ngoc

is this required in Ho Chi Minh City?

i have my immration attorney's signature along with mine...

i hope it doesnt need to be notarized.

thanks for any replies

Ok, Now it's my turn to chime in,

Ngoc,

You may still have along way to go, so use your time well. I am not very familure with the K3 process.

Do you need to show proof of relationship, phone bills, emails.

It is best to talk to your wife on the phone, and speak english with her, this way it will give her some practice. You can also record you speaking english and send it to her to practice.

Tyr to eliminate the red flags that can pop up in your case. Try to get a second job. you have plany of time.

welcome to the party Bruce Han. yes i have almost all the proof that they need. i only have about 20 pictures of us together, that could be a problem wouldnt u think?

well ima have her take english courses pretty soon.

thanks for the advice

Ngoc,

I'm not trying to stress you out. I'm just trying to stress to you the point of facts. It is meant as pure motivation. I was serious when I said there is no room for exagerations - because there isn't. I was also serious when I told you how many people walk out of the consulate in HCMC with blue slips because they didn't know about the VisaJourney site and the tips/hints/stories that we are afforded on here. Perhaps they too thought exageration would be OK. We are ALL learning here - that is the beauty of this message board. You will find specific HCMC consulate examples from document completion tips all the way to specific interview reports that previous approved members have posted on here. This site - and its Vietnam members that are more than happy to answer questions and help each other out - is an invaluable tool to us all and this process.

Please don't see Dalegg and I as against you in any way. Like I've stated before, we are all in this together to help each other. Don't shiver. Transfer that energy in to your detailed and diligent planning.

STL_HCMC

STL, HCM

please dont stress me out with those CAPS on. i hope its just motivation. u 2 guys make me shiver a little. im taking this very serious and its no laughing matter. this will be the most important thing in my life and of course i will prove to them facts, nuthing but facts..

well, sorry for being a newbie. my case is still pending so it will be a while before the interview. i also have a lawyer on my side to help me be prepared but hes not doing a very good job, thats why i came here and get as much as information and prepartion beforehand.

i dont know, some of things you guys say makes me nervous but also it could be just me. i guess its a combination of both..

appreciate the motovation

Not just tell them you earned $23,000, right? You should be able to prove this. Your wife can earn some pretty good money doing nails here. My wife has a friend that moved here with her husband last year and she took a course to learn that. She's now making about $3000 a month, which sounds great, except that she works 12 hours a day and gets 2 days off a month. I'll bet those are two GREAT days though! I shouldn't be too harsh on you about your finances. Our women like to work, that's for sure, so you'll do fine. Just take some time before making little ngocs.

Dalegg,

true but not always true...not everyone works 12 hrs a day, 28 days a month doing nails..sometimes they go home early and come in late, etc.. and they can take days off alot easier than say at xyz company. it all varies you know. i dont know about the rest of you but we will have great days everyday not just those 2 days.

Ngoc,

FACTS...FACTS...FACTS! There is no room for exageration in this bud!

STL_HCMC

yes i will definitely trained her for the interview. probably, exagerate a little more about the savings part..some people tell me they only look at the most recent yr and some tell me otherwise. i mean you just dont know what kinda mood that CO is in that day.

yes, i will give them the best facts that i could. the $500 is just an estimate amount. i gotta alotta homework to do.

It was the linked post below that made me think of the videotape. After reading it again, I guess scy made it as a precaution.

Linnk: Videotape Reference

STL_HCMC

Also- I've never heard of someone who's husband speaks Vietnamese having to produce a video. You speak Viet, right?

i've never produce a video before, ever... i probably know how with the right guidances. i speak fluently vietnamese...

yes i will definitely trained her for the interview. probably, exagerate a little more about the savings part..

some people tell me they only look at the most recent yr and some tell me otherwise. i mean you just dont know what kinda mood that CO is in that day.

Patricks,

what you mean "go for it"? little lost there

well, my family are very narrow-minded people, they think that this girl im marrying will scam me or something like that,... and my boss recently just refused...so theres no way in hell they're gonna co-sign the paper and be responsible for her for the next 10 freakin yrs.

Patrick, are you vietnamese by the way? i overheard you say a couple of words in viet. yeah thanks for the encouragement.

Dalegg, STL HCM,

well this is my plan for the time being regarding my income:

if they do question the 2004 yr income, i will them that my annual salary is 23,000, but during that yr i had to stay in VN for 2 more months to finish up the paperworks and stuffs. and please have a look at my 2003 and 2005 salaries, its above $20,000. i also have a checkin account assets with this amount of money.

my wife, she is currently studying nails at the moment and she have relatives who can land her a job from right the get-go when she gets in the US. also we are planning to move to another state so that the cost of living would be alot less than it is in cali.

well, that doesn work, then im screwed.

yeah i ve read alot of the members post, thats why im being a little lazy with the others

Dalegg,

if u rent a room in orange county, its only about $300 and if u live with a family member, it could be lower. i cut down on most of my expenses: like DSL, cable, cellphone services, car ins, health ins, etc. my expense comes down to basically food & gas. well i understand some people cant live the way i live. but if u do something for so long, u will use to get to it.. my expense will go thru the roof when my wife gets here.

Okay, and right now what city in Vietnam does your wife live in? And is she older or younger than 30?

hmm... shes live in HCM and shes 24 and im 28.. why do u ask?

Your expenses are $500 per month? In Orange County, California? How do you do this? Do you live alone?

Maybe he is a hermit and lives in a cave and goes out hunting for animals to eat at night?

Dalegg,

if u rent a room in orange county, its only about $300 and if u live with a family member, it could be lower. i cut down on most of my expenses: like DSL, cable, cellphone services, car ins, health ins, etc. my expense comes down to basically food & gas. well i understand some people cant live the way i live. but if u do something for so long, u will use to get to it.. my expense will go thru the roof when my wife gets here.

kvtran,

you are being too silly, no body does that.

You cannot have possibly meant that. If you net $10,000-$14,000 a year, and you save $900-$1000 a month, you are leaving yourself about $100 a month for rent and food. This only works in Vietnam.

ur absolutely correct. thanks for the correction. this the appropriate figures:

$1,500 monthly salary, $18,000 yearly

my expense is usually around $500 month.

Dalegg, does your fiance/spouse live in HCM?

STL HCM,

regarding the videotaping, are we talking about utilizing the Yahoo Voice Communicating as a videotape? i cant think of any other way other than that... i am vietnamese and i speak it fluently;however my wife lacks in english. i'll have her take some english courses, i guess.

Most of us USC's, who can speak little to no Vietnamese, find it relatively necessary to have the fiance(e)/spouse doing the interview in English

wouldnt it be easier for the fiance/spouse to do the interview in their native language, vietnamese? im a little puzzled about that.

excellent websites links. it even has the "switch to vietnamese" language option. im too lazy to read all that but i'll ask my wife to do the reading for her own good:=) Thanksa lot!

STL HCM,

1. im referring to kids in the future. thanks for the clear-up

2. my family are no use, they hate it. i will have to give up on the sponsor thing. i think i have to go with what i have on hand. hopefully, the checking account assets will help along with my reasonable income in 2003 & 2005 and perhaps a laid-back Consulate

3. surviving in southern cali with a net income of about $10,000 - 14,000 isnt too hard. even with that income, i can save 900-1,000 monthly

wait4ever,

so you re saying its a good chance the Consulate wont be to harsh on the past yrs income?

i heard K3 Case which i think its sponsoring wife doesnt get denied too often?

also i have a few more concerns:

Does the Consulate in Vietnam does the interview in English or vietnamese? hopefully not in english

when my case gets approve, and i submit the either 134 or 864. does the USCIS review the income docs and approves it or disapproves it? or do they sent it to Vietnamfor review? do they review the Aff. of Supprt before hand and decline it or they wait during the the interview?.. sorry if im not making any sense. hope u guys understand what i mean.

Dalegg,

im averaging about $18,000+ the 4 yrs so i am above the poverty lines. i make less so i have to spend less plus im single & that helps too. so i think with my average income, i can support both me and wife but probably not our kids. its just a matter of how u manage your money. yes, im somewhere in OC like you.

STL HCM,

i just found out that my boss will not be co-signing any paper. so im really stressing out right now and im about to cry out.. i was wondering if i can add in my checking account as an assets for the yr 2004. i got a few grand in the bank.. im short about $2,000 for 2004. wonder if that will help

Yodrak, i heard that for a wife, they look at 3 yrs and for a fiance, its 1 yr. can you or someone confirm this?

thanks

good question man but my brains are fried as well. sorry.. i probably have to dealt with that also when i can get a co-signer.

good find.

Finally found the right forum to post! (vietnamese related)

hi anyone, i found out that the minimum income to sponsor my wife is $16,500 a yr.

my question is, how many years of income does the US embassy and the Vietnames Embassy needs. i heard that the vietnamese embassy can be a little stitchy and wants more than more 1 year. if so, im screw. i do not meet the income req. in 2004

2002 = 12,000

2003 = 20,000 +

2004 = 14,000

2005 = 20,000 +

as for co-sponsoring, neither my family or best friend will do it because they dont trust me and hate the fact that im marrying someone outside the US and that this "girl" will dump me afterwards.

my current boss said she may co-sponsor for me. i want to be safe, should i submit my affidavit of support along with a backup of hers as well. so if one fails, then they will accept the other? or just go alone with plan A or B.

appreciate for the help if any.. thanks for the read.

if they require one yr, then no worries. i have my wife give them a call though. as for a co-sponsor, none of my family or best friend would do it, (that really sucks) because they dont trust me or doesnt appreciate me marrying someone outside of US. my boss however, said she may co-sign for me. i really really hope she does..

yes, i have read some of the threads in the Asian section. alot of reads but nothing on income. good reads though....thanks for the links..

ngoc

hi anyone, i found out that the minimum income to spnosor my wife is $16,500 a yr.

my question is, how many years does the US embassy and the Foreign Embassy look at i heard they need the last 3 yrs; however,i do not meet the income req. in 2004

2002 = 12,000

2003 = 20,000 +

2004 = 14,000

2005 = 20,000 +

Appreciate the help if any..

hey, i just rec'd a notice online stating that they need additional informations. finally got something in 17 months!

when they obtain these add'l infos, will it take them another 1-2 months for a decision?? do u think they will take care of it right away because it was a error on their part?

it was a lawyer who work at a law firm, just an average everyday lawyer, i guess

i already have a account online and everything. and yes u can schedule an appointment online with a customer service rep

hi all and heres my problem:

i hired a lawyer back in 12/04 to handle my case. i rec'd the NOA letter on 6/1/05. there was a error. the Case I130 SECTION reads: "Sister of Brother of US Citizen". and its taking 900 days for this type of case to be processed. but thats not even close. this is for wife not my brother or sister.

notified lawyer about the mistakes and he told me everything is fine, saying it takes at least a yr for this type of case to be processed. so i went along with the flow and waited 9 months later, nothing happening, didnt rec'd anything in the mail whatsover.

so i was soo mad and took things into my own hands and contacted the service rep a couple of time last month, also fax and mail a letter to the INS immigration center. but everytime i call them, they would not have any updated info on their system. was reallly frustrated.

but i finally today i got a letter from the INS confirming that they re'd my request last month. but they didnt mentioned that the correction was made or not. they simply stated, "you should rec'd a decision or NOA withing the next 60 days.

so, my questions is, should i pay the customer service center a visit person, which i already have or just sit and wait 60 days more.

BTW: my so-called lawyer is doing a very terrible terrible job and i already pay the guy in full. yes, i am really gullible and stupid.

appreciate if anyone has any similiar problems or any advice.

hoang