No name 88

You're failing to understand the application process for applying for a TIN. What I gave you was the facts. There are few Accepting Agents anywhere in the world. Since the IRS increased the requirements of needing certified copies, few eligible organizations have applied and been accepted as Accepting Agents. Governmental "certified copies" are not certified copies for the purpose of applying for a TIN. This has to be done at either an IRS field office that provides the service or with an Accepting Agent. Some embassies provide the service but it is few and far between. Many folks end up sending an original identifying document now.

Yes, it's a pain in the butt. That's why most folks here file married separate.

Bottom line for anyone getting an appropriate certified copy recognized by the IRS, you only need the BIO page. I know because I work for an entity which is an Accepting Agent.

I challenge find an accepting agent in SE Asia; I'll pay you for the service. I'm glad you work for an accepting agent in the US; it doesn't help any of us in Vietnam.

Go to the IRS page for accepting agents and click on any country in southeast Asia. It's blank. There are no accepting agents. They don't even come up in a search. The IRS accepts certified government copies from the office that issued the document; it's right on the IRS web site. There's a bunch of VJ members from Vietnam that did it last year. The problem is the government offices in Vietnam are not computerized and most are clueless when you ask for a certified copy. They keep giving me notarized copies and every office you walk in has it's own weird rules. It seems to luck and how deep your pockets are that dictates whether you can get a certified copy.

"blatant" If someone provides wrong information just correct it. No need to be condescending. I say at least 5 wrong things a day and so do you.

The IRS office in Fairfield, NJ told me on the phone that putting NPR on a return was no longer acceptable due to a policy change for 2014. Maybe that is bull and they just told me that to prompt me to get an ITIN. They also told me to file as MFJ, MFS or head of the household which apparently I can do because of my Expat status. I'm getting the ITIN and filing MFJ as I'll be eligible for zero tax liability this year and want to do things on the up and up.

In 2006 I was audited, I had filed late without an extension. The result was the IRS owing me money; I think it was a few dollars. The close out letter said I was exempt from an audit for the 2005 and 2007 tax years. I just re-read it so I don't know what to tell you; maybe I'm not understanding what that means I hadn't even filed 2007 at the time.

I get it that filing single when married is illegal. It's felony misrepresentation with a penalty of 3 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Doing an online search I can find many people charged with this for filling married when they are fact single but I can't find anyone being charged for filing single when they are married. Are they really going to throw you in prison for paying too much tax? To me it seems like they are getting free money by letting married people file single and not enforcing this. Being that many VJ posters said they filed single and many accountants will tell you to do the same I'm guessing this is a non issue. If they made it easier for a nonresident alien spouse to get an ITIN this wouldn't even be a question.

You cannot submit anything not certified. You did not need to send a copy of the cover. The BIO pge has all that you need. Feel free to send copy of national card as long as the image is certified by an Accepting Agent.

Your failing to understand Vietnam specifics. There are no accepting agents in South East Asia. In Vietnam you get a copy of the passport and the copy will have the books cover which is cut out and stapled to make a little book with a lot of little red stamps on it. I tried to get a certified copy and got back a translation in which the translator was certified and not the copy.

I tried to do this at the embassy but they only provide notarized copies.

If they want you to do this they could have made it easy.

You can not file single if you are married yet people do this all the time in immigrant situations like this. I had two accountants tell me to just file single as it made no difference either way with my tax liability this year. IRS only cares that you paid your required tax liability. If you willfully try to cheat the IRS to pay less taxes that will be a problem. If you put down single instead of married that can just be an error for lack of understanding.

Your supposed to get an ITIN or individual tax identification number for your spouse if she is not an resident or citizen of the US. This is done by filing a W-7 with your return to the office on the W-7 form. You have to include original documents for your wife or certified copies. I don't get why they make getting an ID number complicated. Until last year you could leave the spouse ssn box on your return blank or put ssn applied for or put npr (non permanent resident) but now that's not allowed and returns are being rejected.

In the end I'll be filing a W-7 to get the wife a ITIN as she will be in the US on a B-2 and her passport can be verified at the local IRS office without sending it in with the w-7. The IRS requires you to send in her original documents such as passport or certified copies. Getting a certified copy in Vietnam can be a pain in the ###.

If you filed single and you are married that is fraud and misrepresentation which would come to light in a tax audit but odds are if you filed single and are married the irs would owe you money. The irs is not in the habit of tracking down people to give them money back.

If you've been audited in the last two years there are no worries as the irs can't audit your returns for 3 tax years after conducting an audit on you.

Do you have a government issued marriage certificate on earth? If so your married everywhere on earth.

How is this complicated? Have you ever paid a bill with a paper check or money order using USPS mail? Same thing.

Think back before the days of online bill payment.

Has anyone ever been denied AOS for not completing a vaccination series that is not even required as US citizen adult? My guess is no. This is not something to worry about.

Your only required to get the first set to get the visa. Just complete the series as required for AOS.

I have first hand experience with what your saying. Too many on here think they are all knowing visa gods. Just post your experience and provide advice.

I was told the wife can't get a B-2. She got one.

I have first hand experience with what your saying. Too many on here think they are all knowing visa gods. Just post your experience and provide advice.

I was told the wife can't get a B-2. She got one.

My wife did the B-2 in Vietnam and got it. Documents don't matter for the B-2. You can bring all the paper in the world and they won't want to see it for a B-2. It is entirely based off the answers on the application and the answers at the interview. Most lawyers will advise against it as you spouse maybe tempted to lie which would result in the CR-1 being denied down the road. Simple solution to this is don't lie.

My wife was approved because we had a new baby and already had been approved on the I-130. They didn't see a visit with a new baby as unreasonable and we were so far with the CR-1 way wouldn't we come back to finish it. We also live together in Saigon and I work in south east asia. Your case would be a lot harder. But the B2 is little effort and only coast $165 so if denied it's no big deal and it doesn't affect your CR-1.

Todd&Hanh, thank you so much for this information. I, myself, am in a similar situation. This screen shot- where is the link for this? Can I access this online to set/book an appointment in the Philippines for my NEW BORN SON? (I am the United States Citizen.) Or is it a moot point since I need to be there in person to get a paternal DNA test, and the PI government requires both biological parents to be present?

Your 2nd paragraph is music to my ears, money for my eyes, and pure joy leaping from my heart and soul. So I'll make it easy to answer my questions:

What do I need to bring, besides myself, my passport, I.D., money, and credit cards?

I will be in the Philippines from Monday, April 7th to Wednesday, April 23rd 2014 to bring my son (and fiancee) home to Hawaii. Is it possible to attain this during this time frame? Or again, should I "book" a slot online? If so, anybody got a link?

Mahalo (thank you) In advance,

So looking forward to getting away from my job and seeing my fiancee and son. I have never held him yet in my arms.....

Your best bet is just going to the US Consulate website for Manila and following the instructions for a CRBA; it will tell you what to do. You'll have to prove you were together at time of conception. If you can do that the consulate won't order a DNA test. You need to book an appointment online from the US citizen services section.

You'll also have to get a something from the Philippines to take the baby out of the country. Like a Philippines passport or exit stamp in the US passport. Your better off just creating a new topic to find out.

Does your fiancee already have a K-1 issued.

For a plain jane K-1 or CR1 I would never recommend a lawyer. By know you already know there is nothing to the paperwork. I did everything myself to date and had many dealings with the US consulate in HCMC. It is we'll organized and they are friendly and polite. If you can make it through the DMV you can do this. The lawyer only proof reads your packet and helps your fiancee prep for interview questions and for $2000 there is no guarantee she will get the visa. The questions are not trick questions. Just look at the embassy reviews for the questions or print off stokes interview questions from a google search. I printed two off and every night me and the wife asked each other a few of the questions and wrote down the answers. We kinda made a game out of it and it did help us learn even more about each other.

I would save the money on the lawyer and use the savings to take time off of work to fly to HCMC to be with her during the interview. I truly believe that when you're there as a couple you odds increase greatly.

I've seen this go both ways for the K-1 visa. Generally if it looks like a wedding you may have a hard time convincing the CO that it's not during the interview. 10 years ago I'd say no issue just don't t volunteer information about the party but today with social networking the pictures will be all over facebook and elsewhere. Immigration officers have been known to check.

I've heard of couples having issues in Vietnam for the K-1 both ways. The local custom is to have an engagement party with hundreds of people. Some unknowing CO's denied the K-1 because they thought it was a wedding in the photos. Another was denied because they didn't have the customary engagement party but I think there was more going on in that case than the poster was telling.

Your better off to not have the party. Might I suggest you do the K-1 first and have the party after the visa is in hand before you travel to the US. Just don't put any photos of this at your POE

Also don't just look at speed of the visa process. The K-1 is fast to go to the US but your fiancee can't work or travel for up to 9 months after coming to the US. That doesn't work for some couples. The CR-1 takes about a year before your fiancee steps in the US but you can work and travel right away. Also the CR-1 has a little better approval success and you don't have to worry the order of your relationship.

Most people will tell you no you can't file single but many people do anyway with a foreign spouse. It might be considered fraud but the IRS isn't going to come after you if they owe you money for filing as single. You don't need to wait for the tax refund to submit your return with your affidavit of support. All you need is your copy of the return you mailed in. Also all you need is a certified copy of your wife's passport.

You don't need to send in a 2013 return with the affidavit of support until April 15th. Just get it sent in now.

I don't get it. Before I petitioned I already knew it would be over a year before my wife would be in the US and yet I see people getting all worked up after a few weeks. You do realize you'll have another 2-4 months after you receive the NOA-2 before your fiancee is in the US. Relax.

Hi Todd- I just signed up today and this is the first question I have. I'll be filling out my profile more but let me quickly say my wife and I have been married for more than two years, living in Vietnam the whole time, we have a 7 month old boy now whose CRBA has been issued and who has his own US passport. I'm American, the wife is Vietnamese. We've filed for IR1-CR1 and have the NOA1. My cousin is getting married in Boulder in September and we want to attend.

Possible issues: wife has been denied tourist visa before. She's a stay at home mom who has resigned from her job.

So- will be looking for your update or any comments.

Thanks, Andrew

Hey Andrew

It looks like you got the same story I got. I attached two posts I had on my B2 experience. I filed the B2 application online at night and picked out an open appointment time for the next day. In the morning I paid the visa fee at Citibank on Nguyen Hue; there's a little US visa payment office around the right side of building. The people inside citibank will tell you where it is. Went to the interview that afternoon. The appointment time is meaning less. Just show up when the doors open. She'll walk inside and take a number. On the application I there is a comment spot and I wrote about our I-130 on file with it's current status and USCIS case number. At the end of it I put that I assisted with her application; I filled it out. The CO did say at the end if the wife had the CRBA with her and my passport they probably would have never asked me to come inside and just approve it.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/480932-ho-chi-minh-city-b2-interview/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/481261-ho-chi-minh-city-b2-visa-aproved/

According to the screen shot your looking at February. February is over. You need to change the drop down to a current month or future month.

The CRBA interview takes 30 minutes depending on wait times. If both parents are present you can do the CRBA, SS Card and US passport all at the same time. In the US a child under 18 can't get a passport unless both parents are present. The CRBA and passport will be ready within two weeks. I'm not sure if they mail it to you or you have to pick it up in the Philippines. The SS Card will be sent to your US address in 3-6 months.

Most importantly you need the babies PI birth certificate and the baby at the interview. I saw at least 5 people screw this up when I did mine. The only thing they wanted to see beyond that was a few photos of me and the wife together when she was pregnant. It was easy.

you can have them sign the documents, scan them, and then email to you and you can print. I'd use an inkjet.

It's in the instructions. Originally signed documents only.

Took us exactly 10 business days. Make sure you get PCC #2. #1 is good for six months. #2 is good for one year and is now the only one the consulate accepts.

Sure you can bring your stuff.

You would still have to go through normal immigration and CBP check ,and have your passport with visa stamped. The stamped passport page is a crucial part for your AOS. Also, an I-94 will only be generated once an immigration officer entered your details in the DHS / CBP database upon entry.

Did you read the question?

No criminal charges whatsoever! Not at all my first visit, I had visited 4 times in 2013 for 1-2 weeks at a time only. I think it was just the border agent... He wasn't mean or anything but I feel like had we gotten another person it would have been a totally different situation.

I think I will just try it, judging by the responses are getting. My flight will be to Philly then Boston so worst comes to worst it'll be a $300 flight to Philly for a cheesesteak and turn around and go home and cry for a week again. And I'll only tell my fiancé once I'm back in Canada so that he doesn't get sooo excited for a visit like we always do and then get crushed.

Thanks for the reply!

What airport in Canada are you flying from? I know some airports in Canada have pre immigration clearance but don't know which. At worst you might just get turned around in Canada.

Wow. Alright!

Last time when I was denied, they asked me if I had a return flight, I said yes. They didn't ask for proof. They took our phones, and asked if the confirmation for the flight was in mine, I said yes. They didn't mention it again. They then asked how I had gotten so much time off of work so I explained my work wasn't busy during winter (BBQ tech support). I said, I have a letter from them that says when I'll be back. He didn't want to see it. He did mention I had a lot of stuff with me. It was all clothing. In the end, when he told me I wouldn't be crossing, his sole reason was because of lack of significant ties to Canada. He said had I had bank statements and proof of a lease (which I don't have, I explained, i live with my mother) then I may have gotten in. If I try this, I will definitely have every piece of paper with me possible... And hope for the best. I just don't want to deal with the emotions of being so hopeful of spending time together and then being crushed all over again.

At least since I'm planning to surprise him, he won't be disappointed if I can't cross because he won't know I'm on my way there.... His sister would be picking me up at the airport...

If CPB is not convinced of your intentions the reason for entry denial will always be that one piece of paper you didn't have. It's just lip service to get you to go away. All you can do is try and be truthful.

This is something you don't need to worry about. CPB won't ban you at a point of entry. The worst they can do is turn you around and send you home tell you to wait out the K-1. CPB sending you packing won't affect the K-1 as long as you answer the questions about this truthfully.

All they care about is misrepresentation and overstay. If you lied you have misrepresented. Did you lie to CPB the last time you got denied entry? If so than don't trying another entry as they will then have conflicting answers on file; they can affect you K-1 packet. If you were truthful about your intentions at your last try you have nothing to worry about. Try again.

Bring with you to the point of entry your NOA 1 and a copy of your I-129f. If you are asked if you have a pending immigration case say yes. I have an I-129f on file and have an NOA-1. I will return to Canada to complete the interview. I have a copy of my I-129f and NOA-1; would you like to see it? That's it. Don't babble. If they ask why do you want to see your finance say I miss him. Keep it simple.

General rules: If they don't ask anything don't say anything. If they ask just answer the question truthfully without long explanations. Don't lie. There's no reason to. You don't need to present massive amounts documents to prove you'll go back to Canada; they're not going to want to see them. That in it's self is cause for suspicion. When was the last time you saw someone at any boarder control put anything on the counter other than a passport and a customs slip.

State = ? I put this ---------- (just fill the space with hyphens)

Zip code = ? I put this ---------

Postal code = ? I put this -------- Vietnam does have postal codes but I have yet to see one used. Just look at the consulates address.

Province = ? Ho Chi Minh I actually screwed this up; I googled it and put the old province name from 1975. Application was still accepted and approved. Think of it like New York, New York.

Don't over think the paper but do ensure it's completed. If it doesn't apply just put a bunch of hyphens so they know you didn't miss it by mistake. Have something in every blank even if it doesn't apply ie NONE, N/A, --------. If an address or name doesn't fit when typing on the computer you can print it out and fill in the blank with black pen printed neatly. Sign in black ink.

Do you know how to write your fiancee's name yet? If it's traditional in Vietnam the last name comes first. It can make the paperwork confusing. If her name is something like "Nguyen Thi My Ha" the name is written on the form as Last: Nguyen First: My Ha Middle: Thi. In the US she'll always be My Ha T. Nguyen. The consulate corrected me on this when I filed the CRBA for my kid; and said that's the correct way for consular purposes. Anyway if you screw it up the consulate will just correct it with red pen during the interview as this seems common in HCMC.

There is a space for writing the name in the native language which I typed it as Nguyen Thi My Ha and wrote in the accents after printing.

when i see that green ticket i know im approved

Oddly I'm told in HCMC the approval slip is pink and the denial slip in blue. Even in this it's not uniform in the process. I'm not speaking of you but I get annoyed at posters who insist it works only way when we have seen so much variation from one applicant to the next.