chuckandkim

Did your father successfully get attested his Birth Certification?

Pay a fee, talk to an immigration lawyer. This is not subject to be discussed openly where many folks on this board love to scare those who "plan" for the eventual.

Everything has a risk. People tent to mistake the greencard as license to stay. Having a LPR is to allow you re-enter the United States when you return from ANYWHERE outside of the border. If you stay here inside the US, you will almost never have to show it. Notice you live in AZ, then maybe the cops will ask for proof of resident.

Again, this matter should be addressed by the professional. Those who keep saying and accusing people who post questions about this matter that they are "committing immigration fraud" need to calm down. We got it!

Yup, that is correct. Toan and Phi (husband and wife) were moving from MN to FL then PA right after she and her daughter entered the US. Letting her V1 expired and missed filing an AOS was the basis for denial of her later-AOS-filing in 2007.

Hello all,

A friend who doesn't speak much of English just came and asked for some help with his case. I thought, let's check with VJCommunity first.

Here is the deal:

1. Husband came to the US alone in the 90's. Got his greencard.

2. Early 2000's, applied for V-1 Visa for his wife and daughter to come here with him. He still was a Green Card holder himself.

3. March 2004, Wife and daughter came to the US under V1 Visa. Family moved around a lot and finally settle in Philadelphia PA.

4. June 2007, Husband realized he's never filed the AOS for wife and daughter. Quickly filed for an AOS. Case was denied by Philadelphia District Office.

5. Wife and daughter have been since remained out of status - no deportation proceeding YET.

6. Husband is now a US Citizen (just got his citizenship last year)

7. He would like to REFILE the AOS for his wife and daughter.

8. Background info: Husband is mentally ill dues to years of post war dramatic stress (certified by Psych. MD) causes him to lose short term memory. Hint: lost track of his wife and daughter's AOS filing. Doesn't speak English too well. Both wife and husband are working at a factory and do pay tax, getting a real pay check.

9. They had spent thousands of dollar to 2 laywers who took their money and walked way.

My initial thought: Get a good lawyer.

However, if you guys can pitch in any information or lay-out how this may or may not work for this family, that would be greatly appreciated. I just need some headsup as in what to expect and what to tell this family when I next see them. If you have any question and concern, please free to share. And if you had used a good lawyer in the area (Philadelphia PA) please let me know as well.

Thanks guys,

Chuck and Kim

Sometimes you just gotta ask yourself, "Is the juice worth the squeeze?"

I remember flying with a helicopter pilot in Ethiopia over 30 yrs ago.

He was Canadian, a WWII vet who was shot down over Yugoslavia,

pardoned by Tito for killing a farmer after he parachuted into the guys

cabbage patch unannounced.

Robin was divorced.

He said it's time to bail out when the "fuçking you're getting is not worth the fuçking you're getting."

In any case to keep it on the positive side, thumbs up to the OC;

hope you'll have completed your VJ before long.

Sometimes I ask myself if it was worth it but always comes back that the answer is yes

for me it's

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Congrats TODD and HIEN....

Wow! Bit angry there NQT? I love VC, Uncle Ho and the current political system.

If it wasn't for all of them, I wouldn't be here in Philly, kicking back with a few beers and watching CNN on my 50" Plasma, in nice comfy leather couch and driving around in my choice of SUV or Lexus. If it wasn't for VC, the US wouldn't let millions of Viet people immigrate here and claim a piece of this American Dream (or nightmares as the current economic condition/market )

So, I say: I love VC. (If you are VC, please be gentle to me when I come back to VN next year for Vacation)

IMHO,

If you were helped and guided by VJ during your freshman year (so as speak), and you are now graduated. But instead of becoming a strangers to the forums, you are an Alumni of the University of VJ. A value Alumni will contribute and give back to the university, joint discussion, assist and guide the new comers and freshman without making an @$$ out of themselves.

I disagree with Dau Que in regard of the VIET girls didn't show up on VJ and say "THANK YOU" to VJ. If your woman understand how important VJ is to your journey, and encourage you to continue to help out new members which taking times out of your busy life (hint: Roger - Get that hotdog francises up and running yet?). Then that's more than just an empty say: Cảm Ơn VJ! Action speaks louder than word.

I also understand the complexity of this whole process to appreciate everyone's input and help more and more each day I read the forum. Value members contribute invaluable information and guidance to the board which I find keeps it alive and well after 5 years on this board for me.

So by our present, You (the USC) and me, are being here is the testimony of your wife's apprication of VJ.

Be well,

Chuck and Kim

P.S. Notice how I always try to sign my wife's name and mine... Get it!

Whatever you do, do not take her to TACO's BELL

THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I UNDERSTAND NOW. HOWEVER, I CAN NOT LIST ALL OF THEM. VIETNAMESE PEOPLE ARE ALMOST IN CALIFORNIA, WE MET ONLINE, SO IT IS VERY CLEARLY NO SHORTCUT.

I think he's saying they look into the immigration background of the family to see if there's a possible pattern of fraud. That's an interesting angle that I hadn't considered, but it wouldn't surprise me at all. Anything seems to be possible with the consulate in HCM.

Anyway, the fact that you met your fiancee online wouldn't have anything to do with it. From the consulate's perspective, if she was looking for a quick ticket to the US then it's just as possible she'd do it herself by finding a husband online, rather than having her family in the US help her. It sucks that a suspected fraud in the family would affect your fiancee's visa application, but that's just the way it is. If one family member does it then they think the family would be coaching each other about how to do it. There was a girl in the Philippines not long ago who posted that her visa was denied because they suspected her sister was a fraud (she got a divorce soon after lifting conditions), and they grilled her about her sister at the interview.

I'm not sure what you mean about not being able to list "all of them", and "Vietnamese people are almost in California". Does this mean that she does have relatives in the US? If so then you should list them, or at least list the ones your fiancee is aware of. She may not have addresses for any of them, but the odds are good that she's at least got some phone numbers. You or her could call them and get the addresses. I don't recommend you take any chances with this consulate. Always do your best to provide them all the information they ask for.

does this apply to far cousins too?

You don't need to do a full genealogy trace on her entire family tree. Don't make this any more complicated than it needs to be. If she knows a relative that is living in the US, then she should list it. She can ask a few family members if they know of any additional relatives she might not know about. I wouldn't bother researching it any further than that. You don't need to list everyone in the US whose family name is "Nguyen"!

I only listed relatives that my fiancee and her uncle knew about. I added a statement saying we made a reasonable effort to disclose every relative, and there may be additional relatives that my fiancee and her uncle were unaware of, and whom I had never met.

What he said "known relatives".

You can't really list someone's name on the list just because your uncle/mom/dad say "so and so live in the US, but you never met or know them and have absolutely no personal relationship with them"

Remember, you can't give what you don't have, or blindly accept something that you have not fully verify.

Jim and Aaron, great info and very details

ScottThuy,

So sorry and although I could never understand why some parents are just so mean to their own kind. I must say, no matter what the divorce paper says, bringing a child crossing a borders without the parent's consent could be considered abduction or child trafficking also. So, I wouldn't feel your pain physically, but I feel how powerless you feel at this point. I have no good advise but a lot of support for whatever you decide that's best for Hoang and Thuy.

Love,

Chuck and Kim

No need to go apply SSN from SSA, My wife received her SSN yesterday from the mail.

Things that are still well and alive...

1. USPS snail mail.

2. Surprises.

3. No using Search feature on Forum (j/k)

Congratulations on your SSN

then you haven't seen me yet!!! HAHAHAHA

I'm one fatass asian!

The Deal is OVER! Thread should be closed.

I just checked with my travel agent, he confirmed:

Price quotes he provides for are the same for all customers, only difference is the $30 for Visa if you are not carrying a Vietnamese Passport.

Other agents who charge extra are crooks!!!!

That's it... no PHO for you two !!!

I do have a problem with that price differentiation, just for the record. I don't have a good answer for the reason why Asian Airlines charge higher price for non-asian folks... Maybe I ask them tomorrow... I didn't think much of it, until now you all calling foul!!!

See how the people who benefit from the systems never complain, don't blame me guys... I just am enjoying the deep discount... Works the same in every system..

What up Big Daddy!!!! I'm not hatin', it's the airlines weird rule dawg!!!

If you're interested, PM me, I will send you the email of the asian travel agent(s) who can get you the $760 price. Note, this is for Vietnamese only, American-born's price will be higher. Price included tax and Visa. Disclaimer: I am not a travel agent.

If that's the case Todd, adding valuable information, I want to share my experience with you all regarding renew a vietnamese passport... in Vietnam.

Prereq: Your VN passport will be expired within the next 6 months (Kim had 3 months left), you are in Vietnam and in Saigon. If you're not, your local Province Office can now handle it. Or you can mail in the passport and application together. Or if you don't want to be bother, some travel agency inside VN can do the whole thing for $350,000VND. Note: you still need to supply them with everything (photos/local police sign-off/family book etc.)

Here is our experience:

First: Go to the office in Nguyen Du Street or one on Nguyen Trai, either one is fine, buy an Application for Passport package for $10,000VND (or I think it was $7,000VND).

Fill it out and have your Local Police Officer (Cong An Khu Vuc) signed off and stamp it with local police seal (Cong An Phuong dong dau). Make sure you bring your family book (So Ho Khau), which note the reason why you are no longer in VN (immigrate to America)

Two Passport Photos (cost us $10,000VND for 4 prints)

Bring along the to-be-expired passport to The Immigration/Visa Control Office (Phong Quan Ly Xuat Nhap Canh) on Nguyen Trai Street, take a number and wait for them to call you up to the window.

This is where you present your "Application", your "To-be-Expired" Vietnamese passport and the two passport photos.

Wait again!

They then call you to the next window, this is where you pay the FEE for the NEW Vietnamese Passport application, costs:

$200,000 VND

Reciept issued, included date for pickup. 5 Days is all it takes!

We come back to pick up on the date they scheduled, 5 mins later Kim now got her brand new VN Passport which is good for 10 yrs.

To all who interested in going back to VN, flying Singapore Airline from JFK to SGN - Prices are dropping! $760/RT.

Just FYI to all who plan to travel back to SGN (Must book for Dept. of July-Nov)

Airfare is cheap because only the bravest souls would dare to try their luck on the air while the Swine flu outbreak is at its highest alarm level, according to the W.H.O.

I personally would only fly if it's an urgent matter, due to the reason mentioned above. (even if the fare is free, I still will not fly)

W.H.O. gives a $#!t swine flu if you go to VN!!!! It's the otherway around! Vietnamese people are afraid of our Americans who would bring the swine flu back to VN.... People who are from the US, Australia, Canada etc. are screened for swine flu when travel to VN. People don't get swine flu for flying but getting from not washing their hands after shaking hands or touching contaminated surfaces.

Come fly away!

It's a great price for Viet VJers who plan to travel to see their loved ones this summer... Me, I am just mad at the travel agent If I would have known the price drops this much, I would have waited for it!!!

This is a lot of "DONG's" to be have

To all who interested in going back to VN, flying Singapore Airline from JFK to SGN - Prices are dropping! $760/RT.

Just FYI to all who plan to travel back to SGN (Must book for Dept. of July-Nov)

Fair request!

Pin up the Thai/Philippines/Cambodia threads along with the Viet's crew, AU and NZ then call it: Southeast Asia and Pacific Islanders

China just get its own since China itself is a major group (think 1.5 billion people and counting...)

India and South Asian

Just my thought! Anyone PM the Captain yet?

Dai:<BR>My personal favorite GS460 <BR>The Accord is a fine choice also.  However, if you sit her in the Lexus once, she would not like the Accord any longer... Fear of you driving the Accord instead, after you are done with all the automobile purchases!!!!   My parents bought my brother a brand new 2008 Accord, after 6 months driving my GS300.  The switch was brutal for him but it's his car he loves it anyway.<BR><BR>Don't say I didn't warn you... you may be driving the accord afterward!!!! <BR><BR>Love the house, look fantastic!  Northeast is too crowded, can't really afford a house in that size and at the Houston's pricing... Think 1 to 1.5 mils for one like that!  <BR><BR>Good luck,<BR>Chuck and Kim

The next step is convincing her to sign a Prenup agreement! or make sure all of your bank accounts that you intend to be "separate properties" are up-to-date with correct account registration.

Your wife left you huh?

"Trust, but verify!" - Ronald Reagan.

He's the President, and you are?

Sincerely yours,

DQ

I am better than Ronald Reagan, I do whatever I feel like. I am a Viet Cong An.

Sorry your wife left you. The stripper from Colorado club probably found someone else with deeper pockets and a bigger dong.

Just read Dau Que's comment earlier on DaiTX situation. Now I got it why you said what you said

Hi All,

My wife finally will be here soon today. YEAP. What are the next step I need to take care for the paperwork. Like SSN or Greencards, or ID cards?

I am so excited, it's been a 3 long years waiting for this wonderful day to come.

Congrats!!!!

READ ME

In despite of the plead not to YELL from OP, I must say: You're an idiot! Now that's got out of my system I feel much better... phew!!!

Oh well, with the rules/policies are so convoluted, I'm 100% OP isn't the first who made this mistake and play the game of "Gotcha" with the system. This also is a warning to all who are still dealing with US immigration to remember to check in with your brother/sister on VJ for anything related to your S.O.'s movement in/out the States until they get the US Citizenship. Yup, all the way to that point!

To Rin and John: BEST relevant information throu out the thread!!!! OP should take note and pursue accordingly.

To Dau Que: I think OP might be in Saigon so we just have to wait a little while. If he's not there yet, shame on him!

When Kim first came here, I have told her that in case of Emergency and I mean DEATH, she can leave the US and I will come with her. Well, sure enough, her father was sick and nearly pass, we were about to leave but it turned that her father was just missing her so much that it made him fall ill, physically and emotionally. Most VN parents who sent their daughter to marry foreigner tent to have the belief "It's over, we never know when we get to see our babygirl again!" BAMM and that would do it, especially for the elderly folks (folks in their 70's an 80's ). Note, I do not know OP's the circumstance, only share my experience! Better prepare your S.O. and her folks before she departs!

Good luck to OP and all who are still waiting to come here.