Jake & Phuong

Hello all,

I have a friend in VN asking me that his father is sponsoring him, his wife and son to the US in 2009. They just have a newborn a month ago and wonder how to add him to the file. Who should they contact? Where to send the birth certificate? Does it need to be translated? If someone has gone through this already, please let me know.

He also wants to know how much longer he has to wait if they filed back in 2009?

Thanks for your help.

Please listen to everyone's suggestion here. You need to invest your time and $$ into your relationship because filing K-1 is not that easy as you read from NVC website. I rushed into things thinking our relationship is legit and ended up getting denial on K-1 and approval on CR-1 a year later. We had DAM HOI 4 months after we met and WEDDING 1 year later. I took six trips to VN to be with my wife and had hundreds of pictures and tons of proofs. I almost had heart attacks on both days of her interviews.

Take your time (it's very hard to do and I don't know how we did it) but nothing is worst than receiving a blue paper saying your relationship is a sham. Time will also test your commitment to each other, and if you both are in love, you can wait and do it right. GOOD LUCK MY FRIEND.

At this point you can't tell about the CO's decision on your case, so you need to sit back and hope for the best (and expect for the worst as well). Many people in here went through the same situation like you when they received the BLUE SLIP asking for additional (non-sense) documents. For example, my previous wife passed away and I included her death certificate with the application, but when the CO gave out the blue slip, it asked for her current address and proofs.....Really??? I was so mad and almost filled in "1 Jesus Christ Way, Heaven Place....

Another word, STOP ANALYZING about your red flags, IT WILL KILL YOU....

Don't be upset with their stupid reasons why your siblings or parents weren't there at the engagement ceremony. They used the same reason on me even my oldest sister flew halfway around the world for one week to be there for my engagement ceremony. As for Vietnamese culture, the oldest sister or brother can represent the parents at the important event like this.

Just submit the stuff that they asked and hopefully you get the pink slip. If not, just plan your next step which is marriage. That was what they advised me to do when I came in and talked to the CO who determined our relationship was a sham. We pursued it and got pink a year later. Don't even think about rebuttal when you get back to the States because the letter they send you will be that your case already expired. You have to refile K1 which takes around 6 months or CR1 takes about 8 months (the CR1 process has been faster lately). Hopefully you guys don't have to go through that.

Congratulations!!! It doesn't matter if the lady CO was rude or mean to your wife...as long as your wife received the pink slip after the interview, right??? I guess that the VN consulate recuits those types of people to put all of us through hell before letting our spouses landing on the "land of opportunities". With that being said, there are nice CO in that consulate as well.....I think... Again, congrats.

You don't need to get it translated. It's not required. You can submit the original with your DS-230 package and make sure your wife has another copy of the original. For some reasons, my wife was able to obtain two originals.

After the interview, the CO returned everthing that we submitted (originals and copies) to my wife. Make sure you label your case number on every document.

My wife sent me the police cert. at the regular post office and I got it within 2 weeks. She also has one original copy of the police cert. as well. Ask your wife if she can get another certified copy for the interview just in case your mail goes to Mexico.... The passport bio page can be a copy.

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I got on the forums. Hope all are doing well.

I got a few questions about the IR1/CR1 process because the guides on Visajourney is a bit different from Department of State and USCIS website.

- Visa Journey included evidence of bona fide marriage as a must now. Is there any official information on that so I can prepare better for the process? Our wedding is in Jan, and if there is anything we should keep, we want to make sure we keep it. I tried finding the official document on this but USCIS doesn't have any .

- I-864 or Affidavit of Support isn't turned in with I-130, but rather afterwards? I thought this was weird. I am making enough money to be a sponsor, but only 2 year recent, and it's self-employed. I don't know how good this would look either. Does anyone have any information on this?

- What is form OF-169 and OF-230 for Vietnam and where can I get it?

I know that is a lot of questions to ask. Thank you so much for helping me!!

My suggestion is that you should keep everything to show that your relationship is legitimate. I would follow the recommendations from Visa Journey closely since I did it and everythig went through smoothly with the NVC. Your marriage certificate, wedding pictures, restaurant receipt, hotel receipt, plane ticket stubs (yours and any other family members) and everything else. You also need to keep your phone records, chat log, money wiring receipts (if any), emails, letters to send them in as part of the I-130 package. Put a cover letter together and list things that you include in the I-130 package. You might want to label the pictures that you send with the I-130 package as what/where/when you and your wife are doing....

I can't provide you with anything on the I-864 but others in this forum might know. And yes, NVC will email you of when to pay and submit the I-864 package. The step by step instruction from Visa Journey is very clear. Good luck with your journey.

First she needs to have the vaccination again if she lost the record. Make sure she disclose that information at the vaccination office. They might get a blood test from her (at the same location on 2nd floor) to determine what she needs. It should takes about 15 minutes for the result. My wife did it last year but we didn't get approved for K1 case. So this time, she had to get the vaccinations again. Make sure your wife shows up early around 6:30 am to get it done in the morning. If not, she might have to come back in the afternoon if her number doesn't get called in the morning.

She can also call Cho Ray hospital to make an appointment for the physical exam. She has to bring a copy of the interview letter (print from the email), two passport pictures, vaccination result package, and her passport.

I would make it clear to the CO that you signed the MC on that date and the wedding ceremony on the other date. My wife and I were worried about the same thing but we decided to provide the answer that way. The CO never asked for that question to my wife though.

Congrats! I'm hoping for pink in 3 weeks or so too. So, you didn't go to the interview? B/c I'm worried about that.

Many people suggested that I have to be there to make the case stronger. I don't know it is a "MUST" or not, but I wasn't there when my wife had the interview. The CO did ask if who helped to prepare the documents and my wife responded that my husband prepared everything himself. I am pretty sure that they already determined to approve our case before the interview because the questions were very simple. If not, it was my wife's lucky day....

Just tell your wife to relax and hope for the best. For me, I could not eat and had an anxiety attack on the day that my wife had the interview. I think I started breathing again when she called me and let me know the BEST news.

if you have a copy of those documents, just bring them. You should make copies before sending them in. In my case, the CO didn't ask my wife for them since they have all of the originals. Good luck.

Hello all, my wife had an interview this morning at 10AM, and she came out with PINK. I can't tell you how I feel right now. She told me that the interview was very short and friendly. The male CO asked her to scan her finger prints first and then sign a paper (don't know what it was), and then started asking some simple questions. The Vietnamese interpreter lady told my wife to relax. She made the interview goes very smoothly.

We both are so happy and can't describe in words. It has been a journey with many sleepless nights. Thanks to all VJ members that provided the inputs and recommendations. I can't wait to start our lives together here in the US.

I am the luckiest man in the world right now.

We just received an email from NVC stating that my wife's interview will be on September 23 at 10AM. NVC completed the DS-230 package on August 1. I assume this letter is what we need to get the medical done and to enter the HCMC. Good luck to everyone having scheduled interview in September.

Congrats!!!

Congrats. I submitted my DS-230 on July 18 and NVC received on July 20 but I haven't heard anything yet. Case completed means that your spouse is waiting for an interview scheduled? I plan to give NVC a call some time next week to ask for the status of my case.

It takes my wife about 5 weeks to get it since she lived in Ben Tre and then moved to HCM City 110 years ago. The Justice Office at Ben Tre has to check the record from HCM City and then issue the certificate. I am still waiting for it for my DS-230 package to NVC.

We received the instruction email today from NVC stating that I-864 has been received and still waiting for the Immigration Visa Application (DS-230) and corresponding civil documents. Again, I would like to clarify that (at this point) beside DS-230 signed by my wife, what other documents I have to submit to NVC? My wife is still waiting for the record from the Vietnamese Justice Office. Do we need to submit it with DS-230 to NVC? How long does NVC take to review the package and schedule an interview date? Please help!!! Thanks.

Hello all....I submitted the I-130 application at the end of January 2011 and now just paid the IV fee payment. The status is PAID. I am wondering what the next step should be beside preparing IV Package, which consists of Barcode cover sheet, my own cover sheet, DS-230 Part I & II, copy of the beneficiary's passport, birth ceritifcate, our marriage certificate, (2) 2"x2" color pictures and police record. The police record is the one that my wife has to obtain from the Vietnamese Justice Office right? It takes approx. one month to get one. Therefore, I should wait for it and then submit the rest of the package or submit now without it and turn it in later. In addition, can I submit copy version of all of the required documents and then bring the originals to the interview?

Thanks for the responses.

Hello all. We just got married in VN and received the marriage certificate. I am ready to submit the I-130 to sponsor my wife. I would like know how many affidavit letters from the third parties who have the knowledge of our marriage that I need to submit with the application? Thank you.

Their reasons were 1 US relative attended the engagement ceremony is not enough, my fiance didn't know the details of the planned wedding and honeymoon even she got all of the info. except what hotel we would be staying for our planned honeymoon. BTW, we plan to travel to San Francisco for honeymoon and I told my fiance that I don't know where we will stay until we are ready to go. This didn't work for the CO. Basically, when I met him and asked why, he said that our relationship is too short and my fiance didn't know much about me (again, she knew the name of my boss and my co-workers) and they didn't feel comfortable to issue her a visa. It's amazing how they determined our relationship is a sham based on time and when here in the US, two people just met the night before and decided to get married the next day, and that's OK.

BTW, while I was in VN, my fiance and I did get all of the documents needed for obtain a married cerficate in VN such as full physical exams, power of attorney, marriage application, and my passport notorized. From the Justice Department, all I need is CONG HAM DOC THAN (Affidavit of Single Status). Do you know how I can obtain one from the VN consulate here in the US? I can get a certificate of No-Marriage from my County Clerk Office. I don't want to waste $300 for someone just to fill out the form. Thanks.

After we received a blue sheet said that our petition is admin. closed, I went to the USC and asked for more info. The CO was very rude and said that even Pres. Obama or Sec. Clinton standing in front of him, he wouldn't change the decision. I could go back to the States to rebut, refile for K-1 or file CR1.

My fiance and I were devastated and decided getting married in December 2010. We will get our marriage certificate at the same time and then file a CR1.

I would like to know if someone in this forum has been in the same position previously, what would you do? To file a CR1, what are the required documents and should I front load the package? I have traveled to VN 3 times to see my fiance in the last 8 months. We already had an official engagement ceremony on my second trip with my sister from the States. The CO said that only one family member attending our engagement ceremony doesn't meet the culture and tradition. He disregarded the relatives that I have in VN were there as well.

We have a lot of pictures together with both families. We just traveled to Thailand after finding out that they revoked our petition.

The CO did look at the photo from our Dam Hoi as well as other pictures. I don't know what could be the red flags since she answered all of the questions correctly. Both of us are devastated in getting the BLUE and don't know what happen next.

These are the questions that my fiance remembered:

How did we meet?

Who introduced us? How and when do we know her?

What is the highest degree that I hold? Where and what year

Where do I work now? Who is my boss? Who are my co-worker (they wanted names)

Did I get married before? How did my marriage end? What and why did my wife die?

How many kids do I have? Names and how old?

Wedding plan? Honeymoon plan? My fiance answered that we plan to go to San Francisco

What does San Francisco have? How do you plan to travel there? How many hours will it take to drive to San Francisco from my house?

Did my fiance get married? How did it end?

How many times that we met? Did we have an engagement ceremony? How many people attended the engagement? How came back with me to the engagement?

My fiance answered everything correctly. They took a glance at the pictures and some other evidences and return everything back to her. They kept the copy of the required documents. She said that she saw a pink piece of paper with her name but at the end, the CO pulled out the BLUE.

Is there possibility that they just need this additional information just because we both married before and our time knowing each other was short. I met my fiance in December 2009, proposed to her two weeks later in January 2010. Submitted the application in February 2010, and came back and had the engagement ceremony in April 2010. It was a big event because my fiance's parents would like to do it as a regular wedding with all formal and traditional ceremony. Hopefully, they just need to documents just to have in our file and then issue a PINK. Can anyone provide some detailed information on what happens on the second appointment?