Got Blue

[Kevin and 10]

Tuyen got a blue slip . The CO wanted to know why we did not have an engagement party and why we got married on the first trip. I have to write letter explaining why. She has to go back in a week to give the letter to them. Once they get the letter it should be PINK.

[Jasman0717 9]

Are engagement parties traditional for Vietnam? It seems kind of weird to hold up the visa for that. I guess I can kind of understand them being skeptic about marriage on the first visit so am praying you will be able to show enough proof that they will issue the visa. Good luck, Claudeth and I will be praying for your seccess.

[Dave_Thao 0]

I am sorry to hear that Kevin. I hope you can convince them with your letter. Good Luck!

[Tom99 0]

yeah, those CO are getting ridiculous, where in the US do we have a "required" engagement party?

Edited August 16, 2007 by Thanh

[Dakine 26]

They are just looking for a "bonafide marriage".

Paid scammers that are trying to beat the system on low budgets will sometimes make a quick one time trip, get married and go home and petition.

"Normally" peeps that are for "real" will have some kind of a wedding reception for the relatives and friends.

Edited August 16, 2007 by beckypua

[Kevin and 10]

I've been to VN 3 times in the last year. We would have had an engagement party but my family was only able to go to VN in May so we decided to have the wedding ceremony during that trip. We had the ceremony, but officially weren't married until my second trip in July 2006 when we got registered in "The Book".

They delayed it because of the timing issue, caused by financial and vacation reasons.

I have to write a letter explaining why we got married on the first trip. I am also having my parents write a letter to consulate telling them why.

It should be all cleared up after they get the letters of explaination.

[Anh map 2,098]

Sorry to hear about the blue slip.

Are you sure that is the only thing the CO needs clarified? Or is that the only question they asked? Read the blue slip (yourself) thoroughly and give them plenty of evidence/documentation to address the stated reason for the blue. Answer/address everything on the blue slip.

Looking back at our blue slip (reading again as I type) there may be specific information required from the Petitioner and/or the Applicant. Be sure to answer everything!!!!

Don't be discouraged. It's just a bump along the way. There's pink in your future!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chuckandkim 0]

Or else, just wait 4 years and 11 months like wait4ever and they'll give you the Visa!

Ditto what Anh Map said.... Just a bump on the road.

[Kevin and 10]

Tuyen is more upset than I am. The vaccinations made her sick so that isn't helping either. I hoped for pink but expected blue. So it wasn't that big of a shock to me. I'm just trying to get Tuyen to stay positive about the situation and not let it get her down. Everything will work out as it should in the end. Pink is coming.

[David-Hien 11]

Tuyen got a blue slip . The CO wanted to know why we did not have an engagement party and why we got married on the first trip. I have to write letter explaining why. She has to go back in a week to give the letter to them. Once they get the letter it should be PINK.

You should check carefully with Tuyen to know what the CO said. We never have any engagement or wedding ceremony but I can pass the interview. The wedding or engagement ceremony is not important, the time for your relationship developed is the most imporatant factor to prove your relationship.

Good luck.

Hien

[HQMP 0]

Hi Kevin (if anyone else have comment, please feel free to input),

My name is Quang and my application submission to the consular is right behind you about a month. I think my wife will get the notification for the interview very soon. And probably the interview might be in Sept. I have been following your posts as well as timeline very closely. What you just described really concerns me.

My situation is very similar. Due to time limit, distance, cost in traveling, and my mom's availability, we decided to have the wedding right on my first trip. Not only that, my wife and I talked and found out about each other for only 8 months before the wedding. We started the relationship on around March last year and got married around November. There is one thing for sure is that we did talk a lot during that 8 month period. And we still do now. My phone records are around thousand minutes every month. We had been talking a lot and finding out about each other in many aspects especially thoughts, beliefs, way of living, even about how to raise our kids later ... before having the wedding decision. Also, our wedding had everything combined in term of "engagement and wedding". We had all different kinds of traditional ceremony (e.g. engagement at front of the relatives, wedding at the temple, wedding at home, a full and crowed reception...). We even plan to have the wedding here when she comes since all my relatives and friends are here.

It seems like we might get blue slip too. Do you know exactly what the CO asked or requested right at the interview? Did they go over all pictures, wedding stuffs, and proof of contacts (e.g. phones, chat...)? Also, can you tell me what is the exact request that is on the blue slip?

Thank you so much in advance. Praying going out to you and me

[AustinJohn 2]

Honestly, I'm not always sure there's always alot of reasoning that goes behind giving blue slips. OP made three trips to VN and family went to wedding and they got blue; sheesh.... rediculous in my opinion.

[Anh map 2,098]

Tuyen is more upset than I am. The vaccinations made her sick so that isn't helping either. I hoped for pink but expected blue. So it wasn't that big of a shock to me. I'm just trying to get Tuyen to stay positive about the situation and not let it get her down. Everything will work out as it should in the end. Pink is coming.

The most important thing to for you to assure her that she did nothing wrong!!!! This process is so stressful and the weight is on our fiances' shoulders at that interview. Please, please, please make sure she knows that it is just a step in the process and to not be discouraged.

[poppscc 0]

Honestly, I'm not always sure there's always alot of reasoning that goes behind giving blue slips. OP made three trips to VN and family went to wedding and they got blue; sheesh.... rediculous in my opinion.

I agree. Three trips to vietnam is not easy to pull off for scammers. I'm guessing that the blue was planned in advance, and has nothing to do with bonafide relationship. They did it because they could.

[Kevin and 10]

She hasn't sent me the copy of the Blue slip yet. I've told her 4 times now to send a copy of the blue slip, so I can see exactly what they are requesting. I hope I'm not spinning my wheels. She procrastinates pretty bad.

She didn't do anything wrong. Unless HCM is asking for something total different than what she told me to send.

She said the interview wasn't that bad. They asked how we meet, when, my visits to VN, how many were at the wedding, when I proposed, was my family at the wedding, ect. Then they gave her the blue slip. I think they made up their mind before the interview.