Vietnam VisaJourney Members

[Landy 0]

So am I! She will go online in about 15 more mins so just hang in there for a little longer, ok? :)

Landy,

i'm so eager to hear your fiancee's version.

Hi folks

I'm Lan, Andy'sfiance. I am so sorry to make you wait for so long for my post!

Here is the detail of my interview

First, my interview appointment was 10am. So I thought it's ok to get to the U.S. Consulate around 8:30 to 9:00am since they wouldn't process my case by 10am anyway. Actually, this is not the true statement.

It seems to me that they process the case in turn no matter what your appointment is. (Because I got to the office quite late, my interview had to postpone until 1:30pm)

When I came to the front door of the U.S. Consulate (around 8:30am), I showed them my interview appoinment. The security guys let me in. I had to hand the cell phone to them (cell phone is not allowed) and had my handbag, and the bad carried the interview documents through the scan machine.

Anyway, after these security checks, I turned right when entering to the office to go to the Immigration Visa Unit.

When I was there, I gave my interview appointment to the girl sitting at window A and she gave me the number A042. (If you came to the office early, you may have to get line to get the number)

After getting the number, I proceced to the interview waiting area to wait for my number called. This area is in front of the interview windows 5 to 15. There are totally 10 windows served the interview.

I was waiting quite long. While waiting there, I noticed that the IR visa cases and K3 cases were called to be served ealier than the K1 cases

Here is what happened during my waiting time:

I was observing the C.O. when they did the interview, some of them are really nice and gave a lot of pink slips. But some of them are not nice at all.

As my estimation Out of 10 cases, they gave 1 or 2 pink slips only. And most of the approved cases are IR.

As I noticed (and I asked the people went to the interview too), there are only about 3 K1 cases got the pink slips at that day.

I talked to one of the girl that had blue slip for her interview, she said they told her that her fiance didn't put enough money on the saving account. And they told her the minimum amount should be more than 20,000$.

I listened to the interview of the other girl in Vietnamese with the help from translator. She was introduced to her fiance via her aunt and grandmother in US via mails. I saw the C.O. was quite mad when interviewing her since she didn't answer the question correctly/properly. She asked her when .... but she answered for where question. I don't know that the translator translated the question wrongly or the girl answered not properly . At the end of her interview, she got the blue slip to submit more documents about their relationships. Because of that, the girl was getting angry and argued with the C.O. but the C.O. said the interview was finished and she needed to give more proofs then she could have the other interview.

Anyway, I told to myself that C.O. is not very nice either. I hope I didn't have to see her for the interview. (Poor me I did have to see her for my interview)

Around 11:15am, my number was called to window 9. I went to the window and the Vietnamese girl there asked me to give my documents.

I gave her:

- 4 VISA pictures but she asked me to give her 2 more to attach to the DS156 form (in duplicate)

- MRV visa application receipt,

- DS156, DS156K, DS230,

- the househood registeration and copy,

- ID card and copy,

- my birth certification, its translation and copy,

- Andy's birth certification and copy, my passport and copy,

- the polices certification and copy,

- the medical exam result sealed envelope. She opened it out to get the MEDEX form inside and gave my back the lung film

- The I134 form and support documents. Andy gave me the whole file 2 inches But she un-assembled every thing and got the I134 form, the W2 and tax return transript of 2004, the employment verification letter from Andy's company and returned me the rest of them.

Then she asked me couple questions to fill out a form (all in Vietnamese):

1. When did I and my fiance first meet

2. How could we meet?

3. How many years different in our ages

4. Have I ever been in US, how many times and in which visa (B1)

5. My company name

6. How many times has Andy been in Vietnam

7. Did we have the engagement? When and Where? and how many guests (I told her we had 20 guests, all in my family)

Then she asked me to sign the single status statement paper in front of her and to fill out Andy name on the bottom line of the DS156K

Then she asked me to go back to the waiting area in front of window 8 to wait for my number called again to have the interview with the C.O. And she asked me to arrange the evidences to time order and divide it to 2 parts: before and after the engagement.

I went to the window 8 area and the C.O. mentioned above was the one was going to interview me

I waited there until 12pm and they called my name and some other people to tell that our interview was postponed until 1:30pm. They gave us back the interview appoinments with the number on it.

I went out to have lunch and to call Andy to let him know what was going on.

I went back to to the consulate at 1:20pm and went through the same security check process.

Then I walked to the waiting area in front of window 8 and handed my interview appointment.

Then at 1:30pm they called my number again to have the interview.

I said "good afternoon" to the C.O. and she asked me to put my index fingers (left and right) to get the fingerprint. When I was talking to the C.O. during the first process, the translater told us that we might not need her any longer and she walked out.

Then the C.O. asked me to write my name and sign to the DS156K form. After that she began to interview me. Here are the questions:

1. Q: How could you two meet

A: We met through a friend of us when I was on the business trip to SC

2. Q: Where did you two first meet?

A: In Santa Clara, CA

3. Q: How can my friend know my fiance?

A: Since Andy used to work in the same company with us. Then he moved to the other company

4. Q: Why did you go to US?

A: For training since I worked for the outsourcing company

5. Then she asked for the name of my company

6. Q: How many times have you fiance been in VN

A: 3 times

7. Q: Tell me the month of each of his visit

A: Nov 2004, Aug 2005, Dec 2005

8. Q: When did he propose to you

A: On his second trip to VN, August 12, 2005

9. Q: Where did he propose to you

A: In Phu Quoc

10: Q: Did you say yes at that time or later

A: I said "yes" at that time

11: Q: And when was the engagement party? On the same trip?

A: Yes

12: Q: Did his parents come to VN for the engagement party?

A: No they didn't

13: Q: Did you even meet his parents?

A: Yes. When I was in US, I visited them very often

14: Q: Where did his parents live?

A: In the same city with him, just 5 minute drive from his house

15: Q: Now can you show me the evidence of your relationship?

A: I have 20 month evidences with me. Which one do you want me to show first?

Then she asked me to show her the very first month

I showed her emails and chat logs of the first month we knew each other. She took a look and said nothing

16: Q: How could you two communicate with each other

A: We talked with each other every day through emails, chat, phone

17: Q: Can you show me some phone bills?

A: Here is the phone bill of December 2005. It's on the back of the folder

I showed her the evidences of Dec 2005, emails and chat logs and the phone records on the back

She took a look through the whole file and said nothing still

18: Q: Can you show me the pictures of your engagement?

A: (I showed her the engagement pictures, 8 of them with the descriptions on the back of each picture.)

Then she asked me if that was my Mom on the picture.

19: Q: Did your Mom worry when you move to US to live

A: Yes she did worry. But she didn't worry so much since even in Vietnam I had to stay away from her any way.

Then she was smiling and told me that she approved my K1 visa and I can go to the US consulate again tomorrow at 4pm to pick up my visa

And she gave me the pink slip!!!! YESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!

She also returned my original ID card, househood registeration, birth cerification and Andy's birth certification.

I walked out of the U.S. Consulate, got my cellphone back and called Andy, his Mom and my Mom to tell them I got the VISA!!!! So happy!!!!!

OK!!! That was what happened on my interview

If you have any question, feel free to post or send email to us, ok?

Thanks so much for your guys' helps during our process If we didn't have you, we couldn't know the process that well and have the well-prepared for the interview like that.

Thank you again!!!! And wish you good luck!!!!

Lan and Andy

[dalegg 143]

Lan,

Could you please add a bit more details to this account? I mean, like, what color shoes were the other people wearing?!!

Just kidding. That's excellent recollection. I didn't even get that detail out of my wife! Also- very impressed with your English. It's about 5 times better than my teenaged kids who were born here.

[patricks 0]

I agree with Dalegg:

I taught English for 5 years in Vietnam and your written skill is very good and you'll have no problem adjusting to the USA, now start learning how to drive. You can take practice multi-choice tests on the internet to prepare. Seperately, I went to the interviewing side of the consulate ( vs. the air conditioned office for ACS, American Citizen Services) during my wife's visa interview. You could....."cut it with a knife" .....I had NEVER heard so many Vietnamese people being so Q u i e t.........interesting (Note, the consulate staff finally kicked me out of the HOT interview section after about 30 minutes, my white face just didn't fit in....go figure?)

[yellow123 0]

A very detailed description, thanks Lan. Maybe you can help me out with some questions.

1) is an appointment time supposed to be listed in pack 4 ? I see that you have an appointment time of 10:00 am. The reason i'm saying this is that i just talked to my fiancee and she told me that she'll leave the house at 4:30 am when the date comes because there will be many people in line.

2) - the househood registeration and copy,

- ID card and copy,

- my birth certification, its translation and copy,

- Andy's birth certification and copy, my passport and copy,

- the polices certification and copy,

my fiancee never scanned me a copy of Pack 4, but do we need to hand in a copy of the above documents as well ?

Again, congratulations to both of you. Hope you'll have a fun and safe trip to the USA!

[Landy 0]

A very detailed description, thanks Lan. Maybe you can help me out with some questions.

1) is an appointment time supposed to be listed in pack 4 ? I see that you have an appointment time of 10:00 am. The reason i'm saying this is that i just talked to my fiancee and she told me that she'll leave the house at 4:30 am when the date comes because there will be many people in line.

2) - the househood registeration and copy,

- ID card and copy,

- my birth certification, its translation and copy,

- Andy's birth certification and copy, my passport and copy,

- the polices certification and copy,

my fiancee never scanned me a copy of Pack 4, but do we need to hand in a copy of the above documents as well ?

Again, congratulations to both of you. Hope you'll have a fun and safe trip to the USA!

Hi yellow123,

For your first question, the appointmnet time is listed in the Interview Appointment Letter, in the same line with the interview date (As I remembered correctly)

And for the second question, in the instructions of packet 4, they do require to submit a copy of househood registeration, ID card (no need to translate to English) with notarized, birth certificate (with translation), petitioner's birth certificate, passport and police certificate (with translation)

Your fiance can see these requirements in the Intruction for Packet 4 she has with her

Thanks for your congratulation. We wish you good luck with the interview too

BTW: When I arranged the evidences of our relationship, I put emails, chat logs, pictures, phone bills, greeting cards, travel docs in time order, monthly basic. I also put the notes for what is included in each month file at the front page. It will help when the C.O. asks you to give evidences of the certain time and you can find them quickly.

Hope this will help you two.

Edited March 31, 2006 by Landy

[chuckandkim 0]

Unless your fiancee lives in the countryside which i do recommend her to stay in HCMC the night before. She does not need to be there as early as 3 hours before her appointment. ONLY people who have been scheduled for interview that day will be allowed inside the Consulate. The consulate does have their limitation and workload cut out for themselves, so there isn't any LOOOOOOOOONG line like some said. YES, they may be a long line, but you already have your appointment, you will be let in no matter how many people who have arrived before you but do not have the appointment letter.

Eat a good meal that morning, since she'll be waiting for awhile before they will interview the K-1 cases. Just how they work, IR and K-3 go in first, the rest of their time is for K-1. I never once heard anyone with K-1 in HCMC got let in at the very first hour of the day.

So, relax, bring everything but the kitchen sink... notice what Andy said, be VERY organize and chronological about your evidence.

Good luck and Congrats Andy and Lan... your English is perfect... i'm still working on mine... still hahaha

When are you arriving in the US? Big party in Landy Land

[Landy 0]

I (Andy) am flying to Vietnam on April 20. Lan and I will spend ten days with her family and then on April 30 we will fly to San Francisco. Now I have already s tarted reading up on the process about what I need to do once she gets here (ie get SSN number, getting legally married in USA, EAD stamp, etc etc etc)!

--Andy

----

Unless your fiancee lives in the countryside which i do recommend her to stay in HCMC the night before. She does not need to be there as early as 3 hours before her appointment. ONLY people who have been scheduled for interview that day will be allowed inside the Consulate. The consulate does have their limitation and workload cut out for themselves, so there isn't any LOOOOOOOOONG line like some said. YES, they may be a long line, but you already have your appointment, you will be let in no matter how many people who have arrived before you but do not have the appointment letter.

Eat a good meal that morning, since she'll be waiting for awhile before they will interview the K-1 cases. Just how they work, IR and K-3 go in first, the rest of their time is for K-1. I never once heard anyone with K-1 in HCMC got let in at the very first hour of the day.

So, relax, bring everything but the kitchen sink... notice what Andy said, be VERY organize and chronological about your evidence.

Good luck and Congrats Andy and Lan... your English is perfect... i'm still working on mine... still hahaha

When are you arriving in the US? Big party in Landy Land

[tcannon 0]

Hi Dalegg,

How are you? Just quick question for you and your wife. Is her Greencard two years or more? When are you guys going to file for lifting condition?

Thanks,

Thuy & Bob

[dalegg 143]

Hi Dalegg,

How are you? Just quick question for you and your wife. Is her Greencard two years or more? When are you guys going to file for lifting condition?

Thanks,

Thuy & Bob

Here greencard is only for two years. I imagine we will wait until about 6 months before it expires to file for lifting the conditions.

We are doing great by the way. Hope you are too.

[Matt_Stevens 5]

Question for you folks. Howlong after Packet 3 is being sent is the wait for an interview these days? It looks like the wait has shrunk from what I am seeing? Am I wrong on this? My case should be at the HCMC Consultae any day now, which means packet 3 will be soon. Will my fiancee have her interview before August then?

By the way, I need to send her money for the Dam Hoi. What is the best way to send money to her? I want it to get to her safely, but without too many fees.

[syee999 0]

Well, hi your all

I just being update from a friend that one of their relative who recently had the interview with the consular in hochiminh, and yes seems like they starting to discard all the co-sponsor (not officially but did happen)

Somone told me that for K1 Visa the petitioner alone must meet minimum income requirements and CANNOT have a co-sponsor. Is this true?

3AD

False!

You, petitioner can have a co-sponsor if your income doesn't meet the poverty guideline.

Are you kidding me???? If this is true, these guys in HCMC are asking for a lawsuit at their door... Please give us more detail about this issue, is it an "undocumented" practice in HCMC to discard all cases with Co-sponsor??? We need to hear more from people who going through HCMC... That's crazy!

Yeah! That's true and last week my fiancee couldn't get a k-1 visa because I didn't earn enough income from last year and I did ask for a co-sponsor but the conofs in ho chi minh didn't take that into account! My past week experience has shown it's the case! Even though in the form I-134 states that I can ask for a co-sponsor if my income doesn't meet the 125% poverty guideline, but it's a contradiction!

Edited April 3, 2006 by syee999

[dalegg 143]

Yeah! That's true and last week my fiancee couldn't get a k-1 visa because I didn't earn enough income from last year and I did ask for a co-sponsor but the conofs in ho chi minh didn't take that into account! My past week experience has shown it's the case! Even though in the form I-134 states that I can ask for a co-sponsor if my income doesn't meet the 125% poverty guideline, but it's a contradiction!

So, I'm curious. What do you plan to do now?

[chuckandkim 0]

Question for you folks. Howlong after Packet 3 is being sent is the wait for an interview these days? It looks like the wait has shrunk from what I am seeing? Am I wrong on this? My case should be at the HCMC Consultae any day now, which means packet 3 will be soon. Will my fiancee have her interview before August then?

By the way, I need to send her money for the Dam Hoi. What is the best way to send money to her? I want it to get to her safely, but without too many fees.

Best way to send money? In short answer: Any asian supermarket will have at least one or two "Travel Agency" which also provide "wire-transfer" or sending cash "FAST" services. These range from $5 flat-fee for each $100-$350 fund transfer, or % upto but no more than $3000 per fund transfer transaction. I've never had to send money to my wife family for "Dam Hoi" or anything like that, it's a sign of insult for some family if you "send" money to help them out, in my case, it was out of the question for me to send money! Check with her family before you do send the money, unless they are economically challenged then, by all mean, send the cash!

You can do this way, which i've done before to send gift to my wife's nephews in VN. Ask friends who are going back to VN, or who are already there to bring the cash to your family and you will pay them back here in the US. Work well, no fees, and guarantee the money will get there, FAST!

Just my 2 cents.

[Matt_Stevens 5]

Well, I offered to send her money to make the deposit for the restaurant and for the photographer. She said she could probably pay for most of that , but would let me know if she ran into trouble.

[Bruce and Han 0]

Well, I offered to send her money to make the deposit for the restaurant and for the photographer. She said she could probably pay for most of that , but would let me know if she ran into trouble.

I always used Western Union, 6 bucks for each transfer. Quick and secure.