k1 visa question?

[kennbaker 0]

Hello! I am from Seattle,Washington USA. Is it still possible to obtain a k1 visa for my vietnamese fiance that lives in Vietnam to enter the USA? I hear the Canadians have stopped allowing k1 fiance visa's.??? If so? Please give me any details and advice on the procedure to obtain this. I am planning this February 2010 to have an engagement party in vietnam. Thank-you for any info. you can give me.

[Otto 83]

Hello! I am from Seattle,Washington USA. Is it still possible to obtain a k1 visa for my vietnamese fiance that lives in Vietnam to enter the USA? I hear the Canadians have stopped allowing k1 fiance visa's.??? If so? Please give me any details and advice on the procedure to obtain this. I am planning this February 2010 to have an engagement party in vietnam. Thank-you for any info. you can give me.

The short answer is Yes - a US Citizen (living in Seattle or any other city in the US) can petition for a K-1 Visa. Not sure what Canada has to do with your question - they (Canada) doesn't issue K-1 Visas and certainly can not issue visas at all for the US.

Link to the Visa Journey K-1 Guides (you can also get to this by clicking on the word GUIDE at the top of the page).

[Anh map 2,098]

You have found the right website and the right forum. Lots of folks with HCMC consulate experience here. Read the K1 guide here on VJ to get a sense of what's ahead.

In case you don't know, HCMC is one of the tougher consualtes due to lots of visa fraud in the past. Just meeting the minimums with regard to evidence, etc. often leads to delays and frustration.

Going for the the engagement ceremony is a big plus. How many trips total have to made to see your fiance(e)?

Welcome to VJ. Do some reading in the Guides and this forum to familiarize yourself and then feel free to post questions.

[kennbaker 0]

You have found the right website and the right forum. Lots of folks with HCMC consulate experience here. Read the K1 guide here on VJ to get a sense of what's ahead.

In case you don't know, HCMC is one of the tougher consualtes due to lots of visa fraud in the past. Just meeting the minimums with regard to evidence, etc. often leads to delays and frustration.

Going for the the engagement ceremony is a big plus. How many trips total have to made to see your fiance(e)?

Welcome to VJ. Do some reading in the Guides and this forum to familiarize yourself and then feel free to post questions.

Thankyou for your quick reply! I have been to vietnam 7 times in the last 6 years. Long story short is that I am a vet and have returned for vacations ect. I have met a viet lady from Saigon and have started documentation of our relationship. Airplane tickets,letters and phone records ect. Is it easier to get an engagement visa or a marriage visa? Which is fastest? Which one is more paper work and money ect. I will start reading the older posts on this subject. I have a friend in Canada that is married to a viet lady in Canada now. He was telling my that Canada does not allow anymore viet engagement visa's anymore? I was wondering if the USA now had the same policy? He was telling me that only marriage visa's are only allowed now in Canada. I am happy to hear that the USA has not adopted the same policy. Now I just have to figure out which way to go? Thanks for any more input you have on this subject!

[Anh map 2,098]

Fiancee is faster, more steps/paperwork, and more $$$. Spouse is cheaper, fewer steps, and gives her the green card after entering the US.

Boarding passes, letters, phone records are all excellent.

Did you meet her there? Online? Introduced by someone?

Have all these trips been to spend time with your lady? How long have you known each other? How much family does she have here?

Recently the consulate is asking for relationship timelines from the majority of couples. There are some posted in this forum.

[Huong and Phung 0]

Well, everyone already answer your question but one that I want to get straighten out.

Did you ask if while you're on K1 petition, can you bring your wife to the U.S to visit? If that is the question then I don't think you can. HCMC is tough and getting a visa for ANY i mean ANY form of petition is hard. Good luck on your case.

[b_weeks 6]

Ken, you're on the right track. SAVE EVERYTHING. If you speak on the phone with her, save your phone bills. If you chat on the internet, make sure that whatever software you are using is configured to archive your chat sessions, so you have a complete record of them.

If you send email, keep the ones you send and the ones she sends. If you send regular mail, make sure to keep the envelopes they were sent in as well as the letters.

Keep ALL RECEIPTS where it pertains to your relationship. Even your hotel receipts when you go to Vietnam.

When you have your engagement ceremony (Le Dinh Hon or Dam Hoi) (which the Consulate is going to want evidence of), save all receipts for everything you buy for that. Food, Rental car, Dresses, Ring, Photographer, Entertainment, etc...

Take many pictures of you and her together at different locations. Make sure you are not wearing the same clothes in the pictures (you would be suprised what people do).

[lindal24 1]

I don't know about the whole different clothes thing...I mean, I can understand, but I brought back like 3 or 4 outfits (I'm a light packer...)so I was kinda forced to wear the same clothes....lol. But I can totally understand...