Bruce and Han

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.

One more thing to think about right now is how envious we all are of you- yes- even me having already passed this part. At what other point will you ever get to be this excited? All of the waiting and preparation is finally over. Not that I ever want to go back to those months of chatting on yahoo, but I really kind of miss that moment of waiting to hear the results of the interview.

In my case the answer was not good right away, but I still remember the excitement of the phone call. I was online with my friends and her friends in Vietnam. It feels like you're on stage and they are about to draw lottery numbers. I hate to say it, but there will never be a time you feel this excited again- except maybe when your children are born. So, I'm really kind of envious.

I completely echo you dalegg. I think the blind friendships that we develop on VisaJourney are a great benefit to all of us. While we may never meet in person, we've shared hard times through the process, helped each other with specific Vietnam related tips, rallied behind those with blue slips and delays and most exciting, we've shared together in the very excitement you reference in your post.

It is odd how we all just stumble upon this site. I can't even remember myself how I found it, but I'm more than happy I did. First you find the K-1 board, and then you are slowly steered to the Vietnam VisaJourney Members page; a wealth of information and page of new friends. I know for my situation - and probably many others just starting out - one could never imagine this process could be done alone without the guidance of another with experience or an immigration lawyer. However, VisaJourney puts those thoughts behind us all and gives us the confidence, knowledge and support to tackle the petition with our own bare hands.

I know the interview process is becoming closer for those like landy, yellow123, bruce_han, kvtran, myself, matt stevens and menyoo. Blue slip or pink slip for any of us, it doesn't matter. We've got a board of support to turn to no matter what color the interviewee is handed.

STL_HCMC

As Ben Franklin had said, We must all hang together or most assuredly, we will all hang seperetly!

We finally got our interview date!!! I thought this day would never come. I hope to have a real nice birthday present. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I just FEDEXed all the important papers to her this week(Proof of relationship, I-134 and everything else imaginiable. Our case has been pretty straight forward (No RFE's). Well, please wish us luck!, and thanks to all of you for your support!!! I will post the news when it comes.

Thanks to the lord!

Bruce_Han

You state that you sent important papers to her this week(Proof of relationship, I-134.....

Is it required to send it 2 times. When I did my I129f I sent the I-134 with it. I was told that all the paper work and proof of Relationship that gets filled the I129f will be at the interview and that I do not need to send anything else.

Robert & Van,

Dalegg is correct, You do need to send proof of relation just before the interview date. I see from your time line that you do indeed have plenty of time to collect communuication between you two. You should wait on the I-134 until she recieves her packet 3. Save all your reciepts from your trip over there and save your credit card statments that show you paid for the plane tickets.

Congrats!!! Now I'm worried. My packet 3 was sent in at the same time. The consulate has already received the packet 3 and I confirmed it, but my fiance hasn't seen packet 4 yet. What gives here.

kvtran,

I suggest that you ask your fiancee to call in and ask about the interview date. In our case, the lady told us to call back in early April to find out the interview date. However, my fiancee could have called in about 2 weeks before that time and would have gotten an answer. If the Pack 4 is lost, just like our Pack 3 was, then by the time you inquire about the interview date you could have just a few days to prepare. Good luck and hope you'll find out your date on the call.

I just called the consulate in HCMC and they said I need to wait. Normally, they take 3 to 4 months after receiving the packet 3 forms to send out packet 4. Then she hung up on me. I guess I lucked out. Maybe, my fiance will get her packet soon.

I always foud it better to e-maile the consulate, Just be sure to give them the benificiaries name, address, birthdate, phone number, and give them your name and case number. I always received a positive reply back from them everytime.

No, you misunderstand, I *WILL* have the engagement ring for her. I am bringing it with me in May. It is just the Dam Hoi that will take place later. I simply could not afford both. It was impossible.

And now I can spend more on the ring. I wanted to get her a ring that was worthy of her.

Matt,

I am going about it the same as you are. We bought a ring together when I was in HCMC and then I proposed to her, and we did have a small get together at her families house. We took some pictures of the small party, nothing fancy. I did not even know what a Dam Hoi was at the time. So we have the ring and some pictures at her families house ,,thats all.

I second that question. I'll have my fiancee do the same!

Ok here is the deal, I did not want to endorse the idea of telling you guys it was ok to hand deliver the packet 3 to the consulate without getting some more information first. First thing I asked hmy fiance was: Who and were did you take the papers to at the consulate? She said at the front enterance of the consulate building there is a window with a VN lady sitting there. Second thing I asked her was: How did they respond to you when you handed them the packet 3 papers? She said the lady was very nice to her and accpted the papers with no problems or questions.

I wanted to make sure that the consulate does not frown about the fact that benificeraries are hand delivering ther document in person. So I say go for it. I did save some time from the snail mail.

Please anyone, Correct me if you think this is a bad idea.

Matt,

This is very important, If you stay at a hotel, book the room for you and your Fiance in advance or they wont let her into your room.

Are you telling me this is all I had to do to avoid the panic I went through every time I was there???!! We stayed at a willing hotel, but without fail every time I was there at least once a week there would be police doing a random inspection and I tried desperately to sleep without dreaming of being hauled off to a Vietnamese jail showing them pictures of our engagement ceremony and bribing them to get me out!!! fortunately they never checked our room.

Besides, it doesn't matter. We learned in another post that Matt's fiance is saving herself for marriage , so I'm sure she will never be in his room

Actually, according to Vietnamese law, the foreigner has to be married to the Vietnamese citizen in order for them to be allowed in the same hotel room. So being engaged doesn't count. And yes, they could have hauled you off to a jail if you're found to not be married to the woman staying in your room. But I'm sure a little bribe will go a long way towards resolving any problem.

Scy,

I guessed I dodged another bullit then. When I made the hotel reservations, my fiance said to be sure to list her name on the reservation. So thats what exactly what I did. Thanks for that correction, because my facts were off. I really thought this within the law.

Thanks for your support! He is 5 years old. This morning before I went to work, I had a chance to chat with my fiancee and her son, and he was so happy to chat with me and see me on the webcam. He asked me if i can come there for one day so we could play . Then he said he wants to come here so we can swim, and play. My nerves are shot now. I hope to change his mind!

Mike ,

I have been thinking about this for some time. I know this is a tough situation to be in. Keep your spirits up. Somehow you and your fiance need to convince the father that the child will be going to a good home. Did you meet the father when you visited your fiance? Maybe if you go again, could it be a good idea to meet him personally? I know you and your fiance knows best. I hope everything will work out. Good luck.

Matt,

This is very important, If you stay at a hotel, book the room for you and your Fiance in advance or they wont let her into your room.

Are you telling me this is all I had to do to avoid the panic I went through every time I was there???!! We stayed at a willing hotel, but without fail every time I was there at least once a week there would be police doing a random inspection and I tried desperately to sleep without dreaming of being hauled off to a Vietnamese jail showing them pictures of our engagement ceremony and bribing them to get me out!!! fortunately they never checked our room.

Besides, it doesn't matter. We learned in another post that Matt's fiance is saving herself for marriage , so I'm sure she will never be in his room

Thats for sure, If you book the room as a couple, they cant touch you.

My fiancee and I met in person twice in Europe when she was researching universities, so this will be my first trip to her home country of Vietnam and my first time meeting her parents.

Sent my passport to the Vietnamese Embassy in DC last week and received it back today, with the Visa.

47 days and counting.

Matt,

This is very important, If you stay at a hotel, book the room for you and your Fiance in advance or they wont let her into your room. If you do stay in a hotel, have her sign the reciept too. Take alot of pictures with her parents and her friends and have them dated. Save every reciept you get. Make sure to keep the credit card statments for the airline tickets. Take as much proof of relation stuff (ie printed emails, Greeting cards, IM log chats, Photos of you and your parents and family, Pictures of your car, you cant bring to much with you, (this will save you some time and money down the road. Just keep your baggage under 70 pounds though. Well, good luck, have fun, If you have a gameboy you will need it for the flight.

Lien called me about 3 days ago 3 AM in the morning to tell me that we have just received our pack 4.

She told me that the paper tells her to go get her medical exam at least a week before the interview date (4-13-06) at Cho Ray hospital and Pack 4 is a lot thicker than Pack 3. The funny thing was that when I asked when is the interview date, she told me that she couldn't find the listed interview date anywhere. She then called the consulate and about 10 mins later called back to tell me the date. She later found the interview date in very small printings. I am so ecstatic and am counting down the interview date day by day now.

I am happy for you, Thats great news. Congrats!!!!

I know JOSmith2 has his interview coming up real soon too, but I'm not sure of the date.

That's kind of interesting that you got your Pack 4 only one month after sending back your Pack 3, or is that a typo in the date you returned pack 3. Hmm. Yeah, did you really wait 1 month before sending it back?

You're making kvtran jealous.

Hi,

I was waiting for this question to come up. We did wait 1 month before sending packet 3 back to the embassy. When her packet 3 came in the mail it was burried under some other papers and not found untill my fiancee discovered them 2 weeks later. Dodged a bullit there. So after it was found she filled out the forms and hand carried them to the consulate (She lives 5 min. away). I was suprised myself that Packet 4 came so soon and that the interview was comming so suddenly. I guess that since she hand carried the packet to the embassy, that eliminated the snail mail time and therefore everything happened much quicker. So to sum it all up, the dates are correct in the time line. We just got lucky I guess.

I received my NOA1 on 3/20/06 and have been checking daily on my status. I just checked and I have been touched today, 03/23/06. What does this mean?

it means that they worked on your case today.. maybe soon you will get your NOA2.

when I was doing the 129f, I got my Noa1 in the mail so I sign up for the email and listed my recpect # and checked the staus.. I was shocked to see it was already approved. It took total of 3 weeks from sending it out to being sent to the consolate, but hit road block cause they sent it to the wrong one. Just when you get your aproval and it is in the NVC, just call to make sure it will be sent to the right place

good luck

When I filled out my papers, I assumed they would be sent to Hanoi Vietnam since there is an embassy there, but after visiting this site, I have learned that she must interview in HCMC. Is this correct? Will they know where to send my papers even though I remeber writing Hanoi?

I am very sure they will send your papers to HCMC. It had taken my papers 5 days from the time it was sent from NVC to the consulate in HCMC. When you gewt the approval notice in the mail, wait about 2 weeks and then you can email the consulate and confirm they recieved the package.

Good luck!

We finally got our interview date!!! I thought this day would never come. I hope to have a real nice birthday present. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I just FEDEXed all the important papers to her this week(Proof of relationship, I-134 and everything else imaginiable. Our case has been pretty straight forward (No RFE's). Well, please wish us luck!, and thanks to all of you for your support!!! I will post the news when it comes.

Thanks to the lord!

Bruce_Han

When does the I-134 have to be notarized? If I do that now it will be many months before my fiance's interview (we are dealing with Vietnam, so you kow the story there).

Wait until she gets her Packet 3 before you notorize your I-134. You will have plenty of time because after she gets her packet 3 you will still have a 2 month wait before she gets her interview date.

What? So I will automatically be denied? ####### is going on here?! I have to have a co-sponsor. It is a must. My writing provides pay at different periods, may times months apart. Great, so I am doing all of this for nothing?!!!!

THIS MAKES NO SENSE! The rules very clearly state that we can have a co-sponsor. It's in black and white, so how can this ONE single consulate say F YOU?

Hi Matt, Dont get too discoraged yet. I have been searching hi and low for any information regarding co sponsers denials in HCMC. So far I found nothing. I am not in need of a co sponser, but I have had some free time looking into this. There is one thing you can try though, you can email the Info Unit Staff, Consular section. Ask them about having a co sponser, and see what they say. But to get a response from them you will need to have all your ducks in a row. When I had an issue this is how i did it. Send your email to the Info Staff Unit , consular section. Keep it short and to the point, just ask them about having a co sponser and if the rules have changed. Then most important is to put all the relevent information regarding your case, see below. I think by doing this, you will get a straight answer. Good luck and let us know what happens.

Info Unit Staff

Consular Section

U.S. Consulate General HCMC

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

Applicants name:

Date of birth:

Address:

Phone:

Petitioners name:

Case number:

I dont know if this story has any merit but, but still an interesting read.

US Consulate Staff in Ho Chi Minh City Under Investigation

March 08, 2006

By Dr Harold Mandel

The Mandel News Service is investigating the U.S. Consulate staff in Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam for refusing my Vietnamese wife,My Dung Quach Thi,an immigrant visa to the United States after her papers were cleared for entry to the United States by the Immigration and Naturalization Service in Ho Chi Minh City years ago.

The State Department appears intent on using the Communists as proxy agents to cover up for wrongdoing in dealing with me years ago in China at which time I was kidnapped and thrown into Red Chinese mental hospitals in retaliation for my criticisms of the mental health-care policies of the United States and the Communist countries as reflecting brutal Nazism. The CIA and FBI,which work with the State Department,sold me out overseas when I went to China to study and work and thereafter in Vietnam in order to dilute the credibility of my reports about mental health-care abuses in the United States by having me railroaded into mental hospitals with false allegations it was me who was mentally ill.

The Bushs,who have close ties with the Red Chinese because President George Bush Sr was a liason to China,saw this all as a perfect opportunity to use me as a vehicle to further their political aspirations by moving forward with appeasement policies in dealing with Beijing by setting me up for "The Texas Brutality Case" wherein I was kidnapped,beaten and tortured after being lured to Texas and hit with a fixed civil mental health-care case falsely alleging that I suffer from manic-depression. This all lead to heavy Chinese support for the Bush presidencys with behind the lines hot Chinese money being funneled into the Bushs political war chests. The deal was the Bushs and Texans would take the position that China was not a human rights violator nation in the area of mental health-care with my case as evidence of that. Beijing was to of course understand that however at times the Bushs would have to make some anti-Communist comments in public in the United States to avoid a public outrage. The US feds,deeply concerned about what this all meant when no other states in the United States had any intentions of railroading me into mental hospitals pushed hard behind the lines for the Bush/Cheney ticket to make all of this appear justified and now the nation and the country are in ruins due to Texas policies. There have been attempts to murder me by the police to cover all of this up in the form of poisonings,beatings and hit and runs with moving vehicles.

When I visit Vietnam to see my wife and children I have been hit with intense electronic harassment,badgering,surveillance and blacklisting.

The same U.S. Department of State which has insisted that I do not have enough money to properly sponsor my wifes immigration request to the United States has been largely responsible for the backlisting of my vital financial interests in association with "The Texas Brutality Case". So,as the State Department speaks of its concerns over human trafficking my two charming young Vietnamese/American children,2 year old Christopher and 5 year old Katherine,along with my wife and I are being set up to become victims of human trafficking and torture if we run out of money someday.

Clearly it is the U.S. feds and Texans who are insane for helping the Communists abuse me and my family. I also am deeply sorry to have to report that the entire U.S. Consulate staff in Ho Chi Minh City,along with the group of doctors in Texas who helped to mastermind "The Texas Brutality Case",appear to be as guilty of torture as the group of military people from the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.

Casey and I just had a little argument. I said Howard Stern has low morals and for the most part is not funny. Casey thinks he is a great entertainer (he listens to the idiot every day).

Then he said I don't get him because I am a woman! Ohhh thems fighting words!

I say that is wrong, lots of men don't find him funny and it has nothing to do with 'getting him'.

So help me settle this (and be right lol) .... tell me.....do you like Howard Stern?

I dont like Howard Stern, He does have low morals. He is the kind of person that drags this country down. He is a serwer pipe going to too many homes.

Thats my opinion!

Am I able to substitute banks statements for the bank letter? What should be stated in the bank letter?

Thanks for any clarifications...One more thing, it is kind of silly. I am a naturalized USC and I will be forwarding my naturalization certificate to my fiance for the interview but do they need to see my passport as well or only a copy of same? Thank you.

I am not sure if you can substitute bank statments for the bank letter. But I just recieved a letter from my bank at my request and a fee of $10. My letter is on bank letterhead and it shows Type of account, account number (last 5 digits) current balance, average balance and date account was opened. Thats it.

Just contact your bank, there is really nothing to it. I can tell you that the bank statments are still a positive, so both would be even better. Maybe someone else at VJ can give better advise abour substitution.

Well, My fiance is from VN also, And she is tired of the heat, So our plans for the honeymoon is Lake Tahoe, California in the dead of winter. We will get a nice cabin with a fireplace and Jucuzzi. I will show her how to make a Snowman/woman, which ever she prefers and some snow angels. Then we end the day with a snowball fight and then back into the candle lit Jucuzzi. Lake Tahoe also has their casinos and such, and dont forget the skiing. But really I think for you and your Fiance, you should stay stateside. Maybe Disneyland?

Let us know what you decide.

Goodluck on your visa journey

Bruce_han

I seem to recall an old post here on VJ, where HCMC was asking for the birth certificates of the ex-wifes's parents!, or some totally crazy thing like that. Anyone remember that? I've seen posts where they ask for some pretty crazy information concerning ex-spouses.

As I recall, someone posted that they asked for the Ex-spouses current address. I am sure their have been some pretty crazy requests.

Intel to invest $300m in Vietnam

Vietnam is South-East Asia's fastest growing PC market

US computer chip firm Intel is to build a $300m (£172m) factory in Vietnam.

It will be based in the Saigon Hi-Tech Park outside Ho Chi Minh City and will initially employ about 1,200 people.

It is believed to be the biggest investment yet by a US company in Vietnam, and will raise the country's profile as a hi-tech business location.

The plant will package chips into devices and test them before shipping them on. Intel has similar sites in China, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Expansion plans

Intel chairman Craig Barrett said the factory was only the first stage of his company's investment in the country.

The company already has a programme to provide computer training to more than 30,000 Vietnamese teachers and is helping the government set up wireless computer access to rural areas of the country.

The Vietnamese factory is part of a $6bn worldwide expansion programme Intel is rolling out this year.

Vietnam has been one of Asia's fastest growing economies in recent years, and has been trying to diversify its economy by attracting hi-tech investors.

But it has been criticised for its poor infrastructure, too much bureaucracy and widespread corruption.

Vietnam is opening up to world markets

It is currently negotiating to join the World Trade Organization and has taken steps to reform and open up its markets.

"We will do our utmost to create all the most favourable conditions possible so that projects like Intel will be successful," said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at an official ceremony to hand over Intel's investment licence.

My wife was placed on AR in February 16 for missing documents. See this thread.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...owtopic=778&hl=

I sent the document last Friday. She received yesterday. Turned it in. And received a pink slip telling her to pickup her passport next Tuesday!

I'm so very happy.

Thats wonderful news. Congratulations. Now take a deep breath........................ and release.

Songsparrow,

Per your timeline, you now have only the NOA1. You may have a few months to go for the NOA2. Then to NVC and finally the consulate.

I would go ahead and download all the packet 3 docs and start working on them. However, I would wait for the confimed interview date to complete the I134 and forward to your fiancee.

I agree with Songsparrow,

My fiance just recieved her packet 3. So now I am gathering my information for the I-134. You have alot of time. It is best to print out the forms and practice with them. Once you have the interview date then you can send the I-134 to her.

You may want to post to the Vietnam visa thread. I have recieved alot of valuable information with all going through the HCMC consulate.

Bruce_han

Songsparrow,

Per your timeline, you now have only the NOA1. You may have a few months to go for the NOA2. Then to NVC and finally the consulate.

I would go ahead and download all the packet 3 docs and start working on them. However, I would wait for the confimed interview date to complete the I134 and forward to your fiancee.

I agree with Songsparrow,

My fiance just recieved her packet 3. So now I am gathering my information for the I-134. You have alot of time. It is best to print out the forms and practice with them. Once you have the interview date then you can send the I-134 to her.

You may want to post to the Vietnam visa thread. I have recieved alot of valuable information with all going through the HCMC consulate.

Bruce_han

I am sorry,

I meant to say I agree with thai2luv

Congratulations,

You two have been an inspiration to us all.

Bruce & Han