VinhBao MyTam

Not sure where Mui Ne is, but there is a Golden Train from Saigon to Nha Trang with stops between that is well worth the small price difference. Keep in mind that right at Tet, the whole rail system shuts down for a bit, so.... prepare accordingly. I love the train. Honestly, I always look forward to riding the train in VN b/c I can't afford a seat in the US, let alone a luxury sleeper.

I do not think you need one from Cambodia. From the Pkg 3 & 4 given out last year, PC from some countries are not available and was not needed.

The current Package 3&4 in the Consulatle website does not include that info but gives the link to some visa reciprocity info...

I attached here a Foreign PC page from last year Packages 3/4 for your reference...

What a lifesaver! Thank you so much.

I'm very confused. Actually we're filing in VN, but my fiancee lived in Cambodia for a while. So we need a police report from foreign countries, but it also says on the website that some countries don't have police reports. When I use the link provided by the consulate:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_5455.html?cid=9011

to look up Cambodia, that section is very vague. So does anybody know if Cambodia is one of those countries that doesn't require a police report? Or if it does, how do we get one? Especially if she lived in a house where the landlord didn't report her to the authorities and refuses to sign anything.

Thanks,

We have a big problem. My SO lived in Cambodia for 2 years. So she needs a police certificate from there. The house where she lived the landlord has died. The landlords daughter refuses to certify that she lived there. Apparently she has now discovered that the landlords there have a tendency to keep their tenants a secret so they don't have to pay the police or a tax or something. So, without the landlord certifying that she lived there the police won't give her the certificate she needs.

To make things worse, at least in my opinion, her friend over there who was supposed to be doing this got someone who owns another house and was willing to certify that my SO lức thể, which she didn't, but successfully got a police cert based on that. Of course the address doesn't match what was on the original bio form and I really think that would be something that could get her a lifetime ban.

Has anyone encountered a similar problem? Does anyone have any ideas of what to do?

The immigration expert she is using to help in Vietnam told her she would need it.

Do you want her to possibly stay in a hotel or rent a house for a year or more? This is the real question, we all want our loved ones to move asap. Don't jump the gun on this one, not saying you will be denied or put into AP, but it is a possibility. I would wait until you got your result before you even start to think to sell, even if this takes another month or two, in the long run it would be well worth it. Just my thoughts, but it is your life do as you want, and if she sells then gets put into AP she will just have to rent a house or an apartment until the approval, not that bad of a scenario, but if the worse case one pops up then what?

Jerome and Binh

Yes, she would be perfectly fine to rent for a year or more. The thing is her mom was planning to sell the house anyway, but we just want to make sure it won't count against us in some way if she does.

Another issue she was considering is this. In order to get the visa, she has to get a paper from the authorities that she is single. Also, to sell the house she has to get a paper from the authorities saying she's single... however, when she goes back to get the paper for the house, they will see they already issued her one for the purpose of getting married, which will make it difficult for her to get them to certify again that she's single, which will make it difficult to sell the house.

Yeah, they let the so into the consulate now. 3 weeks should be enough time to buy a ticket and get the visa this time of year, if you can get time off work. If you go, be prepared, they may ask you questions.

Questions I can handle. The cost of a ticket is a bit on the high side for me right now. I could probably take enough time off work to finagle 10 days or so abroad, but then I wouldn't have any time left for wedding/honeymoon.

Looks like we're on a pink streak... let's keep it that way

My fiancee needs to sell a house before moving. It was actually her mom's house, but since her mom is now in the US and she's the last one over there in the immediate family, it's in her name. So, the problem is the letter from the consulate says no guarantees... so don't quit jobs or buy airline tickets or sell property before being approved. Is this just for our info or will they somehow hold it against us if she sells the house too quickly? Because honestly, I want her to come ASAP after the approval. Sure it wasn't the original plan, but I'm too excited to see her now.

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.

The rules have changed. They let you into the interview with your significant other now at the HCM consulate.

You have got to be kidding! That's a huge change. When? I mean it's waaaaay to late to plan to go in like 3 weeks from now. But I don't think they'll reject her, so I guess if they call her back for a second interview I ought to do my best to be there.

i think it's a good idea to show up at the interview if you can, seems like more pinks were given when the petitioner was there, but there were also some where it was just the beneficiary at the interview and still got pink, so if you can't make it, don't worry, it's certainly not a requirement. though, i think, if you are there, it may increase your chance for a pink. it also gives your wife moral support, my wife was very jittery on the interview day. I was too, but i tried to hide it and tried to make my wife feel better.

But when you say 'show up at the interview' my understanding is that you can't show up at the interview. They won't let you in anyway. If we could both be there, I'd have planned to go for it in a second... but with the fact that even if I were to fly all the way over there, I'd just sit across the street anyway, it didn't make sense!

How do they even know if you're there if you don't get to go in?

Thanks for the reminder on the new letter of intent. That would have been forgotten.

What I mean about the employer is that they don't write letters. There is just a number that can be called to verify employment. I guess I can call H/R tomorrow and ask them to make an exception or else I'll call the toll free number and see if I can be issued a letter that way.

I'm just against the notion of the birth certificate, but in the end, I don't actually mind sending it.

I scanned in everything I sent with the petition since it was hundreds of pages with the call logs and since had a computer crash, but hopefully that part was on my backup. I guess now would be a good time to check that. But wasn't the whole point of sending that before so they would already have it?

Does anyone think it's gonna be an issue that I'm not coming for the interview? I just think it's unnecessary :-) As much as I'd like to see her I'm not rich like that.

Last year I was on unemployment so that's all the tax forms will show--though now I have a bonafide job. I hope that's ok too.

I am definitely not an organized paperwork person. :-)

My SO has her interview on October 17th. She gave me a list of what she needs from me:

I-134 Form original signed, which she mentioned I had already done... but I haven't... actually until this minute, I was thinking of a different form, but ok, that settles that one.

1040 & W-2 from 2010

Job Letter (what do we need for this, b/c I promise my job is one of those kinds that makes you go through a toll-free or website to verify employment)

Bank Statement

Birth Certificate

Why would they need my birth certificate? My citizenship has already been established on this side. They don't have a right to re-adjudicate that right?

She also asked for a copy of everything I sent in with the petition, which I hope I can find... though they should definitely have that.

Anyway, it's been a LOOOOOOONG while since I've been in the chats, being back to work and all, any important advice at this point? How has it been going in our beloved HCM lately?

Did I ever say that being over 30's and going back to school is too OLD? No. I said at that age, it's NOT normal to stay with your parents and EXPECT them to support you to get married.

At that age, you're expected to be financially independent, especially if you plan to have a love life.

Anyway, OP, don't believe me? Go ahead and go there, marry her and go with the CR-1 route. I just point it out to you that if I were the C/O, it wouldn't look good if someone has to depend on someone else (income that is) and demands the USCIS to approve his petition for love. If you can't even afford to pay for your trips, and whatever else involves in your relationship, you expect the USCIS believe that you and your future family will be financially independent?

If you're in the early 20's, excusable (if the C/O is in good mood). But if you're a lot older, expect rejection from the USCIS.

My friend, I think I speak for the majority when I say, I'm glad you're not the C/O

I just went to the county court house and had the clerk do it and it was good. My friend did his for a state wide. A lawyer doing something for something that cost me 10 dollars and charging you 350 dollars tells me he is a crook.

I'm not saying he should pay the attorney, but before we bash the lawyer, and talk about a high "mark-up" remember the county is charging $10 for just that county.... the lawyer was going to do all counties in the state for $300... so it's not apples to apples.

I'm bored, maybe I'll go to the Nigerian Forum or some other random forum and post info that is specific to Vietnam...

Seems to happen all the time for this country/consulate. Get more information from the appropriate regional forums.

Funny how all our Vietnam experts said this is rare at HCM.

01/01/2010......man meets woman

03/03/2010......man flights over there and meets woman........man & woman go here, there, do this and that, so much in love, oh my God, she's the right one for me. Yes, yes, yes, man so in love with her and will die if can't be with her.

06/06/2010......man comes back for the Engagement. Man looks gorgeous like Fabio for thousands of photo shoots.

07/07/2010......man files the petition

08/08/2010......man says "I can't sleep. I can't sleep. It takes too long to process the paperwork"

Got the drift?

This is so funny. I wish you could use your sense of humor like this more often instead of negatively. :-) Then I'd enjoy reading your posts.

I'm nervous about this because my parents are going to visit Vietnam and probably go on one of these boats (not sleep on one but tour on one for a day or so). I really wish they would reconsider, but they are adamant about doing this anyway. I suppose this sort of thing does not happen too often, but I still worry, you know?

Don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure people do far more dangerous things all the time.

None of my family came from the US. They're Americans though. They don't know anything about engagement ceremonies. :-) I don't know if it would be looked at differently for Viet Kieu.

We did have a live webcam feed from the ceremony that my family (and friends) in the US were able to view.

hello, 2002 was my first only time filing (and unfortunately successfully going all the way through until my demise)a K1 Visa.

no other times after that. many thanks for your replies!!!

Excellent, then you're fine :-)

According to RFA (Radio Free Asia) radio, each victim will be compensated about $20 million DONG from the boat owner's insurance policy and the same amount from the local gov't for a total of $40 million DONG, which roughly equals to $1,925 USD.

Yip, that's how much your life is worth in Vietnam.

Who still insists in living in VN?

However, if these were foreign tourists, hopefully they were smart enough to get traveler's insurance and their policy will also pay them. Knowing that local insurance & responsibility will be based on local currency is EXACTLY the reason they have these products.

Counting both sides of the family; bride & groom to be... exactly who (for family) was at the engagement ceremony? And how many total people?

He won't need to request the waiver if that was the only other I-129F he's ever filed. The waiver is required if you've had an I-129F approved by USCIS within the past two years, or if you've ever filed two or more I-129F petitions. If you've only filed one I-129F previously, and it was either never approved or approved more than two years ago, then no waiver is required.

I know IF 2002 was the only one he doesn't need a waiver. But in 2006 or 7, he was just about to file another one. IF he filed that one, that was his 2nd and he would need a waiver for this his 3rd... which is what I was saying in my post.

.not that Im suggesting for a moment that all aussie mens are dogs??? heaven forbid??

Actually, as a guy, I read it that you were saying all MEN are dogs... just that some are better breeds than others.