Really upset now, can anyone help?

[PeterFB 0]

Cases aren't decided before the interview. Consular Officers don't even review the file until the moment of the interview -- at least that's how it worked when I was there. There just wasn't time. ChuckandKim is right -- if the applicant leaves the officer wanting to issue a pink sheet, she'll probably get a pink sheet. If she sounds identical to everyone else (rehearsed answer, displaying only surface-level knowledge of fiance), then more investigation is probably required.

As for VN language -- all consular officers get quite a bit of Vietnamese language training and can understand quite a bit. I never needed a translator to translate from VN to English -- but I would keep one next to me in case I needed clarification on something or if the person was from an area with an unusual accent. I always had a translator translate FROM English to Vietnamese, because as you all know, white girls and guys get strange looks from Vietnamese people when they speak Vietnamse unexpectedly, and we are usually asked to repeat ourselves, often multiple times. Multiply that by 25 interviews in a day, and it wastes a LOT of time.

The whole "should I use a translator" thing seems like a false issue. When I was an interviewer, I knew that many of the applicants spoke English to some degree, but I was far more interested in the applicant's knowledge of her fiance, and that is best demonstrated in one's native language. It's very hard to get nuanced information out of someone who is (a) nervous and (B) has only a limited grasp of English. I would never assume that the level of English displayed at the interview is the same as what applicant and fiance exchange in private. Applicants are asked to speak Vietnamese only as a time saver. If an applicant absolutely insists on speaking English during the interview, she does it at his/her peril, because she will be limited to speaking about her fiance or husband only in those terms for which she has already learned the English vocabulary. If that means she can only say, "My fiance is a nice person because he is nice," then the officer may have a problem.

My two cents.

Thanks, your comments are very interesting. I have a couple of questions/comments about what you said.

If the CO only has a few minutes at best during the interview to review your case, that's a great disservice to the person you're interviewing. From what I've seen, many I-129fs are not organized well or well written so how can a CO get an accurate picture of any relationship from a badly written/prepared I-129f in that short of time? Since the Consulate has 2-3 months to review your case before the interview, I would think cases would be assigned when they arrived at the Consulate to the CO who would do the interview. That way they could review the case to really understand it.

If the Consulate Officers know quite a bit of Vietnamese then why are there so many people complaining that the translator mistranslated during the interview which caused or help cause them to get a blue slip? There are several posts here where the poster claims the fiancee had to correct the translation because it was wrong or was unable to get the CO to understand it was wrong or didn't say anything because they were scared.

Also, I'm interested in how you learned Vietnamese, I've been trying to teach myself since our main concern at the moment is Thi's English so we don't spend much time on my Vietnamese.

Peter and Thi

I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26

I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11

I-129F RFE(s) :

RFE Reply(s) :

I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26

Touched: 2007-11-02

NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16

Consulate recieved ??????

Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11

Packet 3 received 2007-12-24

Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28

Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14

Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23

Interview Date 2008-2-27

Passed Interview 2008-02-27

Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05

Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier)

POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles

Wedding 2008-4-26

Edited July 25, 2008 by PeterFB

[Rodney n. 0]

I agree that if they spend only a small amount of time on each case something is wrong. i have been reviewing my 129f and see it could have been a lot better. in my explanation of my relationship of my fiancée i didn't put dates, or at least not a lot, had copy of both our birth certificates, tickets, travel plans, visa. i would say i could have done better, but my lawyer told me we would get our chance to show most of the evidence at the interview. i guess that was wrong. if they would have looked at evidence instead of blue slipping they would have seen we had a relationship. instead i am making a rush trip back to vn to console my fiancée. i requested an appointment with the consulate and told them the dates i would be in HCMC. my fiancée will try and submit what they ask for too see if it will help them make a more informed decision. we got them the time line with tons of dates, evidence to back up dates, original evidence: chat logs, e-mails, hand written letters, birthday cards, text messages, phone bills, proof i send her money, pictures, even our engagement ceremony dvd. and also what was strange they asked for proof of high school graduation and college. not sure if these things mentioned are standard on blue slip or if others get different things. i also have notarized statements from 11 different people to attest to the validity of i and vans relationship. miss anything? i hope thats enough for them. do they usually just let you turn in evidence and they look and make a decesion, or do they interview your fiancee again?

rodney

[PeterFB 0]

Every case is a bit different. In most cases once the required documents have been submitted, the Consulate will:

1. Accept the documents and give a pink slip

2. Accept the documents and ask for more information (another blue slip)

3. Accept the documents and give a green slip because they want to review the documents submitted.

4. Accept the documents and tell you your case was denied.

There are also variations of the above where a second fiancee interview is required, or interviewing the Petitioner, get an appointment with a Consulate Officer to argue your case, getting a lawyer involved, etc in order to get your visa.

The bottom line is of course, if you persist, you will get your visa.

Good Luck

Peter and Thi

I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26

I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11

I-129F RFE(s) :

RFE Reply(s) :

I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26

Touched: 2007-11-02

NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16

Consulate recieved ??????

Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11

Packet 3 received 2007-12-24

Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28

Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14

Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23

Interview Date 2008-2-27

Passed Interview 2008-02-27

Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05

Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier)

POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles

Wedding 2008-4-26

Edited July 27, 2008 by PeterFB

[Rodney n. 0]

i will push for a resolution when i go to vn aug 8th, i will be nice but firm. i think my evidence was shaky in my 129f. in my explanation of how we met i didnt have dates or some last names. it was kind of vague so i can see why they want the time line. it is still frustrating if they had only seen my evidence it would have explained everything. i try too look at the bright side. at least its a reason to go back to vn, and maybe my second trip will prove how commited i am to her too them.

rodney

[chuckandkim 0]

i will push for a resolution when i go to vn aug 8th, i will be nice but firm. i think my evidence was shaky in my 129f. in my explanation of how we met i didnt have dates or some last names. it was kind of vague so i can see why they want the time line. it is still frustrating if they had only seen my evidence it would have explained everything. i try too look at the bright side. at least its a reason to go back to vn, and maybe my second trip will prove how commited i am to her too them.

rodney

Your lawyer should have been fired by now! Telling you would have a chance to present your case at the interview/later time IS NOT true and showing this guy has no idea what he's talking about. Waste of your money and time!

I'm glad to hear you sound a lot more possitive brother. Go back and tell the whole Consulate your LOVE STORY, not snapshots of people, events, timelines, name and places. Instead give detail and chronological order of your love story just as if I ask you right now: Tell me how you meet her and how much you love her, give evidence and example to back that story up! How would you tell me this story? :) you'll be just fine... mistakes are allowed, just take longer to fix!

Peace,

chuck and kim

[Rodney n. 0]

in my timeline i gave the basic dates, how we met, first e-mail, phone conversations, when i fell in love, when i asked her to marry me, first trip to vn, when i bought rings, etc. then i wrote a narrative story to pull it all together. it incorporated dates and times this time.i included all the evidence such as first e-mails, etc, recepits. i gave them both ways . the way they asked for the chronological order and the complete story in my own words. got a ton of evidence to give them also when i submit timeline. chat logs, phone etc..

rodney