The Malaysian VJ Thread

[NCWife 0]

Get married in another state that does not require SSN. Try NJ. I checked their Marriage License requirement and it says SSN is required for US Citizen but didn't say anything about non-Citizen. Or just get married in Vegas!

Cheers...

Congratulations on your engagement!

So you're in NY now? Yes, you can get married on a tourist visa. You may want to check with the court house what you need to apply for a marriage license. Some states require SSN and some don't . I got married in Michigan and all I provided was passport and birth certificate with translation. To your last question, yes, you are able to stay in the USA with your visa while doing your AOS. Once you have submitted your AOS, your immigration status is considered pending so no worries.

Good luck and feel free to ask any questions!

Cheers!

Hi all... I feel so good and happy to finally found the Malaysian VJ thread here.. congratulation to all of you that finally have your happily ever after.. Well, i really need all of you help here.. the USCIS website is driving me crazy and im totally lost...

My boyfriend (American citizen) and i (Malaysian) got to know from each other through a dating website and since then we are very much in love with each other. After 18 months of talking to each other via phone calls, emails and messenger chats, we decided that i would make a trip to New York for holiday and to get to know each other more. I am on 6 months holiday now in NY, USA and my tourist visa will expire on 15 March 2010. We do not have any intention to get married at first hence, we did not apply for K-1 Visa.

Recently he proposed to me and we decided to get marry in NY. We tried reading through USCIS's website for more information but Mr. headache is visiting us pretty frequent and we got pretty confuse.

I really need help from the members here.

1) Can we get marry in NYC while im on tourist visa?

2) If yes, what kind of documents do i need to provide the NY city hall for registration of marriage?

3) After marriage, we plan to apply for Adjustment of Status. Can we do this and while i continue stay in USA under tourist visa? Flying back to Malaysia and wait there is not an option as we do not want to be separate again from each other.

Please help and thank you in advance

yup...i am in NY now.. we have problems getting married because NY city hall said we need SSN and i am not eligible to get 1... so we are stuck here and dont know what to do...

[Bsze 50]

Question for all Malaysian VJers who have got their K1 visas!

What exactly do we send back to the embassy once we've got packet 3? I know that we have to submit a copy of our passport, part 1 of the DS-230, and the DSL-1076 checklist. But what is the checklist? Do we send that? Or do we send everything on the list? Just wondering so I can start collecting documents.

Also, my fiance sent in all our original documents to CSC with our I-129F package. Will that be a problem with the embassy?

[Bsze 50]

Also, there are 2 places listed where I can obtain a translation of my birth certificate on the KL consulate's VJ page. Do I have to get it at either places, or can I obtain it from somewhere else?

[tlara01 0]

Question for all Malaysian VJers who have got their K1 visas!

What exactly do we send back to the embassy once we've got packet 3? I know that we have to submit a copy of our passport, part 1 of the DS-230, and the DSL-1076 checklist. But what is the checklist? Do we send that? Or do we send everything on the list? Just wondering so I can start collecting documents.

Also, my fiance sent in all our original documents to CSC with our I-129F package. Will that be a problem with the embassy?

Well when i got my packet 3 from the embassy i sent them DS 230 part 1 (biographic data) together with a copy of my passport. The first time i sent that i forgot to put in my case number so i had to resend again my packet 3 together writing down my case number.

Then when i knew my police certificate was on the way even before i got them in hand i sent the embassy my checked list together with signed applicant form which i got it when the embassy sending me the packet 3. At this time DO NOT SEND any documents either photocopy or original because you will only bring them on the day of your interview.When you received your packet 3 from the embassy, you will see their is a list of instructions which the embassy wants you to do such as obtaining all the documents that you need for the interview. As you obtained all the documents needed you will tick to each boxes from the check list and send them to the embassy. When the embassy see that you already got all your documents then only they will schedule your interview.

Im not sure bout you sending the original documents to the CSC..my fiance only sent photocopies. But whatever it is you MUST bring all your original documents on the day of your interview together with your photocopies.

My interview will be on the 28 next month..hopefully i will get my visa approved..my fiance and i have worked hard to be together and i wish you all the best too..cheers

[NCWife 0]

We did not send the originals to the Service Center here. We just made copies of everything. Well, the service centers will eventually send the same documentation that your fiance sent in to the embassy in KL, so I believe you are fine.

Cheers..

Question for all Malaysian VJers who have got their K1 visas!

What exactly do we send back to the embassy once we've got packet 3? I know that we have to submit a copy of our passport, part 1 of the DS-230, and the DSL-1076 checklist. But what is the checklist? Do we send that? Or do we send everything on the list? Just wondering so I can start collecting documents.

Also, my fiance sent in all our original documents to CSC with our I-129F package. Will that be a problem with the embassy?

[NCWife 0]

Well, it would be best if you can obtain the translation from an official translator. I got mine done (in 2008) at the one near Dewan Bahasa (Jalan Maharajalela, I think). I emailed them the scanned copy of my birth certificate so I didn't have to make an extra trip. I went there to pick up my translation and I had to show them the original birth certificate so to verify that I had the original copy. Very efficient people!

Cheers..

Also, there are 2 places listed where I can obtain a translation of my birth certificate on the KL consulate's VJ page. Do I have to get it at either places, or can I obtain it from somewhere else?

[Bsze 50]

Thanks everyone!

Well, I told my fiance not to send the originals, but he forgot. The USCIS did send the original birth certificate back though, but if they are going to send the original evidence of us meeting within the last 2 years to the embassy, then it shouldn't be an issue right? Since the embassy itself will have it.

[NCWife 0]

The Embassy will have the evidence but that does not mean they won't ask for more. So, to play safe, bring as many as you have or any new evidence that you did not include in the I-129F package that you sent to USCIS. I brought all kinds of stuff but then the interviewing officer didn't ask for any. Funny enough, she asked to see my college/university transcript which I fortunately brought with me. I don't know what I had those in my folder but I sure glad I did!

Good luck!!

Cheers..

Thanks everyone!

Well, I told my fiance not to send the originals, but he forgot. The USCIS did send the original birth certificate back though, but if they are going to send the original evidence of us meeting within the last 2 years to the embassy, then it shouldn't be an issue right? Since the embassy itself will have it.

[f*x 1]

Hi, I'm just starting the K1 process. Doing research and figuring out what we need to do.

This is a great thread. Thanks! :-)

We hope to get married in August. Hope the visa is approved in time!

[Bsze 50]

Welcome, John&Jean! Good luck on your visa process! Hope you guys make the August wedding date.

Farah, are you enjoying life as a married woman?

Edited December 31, 2009 by Bsze

[Leo&Farah 0]

Its strangely odd being married. It took me a few weeks to even remember I was. Sometimes, i caught myself (or my hubby caught me) referring to him still as my boyfriend

Sometimes, I will still have revelation moments where it would hit me and I would go "Woah, I'm married now, arent I?". I think it took a whole month or so for me to realize I was actually in US because everything is just such a flurry of new stuff it's overwhelming sometimes trying to take it all in. The first few days I was here, I got rushed around to buy clothes and food and stuff, I didnt or barely remembered the name of the stores or where we went to or ate. Two weeks later I would suddenly pause in some mundane activity such as watching tv and go "I'm in the US, arent I?"

Maybe thats just me. To be honest, being married is almost the same as how we were before we got married because we acted like we were married anyways for the past 5 years. We talked about financial stuff, argued over stuff like married couples do, the whole works.

The only difference really is calling him my hubby or husband now, introducing him as it and feeling a sense of pride when I look at him and go "Wow my hubby is sexy and he's all MINE". Haha.

Other than that, nothing really has changed but thats because of how close we already were prior to that. 5 years brings out the best and the worst in people especially in a long distance relationship, so nothing was new. Sharing living space was a new experience but it felt natural. Not the typical "Youre in my space. I dont like the way you do..." that most people feel when they move in together. We felt more like we complimented each others space rather than barged in on it. I suppose the cliche saying 'feeling complete' comes into play here as much as I hate to use it.

Trying to get the paperwork ready for AOS now. It seems to be a whole lot simpler than K1 was, more forms but less relationship proof and meeting in person past 2 years jargon.

So far we share the apartment lease, will open up a joint checking and savings bank account, debit card, credit card, joint car title, joint car insurance, joint utilities. Be warned for those that are gonna be using birth control: In US, they dont provide over the counter birth control and you need a prescription where they require you to have a pap smear as well. The prescription costs close to 100 USD and then and only then can you buy birth control at the pharmacies. So my advice is to stock up on birth control you use in Malaysia for a few months!

[f*x 1]

Hi Farah,

So exciting that you are done!

How many times did you and ur then bf meet in person? What kind of proof did you submit. How much is enough?

I have tonnes of photos but they aren't dated. I read that we just put the dates on the back of the photo.

I'm thinking:

- plane tickets

- photos

- engagement ring receipt

Anything else? They said e-mails and postcards. Did you do that?

Also, if I have plane-tickets/photos spanning more than 2 years, should we include them or just keep it to 2 years?

Thanks Farah! Or anyone else with answers!

Jeanette

[Leo&Farah 0]

For our K1 package we mailed in:

Proof of meeting within past 2 years:

1. Boarding passes back and forth to/from Malaysia (scanned)

2. Copy of his passport page with entry and exit stamps (scanned)

3. Copies of the hotel receipts in both our names when he came down

4. 21 pictures of us together (names, date, venue written on the back)

5. Copy of his flight itinerary and receipt from his trip to Malaysia

6. Other receipts showing our activities together

Proof of relationship:

1. 3 screenshots of webcam sessions we had over the past 5 years in 3 different mediums (skype, MSN, etc)

2. 6 months of skype call records in 2007 showing his US number

3. 6 months of skype call records in 2008 showing his US number

4. 3 months of Verizon call records showing my online US skype number

5. Email receipts from skype and screenshots of my skype account info proving my online US number

6. Screenshots of my call recorder program used to record skype calls showing his number, call date, time and duration

7. 6 or so emails from me and him over different periods of time throughout the 5 years printed directly from inbox

8. 3 chat logs excerpts taken from 3 different mediums we chatted on

We 'frontloaded' the petition with relationship evidence incase the embassy refused to see any additional evidence we brought at the interview. Turned out, they were quite receptive to accepting whatever I gave them extra at the interview. If you don't know what frontloaded is in this context, do a search on the forums. It is a tactic used against hard embassies to ensure relationship evidence cannot be ignored. Once submitted with the original petition, any evidence included cannot be ignored by the embassy.

For the interview, we brought (ONLY for relationship evidence, does not emcompass forms and the like)

1. 71 pictures of us together from his March 2009 trip. Have 6 pictures of him with my family

2. July 2007 -Dec 2007 skype phone records showing his Verizon number + old US Cellular number

3. June 2008-Dec 2008 skype phone records showing his Verizon number

4. Feb 2009 -present skype phone records showing his Verizon number

5. 2 screenshots of my skype account showing my name and online skype number to prove it belongs to me (which shows up on his verizon records)

6. 6 receipts from skype printed directly from hotmail showing my name, date, old skype number and present online skype number (which shows up on his verizon records & US Cellular records)

5. Feb 2009-present Verizon extended bill showing my online skype number and showing his Verizon number (which shows up on my skype records)

6. Screenshot of his Verizon webpage showing my online skype number as 'friends and family'

7. US Cellular phone bills from 2007-2008 showing my current skype number and old skype number

8. 2 months bill from local mobile provider in May and June showing his verizon number

9. A screenshot from my mobile provider's account page showing my name and proving the number belongs to me

10. May-August 2009 print out of my mobile phone's inbox showing his number, the texts he sent and date

11. A collection of forum private messages exchanges from 2004-2005 between him and I

12. A collection of Wii messages from his Wii to my email exchanges from 2008-2009

13. An excerpt of chat logs from May and June 2009 (TOO MUCH to print out all 5 years)

14. 8 emails from him from 2005-2006 printed directly from my hotmail inbox, showing my name and his attached to email addresses

15. Roughly 200 emails from him from his mobile to my email for 2009 showing my name atttached to email address and his mobile number. All printed directly in color from yahoo email

16. Roughly 200 emails from my yahoo email to his mobile for 2009 showing my name attached to my email address and his mobile number. All printed directly in color from yahoo email

17. 30 pages of screenshots of my yahoo inbox showing over 500 emails from his mobile to me for 2009 (still have not updated it, theres alot more since then)

18. 2 A4 size paper screenshots of web cam sessions between us on skype for 2009

19. Wedding package printout where we want to get married

20. Vacation rental printout of where we want to stay while getting married

21. Webpage print out of several accessories and other things needed for the wedding

22. Wikipedia of the place we want to get married at

23. Sample wedding favor (I'm making them here since I doubt the materials are present in US)

24. Wedding ring receipt

25. 4 snail mail from Leo dated 2004-2006

26. 2 snail mail from me dated 2004-2006

27. Several stubs of packages I sent to him from 2005-2007 (he lost his stubs. I kept mine for sentimental reasons)

28. Several AT&T phone cards from Walmart he sent me for sentimental reasons which he had used to call me in 2005

(well how the heck would a Malaysian get their hands on something like that unless it's real)

29. Affidavits from my mother, his mother and his dad supporting the relationship and attesting to it's genuineness

30. Facebook screenshot of his sister commenting on a picture of both of us

31. Updated and notarized letter of intent from him

32. Updated letter of intent from me

33. Emails from his mother's blackberry to my yahoo email adress

34. Screenshot of the webpage of the game we met

I managed to submit ALL of the evidence at the interview during the pre-interview screening. Everything was given back and I think the guy was a little amused and overwhelmed with how overboard I went. My philosopy was, better safe than sorry. In anycase, I think his mind was pretty much made up before the actual interview as the questions he asked me were fairly superficial and he did not seem to be paying attention. One thing I learned is, he does go through the evidence before the interview as some of the photos I gave him were out of order when he returned them. He only looked through half of them though.

Note: At interview, keep the photos in an envelope. A regular sized photo album will NOT fit through the tiny slot in the glass window. I had to spend close to 10 minutes taking my photos out of the album to fit them through at the embassy.

[f*x 1]

Omg, now I am overwhelmed with that list!

1. How did you print Skype history? I use that too.

2. How did you organize your documents? I read that they said put in a "plastic bag" like for photos or boarding passes. Is that like a clear sheet holder? Did you use a binder? Or just staple relevant docs together. How did you label them? Do you have any pictures of your compiled docs?

3. Did you e-mail me the template?

Omg, I didn't count on needing that much evidence! I will take your advice about frontloading. Do you think Malaysia is a "hard" embassy?

Thanks,

Jeanette

[f*x 1]

Also in filling out the forms...

Where did you list your Chinese name?

So Family name: SUNG

First name: Jeanette

Did you put your Chinese name in "Middle name"?