confusedasheck

I'm ignorant of how this works, so please excuse my ignorance. So there is no benefit to going in person to a US consulate office and registering while in Vietnam? No way that this provides proof that you've been in the country?

For HCMC (and Vietnam in general), is there any benefit if you register with the US consulate on trips if you decide to file for a finance or spousal petition in the future?

If I was sending documents of such importance, I would use Fedex or UPS. I've had the post office not scan the delivery confirmation bar codes for packages I've mailed. So it still shows as being in transit. But then I get a thank you from my friends or feedback if I've sold something. So I know the package got there. Yet the label shows that it was never delivered.

That makes me feel better. I think if she graduates first, that will make the reason disappear. I'm going to continue with it.

I have to thank the people who made this site. HCMC and US immigration are not what I expected. I'm glad I found this site beforehand.

From what I've heard the woman keeping her own name is a relatively new (20th century) development in the Vietnamese culture... does anyone have any info on that?

My Chinese friend claims in China that women stopped taking their husbands' surname after the Communists took over China. Women were no longer required to take their husbands' surname as part of an attempt to abolish imperialism. Maybe the same thing happened in Vietnam when the Communists took control of Vietnam?

On your loan papers, was your husband a co-sponsor for the loan?

My friend recommended this. http://www.vienlien247.com/

Only problem is it's in Vietnamese (he helped me sign up). Also you must buy $25 at a time.

I've used it and I think it's good, though sometimes the volume is a bit low. There is a form to fill out to get the call history (in Vietnamese though)

What about any mail that shows that both of you live at the same address?

What about a notorized statement by your landlady that stated when you moved in and what your lease terms are? That would at least keep it legal.

@VinhBao MyTam ,

I call tell you that the US consulates still don't like siblings in the US at the same time. My friend from South Asia was telling me that his friend applied to study in the US last year, but was denied because his sister was in the US studying and never visited home in 4 years.

My (limited) understanding of high fraud embassies is that they will check if the current petition is a way to get around the previous visa denial.

@luckytxn, despite what it might seem like, I'm actually not stressing right now. I like to understand exactly what is involved in something before doing it. I'm in more of a fact-finding mode right now.

I'm trying to understand the whole process, the requirements, pitfalls, red flags, etc before commiting to something like this. I also need to see if I can afford everything( multiple plane tickets, phone calls, possible lawyer fees, etc.). Once I understand everything, I can then make a better decision.

My friend introduced me to his niece. After corresponding with my her, I am starting to have concerns this whole thing.

I learned that she applied to study abroad in the US 5-6 years ago, but was denied a student visa. Her uncle in the US agreed to sponsor her. Her mom's side of the family lives in US and her dad's side of the family lives in Vietnam. They own several houses in HCMC, which she presented at the interview. She said they asked for a bank statement for her family finances and that she didn't have one at the interview. The Consulate did not believe she had strong ties to return to Vietnam. So the consulate denied the student visa.

Since then, she has worked, learned English (not yet fluent, but conversational English skills are good IMO) and then enrolled in school and is currently a student set to graduate in 2012.

Reading the info at VJ, I see several items that that I should be concerned about.

- Introduced by her family memember

- Introduced by my friend and co-worker

- She has a previous visa denial

- Family in Vietnam receives some financial support from US family members. This how she pays for school.

- Would her current studies be perceived negatively by the US Consulate in HCMC?

- Would her finishing school be perceived positively by by the US Consulate in HCMC?

Are my concerns valid?

If she already has the visa, she could potentially enter the US and stay illegally.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I got plenty of time to try them all.

I already tried "www.goivevietnam.com" and thought the sound quality was extremely horrible to HCMC. It was so hard to hear and the sound kept breaking up.

What's a good prepaid phone card to Vietnam that has a call history? I've tried a couple cheap ones and the quality is really bad.

Could you deduct the cost of a plane ticket to visit your wife?

What was a better route for those of you who married a Vietnamese woman? The K1 fiancee visa, K3 visa, or CR-1 visa? I'm wondering what's a better choice.

Asiana is a great airline. Good food, great service. Great entertainment system (so many movies to watch). The free wifi at Incheon airport is great. You get free wine and beer (maybe mixed drinks, but I'm not certain.) on board.

They give you toothbrushes in the restroom and slippers during the flight.

I liked the seats as they actually moved forward when you put the seat back.

Korean Air is similar.

Thank you for all your answers. That makes me feel much better. At least there is hope.

I understand the requirement for multiple visits no more than once year apart (or is this nine months for Vietnam?). I am prepared to make that sacrifice if I think we can get along. I don't intend to rush anything.

I am not worried about financial requirements. I can meet them.

@Luckytxn. Yes, you are correct. He does think highly of me. I've known him for 10 years.

My friend introduced me to his niece who lives in Vietnam over the phone. After talking with her, I have this concern about her family in the US and the US consulate In HCMC. My friend is her uncle. Her parents, sisters, and brothers all live in Vietnam. Her dad's side of the family still lives in Vietnam. Most of her mom's side of the family lives in the USA. I do not have any relationship with any of her relatives except for her uncle (my friend). I've meet some of her relatives once a year or so before my friend introduced me to her and never had contact with them since. Would this be a problem? I know it's early in the game, but I really don't want to start anything if this is going to cause a denial.

An interesting point is that her mom had multiple opportunities to come to the US, but didn't want to leave Vietnam. Don't know if that makes a difference.

I'm not contemplating a visa for somebody I've never met. I just wasn't expecting it to be this difficult to bring a spouse or finacee into the US. With so much proof demanded by the US consulate in HCMC and all the horror stories I've read here, I'd like to know if I even have a chance at the US consulate in HCMC since they seem to reject applications for trivial reasons. I see no point in pursuing anything if the US consulate is just going to deny it in end.

I definately wouldn't rush anything. She would be around 24-26 if things worked out at the time of any visa filing.

What exactly is the definition of a very large age difference in Vietnam to the US consulate in HCMC? 10 years? 15 years? 20+ years? My friend wants to introduce me to a relative of his in Vietnam who is 12 years younger than me. I see an 8-15 year difference as being not common, but not uncommon among Vietnamese I know in the US.