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Gathering documents for K1 interview - Review

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Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Vietnam
Timeline

Going through the K1 process here in Vietnam, there're a few things I thought we could have done differently. If you are in a rush and want to minimize waiting time, read on:

1. Police record number 2:

As soon as you get approval from USCIS, I suggest you start applying for this. It will take 3 weeks or longer to process and you don't need any documents from the embassy to apply for this.

2. NVC:

Two weeks from when your application is transferred from USCIS to NVC, you can start calling NVC to get your HCM number. Call in the morning US time when they just open so you don't have to wait for hours on the phone.

Once you get your HCM, you can check on CEAC website to see when your application leaves NVC for US Embassy in Vietnam.

3. DS-160 and UStravel:

I would argue that once you have your HCM number, you should start submitting DS-160 form and pay the visa fee so that you can see the available interview dates on USTravel website. We didn't pay the visa fee but only rely on the earliest interview date available (29 Oct 2014), which was a mistake because it turned out that other people were taking up all other dates in Nov without us knowing. So now we're stuck with 29 Oct 2014 which is really early for us because we do not have all the documents ready (the police record 2 to be specific). Today they just opened interview dates in Dec but that's too late for us so we will just stick with 29 Oct and see how it goes.

If you want to get the visa asap, keep this in mind because the interview dates get snatched up fast/are limited. There are only about 8 to 10 dates and only about 2 slots available for each date in Dec.

4. Medical exam and vaccination:

After getting your package 3, do your vaccination first at HCM quarantine center even though on the US Embassy website said go to your medical exam first. The medical exam people expect you to have your vaccination first and if not you'll have to come back to the medical exam again to submit the vaccination form.

You can go to the quarantine center the day before and get a queue number so you dont have to wait too long for your turn the next day. I was perplexed at first because I was one of the first tens to get there and I still get a number 79 and had to wait for 3 hours for my turn. If you dont have any record, they will draw blood and do test but we think it's more simple to just get all the shots again beforehand. I started to get my vaccinations about 6 months ago (Hep A&B takes 6-7 months for 3 shots, MMR, Tdap, Varicella).

Once you get the yellow vaccination form, go for the medical exam. Having gone to Cho Ray, I think you should go to IOM. At Cho Ray if you do some additional tests (eyes, ultrasound etc) you will have to go to another department in the hospital, or worse, a clinic outside. In this case you have to compete with all other patients from outside and it's just a long, agonizing wait. If you have had surgery or other hospitalization documents, bring them along as the doctor might need it.

Also at the moment, you have to submit some 3x4 photos but they have to be international 3x4 size, which is bigger than the normal 3x4. Go to the shops in district 1 coz they're more familiar with those sizes.

They can send the medical exam result back to your address so even if you're not from HCMC, you dont have to worry about whether you have allocate enough time to wait in HCMC. I did my exam on Tue, submitted vaccination form on Thu and got the result delivered to my house in HCMC the following Wed. It could take more time if you're from other provinces.

Will post more if there's any thing interesting from my interview. Cheers!

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

The deliver the results to the home address?! My fiance lives in Sapa, so obviously HCMC is quite the hike and we were planning on just doing an extended 2 week stay or so in HCMC before the interview in order to do the medical and vaccinations with plenty of time to go. So they'll send it there, or will the send it to a hotel in HCMC?

Also, as far as the vaccinations....The still give the visa after the initial shots correct? You can get the followup shots (HEP A, etc) once you arrive in the US right?

I-129F Sent: 9-19-2014

I-129F Received: 9-23-2014

NOA1 - 9-26-2014

ARN Change Notification: 9-29-2014

NOA2 - 5-1-2015

Case sent to NVC - 5-11-2015

NVC Received - 5-19-2015

Medical/Immunizations - 6-3-2015

Interview Approved - 8-5-2015

POI: IAD 8-28-2015

SSN: 10-19-2015

Wedding: 10-24-2015

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The deliver the results to the home address?! My fiance lives in Sapa, so obviously HCMC is quite the hike and we were planning on just doing an extended 2 week stay or so in HCMC before the interview in order to do the medical and vaccinations with plenty of time to go. So they'll send it there, or will the send it to a hotel in HCMC?

Also, as far as the vaccinations....The still give the visa after the initial shots correct? You can get the followup shots (HEP A, etc) once you arrive in the US right?

I am not so familiar with the new system but my wife went to IMO for medical exam and she went back to pick her medical results on the same day ( This was in December 2013). It could take more days depending on the schedule they have. You can ask them if you can pick it up instead of waiting them to send home.

You can get all your followup shots once she arrives in the US after initial shots.

New Journey AOS:

My fiancee came to US on the 8th of March, 2014 under K-1 visa at Newark, NJ Airport for POE.

Applied Social Security Number on the 10 of March, 2014.

Married on the 13th of March, 2014.

Sent I-485, I-765, and I-131 on the 15th of March, 2014.

Received EAD on June 7, 2014.

Received Notice of Potential Interview Waiver on July 1, 2014 date 6/27

Contacted Ombudsman on 01/12/2015.

Ombudsman contacted USCIS on 02/20/2015.

Ombudsman sent a follow up to USCIS on 03/18/2015.

I-485 approved on 03/31/2015 ( we ordered your card).

Welcome notice was mailed on 04/01/2015.

Received Welcome Notice on 04/08/2015.

Card was mailed to me/picked up by USPS on 04/08/2015.

Received GC on 4/10/2015.

Prediction 04/08/2015

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

I am not so familiar with the new system but my wife went to IMO for medical exam and she went back to pick her medical results on the same day ( This was in December 2013). It could take more days depending on the schedule they have. You can ask them if you can pick it up instead of waiting them to send home.

You can get all your followup shots once she arrives in the US after initial shots.

Awesome, thanks!

I-129F Sent: 9-19-2014

I-129F Received: 9-23-2014

NOA1 - 9-26-2014

ARN Change Notification: 9-29-2014

NOA2 - 5-1-2015

Case sent to NVC - 5-11-2015

NVC Received - 5-19-2015

Medical/Immunizations - 6-3-2015

Interview Approved - 8-5-2015

POI: IAD 8-28-2015

SSN: 10-19-2015

Wedding: 10-24-2015

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The deliver the results to the home address?! My fiance lives in Sapa, so obviously HCMC is quite the hike and we were planning on just doing an extended 2 week stay or so in HCMC before the interview in order to do the medical and vaccinations with plenty of time to go. So they'll send it there, or will the send it to a hotel in HCMC?

Also, as far as the vaccinations....The still give the visa after the initial shots correct? You can get the followup shots (HEP A, etc) once you arrive in the US right?

Why HCMC? The official embassy is in Hanoi and can conduct interviews as well.

Btw, IOM will not deliver the medical exam results to your home; only Cho Ray will. If you have the medical exam at IOM, the results will need to be picked up in person.

Edited by frontgear
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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

Why HCMC? The official embassy is in Hanoi and can conduct interviews as well.

What? The Hanoi embassy does not process immigrant visas from what I understand. Only non-immigrant. Plus there are no medical locations you can use in Hanoi.

I-129F Sent: 9-19-2014

I-129F Received: 9-23-2014

NOA1 - 9-26-2014

ARN Change Notification: 9-29-2014

NOA2 - 5-1-2015

Case sent to NVC - 5-11-2015

NVC Received - 5-19-2015

Medical/Immunizations - 6-3-2015

Interview Approved - 8-5-2015

POI: IAD 8-28-2015

SSN: 10-19-2015

Wedding: 10-24-2015

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

"Birth Certificates: Copy and original birth certificates of the petitioner and each person listed on the

application are required."
Is this also new? You used to be able to provide all pages of your passport instead of your birth certificate (for the petitioner).
How do you change the location of the interview/medical? Phone call?

I-129F Sent: 9-19-2014

I-129F Received: 9-23-2014

NOA1 - 9-26-2014

ARN Change Notification: 9-29-2014

NOA2 - 5-1-2015

Case sent to NVC - 5-11-2015

NVC Received - 5-19-2015

Medical/Immunizations - 6-3-2015

Interview Approved - 8-5-2015

POI: IAD 8-28-2015

SSN: 10-19-2015

Wedding: 10-24-2015

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You are correct on the K-1 interviews. They are only conducted in HCMC. My bad.

The requirement for the petitioner's BC has always been there, but they didn't ask for my birth certificate or passport. There have been several revisions of the K-1 instructions but, IIRC, the BC requirement has always been there.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

You are correct on the K-1 interviews. They are only conducted in HCMC. My bad.

The requirement for the petitioner's BC has always been there, but they didn't ask for my birth certificate or passport. There have been several revisions of the K-1 instructions but, IIRC, the BC requirement has always been there.

Oh, maybe that requirement was only for the I-294F and not the interview, which would be odd? I guess I'll call them and find out what will be acceptable since I'd need to get an official copy sent to me.

I-129F Sent: 9-19-2014

I-129F Received: 9-23-2014

NOA1 - 9-26-2014

ARN Change Notification: 9-29-2014

NOA2 - 5-1-2015

Case sent to NVC - 5-11-2015

NVC Received - 5-19-2015

Medical/Immunizations - 6-3-2015

Interview Approved - 8-5-2015

POI: IAD 8-28-2015

SSN: 10-19-2015

Wedding: 10-24-2015

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

What is the I-294F?

I-129F sorry

I-129F Sent: 9-19-2014

I-129F Received: 9-23-2014

NOA1 - 9-26-2014

ARN Change Notification: 9-29-2014

NOA2 - 5-1-2015

Case sent to NVC - 5-11-2015

NVC Received - 5-19-2015

Medical/Immunizations - 6-3-2015

Interview Approved - 8-5-2015

POI: IAD 8-28-2015

SSN: 10-19-2015

Wedding: 10-24-2015

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Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Vietnam
Timeline

Interview is in ho chi minh but you can now do medical exams and vaccination in hanoi, as stated in the instruction. Maybe call to see if they deliver.

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  • 2 months later...
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
Timeline

4. Medical exam and vaccination:

After getting your package 3, do your vaccination first at HCM quarantine center even though on the US Embassy website said go to your medical exam first. The medical exam people expect you to have your vaccination first and if not you'll have to come back to the medical exam again to submit the vaccination form.

You can go to the quarantine center the day before and get a queue number so you dont have to wait too long for your turn the next day. I was perplexed at first because I was one of the first tens to get there and I still get a number 79 and had to wait for 3 hours for my turn. If you dont have any record, they will draw blood and do test but we think it's more simple to just get all the shots again beforehand. I started to get my vaccinations about 6 months ago (Hep A&B takes 6-7 months for 3 shots, MMR, Tdap, Varicella).

My fiance and I just received our NOA 1 and are trying to cut down on time as well. She has already requested her police record number 2 and household registration book, four visa photos, all necessary copies of identification card, passport and birth certificate. I'll bring my visa photos, passport and birth certificate when I return to VN, since I plan on being there for the interview.

My question to you is, how did you know to specifically get the Hepatitis A&B, MMR, Tdap and Varicella vaccinations? I know we'll still have to go to the Quarantine Services and pay the fees, but this is fine for us. I just don't want my fiance to have to undergo so many shots at one time, if it can be prevented and spread out over a few months, while we're waiting for our case to proceed.

K-1 Timeline

2015-01-04 :Submitted I-129F to Lewisville, TX Lockbox via USPS

2015-01-06 :Received delivery confirmation from USPS and routed to the USCIS California Service Center

2015-01-08 :NOA-1 (Received by text and email)

2015-01-12 :NOA-1 (Received official Receipt Notice)

2015-01-15 :Fiancée applied for single status certificate

2015-01-20 :Fiancée got household registration Book (Ho Khau)

2015-01-20 :Fiancée applied for Police Certificate #2 and received it the same day! Without coffee money!

2015-01-25 :Fiancée received her single status certificate

2015-01-30 :NOA-2 (Received approval in 22 days by text and email)

2015-02-04 :NOA-2 (Received official approval, Form I-797)

2015-02-17 :NVC received case

2015-02-18 :Received HCM# from NVC and case sent to Consulate
2015-02-21 :Submitted DS-160 form printed out confirmation barcode
2015-02-21 :Created online account on ustraveldocs.com/vn
2015-02-24 :Consulate Received
2015-02-24 :Paid visa fee $265
2015-02-24 :Mailed DS-160, copy of passport and 2 passport photos
2015-02-25 :Scheduled K-1 interview
2015-03-03 :Packet 3 Received, but my fiancée's name was misspelled
2015-03-03 :Did online inquiry to fix misspelled name
2015-03-15 :Correct spelling was fixed in the Consulate's system
2015-03-18 :Received updated Packet 3 with named spelled correctly
2015-03-18 :Scheduled medical exam @ Cho Ray Hospital
2015-03-26 :Medical exam and vaccinations completed
2015-04-07 :Received results from Cho Ray
2015-05-07 :Arrived in SG with I-134 and supporting documentation
2015-05-08 :Attending K-1 interview with my fiancee and she passed
2015-05-28 :Arrived at LAX and made it through customs without any problems
2015-06-06 :Got married!
2015-06-18 :Applied for SS card
2015-06-25 :Received SS card with her married name
AOS Timeline
2015-09-16 :Mailed AOS package to USCIS Chicago Lockbox
2015-09-18 :USPS delivered to Chicago Lockbox at 6:16 am
2015-09-22 :Received notification of AOS package via text and email
2015-09-24 :Check for AOS was cashed
2015-09-26 :Received three separate NOA-1 for forms I-485, I-131 and I-765
2015-10-05 :Received Biometrics appointment letter for the 14th of October @ 10 am
2015-10-14 :Completed Biometrics without any incidents
2015-11-18 :Received USCIS email/text update showing approval for I-131 and I-765 forms
2015-11-23 :Received USCIS Form I-797 in the mail
2015-11-24 :Received USCIS email/text update showing EAD/AP combo card mailed out
2016-02-19 :Received Learner's Permit from NV DMV
2016-03-18 :Received USCIS email/text update scheduling appointment for April 19th
2016-04-14 :Started working @ first job in the U.S.

2016-04-19 :Passed AOS interview

2016-04-20 :Green card being made.

2016-04-28 :Green card arrived in mail.

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Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Vietnam
Timeline

There's a recommended adult immunization schedule from CDC. I think they have a link from the hcmc consulate website. Theres also a vietnamese forum called webtretho, people there said there was some paper posted on some door that specified which vaccines you need but i didnt see any when I was there in nov 2014. I was born in 1987 so according to the ds-3025 form i recieved afterwards, i only needed Tdap, MMR, varicella, and influenza. But i actually need hep a and b for school here in the US so i got them anyway.

If you want to make sure, I would suggest going straight to the quarantine center and ask. They're extremely busy so phone doesnt work well. Go around 11am in the morning when its less busy so they're less grumpy :).

The thing is even though hep a/b is not compulsory on cdc's document and not recorded on my ds-3025, it seems from the webtretho forum that a lot of women my age were given hep a/b by the quarantine center. And even though i already had a Tdap shot, the quarantine center still gave me a tetanus shot which later i found out was not recorded in my ds-3025 form, ie it actually wasn't needed? Weird and shady.

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