Bad News for one of your fellow HCMC mates

[dalegg 143]

Mike (or anyone else), I am pretty clueless about this IMBRA thing and afraid for my virtual life to get into the middle of the actual IMBRA thread, but I'm wondering if you can answer a couple questions for me to satisfy my curiosity:

So..You are flagged if you state somewhere that you met through an internet site like AsianFriendfinder.com or something like that, right?

Does it mean that they will only do a background check of someone who states they met their fiance through one of these sites?

If they do a background check of someone who met their fiance through one of these sites and they find that they have a history of battering women, is their petition automatically denied or do they just tell the fiance at the time of the interview and let her decide on her own if she still wants to carry on the relationship?

[Matt_Stevens 5]

We met through Asiafriendfinder. How the hell can that be called a marriage broker? Gimme a break. This law is stupid.

[Mike n Huong 1]

I will try to explain this as best as I can. First they have recalled every petition with a receipt date after March 5, 2006, and have not processed any NOA2's for any petitions filed after they discovered their error. THerefore any petition with a receipt date or filed after March 5, 2006 are not approved at this point. They are sending out RFE's to every single petition that this affects whether you used a marriage broker or not. The RFE they are sending out will ask the petition a few questions about their criminal backround, if you have filed previous K-1 petitions, and if you used a marriage broker. If you have any criminal backround you need to submit paper work with the RFE. The term marriage broker isn't defined very clear in the information we have at this point. I believe they will ask us what site you met thru, and then they will determine if it classifies as a broker. From what I have heard, those that have used sites specific to certain ethnic woman may also classify as a broker. None of us really know at this point. What is really killing all of us affected is the fact they are not giving out much information. People with a receipt date of June and May are receiving emails stating their RFE's are on their way, while those of us with recalled petitions have not heard one word yet. Pretty much we are back to square one. I am praying the Consulate doesn't view are petition as suspicious due to the fact it was recalled for unrelated case specific issues. They have really screwed this up big time. There are 10,000 petitions affected at this point. I sent an expedite request today.

[STL_HCMC 0]

Mike,

Hang in there Mike!

I saw that this issue got some press through an AP reported story (I read in the NY Times). Looks like they interviewed a VisaJourney member (from what I gathered reading through the threads on the K-1 General Discussion Forum) and it stirred up quite a bit of talk on the boards.

Perhaps the US Consulates/Embassies are in a bit of confusion themselves regarding the new law, its procedures and ways of implementation.

The ONLY thing you can do is remain honest and confident and answer/submit all of the additional required information to the best of your knowledge and ability.

Keep up your diligent preparation and look on the bright side of the issue as it gives you a little more time to double check your evidence again (not that you want or need it) and make sure it is tight and solid.

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON!

STL_HCMC

I am praying the Consulate doesn't view are petition as suspicious due to the fact it was recalled for unrelated case specific issues.

[Mike n Huong 1]

Mike,

Hang in there Mike!

I saw that this issue got some press through an AP reported story (I read in the NY Times). Looks like they interviewed a VisaJourney member (from what I gathered reading through the threads on the K-1 General Discussion Forum) and it stirred up quite a bit of talk on the boards.

Perhaps the US Consulates/Embassies are in a bit of confusion themselves regarding the new law, its procedures and ways of implementation.

The ONLY thing you can do is remain honest and confident and answer/submit all of the additional required information to the best of your knowledge and ability.

Keep up your diligent preparation and look on the bright side of the issue as it gives you a little more time to double check your evidence again (not that you want or need it) and make sure it is tight and solid.

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON!

STL_HCMC

I am praying the Consulate doesn't view are petition as suspicious due to the fact it was recalled for unrelated case specific issues.

Thanks so much, it really does help. Since I have booked my flight I feel so much better, because it will cut out some of the time, and after I see Huong, it won't belong before her interview I hope. This IMBRA thing is really making Interviews come more rapidly, so hopefully when they get our petition back they can move on it quickly, yeah right!!!

[wait4ever 0]

I am praying the Consulate doesn't view are petition as suspicious due to the fact it was recalled for unrelated case specific issues. They have really screwed this up big time. There are 10,000 petitions affected at this point. I sent an expedite request today.

For all the wacko reasons and excuses the HCMC Consulate gives for delaying a visa, I can't see this as being one of them. They know that these cases within a certain date range were sent back for the IMBRA fiasco. I don't see how that would reflect poorly on your relationship. I only hope that this is all resolved soon.