JasonGG

So, in Vietnam, my wife would write "Nguyen Thi Thu Trang" (Last, Middle, Middle, First).  We only use that Vietnamese order when getting airplane tickets.  For everything else, including her AOS and ROC paperwork, we used the "Americanized order" - "Trang Thi Thu Nguyen" (First, Middle, Middle, Last).  We don't try to match the incorrect order on her I-94.  Social Security and the motor vehicle administration (driver's license) had to match the I-94, but we updated these once the corrected name was on her green card.  The USCIS person who did the AOS interview and customs officers have all been aware and understood the difference in name order.  So, even though your immigration documents may show the incorrect name order, you can get that corrected at the AOS interview. I hope that wasn't too confusing.
 
 

Should have read, "It happens regularly on Vietnamese documents in the United States."

It happens regularly on Vietnamese.  We had the same issue with the I-94 and SSA.  It wasn't a problem for our marriage license.  When I applied in Maryland, they issued the license according to how I completed the form.  For the SS card and later her driver's license we accepted the documents in the wrong order.  At the AOS interview, we explained the problem to the agent understood.   He understood without much explanation needed.  The green card was issued with the correct name order and we updated for her updated license and SS card with the correct name order then.
 
As long as she carries a Vietnamese passport, you may have name order issues.  Some airlines can be very strict about the name order.  Whenever we buy tickets we use the name order in her Vietnamese passport, even if that means putting her middle name in the first name box, and middle name in the first name box. 
 
Jason

I think most will say that legal name changes should wait until the entire immigration process is finished . . . through citizenship.  Otherwise, you are producing another set of documents that will require additional proof that" document A" is the same person on "document B."  Furthermore, the Vietnamese consulate/embassy may not accept the name change when it is time to request a new passport.
 
Jason

The additional information provided in your follow up posting - specifically about them asking for proof of  who paid for your plane ticket - coupled with questions about ex-wife/fiance's contact information makes it fairly clear that they suspect fraud.  Requesting proof of who paid for tickets is fairly common whenever they suspect fraud, especially after several high-profile Vietnamese marriage fraud rings were discovered in the U.S. in recent years.  The U.S. consulate in VIetnam is "famous" for requesting documentation that is not included in the instructions.  There are many documents - including some that you appear to have front loaded - that are often mentioned in these forums, including a letter listing ex-spouses' addresses and contact information.  None of these are in any instructions.
 
As far as the consulate is concerned, they don't care about the waiver you provided to the USCIS.  The USCIS operates on formal paperwork to approve petitions, but decisions at the consulate stage can be based more on hunches and instinct.  In your case, they see a Chinese ex-wife, a withdrawn Chinese k1 petition, followed very soon after by another  k1 in Vietnam.  As you saw from your previous post, other VJ members expressed surprise/concern about that, so I would imagine those feelings were shared by the consulate officers who are paid to be skeptical about even the most straight-forward petitions.
 
All you can do is prepare everything they ask for and then some.  Also bring lots of photos, reciepts, text messages, social media screenshots, and anything else you have to prove you have a bonafide relationship.  Most K1 petitions are ultimately approved, some just have more hoops to jump through than others. 
 
Good luck to you and your fiance - Jason

The additional information provided in your follow up posting - specifically about them asking for proof of  who paid for your plane ticket - coupled with questions about ex-wife/fiance's contact information makes it fairly clear that they suspect fraud.  Requesting proof of who paid for tickets is fairly common whenever they suspect fraud, especially after several high-profile Vietnamese marriage fraud rings were discovered in the U.S. in recent years.  The U.S. consulate in VIetnam is "famous" for requesting documentation that is not included in the instructions.  There are many documents - including some that you appear to have front loaded - that are often mentioned in these forums, including a letter listing ex-spouses' addresses and contact information.  None of these are in any instructions.
 
As far as the consulate is concerned, they don't care about the waiver you provided to the USCIS.  The USCIS operates on formal paperwork to approve petitions, but decisions at the consulate stage can be based more on hunches and instinct.  In your case, they see a Chinese ex-wife, a withdrawn Chinese k1 petition, followed very soon after by another  k1 in Vietnam.  As you saw from your previous post, other VJ members expressed surprise/concern about that, so I would imagine those feelings were shared by the consulate officers who are paid to be skeptical about even the most straight-forward petitions.
 
All you can do is prepare everything they ask for and then some.  Also bring lots of photos, reciepts, text messages, social media screenshots, and anything else you have to prove you have a bonafide relationship.  Most K1 petitions are ultimately approved, some just have more hoops to jump through than others. 
 
Good luck to you and your fiance - Jason

The additional information provided in your follow up posting - specifically about them asking for proof of  who paid for your plane ticket - coupled with questions about ex-wife/fiance's contact information makes it fairly clear that they suspect fraud.  Requesting proof of who paid for tickets is fairly common whenever they suspect fraud, especially after several high-profile Vietnamese marriage fraud rings were discovered in the U.S. in recent years.  The U.S. consulate in VIetnam is "famous" for requesting documentation that is not included in the instructions.  There are many documents - including some that you appear to have front loaded - that are often mentioned in these forums, including a letter listing ex-spouses' addresses and contact information.  None of these are in any instructions.
 
As far as the consulate is concerned, they don't care about the waiver you provided to the USCIS.  The USCIS operates on formal paperwork to approve petitions, but decisions at the consulate stage can be based more on hunches and instinct.  In your case, they see a Chinese ex-wife, a withdrawn Chinese k1 petition, followed very soon after by another  k1 in Vietnam.  As you saw from your previous post, other VJ members expressed surprise/concern about that, so I would imagine those feelings were shared by the consulate officers who are paid to be skeptical about even the most straight-forward petitions.
 
All you can do is prepare everything they ask for and then some.  Also bring lots of photos, reciepts, text messages, social media screenshots, and anything else you have to prove you have a bonafide relationship.  Most K1 petitions are ultimately approved, some just have more hoops to jump through than others. 
 
Good luck to you and your fiance - Jason

I have a feeling there is more to this story.......as in what was actually said during the interview.

Sorry to hear about your situation, sounds like you did everything right.  It's hard to know what the officer was thinking, but based on the questions you posted, he/she wanted more information about the timeline of previous relationships/divorces, and your current relationship's timeline.  Sometimes they are super-sensitive about inconsistencies or other possible red flags in your story, such as starting a new relationship while still married or going through a divorce, etc., especially if a previous relationship also involved a US immigration process.  Unfortunately, they hold the keys and call the shots, even when it seems to be abusive.  If you submit everything they asked for in response to the 221(g), and their doubts about your relationship are eliminated, you should eventually get approved.  Good luck!

NOA as of August 21, 2020.  Daughter's biometrics were reused within weeks, but nothing for my wife at the Potomac Service Center.  Finally, biometrics reused as of December 9, 2020.  - Jason

Guys, good evening, I just got the Biometrics letter with an appointment for December 30 8 Am....

Finally got an update.
-August 6th: Case received and transferred to Potomac Service Center
-Decemher 10th: Fingerprints being used from previous biometrics.

The 10 year green card arrived today. 

Omg I'm so happy I still cant believe it. Here's my timeline SRC TX 113 days
Aug 24th 2020 Received 
Sept 1st payment processed debit card
October 2nd fingerprints reused
Nov 2nd case transferred for speeding up process
Nov 3rd New office jurisdiction 
Dec 15th card its being produced
Wishing you all a speedy process and merry Xmas.  🙏 
 

NOA as of August 21, 2020.  Daughter's biometrics were reused within weeks, but nothing for my wife at the Potomac Service Center.  Finally, biometrics reused as of December 9, 2020.  - Jason

Congrats 🍾🎉🎊 
 
Now for citizenship and you’ll be home free!

Hi guys,
 
I just got an email my card is being produced!
 
Filed July 2019 (16+ months ago)
 
 
 
 

Went to the interview today and passed.  The majority of people we saw did not pass, though the one person my wife saw there who she had met at the health check did get her visa.  I was the only obvious foreigner.
 
For people who are wondering about the process, here's a bit of a breakdown:
1. Initially wait outside across the street with the other applicants.
2. At 7:20 AM everyone crosses the street like a herd of ducks - likely best not to quack at this point, but you might be tempted.
3. Stand in  line until 7:30, be prepared to give a guard who checks the line while you wait your passport(s) and the invitation letter.
4. At 7:30 applicants and petitioners are let in about 7 at a time to go through the security (give up your electronics then).
5. Stop at a little desk where they check a couple of documents again (don't remember which, I think it is the passport and invitation letter).
6. You do NOT go to the regular area if you've been to the Consulate before, instead you'll be directed to a different area with about 20 windows like bank teller windows, though more separated.
7. Go to a front window and get a number (quick document check).
8. Wait.
9. Get called up to one of the other windows (both audible and an LED sign telling what number and what window), at this point give the clerk the original documents for the applicant - passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, police check, divorce docs (if applicable) and answer a couple of questions (such as if the applicant has lived outside of Vietnam for over 6 months).
10. Wait.
11. Number gets called again, go to a different window they indicate and perform the interview.
12. You will find out clearly at the end of the interview whether the visa has been granted.
 
The process took us about 4 hours in total.  Perhaps 10 - 15 minutes or so for the actual interview.
 
I was asked the majority of the questions, such as when/how we met, whether we lived together, whether we had any children in common or separately, and other small details easily answered - nothing you would have to memorize.  It was generally conversational.
 
The only document that was requested was our lease when I stated I was on it.  They didn't ask to see photos or anything,  My wife is convinced that they had essentially made the determination before we even arrived based on the documentation we sent in because she saw a pink form already filled out when we arrived at the window instead of a blue one.
 
They asked a few questions of my wife such as:
1. Did any of my family come to our wedding (who).
2. Had we gone on any trips (answer was yes and my wife listed them out, but no documentation was asked for).
3. Where did we go on our honeymoon.
4. Did we get married in Vietnam.
5. If I had any brothers or sisters - had she met any of them.
 
For these questions I was specifically told that my wife had to answer (perhaps because I had been doing all the talking up to then), but it was stated in a nice way.  The gentleman doing the interview checked her answer against a sheet each time she answered.
 
All questions asked of my wife were in Vietnamese, at the beginning I was asked if my wife spoke English and I said she spoke a bit but that it was best to use Vietnamese.  I got the impression that English was in no way a determining factor in their decision, but I cannot say for certain.  The ability to communicate with the spouse would be heavily weighted, of course, but since we speak Vietnamese in the home it appeared that her English ability was not an issue.  My wife did not use English at all in the process.
 
All in all, if you are preparing for your interview the best advice I can give is to not worry.  As long as you know your spouse and your spouse knows you in a natural way considering your situation you'll be fine.  Have your documents in order and make sure you do your due diligence throughout the entire application process.
 
Good luck!

Congrats! My spouse had her interview on Monday 11/9/2020.  She passed as well.
 
Her appointment time was at 7:30 AM.  She arrived at 7:00 AM and no one was queuing.  It seemed everyone was chilling by nearby cafe that had stool seats outside.  At 7:20 AM, people were allowed to queue at the consulate.  She ended up behind 50 people since she went to another cafe for quick breakfast.  But it didn't seem to matter since people were being called up to windows seemingly randomly. 
 
First she had to get a "pre-interview" with one of the Vietnamese speaking staff, who checked if she had some of her original documents that she was required to bring like household registration, passport, police certificate, birth certificates, etc.
 
She said that there were several people who looked sad after leaving the windows, and she saw some folks get blue slips.
 
My wife brought a bunch of documents including copies of chat logs, photos of us together and at our wedding, emails, credit card and bank statements and receipts showing transactions of me paying for flights and hotels, affidavits, my W-2s, pay stubs, employer letter, tax transcripts, etc.  The interviewer didn't look at most of these documents.
 
When she was called up, the interviewer asked my spouse if she was comfortable speaking in English, and my wife confirmed that she was.  There was a Vietnamese translator but she just sat off to the side since my wife didn't need translating. She was asked the following questions:
 
1) Did she have kids
2) Was she married previously
3) What was her job
4) Where did I propose
5) How did we meet
6) Asked to see wedding photos
7) Asked if she ever applied for US visa before
 
My wife also read that some people who originally submitted I-864EZ during the NVC stage were asked to fill out and submit an I-864 instead.  So we did that on Friday, three days before her interview, submitted the form on NVC CEAC website and printed a hard copy.  My wife informed the interviewer that we uploaded it to NVC, but the interviewer and another staff member could not locate the file.  Nonetheless the interviewer was satisfied that we brought a hard copy of the I-864, and said they would scan and upload it at the consulate. 
 
He took my wife's passport, police record, I-864, and my birth certificate and said that they were granting her a visa.  She didn't get any document in return but has been tracking her visa online.  It was officially issued on Tuesday, and estimated delivery is Sunday night, so we assume she will get it on Monday.
 
Overall, my wife's experience was pleasant except for the queuing part.  She said the interviewer was professional and nice.

Just got home from our interview.  We passed.
 
There were about 80 applicants in the morning group today. I was the only US citizen attending the interview with their spouse, which wasn't surprising since the border has been closed to foriegners since March 22 due to COVID.
 
The interviewer swore me in along with my wife and her daughter since I was there.  Actually I answered most of the questions.  The guy interviewing me grew up about 30 miles away from where I live in the US so that didn't hurt I'm sure.
 
Questions were:
 
How and when did we meet?
Does daughter have contact with biological father?
Do I live in Vietnam with my wife?
What was your last argument about?
 
That was pretty much it.  No questions for 14 year old daughter.  He flipped through photos and said we were approved.  Didn't look at tax transcripts or even a copy of 2019 taxes since I can't get a transcript for last year.  Apparently someone tried to file for a refund on my SSN so when I filed my taxes online they said they couldn't accept an e-file due to the fraudulent filing and I had to file a paper copy.
 
My only concern at all going into the interview is that we didn't have a letter from the bio dad saying it's OK to take the daughter out of the country.  He's not on the birth certificate and they have had no contact or support since less than one year old.  He didn't even comment on that so I'm assuming it's a non-issue.
 
It was as anti-climactic as I figured it would be since I live here with them.  We are moving to US mid-March.  Kind of sucks since our 2 year anniversary is April 28 and our medical expires April 19 so we will have to adjust status after two years but whatever.  Just glad it's done.

My stepson changed his mind about coming to the US the day before we left Vietnam.  Since he was already on the 129f, we just did what @Paul & Mary said.  No problems at all.  In 2018, it took about 6-7 weeks from DS-160 to visa issuance.  

My stepson changed his mind about coming to the US the day before we left Vietnam.  Since he was already on the 129f, we just did what @Paul & Mary said.  No problems at all.  In 2018, it took about 6-7 weeks from DS-160 to visa issuance.  

K2 simply requires a DS-160, medical and interview and police clearance if needed.
Do the DS-160 and contact the consulate asap.

Check Flightaware.com to if the flight you are looking at is actually flying its scheduled routes.   ANA 834 (Saigon to Tokyo), Korean Air 684 (Saigon to Seoul), and Air Canada 6282 (Saigon to Tokyo) are flying regularly.  - Jason

I think what happened is that by attempting to conduct your interview in Vietnamese you misspoke and made the interviewer suspicious.  Your English explanations are a bit confusing, so I think your Vietnamese responses were even more so.  For example, you say that in response to the question, "How did you meet?" you told the interviewer that you met at the airport and then went to a hotel together.  That is definitely NOT what a consulate officer wants to hear if they are questioning the credibility of your marriage.  Although you physically met each other at the airport, the consulate was asking, "How did you begin communicating with this woman?" If I understand your responses in this thread correctly, you should have replied that you met online, spoke every day for ## months by phone/facetime/email/text, and then arranged your physical meeting.  The Vietnamese consulate really likes a written timeline of the relationship.  It sounds like they were trying to construct one for you during the telephone interview (and compare it to your wife's interview) and you bungled the attempt badly due to trying to respond in a language you are not entirely comfortable with. 
 
The 35-year age difference is not necessarily a red flag depending on your ages, especially in Vietnam or other Asian countries.
 
As previously stated, you need to wait for that intent to deny letter arrives.  No one can really say how long that will take given how backlogged USCIS and the consulates are right now.  You can fight it with the help of an attorney or wait for the denial and apply again.  Study the Vietnam forum on this website.  There are many Vietnam-specific documents that can be added to your application.  Given your situation, you should begin preparing this information now for your attorney or to front load you next application.