almostawesome

So it has been 19 months since I mailed off the first piece of my K1 Visa application for my Vietnamese fiance. We passed the interview nearly a year ago, but the medical tests found latent tuberculosis, which required 9 months of medicine (which couldn't start for a couple months after the interview).

Doctors have assured us the tb is gone, but we are presently awaiting the results of a sputum test for another seven weeks.

My question is whether anyone has been through a similar situation, or have an idea what we ought to expect once the consulate gets her clean bill of health. My inquiries to the consulate at Ho Chi Minh City have yielded this frustrating response:

"Please wait until your fiancee completes her treatment and new medical result is available as we can’t take any action on her case until we receive new results showing that she has sucessfully completed the treatment.

At that point, we will instructe her what need to be done in order to complete her application."

Information was all I asked for, not action. Anyway, we have heard that there may be another interview, which is disconcerting. But we have also heard that everything moves quickly and easily after the consulate receives her results. Of course nothing has moved quickly or easily so far, but it will work out somehow/someday.

Anyway, any information you could share would be appreciated. I'm very curious to know if anyone has been through this before and could tell us what we might expect.

Hey. We were approved every step of the way. Even aced the interview. But now we have to wait 8 months for my love to take medicine and another sputum test. My question is that the latest information I received from the consulate says that the case is 'pending review.' I just assumed that because everything has been 'go' to this point that once she was cleared medically we would be ready to go. Do they reconsider in situations like this?

I may just return to Vietnam. I enjoyed living there and only returned when I was diagnosed with Diabetes I. I have that under control now. If I went we may get married (primarily out of respect for our families) and start the process over for a different visa. I just want some thoughts from the knowledgeable board here about what would be a good plan here considering all things.

THANKS

We passed the interview with incredible ease. Showed them a few pictures, talked about how we met and our future plans and that was it. I think they were sold because we met in Vietnam and dated there for several months. They asked no questions about my job or financial situation, which could have been a deal breaker. I took a ton of information that was never needed. Incredibly fortunate and blessed here.

Now we are just waiting for the results of a sputum test. We saw a doctor while I was there, and had a bunch of tests, and as far as he could tell she doesn't have tuberculosis or anything contagious, but she doesn't have incredibly healthy lungs either, so I'm not sure what the consulate will think of that. So my prayers of thanks are still followed with a few special requests.

Thanks to everyone here who has helped me directly and indirectly. I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks everyone for your help and wishes. Any chance proving a relationship with the co-sponsor may help? A letter from the co-sponsor? A picture of all 3 of us together in Vietnam?

You mentioned before that you intended to contact the consulate next week to inquire about co-sponsorship with a K-1. Please let us all know what their response is.

Again, you would be well-served if your evidence is overwhelming and well organized and your fiancee is very well prepared.

Here is what I received from the Consulate:

Thank you for your inquiry. For a fiancée visa case, the petitioner will be required to submit the complete form Affidavit of Support I-134. Technically, there are no provisions under the law for a "joint sponsor" for the I-134, but there is no prohibition either, which is why our policy is to accept joint sponsors under certain circumstances. Since the joint sponsor who submits an I-134 has no legal obligation to fulfill the terms of the affidavit, the officer CAN take into consideration the credibility of that affidavit of support, and living in a different state can be a criterion for denial. In other words, officers have greater discretion in determining whether or not a petitioner's income is sufficient to meet the minimum poverty income guidelines when the I-134 is used.

Your fiancée should collect all evidence proving that she has met you in person and that she has a bona fide relationship with you. Evidence may include letters, photos, telephone bills, travel tickets or other evidence of a bona fide and continuing relationship both before and after your petition was filed. Please be assured that the application and supporting information will be given every consideration consistent with U.S. law and regulations.

Some interesting insight there. The co-sponsor has "no legal obligation" which is probably why this consulate is so reluctant to approve applications which use them.

My impressions are that the consulate is going to have a good hard look at my finances, so I will have to gather evidence of my new job. However, I am going to come up short of the guidelines. It appears to me that providing evidence of a relationship with the co-sponsor may actually help the case in providing "credibility of that affidavit of support" there are photos of the three of us, the co-sponsor and the beneficiary, and I can get a notarized letter from the co-sponsor.

Above all it appears that we need to provide evidence of our relationship, and there is plenty of that, with plane tickets, photos, phone records and a few packages back and forth. Do IM conversations do any good in these situations?

I sure hope that finances don't shoot this horse dead in the gates. But I enjoyed living in Vietnam and I could do it for another year or two if that's how it shakes out.

Thanks everyone for your help and wishes. Any chance proving a relationship with the co-sponsor may help? A letter from the co-sponsor? A picture of all 3 of us together in Vietnam?

Thanks for the input, everyone.

Next question. When I filled out the sponsorship documents I was working and making a little above the requirements for sponsorship. There were a couple reasons I applied with a cosponsor. I have since been laid-off from that job, and am working part time while I find new work. Could/Would/Will the consulate know or learn that I no longer work where my application says I did?

I would not recommend to lie.

They could always try to call your company to check up on it. (remember, one of the pieces of supporting evidence is a letter from your boss detailing your job/salary/etc..)

Are they going to be looking into the case, as the interview approaches? If so, what kind of things are they looking at/for?

I don't think I would lie about it, but I wonder if I would ever even have to.

Thanks for the input, everyone.

Next question. When I filled out the sponsorship documents I was working and making a little above the requirements for sponsorship. There were a couple reasons I applied with a cosponsor. I have since been laid-off from that job, and am working part time while I find new work. Could/Would/Will the consulate know or learn that I no longer work where my application says I did?

Hey Vietnam.

Interview is May 18 in HCMC.

Did anyone here pass the HCMC consulate interview with a co-sponsor? My fiancee is hearing that her chances of passing the interview are very low because we are petitioning with a co-sponsor. The woman helping her with her application on that end said 10% . Co-Sponsor is my mother.

Also, can I borrow money from family to put in my bank account for sponsorship purposes?

Based on what I've heard abou the HCMC consulate. I would do everything you can to be there in person. Tickets aren't too expensive right now. My fiancee's sister failed her interview, but her American husband somehow complained enough or pulled the right strings on the ground over there to get the decision reversed. Plus, as crass as it may sound, it may help if they see your white face.

As long as you (and I) have waited, I would be nervous about postponing the interview, but do what you have to.

I think/hope this is the right forum. Feel free to move.

My fiancee called from Vietnam in tears. We finally got the letter, and her interview date is set for May 18 (Aug. 28 08 NOA1) in Ho Chi Minh. However, the woman that is helping her with the application on that end has her terrified now because we are using a co-sponsor. The lady says we can go to the interview, but because I am not the primary sponsor, our chances of being approved for a k1 Visa are very low (10% was the figure she used).

Can anyone shed any light on this regarding Vietnam specifically, or any other country?

Also, and I'm sure this has been asked before, can I borrow money and put it in my bank account temporarily?

I am flying out there for the interview. The co-sponsor is my mother, who has met my fiancee, and would be willing to show willingness of her support if required. We will contact the consulate directly and ask them about this on Monday.

Oh, I was able to cheer her up, but she is still quite worried.

My apologies. I'm sure this is discussed somewhere, but I feel like I have been searching long enough to post a new topic.

My situation will require a co-sponsor. I have found the co-sponsor.

How do I file the I-134 with the co-sponsor in place?

Do we both fill out an I-134?

Does only the co-sponsor fill out the I-134?

Do we somehow share one form?

I have found the answers for how the co-sponsor will answer the fields of the I-134, it's just these questions I have.

Thanks in advance.

Gratefully,

Ryan

Long-time listener, first-time caller...

First and foremost thanks to everyone esp. creators and mods for the information at this site.

I am just wondering what to expect for my fiance's interview. She will be interviewed in Ho Chi Minh City (though it is still several months away). I am hoping to be there with her, but we'll see what happens.

Any links to this information would be just fine, and I have looked around the site a ton looking for it and probably didn't find it because I'm a Homer.

Will the interview be in English? Is English ability a consideration?

What kinds of questions will be asked?

What information does she need to be aware of?

Is Vietnam considered a high-fraud country for Visas like this? If so, is there any way to prepare for an interview trying to detect deceit?

Thanks in advance.

And sorry in advance, if necessary, for not finding this information elsewhere.