JasonGG

19 minutes ago, JasonGG said:

We included a note asking the embassy to return the old passport.  If the stamps are not needed for ROC or applying for citizenship, she wanted it for sentimental reasons.  No coffee money included.  We sent the renewal fee, application, photos, etc.,  on Tuesday, 8/24, by USPS priority mail to the embassy in Washington, DC.  Received the voided passport (with two holes punched through) and the new passport on Friday, 8/27 . . . just 3 days!  The passport photo is shockingly bad quality, but hopefully that won't be a problem.

 

Jason

 

 

I was looking at the September calendar so my dates were wrong . . . sent the application to the embassy on Tuesday, 8/27 and got it back Friday, 8/30! - Jason

We included a note asking the embassy to return the old passport.  If the stamps are not needed for ROC or applying for citizenship, she wanted it for sentimental reasons.  No coffee money included.  We sent the renewal fee, application, photos, etc.,  on Tuesday, 8/24, by USPS priority mail to the embassy in Washington, DC.  Received the voided passport (with two holes punched through) and the new passport on Friday, 8/27 . . . just 3 days!  The passport photo is shockingly bad quality, but hopefully that won't be a problem.

Jason

Interesting...I  was going to suggest letters from employers, but you say you included that with pay stubs. 

They ask for proof of other income?  Does your wife or cosponsor earn a significant income from dividends, pension, or retirement account? Perhaps they need proof that is ongoing income, like a brokerage account statement?

Hopefully others can give more and/or better advice.  Good luck- Jason 

5 minutes ago, Moraesm said:

Hi fellow Visa Journey visitors.

 

I am creating this post because I, unfortunately, have received a Request for Initial Evidence letter in regards to my AOS process and I would like some help from the community to understand exactly what is that needs to be sent back to USCIS.

My letter discriminates two items:

1 - Applicant's Birth Certificate;

2 - Proof of Current Income.

 

Here's where the plot thickens: I did submit copy of original and translated birth certificate so I am surprised that this showed up on the letter. The letter also mention that a valid copy should contain one of the following "A legible seal, a legible stamp or a signature with a title containing the words: secretary, registrar or births and deaths". The copy does have a stamp so right now my idea is to scan the original for a higher resolution picture but I am anxious about sending the exact same document. Could they've lost the one I sent? Am I missing something here?

And with regards to the proof of current income, I had also sent pay stubs for both my wife (sponsor) and our joint sponsor. I will get up to date pay stubs from both and submit them too. One thing that caught my attention was the line asking for "Evidence of other income, such as Tax-Exempt Interest, Qualified Dividends, IRA distributions, Pension, Annuities, and Social Security Benefits (only SSA-1099 and/or SSDI-1099).

Has anyone else gotten this request? What documents would apply? I am sorry if the question is vague but I am trying to cover all the bases.

 

Thanks in advance for your time.

Assuming you can read the birth certificate itself, it sounds like USCIS has an issue with the certification/notary seal of your translation or the translator's credentials. 

Can you easily read the notary seal?  Does the person translating and certifying the document include their name and title?  There is an "official statement" the USCIS likes to see from translators about their abilities and the accuracy of the translation. 

Regarding income, submitting your wife and co-sponsor's recent tax transcript should solve your problems.   They can request them online from the IRS and download/print it immediately.

Jason

Have you tried reversing the first and middle names?  We couldn't find out K2's I-94, but then someone suggested reversing her first and middle names and we found it.   CBP agent at Dulles simply put her middle name in as her first name and her first name as the middle name.  No problem with social security or AOS with the reversed order.  - Jason

Not sure if this is the right forum to ask this . . . my wife needs to renew her Vietnamese passport and we will send it plus required documents and fee to the embassy in Washington DC.  She has her green card now and will apply to remove conditions in 2020.  I assume we won't get the old, cancelled passport back.  Is there any concern about not having the old passport that contains the original K1 visa and post-AOS travel stamps?  Will we need copies of these in the future for any reason?

Thanks - Jason

My wife's AOS required a translated birth certificate and divorce decree.  Her 2 children required translated birth certificates.

After arriving in the U.S., my wife got her SSN, but it was issued using the Vietnamese name order convention.  Along with the I-94 and K1, SSA required her translated birth certificate as proof of age and  passport (not translated) as proof of identity.

Maryland-specific: Before receiving her green card, my wife used the SSN and translated birth certificate, translated Vietnamese driver's license (required to be translated by 1 of 5 MVA-approved translators for $110), I-797, passport, MVA-accessed I-94, and utility bills to get her driver's license.  Is was a 6-month license issued using the name order on her passport/ss card.  After receiving her green card, she was able to use it and her translated birth certificate to get a "corrected" social security card.  With the corrected SS card, green card, and birth certificate, she could now apply for the 8 years driver's license with the "Americanized" name order.

State/county-specific: The translated birth certificate was used to issue our marriage license using my wife's "correct" American name order, not the order on her passport.

Before receiving her green card, my wife needed two forms of identification - passport and birth certificate - to add her name to our joint bank accounts and also open her own separate checking account.

My health insurance provider required translated birth certificates and the marriage license to enroll my wife and stepchildren.

For her children (K2s), the translated birth certificates along with passports are required to prove the relationship between mother and child when dealing with SSA, IRS, doctors, school, etc.  Add the marriage certificate and I am able to prove legal guardianship.

The translated birth certificates were necessary to enroll them in public school; apply for an ITIN for my stepson who followed 6 months after his mother and sister so didn't have a SSN by the 2019 tax filing season; apply to remove the "not valid to work" condition on his social security card; register them for age-specific sports (i.e.,2006 boys soccer). 

We also carry the birth certificates with the passports/green cards to travel as these prove parent/guardian relationship.  ANA has requested these documents before issuing boarding passes at Dulles (to prevent international kidnapping and child smuggling).  It has not been a problem with domestic carriers, though.

We haven't applied to remove conditions or citizenship yet, but the instructions require any documents in a foreign language be accompanied by a certified translation.

In short, we have needed these translated documents for many reasons.  Considering how much the entire immigration process costs from K1 to naturalization, 2 beers or $25 to get certified translations of documents is cheap!

If you are paying in beer but still concerned about getting translations you don't think you'll need, Vietnam will still be cheaper.  Six pack of Tiger or Saigon beer in Maryland is $10-12 vs. $4-5 in Vietnam. 

Jason

28 minutes ago, luckytxn said:

Find out soon enough? Been through the process already years ago and didn't need the documents that needed translation for the visa and consulate portion at all in the later processes of AOS or Citizenship. If you or others want to spend money not needed that is OK though. Also wanted to let others who have the ability to use their family or friends or even themselves to do the translations then spend money for agencies to do it for you.

Perhaps they were not required when you went through the process,, but I don't understand why you are arguing that these translation are not needed in 2019.  The current AOS instructions clearly state translated documents are required.  The I-751 to remove conditions requires translated documents.  The N-400 application for citizenship requires translated documents.   Pay $25, 2 beers, or have a family member certify them, but the OP will need translations "soon enough."  The OP doesn't say where he is from, so it could be in Houston or San Jose with large Vietnamese communities, or it could be in a small town without a Vietnamese population.  Since the OP's fiance is in Vietnam now, it is easier to get them translated now.  Even if it is 2 beers . . . it is still less costly in Vietnam.

In addition to requiring translated  documents for AOS , my wife and K2s were required to have translated documents in 2018 and 2019 when dealing with the motor vehicle administration, social security, IRS, public school, and for a banking issue.  IRS required certified/notarized translations and would not accept a family member's translation.  Luckily, ours were certified by the clerk in Lam Dong, so the IRS accepted them.  Perhaps @luckytxn and others have not needed translations or didn't think the USCIS needed them, but the small amount of money we spent to have them prepared with was money very well spent.

Best of luck  - Jason

5 hours ago, luckytxn said:

Shouldn't need any of that stuff for the things you mentioned but if one wants to have it in case then so be it.

I read and re-read the current I-485 instructions just to make sure I wasn't mistaken again . . .

"Translations. If you submit a document with information in a foreign language, you must also submit a full English translation. The translator must sign a certification that the English language translation is complete and accurate, and that he or she is competent to translate from the foreign language into English. The certification must include the translator’s signature. DHS recommends the certification contain the translator’s printed name and the date and the translator’s contact information."

https://www.uscis.gov/system/files_force/files/form/i-485instr.pdf?download=1

Since USCIS requires the translations, I won't list the relevant translation requirements for the other items in our list as they may be state- or process-specific and you will find out soon enough.  Suffice it to say, you will need your Vietnamese documents translated.  When and how you get them is up to you.  From our experience, it was much cheaper to have the documents translated and certified in Vietnam than in Maryland. 

Good luck! - Jason

Wow!  I read that wrong when we applied and now, too.  I thought that perhaps there was a change, so I re-read the instructions we received with packet 3 in 2018, and sure enough it said "English or Vietnamese."  Thank you for clarifying!

You should consider getting translations done in Vietnam if you have time as you prepare for the post-K1 steps, though.  USCIS will require English translations of documents for AOS.  We also needed them for an endless list of other applications, including banking, social security, IRS, school enrollment, insurance, etc.  Translation services in Vietnam were much less expensive than the U.S. - Jason

1 hour ago, ZackG222 said:

so it is 100% required to have birth certificate and police certificate translated? 

 

thanks again!

The U.S. Consulate says all documents in Vietnamese must be translated - https://vn.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/required-documents/.  We didn't have the passport or household book translated for the interview, though.  We figured  those are pretty easy to translate by anyone (names, address and numbers), but maybe others have had them translated.

It is much cheaper to have the documents translated in Vietnam than the U.S., and you will need them for a lot of things once she immigrates.  For my wife's driver's license, we had to pay an MVA-approved translator to translate her passport bio page and Vietnamese driver's licence.  It was an outrageous price - $110 - to translate what was obviously name, birth date, address, etc.  Luckily, they accepted the translations we had of her birth certificate!

Jason

You can email if its been 2 weeks since the embassy received your file.  They will send you the invitation letter electronically.   - Jason 

1 hour ago, ZackG222 said:

i was told to post my thread in here since you guys can be more helpful

 

but here is the link to my original thread

 

we dont need anything translated when i submit the i-129 form in the mail.

 

but once we get NOA 2  and when my fiance gets her packet in the mail, does anything need to be translated? like her birth certificate, household registration book, ect.... My fiance lives in Vietnam. does she need to get her documents translated by a professional before she mails everything and before she attends the interview at the embassy?

 

thank you

 

My wife brought certified translations of her birth certificate and police certificate.  The clerk provided these (for a fee) at the government office when she ordered them.  I think about $25usd each to the clerk.

We did not include translations of the household book or relationship evidence (plane tickets or receipts) that were in Vietnamese.

Make photo copies so the consulate doesn't keep your originals.  You'll need the originals again for AOS (copies when applying and original at the interview), applying for her social security number, driver's license,  etc.

Good Luck - Jason 

My wife started taking a couple classes 2 months after coming to the U.S. on a K-1.  She qualified for in-state / in-county tuition based on marriage.  There was a form to complete and we needed to provide a copy of the marriage certificate, 2 items to prove in-county address (utility bill and mortgage statement), and my wife's passport.  Took just a couple days.  - Jason

According to your profile, you are in New Jersey . . . do you have a PNC or M&T Bank nearby?  I added my wife to my PNC checking account with just her passport and SS# and she opened her own checking account at M&T Bank with her SS#, passport, and a utility bill with her name on it.  I added her name to all our utility bills as soon as she arrived in the U.S. to provide proof we were together for the AOS interview.

Jason

Vietnam will always recognize your wife as a Vietnamese citizen, so she can continue to renew her Vietnamese passport after becoming a US citizen. 

I'm not sure about travelling  but my wife's boss and friends who are dual US/Vietnamese citizens say they use both passport and don't require a visa.  I would be interested to hear what others say about this, though.

Jason 

If you don't have a job yet, just go over on the 1 year tourist visa.  No sponsor needed.  It will ask for a contact name in Vietnam, so I usually include one of my wife's family members or just one of the hotels we will stay at.  The visa only matters at the airport and I have never been asked what I would be doing in the country upon arrival.

I would recommend getting it directly from the Vietnamese Embassy.  I get mine 2-3 days after they receive my application and fee, which is cheaper than the link you posted.  In 2018, I think it was $110, without any additional fees.  You send a self-addressed, postage paid envelope for return.  I sent them a prepaid priority mail envelope so I can track it on the way back.

Jason

We have a friend who is a French citizen who lives and operates a business in Da Lat.  He simply renews his visa annually.   No requirement to leave or renew outside of the country.  Perhaps its the same for U.S.  citizens.   Email the Vietnamese embassy in Washington DC.   They have usually replied to me within hours - info@vietnamembassy.us.

5 hours ago, RickyG4445 said:

I am a US citizen and would like to know, can I stay in Vietnam for 6 months (without leaving every 3 months) with a 6 month BUSINESS visa? Do i need to have a sponsor or a job lined up to apply for the 6 months?

 

Or can i easily apply just like with the 1 month and 3 month?

 

 

thanks

I have always gotten the 1 year, multi-entry visa.  (Its a write in option on the visa application.)  There is no requirement to leave during the 12 months, though you will be reminded to leave by airport staff as the expiration date approaches. - Jason

49 minutes ago, ZackG222 said:

thank you so much for your help Jason!!!

 

i do have one more question if you dont mind

 

do you know if HCMC embassy accept co-sponsors? my father will be our co-sponsor for my fiance, he makes over $100,000 a year. i make less than $18k a year.

 

thanks again!

 

I can't speak from experience, but from what I have read here, I  believe cosponsors are acceptable in HCM.

I don't think the Dam Hoi is as important to the consulate as it used to be . . . we had ours before filing the 129F and mentioned it in our paperwork (relationship timeline and cover letter), but didn't include photos with the application.  If you wait until after submitting, perhaps mention it in the cover letter as a way of saying you will be visiting your fiance again.  They do appreciate multiple visits.

We brought evidence of the Dam Hoi to the interview along with LOTS of other photos, receipts, etc.  They didn't ask for any of it.  They didn't ask about the Dam Hoi at all, just about some of our trips together.

Jason

My stepson followed to join 6 months after his mother.  We did not complete his DS-160 until he was ready to come to the U.S., so he had his medical exam and interview 6 months after his mother's.  He did not attend the interview with his mother.  He attended his medical exam and interview with a family friend.  No issues at all. - Jason

1 minute ago, fip & jim said:

That depends on the age of the child.

Stepson is 12 and stepdaughter is 9.

My wife and stepdaughter came to the U.S. on a K1/K2 and received their green cards in October 2018.  We will apply to remove conditions and receive their 10 year green cards in July 2020 (90 days before the expiration of their 2-year cards).  My stepson arrived in the U.S. 6 months after his mother and 1 month after my wife received her green card, so we applied for his AOS separately.  His green card was approved earlier this week, about 8 months after his mother's.

My questions are . . .

Can we apply to remove conditions from my stepson's green card at the same time as his mother's in 2020?  Or, do we need to wait 8 months after my wife applies before applying for my stepson's removal of conditions? 

Also, my wife plans to apply for citizenship in 2021, perhaps before my stepson receives his 10 year green card if he has to apply 8 months after my wife.  If my wife becomes a citizen before his green card application is adjudicated, does that application just get "shelved?"  Will he go from 2 year green card to citizen as a derivative of his mother's citizenship?

Thanks! - Jason

Just wanted to provide an update . . . on July 9, my wife and I called USCIS to inquire about our follow-to-join K2's EAD/AP card.  The Tier 2 said there was an interview "waiver" associated with his AOS application because his mother and sister already had their green cards.

He received his EAD/AP cards on July 16 (198 days).  This morning, I checked his AOS status online and it updated from the NOA1 "case received" to "New Card is Being Produced."  No interview.  No letter or contact from Baltimore since his second biometrics appointment in late May.

Jason