What should I do?

[ERIKandCHINH 0]

What about the police record? If we have everything else, but haven't received the police record yet, will that prevent the interview? or will they just give her whatever colored slip and say bring this back when you get it?

[thepizzadude 26]

Can I get a visa at a local location? I don't know if there is a Vietnamese embassy in Houston, but do I have to got through the embassy in Washington, DC?

Dude,

Do whatever it takes to get there for the interview, I have read to many bad stories about this consulate to say anything but I fear you will have a terrible outcome if you don't go. DONT depend on the mail, DONT depend on the consulate to reschedule to your timeframe, DO DO whatever it takes to make this happen or you may be thinking about it for a loooong looooong time.

Sorry to hear about your predicament, but you know what you must do, so do it!

Good Luck

[toddandhien 2]

What about the police record? If we have everything else, but haven't received the police record yet, will that prevent the interview? or will they just give her whatever colored slip and say bring this back when you get it?

Slow down a little to avoid making mistakes. 10 days is PLENTY of time to do what you need to do but you have to have a good, well thought out plan. If you get ahead of yourself you might miss this window.

1. Decide when you will leave. You will have to leave no later than May 25 to get there on the May 27 before her interview. This will help drive your visa decision.

2. The visa. Do not panic. You have 2 options. You can expedite it in the US (this has risks because FedEx and the Vietnamese Embassy are involved.) The embassy that processes visa requests is in CA, SFO I think. You would have to use a visa service like CIBT or Travel Visa Pro. They fax your forms and a copy of your passport and the VN embassy FedEx's a loose visa to them to paperclip in your passport. I have done this but it is nerve-wracking to play beat the clock. Or you can get a landing visa. Work with a travel agent and they can arrange for you to get a visa when you arrive in SGN. For you, this would be the safest bet. I have not done it but others on VJ have. search VJ for vietnam visa.

3. The Ly Lich Tu Phap. They usually work on Saturdays. Tell Chinh to go there as EARLY in the morning (tomorrow) as possible. By 9 AM if she can. If it has in fact been a few weeks, it should be done or damn near it. She may have to "help" them remember where they put it. For the right "help", I am sure it will materialize by Monday. You have all next week for her to work this but this has got to be her #1 job.

4. She should not go to the interview without the police certificate. It is one of the mandated documents that she was told about when she got Packet 3. They might interview her (not sure) but they will give her holy hell in the process if they do. Avoid this at all costs!

Good luck

[toddandhien 2]

Erik, are you sure the interview is April 28, not May 28? My fiancee also received Packet 4 today and her interview is May 27. Another VJ member received his today as well and his date is May 26.

I'm sure you are correct, but just confirming to avoid you rushing there if not necessary.

[ERIKandCHINH 0]

yep april 28.

Still frantic but becoming more organized. I cant book the flight until i find out about the visa and they wouldn't talk with me today. told me to call on Monday am. Argh!!!!!!

[ERIKandCHINH 0]

I talked with Chinh. Her hometown is in the coastal center and she is in HCMC. She is going to call a classmate who is a policeman in her hometown. I told her I'd pay him if he could kick it in the #######. I don't know if she can get it in time. She said he is the one who delivered it to the office for her. Apparently she filled out the form and sent it to him to deliver so she didn't have to take a 24 hour bus ride each way. I don't know if that is good or bad. She will call him this morning (her time).

Now the visa... What is a landing visa? If I layover in San Fransisco for a couple of hours, can I take a cab to the consulate and get it?

I asked the local Viet groups on yahoo and someone gave me a ladies name and said she can get it for me in the same day. Sound safe to you?

[toddandhien 2]

I talked with Chinh. Her hometown is in the coastal center and she is in HCMC. She is going to call a classmate who is a policeman in her hometown. I told her I'd pay him if he could kick it in the #######. I don't know if she can get it in time. She said he is the one who delivered it to the office for her. Apparently she filled out the form and sent it to him to deliver so she didn't have to take a 24 hour bus ride each way. I don't know if that is good or bad. She will call him this morning (her time).

Now the visa... What is a landing visa? If I layover in San Fransisco for a couple of hours, can I take a cab to the consulate and get it?

I asked the local Viet groups on yahoo and someone gave me a ladies name and said she can get it for me in the same day. Sound safe to you?

Hard to speculate on what was right or wrong before. But for 1,000,000 VND, I'm sure her friend will have it for her on Monday or Tuesday.

Sorry, some Asians call them landing visas. For VN, it is called visa upon arrival. You must get approved in advance (takes 2 days). They send you an approval form. You take it on your trip. When you get to SGN, you will use it to get a visa there at the airport. A previous poster offered this link. That should work if you click on visa-upon-arrival link inside.

http://www.myvietnamvisa.com/vietnam-visa-hongkong.html

I am not sure if you could go to the consulate and get it or not. You could call and ask them I suppose. Just be damn sure because if you strike out, you will be going back home.

[ERIKandCHINH 0]

Ok, great news! Answered prayers. The houston vietinfo network is a yahoo groups thingy I subscribe to. Iasked on there and someone sent me the contact info for Jennifer Nguyen here in NW Houston. I called her and will go to her office on Monday. She can get me a visa in a day (some expedited service). The total cost she quoted me is $120.00 I asked her if that would get me the visa and if that was the total charge she said yes. I will be in her office on monday am. I will post back and let you all know how it goes.

I think that is it. I only have to pack now. Thanks for all of the input and advice. I may have really screwed up without you all. Kepp me in your prayers and God bless you all.

BTW Jennifer Nguyens # is 832-573-7411

Erik

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Ok, now what... My Fiancee calle d me and said she received what I believe is packet 4 (instructions for the interview) yesterday. The interview date is April 28. I have not received my letter from my employer yet, so I have not sent my I-134 and additional proof ongoing relationship, copy of the petition etc to her. The mail to HCMC is very slow. It always takes weeks for her to receive my packages.

My question is: Can she request to delay the interview by a week or 10 days? Or, if she requests a delay, does our file get thrown somewhere and the interview delayed indeffinitely?

Any advice on how to deal with the scheduled interview when we are not yet prepared? This was supposed to take another month or 45 days....

FedEx or reschedule. I can only say, from what I read about the consulate in HCNC you had best be WELL prepared.

[toddandhien 2]

Ok, great news! Answered prayers. The houston vietinfo network is a yahoo groups thingy I subscribe to. Iasked on there and someone sent me the contact info for Jennifer Nguyen here in NW Houston. I called her and will go to her office on Monday. She can get me a visa in a day (some expedited service). The total cost she quoted me is $120.00 I asked her if that would get me the visa and if that was the total charge she said yes. I will be in her office on monday am. I will post back and let you all know how it goes.

I think that is it. I only have to pack now. Thanks for all of the input and advice. I may have really screwed up without you all. Kepp me in your prayers and God bless you all.

BTW Jennifer Nguyens # is 832-573-7411

Erik

Good luck

[Peter&TT 0]

Can I get a visa at a local location? I don't know if there is a Vietnamese embassy in Houston, but do I have to got through the embassy in Washington, DC?

Here is a vietnam visa in hong kong for air travel that would take 15 mins to get, you could pick it up in person and fly there http://www.myvietnamvisa.com/vietnam-visa-hongkong.html

I don't know about getting it done in the u.s., I know in Hong Kong they find ways to get it done fast. But I will keep looking for a u.s. location

Here you go: http://www.myvietnamvisa.com/urgent-processing.html

I think that is what you need good luck

I think there are plenty of Vietnamese travel agencies in Houston where you can get visa within a week. Ask around where the Vietnamese town in Houston is. I am not in Houston, but Chicago & I got my visa within 1 week (normal price $50; express visa: $100-$150 are what i heard).

Good luck.

Peter

[fred n Dao Honey 0]

Hi,

After reading all i could understand I would suggest you re-schedule. You only get one chance at a first interview and from what I read and know something like 80 to 90% get a blue slip. I would rather have resceduled then go through the unknown waiting i am enduring now (interview was 1/1/09). From what I understand once a blue slip is issued another person past the interviewer is involved in signing off on tha visa application. More people to ask more questions. If you can Reschedule I strongly recomend it. if you don't re-schedule make sure she speaks english at the inteview.

For fast courier use DHL 1(800) Call-DHL . They have a large facility in HCM city and Hanoi. my last package was 46.32 from Pittsburgh, PA to HCM city 2 days.

For fast VN visa use ( http://www.myvietnamvisa.com/ ) it is much faster and cheaper than any VN visa issued in the usa. You will get a letter emailed to you and then present it in the VN airport. It takes about 15 to 30 minutes at the airport. This is the only way I get my visa anymore. It takes a little patients and trust to go through the process but it does work.

United Airlines will hold your reservation without a financial commitment for 3 days.

More tips... join united airlines mileage program. When my Fiance and her 2 sons come here they will fly for free. There are more free travel dates comming from VN to the USA than the other way around.

Good luck!!

[Scott & LC 3]

Hello... I just found out that my interview is to be on the 28th April too! But I just rescheduled it today to make it on the 28th May. It was a fairly easy task, as all I had to do is email them consulate. However, as I'm a Malaysian and not from Vietnam. I believe it's totally different issue there. Maybe you should call up the embassy and ask them if you're to reschedule, when will the interview be. I find that having 10 days to prepare everything is just insane. Especially, now that you only have a week left. It'll just be too hectic.

Wish you all the best!

[toddandhien 2]

Hello... I just found out that my interview is to be on the 28th April too! But I just rescheduled it today to make it on the 28th May. It was a fairly easy task, as all I had to do is email them consulate. However, as I'm a Malaysian and not from Vietnam. I believe it's totally different issue there. Maybe you should call up the embassy and ask them if you're to reschedule, when will the interview be. I find that having 10 days to prepare everything is just insane. Especially, now that you only have a week left. It'll just be too hectic.

Wish you all the best!

1. You can no longer call the consulate in HCM and speak to a human

2. e-mail responses take 4-5 business days

3. Reschedules are dropped out 3 months

4. If they are prepared in all other ways other than getting a few documents in her hands, they will be no worse off. But if they have made no preparations and are just beginning now, I agree they should reschedule. Erik's call.