james&nicole

152 pounds, 69kg, that is the weight of her life. Neatly folded, stacked and packed into three red Samsonite knock offs freshly purchased at Cho Ben Thanh. Of course the weight of all our hopes, dreams and fears adds considerably more, although its not reflected on the scale. 152 lbs? I know I couldn't whittle my life down to that. Hell I can barely clean out my garage, and when I do, it mainly involves moving stuff from one box to another. I gotta hand it to all those who give up so much on the visa journey. 152 pounds plopped on the scale, tossed on a conveyer at the airport and gone out of sight. We are all in now.

We had a decent flight. Got to LAX on a weeknight. Not much of a line to enter the US, we were asked a few questions about how we met, where we will live and when we will marry. They opened our brown envelope, it had our consulate case stuff and medical paperwork. They never asked for our x-ray stuff. They took finger prints and we were on our way. Reasonably fast and painless. We picked up our bags and hit the freeway. It felt great.

We got married at the courthouse, knocked that out in about 30 minutes. It would have been faster than that if their computer was working well. We have about a ten day wait to pick up the marriage certificate. After the ceremony we hit the Social Security office. That took about an hour and fifteen minutes. Filled out a form then waited for our name to be called. The card should be in our mailbox in about a week. We will probably go back to get the married name put on it. I wanted to get the number ASAP, didn't want to wait for the marriage cert to come in. It may be easier to westernize her name in the long run. The name order thing gets very confusing for the form filler out people, who in turn confuse me. Last middle first to first middle last is quite the shell game. Almost as fun as the month day year to day month year game.

Anyway thats our story so far, things are going well. We are happy to be together. Soon as we find a new place to live we can settle in and begin the AOS process in earnest. Looking forward to it.

We finally did it, got on the plane together and made it to our new home. Now the real work can begin, crafting a new life together, day by day, minute by minute, moment by moment, memory by memory. We are relieved to put the K1/AP process behind us and look to the future. We are so lucky to have been granted the opportunity to succeed in our new life. It hasn't been easy, it didn't go as we had planned, but it all worked out somehow. We will take a deep breath, reflect on the first part of our journey, give thanks and begin the first steps towards our future hopes and dreams.

I thought the airport would be a less emotional place this time. I was wrong. We did not have to part ways with each other, we had no long hug and kiss goodbye, we didn't have that moment you never want to end, the moment where I thought if I held her tight enough and long enough we would somehow make time and distance cease to exist. I didn't have to struggle with every step..."don't turn around"..."don't look back"...only to fail and look back every time, resorting to that pitiful wave farewell, the wave meant to look strong and carefree as if I'm just stepping out to check the mailbox. No, I didn't have to face these things this time...but her family did. Her Father, Brother, Sister and best friend all reduced to tears. So there we stood...all of us crying, hugging and trying to be brave, trying to let go, trying so hard, so hard. We take a chance not many other couples do. Two lives, two families from different worlds, our lives tread a path less taken, a path many would not...could not take. A leap of faith many do not understand. I never want to forget the sacrifice...the emotion of that moment. I never want to forget the families we leave behind, for as the reward can be wonderful, it does not come without a price. Here's to all the families and friends of our spouse's we leave behind. Here's to the home's our loved ones leave. And here is to the new life we will share together. Thank you, thank you all. And I give my word, while I may take my wife from Vietnam, I will never take her from her family.

It's been a long haul but we finally got our visa. The last years have been truly an emotional roller coaster. Many smiles, many tears but we are all smiles today. Keep the faith and it can be done. I have learned much from you all here. Thank you. AOS forums her we come

2 1/2 years in AP is over, visa in hand. Finally got it. Submitted updated medical July 3. Emailed consulate July 12 re: no news from consulate or EMS. July 13 consulate reply; visa approved, wait for EMS. July 18 10am VN time SMS delivered visa. And its a good thing too because I was just clearing customs at the airport in HCM at the time. She was at the airport to meet me and got the call. Yeah, I know, "don't make travel plans until you have the visa" but I rolled the dice & got lucky. Serendipity happens. This time we get on the airplane together. I guess I better start reading up on POE stories. Thank you all for your support. We are so happy, hanh phuc to be together at last.

Long time coming, that pink paper. Damn near 3am here in the US but it feels much later than that.

I been rode hard and put away wet for about 3 1/2 years now, God I hope this works.

Funny how it all works out... a couple weeks to know your hai trong mot...three plus years to get the opportunity to live like it.

I gotta say I'm scared that little bit of pink could be snatched away...some technicality...more reviews...hell I don't know. I'll be walking on egg shells until we've cleared customs and are on the freeway. A full tank of gas and an open road have alway cured all my ills.

Since I got the news I've been shaking a little, crying a little, dreaming a little, trying to compose my thoughts but I can't...tired...the last few years have worn us down. We just want to know...to resolve...to move forward with our life together.

I don't want to jinx it, but the consulate had her leave her passport and they put it with a pink paper.

We could be together by the end of July. I don't want to leave her crying at the airport anymore. I just want her to get on the plane with me, to calm her as she leaves the only home she has ever known, to give her all she needs, to give her all I need, to hold her deep into the night. I'm ready, she's ready.

Long time coming that pink paper, please come to us...all of us who are waiting...please come to us soon.

"and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep"

Sent email to HCMC consulate Jan 12 2012 receive reply Feb 6, 2012. Sent email Feb 16 10am re: address change got auto response 2pm Feb 16, as of Mar 4 I have gotten no reply.

Regarding the email I sent Feb 16, 2012-- I got a response from the consulate march 11, 2012. A little over 3 weeks. Nicole had an address change in HCMC. I informed the consulate via email, no forms or anything, and they said updated her address. I hope they did.

OK, so we are neighbors now. My mom's side is from Phu Ly, Nam Dinh. My great great .... great grandfather (I'm the 14th generation) founded a village there after resigning from his post as Vietnam ambassador to China in the 16th century. He topped the national examination as a Trạng nguyên (the highest scorer among other PhDs) and his name (#37) now is on the list of 49 Trạng nguyên ever at the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam) in Hanoi. Quite some family history there! I was born and grew up in Dalat though; hence, dalatian, and spent a number of years as a forced hippie in Berkeley during college days.

It's awesome you have a long family history. As a third or fourth gen American (great grand parents came from Scandinavia mid 1800's) that's as far back as I go. Story is they met on the boat over. No VJ to help back then.

I want to go to Dalat, if we get a visa issued this year we are planning to go. I've been to VN 10 times but always around sea level. I want to get some elevation and check out the flora and fauna there. Dalat will be the easiest I think. Sapa and some of the harder to get to regions take to much time to visit. We are working so hard to get a visa and have to be at the hospital for the meds so much, its difficult to be footloose and fancy free at this time in our lives. Speaking of footloose and fancy free, doesn't the term "forced hippie" seem like an oxymoron? I've been to Berkeley, interesting town. I like the bay area.

Northern California is stunning. One of my most favorite routes to drive.

I have a lot of good memories there, grew up in shasta county between mt. Lassen & mt. Shasta, lived in Burney, Redding,Chico & Paradise. Been up and down the 5, 99, 101 a lot. Highway 89, 299, 49, 70, 36, 20, 1, 44, actually, there are so many that are my favorites. Tryin to keep it on the DL, don't want a bunch of flatlanders comin up and messin up the good parts of CA. If you get a chance to check out the redwoods, I highly recommend it.

Yes thanks! I am hoping to become a more active participant on this forum. Hopefully somebody new will be able to learn from our past experiences and help them in their own visa journey. Thu submitted her passport and paid the EMS fee. She should get the passport with visa in about a week or so.

Now that my journey through AP is complete, I want to add a few final words of wisdom. I spent 8 months in this AP nightmare. AP is perhaps the most difficult part of the immigration process mainly because you cannot be with each other and also because of the complete unknown. You have no idea what the Consulate is doing with your case for months and it can be enough to make a person go mad. There is no magic solution on how to deal with AP. The only thing I can advise others is to dig very deep into your heart of hearts and find the strength to be strong. It truly takes mental toughness. There were times when I wanted to give up. I didn't want to do this anymore. Thu and I got into silly arguments about such trivial things. But we found a way to rely on each other's love for each other to get past those silly arguments. Eventually you learn that no matter what happens, you go through it TOGETHER. The last thing you want is to not be on the same page...and if you don't like the results you start blaming each other. No matter what the outcome of your journey is, go through it TOGETHER. Fail together or succeed together. Remember what you are fighting for. Remember what you are sacrificing so much for. Remember the prize that is waiting for you when you succeed...your loved one. In the end, all the battles you fought and all the obstacles you overcame will only make the victory taste so much sweeter!

Now I will do my best to help others just as I was helped the past 3 years. I look forward to helping all of you in any way possible. The people on Visa Journey are the best and if we work together, I hope that more people will experience the joy and jubilation of being united with their loved ones. Thanks again. God bless

Well spoken, you will give strength to all you read your journey.

Just got visa approved. Watch for review later. Yeah!!!!!!!

Congratulations, VN seems to be doing well lately

Yeah, approved and didn't even require an interview. I love it.

Congratulations on your approval.

i cant believe im saying this but pink is my new favorite color!!!!!!!!!!!!!! shes got pink after a 3 hour wait they took her passport and made her pay and gave her a pink

Congratulations, it looks like the HCM momentum is building. May you soon be together.

Where is this place? I'm familiar with Soc Son and Ha Nam Ninh as these are my ancestral land. Both are close to Hanoi (Soc Son is adjacent to Noi Bai International).

The Sutter Buttes lookalike was on highway QL1 or QL1A I think about halfway between Hanoi and Nam Dinh. The small mountain from which the town was shelled is called Nui An Lao. Or maybe just An Lao. We were about 10 miles due east of Nam Dinh and halfway between Phu Ly and Ninh Binh in a north/south axis. Tinh-Nam Dinh; Huyen-Vu Ban; Xa-Mihn Thuan; Thon-Dong Dat. Sorry about the lack of diacritics, even if I had them I not very good at using them.

Once again thanks to everybody who gave us their support. This was one of the most difficult things in my life to deal with but we finally conquered this obstacle. We will celebrate for a while and in a few days we will start making travel plans once she gets the visa. Once again...THANKS!

Congratulations, to both of you. Hope to see you in the removal of conditions and adjustment of status forums soon. Wishing you the best.

I am still waiting on my check... I sent you the processing fees months ago...

Thank you for my new Ferrari, it is very fast. I wish it had more room for my luggage but since I buy new clothes every hour, I guess the lack of trunk space is ok. My country is very slow to process the administrative fees. Another wad of your American money might help to speed things up. If you run out of your own money perhaps you could take...errrh I mean borrow from you family. If your family can't pay, its ok. Just get the extra money somehow. I'm trying to buy an airplane or helicopter so I can fly to your country... America....right?.....and give you your millions without my governments ridiculous interference.

Sincerely yours, a very rich royal prince.

I am still waiting on my check... I sent you the processing fees months ago...

Thank you for my new Ferrari, it is very fast. I wish it had more room for my luggage but since I buy new clothes every hour, I guess the lack of trunk space is ok. My country is very slow to process the administrative fees. Another wad of your American money might help to speed things up. If you run out of your own money perhaps you could take...errrh I mean borrow from you family. If your family can't pay, its ok. Just get the extra money somehow. I'm trying to buy an airplane or helicopter so I can fly to your country... America....right?.....and give you your millions without my governments ridiculous interference.

Sincerely yours, a very rich royal prince.

This a very hard and overwhelming process. Can someone offer any suggestions as to what to do and what visa to apply for if me and my intended have yet to see each other face to face? We Skype constantly etc, but we have yet to visit one another. Due to my work schedule etc it is difficult for me to travel to see him. Please can someone give me insight as to what route we should go so that we can betogether?

Many here have your back, overwhelming yes, hard yes, take your time, you must meet. Preferably more than once, Skype, chat, etc, are not enough, take care, go slow. There is no rush. If you push to hard, to fast, you can get burned. Take easy, go nice. Best of luck to you, keep a level head. Be open minded but don't let your brain fall out.

I'm glad WeatherEmperor got out of AP. My case is now 255 days in AP. WeatherEmperor got called in beginning of February but we didn't get a call or anything even though we are in AP only a few days apart (I'm ahead of a few days in AP). A recent call to DoS and the status didn't change. DoS stated that the last event was a Congressional inquiry on my behalf in January.

When the Consulate said they did the case in order, they must meant doing in the order of the cases handle by the individual CO. I goot Congressman involved, and tried faxing the requested info from my senator, but the senator office has not response. Crazy waiting!!!

DON'T GIVE UP...NEVER SURRENDER. IT CAN BE DONE. KISMET, DESTINY, FULFILL. Who knows the outcome? Who cares? Go all in, no regrets, let the chips fall where they may. You will never question your intentions if your heart is resolute and pure.

How the heck do you remember this much detail??? I can barely remember what I had for lunch!

Memory.... Boon or bane...curse or gift? I think I remember because its new. I could bore you with more detail but this phone I type on is stupid. If the computer thing catches on maybe I'll buy one. Until then I'm investing in pay phones and buggy whips, you never see many of those so there must be a need for them. Trust me, I have huge gaps in my memory also, what I had for lunch, the seventies, early eighties, etc. When you have to feel your toothbrush to see If its wet. You know your memory is lacking.

Love the rain, I sat at a coffee shop in Saigon, it rained hard across the street for ten minutes but I didn't get wet at all. I was literally at the edge of the rain. Never seen anything like it. One side of the street wet, the other side dry. You can't write that sh!t. Incredible.

James..you are bringing back lots of memories from Hanoi for me..I felt like I was "ve que an Tet" again on Hang's Dad side of the family in HaTay. I have to give it to you..you are having the experiences the not even many VKs have ever seen..

Good to hear from you.. if your up in in the sacto area, you might have seen the Sutter Buttes around Yuba City/Marysville. I'm a norcal country boy, so I'm familiar with the area. Anyway the road from Hanoi to the in-laws is very similar to the central valley of CA. There was even a small mountain range that looked like the Sutter Buttes. They grow plenty of rice up around the Chico area. For me, a chance to see VN rice growing was a real treat. Damn that sounds boring. Anyway, I'm glad you are doing well. I got some people in norcal so if I ever get up there maybe I can look you up. Wishing you the best.

.

Hello jonnyx; I am a royal prince from an obscure country. I have millions of dollars that I need to transfer, I can send huge amounts of money to you if you give me all of your bank account numbers and perhaps you could send me a very small stipend of 4 or 5 thousand dollars (american, of course) to set up your new account (did I say it will make you very rich?). Sincerely, a very rich royal prince with a lot of money for you. If you don't want to do that, I suggest you read the guides on visajourney.

Wishing you both luck and good health!!

Thank you so much. I wish the best for you as well.

Wow. How is she doing? Is she staying strong with the meds? I hope so and I hope you are together soon. She has been being treated for over 2 years? Jan 2010? Or when did treatment start. You are both very patient!!

I hope to hear good news from you soon

It has been 3 years actually. 2009 was spent taking medicine that the TB was resistant to. Drug susceptibility (DST) testing was not done until we filed our k1. After the k1 was filed the USA/CDC took over the treatment protocols. If she didn't meet me in late 08 and we don't decide to marry, she might not be alive today. The local hospital in Vietnam would not have covered advanced treatment. If I don't cover the increased cost, she doesn't get 2nd line meds. We both have been lucky in many ways. She is strong with the meds, goes to the hospital 5 times a week. The side effects are not pleasant, stomach problems, pimples and boils, ringing in the ears, loss of clear vision, juandice, hopefully nothing permanent but there is no guarantee of that. This is no joke. I know many on VJ badmouth the TB/sputum testing process and for most with good reason. In our case, in my heart I believe it saved her life. I am grateful for that. Difficult yes, impossible no. Lucky for sure. My advice is to embrace the medical exam, it my keep your loved one alive. One in a thousand, one in a million, without it, I would have lost everything.

The doctors have spoken. If all goes well the TB meds will be discontinued in mid April. Hopefully the last sputum test is negative (we could know by June), then the hospital sends the info to the consulate and in about a month we could have a decision on the visa. We had to update the police certificate, as it had expired but with any luck we could be together this summer. I won't really be able to believe it until we have cleared the airport and are in my car on the freeway. It has been a long process and we aren't in the clear yet but I'll take the maybe. I'm hoping, praying and imagining for the best. Our love isn't going away, its just a matter of where we will manifest it. I think I see a faint light up ahead. I better check it out.