A Question of PROOF ....

[b_weeks 6]

I think the USCIS at this point will accept the divorce papers from Guam.

I think you need to concentrate your efforts on presenting the "Affidavit of Support" in such a way that it won't matter that you didn't work in 2007.

You do have time to put this together. As the I-134 isn't required until the interview. I would recommend providing statements and account balances from your banks, list any and all assets, and I would also include TAX RETURNS with W2's and/or a TAX TRANSCRIPT which you can get for free from the IRS. Order Previous Years Tax Returns - W2's - Transcript

You can prove the relationship, it is the Financial side that I think will be the hardest hurdle to overcome, but I think you can do it.

[b_weeks 6]

Caro (JVKn'CVO) makes a good point.

I would use the ADDENDUM to Question #18 to explain your situation in how you met. How after a couple of visits to VN, you realized that you wanted a relationship.

You are actually better off than most people. Most have only been together once or twice before the interview. You have been together 4 times before you even filed.

Just because you dont have evidence of the actual relationship for the first couple of trips, that's ok. You still have proof you were in VN. You can also use an account summary of your Frequent Flyer Account if you have one as Secondary evidence.

You could possibly ususe a Co-sponsor for the affidavit of support, although most people say the consulate frowns upon it, there have been people get there visa's regardless. It all depends on your financial situation abd your assets and accounts.

[Minya's wife 24]

Not to question you excessively about details, but your relationship timeline is unclear, perhaps you can clarify.

In your first post, in this thread, you state the following:

...

Since this is a REAL relationship, I didn't know I wanted to marry him until my SECOND trip to visit him. Only THEN did I inquire about this process and find out I needed "proof". I didn't know I was going to marry him in the beginning so why would I save yahoo chats and emails? That makes NO SENSE. Of course NOW I am saving everything from pictures to receipts but there is no way to prove that we communicated for 6 months prior to my second visit. To me, if you have that kind of proof, it seems that your relationship is LESS real and more likely a scam because you pre-planned to have "proof" - does this make sense????? What should I do about my lack of proof of meeting him on my third trip to Vietnam? (I have been in Vietnam 4 times now).

But later, you state:

Oh and just to clarify - I have been in vietnam 5 times total .... on my fourth trip (sorry, I think I said third before) I met Tan, that was last time in Vietnam.

...

This is my fifth trip and I came to see him. Its almost been 2 months together, every day. Around the 1 month mark I began reading, making inquiries.

...

I'm sorry, but details become very important, especially during the interview. Some CO's will ask extremely detailed questions in their attempt to judge the bona-fides of a relationship.

If we take your clarification post as your timeline, you've been to Vietnam 5 times? But you only met Tan on your 4th trip, or you only became engaged on your 4th trip? If you were married to someone else during any of the time of your relationship w/ Tan you need to be prepared answer questions about that. Some have experienced more detailed questioning if their relationship began while one or the other was married. As stated by some, your quickie divorce, while it may be legally accepted by USCIS, could be of concern to the CO during the visa interview....be prepared to justify this.

Good luck,

-P

[bakofoil 27]

Right Paula. In fact the thread the OP was referring to in her first post was entirely about the issues faced by people who cannot get the story of their relationship straight enough and acquire sufficient evidence to satisfy the consular officer.

Also I would like to make a point about a comment the OP made about evidencing the relationship. Gathering evidence on your relationship is not indicative of having been too calculated about things to the point that it arouses suspicion. People who petition for a fiance visa, generally have reached a point in their relationship (with their soulmate, believe it or not) where they decide to get married and live together. This point can come after a day of meeting or more usually, after months, sometimes years of being together. The evidencing usually begins after the engagement. And that is what the CO will be interested in. That is what the person in the thread the OP referred to was unable to provide.

To the OP, when you file the I-129F you need to evidence as much communication and contact with your fiance as you can, regardless of how unromantic and calculated that appears to be because the consular officer will probably want to see it and not just take your word for it.

Good luck.

[ellis-island 6]

"I apologize if I ruffled your feathers about Marc Ellis... but here are 2 cold hard facts and not opinion: 1)the consulate here does not like him and if they want to be bitchy and see Marc Ellis as your attorney, do you think that will make them less bitchy or MORE? Secondly, the man has a vietnamese wife but YELLED AT HER while I was there, talked down to her and ordered her out of the room."

Hi.

1. I have no Vietnamese wife. I have no wife.

2. I remember this client in question. I did ask rather a woman in the office - who is

not my wife to leave the room so that I could interview this client in confidence. I'd hardly

call it a "yell". I pointed my finger and said "out". That's verbatim.

A client should expect - attorney/client confidentiality without extraneous people

listening in. She wasn't a paralegal, translator or clerk. She had no business sitting

in on this particular client's interview.

3. I can't say whether "this consulate" likes me. I have a couple of friends there.

Some others may not. I necessarily have an "adversarial" relationship with consulates.

4. It's not my job to be liked. It's my job to point out when the consulate is

wrong about the facts or the law, or both on any particular case. And I do that quite a lot.

I point it out to the consulate. I point it out to USCIS in revocation proceedings, and

if the need arises, I'll do that in Federal District Court or the US Court of Appeals and even

the news media if an egregious enough case comes along.

This consulate - like a lot of others in the world - get the facts or law wrong on a lot of cases.

It's getting better. But it still gets them wrong far too often. The decision-makers don't spend as much

time on a case as I do. They're not as careful as I am.

Concerning the information I gave to the lady, without breaking confidentiality, I can say

that this consulate generally does look at living arrangement of petitioner and ex-spouse, both

post-separation and pre & post-divorce. It looks at other information that is available in nationwide databases.

Whose names are on the income taxes? Filed single or married? Does one share a bank account or credit card with another? Is the address-of-record of the ex-spouse the same as the address-of-record of the petitioner? Drivers' license addresses? Phone number listings? Bank statement mailing addresses?

These all can raise red flags.

All the Best,

m.e.

OI OI OI!!!! the lady is simply expressing her experience ,,,,you may think Marc Ellis is the best thing since sliced bread ...and good for you ...you of course, have the right to defend him. You are in a position to be able to explain what he did for you if you have used his services you could have constructive information ....but our primary purpose here is help each other - the OP is asking for confirmation that this information is correct...she is seeking help from people who have been there - she is a little frustrated because as i read her post she has more or less had her hopes dashed ( at least that her perception) and in her shoes i might have written the same kind of sentiment in my haste .....so lets just ease up on the defensive and see if anyone can add to her experience.

I actually prefer flatbread. Regardless ,I do have one piece of advice that I am willing to share with the OP:

If you are using Yahoo Messenger then the chats will be stored on your computer automatically.

Actually you need to set that under "preferrences" then "archive"

I stand corrected. My fault.

[DA BOMB 1]

oh p.s. the lawyer (marc ellis by the way for all of you who think he is the best - he struck me as rude, strange and not very bright, sorry, but its that was my impression - plus the consulate in vietnam doesnt like him, why hire a lawyer who the officials DONT LIKE DEALING WITH?) also said that the consulate runs credit checks, background checks, phone checks, checks where you live and who you live with.... its that involved. ????? Is this true? I have NEVER heard this before and have consulted with other lawyers. I was previously married and I live with my ex-husband now because he is my BEST FRIEND. Now I wouldn't state that on any paperwork but Marc Ellis said, oh, the consulate runs phone records, they know who lives where, etc etc.... that sounds like bull to me... we rent our house, its in MY name and the phone is only in MY name.... I dont know for certain but isnt all that a little involved?? Talk about feeling discouraged after talking with Mr. Ellis.... UGH. Why doesnt the consulate just shoot me up with truth serum and lock me in a room with no food or water for days and ask if I really love my fiancee .... if its really like Mr. Ellis says, where does it end? TROI OI (oh my GAWD!! In Vietnamese language) :-)

You are coming to the wrong site to slam Marc Ellis young lady. Maybe he gave you a dose of reality. Can you handle it?

Hey - She's entitled to her opinion!!!! My lawyer was nothing like that and if he was I would fire him!

[ILoveTan 0]

"I apologize if I ruffled your feathers about Marc Ellis... but here are 2 cold hard facts and not opinion: 1)the consulate here does not like him and if they want to be bitchy and see Marc Ellis as your attorney, do you think that will make them less bitchy or MORE? Secondly, the man has a vietnamese wife but YELLED AT HER while I was there, talked down to her and ordered her out of the room."

Hi.

1. I have no Vietnamese wife. I have no wife.

2. I remember this client in question. I did ask rather a woman in the office - who is

not my wife to leave the room so that I could interview this client in confidence. I'd hardly

call it a "yell". I pointed my finger and said "out". That's verbatim.

A client should expect - attorney/client confidentiality without extraneous people

listening in. She wasn't a paralegal, translator or clerk. She had no business sitting

in on this particular client's interview.

3. I can't say whether "this consulate" likes me. I have a couple of friends there.

Some others may not. I necessarily have an "adversarial" relationship with consulates.

4. It's not my job to be liked. It's my job to point out when the consulate is

wrong about the facts or the law, or both on any particular case. And I do that quite a lot.

I point it out to the consulate. I point it out to USCIS in revocation proceedings, and

if the need arises, I'll do that in Federal District Court or the US Court of Appeals and even

the news media if an egregious enough case comes along.

This consulate - like a lot of others in the world - get the facts or law wrong on a lot of cases.

It's getting better. But it still gets them wrong far too often. The decision-makers don't spend as much

time on a case as I do. They're not as careful as I am.

Concerning the information I gave to the lady, without breaking confidentiality, I can say

that this consulate generally does look at living arrangement of petitioner and ex-spouse, both

post-separation and pre & post-divorce. It looks at other information that is available in nationwide databases.

Whose names are on the income taxes? Filed single or married? Does one share a bank account or credit card with another? Is the address-of-record of the ex-spouse the same as the address-of-record of the petitioner? Drivers' license addresses? Phone number listings? Bank statement mailing addresses?

These all can raise red flags.

All the Best,

m.e.

To Marc and everyone at VJ. Although I have explained this before, I want to make sure everyone understands .... when I met for a whopping 5 minutes with Mr. Ellis, I was sick with a bacterial infection in my chest and super stressed to the MAX. I felt hopeless and worried and everything was bothering me. I took out this stress unfairly on Mr. Ellis, posting this post rashly and without thinking it through. It was stupid and childish of me and I wish I could go back in time and not have posted. Now, all I can do is apologize to Mr. Ellis and hope can forgive this slight. Certainly, it takes a very mature person to be able to forgive someone who has talked badly about them without due cause. I hope he can be a bigger person than I was. I feel ashamed that I didn't take a Zanax and calm down before I rashly and harshly posted something like this. I didn't mean to hurt him, and I was influenced by one loud mouth on VJ who contacted me personally and said some things that were totally untrue (like the having a wife thing). It is sad that 1000 people have sang Mr. Ellis' praises and we get influenced by the one a**hole who says negative, even if they aren't true. I don't want to be that kind of a**hole. Let Mr. Ellis' reputation speak for itself and influence you, not the words of someone who may or not be sick at the time, who may or may not be thinking right at the time, who may be taking out their frustrations on someone totally undeserving....all true in my case. Again, I apologize. I love that you have helped so many people here, that is why I came to see you in the first place. I hope we can start over and "responsibility" in my posts will be my new watchword. Thanks again for handling my stupidity leak with so much class....

ILOVETAN

[braad1 0]

It is possible to obtain only a simple divorce in Guam that only terminates the marriage and does not at all address child custody or property only the marriage itself.

[Mike-eeh and Odie 192]

Just an FYI OP, they will ask about your divorce and current living arrangements. They asked my wife about my living arrangements and if I was ever divorced.

[Zedayn 485]

The OP hasn't been on in over 6 years and this thread is over 7 years old.

[Darnell 8,478]

The OP hasn't been on in over 6 years and this thread is over 7 years old.

sometimes dates are not so visible when using a handphone. just saying..

Edited June 19, 2015 by Darnell

[TBoneTX 43,528]

Ancient thread closed to further comments.

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