Bruce and Han
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Posts posted by Bruce and Han
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http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17555
Bruce... ya been scooped it seems.. but good catch
Thanks,
I didnt see it .
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Agency paperwork glitch delays weddings By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer
24 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - True love waits for no one — except maybe the Homeland Security Department. Red tape has put wedding bells on hold for about 10,000 U.S. citizens seeking visas for their foreign brides and grooms as the department works on new paperwork for their applications.
The form change was required as part of a law, enacted in March, to protect foreign mail-order brides from abusive American spouses. But Homeland Security missed its deadline three months ago, putting the visa applications of thousands of law-abiding lovers in limbo.
The department said Tuesday it would send out additional forms to the visa seekers for more information that should satisfy the new law's protections.
But the bureaucratic entanglement has trashed wedding plans for many couples before they could get anywhere near the altar.
"We were ready to get married this year, but I can't really make a date until we get the approval," said Bill Hall, 41, a construction foreman from Burlington, Vt. He applied two months ago for a visa for his fiancee, Debbie, to emigrate from Canada with her two sons. In separate interviews, the couple said they have been dating for six years.
"We're just kind of here, in limbo," Hall said. "And it's kind of aggravating — it's a real simple thing they have to do, and they're making more of it than they need to."
He said his application, sent to Homeland Security in April, "never got approved. It's just sitting there."
The tale of these 10,000 belated nuptials illustrates a bureaucratic response to what all sides agree is a well-intentioned law to protect women.
Advocates estimate that as many as 15,000 foreign women annually meet their American husbands through for-profit marriage brokers. That number, provided by the Virginia-based Tahirih Justice Center, marks a sharp rise from a 1999 estimate by the former Immigration and Naturalization Services of 30,000 women who came to the United States through a marriage broker during the previous five years.
Spurred by stories of foreign women — largely from Eastern Europe and Asia — being abused or even murdered by their U.S. husbands, Congress in December approved new protections for mail-order brides. They included amending the application form for so-called fiancee visas with two new questions: Whether the romance was arranged by an international marriage broker, and had the U.S. citizen ever been accused of a violent crime or convicted of three or more alcohol- or drug-related crimes.
President Bush signed the law on January 5, putting Homeland Security under order to draw up the new paperwork. But the forms weren't finished by March 6, when the law took effect — resulting in the department shelving all fiancee visa applications written on the old forms that were received after that date.
Chris Bentley, a Homeland Security spokesman, said about 10,000 applications are currently being held because they did not address the criminal or marriage broker issues.
"They did not have all of the information needed to determine whether someone qualified or not," said Bentley, who works for the department's Citizenship and Immigration Services.
He added: "It's certainly an inconvenience brought about by the new requirements of the law."
Homeland Security said Tuesday it would send additional forms to the estimated 10,000 couples in wedding purgatory to get answers to the questions about criminal pasts and marriage brokers. But it said it was still waiting for the White House Office of Management and Budget for approval of those forms and the new application.
OMB spokeswoman Andrea Wuebker did not have details immediately on the additional forms, but said the new applications were approved Monday in an emergency clearance process. It was not clear when the new applications would be distributed to the public.
Sen. Maria Cantwell (news, bio, voting record), D-Wash., rapped Homeland Security for getting cold feet about quickly processing the new regulations that she helped write.
"Security and safety should be their top consideration but their long visa process delays are putting a lot of people's lives on hold," Cantwell said in a statement.
Hall, the lovelorn Vermonter, said he's frustrated with the visa delays for people trying to follow the law at a time the Bush administration is grappling with giving other benefits to immigrants who have slipped into the U.S. illegally.
"I thought it was ironic," Hall said. "And I find it unfair."
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In the packet 3 instructions from HCMC, it says "Attach TWO or more of the following items to the affidavit"
Here's what I already have:
1. Last years tax returns along with W2 forms.
2. Letter from current employer
(thats already 2!)
3. Recent paycheck stubs
4. Bank statements from 2 differents banks.
But I dont know if I still need to bother with the "letter from the bank". I already asked for them to find proof of my ticket purchase last year and Ohhhhh it was such a hard thing for them to do.. The local bank does not keep records that long, but the have it at the main office in another city. They never did get back to me on that. Anyway, I am dreading going to ask about this letter now and I realy would like to know if its necessary since I already have enough to support the affidavit with my current income. And I already have the monthly statements to show anyway.
You should get a statement from your bank that says how long you've had your account open and your balance at least.
I would suggest if you are afraid of dealing with your bank and they make it difficult to do business with- you might not be with the right bank. Remember- they work for you and there are options (but wait until after your fiance gets her visa to change)
I would look at it like this,
You are the customer, and the customer is alway right. If they give you any ####### about something being difficult but not impossible then start taking names. In a diplomatic way you should demand the statment of the airline ticket. Dont let them push you . because there is a very good chance that the consulate will ask for that document, So I would tell them that you are not leavinfg without a promise of receiving that document in the next 2 weeks. All you neeed to do is press them into submission. Tell them you will climb the corporate ladder to get the service you need.
Bruce
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I actually had a spider help me one summer, Not sure what kind it was. We were staying at the river house on the Mississippi river. Well the front screendoor had a hole in the top left corner, the screen gasget let go and that corner fell out. I was going to relplace it the next day when over night this very kind spider saw that I had a problem and built his web over the hole in the screen. He certanly kept the bugs out of the house and he remained with us on the door swinging back and forth all summer long.
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With just 4 weeks to go, it does not look good.
Hey Matt,
If you did not receive your 2005 tax transcript yet, I have an IRS number you can call and you can talk to a real person. This is the Tax advocate section of the IRS (1-877-777-4778). Just explain to them the date you filed, and that you need your 2005 transcript document for your fiancee interview. They may even be able to tell you about the 1722 form. I was talking to a friend of mine who works at the IRS and he was telling me about this little known group in the IRS.
Good luck and I hope this will help.
Bruce
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Im also concerned about them asking for proof of purchasing the tickets. I sent the expedia.com reciept with the original petition. I used my debit card and it ust showed up on my monthly bank statement. Which is now long gone.... I never expected I'd need that..Ah, I just found something that could help. Its the carbon copy of the money order I used to pay the Embassy of Vietnam for my visa. Something small, but a cool piece of evidence
I am sure your bank can provide a copy of the statment for the air fare purchase. When was the last time you visited your fiancee? within 2 years?
It is very good that there was communication with your family members and your fiancee. You should do the same and send some letters to her parents and her friends just to build up the link between you two.
Dammit Bruce- with the quotes again!!
I am terrible at this, but you can see I did try! 
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Im also concerned about them asking for proof of purchasing the tickets. I sent the expedia.com reciept with the original petition. I used my debit card and it ust showed up on my monthly bank statement. Which is now long gone.... I never expected I'd need that..
Ah, I just found something that could help. Its the carbon copy of the money order I used to pay the Embassy of Vietnam for my visa. Something small, but a cool piece of evidence
I am sure your bank can provide a copy of the statment for the air fare purchase. When was the last time you visited your fiancee? within 2 years?
It is very good that there was communication with your family members and your fiancee. You should do the same and send some letters to her parents and her friends just to build up the link between you two.
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Matt, my fiancee Huong is the same way. She is worried about the interview because of her English. I tried to explain to her, the person interviewing her has interview probably thousands of Vietnamese people speaking broken English. I am sure that they are very familiar with hearing them speak English, so it should be no problem. We also wanted to wish you both good luck.
Matt,
My fiancee was the same too. I encouraged her to break the ice just when she stepped up to the window and look the CO in the eye and say 'Good afternoon' or morning. Keep building her confidance up. After she said this the CO looked back and smiled and returned the compliment, then the translater left the window. Have her establish the fact that she speaks english at the very beginning, this will giive a good first impression.
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Forget about requesting what HCMC wants because you won't get the stamped from from the IRS. They simply send you the new way of doiung transcripts. They were in my mailbox when I returned last night. So I went through the trouble of filling out the forms for nothing.
If HCMC still wants the now obsolete forms then I am screwed because you CANNOT get them.
Im curious, Who said they needed to be stamped? I would think that as long as it is from the IRS and the form is filled out by them then that is good enough. The form is only obtainable if you fill out the 1046T right?
Do you see any type of control number or reference number on the form that would make it somewhat official?
One other suggestion is: Find a local walk-in IRS office and have them stamp the form.
How was your trip Matt? welcome back!
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I had the idea of writing about a one page summary of how we met, when we met, our main methods of communicationg, when I traveled there, what we did there, when I proposed etc... Do you think something like this would help during the interview for the consular to better know our story? Because I know not all of us have the same experiences and the same ammounts of evidence lined up for our proof of relationship. In our case we have no phone bills because we often used internet lines or phone cards to talk. But our postal letters and emails are in large quantity (about 5 years worth) Anyway, to meit sounds like a nice way to introduce our relationship to the interviewer so he/she knows the circumstances of our relationship and can jusge our evidence based on our unique situation. What do you think? I did read a great post with actual Packet 3 and 4 instructions from the HCMC consulate. One quote about evidence said "The type of documentation you present will depend on your particular cirumstances". So I feel confident they understand not all couples evidence is the same. Whew...
There is nothing wrong with writing a one page summary, however you need to be very sure that your fiancee understand all the details of your letter because they will certainly ask her questions related to what you write. You will need as much proof of your relationship with your fiancee. Just writing all the details it in a letter is not enough to convince the CO and they may even bypass your letter and go straight for the hard evidence. It would be a really good idea if you can establish some phone records too. Every little bit can only help.
We are here to help, so keep the questions comming!
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Robert,
It's a different place, called "Texas BBQ", it's actually quite good. Same quality as US but about 1/3 the price PLUS those Tiger Beer Drafts are tasty. The USA Consulate also holds a 4th of July party and they used to allow normal citizens (local expat residents) to attend but those days are history. Look in Vietnam News (local English Paper) and you'll see advertisements for 4th parties sometimes. Check "Amcham", means American Chamber of Commerce, they hold 4th parties. Then there's "Mogumbos" bar on Thi Sach Street, it's a little $$$.
I know the place
I took my fiancee there. They have a big Texas shaped neon sign in front. Just watch out for the Budweiser girls, they look really sweet in their dresses.
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My petition is being returned from the Embassy back to NVC. After repeatedly contacting NVC and them telling me that they have not received it yet THEY told me to contact my Senator as Senators have a direct way to contact Embassys that they don't have. So I am neither "threatening" USCIS or making a fool of myself, thanks.
Well, seeing your reaction I can tell why NVC told you to contact your Senator. You have a massive attitude problem.
You didn't say something how long it is missing nor did you give any other information which could be helpful. If you really want a serious opinion you should give out a few more information.
You are very welcome
I don't see any attitude in the first post. He/she just asked a question. RELAX!
I was not talking about the OP first, but the second posting.
But nothing how long it is missing, how often he called, how long the normal return time is.
How does the OP expects any useful information???
Of course they tell him to contact someone else if he/she is nagging daily. Normally you give things like that some time to get returned. Especially if you wait for something from such a remote location.
#######, you are contradicting yourself, what did the second poster say that made you come un-glued.
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Okay, well, back to my original question: are two Senators better than one? And are Representatives useful as well?
Your congressman/woman will be more affective. They will inquire only what you aske them too. Do you know what date the papers were sent back to the NVC? What was the method of shipment? That is what I would be asking. Contact whoever is in your district and both parties Dems or Republican.
Good luck
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Yeah it was a huge relief when she called me at work, the 2 ring rule, lol. I usually call her around 10:00 her time before she goes to sleep, and when she called me, I was int he elevator heading downstairs thinking, I bet she got Packet three. When I called her she was so excited, and she said I got my police clearance paper back today, and I was happy but sad at the same time, and then she said AND I got mail from Consulate. We both just felt like we were side by side.
Now is the tough part, as you can see in my timeline, I fall after the March 6 deadline. What I don't understand the new law has the name MArriage Broker in it, so why are people that didn't use a broker being recalled? So here is my problem. I have not said anything to Huong about this new law, becuase I am not sure if our petition will be recalled. I don't want her to worry if there is no reason to. I just don't know what to do, to make sure we won't be recalled. She got Packet 3 on Friday and we want to send it in, and use fast mail, but I don't want her to spend the money to send it if our petition was sent back. So should we just continue on and hopefully we won't have any problems, or shoudl I call about another question, and hopefully they will just answer my question and not say anything about our case being shipped back.
Any opinions would be great!!!!
Mike,
You should carry on. Dont stop the process. Send in your Packet 3. If your petition is recalled then it is recalled and you will need to deal with it. I think you should be open with Huong and prepare her for a wait if there is one. You mention mail from the consulate, is it informing you of a petition recall?
Mike,
I hope you have smooth sailing and no problems. You need to be strong and try to remain positive throughout the rest of your journey. You need to be strong for Huong!
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I am sorry for all of those going through this painfull procees dealing with the new law.
I am curious though, Since there are so many petitions being sent back to the U.S. You would think that all the consulates and embassies would take this golden opportunity to clean up their backlogs.
By doing this, the wait time of all the petitions being returned back to the Consulates or embassies from the U.S. could flow through the process much quicker and therefore reducing the additional wait time that everyone has endured.
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I thought Utah's poligamy did this too, where the Bull moose of the family does whoever he pleases regarding any age. and allegely endorsed by the man upstairs.
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I don't get it. They cross the border back to Mexico to earn $22 a day, and then split that between their US family and their Mexico family?
Why not stay in Mexico for the $22? It would go further.....
Because they would be crossing the border illeagally back into Mexico, Although, like in the Cheech and Chong movie, they could call immigration on themselves and get a free lunch and ride back into Mexico!
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Study: Alligators Dangerous No Matter How Drunk You Are
May 10, 2006 | Issue 42•19
BATON ROUGE, LA—In a breakthrough study that contradicts decades of understanding about the nature of alligator–drunkard relations, Louisiana State University researchers have concluded that people's drunkenness does not impair the ancient reptiles' ability to inflict enormous physical harm.
Alligators exhibit the potential to inflict serious harm, regardless of the blood-alcohol levels of their victims.
"Our data strongly indicates that human intoxication does not transform an alligator into a docile creature that enjoys wrestling," said professor Ryder McCrory, chair of the Wildlife Taunting Department of LSU's prestigious Center For Bullying And Hazing Studies. "Despite its slow-witted demeanor and tendency to bask motionlessly in the hot sun, it's a mistake to believe that an alligator will passively tolerate a half nelson, no matter how much Southern Comfort is fueling it."
McCrory said the study yielded statistics that speak for themselves.
"In 10 out of 10 documented cases of violent alligator–drunkard encounters, the reptile was not influenced by the fact that the victim was 'just kidding' or 'just having some fun,'" McCrory said.
To an alligator, McCrory explained, a human forearm, even drunkenly dangled between the creature's casually opened jaws, still appears to be prey.
In field experiments, members of the control group performed no better-—and often far worse—than their sober counterparts in defending themselves against a 300-pound, seven-foot bull alligator. Even when armed with an empty tequila bottle.
"At best, the bottles bounced harmlessly off the alligator's snout," said LSU research assistant Tracy Sawyer.
When placed in water, the drunken volunteers fared even worse, and the alligator markedly better, Sawyer said.
In addition, the alligators far outperformed their inebriated human counterparts in the following areas: lunging, biting, crushing, dismembering, and swallowing.
Drunkard Jim Boudreaux taunts the alligator he called "a total #####" in front of friends.
According to the study, an alligator's characteristic grin should not be interpreted as a lighthearted reaction to the outrageous nerve of an alcohol-addled human. "Don't let an alligator's easygoing appearance fool you," Sawyer said. "These creatures have no empathy for drunken pranksters looking for fun. They are not black bears."
McCrory recommended that alligator wrestling be undertaken solely by professionals, specifically roadside-attraction proprietors. For drunkards interested in proving their mettle with alligators, the researchers proposed these guidelines:
Instead of baiting an alligator, seek another form of drunken recreation, such as attending a strip club, burning a pile of tires, or painting one's buttocks with a funny face and videotaping it.
Sick or infant deer are considered a far safer match for most inebriated humans; kicking a raccoon or squirrel already dying by the side of the road is also recommended.
Experts suggest that those who become aggressive after consuming alcohol would be safer channeling that energy into more constructive behavior, such as calling an ex-lover.
And McCrory warned drunkards who "absolutely must assault an alligator while inebriated" to first make sure it is not a John Deere Gator cargo utility vehicle. This oversight "is a common occurrence," he said.
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Illegal Immigrants Returning To Mexico For American Jobs
May 3, 2006 | Issue 42•18
MEXICO CITY—As dozens of major American corporations continue to move their manufacturing operations to Mexico, waves of job-seeking Mexican immigrants to the United States have begun making the deadly journey back across the border in search of better-paying Mexican-based American jobs.
"I came to this country seeking the job I sought when I first left this country," said Anuncio Reyes, 22, an undocumented worker who recrossed the U.S. border into Mexico last month, three years after leaving Mexico for the United States to work as an agricultural day laborer. "I spent everything I had to get back here. Yes, it was dangerous, and I miss my home. But as much as I love America, I have to go where the best American jobs are."
A group of Mexican workers make the dangerous trek home across the Rio Grande for their lunch break.
Reyes now works as a spot-welder on the assembly line of a Maytag large-appliance plant and earns $22 a day, most of which he sends back to his family in the U.S., who in turn send a portion of that back to the original family they left in Mexico. Like many former Mexican-Americans forced by circumstance to become American-Mexicans, Reyes dreams of one day bringing his relatives to Mexico so that they, too, may secure American employment in Mexico.
Despite the considerable risk illegal immigrants face in returning across the border, many find the lure of large U.S. factory salaries hard to resist—at 15 percent of the pay of corresponding jobs in America, these positions pay three times what Mexican jobs do.
Still, the danger is very real. When 31-year-old illegal Arizona resident Ignacio Jimenez sought employment at an American plant in Mexico, he was shot at by Mexican border guards as he attempted to illegally enter the country of his citizenship, pursued by U.S. immigration officials who thought he might be entering the country illegally, and fired upon again by a second group of U.S. Border Patrol agents charged with keeping valuable table-busing and food-delivery personnel inside American borders.
"It was a nightmare," Jimenez said. "Many became disoriented and panicked, and some were mixed in with immigrants going the other way across the Rio Grande and ended up swimming to the wrong country."
He added: "My cousin almost drowned. They fished him out and sent him back to wash dishes at T.G.I. Friday's."
Many say the trip across the border as illegal Mexican-American emigrants offers them a chance to land the American jobs in Mexico they never have been able to get as illegal Mexican-American immigrants in the U.S.
"It has always been my goal to have a good American job," Johnson Controls technician Camilla Torres, 27, said. "Many Mexicans now see Mexico as the land of opportunity. Mexicans will not stop trying to get here, no matter how much the Mexicans wish we would not."
Indeed, the trend of illegal re-emigration is causing great resentment among the local Mexican population, and tension between Mexicans and illegally re-entered Mexicans—dubbed repatriados—continues to build.
"I hate these Mexicans, always coming back here to Mexico from America and taking American jobs from the Mexicans who stayed in Mexico," said 55-year-old former Goodyear factory manager Juan-Miguel Diaz, who lost his job to a better-trained repatriado last March. "Why don't they go back to where they went to?"
Still, Jimenez, Reyes, and hundreds of others say they have no choice.
"The American Dream is alive and well in Mexico," Reyes said. "If I work hard, save my money, and plan well, I will be able to send my children to a good school—and who knows? If they study hard, perhaps they will get jobs someday at the new plant General Motors is building in China."
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Good luck to you!!!
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I agree,
I would not sress about it. I put my fiance's birthday in the wrong order on the I-129 F, but had it in the correct order on the G325A. I did send them an email explaining the inadvertent error on the form and they replied back saying they had forwarded my email to the NVC. That was the last I heard about that. Nothing was mentioned during the interview. But for sanity, and for the record, send them an email explaining your inadvertant error. then let it go. You made them aware of it.
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In regards to handing in the I-134 with packet 4, will the I-134 for the co-sponsor as well as the petitioner be given at the same time?
STL_HCMC
OK, but when do they take the I-134 stuff? Is that turned in with the packet 4 documents when she arrives?Yes
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Ok here is how it went with Han,
She gave the I-134 and supporting bank papers with the packet 4 documents. They do not ask for the birth certificates when giving the Packet 4. However, they will ask to see it during the interview, so this is something to keep up close and handy.
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I have no idea where I am staying!
Anh says she found a place about one block from her. $11 a night, ac, with a bathroom and shower. OK, that works for me. I'd rather spend my money on her and us. Screw the room.It might be a good idea to find out where you are staying before you get there. The reason I say this is because the customs paper that they pass out on the plane asked where you are staying in VN, and when I was going through customs at the airport in HCMC the customs agent asked me where I was staying during my time in VN.
Denied Petition
in US Embassy and Consulate Discussion
Posted
Was she given a blue sheet at the time of the interview and that is when they said there were only 8 people at your cerimony? Was she outright denied at the interview or did they ask for further evidence?