Planning to file DCF

[Pohtaytoh 0]

Hey there! Like many, I'm a long time lurker. I only just registered because it's almost time to start filing and the real questions are popping up now

I'm a USC of Vietnamese descent married a little over a month to a Vietnam Citizen. We're currently still waiting for our marriage registration/certificate to finish processing. Sept 22nd is when they let us know if it was approved. I've been living in Vietnam for 4 months so far.

So, we're planning on filing for DCF once I've been here 6 months. The thing is I currently have to renew my visa every 3 months in order to keep staying in Vietnam. As far as I can tell, it's just a normal visa. Not tourist nor student. My uncle keeps a log for them letting them know I live with him it has dates and the address where I stat and his signature. This, according to him, lets me keep renewing and staying here as long as I want.

I have doubts on whether this is enough for me to file DCF once I hit 6 months. Would I need to get a card that says I'm a permanent resident?

Here's a rundown/timeline:

Feb 6: Meeting for the first time. Saw her while visiting my uncle (they are neighbors).

- We really hit it off and see each other everyday. Going on dates and hanging out.

March 12: Engagement ceremony after approval from her parents and family.

April 5: I fly back to the states to file taxes and prepare money for the wedding/staying in vietnam.

- We keep in contact with yahoo msgr and webcams

- Preparations are made for me to live with my Uncle for the duration

- Also start paperwork for the marriage registration/certificate

May 19: I return to Vietnam and live with my uncle while continuing to see her almost daily

- Arrangements and scheduling/booking start flying

- We choose the dress to rent, and take pre-wedding photos to display at the wedding

- During this time-frame she is also being converted from Buddhist to Catholic.

- We finish almost all paperwork for the marriage registration/certificate

- I have to wait for my mom to fly over so we can go to Saigon to pick her up as well as visit the US embassy for my statement of single status (It's expensive to fly so we do this all in one go). Mom also brings over papers from the priest that baptized me in the US and documents from the District Clerk stating I didn't have a Marriage Certificate on file in the US.

July 12: She is baptized and confirmed at the same time

- The place for the wedding reception is booked, sent out invites, the rest of my family flies over for the wedding

August: We attempt to file the marriage registration/certificate and are informed that my statement of single status is missing the Vietnamese notary stamp&sticker from Saigon. He refuses to accept our documents.

- We make plans to get the stamp&sticker once we my family leaves in a few weeks. They wanted to take the two of us around Saigon to celebrate our getting married anyway

August 7: Wedding Ceremony at the same church

August 9: Wedding Reception

- We now live together on the 3th floor of my uncles house

August 24: We get return with my statement of single status for the stamp&sticker. They inform us to return in 2 days. Our plane is scheduled to leave the next day.

- We re-book the flight for 3 days later incase it takes too long or something goes wrong.

August 26: Early in the morning we pick up the statement of single status with the literal stamp&sticker on the back.

- It was possible for us to re-book the flight for that day so we could just leave, but they wanted to charge us again so we sat around a whole day.

August 27: We return home (which, btw is Da Nang) and immediately submit the forms. He sees the stamp&sticker (the only thing missing in the first place) and files it.

Sept 8: We are called in to be interviewed. (I guess the purpose is similar to filing for a Visa) They separated us and interviewed us individually. Simply asked us questions about the other. Dates, family, work etc.

- They tell us to return on Sept 22nd to find out if we're approved.

Present

Thanks!

Edited September 17, 2009 by Pohtaytoh

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Check the information for Vietnam here.

Most countries allow DCF do so for foreigners with cwertain types of visas, spousals, work, students. NOT tourist.

[Pohtaytoh 0]

Check the information for Vietnam here.

Most countries allow DCF do so for foreigners with cwertain types of visas, spousals, work, students. NOT tourist.

I've already read the info there, as well as the guides. How would I know that I'm supposedly a tourist? I've asked my uncle to help me get set up to be a permanent resident, and he told me that this is how they would allow me to stay. Maybe there's a communication error, and I need to get some kind of card. But, there's not really an indicator that I'm here temporarily.

[Pohtaytoh 0]

I was hoping for a bit more help than this :<

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

Potaytoh, You need to call your embassy there and ask them what the residency requirements are for you there. While most embassies require that you officially have residency in the country in which you are filing DCF from, there are some that will still allow you to file if you are on renewable tourist visas if you can prove that you are actually living in the country. You do this by copying the pages in your passport that have the exit & entry visa stamps from when you make visa runs, apartment contract, letter from your landlord stating you live there, bank statement from local bank, bills with your name and address on them, etc. But you need to call your embassy because whether or not you can apply for DCF without officially having residency varies from country to country. But first and foremost verify whether or not you have residency or a renewable tourist visa.

Edited September 20, 2009 by Der Bücherwurm

[Pohtaytoh 0]

Potaytoh, You need to call your embassy there and ask them what the residency requirements are for you there. While most embassies require that you officially have residency in the country in which you are filing DCF from, there are some that will still allow you to file if you are on renewable tourist visas if you can prove that you are actually living in the country. You do this by copying the pages in your passport that have the exit & entry visa stamps from when you make visa runs, apartment contract, letter from your landlord stating you live there, bank statement from local bank, bills with your name and address on them, etc. But you need to call your embassy because whether or not you can apply for DCF without officially having residency varies from country to country. But first and foremost verify whether or not you have residency or a renewable tourist visa.

Wow, thanks a lot for the informative reply. I'll go ahead and contact them. Hopefully I'll be able to use my current visa, it has all the stamps and my uncle has been keeping a log for the local officials to show I've been living with him.