joenlemy

Tuanv, yeah it took a lot longer then i expected as well. hopefully yours wont take as long as ours did. Good luck !!!

In the past I've used the postal service, express service. it arrived in Ba Ria in 8 days. The weight was around 4pounds and the cost was around $35. just sending a letter takes about 10 days from here to there. I've had one letter returned. it took it about 4 months to get back to me. but that was just regular mail.... with express mail we have had no problems. I've used it a few times. with express mail they do want to know what your sending.

Congratulations Loto !!!

Thanks for the good luck wishes. We definitly plan on havn fun. If we get pink, waiting 2 weeks for the visa will be a breeze

We got our NOA1 March 1 our NOA2 June 16 Case Complete Sept3 at NVC

Thanks for the input. Jim, I had forgotten about Vietnam Tet with everything else we have going on. We are going to stay with the original visit plans. It's been to long time since I've seen my wife. We are looking forward to enjoying each others company.

today I recieved a email setting my wife's interview date. Jan 26, 2011 at 8am. That gives her plenty of time to get her medical done. There is no way I can be there for the interview. I heading there soon, and no way I can make a return trip so soon. I already have my flight and hotel booked. I really wanted to be there with her.

Kinda wierd how things have gone with us. I made a visit in June. 2 Weeks after returning we recieved our NOA2. Now I'm heading back and 2 weeks after I get home she has her interview.

We can only hope for the best at the interview, and make sure she is prepared for anything.

Ron, sorry to hear that. a hot shower with the water on the back will help loosen any phlegm. your problem seems to be there is none to produce. i read that drinking plenty of fluids the night before may help. I know my wife hates it cold when she sleeps. on days whenn the room is cold she wakes up with phlegm, and she is not a happy camper. hope that helps some. good luck

Happy Thanksgiving

Roger, I'm in the process now of writing our timeline. As for docs. The only thing that I have been able to do was have my Will redone adding her to it. That was one of the 1st things I did after we were married. I cant add her my bank account. I was able to get her a ATM card, but it has my name on it. I've had to file 2 disputes on that and ended up having to cancel the card because we were being charged for withdrawls she didin't make. The last dispute is still under investigation. I'll make sure she has the dispute papers as well showing why the card had to be canceled. that in itself is one long drawn out story.

When I go over for the holidays, we plan on going over all the docs she has. Some will have to wait until we know her interview date. She will have quite a stack of docs to had in. I'll have 2 copies all of notorized docs just for insurance.

She'll be ready for the "Silver Bullets"

Would notorized statements from the family help explain our "desire" not to follow Tradition ?

I'm thinking the longer we have to wait for a interview the better.

Everything you've said is great advice, and it is much appreciated. I'm sure Marc Ellis will be telling her the same thing your telling me..

My Brothers wife had a 6hr interview. They also married on the first visit. They have been married for 12 yrs. The Sisters talk about the interview process as well. I'm thinking a lot has changed in 12 years, and interviews dont last that long anymore. I'm thinking they just dont have or dont take the time. they see red flags and "POOF" your either denied or put in AP... My wife will be ready for a harsh interview. I'm sure if they take the time to review everything we present to them the out come will be "PINK".

Thanks again for all the support

LIVING IN VIETNAM

Mr. Saigon (HCMC)

Ralph&Hanh (HCMC)

Jeromebinh (HCMC)

CURRENTLY IN VIETNAM

No one??

GOING TO VIETNAM

Nodink................. Jan XX, 2011

joenlemy .............. Dec 23,2010 - Jan02,2011

Jim, before i found visajourney i always felt we would have a uphill battle getting a visa. cant really explain the reason for it. just call it gut instinc. now that i'm here i'm sure we do. i would think withdrawing the petition would raise even more reds flags. Wouldn't they have a record of the orginial, when I refiled ?

I plan on going to Vietnam in Dec. for the holidays. Then returning when my wife has her interview. We have been building as much evidence as possible since we were married.

They can deny us for all the red flags listed but in the end.. our marriage is credible, and that they CANNOT disprove. . . I haven't resigned myself to a denial, and i'm not going to just give up. we will get PINK. just maybe not on the first try.

Have A Great Thanksgiving

Thanks Scott, yours, Jim, and Rogers opinion are much appreciated.

Once Marc interviews my wife, I'm sure I will have a better idea of what he has in in mind.

we didn't address any of the red flags Jim pointed out. so we will just plan on a denial, and move forward.

I have been talking to my wife about the red flags. We do talk 2 times a day, and email when something specific comes up. like the red flags.

Having the red flags is a major concern. not knowing about them would be worse..knowing about them gives me the ability to address them.. My wife says dont worry ... she may be right

They are alraedy being Sued for requiring them...

Thanks again

Thanks for the input Jim.

your right about the documents that HCMC can ASK for. They are not required. From reading a couple of articles on Marc Ellis website. hcmc can only deny you for something other then information provided to uscis in your initial filing. I may have to read the article over to make sure

We do have red flags out the kazoo. I didn't see it that way until I found visajourney. but your right it does look like it was arranged. That was the main reason for the post. I started seeing all these red flags myself. And it shocked the heck out of me. These flags may not be a problem. But from the experience of others they may well be. I've read some of the reviews about hcmc. more not good then good. like you said alot depends on the CO my wife gets . what a shame.

I have been in contact with Marc. he wants to interview my wife.

Thanks for reply anh map. I've seem where people sit in AP for a year, and your right AP is after the interview.

im not viet kieu. i'm just a home grown country boy, living here in Virginia. My brother lives a couple hours away. I've known my sister in-law for 12yrs. she is married to my brother. my brother met his wife through her cousin. My brother and her cousin worked together here in the states. Bottom line MY brother and I married Sisters. I suppose you could say my brother introduced me to my wife as easy as saying my sister in law introduced us.

My wifes english isnt all that great so i doubt she could, but she continues to suprise me everyday. She has a english tutor 6 days a week.come interview day she may very well be able to.I will say this, She does not rattle easy

We do talk interview prep. i ask her questions pertaining to me, my job, our home town. im in the process of remodling out kitchen, and have sent her emails with different pics of tile so she can help me pick out one. The advice on her mood during the interview is dead on. another reason i plan on being there when that time comes.

I may be over reacting to what I've read here. each case is different for sure.

Thanks for being here .

just a bit of history why we didin't follow tradition. we were introduced by my wife's sister. who is my sister-in law.they went through the immigration process 12yrs ago. we met on the phone june 08. i asked her to marry over the phone as well in oct09. the family approved of the marriage no problem. my sister-in law and i traveled to vietnam dec 09. which again i asked her to marry me. we already had the paper work in hand to get married. went to consulate in hcmc got all my docs verified. we married jan 11, jan 12 we were able to pick up our marriage license. i went back in june, and plan to return a week before the interview date.

i'm hoping a notorized letter from my sis-in law may help. im also thinking, it best if the petition stays in hcmc. i cant stay in vietnam forever. marc ellis seemed to be our best bet if we do get a denial. im only trying to be proactive rather then reactive.

He has already told me the same. What i need and havn't seen here is what to do to prepare for a possible denial.

I have prepared every document from day one of our journey. we have not recieved a single RFE. no AP. nothing. . .

From what i've read about Marc this is his speciality. . . I havn't seen any threads on denials or how to go about preparing for them or fighting them.

Thats the reason for a lawyer

Ive read several post here, and seen where couples have been denied a visa for not following vietnamese tradition. ex: not having a engagement celebration. getting married on the first visit. also hcmc seems to ask for documents that are not listed on their website for needed documents. ex: timeline of relationship, address for the last 10yrs,employment for the last 10yrs.

your ex wife's address... that seems a bit extreme to me. I've been seperated and divorced for over 4 yrs. i have no need or desire to know the where abouts of my ex

I just wanted to thank all of the vj members for sharing information that may in fact help the rest of us recieve a "pink"

I've also heard the name Marc Ellis mentioned several times here. some good reads on his web page. I also saw today that he is a fellow vj member. thanks Marc.

We have been waiting for a interview date since Sept 3, 2010. In many ways i'm thankful we havn't gotten a date yet. it has been a blessing in disguise. Things happen for a reason.

When our interview date does come up my wife will be better prepared for her interview then she would have been had I not found visajourney.

We are one of the couples that did not follow vietnamese tradition. . . I expect a denial, at the very least a blue slip. we plan to see Marc Ellis before the interview to have a plan of action before the interview.

plan for the worse hope for the best.

I'm sorry to hear this is happening to you. The journey to get to this point and now cold feet. Your right for not wanting to give up on someone you love. It's not uncommon to have cold feet. A positive is he is being honest with you before you board the plane. Your talking about it, yet only over the phone.

I have to agree with Carolyn about talking about it face to face. you do deserve that much.

You say your visa expires jan 6. have you considered postponing traveling ? This might give the 2 of you more time to talk. And maybe give him a different look on how you feel about this.Your already in a lot of pain. traveling and waiting 90 days for him to make a decision would not be healthy for you at all.90 days in limbo. Now your surrounded by family ,and friends.

He says he does not want to lose you. he needs to step up to the plate and make a decision. I hope he realizes the pain he is causing you.

Best of luck to you. whatever you decide to do it should be what is best for YOU

I would have to say go. My wife and I have talked about it several times. Having only visitd her 2 times this year (Damn I miss my wife)the last time being in june. I'm ready to go back now. But we feel me being there with her the day of the interview far out weighs me going for just a visit.

I work for a military contractor, and they hate for you to take time off. but like Gary said bosses get over it. . . and if they dont oh well. good experienced help is hard to find.

As soon as we find out her interview date. i plan to be there a week before the interview happens.

case completed NVC Sept 03, 2010

congrats

congrats hope pink is not far behind

congrats

congrats !!!!

ha ha.

the day my wife and i were married,were in a suv heading for vung tau to our hotel and had a head on collision with a scooter. you could see the scooter in our lane for well over 500 yards . the driver of the suv never attempted to slow down or move over. needless to say the driver of the scooter. they scraped his bod off the road. not a pleasent site the day you get married . . . i think i'll stay with the suv's myself. good luck with riding the scooter in vietnam

our case was completed sept 3 ., and we still have no interview date as well. all the NVC will say is has to do with the capacity of the consulate. . . i also called the dos. they would only say the same as the nvc. i was told today that they are still setting interviews for dec the rest of the week. so you may be one of the chosen few. good luck,