Ho Chi Minh Consulate Help

[seattlerain 1]

Does anyone have experience with Ho Chi Minh(HCM) K1 cases? Please help if you have recently filed a similar case with Ho Chi Minh City Consulate.

NVC told me that they sent my package the HCM consulate on the week of January 13. It is now more than a month and my fiancee or I hear anything from HCM consulate.

How long does it usually take for them to send you a notice? I already emailed HCM consulate 10 days ago but I have not receive a reply.

Please advise on what to do next.

[payxibka 10,045]

Moving thread to:

US Embassy and Consulate Discussion

This is the place to post your experiences or questions related to this last step before moving to the US. Topics relating to I-134's, packets sent from consulate and medical & police certificates should be posted here.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Does anyone have experience with Ho Chi Minh(HCM) K1 cases? Please help if you have recently filed a similar case with Ho Chi Minh City Consulate.

NVC told me that they sent my package the HCM consulate on the week of January 13. It is now more than a month and my fiancee or I hear anything from HCM consulate.

How long does it usually take for them to send you a notice? I already emailed HCM consulate 10 days ago but I have not receive a reply.

Please advise on what to do next.

My fiancee (now wife) did not receive packet 3 from the consulate until nearly two months after the NOA2 date. The consulate received the petition within a couple of weeks of approval, and they sent packet 3 the same week they received it. The problem was that the local mail delivery service was horrendous. The letter sat in a pile at a local post office until my fiancee persuaded someone to dig through it and find her mail. By that time, my fiancee had already sent her response to the consulate.

Your petition is almost undoubtedly at the consulate, and they have almost undoubtedly sent packet 3. I suggest you have your fiancee go ahead and prepare her DS-230 part 1 and DS-2001, according to the instructions in packet 3. The packet instructions are posted online here:

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/hochiminh/174995/iv-forms/K-Instruction-122010.pdf

[ScottThuy 140]

Call the DoS and get the current status of the case.. she should get the pkt 3 anytime now, but it could be lost in the mail... so DoS will know what is going on... it takes 2 weeks as a norm to get a response by email if they respond.

since we are talking about the HCMC consulate specifically and the response will be unique to that consulate, moving to VN regional

[homme 0]

call NVC to get your HCM case number (if you do not have it by now). Fill out DS-2001 and DS-230 part I and submit directly to the consulate. good luck

[ScottThuy 140]

call NVC to get your HCM case number (if you do not have it by now). Fill out DS-2001 and DS-230 part I and submit directly to the consulate. good luck

They will not accept them until they have sent the pkt 3 to the beneficiary. I tried doing it early...

[Jerry & Fiona 1]

They will not accept them until they have sent the pkt 3 to the beneficiary. I tried doing it early...

We are doing this also. Our paperwork was sent from NVC to HCMC Consulate on Feb 18, 2011. I was advised to do as Jim recommends above.

Scott, when you sent it early did they reject it? By not accepting it, did you have to resubmit it again?

[ScottThuy 140]

Exactly what happened Jerry.. They acted like they never got it and waited for me to submit it again after they sent out the pkt 3... We sent them via email and they had the case and hadh had it for some time when I sent them... They said we dont have the case yet and dont want anything from you until we request it. it took another few weeks before DoS said it was sent and then I fired off the exact same email...

All you need to do is call DoS and find out the status of the case and as soon as they say the pkt 3 has been sent.. bam fire off that email with the scans attached...

Edited March 4, 2011 by ScottThuy

[Jerry & Fiona 1]

Exactly what happened Jerry.. They acted like they never got it and waited for me to submit it again after they sent out the pkt 3... We sent them via email and they had the case and hadh had it for some time when I sent them... They said we dont have the case yet and dont want anything from you until we request it. it took another few weeks before DoS said it was sent and then I fired off the exact same email...

I understand. However, it does seem silly for them to put you through all of that. I guess they think everyone is aware of this short cut.

All you need to do is call DoS and find out the status of the case and as soon as they say the pkt 3 has been sent.. bam fire off that email with the scans attached...

I know I've probably come across it, but do you have the DoS number handy? And as far as I've read, we need to send for P3 the DS-230 (Part 1) and DS-2001. What are these additional scans that you are saying to attach?

Jerry & Fiona

[Jerry & Fiona 1]

All you need to do is call DoS and find out the status of the case and as soon as they say the pkt 3 has been sent.. bam fire off that email with the scans attached...

Ok, I just called the DoS for HCMC but it was automated. (84-8) 3520-4200 is the number. It only gave generic information and stated if you want to inquire about specifics to email hcmcinfo@state.gov

Miss my lady so much. :crying:

[Jerry & Fiona 1]

Nothing new here I don't think. But I called the NVC and gave them our case number to do a general follow up. The man gave me a phone number that I could follow up on our case at the HCMC consulate. 84-8822-9433 He told me it is not automated.

I called it and listened to the instructions. It asks you to input the extension you wish to reach ????????? Then it says if you need additional help 'just press 0'. This leads nowhere. It says to enter # after your entry. So, I did it again but this time 0 #. This time it says invalid entry. Stupid thing. If you just sit there it will say press * for additional help. This magic * takes you to the beginning of the call again. Useless. I figured out if you just sit there for a minute and do nothing it will forward you to a live operator. This operator is capable of giving you the email address for the HCMC consulate that is already readily available. The operator is also capable of telling you that they do not give out case updates by phone but rather by email. The operator was also able to tell me that the general turn around time for an email response (not the automated response) is 2-3 weeks conveniently.

So, it may be easier to just do nothing. I'm kidding of course. But that is how I felt after the calls. Bored!

[khoamythovn 1]

Nothing new here I don't think. But I called the NVC and gave them our case number to do a general follow up. The man gave me a phone number that I could follow up on our case at the HCMC consulate. 84-8822-9433 He told me it is not automated.

I called it and listened to the instructions. It asks you to input the extension you wish to reach ????????? Then it says if you need additional help 'just press 0'. This leads nowhere. It says to enter # after your entry. So, I did it again but this time 0 #. This time it says invalid entry. Stupid thing. If you just sit there it will say press * for additional help. This magic * takes you to the beginning of the call again. Useless. I figured out if you just sit there for a minute and do nothing it will forward you to a live operator. This operator is capable of giving you the email address for the HCMC consulate that is already readily available. The operator is also capable of telling you that they do not give out case updates by phone but rather by email. The operator was also able to tell me that the general turn around time for an email response (not the automated response) is 2-3 weeks conveniently.

So, it may be easier to just do nothing. I'm kidding of course. But that is how I felt after the calls. Bored!

You can try the US phone number for DOS 202-663-1225 when the message starts.. press 1, when the next message starts, press 0.. you may wait 5 to 15 minutes for a CSR.. You would need your HCM case# beneficiary name and birth date.

[Jerry & Fiona 1]

You can try the US phone number for DOS 202-663-1225 when the message starts.. press 1, when the next message starts, press 0.. you may wait 5 to 15 minutes for a CSR.. You would need your HCM case# beneficiary name and birth date.

Cool. Will try that now before it get's too late. Wonder if they are still answering the phone or may call tomorrow during the day. Thanks so much.

(Edit - call during number business hours, it says)

Edited March 4, 2011 by Jerry & Fiona

[seattlerain 1]

I appreciated everyone's responses. I'm nearly two months into the first NVC letter sent to me. Does the appointment letter send via email or normal postal mail? I email HCM on whether it received my case, but i haven't hear from them since 28 days ago.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I appreciated everyone's responses. I'm nearly two months into the first NVC letter sent to me. Does the appointment letter send via email or normal postal mail? I email HCM on whether it received my case, but i haven't hear from them since 28 days ago.

Normal postal mail. Your fiancee will get packet 3 first. She'll have to return the DS-230 part 1 and the DS-2001 to the consulate before they'll send an appointment letter.

The consulate is notorious for not responding to emails. When they do decide to respond it's usually a canned statement, and it takes them two weeks to respond.

Follow Scott's instructions and contact Department of State. They can check in the computer to determine if the consulate has received the petition and sent packet 3. If they have then your fiancee can go ahead and send the DS-230 and DS-2001.