulate the same day as the date on my letter. So I checked the DHL website and ours arrived at the Consulate in 4 days. If you want to check on yours, you should call the NVC to see when they mailed it, then go to DHL.com. Then you track by reference. You type Correspondence in the Reference field, and put the date they sent it out. Then you type in the outgoing postal code which is 03801. Then you will see a list, and just locate one that was sent out on the date they told you and going to Ho Chi Minh City. Yours should be there already.

Hope this helps
Matt_Stevens
Which number is the correct one to call? I see half a dozen of them.
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