decker

Linh wants help with our son and her sister Lien just happens to fit the bill perfectly. So I now have the task of bringing my sister in law here. I have found two possible routes, I-140 as a employee of ours or as an Au Pair which seems to require the use of 1 of 12 authorized Au Pair agencies.

Lien tried for a Tourist Visa at HCM and no surprise outcome for that. Student Visa is iffy in that I doubt she would meet TOEFL requirements and admissions to U of Alaska anytime soon.

Suggestions for a different path?

smoked salmon.

Rooftop of her family's house in district 12. Small, simple and easy.

I used a PO Box for all our doings with USCIS. No problems. Just be consistent.

I retired in 2005 and did not submit any military records for the I 129 process. But...

I did a CRBA at HCM for our son and had to list everywhere I lived for more than one month to include deployments to all the fun places Uncle Sugar has to offer.

When we did Linh's AOS I made copies of her ID card as part of the evidence pile.

If you are still on AD, contact JAG. They should be able to guide you through the process.

She got her license today. I am so happy I could fall over!

That is awesome! Congratulations!

Linh was "out of status" for over three months during our troubles with the AOS application. Everything seems to be OK now. Biometric appt notice came in the mail today. You should not have anything to worry about.

Do a Consulate Report of Birth Abroad for the child. It's relatively easy and straight forward. Then you can submit as part of the evidence pile. You may get a demand for DNA testing but that is simple as well. Just be ready to jump through the rings. There are always rings.

Tourist visas are hard to come by. My wife applied twice and was sent packing twice. The "ties to home" is hard to prove when she has very definite ties to you. Devote your energy and resources to bringing her and your daughter to you.

Looking for the link to the form for the exemption. Linh wants to return home and our son needs the exemption. VN Embassy website does not seem to have it.

Finally I received the notifications that Linh and My's AOS case has been accepted. Waiting on the biometrics letter now.

We had to apply three times. Kept getting kicked back because guvmint said I was not sending in enough money with each packet. Twice I had to send in their own instructions with the forms to show that indeed I was sending the correct amounts for each application. This last time I sent one copy of the I485 Instructions on each form in the packets and one on each I797 stating I hadn't sent enough money. There were ALOT of instruction letters.

So here's to lifes little victories.

Take that guvmint.

Jim, you are like an encyclopedia. Thank you for the reassurance!

CR1? IR1?

How about a K2 child?

When I applied for Linh's SSN the office lady said her daughter (10YO) is not eligible for SSN and I have to file W7.

Linh had two B2 rejections. Did not hurt us.

VN post has lightened a couple boxes I sent. They also emptied one totally, but were nice enough to deliver it anyway. FEDEX has never been a problem, although $$$$$.

We would stay together everywhere and nothing was said, probably because Linh paid off whoever. I watched money sliding across the table on more than one occasion. Cash is king.

Stay with her parents so they can know you too. You will learn a lot just being there. Try to engage them to the best of your ability. You will gan a lot. Enjoy!

AHHHHHHHH Cold weather..... Linh and her daugther My have adjusted very well to the cold here in AK. We have had a lot of -20F (-22F right now) and a few in the -40F realm. It has surprised me how well thay are doing. We had a long streak where it would not go below 0. The first good cold snap took it to -20'ish overnight. She walked outside to give smoke and said OH MY GOD!!!!! as soon as the door opened. It took a while for her to go back out but now it doesn't even faze her too much. Funny.

We went to a hockey game last month. Linh found the fighting funny.

Ditto the LUNEX. Linh learned of them a while ago and they seem to be providing a good service, we have not had any problems at all.

Congratulations to you and JimVaPhoung.

I submitted a I485, I765 and I131 for my wife and I485 and I131 for her ten year old daughter. 930 and 80 biometrics for the wife, 600 for daughter with 80 biometrics. my calculator repeatedly tells me this is 1690 USD. USCIS website I485 instructions tells me I am correct. USCIS employee sent me I797s saying I have not paid enough, demanding payment for each individual form. So I resubmitted and showed the instructions, even highlighted it to show they are wrong. The package came back yesterday with more I797s demanding payment for each individual form same as the first time. They left out my showing them their error, go figure. I have been over and over the I485s and cannot find anything I could be doing wrong.

Is anybody else dealing with this type of garbage? Is there a pie in the sky guvmint guy to appeal to?

Second, the I 94 expired 24 Oct 09, what is their status as long as I am fighting with the guvmint?

When I came in the Army in 1985, most of the folks that raised me as a young private fought in VN. They taught me that VN people were devils and prostitutes and beggars and just plain evil. They regaled my young ears with tales of combat against underhanded foes where we always came out on top because we were better somehow. I listened to angry people talking about "What they did to us". I soaked it all up and harbored the same resentment for years and when Clinton normalized relations, I felt like we had been betrayed.

Fast forward to 2005 when I made my first trip to VN working for the Joint POW/MIA Accounting command in Vinh Phuc, Ninh Binh and Son La provinces recovering remains of Americans from the war. In the 2 months I was there I saw a totally different people than what I was taught to see. No where was there any animosity, hate or intolerance toward me or anybody on my team. I learned that contrary to what Western people will have us believe there is more to SEA than prostitution, partying and cheap shopping. I learned about a people that are very family oriented, more so than Americans. I learned about people who want the same stuff I or anybody in America wants. I learned from veterans of the American and French war how VN soldiers believed in what they were doing just as much as we did, perhaps even more being they had the strength and discipline to see it through and win. I learned that the American war was a tiny blip on the history of VN; the French war is a much bigger deal and source of pride. I also learned about what WE did to them, which is far worse than anything they did.

I met my wife in 2007 and made 4 trips to see her and 1 more JPAC mission. I have been eeeeeeverywhere in the north and south of that country and never in 6 trips to VN, 1 to Cambodia and 3 to Thailand did I run into the devils I was taught to despise on sight. Never in any of the places I went, with or without Linh or a linguist, metropolitan or remote jungle mountainside did I feel like I was in any danger from the people around me.

You really need to go to VN. There are aspects of the culture that you will never get unless you go. You also MUST meet her family. You will have ZERO credibility with them if you don't. Bottom line is your family needs to let you get on with your life.

Some years ago I had a young Lieutenant Platoon Leader who spent time in the Alaska National Guard. Most of his unit was in "bush" Alaska. He was always tired and constantly dragging #### and just generally not doing the job, so like a good Platoon Sergeant I fired him then got knee deep in his behind. He told me TB is fairly common in the bush and he had it. His medicines were doing a number on him. I felt bad for him after that. He pulled through OK and the last I heard he moved to the Little 48 and is doing well. Due diligence is the key to managing any sickness.

Having gone to the pregnancy hospital a couple of times with Linh, I can totally believe the snot rocket doctor. Those hospitals are like farms.

I got some sort of creepin crud (put me out of commission but good and I don't mean maybe) on a visit in May 08 and Linh took me to Columbia in District 1. They seemed to be spot on there and the doctors actually talk to the patient unlike the farms. Maybe that can be a option.

We are all pulling for you.

PS. I let the kid have the Platoon back but had to fire him several more times over the course of his time here. Young Lieutenants. What are you gonna do?

very nice!

I used to buy mine directly from EVA Airlines leaving SEA. Plane from Fairbanks AK to Seattle WA was always free (miles) and EVA always gave me a free upgrade for being in the club. Usually around 1000 total.

SEA to TPE to SGN

I filed a I485 Linh for $930. I 131, I 765 being filed with I485 have no fee.

I also filed I485 and I 131 for My. The fee is $600 because she is 10 and filing with her mother.

Biometrics are $80 a piece.

My math comes to $1690.

I put the forms all together for Linh and My and stated what I was doing in the cover letter.

I just rechecked to guide on this site and it confirms what I just stated.

US Guvmint sends me a I797 attached to each form saying I have to pay the full fee for each form. The I797's mention the waiving of the fees only when REFILING after a rejection.

Am I missing something here? Has something changed? The "new and improved" USCIS site does not address this fee waiver deal. The old site with the downloadable fee schedule did.

The shenangins continue. Awesome

Take a few more trips to VN, make a side trip to Ankor or Thailand or Laos. SEA and VN is a fascinating place especially with someone who can keep you on the straight and narrow. Save boarding passes, itineraries and take pictures. It's all evidence and it adds up for a better case. Makes good life memories too.

Hang in there and praying for speedy recovery.