thminh86

Hello everyone, after a long journey through the IR-1/CR-1 process, my wife is currently waiting for her citizenship interview letter (N400). The tricky thing is that this semester, she needs to go to graduate school in a different state for about 3 months. We are very confused about this and don't know how to proceed from here.

Does she need to correct her address to reflect this temporary change of address? Is going to graduate school considered moving?

She's going back here after the semester ends so it feels very silly to change the physical address twice and have the application transferred to another district then just to have it transferred back here... We just want to do this by the book and keep this as simple as possible.

Thank you for the support from VJ! My wife's interview date has been schedule for the end of March.

As excited as we are about the date, many questions loomed into our mind about the interview. First of all, is it necessary for her to have all the original documents/evidence (such as receipts, bills for weddings and occassion)? We are thinking about having those documents sent back to VN before interview, but we dont want to lose those documents. We want to send it only if necessary.

Then we thought about the question of whether I (the petitioner) should be there for the interview. I want to be there, but that week school is still in session. How important it is for me to be there at the interview? Would it help speed up the visa approval process?

Thanks for your advice! We need that haha. In fact, we are working on it at the moment im typing this up. I hear what you say about the Police Cert. How come the NVC says they require it right now? Im a bit confused.

We are worried about the income requirement. I met the income requirement for the last 2 years that I worked (22000+) but the 3rd most recent tax return I didnt file. Would I need a joint sponsor then?

How do you obtain a police certificate in Vietnam? My wife and I are a bit confused. I thought it is issued by the So Tu Phap (Department of Justince) at her place, which is Saigon right? Also she lived in the US for about 6 years for school. Do I contact the local police for the report in US?

First, I'd like to thanks VisaJourney for all the helpful information and the wonderful advise from everyone up here that helped me get through the first stage of the process. I got my Notice of Action today!!! My application has been sent to the NVC after exactly 3 months! (4/27 receipt, 7/27 NOA)

During our excitement, my wife and I went to look up what we are about to go through next. We got an idea, but still very cloudy and confused! I'd like to hear everyone's experience with this next stage for the paperwork at the NVC. We don't know if the DS-3032 will appoint an agent, and who this agent should be? (me the hubby or the consulate in Vietnam, etc?)

What about the civil documents required from my wife in Vietnam? This is really important because the Vietnamese paperwork can be hellishly long. The Police Report, what is that? My wife lived in the US from 18-24years old, then she moved back to Vietnam from 24-26yo (which is current). How many police report do we need? And where do we get them?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Minh & Ngoc

Hi there, I filed tax today and the tax person told me to put down that I am married and put my wife in there. She does have a social security even though she is not a us citizen or currrently living in the US. Now I am a bit iffy after that happen... Am I supposed to list her in my tax return? If I do, how do I do it? I already filed it and now I am a bit worried. I would really appreciate some inputs.

Hello everybody, I am assembling my I-130 package, and I know that documents are supposed to be hole punched at top using ACCO fastener like the USCIS request. Divider should be bottom tab for easy storage. However, I have some difficulties regarding my photos and chat logs. We have about 700 hundreds photos to send in and about 3400 chat log pages. They are HUGE, and I dont know how to organize these.

I already asked this in one of the other forums, but they redirected me back to over here for more accurate answer. I am thinking of sending in just a fraction of what I have right now, and bring the rest in later. But I heard opposing opinions about this matter. Some said I should send in everything, while other said representation is good enough. I know that the consulate in HMC is also a lot tougher than others.

I would really appreciate some input. Thanks!!

Hello everybody, I am assembling my I-130 package, and I know that documents are supposed to be hole punched at top using ACCO fastener like the USCIS request. Divider should be bottom tab for easy storage. However, I have some difficulties regarding my photos and chat logs. We have about 700 hundreds photos to send in and about 3400 chat log pages. They are HUGE, and I dont know how to organize these.

Can anyone show me? Thanks!!

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I got on the forums. Hope all are doing well.

I got a few questions about the IR1/CR1 process because the guides on Visajourney is a bit different from Department of State and USCIS website.

- Visa Journey included evidence of bona fide marriage as a must now. Is there any official information on that so I can prepare better for the process? Our wedding is in Jan, and if there is anything we should keep, we want to make sure we keep it. I tried finding the official document on this but USCIS doesn't have any .

- I-864 or Affidavit of Support isn't turned in with I-130, but rather afterwards? I thought this was weird. I am making enough money to be a sponsor, but only 2 year recent, and it's self-employed. I don't know how good this would look either. Does anyone have any information on this?

- What is form OF-169 and OF-230 for Vietnam and where can I get it?

I know that is a lot of questions to ask. Thank you so much for helping me!!

Hello everyone, it's me again.

I was planning on going back to VN for the summer to do Marriage Certificate over there. Then have the Dam Hoi and wedding in December. I always thought it was very easy and simple. Just get everything ready, pay their fees, and everything done.

Then I heard from someone in the forum today about the process of getting Marriage Certificate in VN. He it is quite complicated and time consuming. It can take up to 30 days to return paperwork. The government actually ask for wedding picture there before giving the marriage certificate. This would mean that I have to change my timeline completely.

Can some share with me their experience on this matter of Affidavit of Single Status and Marriage Certificate in Vietnam?

Thank you so much for helping me out!

Minh

Hello everyone,

Thank you for all the response with my other thread. As confused as I am about the process, I hope that I can get a couple more questions answered by the veterans of the forum.

So my wedding plan is: Dam Hoi in June. Marriage Certificate in July/August. Wedding in December.

Originally I wanted to turn in I-130 as soon as I get back from VN this summer with the Marriage Cert. But I heard that it is better to wait until after the wedding and turn in wedding proof. As much as I want to see my future wife asap , that argument makes much more sense. However, I don't know what to turn in. I did not know that the USCIS look at picture and video tapes. I thought that they do those at the interview in Vietnam. Can someone tell me what I should include from the wedding to go with my I-130 form?

Another thing I am fuzzy about is the tax return. A relative's friend, who is an immigration lawyer, told me that only 1 year of tax return is needed. And I have also seen that out on the net. However, the form I-864 and the information on the forum said that I need 3 years back. When did the change occur? Also if that is true, does that mean I HAVE to get 3 years of tax return? Or do I have to get sponsorship from another relative to be sure?

I know it is a lot to ask, but if anyone who has gone through the process of IR1/CR1 successfully can post their experience on those 2 issues, it would help me out a great deal.

Thank you VisaJourney members.

You also need to get documentation approval from the VN Embassy here in the US to marry a VN National.

http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular_services/marry_a_vietnamese/

Other members can guide you who have done this recently. Procedures have changed since I went through it.

Good Luck!

Oh this is new to me. I checked out the website. So from what I am understanding, I need:

- Marriage Application

- Certificate of No Marriage Record

- Affidavit of Single Status

- Medical Certificate (from a psychiatrist)

- Bio Info Sheet

and turn those into the VN Embassy in Washington DC.

Then bring the paperwork back to VN along with passport and get a Marriage Certificate at the government agency in Vietnam (So Tu Phap).

Also on my fiance's side, she needs:

- Birth Cert

- Vietnamese Passport

- Medical paperwork (redone by Vietnamese agency for both of us)

- VNese version of affidavit of single status for her

Is that correct?

Thank you in advance for checking out and helping me out on this. It would be pretty soon (end of May) that I leave for Vietnam, so I will get started on those Affidavit of Single Status and Certificate of No Marriage Record. If someone can help point out the way, it would help me a great great deal! :-)

Hello everyone,

About the engagement, she said yes to my proposal, but we haven't had a Dam Hoi yet. So that is what we are planning on doing in May-July. We also are thinking of the option of having Dam Hoi right before wedding in Dec.

So far, from what is being suggested, Dam Hoi has to be before the Marriage Cert. Then after that is the wedding.

I have 3 months available in summer, so we thought of getting Dam Hoi and Marriage Cert done in summer. Then December is reserved for wedding. Would that be ok? Scottythuy asked if it is an option to get Marriage Cert in December. I am wondering if that is absolutely necessary. December is a small window of time for all of that to happen. :-( We are hoping to get the wedding that we dreamed of, and it would take some time to prepare too.

Also, I am wondering about the time to turn in the I-130. I am going to get the marriage certificate in Summer and have a Dam Hoi then. But the wedding is in December. Would it be wise to wait until after the wedding to turn in the I-130? Or can I turn it in after my summer trip and have the wedding info ready to provide if they ask? I believe that is the proof of Bona Fide marriage part.

Thank you all for your kind replies.

IR1/CR1 was our original choice, and from the new info, we are going to stick with it.

@JimVaPhuong: I am a student so I tried to go back twice a year, 3-4 weeks in summer and 5-6 weeks in winter for the last 2 years. Occasional quick visit while she was sick. We are planning on a Dam Hoi in May and a big wedding in Dec with my parents coming from the US to attend. I think that is good enough.

@YuAndDanI made about 25k last year as a self-employed tutor who works with various students. I am not sure how this would factor in when I file for support. I am thinking of getting my uncle sponsor for us. He lives in Oregon, while I'm in CA. Would that be of any disadvantages? Also, how do you think I should prove my future financial income?

Thank you for all your responses.

I have read the comparison, and I believe that the IR1/CR1 is the best way to go. I just want to make sure that I am making the right choice regarding this issue.

I saw a couple of lawyers around my area, and they all told me that the K1 and K3 has a high denial rate, so it isn't worth it.

Another of my concern is that I only started making money for a year, and the IR1/CR1 process requires 3 years. Has anyone has experience with this before?

Hello everyone,

I just got engaged to my fiance in Vietnam, and we have known each other for about 10 years since high school. She went to the US for a bachelor degree, but went back to VN after her student visa ended. So now she is in VN, and I am in the US. Before proceed with our weddings, we are wondering what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the visa types.

We are considering either K-1, K-3 or IR1/CR1 Visa, but we are not sure of the success rate and the comparative risk of all procedures. My time window is also very small, I can only go back to VN for visit 2 months at a time at most (twice a year max).

Right now, we want to get married, then apply for IR1/CR1, but I heard that it can be faster to obtain K1, or K3. I also heard that K1 and K3 get denied very easily these days. We want to see each other as soon as possible, but also want to make sure that everything goes smoothly. Can anyone tell us the general success rate of each procedures?

Thank you very much!!