Any benefit to registering at the US Consulate?

[luckytxn 2,263]

Thanks for all the replies.

So it's basically useless as proof of visiting Vietnam. I wonder if the HCMC consulate would look that data up when they do investigation on a petition? Just a thought.

They don't need to for any reason at all. It is the USCIS that you have to show that you have met her in the last two years in order to proceed and get the petition forwarded. Then it is at the consulate you need to convince that you have an ongoing relationship. If you are trying to show the consulate that you were even in VN then that would help but that in no way shows that you even met her and spent time with her. They want to see proof of a relationship.

[VinhBao MyTam 3]

Go register. I'm sure 2 weeks ago, those who were visiting Egypt thought there was no reason to register. The point is that it's for your protection. If anything happens, they know you're in the country and where you are. It can't hurt your application. It probably won't help. But do it anyway.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

If you want proof that you were in the country, and you'd like the US consulate to provide that proof, then go to US citizen's services and have a document for your petition package notarized. If you're filing a fiancee visa petition then have your letters of intent notarized, you and your fiancee. BAM! Proof by a consular officer that you were both in the same room at the same time. It will also give your fiancee a chance to see what the security procedure is like, and get a look inside the consulate before having to go for the interview.

As far as registering, yeah - I do that. If something happens that would require an evacuation I would appreciate if the US government at least made an attempt to contact me.

[confusedasheck 21]

There is a VJ member who said the CO lied about the number of his visits to Vietnam. If the US consulate has a record of your visits to Vietnam, that is potential protection against a lying CO. The visits won't prove you met with her each time, but at least you could prevent the CO from lying about how many times you've been to Vietnam.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

There is a VJ member who said the CO lied about the number of his visits to Vietnam. If the US consulate has a record of your visits to Vietnam, that is potential protection against a lying CO. The visits won't prove you met with her each time, but at least you could prevent the CO from lying about how many times you've been to Vietnam.

And how would you go about getting a copy of this record to prove that the CO lied? Remember that the people who have this record are the same people you'd be accusing of lying...

[cedwards001 18]

If the CO's want to "lie" about the number of trips the petitioner made to visit the beneficiary, they would probably use whatever was submitted in the petition as justification for their decision. For example, imagine that a petitioner makes 1 trip to VN and submits evidence of only that trip with the petition. The petitioner submits evidence of only that trip with the petition. Before the interview, the petitioner makes a few more trips to build proof of an ongoing relationship. The CO could "lie" and claim the petitioner only made 1 trip to meet the beneficiary from the petition package and use that as grounds for a blue slip or denial.

The CO's cannot lie about trips the petitioner made before the petition was filed.....provided that evidence of these trips were included with the eventually approved petition. To be fair to "confusedasheck", I think the CO's can lie about trips made after the petition was filed. This has happened on multiple occasions to fellow VJ's from Vietnam. When it comes to the HCMC Consulate, anything is possible so hope for the best and prepare for the worst.