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K-1 interview. Do you required to have engagement party prior to interview?

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
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i have a question just like the topic title. my petition has been approved from USCIS and moving along with NVC. I asked my fiancee hand of marriage through internet. We do not have the engagement party or traditional engagement due yet. Will this be a red flag at the interview? I will be in Viet Nam from April to the end of May this year of the engagement stuffs with both families. Thanks for your advice.

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engagement party from what I know is only something special for the 2 people 2 months ago i proposed to sveta over skype and plan another visit in may and then have a party mostly for her family and friends and reason not proposed when we meet in nov last year is we wanted some time to miss eachother and make sure of our feelings



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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Bulgaria
Timeline

My fiance also proposed via Skype. I do not think that an engagement party is something mandatory. Congratulations on your NOA2 :thumbs:

21/03/2012 - sent 129F to Dallas Lockbox
25/03/2012 - I129F recieved
26/03/2012 - NOA1
24/09/2012 - NOA2 text message
02/10/2012 - NVC left case sent to Bulgaria ;o)
15/10/2012 - Packet 3 recieved
27/10/2012 - Medical exam
29/10/2012 - Interview - APPROVED
25/11/2012 - POE Miami
01/02/2013 - married

AOS
02/01/2013 - AOS sent
02/12/2013 - NOA1 text and email
02/16/2013 - recieved biometrics appointment letter
02/26/2013 - biometrics appointment

08/29/2013 - received notice of potential interview waiver case

10/23/2013 - Interview approved ;o)

11/01/2013 - green card received

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I don't think it is mandatory it make sure to prove the ongoing relationship with lots of pictures with you and her and then you and her with families and friends. This way you establish to the officer reviewing your file that you are accepted by the family and friends. Or you could always just take her and her family on a dinner to celebrate it. Take lots of pics. Don't have to make a party.

2010 - met in Kuwait and got married at Washington using previous b1/b2 visa.

2010 - back in Kuwait as husband and wife.

2010 - denied to renew tourist visa, lady in the embassy said was not eligible!? Lies! Wth! Traumatized :-/

2012 - applied for tourist visa again, strengthened by the Lord, armed with lots of prayer, got a b1/b2 visa for a year!!! Yey! Christmas here we come!!!

2012 - decided to get ir1/cr1, I-130 started.

2013 - still in ir1/cr1 process.

2013 - EXPECTing our first born !!! <3

Dear Jesus,

Because your awesome and you love us more than we will ever know how to, please bless us and send our visa case to the fastest and bestest worker you got! But nonetheless, let Your will be done not ours. <3

USCIS - NVC

08/03/2012 - I-130 packet received by the Chicago lockbox (sent through FedEx)

08/09/2012 - Received Email of NOA1, routed to California Service Center.

08/08/2012 - updated online?

08/20-ish/2012 - Received Mail of NOA1.

01/18/2013 - Received Email saying I-130 approved NOA2

03/06/2013 - Received Mail of NOA2

03/09/2013 - Emailed NVC correction regarding wrong current address of principal applicant

03/09/2013 - Paid AOS bill $88 online

03/10/2013 - Emailed the NVC DS-3032

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
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engagement party from what I know is only something special for the 2 people 2 months ago i proposed to sveta over skype and plan another visit in may and then have a party mostly for her family and friends and reason not proposed when we meet in nov last year is we wanted some time to miss eachother and make sure of our feelings

My fiance also proposed via Skype. I do not think that an engagement party is something mandatory. Congratulations on your NOA2 :thumbs:

Depends on the country guys. If this is a usual custom in the country then they would need to have it or the interviewer would question very hard as to why they did not follow their country customs.

-------------------------------------------- as1cE-a0g410010MjgybHN8MDA5Njk4c3xNYXJyaWVkIGZvcg.gif

Your I-129f was approved in 5 days from your NOA1 date.

Your interview took 67 days from your I-129F NOA1 date.

AOS was approved in 2 months and 8 days without interview.

ROC was approved in 3 months and 2 days without interview.

I am a Citizen of the United States of America. 04/16/13

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

yeah, that is what i worry about. we were talking about the formal one, but i like the western engagement style. so, we go with that. i did ask her mom for permittion too. my family is here in the US so planning a big trip with everyone is trouble some. We will have a party come May with my parents and my sister's family there. I do have photos that we ate with families and friends. i also got the ring, so i hope to get back there before the interview to formalize the engagement.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

The Dam Hoi can be a big deal with the Consulate. They may wonder why you do not follow the VN cultural norms. If you don't do it, you will need to be prepared to explain why. If you can, I would definitely recommend that you do it and take lots of pictures as evidence to submit. In my case, we did NOT have a Dam Hoi but just a small gathering with her family when we announced we were engaged. After reading through all the past posts here in the VN section, I realized at the last minute how important the Dam Hoi can be as many people have been denied for either not having one or the CO thinks the Dam Hoi wasn't significant enough. My fiancee was approved even though we didn't have one but we might have just been lucky. Try to have one if you can.

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Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Vietnam
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Its a VN thing and many have run into problems for not having one... getting engaged over the internet is often frowned upon by the cnsulate in VN... They really try to apply cultural norms to the relationship proccess and if things are not culturally normal, then they start to ask why... over the years I have been here, several member cases have been denied with no Dam hoi included in the list of reasons provided.

So in a nutshell, yes the Dam Hoi is important and the CO can deny the petition if it is not done.. that does not mean they will, just that they can and have in the past.

"Every one of us bears within himself the possibilty of all passions, all destinies of life in all its forms. Nothing human is foreign to us" - Edward G. Robinson.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

Op - the consulate will find no Dam Hoi suspect. I strongly suggest you have one before interview. The CO asked us if we had engagement and presented proof we did.

I've seen denial due to no Dam Hoi.

Best wishes!

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

I see that your petition has already been approved. This means that you did not get a chance to front-load proof of an engagement ceremony into your petition package. There is nothing you can do about that now but I think it would be a good idea to try to do the ceremony before your fiance's interview. This way you can bring proof to the interview and hope the CO accepts it. If the CO will deny your case for not having an engagement ceremony will probably depend on the amount of red flags you have. Red flags can be considered previous marriages, your fiance having family in the US and having close members of the family arranging the meeting between you. If you have a chance, try to get the ceremony done before your interview and wish the best of luck. Good luck :)

K1 Visa Stage
Aug 23, 2010: I-129F NOA 1
Feb 07, 2011: I-129F NOA 2
May 23, 2011: Interview. Blue Slip
Jun 20, 2011: Submit Documents: 1) Timeline, 2) 10 year residency(me), 3) 10 year residency(Thu), 4) Letter explaining how/where we met. Second Blue Slip
Feb 03, 2012: U.S. Consulate Investigators call Thu's residence. Spoke to Thu and Thu's parents
Feb 27, 2012: Received email from the U.S. Consulate that our case is finished processing. Requested to submit updated Police & Medical papers.
Mar 06, 2012: Submitted updated Police & Medical papers.
Mar 21, 2012: Received K1 Visa
Apr 07, 2012: Point of Entry @ LAX

Adjustment of Status Stage
Apr 23, 2012: Got married!
Apr 30, 2012: Received Social Security Card
Jun 30, 2012: Applied for AOS
Sep 22, 2012: Received Employment Authorization Card...Still waiting for 2 yr GC

May 01, 2013: Received 2yr GC

Removal of Conditions Stage

Apr 18, 2015: Will apply for 10yr GC

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

yeah, that is what i worry about. we were talking about the formal one, but i like the western engagement style. so, we go with that. i did ask her mom for permittion too. my family is here in the US so planning a big trip with everyone is trouble some. We will have a party come May with my parents and my sister's family there. I do have photos that we ate with families and friends. i also got the ring, so i hope to get back there before the interview to formalize the engagement.

If you are Viet Kieu then you can expect this to be a major issue at the visa interview. It's a good thing your parents will be there. It's better to do it late than not at all, but it would have been even better to do it before you sent the petition. The CO's attitude may be that you jumped the gun and filed the petition before you were officially engaged. What would your great grandmother have said if you told her you were getting married without a Dam Hoi? The CO's think pretty much the same way. They don't believe in western style engagements at the US consulate in TP HCM.

12/15/2009 - K1 Visa Interview - APPROVED!

12/29/2009 - Married in Oakland, CA!

08/18/2010 - AOS Interview - APPROVED!

05/01/2013 - Removal of Conditions - APPROVED!

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

yeah, i talked to my uncle who did go through the process. he said not to worry about it because he did not have engagement party prior to the interview. I do not think we have any red flag. both of us have never marry before, i make way above the 125% income line. Dont you think it is stereotype to force people to get engagement party and photos. Not all vietnamese people will have party for engagement. the true meaning of engagement for vietnamese is the meeting between the parents and asking for marriage, which happened through the phone for us due to distance.

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Country: Vietnam
Timeline

yeah, i talked to my uncle who did go through the process. he said not to worry about it because he did not have engagement party prior to the interview. I do not think we have any red flag. both of us have never marry before, i make way above the 125% income line. Dont you think it is stereotype to force people to get engagement party and photos. Not all vietnamese people will have party for engagement. the true meaning of engagement for vietnamese is the meeting between the parents and asking for marriage, which happened through the phone for us due to distance.

Yes and you asked and every single person who has also gone through the process says it is important. Thanks for asking us anyway. Good luck.

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