Mozzer1972

OOPS. Thank you. I found it at the end of the instructions. Thanks!

Hi,

My fiance received the letter from the HCMC US consulate. It told her to download the instructions for packet for IV instead of instruction for K.

Instruction for K pdf shows we need I-134 but instructions for packet IV shows we need I-864.

Does anyone know the difference between these forms? Are both OK for K-1 Visa?

Thank you all for your help. I have gone to the Consulate website for the instruction package. It says they need DS-2001 and part 1 of DS-230. the DS-230 can be downloaded but there is download for the DS-2001.

Any other options or anyone know how I can get this form called DS-2001

Does anyone know where I can download or get the DS-2001 form as stated in the Packet 3 from HCMC? I cannot find it. Thanks!

Hi,

I have been reading the packet one info on the HCMC site. Do they provide this document in the first packet? I cannot find an example of this document anywhere.

Thanks for any help.

CONGRATS!

Congrats!

YAYYYYY!!!! I just received a txt and email that we received our NOA 2!!!!

I just updated my timeline!!

************************************************

The last processing action taken on your case

Application Type: I129F , PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Your Case Status: Post Decision Activity

On November 5, 2010, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.

For approved applications/petitions, post-decision activity may include USCIS sending notification of the approved application/petition to the National Visa Center or the Department of State. For denied applications/petitions, post-decision activity may include the processing of an appeal and/or motions to reopen or reconsider and revocations.

If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results

listed above, or if you have not received a decision from USCIS within the current

processing time listed*, please contact USCIS Customer Service at (800) 375-5283.

*Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov under Check Processing Times.

*** Please do not respond to this e-mail message.

Sincerely,

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

Hi Jerome,

I just bought my ticket today but I will not be their until Christmas. If you can wait that long (and it doesn't consume alot of suitcase space), let me know and I can bring what you need to HCMC.

Eric

i mean "there"...(poor spelling)

mozzer1972,

4. I think it is more my ignorance to VN customs rather than inconsistency. She insists on my family being there to have an official engagement party. So far, I simply asked her father for her hand in marriage and later had dinner with all her family (no more than 9 people). Ofcourse, we want to get the K1 visa first for my family to go over there to meet each other, have the Dam Hoi and then get married in the US. I submitted lots of photos of us together with her family but never had the official "Dam Hoi".

I think if your fiancee answer it the way you wrote the above statement, you won't have a problem. You have a VALID reason for not having a Dam Hoi. Be prepare to have this battle with them.

You seem to meet all the K1 requirements and unless your wife start acting "cocky", I think you two have a good shot at a visa. When my wife had her interviewed, she answered a few questions with the answers I front loaded her with! And as I recalled, she answered a few questions with "I dont know". She got approved.

Thank you for your comments. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Ok, there is a dichotomy between traditional Vietnamese culture and what Vietnamese people actually do today. Many Vietnamese don't have the traditional engagement ceremony anymore, especially in the big cities. The consulate doesn't view these as being legitimate relationships, in spite of the fact that it's the reality in Vietnam. As far as the consulate is concerned, you aren't engaged until you've had the Dam Hoi. If she goes to the interview without having had a traditional engagement ceremony it will significantly reduce the chances of her getting a visa. There are exceptions, of course, but the statistical odds are stacked against her.

To an untrained eye, pictures of a Dam Hoi would look very similar to pictures of a Dam Cuoi (wedding). They are often done on the same day. When they are not, either a Dam Hoi or Dam Cuoi ceremony would be followed by a large party. The ceremony is in the morning, and the party is in the afternoon, but they are part of the same event.

A CO can tell the difference between the two by looking for clues in the pictures. For example, a Dam Hoi party will usually have signs around the stage saying something like "Le Dinh Hon", which means "engagement celebration".

Thank you, Jim. This is helpful but sounds like we will have alot of difficulty on this issue. The COs are super tough I guess.

Dear All,

Thank you very much for the feedback. Just a few answers to some of the questions:

1. Age gap: I'm 38 and she is 31

2. I was married once (to an American) and divorced. I submitted my divorce decree (all pages) with my I-129F. She has never been married.

3. I travel extensively for work so I used mileage for 3 out of my 4 trips. I have worked for my present company for 8 years so I have 3 weeks vacation per year. I'm not rich nor do I own my company so it also depletes my bank account even though I don't have to pay for my flights.

4. I think it is more my ignorance to VN customs rather than inconsistency. She insists on my family being there to have an official engagement party. So far, I simply asked her father for her hand in marriage and later had dinner with all her family (no more than 9 people). Ofcourse, we want to get the K1 visa first for my family to go over there to meet each other, have the Dam Hoi and then get married in the US. I submitted lots of photos of us together with her family but never had the official "Dam Hoi".

5. As far as engagement vs. wedding party, she showed me photos of her two sisters weddings and they did some kind of event in the morning and then a larger dinner party in the evening. I was under the impression that the morning was like an engagement type of ceremony with a meeting of the families and then the evening was more like a wedding party but as I said, I could be wrong and just my ignorance. One of her sisters married a guy from Singapore and I thought she said the engagement/wedding was in the same day since his family had to travel to VN so they did it in one shot.

I guess we will have a difficult time with this process and she will have trouble when the CO brings the engagement ceremony up at the interview. I submitted all I could with the I-129F and I only hope that they can see that our relationship is genuine and our love is sincere.

Hi,

I have a question for the seasoned members of VJ. I frontloaded my I-129F the best I could and still waiting for my NOA2 (June Filer). Since my submission, I have made a 4th trip to Vietnam and I am also planning to go again in a couple of months to visit my fiance.

My question is at what point to I provide this additional information and notarized timeline? Should I provide it to my fiance so that she can bring all the additional information to her interview at HCMC? Or is there some step in between.

Also, my fiance insists on my family being there for our Dam Hoi and actual wedding party in Vietnam. In her case, she prefers to have both in the same day since she also has relatives that will need to travel pretty far to attend this. Our plan is to do all this after she gets her K1 visa and possibly at a later date once we are married in the US. I know it does not look good if we do not have a Dam Hoi prior to the interview but won't 5 trips in less than 18 months to visit my Fiance help in our favor? She has no relatives in the US, her family is pretty well off in VN, she speaks good english and there is only a 7 year age gap between us.

Thanks for any input.

e.

Congratulations.

When you have a chance, would you mind posting the questions? Thank you.

Hi,

My NOA1 was dated June 16. Nothing yet from CSC but checking the USCIS website each day...

It's hard to be patient.

Thanks, Jim. Just not sure if I can get over there before the interview. My fingers are crossed!

Thank you for your response. I am still hopeful!

Dear VN VJ Members,

I have a question. I have visited my fiance 3 times in the last 9 months in Vietnam. She is 30 and I am 38. I am divorced and she does not have any family her in the US. We met while I was on vacation over a year ago.

We did not have a Dam Hoi. I met her family and our plan is for her to come to the US on a K1, have a small ceremony here and then in the next year or so, have a large ceremony in Vietnam in which my family will go there to meet her family formally.

Will this be an issue or could this be an issue at her interview at the HCMC?

Any comments are appreciated.

Greetings,

My NOA1 was dated June 16. Checking each morning on the USCIS site and waiting patiently. VSC seems much faster... Hoping to receive NOA2 this month!

Best of luck to everyone.

Congratulations! You must be so happy.

Hi, I'm not sure what it means but I noticed the same thing today too.

Congratulations! I wish the California Service Center was as speedy as Vermont!

Thank you.

I received my NOA1 on June 16 from the CA Service Center. I recently noticed that on Page 2, Part B, Section 15, of the I-129F that I had the address to my Fiance slightly incorrect compared to page 1 which is correct. Today, I sent a letter and a revised I-129F and signed and dated it with today's date. Will this change my priority level in the queue? Meaning, I received NOA1 on June 16 but just re-submitted a revised I-129F. Will they count my submission as of my new dated form. I already provided all my evidence, documentation, G-325, etc. with the original submission and simply asked the CA service center to just replace the old I-129F with the new one.

Any comments are appreciated.