Got word fron senator

[chuckandkim 0]

The following comments are purely personal speculations and observation:

1) If everyone (fraudulent cases excluded) is given pink slips, then immigration lawyers will sit in coffee shops all day long? You know very well in Vietnamese culture, there's a saying "Thu tuc DAU TIEN", meaning one needs to cough up $$$ for things to move along. I'm not mentioning any lawyer in particular, but please, they're the ONES who shake hands with the US Consulate and push them to pass out as many Blue/Green slips as possible, so they'll have clients, then in return, they (the lawyers) will go golfing, dinning, blah blah with the gov't officials.

2) Vietnam is well-known around the world for "arranged" marriages between VNese ladies and Taiwanese men. Who will pay "more" into the "system", you or those Asian men? Think about it, then you'll understand why the VNese gov't prefers one over the other!

Therefore, if you do everything by yourself and are successful, consider yourself the very few lucky enough to slip through the crack of the system, otherwise, it's the "norm" of the Vietnamese way of doing business. There must be a reason why 33 years after 1975 Vietnam is still among the poorest countries in the world.

Welcome to the Vietnamese system!!

This is an American system. Lawyers are a byproduct of that system. I would love to jump on the conspiracy bandwagon, but I don't think that is the case. The one's that I know that have gotten through on the first try have had their I-129s or I-130s meticulously prepared. If you submit your papers written in Crayola with evidence missing then you can probably expect to be denied. I do think there is a fair amount of luck involved as well though.

I appreciate your observations and speculations but I'd like to say this:

The Visa process of coming to the US, to visit or move is governed by the American system not Vietnamese. Most of the people who get blue slips get them because their I-129f wasn't properly done. Properly done means filling out the forms, supplying the required documents and (most misunderstood) presently their relationship in a manner that any reasonable person would consider a real relationship. Many blue slips are given asking for a timeline. Why? because the I-129f as submiited didn't give a complete picture of how the relationship started and progressed. The blue slips for not having a real relationship seem to be bassed on the lack of addressing red flags that either are caused by the odds (ie Vietnamese Americans meeting thru family members) where fraud is high or not addressing issues that are brought up in your I-129f, for example, going to Vietnam just once two months after meeting your fiancee and getting engaged but not supplying any reciepts for rings, hotels, etc, few emails before or after, not sending flowers or gifts on special occasions and so on So why is that happening? Fraud comes to mind in the Consulate's eyes.

I think you're confusing lobbyists with people who give bribes. Within the Vietnamese government this may be true. I have heard from many people both current and former Vietnamese citizens as well as foreigners that dealing with the Vietnamese government and businesses, bribes go a long way in making things happen.

Giving money to police, inspectors, etc can get you thown in jail in the US. While the US government is strongly influenced by lobbyists, any hint of bribes will usually bring the poilce, FBI into play, and there's usually lobbyists for both sides trying to influence the government.

However the Visa process is run by the US government beaurocrats and is by law shielded by influence from Congress, the President, etc from affecting the process on a individual basis. They can pass laws to affect people in general, ie "immigration reform" but they can't call up the Consulate to change a blue into a pink.

Also the Consulate is "US Soil" meaning the laws of the US are in effect on everyone inside. SO if a Vietnamese or American lawyer tried to bribe a Consulate Ofiicer, they could/should be arrested and if a Consulate Officer is taking bribes, they should be arrested.

I've found most Vietnamese who have moved to the US, are very happy that the US is a nation of laws not bribes and if the law isn't being properly applied, enforced, etc, people have recourse to fight it in the courts and or change the law without fear of their lives or livelyhoods being affected.

On a personal note, I don't believe I'm a lucky one who slipped thru the cracks but rather one who took the time to understand what is needed to be submitted to get a pink slip. Where did I learn how to do that? Here at Visa Journey.

The reason Vietnam is still a poor country lies with the Vietnamese government. Up until the 1990s they didn't want to be part of the global economy. Now they have decided to part of the gobal economy and the Vietnamese people are seeing many benefits but there's a long way to go.

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

I agree with what you say Peter! Very well!