Hi Icarus,

Wishing you both the best of luck, strength and patience on the BIG DAY August 10th. Think PINK!

STL_HCMC

Icarus, we are wishing you the best of luck, and all we can see is Pink!!!!

We are right behind you!!!!

PINK!!!!

good luck,,,mike and me are right behiind you

Icarus ... PINK ... PINK ... PINK

Wish you and your fiancee best of luck. Get pink!!!!!!

Keep the PINK wave rolling!!!

Best of luck to you!!!

Good luck

Would be the best pink slip you ever get (and no I dont mean layoff)

Good Luck,
C&T

Good Luck Icarus, Keep us updated.

Good Luck
C&T

Icarus,

We wish you the best of luck!!! Get PINK.

Nhatrang

Hi All! We are currently together in Vietnam, and I thank you all for the well wishes! Unfortunately, Nhu received the blue slip at her interview, and we are not sure why... We provided all evidences (phone bills, photos of all parties/trips/family...over 100, receipts, chat transcrips and screen grabs, et al) and they only asked her a few questions - When did we meet, when & how did I ask her to marry me, who was there, when was our engagement party and how many people. She was prepared to answer all in English, but when she told the Consulate woman she spoke a little english (yes, she had THE woman...), she was TOLD a translator will be used, wasn't asked... after she answered all questions, the woman collected only a few of our photos, and all my letters, and then handed her the blue slip. Still not sure why. The next day I returned with a tear stained letter (which I will post to you all later) written by me explaining in detail our relationship and our love for each other. This time, I turned in the letter and the evidences we had compiled for the interview and waited for a result. 3 hours later, I was called to the window and given a Green slip denoting that no further evidence is required and that we will be notified of a decision. No length of time or knowledge of when this might be. We are devastated and heartbroken about all this and spent the last couple days sad and emotionally drained. Any advice as to what our next steps should be? I am planning on returning on Tuesday, Aug 15th with another written letter to see if a decision has been made and hopefully speak with a consulate officer. Other than that, I am just in awe that a relationship so strong has been denied. We have known each other for almost 18 months, and have been engaged 10 of those. We have spent countless hours talking on yahoo (with cam) and on the phone each week.

I badly want to begin our lives together and bring her home with me.

Again, thank you all for your support and advice!

Greg

Greg,
I am very sorry to hear of the green slip, I think from every thing I have seen and read one can not really know why it happened. I pray all goes quickly and your questions are answered.
God Bless
C&T

Greg,

I'm very sorry about this news.

Icarus,

Sorry to hear about your news. I can almost imagine the empty feeling you guys have. I can wish you guys can come out of this on top. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger they say.

I have been doing a lot of study on the way they deny or accept the Visas. I would like to ask you, what nationality are you? My own curious juices are flowing.

Maybe American?

He probably means ethnicity. I know where you're going with this too CharlieBox. I've been watching cases for 2 years now trying to decide if there was some preference between Vietnamese petitioners and "other" petitioners.

What I can tell you is that ultimately it doesn't seem to matter. 2 years ago when I was seeing blue slips it was coming from the Vietnamese Americans, but it almost always had something to do with a co-sponsor issue.

Last year we saw a rash of blue slips, but the Viet Kieu petitioners were sailing by (except Chuck&Kim who expected a blue slip and Kevin&Loan). The blue slip white guys we were seeing were due to questions about communication, meaning the fiance couldn't speak much English, or questions about the validity of the relationship in General.

Nothing is really concrete. The idea that the interviewer is somehow jealous of the fiance is pretty ridiculous too. The interviewers are usually not even Vietnamese, so it's not like they envy the fiance for getting out of Vietnam or something. That is unless you were the interviewer for my wife . Bottom line, don't try to make some generalities. You'll go crazy.

I ask 4 things
#1 Who is " That Lady??"
#2 I thought they were required to inform you the reason for denial??? is this not true???
#3 How does one now rapidly find out what is going on ??
and
#4 whatr is the best way to bring the most firepower to bear to resolve the situation???

Hi Icarus,

I wish you the best of strength and patience. Just remember that everything happens for a reason, even though we don't always know why immediately.

Also remember that you have an excellent resource in VisaJourney, and we'll be here to support and act as a wall for you to bounce ideas off of.

STL_HCMC

Icarus, please stay positive. I know it is not that east for you to do that now but you must stay focus. Loan and I went through a horrible AR but we came out of it and I'd like to offer my help to you. Please PM me when you are back in the States. Unless there is a miracle happens, there is pretty much nothing you can do with the Consulate people in VN anymore. Thus, spend the rest of your vacation in VN with your fiancee in peace and forget the headache for now. Comfort her as much as you can. The more you think of it, the more it will get to you. I was there, I know the feeling. Again, with love to you and yours. Let's talk sometimes.

Dalegg and the rest of us in here, there was a bust in visa fraud recently in Utah involing the Vietnamese Americans and because of this incident, I really think there will be more blue slips coming out of the Consulate in Saigon. Right before Loan's interview, there was busts in LA and Seattle. The result, of course, she got blue along with other 18 people that day.

[quote name='Kevin&Loan' date='Aug 12 2006, 10:09 PM' post='375186']
Unless there is a miracle happens, there is pretty much nothing you can do with the Consulate people in VN anymore. Thus, spend the rest of your vacation in VN with your fiancee in peace and forget the headache for now. Comfort her as much as you can.





Icarus,
I am very sorry to see this happen to you. I know what you are feeling, as I have been through it several times.

As Kevin & Loan say, there is nothing you can do for now. If they wanted anything more they would have asked for it by now. Don't make yourself sick with worry trying to figure it out. It could be anything; another look at the case, random security checks, etc., who knows?? Strange things happen there.
Obviously they are in no hurry to approve the visa, and you can't answer the question they are not asking.

I have found that it is best to concentrate on your relationship with your fiancee. If you have time, take a trip to somewhere in Vietnam where you two can relax. Don't let the Consulate hi-jack your time in Vietnam with your sweeheart; make that time yours and turn it into something memorable in a positive way. You will need a resivour of shared experiences and deeper love to draw upon as you deal with this in the future.

I wish you the best of luck. We here at VJ are here to support you. Keep your chin up and keep us posted.

#1-not sure who this is
#2 They got a blue/green slip, which is not a denial, but a temporary refusal or delay. If it was denied they would get a slip saying so, that the case was being sent back to the NVC. At that point HCMC will often state why, to a certain extent.
#3 I have found (lately) that it takes about a month for the Consulate to review new submitted evidence and make a decision. The wild card in Icarus' case is that they have not required any more evidence, so in their case it's hard to say.
#4 All you can do is contact your local Senator or Congressman's office. Sometimes they get a better answer from the Consulate.

Hi again all-

Thank you for the feedback! We are staying as positive as possible and both really appreciate all your help and will definitely be in touch as things progress. We are currently in Lagi visiting friends trying to get our minds off of the situation, spinning my wheels in a hotel room in HCMC is definitely not the best thing at the moment. We are very strong in our love and support for each other when those moments frustration kick in and as they say "shared hurdles only make love grow stronger".

In answer to some of the questions raised, I am a pure white-bread (banh mi) American, my father married a vietnamese woman last year *in fact this is how Nhu and I met, when I came to share in his engagement party and to meet my stepmoms family. I think this is a possible red-flag to the consulate, especially after the Utah thing, but the truth is it was just plain Kismet and alignment of stars. We nutured our relationship over 7 months before I returned to spend more time with Nhu and proposed to her. I never thought I would find love, after several disastrous relationships in the US, and was blindsided by cupids arrow when I least expected it. Now I find myself not just proving and defending my love for Nhu, but actually trying to find ways to convince a total stranger, who is told to be skeptical because of others abuses of the system. I am outraged by the Utah incident because it casts a bad shadow on legitimate couples like myself and creates more havoc within the visajourney community.

I have a few more weeks here in Vietnam to hopefully resolve this situation and achieve the outcome we both want so bad so we can begin our lives together and start the family we've talked about for what seems an eternity. I'm going to utilize that time to the best of my abilities, including frequent visits to the Embassy and utilizing VJs resources. I hope to have a resolution before I leave, but if not, then I will be definitely be contacting whoever will listen in a position to help! Again, Dalegg, STL, Kevin, you guys are a rock and I appreciate ALL your advice!!

Thanks again!!!!

Best of luck hope all is well and that it rapidly resolves.
C&J

Icarus, keep strong. Yes you got the blue slip, but it does not mean denied. It just means that it will take some time. The pink slip will come with time. I am sitting here right now and my fiancee has her interview in a few hours, and I am in the states. I hope you will get that pink soon my friend!!!

Icarus,

I'm sorry to hear that you also received a green slip. We haven't turned in any additional info yet. I'm still collecting some info from my ex-wife, but she is Hong Kong now. My fiancee received blue sip because we did not present documents that the CO asked for, (section 221 (G)).

1. explain and prove that my ex-wife live at different address. This is for petitioner.

2. My fiancee needs to prove the mobile phone prior to our engagement, prior to November 05. I filed the I-129 in December 2005.

3. Birth certificates of my parents and her parents.

They also told me that don't submit anything until we have all documents.

2. the prepaid mobile? no register user, this can be anyone. We decided to get the statements from 3 callers with details phone bills. I also write a letter explaining why we can't provide the phone bill with her name on it to prove that she is a register owner of the mobile. I don't know if the CO will except this as legitamate.

1 and 3 are easy. We can get these.

I do not understand the statement Prove the mobile phone #?????????????? Do you meen id you have hundrends of hours of calls to that phone # and she has the phone with her you need to prove that she actually was the one who owned it in the past????????????

Thanks
C&J

You can always sign and swon statement that these are your phonenumbers. They can choose to take it or they have to disprove your statement!

Can you show them where the calls originated? For example, if you called her phone numbers from your house using some type of calling-card for saving cost, can you have the BELL company sending you a copy of the bills for those months? Match the date/time you called the 1-800 number on those calling cards to call Vietnam, WITH the times when the phone in Vietnam received A call from that time frame!

Confusing! But you can do it!

good luck

Woodgc,

I apologize for the fusing. That's right. My finacee needs to prove to the CO that her Mobile simcard is actually her. As you all know, when you use a prepaid simcard in vn just like the calling card in the US. We did gave the CO all phone records that I called my fiancee through her mobile. After we got engage, she installed the homephone with her name as the register user. The CO did not ask for any evidence after December, after we engaged.



ChuckandKim,

Yes, I did write a letter explaining why we don't have any paper trail that can verify my fiancee mobile simcard that she is using. On the day of the interview, she did not bring the mobile phone with her because in the P4 its instruction says "do not bring your mobile phone to the interview." I also have sworn statements from other callers who use home phone to call her with record of date/time. I just hope that the CO would except these as legitimate evidence.

To clear this point, all calls I made to my fiancee's mobile have records because I save all phone bills prior to our engagement. The CO did not ask me to prove phone records. The CO needs to have prove of who was using the prepaid simcard that we presented to him during my fiancee interview.

"This is my cellphone, this is my sim card, this is the records show Icarus calls me on this phone". They know better that one can't REALLY PROVE anything with PREPAID phones. Same with Internet CHAT LOGS and EMAIL. Do they ask people to have AOL or MSN or YAHOO! to swear that these chatlogs/emails are really from MSN/YAHOO/AOL mail servers? NOT!

They are just giving you a hard time to see if you want to play their little game. I can tell you one thing, you can't show them what you do not have! And do not have is a way to obtain "proof" of communications between the two devices (landlines and mobilephones) which is really out of your control! IF they turn around and say they deny your Visa because YOU can't show them your phone records, that would be a very very very bad reason which you can fight back!

People don't just conmmunicate via PHONES nowadays anymore....
VOIP
EMAIL
POSTMAIL
CHAT
PC-TO-POTS
SMS

So for the consulate to pint you down with their request for unobtainable phone records is not a good reason. Tell them: This is what I've got, and I swear my statement is TRUE. Take it or not, the truth won't change. I can not obtain and give you something I do not have nor can I get it from the phone company. If you find this is the ground to deny my fiance's visa, we will have to find another way to prove to you how real this relationship is to us.

The point is, don't get hung up on this ONE issue. You must be able to offer them more proof and other type of evidence to show them you two are the REAL MCCOY.

Good luck!

Hey all-

another update for you... I returned to the embassy on August 15th with a letter requesting to speak with a CO in regards to my case and to see if I could pin down an estimated time for the review. At the window, the woman took my letter but told me that all interviews for August were cancelled and that no one is allowed to speak with the CO's. She then told me that they were backed up on over 3000 cases and to not expect a reply for at least a month. Every day since I have been phoning the embassy to see if our case has been approved (I have until the 28th before I return home to Cali) and each time I'm told its still under review. Then yesterday when I asked the woman on the phone how long until I should hear a reply or decision on my case and was told "at least a year" because of the , she says, 2000 cases pending review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is this possible?? Can they really hold up my paperwork and our decision for THAT long?? As I said before, we did everything by the book and didn't forget anything in our evidences, and had tons of records, photos, and chat transcripts to show we're in a genuine relationship! I'm having a hard time accepting this answer and look for guidance among you all as to what I can do... Again, we are devastated by this and can't understand why some interviews are 5 minutes and a pink slip is given, yet anytime they chose to give a blue/green paper, it could be possibly months or years before a decision is made. I find the process a bit arbitrary and subjective, and still trying to understand why we were given a blue slip initially....

HELLLLP!

Incarus,

First thing in the morning, reading this news while drinking my coffee makes me wanna choke someone. 3000 cases? Who cares about those, you only care about yours, the one was approved and issued pink-slip within 5 mins of interviewing. So, to take these phone-opperator at the consulate and the embassy serious is something I find hard to believe. I will not listen to the information they gave you. Here is why: initial response she gave you was 3000 cases, the next time you called within a few days, she told you 2000. Either what she told you was "hear-say", or the Consulate just magically processes 1000 cases within a short period with the help from the toothfairry, or this girl was full-of-it. Remember, your case is approved and waiting to go through the routine process of "delaying for unknown reason" which is a well-known process for most HCMC VisaJer. You need to hold on and make sure your honey understand this is just a DELAY which will be lifted any day now. I can only tell you to check-in with your Congressman for "inquirery" on the case if you'd like. Sometimes, that helps speed up the process, sometimes makes no difference.

This is just a very typical behavior for HCMC. "HURRY-UP-AND-WAIT". Just to be clear for others who read Icarus' comment about "by the book". What book? there is no book on this process, there IS guideline which functions as "suggestion" to the Consulate Officer They will decide who get the Visa based on facts and "gut feelings". Icarus and others have prepared for and aware of the "facts" they may face, but the second part, "gut feelings" is not something in our control. Just hang in there, it sux so bad to wait and being apart like this Icarus, I know, been there done that. But, if you look at it this way, you are going to spend a life-time together, just a few weeks delay won't make it or break it for you. The wait-time is an invaluable thing to forge and strengthen your relationship through hardship and endurance. I hope you won't be discouraged by this inaction from the Consualte. Stay strong! You did it, you got the Visa Approval, just need to wait for the Visa in the passport.

Try to understand and figure out the routine/partern of the Consulate's approval method is almost certain to dry one crazy! I still don't get it most of the time why people get approved superfast and others, just as real/geniune relationship like yours have to wait.

We hear your rant and we feel your pain... Keep up the pressure with the consulate. BTW, it is absolutely horse-crap that the consulte office won't speak with anyone. I'm wondering how come you didn't ask her "WHY NOT?" Vietnamese people don't ask too many "Why" questions, and they don't like to answer them either So, I suggest you to call back or personally go to the Consulate, and come up with a bunch of WHY questions:

Why there is a delay?
Why there is a delay on your case particularly?
Why is your case difference than others?
Why your case is approved already and still not get the Visa?
When is the earliest you can get it? Why not?
What is the ETA? Can you put it in writing? Why not?
What can the consulate do to speed up the process for my case alone? Why not?
Why don't I feel the need to care/know about the other 3000 cases that backed up behind, I only care for my case which was approved. Why didn't we get the visa already?
Why doesn't the consulate inform the petitioner about the delay?
Why can't the consulate give a reason why there is a delay?
Can this information about 3000 back-log be verified? Why not?
What is the hold up? here in HCMC or USCIS? Can you find out more information? Why not?

I can go on and on with this until they are sick of me and can't answer those questions any more... THEN, hopefully they will send me to a CO.

FIGHT TO THE BONE

good luck and we are supporting you two....

chuck and kim

I am not sure of what your financial status is, but getting a lawyer seems about right at this point. My lawyer use to be a judge in California, and has years of experience in immigration law. I am almost certain I read a law about this crap where they cannot just tell you "AR" or some stuff like that. They must give you a reason.

I can almost feel how dark the feeling is you are feeling. If they were to do that to me? My lawyer would certainly be in attack mode.

Take care.

Hi Chuck,

If I remember correctly, I don't think they're case is already approved and pink. I think Icarus' fiancee was given a blue silp during the interview, and then Icarus was given a green slip when he went back to the US Consulate for further explanation.

STL_HCMC

STLHCMC,

My fault... You're right... Icarus didn't get approved... Just ignore what i said previously

Thanks again all, yes, Our visa hasn't been approved yet, just still under 'review'. I've contacted the embassy daily and usually get someone very nice who'll tell me there is no timeframe available in these cases. And I'm pretty sure I haven't spoken to the '1-year' woman again, as I'd recognize her voice. Chuck, you are absolutely right that in that I should pose the 'why' question, and I did, only to be answered with 'I'm sorry, but that is all I can say.' I'm returning tomorrow in the hopes that I'll be able to speak with a consulate officer as I only have a few days left here in HCMC before heading home...alone. Despite the delay and the wait, we are having a fantastic time, I am very lucky to have found someone as understanding as my sweetheart, and each day our love and excitement to begin our lives together grows. Instead of discussing the 'what happened' angle, we are spending countless hours laughing and sharing our hopes and dreams with each other, solidifying the bond we created over a year ago. When I return I'll post up the letters I've submitted to the embassy to give you all an idea and to provide a template to others in the same position.

Thanks to you all!
Staying strong in Vietnam,

Greg

That's an attitude we want to see from Icarus!!! YOU ROCK! You can only do one thing that worth your while here in VN: Create memmories with your honey! You will need them and she needs them too for days to come... Take Pictures, Video tapes your time with her... I mean it... you will find yourself watching those video clips very often... I did!

Also remember, this is just a "DELAY" and it's not your fault!

Good day in Saigon,

Chuck and Kim

Hi Icarus,

Excellent stimulation for strength. I wish you both the best of luck and a speedy resolution.

STL_HCMC

Icarus,
It's great to hear that you are spending quality time with your SO. Keep building a positive relationship and enjoy your time together.
A month sounds about right for review of new documents (recently). The Consulate always has a backlog of cases, although I don't know how many is normal. Obviously they have not cancelled all interviews as they just issued Mike's fiancee an August 28 interview to make up for their previous blunder.
They can put off cases for a year or more. They did that to our case for all of 2004. I hope times have changed. Keep asking for information. If you don't hear anything in 30 days, it's time to contact your Congressman or Senator's office, which ever one will assist you. Their inquiries go directly to the US officers themselves, and must be answered in three days. I found the quality of answer coming through my Congressman to be superior to the answers I got when I tried contacting the Consulate directly.
When ever I would ask the Consulate about our case I would get the response " your casefile is pending review". I always bought that line, thinking that a review was just around the corner. Of course, every case not approved is a case "pending review". Well, that's a little white lie they tell. Your case could be in a stack on a conoff's desk, or it could be collecting dust in case file storage. You won't know from Adam if it's going to get reviewed. Don't delay, be the sqeeky wheel!