tanstaafl

The "timeline" is something that is frequently requested on a blue slip issued at the end of the interview, but most VJ members with SO's in Vietnam know about it, and many like to have it ready so they can either try to submit it at the interview, or at least be able to submit it quickly if it's requested on a blue slip. Some people even frontload their petition with the timeline.
Anyway, the blue slip request reads like this:


PETITIONER: In a sworn, notarized statement, please provide a detailed chronology (timeline) of your relationship. Please explain clearly when and how you first met, how you were introduced and when you began corresponding with each other, when you felt your relationship became serious, date and circumstance of marriage proposal (location, time, place, situation, setting, etc...). Did spouse/fiance(e) propose in person or by phone? Where were you when s/he proposed (give exact location)? Did you accept immediately or ask for time to think about it? If s/he did not officially propose, when did you first discuss marriage? How many trips did you make to Vietnam to visit your spouse/fiance(e)? How many times have you seen him/her in total? How long did you stay each visit? Please give as many details as possible.

My wife's interview is April 28. I found the following list quite long but helpful and would like to share it with all of you to be interviewed in the future.
Petitioners Biography
Biographical Information
Who is the petitioner?
Who is petitioning you?
What is your SO’s full name?
Can you write it or spell it for me.
Has s/he used any other names?
Where does your SO live?
What is your SO’s address?
What is your SO’s phone number?
How old is your SO?
What is your SO’s birth date?
Where was your SO born?
Family Information
Are your SO’s parents alive?
Where do your SO’s parents live?
What are is your SO’s parents address?
What are your SO's parents (step parents) names?
What does your SO’s father do?
Have you met your SO’s parents?
Have you talked with your SO’s parents on the phone?
How do you get along with your SO’s parents?
Do your SO’s parents approve of your relationship?
Does your SO have any brothers or sisters?
What are your SO’s brothers and/or sisters names?
Where do your SO’s brothers and/or sisters live?
Have you met your SO’s brothers/sisters?
Have you talked with your SO’s brothers/sisters on the phone?
How do you get along with your SO’s brothers/sisters?
Was your SO married before?
How long was your SO married before?
How many times was your SO married before?
When were your SO’s divorces?
When was your SO’s last divorce?
Did you know that your SO was divorced in 199-?
What are the names of your SO’s exes?
Where do your SO’s exes live?
Does your SO have any children?
Does this matter to you?
Will there be a problem with your SO’s children from another relationship?
How many children does your SO have?
What are your SO’s children’s names?
Have you met your SO’s children?
Have you talked with your SO’s children on the phone?
How do you get along with your SO's children?
Who has custody of your SO’s children?
Will you be a good parent to your SO's children?
Employment Information
What does your SO do for a living?
What is the name of the company that your SO works for?
What is your SO’s job title at the company that he/she works for?
How long has your SO worked for the company that he works for?
Where did your SO work in the past and for how long?
Financial Information
Does your SO own or rent their home?
How much money does your SO earn?
Educational Information
How much education does your SO have?
Which university did your SO graduate from?
What kind of degree does your SO have?
Which subjects has your SO studied?
Religious and Additional Information

What color are your SO's eyes?
What color is your SO's hair?
How tall is your SO?
How much does your SO weigh?
What is your SO's favorite food?
What are your fiance’s hobbies and interests?
What is your SO's religious background?
Does your SO speak and understand your language?
Does your SO have any medical issues?
Does you SO have any pets?
What kind of pets does your SO have?
What are your SO's pets names?
Please tell me more about your SO.
Beneficiaries Biography
Has your SO met your parents?
How do your parents get along with your SO?
Do your parents approve of your relationship?
Has your SO met your sisters/brothers?
How do your sisters/brothers get along with your SO?
Do your sisters/brothers approve of your relationship?
Have you been married before?
Do you have children?
Has your SO met your children?
How do your children get along with your SO?
What is your religious background?
What do you do for a living?
Where do you work?
What are your hobbies and interests?
Do you speak and understand your fiance(e)’s language?
Have you been in the military?
Talk about your experience in the military.
Have you ever traveled overseas before?
How many times have you traveled overseas?
What countries have you been to in your travels overseas?
How long have you been in each place you have been overseas?
Are you a terrorist?
Did you prepare the forms for your petition/visa yourself?
Relationship
Meeting

How did you first meet your SO?
When did you first meet your SO?
Where did you first meet your SO?
How long have you known your SO?
How long have you been corresponding with your SO?
Correspondence
How do you communicate with your SO?
How often do you communicate with your SO?
What language do you use to communicate with your SO?
How many times a day do you talk to your SO on the phone?
How many times do you and your SO talk on the phone each month?
Have you sent gifts to your SO?
What did you send to your SO?
Has your SO sent gifts to you?
What did your SO send to you?
What do you and your SO talk about on the phone?
Meeting in Person
How many times have you and your SO met?
When was the last time you and your SO were together?
How long were you and your SO together the last time?
How long were you and your SO together any other time(s)?
What are the exact dates of your SO’s visit(s)?
How long did your SO stay each visit?
What did you do when your SO came?
Where did you go when your SO came??
Do you have pictures of you and your SO together.
Who else is in the pictures of you and your SO together?
What are you doing in the pictures of you and your SO together?
When were the pictures of you and your SO taken together?
Personal Information
Why did you want to marry your SO?
Do you love your SO?
What do you love about your SO?
What do you have in common with your SO?
What made you decide to use the internet to find a SO?
Were you talking to a lot of men on the internet before you met your SO?
Do you still talk to men on the internet?
Why would you choose to marry so much older/younger than you?
Marriage / Children
When did you become engaged to your SO?
Where did you get engaged to your SO?
Did you have an engagement ceremony/party?
Where was your engagement ceremony/party?
When was your engagement ceremony/party?
Who was at your engagement ceremony/party?
Was any of your SO’s family at your engagement ceremony/party?
Why weren't any of your SO’s family at your engagement ceremony/party??
Do you and your SO have any wedding plans made?
What are your wedding plans?
When do you plan to get married to your SO?
Where do you plan to get married to your SO?
Does your family plan to attend your wedding?
Does your SO’s family plan to attend your wedding?
When were you and your SO married?
Did you have a wedding ceremony?
Where was your wedding held at?
Please describe your wedding ceremony.
Do you want children?
Does your SO want children?
Life In the US
Why do you want to come to the United States?
When do you plan on entering the United States?
Where do you plan to live in the United States?
Do you plan to stay in the United States forever?
Do you have any relatives/friends in the United States?
Where do your relatives/friends live in the United States?
Have you ever been to the United States?
Have you ever lived in the United States?
When did you live in the United States?
How long did you live in the United States
Where did you live in the United States?
What do you plan to do once you are in the US?
Do you plan to work in the US?
Do you plan to study in the US?
Trick Question
Interviewer: What do you want me to do
Beneficiary: Give me that K-1(3) visa so that I can go to the United States and be with the person I love.
Interviewer: Are you sure?
Beneficiary: Very sure.

Advice For Your Interview


The following information may not apply to all Embassies/Consulates .. it is just a general guideline
1. Do not volunteer information. For most questions, the shorter and more direct the answers are, the shorter the interview and the higher the chance of success. If the question is a yes or no question, give yes or no answers only. If the question is a simple question like "What is your name?" answer simply with your name.
2. If you do not know the answer to a question, do not lie. Say, "I don't know the answer to that at this time." or "I don't remember."
3. The answer to many questions will be in the papers that were sent in the petitions. Questions like, "what are your husband's parent's names". They will expect you to know the information given in your petitions. Review everything in your paperwork with your wife before her interview, and do a mock interview to see how the information may be applied.
4. Avoid saying "I think . . .". Women do this a lot. The examiner will expect you to know not be unsure, of your answers. Also, avoid adding "umm", "you know" and "ahh" type fillers to your speech.
5. When applicable, don't just state, demonstrate. If the examiner asks a question that can be answered with a document or photograph(s), provide it along with your answer.
For example, if the examiner asks, "What does your family think of your husband?", give them a picture or two with your answer; "They like him very much. Here is a picture of him with my mother and father at my parent's home."
Or, "How many attended your wedding?" Answer, "(give a number, then say) We have some lovely wedding photos of our guests having fun. Here are a few that I can show you."
6. Give American answers for dates and times. 12/24/07, not 24/12/07.
7. Dress well, but not overdressed.
8. Try to appear calm, well organized, and friendly. Nervousness raises suspicions.
9. Remain focused. If the examiner makes jokes, smile and enjoy, but do not make jokes too.
10. Make proper eye contact when conversing with the examiner, and try to control your own facial expressions so that your face remains pleasant and cordial.
11. Be audible so that your examiner doesn't have to ask you to repeat your answers.
12. Organize your papers in a way that will allow you to retrieve them easily and quickly. Examiners appreciate order and someone who doesn't waste their time.
13. When the interview is over, always ask for the results. "What should I now tell my husband about my visa status after our interview?" Before you leave, have them explain any papers they give to you and/or any procedures they will be taking to complete your case. Try to get the examiner's name for future reference, if needed. Write it down.
14. If the interview is in another city than the one you live in, arrive a day or two early to complete biometrics and get the results of your medical exam.
15. Arrive early to the consulate, but also be prepared to wait for a time past your scheduled interview appointment time. Be careful of thieves around the consulate if you have to carry cash. Bring ID; you cannot enter without it.
16. It is rare for the consulate to give you a visa on the spot. Be prepared to return for it or have it delivered to you, if approved.
17. Many Embassies/Consulates do not allow cell phones or food inside. Eat well before your interview and be prepared to leave your cell phone outside.
For the interview, your SO should bring everything listed in the document sent from your embassy/consulate. As well you need to include the following.
1. Original marriage documents, translations and certifications.
2. Formal, long form birth certificate.
3. Copies of any divorce records or death decrees of former SO(s).
4. Passport, with an expiration date of no earlier than 6 months. Try to have more than 6 months before expiration.
5. Police certificate with "Nothing" written on it, indicating no criminal record
6. Fingerprints (consulate will instruct you regarding how, when and where these will be taken). There is a separate fee for this at some embassies/consulates.
7. Medical exam results (consulate will instruct you regarding how, when and where this will be taken). There is a fee for this. Make sure you get a copy from the medical examiner.
8. Passport type photos of each of you. (consulate will instruct you regarding these)

Advice for Seminars in Manila



- Get there early. They have limited slots for the session times they have. She got there 9:45 and got the last slot for the 10AM session


- No need to bring your brown envelope, you know - the DO NOT OPEN envelope you get from the Embassy after your interview. Some people had them in hand.

- Bring Passport, make sure you photocopy the passport and visa. Photocopy also the following: NBI clearance, Birth Certificate and CENOMAR. Bring some pictures of you and your fiance together. I read here that some people were asked to show these. Joan was never asked for any of the above except for her passport and visa photocopies.

- No need to bring passport pictures. They take your pictures before the seminar

- We went to PRISM which was close to CFO building so it was easy to get from one to the other to get the sticker after the seminar. Joan noticed there were some who came from St Mary's in QC to get their sticker at CFO. So we're not sure that they were giving stickers at St Mary's too or you still need to get it at CFO. If that's the case then PRISM is a lot closer.

- Bring valid picture ID. They need one in exchange for a visitor's ID at CFO

- Be sure your fiance knows your Address, phone number, Educational background, Year of Migration (if Naturalized), Mother's maiden name of USC,

- One on one counseling wasn't too harsh or bad as I've read. They asked the following questions:

> How, When and Where we met

> USC's Educational Background

> Do we have kids?

> Do you really love him?

> Are you ready for life in the U.S.

Then she was just given advice on what to do if problems arise in the marriage.

The PDOS took 2 hours and 15 minutes. There's a film showing, then you're grouped by destination and given advice and instructions as a group. The one on one counseling followed.

The CFO sticker took another 2 hours. It may be because we went straight there after the 10AM PDOS and it was lunch hour and CFO. I'm still baffled why it takes 2 hours to put a sticker on her passport but oh well... we're done. I suggest you download the PDF application online and fill it up before going to CFO. That way you're ready and don't waste time when you're there.