vietazn

If you open an account at Citibank USA, and withdraw at Citibank Vietnam, does any of these rules apply?

Because you are not actually carrying paper cash.

No one knows for certain whether having been introduced by family members is a red flag.

If asked during the interview, respond how you two met. Wouldn't push the info out now or

it might needlessly stand out.

Good thing to do is to buy things like laser printer, paper cutter to cut A4 to letter size, correct grain paper

and create a mini office at fiance's place early on. Makes it a whole lot easier to do paperwork and

keeps paperwork and copies more standard and organized. It's worth it to save time instead of riding all over

the place to get little things done here and there.

Anything that can be submitted in letter size should be.

Just hire a dich vu in Saigon for a few hundred thousand dong to help with the process. They fill out the paperwork, but

be sure to check back over it because it will have errors. Make them correct the errors, even if they say that there's no

problem. A whole lot better than lawyers that overcharge and make errors anyway. Don't lose control of the process; do the

work yourself with some assistance from dich vu.

Have her practice in front of mirror and in front of family members who will be critical, and practice with her on the phone.

Body language and voice are everything.

Move to Vietnam

Keeping old photos is a big no-no. While this story might be good for plays, entering into a marriage while holding on to past love is quite frowned upon my most people. That will be narrative.

Because you do not have the original, you should also consider having her bring along secondary birth records such as

school records, church records, and state-issued ID card. It couldn't hurt.

Consulate does not want people to make drastic plans like quitting job or buying a plane ticket on a specific date until after the visa is issued.

But it does not mean you can't or shouldn't make wedding plans. The wedding plans should be made on the assumption that the visa will be issued, even if it isn't issued. It is good to have specific date and plans within the expected time frame for normal visa issuance, with consideration to possible extra delay of blue slip, but also allow that the plans can be subject to change to comply with the 90 day requirement. That's what we did.

As for Dam Hoi, there are several good reasons for not having one. For example, when the couple are older or if either one has already had one in the past, then it's very acceptable not to have one.

The frontloading movement lost a lot of cred when the argument for frontloading started to become circular: If you frontloaded and were successful, then you addressed your red flags. If you frontloaded and were unsuccessful, then you must not have addressed your red flags enough. Then postings started coming out from posters who didn't frontload and were successful, as well as posters who frontloaded and were unsuccessful. The takeaway from this is to do what is appropriate for your situation.

I'm probably kicking more dead horses since it already happened.

I just want to be clear, A Normal Vietnamese tradition would have been done at her side of the family or more specifically her father's house if they don't live in the same household.

It should have never been done at a restaurant.

The reason why you're doing it at her home is for the fact that you have to pay respect to her ancestor and all her relatives. Thus that is the purpose of this Ceremony, to introduce you to her side of the family.

These minor detail are very important to the Vietnamese people, please don't take it likely

Dinh hon are usually small due to the facts only Immediate relatives and relatives are only invited and no one else.

small is a relative number, so if you have a large family than there would be a different story.

I base all these fact,on my personal experiences and the fact that my wife is Vietnamese and that she told me this is how is done for years. I don't argue with her because i still want to get nookie, and also she's more Vietnamese than any of us USC.

Not true. You are referring to the meeting between parents or representatives to discuss the Le Dinh Hon ceremony. During this meeting, the plans and preparations for the ceremony are discussed, including what the bride's side requires in terms of gifts and money. The actual ceremony can take place in a restaurant and can be big or small. Vietnamese people get confused about all this too, especially when trying to fit Vietnamese customs to cookie cutter questions like: When did you propose? When was the engagement ceremony? Some would consider the proposal to be when the two decide they want to marry, while others say the proposal is when parents meet, and still others insist proposal is done during the ceremony. Which would mean 3 possible, different dates to answer the same question. Likewise, some people consider the engagement ceremony to start when the two families meet and call the bigger event an "engagement party", while others say the engagement ceremony and party is the same thing. The best way around all the confusion is to specifically write or say what happen on which date for the timeline or interview. On X date, we discussed marriage among ourselves... On X date, our family met to plan and prepare for the Le Dinh Hon... On X date, the ceremony took place...

Over submission as a red flag. Which would mean frontloading too much.

Gut feeling says consulate can use any reason to deny, provided that they do not

discriminate based on any of the protected classes.

Frontloading might be a red flag. We didn't frontload, and provided what was specifically requested in the application.

No blue paper, received visa a week after the interview. It could be a good idea to keep the application and process simple, KISS.

Yes, I'd imagine they would be trained in psychology to observe body language, speech patterns, and eye movements.

Then there's the numbers game, when they think you're not true, then the more questions they ask, the less likely

you will be able to keep lying.

Just total the number of months for Intel itself, and give the time periods. No need to reply layoff unless you put the layoff in your employment history.

Money-wise, nails pays more than other jobs that could be attained with the same skill and language requirements. The income is not usually 100k high, but everyone in the house doing nails contributes to the large house. Many don't have health insurance or any type of retirement savings, so it's understandable that their disposable income is higher. Like all businesses, some are good and some are bad. There are many nail shop owners who will be happy to give away their shop for free or nominal price just to escape the lease, so that they go back to working for someone else.

Not everyone's primary goal is for a ticket to the USA.

Dam Hoi was small due to the fact it was done in my hometown. Her hometown is about 40 mins away and not everyone has transportation to go. Actually, her entire family was there, aunts, uncles, and their children. Most of my family members are in america. It was my family and a few family relatives from the countryside that attended. The Dam Hoi had about 50 people. I only put in 4 photos of the Dam Hoi in the I-129F. The image of the necklace and ring putting on with family members and elders. Also, 1 photo showing us going around 1 of the table with our drinks to give blessing with the elders. I sent her a copy of the I-129F which I scan into pdf form. We will practice the interview Q & A next month when she has more time in the summer. Also, go over the timeline in great detail.

Thanks for all the great advice from VJ members.

Sounds like enough family were present for Dam Hoi, and that you have reason for why some did not attend.

50 people for Dam Hoi isn't small, so at least 50-100 photos of Dam Hoi for interview should be good.

Need more pictures with her and with various members of family on different days. Make sure she knows exactly

what you wrote behind each of the photos submitted to USCIS, as well as everything else submitted to USCIS.

Letter from aunt doesn't seem like it adds any value, but letters from each other would be helpful.

Well Scott you did have the mother of all red flags (2 of them) that gets anyone denied so it shouldn't come as a surprise that you are in AP. Of course you did the front loading any and all red flag material so they can't deny you can they? Some people don't have the red flags that will place them in AP like some so they tend to get their visas in a timely manner. To start a thread just to show us how much you have been wronged is not needed. There are many others also in the same boat and we do not need everyone else to start their own so we can console them and tell them how they are being victimized.

My good friend was one of these that sent in after you and received their pink slip on the same day of interview and then the visa and have arrived in the country today. I am proud of them for their journey and her courage on coming here and leaving all she has ever known behind her to start fresh in an unknown land. I don't feel bad for their good fortune or even guilty. This thread seems to be made also to try to make the good fortunes of many to feel guilty and that is wrong.

Now we all feel bad for EVERYONE that is in AP and wish we could help.

Sounds reasonable that having the mother of all red flags would make approval longer than those without red flags.

Also sounds reasonable that those with quick visas have more positive experiences with HCM consulate, give HCM better reviews, and

don't blame the CO. There is an overall perception that HCM is a tough consulate and out to get people, that they want reject applicants. Part of the reason is because lawyers that provide immigration services have every incentive to promote the perception, and part of the reason is because people with negative experiences post more. But the question is: is the perception true? How is it that some of us are able to provide relatively little evidence and get the visa quickly? I believe that having a clean slate (few or no red flags for both petitioner and fiance) is the single most important reason for success, as long as you meet the application requirements of course.

You both should put together the timeline for the primary purpose of helping to remember and organize events to help with the interview.

If they want a timeline after the interview, then they will request it. Agree that being Viet Kieu will help if Vietnamese is a common language. Also agree that you must have a good reason for Dam Hoi being small. Typically all family in Vietnam are invited to the Dam Hoi, even if they can't stand each other. Disagree about providing a lot of pictures of a small Dam Hoi because it will look like you are trying to get one past the CO. It's already been done. In future visit to Vietnam, you might want to take pictures a lot of pictures with both families.

Practice the interview with her. Make sure she's organized, prepared, calm, and have a nice but assertive personality to make her likable and also to make sure she puts the right evidence in the CO's hands during the interview.

$350 FOR A K VISA? $1100 TO ADJUST STATUS?

SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT DEAL TO BE ABLE TO ARRIVE AND LIVE IN THE USA AT THOSE PRICES...

Put the name used at the time of filing the paperwork.

Apparently, the name entered upon entry with I-94 is the name the Social Security office will use.

The name on the Social Security card, even if not correct, is the name that should be used for other

federal government purposes, like filing taxes. If not then the tax return might not be accepted.

How did she get a passport without citizenship documents?

People become citizens by birth, naturalization, or through parents. If spouse became citizen through parents, she does not

have naturalization documents. She should have certificate of citizenship. Passport should be sufficient because you can't get

passport without proving citizenship first.