Bruce and Han

Hey all-

Just got my receipt letter from the NVC for my I-129f with my case #, but I noticed something that made my heart skip a beat...

My fiancee's name is out of order! She has 4 names (as is common in VN) and they switched her first name with a middle one. I double checked the NOA2 approval and they got it right on that one.

SO, I'm left wondering is this an error I need to correct and if it is, who do I contact? Or is this letter unimportant in the bigger scheme of it all??

I would not worry about it. I believe the consulate goes by the NOA2 approval letter and not the receipt letter NOA1. Can you confirm that the name is in the correct order on the I-129F? and the G325A because they will look at those document for sure.

My Vietnamese fiancee and I are practicing these together, I figure that if she can pull one of these off at her interview, it will be a slam dunk.

Twister Shorties: (say 'em a few times)

Greek grapes.

Red lorry, yellow lorry.

Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?

Unique New York.

Many an anemone sees an enemy anemone.

Freshly-fried flying fish.

The epitome of femininity.

A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk,

but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.

She stood on the balcony, inexplicably mimicing him hiccupping,

and amicably welcoming him home.

Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager

imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Twisters:

She sells seashells by the seashore.

The shells she sells are surely seashells.

So if she sells shells on the seashore,

I'm sure she sells seashore shells.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Did Peter Piper pick a peck of pickled peppers?

If Peter Piper Picked a peck of pickled peppers,

Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck

If a woodchuck could chuck wood?

He would chuck, he would, as much as he could,

And chuck as much as a woodchuck would

If a woodchuck could chuck wood.

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Tongue Twister Poems:

Mr. See owned a saw.

And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw.

Now, See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw

Before Soar saw See,

Which made Soar sore.

Had Soar seen See's saw

Before See sawed Soar's seesaw,

See's saw would not have sawed

Soar's seesaw.

So See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw.

But it was sad to see Soar so sore

just because See's saw sawed

Soar's seesaw.

Betty Botter had some butter,

"But," she said, "this butter's bitter.

If I bake this bitter butter,

It would make my batter bitter.

But a bit of better butter,

That would make my batter better."

So she bought a bit of butter -

Better than her bitter butter -

And she baked it in her batter;

And the batter was not bitter.

So 'twas better Betty Botter

Bought a bit of better butter.

Ned Nott was shot and Sam Shott was not.

So it is better to be Shott than Nott.

Some say Nott was not shot.

But Shott says he shot Nott.

Either the shot Shott shot at Nott was not shot,

Or Nott was shot.

If the shot Shott shot shot Nott, Nott was shot.

But if the shot Shott shot shot Shott,

Then Shott was shot, not Nott.

However, the shot Shott shot shot not Shott, but Nott.

A tree-toad loved a she-toad

Who lived up in a tree.

He was a two-toed tree-toad,

But a three-toed toad was she.

The two-toed tree-toad tried to win

The three-toed she-toad's heart,

For the two-toed tree-toad loved the ground

That the three-toed tree-toad trod.

But the two-toed tree-toad tried in vain;

He couldn't please her whim.

From her tree-toad bower,

With her three-toad power,

The she-toad vetoed him.

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Raunchy Twisters:

I'm not a smart feller,

I'm a smart feller's son

And I'll keep felling smarts

'Till the smart feller comes.

I'm not a fog ducker,

I'm a fog ducker's son

And I'll keep ducking fogs

'Till the fog ducker comes.

I am not the fig plucker,

I'm a fig plucker's son.

And I'll keep plucking figs

'Till the fig plucker comes.

I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit;

and on the slitted sheet I sit.

Hate coo coo's myself... they are evil

they still your spirit while you sleep, sister fraces..

My parents have TWO in their house..., plus a grandfather clock, and two other chiming clocks...gah...it's like a damn clock factory every hour and half hour.

man, how do they sleep?

Maybe I will get a Metranome. Thats has a ticking sound, Right?

Just remember what the Las Vegas advertisment says:

What happens there stays there!

Ok,

I have this Coo Coo clock in my home, actually in my bedroom. This ticking clock really helps me sleep at night. I did tell my fiancee about the clock but not were it was. (She will go to her K1 interview this month). So now you Vjers, I need your predictions as to what will happen to my poor little Coo Coo clock when she arrives. I will provide some common possibilities.

1. She will throw it against the wall.

2. It will be missing in action when I come home from work.

3. The clock will be there but the Coo Coo bird will be MIA.

4. I will be asked to move it to another room, (Then I will try to introduce a new wind-up ticking clock)

5. She will welcome it with open arms and love it as much as I do. (Wishfull thinking)

Thats all I need to say, So now I leave it to you all for a guess of the fate of my clock.

I will post the results as soon as I see her look at that clock for the very first time.

For the record, I am perfectly ready to let this clock go to the storage room, and this I expect will be the outcome, I do not intend to demonize my fiancee either, this is just for fun.

Ok,

I have this Coo Coo clock in my home, actually in my bedroom. This ticking clock really helps me sleep at night. I did tell my fiancee about the clock but not were it was. (She will go to her K1 interview this month). So now you Vjers, I need your predictions as to what will happen to my poor little Coo Coo clock when she arrives. I will provide some common possibilities.

1. She will throw it against the wall.

2. It will be missing in action when I come home from work.

3. The clock will be there but the Coo Coo bird will be MIA.

4. I will be asked to move it to another room, (Then I will try to introduce a new wind-up ticking clock)

5. She will welcome it with open arms and love it as much as I do. (Wishfull thinking)

Thats all I need to say, So now I leave it to you all for a guess of the fate of my clock.

I will post the results as soon as I see her look at that clock for the very first time.

Hi Lan and Andy,

I thought it would be good for all of us to start a question thread direted to you since you just sucssefully completed your interview. I know Dalegg is getting bombarded with alot of questions latley. I am taking you up on your offer to help answer some basic questions.

1. How long did it take to get your (Ly Lich Tu Phap) police report? Scy said it had taken his fiancee 3 weeks to obtain. If this is the normal time frame, there is not much time between packet 4 and interview date.

2. Exactly what documents need to be translated to english? House registration book, Police report, Single paper, Birth certificate.

3. Can the translation be done at any govenment office in Vietnam, or only specific location were the documents were handed out? Am I clear on this?

Thats all I have at this time, Thanks so much for your help.

Han & Bruce

Hi Han and Bruce,

It took me 4 weeks to have my polic report and i did it right after i got the packet 3.

Only the household registeration and the ID card (chung minh nhan dan) don't need to be translated. All other documents like police report, birth certificate, single status statement, ... have to be translated.

The US consulate accepts the translation from Notary Office in HCMC. They mention Notary Office #1 (Phong Cong Chung so 1) in their website as the place you can have your translation

Good luck on your journey

Lan and Andy

Lan & Andy,

Thanks for your help. You two are wonderful!!!

Han & Bruce

Finally, my fiance has her interview date. May 12th, 2006. So what do I need to do to prepare?

All right, it's about time!

You will need to get I-134, work letter, Bank letter, W2, 1040 for the last 3 years and all the proof of relation you can come up with, Latters, emails, credit card statments showing you paid for your plane tickets, pictures. You can see more reading the threads.

Good luck to you

Thanks. Is this the correct email address: uscongenhcmc@state.gov

ANOTHER disaster has hit me. Because I am dyslexic, or maybe because I was so panic sctricken and nervous, I put down my fiancee's birth date as being in 2006 instead of 1980! NOW WHAT?!?!?! How could it get this far with such an error.

I am ready to have a heart attack. I am so stressed out over this that I am sich to my stomach. It should not have to be this way.

No Matt,

The e-mail address is hcmcinfo@state.gov (regarding visa issues)

Look at my post above this one and you will see in their signature what address to use.

Oh God, thing have gone from bad to worse so quickly. I somehow put down the year for my fiancee's birth as 2006 instead of 1980! My *** **** dyslexia screw me again!!! I simply cannot do numbers.

####### do I do now?! I am dealing with HCMC in Vietnam and we all know they will use any excuse to send you into oblivion. As you can see from my timeline, somehow despite this huge error the application is proceding towards HCMC.

Please, what do I do?

Matt,

I had also made the same error, wrong birthdate on the I-129F. But I did put the correct birthdate on the G325A. My fiancee discovered the error when they sent her packet 3. Here is what I did: I sent the HCMC consulate an email describing the wrong birthday as an inadvertant error, I also told them that the G325A had the correct birthday on it. They responded to my email saying that they had forwarded my email to the NVC. Thats it. So I decided to send to my fiancee a notorized affidavit that she can take to the interview. The affidavit explains that I made an inadvertant error on the I-129F and that the G325 was correct. This just supporting evidence that the mistake was realized by the petioner and therefore brought to the attention of the consulate.

I alomost all of that same information. But what is Quan?

Thanks

Quan:12 = District 12

I have no idea because they won't answer my email.

Matt,

How did you address your email to them? You need to supply the information below. As you can see in the email I sent to them. They responded back to my in one day. Try it again with all the proper information. If they dont respond, you can have your fiancee go to the consulate to pick up Packet 3 . But she should only go there if 1 month has passed since they sent it out.

Hi,

I would like to know if you recieved our case file from the NVC. Also has the Packet # 3 been sent out to my fiance?

Thanks for your time

Sincerely

Bruce

Applicants name: XXXX XX XXXX

Date of birth: XX/XX/XXXX

Address:XXXXXXX

Quan: 12

Thanh Pho: Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

Phone: XXX XXX XXXXX

Petitioners name: XXXX XXXXXXX

Case number: XXXXXXXXXXXX

[u]This was there reply[/u]

Dear Mr. Bruce,

We sent your fiancée an Instruction Package (Packet 3) on January 12 to the following address XXXX XXXXXX XXX XXX, Your fiancée is requested to return the completed DS-230 Part I to us as soon as possible. We will schedule your fiancée for a visa interview after we receive this form. If your fiancée has not yet received the packet within one month of the mailing date, she can come to our office to pick-up a packet in-person or contact us to request that we mail another packet.

If you have further inquiries, please do not delete your original email with all correspondence.

Sincerely,

Info Unit Staff

Consular Section

U.S. Consulate General HCMC

Tel! : (84-8) 822 9433 - ext 4636

Fax: (84-8) 824 5572

E-mail: hcmcinfo@state.gov (regarding visa issues)

acshcmc@state.gov (regarding services for U.S. citizens)

Adoption: HanoiAdoption@state.gov

Website: http://hochiminh.usconsulate.gov

Hi Lan and Andy,

I thought it would be good for all of us to start a question thread direted to you since you just sucssefully completed your interview. I know Dalegg is getting bombarded with alot of questions latley. I am taking you up on your offer to help answer some basic questions.

1. How long did it take to get your (Ly Lich Tu Phap) police report? Scy said it had taken his fiancee 3 weeks to obtain. If this is the normal time frame, there is not much time between packet 4 and interview date.

2. Exactly what documents need to be translated to english? House registration book, Police report, Single paper, Birth certificate.

3. Can the translation be done at any govenment office in Vietnam, or only specific location were the documents were handed out? Am I clear on this?

Thats all I have at this time, Thanks so much for your help.

Han & Bruce

I have a reply to question #1. I just talked to my fiancee and she said it will take 2 weeks to get the police report.

That's me. Mr. Positive.

Matt,

Did your petition arrive to HCMC yet? It should be there by now.

Hi Lan and Andy,

I thought it would be good for all of us to start a question thread direted to you since you just sucssefully completed your interview. I know Dalegg is getting bombarded with alot of questions latley. I am taking you up on your offer to help answer some basic questions.

1. How long did it take to get your (Ly Lich Tu Phap) police report? Scy said it had taken his fiancee 3 weeks to obtain. If this is the normal time frame, there is not much time between packet 4 and interview date.

2. Exactly what documents need to be translated to english? House registration book, Police report, Single paper, Birth certificate.

3. Can the translation be done at any govenment office in Vietnam, or only specific location were the documents were handed out? Am I clear on this?

Thats all I have at this time, Thanks so much for your help.

Han & Bruce

Well after reviewing some more information I think that I will be ok. I did not list any of my assets on the I-864. Anybody knows-- I know that there was a formula to find out if my assets were enough to sponsor for a K-1 but I not for Sure how that works.

Annual income with No OT 27,000.00

Family of 4 125% Minus My Son Due to age and Not living with me 25,000.00

Would make the min requirement

Family of 5 125% Added My Son even Though he will be 18 29,250.00

So that would put me 2,250 short of the min requirement

My house is apprised at 180,000

I Owe on 1st 119,000

I Owe on 2nd 20,000

Equity 41,000

99 Nissan Value at 4,500

62 Chevy Nova apprised 14,800

Savings 5,200

Total Assets 65,500.00

Hi Robert-

Looks like we'll probably be in HCMC at the same time, it'd be great to meet up with a fellow VJ'er. This will be my 3rd time in the last 15 months (for a total of 3 months!) and I can't wait to go back!! I haven't gotten any info on interview date, but looking at everyone else, I'm anticipating an early July target date.

Greg

Hey yea we should get together if we are there the same time. let me know when you are going I will give you Van's cell # so you can call and we can meet.

I would like to see what that 62 Nove looks like. Low miles or what?

Well, I offered to send her money to make the deposit for the restaurant and for the photographer. She said she could probably pay for most of that , but would let me know if she ran into trouble.

I always used Western Union, 6 bucks for each transfer. Quick and secure.

None of those certificates need to be sent back when you send in your visa application after pack 3. The only thing you need to send back are the forms in that packet.

Interesting. So the I-134's and all my evidence does not have to be in that when my fiancee returns it? She just needs it for the interview?

How close to the interview should the I-134 be notarized? Bank statements, etc... ???

Matt,

I just sent mine over 1 month before the interview. If you time it right you can send it within 1 week of the interview.

Dalegg,

Can you tell me more about the photo's she showed? Was she wering a wedding dress or the Vietnamese special dress? Our pictures of the reception show us on stage, she was wearing a wedding dress, and me a suite, with her parents as we exchanged gifts in front of everyone. I gave her a ring, a necklace, and my parents who did not attend gave her earrings. She gave me a ring and her parents also gave me a ring. What is your opinion Dalegg? Should would show any of these pics with a single status paper? or should we just show some of the pics from the party without her in them? As I said we don't have any pics of the engagement ceremony. So can these be used for that purpose?

Thanks so much for your help

Attached are some examples of the pictures she showed at the interview:

Dalegg,

Is that really you in those photos? Did you get a hair cut or something, Im not used to seeing you this way!

What sucks is that were this a case in any other country, my co-sponsor would be all that's needed. But because it is HCMC, Anh and I are pretty much ******. How we will handle a seperation that could last to late 2007 or MORE is beyond me.

I've made good money all of my life, but starting with my divorce I decided to make changes in my life and go for my dream and it's coming along, but slowly. And as a result I may end up keeping the love of my life stuck in her home country for a very long time.

I wish I had an idea of when her interview would be. How many months would I need a so called "REAL" job so that they can see I am "stable" enough to pay for my fiancee's needs?

Matt,

I dont know if you need show how many months you are working, you just need to prove the fact that you "ARE" working and making the requierd amount that shows she will not be a public charge. I believe that the more supporting documents she has in her hand when she walks into that interview will be much stronger than not having anything but just a co-sponcer and no job. You can send her paycheck stubbs, employee letter, and save what you can then send her the bank letter. You still have about 2-3 months possibly before her interview. It's better than nothing, but you need to act fast about getting "Real" job.

Denial, delay. Whatever. That blue slip means 1/2 a year to a years additional wait. Basically, asbolute torture for the couple involved. It will be very hard on a relationship to be thrown into limbo like that.

In my case, I really think I am screwed. Not only did I officially make no money last year, but I am moving this Summer and that means looking for a job. Worse, my mother, who is my co-sponsor is also moving and that means she will be switching jobs!

Matt,

I realized you have alot of concerns right now. You need to better position yourself if you do get a delay because of having a co-sponser. What I mean is you need to find a job this week. You still have a few months to go before the interview and by having a job (now or very soon), in 1 or 2 months you can have the employer work letter and other supporting documents that they may request with getting the blue slip. Post your resume on Monster.com, Look in Craigs lists. Their are alot of jobs out there that will put you above the poverty limit.

Good luck

Simpsons film confirmed for 2007

The Simpsons is now in its 17th series on US television

Twentieth Century Fox has confirmed that popular animated TV series The Simpsons is to be made into a film.

The movie will be released in the United States in July 2007.

A 25-second trailer for the film has been shown to US audiences at screenings of Ice Age: The Meltdown, promising to introduce "the greatest hero in American history".

It then cut to Homer Simpson, wearing only his underwear, who admitted: "I forgot what I was supposed to say."

The Simpsons revolves around the antics of bald, beer-guzzling family man Homer and his spiky-haired son Bart.

International hit

It is the longest-running prime-time entertainment series on television in the US and a worldwide hit.

It is currently in its 17th season, and last month, US network Fox confirmed it had commissioned two more series.

This ensured the show would stay on screens until at least 2008.

There has long been speculation about whether it would be turned into a film.

Creator Matt Groening said last year that the animated hit would keep going as long as he and his colleagues could keep generating fresh ideas.

"That's what you're looking for in television - surprise," he added.

Thread topic says it all. I need the last three years. How can I get copies? Is that even possible?

Matt,

You will need last 3 years of W2's and 1040 forms. I also had my 1040's notorized, may not needed but notorized anyway.

The Philippines' mobile politics

By Sarah Toms

BBC News, Manila

More than a third of Filipinos have mobile phones. In a country where many live in poverty, they are often seen as a cheap way to stay in touch. But for some the mobile is also being used as a powerful political and social tool.

Filipinos have some of the fastest thumbs in the

East

It is 3am and my mobile phone beeps.

In my groggy state I take a look and I am not surprised to read a text message warning of impending doom and disaster in the Philippines.

It is not unusual to get a text this early or in droves at any time of the day or night.

They warn of coup attempts or bombing campaigns. Usually, they are completely false.

Some are political jokes, others are spiritual. Many seek support for protests, sow wild rumours or propose a scam.

Whether they are commuters, cinema-goers or even mourners at a funeral, people here always seem to find time to send texts.

And Filipinos have some of the fastest thumbs in the East.

Ringing headache

Propaganda about unrest spreads quickly as people just cannot resist passing it on.

The difficulty and expense of getting a landline in the Philippines explains why there are so many mobile users.

Malicious messages can create unease in an already fragile democracy

And because text messages are so cheap, at least 200 million are sent here every day.

No wonder the country has a reputation as the world's text capital.

Texting is so prevalent that even the central bank governor and other senior officials answer media enquiries by tapping out a reply on their mobiles.

But it is also become a ringing headache for many recipients.

'Disinformation'

Most mobile users are anonymous because they use pre-paid phone cards, which can be bought without giving a name and address.

With the origin unknown, malicious messages can create unease in an already fragile democracy.

Texting in the Philippines is such a rumour mill that it can turn a shred of disinformation into a national talking point, sometimes one that forces the government to comment.

When a message went around recently that the head of the armed forces had resigned, the rumour grew so large that he felt compelled to deny it.

The greater the political tensions, the more the wild rumours circulate and the more the messages flood in

Analysts say text message rumours proliferate because some people wish to portray themselves as being in the know about matters of national security.

Others pass them along believing they are helping friends and family by warning them.

Whatever the reason, I have received false text messages of disasters such as a tsunami that was about to hit the south of the country and a bomb set to go off at a popular shopping mall.

Another I got claimed President Gloria Arroyo had died from a strange disease.

Political accusations

Rumours about President Arroyo have been spread by mobile phone

The power of text messaging reached its peak in 2001.

A lightning campaign rallied hundreds of thousands of people to the streets of Manila for a popular uprising that forced President Joseph Estrada from office.

Mrs Arroyo, his successor as president, is now the target.

The greater the political tensions, the more the wild rumours circulate and the more the messages flood in.

President Arroyo has been struggling with record-low popularity. She is accused of corruption and rigging the election in 2004, which she denies.

The accusations are based largely on wiretaps of phone calls in which Mrs Arroyo is allegedly speaking to an election official about ensuring her victory by one million votes.

One message I got told me how the president had won an Oscar for her televised apology to the nation for talking to the election official, whose nickname is Garci.

Even the snippet of the alleged discussion was set to a techno beat and turned into a hugely popular mobile ring-tone known as "Hello Garci".

Mrs Arroyo survived an impeachment attempt last year but the messages calling for her removal keep on coming.

The warnings are often attributed to reliable intelligence sources and based on some grain of truth. That can make it difficult - at least initially - to tell whether they are genuine or not.

Sometimes they are just political dirty tricks by the administration and the opposition, leaving me to think the only conspiracy is the one depriving me of sleep.

But since I have been living in Manila, I have witnessed a very real mutiny by soldiers - which ended up failing - and a couple of alleged plots to overthrow the government.

That is why at three in the morning I turn on the light and read the text messages, however unlikely they might seem.

Covering the news in the Philippines, I just cannot afford to take any chances.

Well,

We are in the line up for our interview. The only thing I am most concered about is not having the formal Dam Hoi. We just had a very small get together at a resturaunt, We do have a few pictures, and she does have her engagement ring. It is certainly too late now to have one before the interview. Has there been a case when a blue slip was handed out because of the Dam Hoi lack of proof thing. I pray I will not be the first case.

Mmm, seems like this guy fastfred had the ceremony one day before the interview and he got a blue slip and put on AR for a month. It might be better not to have one than to have one a day before the interview.

I agree with you there, It would send the wrong message if I were to have the Dam Hoi just before the interview. We will just have to wait and see.

Matt_Stevens, I will be the Guinee pig on this one.