JasonGG

This is what I assumed, but I wanted to double check it. I am fine with an engagement party and I have expressed that to my fiancee that it can in no way be anything official, like a marriage ceremony, exchanging vows, signing documents, etc. She's from a small village and they just wanted a party with family members.
 

sounds like true love right there dude.
 
meanwhile, those of us who are in genuine relationships have very lengthy immigration and AOS processes because of 'situations' like yours.
 
thanks.

So they are all looking for a gateway to America and green card. 😛 Your second post raise even more flags. But you do you, dude. 

We just did our interview late April HCMC CR-1. No fee paid at consulate/ fee should be paid at NVC.  One full passport copy is good (just in case they ask).
 
The was a lady assigned to review my wife's original docs: birth certificate,  marriage certificate, and household record + take my wife passport.  Later, interviewer returned original docs after the interview. They did not ask for copy of any kind. In fact, they did not ask for anything (no financial docs, no evidences, no pictures) beside asking us a few questions.
 
I was with my wife at the interview. We were unsure who should respond but got confirmation that it would not matter if my wife or I responded  : so we took our turn to answer the questions.  The interview was a little bit rude but I guess he just tried to be cold for his job. Anyway, after a few questions, the interpreter told us: we got our visa and asked if my wife had read the information on sexual abuse and domestic violence flyer (given between document review and interview section).
 
 
 
 
 

Yeah, I got appointment after 10 days consulate sent required documents. Thanks

Never ceases to amaze me how many people pay good money for an attorney,  but yet come to a free site to get validation (or worse, correction) of advice 

I just came back from Vietnam with my wife.  Her name: Nguyen Thi Thuy An on Vietnamese passport (It does not really distinct Last and First Name, just Full Name) . We booked 3 legs fare with An Nguyen. No issue with Tan Son Nhat, Hong Kong, Newark. 

It would certainly be prudent to get several certified copies of this important consent document at that time. Getting such a document later could be very hard if not impossible to obtain in the future.

Since you listed your fiance's daughter on the I-129F, the NVC and consulate will prepare for both.  My wife's son did not initially plan to come to the U.S., but we still listed him on the I-129F.  He was assigned a case number just as my wife and her daughter and was included on the consulate interview invitation.  At the interview,  my wife said her son was not coming to the U.S., so they set his file aside.  We were lucky that they handled it this way, because he changed his mind days before we left.  He was able to "follow to join" 6 months later.
 
Once you have the case number for your fiance from NVC, you can track the progress online.  You will notice that the K2 case number is "attached" to the K1.  As noted, the K2 is not guaranteed because it is based on the K1.  However, if your fiance is approved, her daughter's K2 will be approved . . . assuming the medical exam is OK and required documents are provided.
 
For my wife's son, we got a notarized letter from his father acknowledging that his ex-wife and son were immigrating to the U.S. and he gave his permission for his son to leave the country.  Get 2 copies of this letter.  The embassy will need one copy and if they do not return it, you may need the second at the airport when you leave.  In Vietnam, the airline asked for this letter and his birth certificate, and passport.
 
Good Luck! - Jason

You're good to go. It will come by courier to the address listed. My wife was not home when her passport/visa was delivered - no problem. It wouldn't surprise me if you return before the delivery - depends where she lives. My wife is from very rural area outside Hanoi. I think she got it in about 10-12 days.

Thanks for the detail response and suggestion Jason. They are very helpful. Within an exception of one maybe two days since my fiancee and I decided to be together, we video call each other every day! Have a great day.

There’s your reason - IO thinks (and could be likely) that her family set you up together so she can bypass long wait times in family based category for immigrant visa. 
It doesnt help that you’re working for her aunt. 

my online case status for the EAD and AP remains the same - "case received" but the status of me AOS application changed after the biometrics appointment to "case ready to be scheduled for an interview" - I'm under the impression my EAD and AP is still in the process.  I had my Bio appointment on 4th March.

The NBC is currently processing a wide range of applications from September 2018 to even some who applied in March 2019.
USCIS reports the wait is 5 to 7 months with many having to wait much longer yet a few still, much shorter.
I've seen the range of 140 days to 170 days most common.
Yes, many ppl receive cards that just show up in the mail without any status updates on either of the official USCIS case tracker sites but I would not make any plans to expect anything for him. 
There is no way to guess. 
 

In May, my wife and her daughter received their passports/visas in 11 days going from the consulate to Da Lat.  Her son's visa/passport took 14 days in late November, but there was a holiday and closure for George Bush's funeral.  We paid for expedited delivery both times, but I don't think it mattered. - Jason

We sent ours with the 129F and brought an updated version to the interview.  We were not asked for evidence, photos, or paperwork at the interview.  They just asked few questions.  Others have been asked for one.  Creating a timeline can help you prepare for questions even if the consulate officer does not ask for it.  Most of the questions asked of my wife were answered by the timeline, for example how and when we met, dates we were together in Vietnam, and places we visited when together.  My wife "studied" our timeline and other evidence to prepare for the interview.  Don't underestimate how nervous you or your spouse will be when interviewed.  It can be a very intimidating process for the beneficiary, so having even the most obvious information written down may be helpful as the interview approaches.
 
As many people on the board have said in the past, it is better to prepare one and not need it, than to need it and not have one.  Good luck! - Jason

Congratulations!  Your interview should be within the next 4 weeks!  Good luck!

Congratulations!  Your interview should be within the next 4 weeks!  Good luck!

In September, my wife got her letter 10 days after the online status changed to scheduled.  I know of a few others going through Baltimore since the start of 2019 who have waited about the same time (7-10 days).
 
You can also call USCIS, ask for a tier 2, and they should be able to give you the interview date.  We did that last year. They had the date, but not the time.  If the tier 2 says it's not available, try again the next day until you either get the answer or the letter arrives.
 
Good Luck! - Jason

From our experience at Cho Ray and Quarantine Services, there is no need to give anything to anyone at the hospital.  It might be difficult to determine who to give the money to.  My wife saw a half dozen or more assistants, doctors, nurses, etc.  The speed of delivery is more the result of the courier service or postal system.  Still, 7 days or less is a pretty fast turn around for a physical report,  blood tests, and TB x-ray review.
 
Is your fiance in HCM City?  If so, she should get the results quickly.  My wife's results (and later her son's who followed 6 months later) were delivered to Da Lat in days. Even if the results aren't available, your fiance can still attend the interview and get a conditional approval pending receipt of the medical results.  If the result aren't available, bring the exam receipt and confirmation to show the consulate officer during the interview.
 
Good Luck to you and your fiance!  - Jason

Wow! Thank you all for great suggestions. 
 
We we are trying to determine whether the altar can be broken down. If so, then the airline may be able to take it. More than likely, we’re going to have some other things to take, so a shipping company is looking more and more likely. 
 
I’m back in the states, so she’s going to look into the shipping companies there. And we’ll definitely check into Bamboo Express. Thank you USS_Voyager for posting the contact info for them, also. 
 
I also want want to say that it is so refreshing that there are still forums where people really do care and help each other out. We were a bit lost and worried before I posted my question, but I think we are now heading in the right direction. She was so concerned that she couldn’t bring the altar. It has so much meaning, and I thank you all again for your kind replies. 
 
John

Bamboo Express: 0973.945.427 Viber, Zalo, SMS
 
My mom just sent two huge wooden crates from HCMC. Got here in a week. Call them. Should be in the neighborhood of $5-$6/kg. They can pick up from her house for free and do all the crating and packing.
 
Couple years ago, my friend also shipped a whole sugar cane machine thingy (you know the one they use to juice the sugar cane on the street with the little wheel and like two rolls thing) for his phở restaurant in San Jose. 

My wife and many others from Vietnam experience this issue.  At the beginning of the process, the Vietnamese and U.S. name order conventions don't match.  Social Security is required to record the name exactly as it appears on the passport, visa, and I-94.  These will all show the Vietnamese name order.  As a result, my wife's first social security card had her name as MIDDLE, FIRST, LAST.  When we got her driver's license, they also had to issue it in the same order.  Agency staff understood what we were saying when we explained the name order differences between the two countries.  However, they have to follow strict guidelines related to verifying names based on the documents provided.
 
Luckily, this can eventually be corrected.  When my wife received her green card, it had the  "American" order for naming based on the I-485.  With the green card, we visited the Social Security Office to request a new card.  You'll do this anyway to get a card that does not say "not valid for employment."  She received the new "correct" card in about 10 days.   Next, we took the new social security card and green card to the Motor Vehicle Administration.  Two months after arriving in the U.S., my wife received a short-term, 8-month driver's license based on her K-1 immigration status.  With the new IDs, she was able to get the standard 8-year license with the corrected name order.
 
With the exception of her Vietnamese passport, all my wife's identification has now been "Americanized."  Just remember that if your wife is using her Vietnamese passport to travel, she needs to make sure to use the Vietnamese name order when purchasing airline tickets.  The name on the ticket and passport must be identical.  When my wife flew to Vietnam in December, a family ahead of us was not allowed to check in Korean Airlines because the names on their tickets were ordered differently than their passport.  Korean air staff understand the problem, but they must follow guidelines.
 
Good luck - Jason

My wife (fiance at the time) and daughter and her son were interviewed on two separate dates, 6 months apart.  The date available to my wife and her daughter in April 2017 gave about 3 weeks notice.  We only got an interview when we did because someone cancelled and I happened to log on at exactly the right time.  We took what was available. 
 
For her son who came to the U.S. 6 months after my wife and daughter, I began looking for interview dates in mid-October.  At that time, the consulate was posting new interview dates on Fridays around 12:00-1:00pm, Vietnam time.  There were a lot more dates available, with many appearing to go unfilled.  We weren't in a hurry for my son's interview, so waited a few weeks.  We eventually reserved a date that was about 4 weeks away. 
 
Don't worry about booking the medical appointment.  In April and November, Cho Ray had appointments available the same week, even the next day when we called.  The only possible issue would be if your fiance has a child who requires a TB skin test.  My stepdaughter (age 7 at the time) needed a skin test in April, but her 11 year old son had an x-ray in November.  They need to do skin tests Monday-Wednesday, so the test results can be read by Friday. 
 
The hospital did not deliver the results to the consulate, but sent them to my wife and stepson's addresses (HCM City to Da Lat) in less than a week.  My wife and stepson both needed an immunization and those were done the same day after the exam.  Prepare for a LONG day.  My wife was at Cho Ray for 4+ hours and another 3-4 hours at Quarantine Services.  So, you should have plenty of time to choose one of the late March interviews if your fiance can go to Cho Ray early next week.  The biggest issue might be the cost of  the "last minute" airfare to Vietnam from the U.S.
 
Good luck! - Jason
 
 

Many thanks @JasonGG! Your reply answers all of my question now! 
 
Besides that, I have just heard from my fiancee that some people are required to get vaccinated/immunization (to get the 'yellow paper') in order to have medical examination. This should not be a problem though. 
 
For the plane ticket, I'm planning to flight one-way to Vietnam (costs ~430$), then both of us book another one-way ticket from Vietnam to the US after visa being issued. 
 
Thanks again Jason! 
Loc