HanhChi
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Posts posted by HanhChi
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My parents came a week ago. No fingerprints taken at POE, only pictures. My guess is they will use the fingerprints taken at the interview.
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On 7/28/2021 at 9:32 AM, Jiinna said:
I’ll check this website too. We are in Georgia and mother is 60, so we got wait five years anyway for her being eligible for Medicaid. Thank you! Another question I have is, our parents cannot apply for social security benefits, right? Because they would have had to work for 10 years here; is that what you all understand too?
I am not sure about Georgia. Here in NYC my parents are eligible for some cash assistance right away, but they must become citizens to be able to receive SSI.
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On 7/25/2021 at 11:15 PM, Jiinna said:
Wow! You all are indeed lucky! I hope your parents like the USA very much!
I have a question that maybe you or other menders here may know the answer. What is the best way to get health insurance for the parents? I looked up individual plans on Blue Cross Blue Shield website and it’s about 750 dollars a month. I know each state is different, but maybe somebody has an advice.Hi Jiinna,
I am not so sure about how things work in other states. As we are in NYC, my parents are eligible for Medicaid without having to wait for 5 years, so we are very lucky (or maybe not as we pay ton of taxes here!!!😬😬😬). Maybe you can check this website so see if you will find more affordable plan https://www.healthcare.gov/. Good luck!
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On 7/19/2021 at 8:18 AM, Jiinna said:
Thank you HanhChi!
I already paid the fee and was able to find the number to see the status. Now the lady thing left is to bring our parents over here. Thank you so much for the help and advice. I wish your parents safe trip over here.
Hi Jiinna,
You’re welcome! I wish your Mom safe travel to the US as well! My parents are on the plane right now coming here. As the the Covid situation in Vietnam showed sign of worsening, I thought we did the right thing booking a flight that was pretty close to the date my parents received their Visa. We also knew that the Vietnamese government would be very aggressive in their attempt to control the virus. But I am still in shock (and relief) that a lockdown order has now gone into effect in Hanoi for 15 days, which happened in less than 12 hours since my parents left for the airport. We are incredibly lucky!
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On 7/11/2021 at 8:14 AM, Jiinna said:
Hey HanhChi.
congratulations to your both parents and safe travels! My mom received her visa a week ago. I have a question now, how can we check the status of green card, whether it was mailed or not, do you know?
Hi Jiinna!
Thank you and congratulations to your Mom as well! Are you planning to pay the $220 immigration fee for her soon? If you do, you will receive a receipt number for your payment starting with IOE. And you can use that receipt number to track the status of her green card. Do you have an USCIS account? I am using the one I registered when I applied for citizenship. I added my parents’ receipt numbers to the “My cases” section and check the status of green card delivery from there.
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Hi bulls2030,
I applied for both my parents as well and they just got the visas a few days ago. For the first question, you need to check the Yes box for the number one choice. For the second question, you need to file I-864 for yourself and your husband needs to file the I-864 form. 3rd question, I can see that you are missing quite a few of required documents. For yourself and your husband, you also need to provide proof of domicile, proof of citizenship, birth certificate. For your parents’, they will need to have police clearance, marriage certificate, birth certificate, passports. I am sure there is more. I strongly recommend checking the NVC website to know exactly what documents you need because they change depending on the country where your parents are residing. Question 4, no.
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20 hours ago, Blaise said:
Hi everyone, thank you for this opportunity to bring our experiences and thoughts together for the success of the visa journey of our parents. I submitted supporting documents on June 18 and sill waiting to hear the feedback after review. It was surprising for me to hear that a parent visa could be temporary denied because if the lack of an original document. Does it mean the petitional has to send her birth certificate, citizen and petition marriage certificate to the forieng country?
Unfortunately, it happens all the time. One missing required document is enough to put the visa issuance on hold no matter how strong your case is. I’ve seen cases where things turned around quickly after the missing document was submitted, like in just hours. But there were also cases where the wait could be weeks or even months. In our case, after the complete medical reports were sent in, it took almost five weeks for them to issue the visas.
In IR5 cases, the petitioner’s original birth certificate is one of the required document that must be presented at the interview. And yes, I sent my original birth certificate back to the country where my parents live so that they could bring it to the interview. Original marriage certificate and naturalization certificate were not needed though, just copies as part of my I-864 packet. I strongly recommend checking out the embassy/consulate website to know exactly what the required documents are and whether they have to be original copies or not.
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8 hours ago, Milasa said:
Congratulations!!! 🎊
One more question: when uploading documents to ceac for the passport did your parents upload all the pages, or only the one with name and picture?
Thank you! I only uploaded the page with their picture and information. And my parents also bought a copy of that page to their interview along with the passport. If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to ask. If that is something I can answer, I will be glad to help!
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My parents’ visas have been issued today!! It has been such a long wait with some hiccups along the way but I am so glad that we made it.
This is the timeline of my parents’ cases after getting 221g due to concern over TB. I hope it helps if someone is or will be in a similar situation because I know TB sputum testing is not uncommon for Vietnamese applicants
04/09/2021: interview, got 221(g) due to results of medical exam still pending (suspected TB for both parents)
05/28/2021: TB tests came back negative for both parents, complete medical reports sent to the consulate
06/17/2021: case status changed from “Refused” to “Administrative Processing”
06/30/2021: case status changed to “Issued”!!!!!
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On 6/26/2021 at 3:25 AM, SandyD said:
I was wondering during your interview did they ever ask for the original copy of the petitioner's marriage certificate?
No, they didn’t. To be on the safe side, I’d check the website of the US embassy/consulate where your parents are scheduled to have interview to know exactly what documents they require and whether they have to be the original copies or not. I did the same for my parents’ cases.
And my parents’ visas have been issued today! So, they sent in the medical reports on 5/28. The case status changed from “Refused” to “Administrative Processing” on 6/17 and then today 6/30 it changed to “Issued”!
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Hey guys! My parents’ visas have been issued!!! It has been such a long wait with some hiccups along the way but I am so glad that we made it. Hoping some of you have got good news too. Please update your case if you can!
This is the timeline of my parents’ cases. I hope it helps if someone is in a similar situation.10/15/2019: application packages sent
10/17: application packages received by USCIS
10/23: received notice of USCIS Account Access
10/31: received NOA1, cases being processed by Texas Service Center
04/24/2020: I-130 Approval Notice received via email ( about six month wait since PD)
06/16/2020: documentarily qualified
03/18/2021: interview scheduled for 04/9/2022 (almost 18 months since priority date)
04/09/2021: interview, got 221(g) due to results of medical exam still pending (suspected TB positive for both parents)
05/28/2021: TB tests came back negative for both parents, medicals sent to the consulate
06/17/2021: case status changed from “Refused” to “Administrative Processing”
06/30/2021: case status changed to “Issued”!!!!!
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10 hours ago, Agolbaghi said:
I remember my cousin got suspected for TB as well in Ankara… they approved her husband’s though! But they had to wait 3-4 months to get clearance… this story belongs to 2016!!
It is my biggest worry that this administrative processing will take months. But when you apply for a US visa, waiting is part of the game anyway. I just hope no others hurdles will come up.
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4 hours ago, Milasa said:
@HanhChi I hope you don’t mind me asking, but your parents’ visa was originally refused because medical results didn’t get in on time or it was something about the results itself?
Asking because my mom is waiting for interview. It’s been such a long wait.
Hi Milasa,
My parents got the 221(g) refusal because their medical exams were still pending at the time of the interview. What happened was that at the medical exam 2 weeks earlier, the doctor suspected my parents had TB based on the x-rays. So they went on to have the dreadful sputum test, which took almost 9 weeks to complete. Luckily the results came back negative for both of my parents, otherwise they would have had to go under treatment for 6 months. So, they followed the instructions in the 221(g) to send in their passports once their medical exams were cleared. Now we are waiting for the issuance of the visas as the status of their case have changed from “refused” to “administrative processing.” I have no idea how long the “administrative processing” for cases like my parents will take. I know! It has taken so long, almost 2 years for us now and at some point I thought we were so close, but then now it feels like forever. Has your mom been scheduled for an interview yet?
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My parents were also refused the visas at the interview, but it was because of an issue with their medical exams. After the medical exams came back clear, they sent in their passports. Today after three weeks of waiting, their case status changed from Refused to Administrative Processing. I am not sure how long your parents will have to wait for the approval after the consulate receives the original birth certificate, but I think the process will be the same.
20 hours ago, Lil bear said:Refused is the usual status after an unsuccessful result due to any reason .. once the Consulate has the original in hand , it will move to AP then approved and Issued.
Hi Lil bear,
Do you know how long it often takes for the status to be changed from AP to approved? I am hoping it will not be another few weeks. We are approaching 2 years since I filed the I-130. It has been a long journey. Thank you very much!
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15 hours ago, Jiinna said:
Thank you so much, HanhChi! I’ll check the thread and thanks for the wishes. I am myself very nervous because they refused her a tourist visa back in 2019.
My mom lives in Moldova, not Vietnam, and currently COVID situation is getting better there, but you never know. Anyway, her interview is still scheduled for June 8.For TB, they got her X-rayed though so I guess they get the results instantly . Why they don’t use X-ray in Vietnam?
Oh, I thought she is in Vietnam! My parents did have the x-rays done first and that’s when the doctor raised their concern over TB. So my parents went on to have the sputum tests, which, fortunately, came back negative for both of them. They sent in their complete medical and passports, so now we are waiting for the visa to be issued. I understand your worry. But I think as long as she has all of the documents valid and ready, as well as and her medical is cleared, she will receive the visa.
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On 5/24/2021 at 10:58 PM, Jiinna said:
Can somebody share the questions that the parents were asked? My mom has appointment in June 8.
Hi Jiinna,
I shared my parents' interview experience in this thread. You can check it out! Is your Mom's interview going to go ahead as scheduled or has it been postponed due to the worsening COVID situation in Vietnam? Either way, good luck to her!
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So, after weeks of waiting, the sputum tests of both my parents came back negative! They will be sending their passports/medical reports to the consulate for the visas to be issued. Another wait begins, but we are closer to the end of this journey than ever before.
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22 hours ago, Gar9 said:
Hello Gar9,
Yes, my parents’ interview went well. The issuance of their visas is, however, still pending as they wait for their TB test results. Once those tests come back negative, which we really hope they will, my parents will receive the visas. If not, they will have to undergo treatment before their visas are issued.
The IO asked some generic, basic questions about me and our relationship. He also asked about their last trip to the US. Basically, that’s it. The important thing is to have all the most updated documents, e.g., police certificate and tax returns. I think as long as your parents’ medical exams are cleared and their documents are up to date, the interview is just a formality.
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2 hours ago, nhatquynhle said:
Thanks a lot for sharing, and I'm glad it went well for them! When the IO asked about the time they stayed in the US, how detailed were the questioned, if you don't mind sharing?
I actually didn’t talk to my parents about all the details though, just the big questions that they were asked. And I don’t think they will go into a lot of details unless there are concerns about fraud or misinformation. Just make sure your Mom has all the updated documents.
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5 hours ago, nhatquynhle said:
@HanhChi How did your parents' interviews go?
Hello Quynh,
Their interview went well. The IO asked several questioned, mostly about their previous stay in the US. He also asked about how I came to the US and about my sister, who also lives here as a permanent resident. That was basically it. The results of my parents’ medical exam are still pending though due to the TB test. Therefore, they won’t be able to receive their visas until the consulate receive those results, which will take about two months from now. Good luck to your Mom! I think she won’t have any problem getting the visa as her medical exam is cleared.
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9 hours ago, nhatquynhle said:
Did someone from the IOM office tell them about the TB test? My mom had her medical done at IOM Ha Noi and she didn't say anything specifically about a test taking a long time to get the results back.
Side bar: Did you submit the I-864s and supporting financial documents (tax returns, W2's, etc.) electronically? If so, are you planning on printing them out for your parents to bring to their interview?
Yes, my parents had their medical exams done at IOM Hanoi as well. And it was there that they were told to do the test. It is a TB screening using sputum culture that takes 8 weeks to grow in order decide whether it contains TB bacteria or not. You may want to ask your mom again to make sure she has done the test. It is the TB screening method that has replaced the simple skin test since 2018.
Yes, I send copies of my tax documents to my parents. And I have just updated the package with my 2020 tax return, so they will be bringing all of them to the interview.
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17 hours ago, hena said:
great to know that interviews are being scheduled. does anyone know if the interview will be in English language or it can be in local language? Can we request for interview to be held in local language (my parents are in India and will be interviewed in Mumbai).
From our experience, the immigration officers are often capable of speaking the local language, in our case, it is Vietnamese. I am not sure if that is the case in India. If not, my guess is that they will provide a translator for your parents. I’d check the website of US embassy/consulate in Mumbai to see if they have any information on that.
15 hours ago, Gar9 said:Will you also join your parents for the interview or both of them will manage it themselves ?
Anxiously awaiting details of the interview experience .
Good Luck .
My parents will be on their own. They have done several B2 Visa interviews by themselves before so they have some experience. Of course, this time is a little bit different, but I am pretty confident that they know what to expect. I do prepare a list of potential questions and answers for them though.
14 hours ago, Gar9 said:P.S. - Your interview date 04/09/2021 was scheduled by NVC/Consulate and informed to you through a letter/email ? Or otherwise they advised you to choose the date through VAC/ OFC / or UStraveldocs.com website ?
Best wishes .
Yes, the NVC scheduled the appointment and informed me via email. Those email serve as Letter of Appointment that my parents will be bringing to the interview. Unlike non-immigration visas, for immigration visas, you can’t choose the appointment date yourself. I hope this helps!
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6 hours ago, Gar9 said:
You have mentioned above that your parents interview scheduled for 04/9/2022 (almost 18 months since priority date) .
Is it in April 2022 or 2021 ?
Oops! It was a typo. I meant 2021, in less than two weeks. Sorry for the confusion. And yes, my parents are scheduled to have their interview together on the same date and at the same time. I didn’t do anything. It was NVC that handled the scheduling. I think any case that involves two parents of the same petitioner, they will automatically be scheduled to have one interview together. It happened the same way whenever my parents were interviewed for their tourist visas in the past as well.
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2 hours ago, Gar9 said:
Good that IR-5 Interviews have started . Which country are you from ? Best wishes .
Hello Gar9! It has been a while. Have you received any updates on your parents’ cases? I am from Vietnam. The US consulate there has resumed IR-5 visa services since mid March, I think. I have seen people who got documentarily qualified in August, 2020 scheduled for interview. So they are actually moving surprisingly fast.
Anyway, here is the timeline of my parents’ cases in case someone is interested in knowing
10/15/2019: application packages sent
10/17: application packages received by USCIS
10/23: received notice of USCIS Account Access
10/31: received NOA1, cases being processed by Texas Service Center
04/24/2020: I-130 Approval Notice received via email ( about six month wait since PD.)
06/16/2020: documentarily qualified
03/18/2021: interview scheduled for 04/9/2022 (almost 18 months since priority date)
IR-5 interview
in Vietnam
Posted
Hey Jiinna!
We haven’t received the green cards yet. It is taking longer than I thought, but still within the normal processing time of 90 days, so all we can do is to wait. There is this thread where people update the delivery status of their green card after arrival if you want to get some idea. Keep us updated once your Mom has received her green card!