Marriage Certificate Delay

[bruins 14]

Hey all - I'm very worried right now. My fiance submitted the application for our marriage certificate on May 7, and it's been over 30 days now and I just got to Vietnam a few days ago. We went to the Justice Department (So Tu Phap) today and they said that it's 26 days after i make an appearance at their office? How can this be when the application says 26 days to review from the date the application is submitted. I'm only here for another 3 weeks and if they are requiring 26 days to review, interview, and background check, there's no way I will be here to sign. I will not be able to travel back either as I do not have any more time off from work. Any advice would help please!!!!

Thanks!

[AnhDoiEm 9]

Mine takes about weeks to finalize before we get interview and get our marriage certificate. We come up to so tu phap on July 9 and we got interview on August 10 and get certificate same day. without connection would take longer

Edited June 10, 2013 by AnhDoiEm

[JRF 117]

Agree with Anh Doi Em...30 days from application to interview is actually pretty good time. Without connections it may be tough to get an interview and then to be approved within three weeks. We applied at the start of the week, had our interview later that same week and signed the papers three months later. The delay in signing was due to my not being able to return to VN sooner..but as I remember it was 30-45 days from interview to when we were told it was approved. Our case took a little longer for them to approve, probably due to reasons that you won't have to worry about. Send me a PM if you want more info...

[bruins 14]

How soon do they call us to sign and receive the marriage certificate after the interview? Our interview is in 2 days.

Thanks!

[AnhDoiEm 9]

If you have the connection, and some coffee money in the envelope, they let you know the date for interview when you send the application, cost us $250 USD to have someone guide us through, without waiting in line, about 4 weeks to completed our process

PS: if your interview when well, you should get ur certificate in the same days.

Edited June 11, 2013 by AnhDoiEm

[bruins 14]

Wow you got your marriage certificate the same day? that's really fast AnhDoiEm. Our application is complete and our interview is in 2 days so hopefully they will call us to sign the big book and we'll get out marriage certificate before I have to fly back to the US in 2 weeks.

[bruins 14]

JRF what caused your application to be delayed so long? Also guys, what should we bring to the interview for our marriage certificate?

Thanks!

[Banh Xeo 0]

Hey all - I'm very worried right now. My fiance submitted the application for our marriage certificate on May 7, and it's been over 30 days now and I just got to Vietnam a few days ago. We went to the Justice Department (So Tu Phap) today and they said that it's 26 days after i make an appearance at their office? How can this be when the application says 26 days to review from the date the application is submitted. I'm only here for another 3 weeks and if they are requiring 26 days to review, interview, and background check, there's no way I will be here to sign. I will not be able to travel back either as I do not have any more time off from work. Any advice would help please!!!!

Thanks!

You're involved with a Vietnamese and you still don't know rule #1 about that country? Thu Tuc Dau Tien (Show me the $$$).

Hope this reply helps you!

[Banh Xeo 0]

You're involved with a Vietnamese and you still don't know rule #1 about that country? Thu Tuc Dau Tien (Show me the $$$).

Hope this reply helps you!

Edit to add: When a US officer working at the US Consulate got nailed for bribery charge, can you imagine how the "bribery" problem can be any worse for the local VNese officials?

[JRF 117]

They tell you it typically takes 30 days from the interview to the approval. I was told that to make this shrink to 2-4 days would roughly cost the same as an air ticket (fancy that). My then fiance (now wife) is frugal and nixed that idea as soon as it emerged from my mouth.

We had someone help us through the process which sped things up (for a modest fee). What we did was fill out our papers and interview in September, and signed the certificate in December the week before the wedding ceremony. I was able to return to VN (September and then December) but couldn't stay a month.

I don't know everyone's situation but I do know that our application required a bit more review, etc. on the VN end. PM me if you want more detail, but I doubt that applies to your situation.