STL_HCMC's Interview Rally

[STL_HCMC 0]

Hi Icarus,

Congratulations on your interview date - August 10th. Saw your news posted on your other thread.

Appreciate your thoughtful comments. As I've always stated, I'm just glad that the "two cents" that I chime in with every now and then is useful, and I'm able to contribute back to this forum that helped me and our case in so many ways. This Vietnam side of VJ is really a collective effort of a lot of VJ members that have endured the HCMC process and continue to come back, share their thoughts and help the rest of us along. To them and those before them, and those of us that will hopefully soon pass into that position, we should all be greatful.

We're down to hours now. We'll do a check, double check, triple check and quadruple check tonight, and then I imagine we'll check it at least a couple more times in the morning before she heads off to the Consulate.

We'll keep you all posted! Thanks again everyone.

STL_HCMC

STL-

I know the day is fast approaching and wish you nothing but the best for you and yours! Think Pink, stay positive and good luck! You will be in our thoughts and hearts and we look forward to reading of your experience! You have been a fixture on VJ over the last several months offering guidance and assitance (and insight) into the way things operate in VN from a westerners POV and I wanted you to know I, for one, appreciate your input and help!

Good luck!

[patricks 0]

STL_HCMC

It's great to double check......but do you ever actually practice face to face or "role play" the Q and As similar to the K1 interview (in English)?

Good Luck

It's definitely a relief and you can look forward to the future.

[sealedkiss 1]

STL_HCMC, tomorrow is your and your fiancee's big day. It is my sincere hope you two will make it. All the best, and I'm looking forward to hearing the good news.

[Mike n Huong 1]

I know I have wished you luck a few days ago, but the time is near now. I have no idea how I will feel when we get that close, but everything will be fine for you two. You have all your eveidence ready. You have lived together for many months, and if that isn't enough then I don't know what is. Our hopes and prayers are with you both, and I can't wait to I see that update tomorrow, WE GOT THE PINK SLIP!!!!

Mike and Huong

[STL_HCMC 0]

Hi patricks,

...and then some!

We scoured the interview reports from the Vietnam VJ archives, reviewed interview reports from other Consulates/Embassies on VJ and then took the latest interview reports from the current Vietnam VJ. We made that list long ago and slowly practiced day-in-and-day-out.

But I know, you know, and everyone else knows, that a true genuine relationship will produce true genuine answers. I don't want to rehearse so much as to have her sound like a robot answering questions.

We're in the middle of our 'double check' now and getting things all organized. Raining like mad as I type. I just hope it isn't raining in the morning.

Won't wear an ounce of blue tomorrow (even though 75% of my slacks are that color) and I'll sport the black socks as well. Perhaps we'll grab some additional luck if she wears the pink bra and underwear!

Thanks again everyone! Tomorrow IS THE BIG DAY!

STL_HCMC

It's great to double check......but do you ever actually practice face to face or "role play" the Q and As similar to the K1 interview (in English)?

[chuckandkim 0]

It's getting hot in here!!!!!!!!! PINK penties??? Boy, STL_HCM, you're a wildboy...

[STL_HCMC 0]

No news yet...

STL_HCMC

[STL_HCMC 0]

We are pink and approved......

Will have more details for all of you kind friends later today. Thanks again for the well wishes and support. I will not be a stranger to VisaJourney!

Everything happens for a reason!

STL_HCMC

[wait4ever 0]

Awesome! Congratulations!

[justin728jn 0]

dam boy, congrats!!!

[dalegg 143]

Congratulations!

So does this mean there is officially no ban on Co-Sponsors?

[nhatrang 0]

STL_HCMC,

Congratulation!!!

Nhatrang

[STL_HCMC 0]

Thanks dalegg!

It appears they accepted the co-sponsor without protest. They also returned the 2003 and 2004 tax returns of both myself and our co-sponsor. Said they only needed 2005. However, that doesn't mean those of you next up to bat should follow that! Prepare with three, as we did.

I'll be back later with a full recap!

STL_HCMC

So does this mean there is officially no ban on Co-Sponsors?

Thanks justin728jn!

Is it news to me that your interview date has been scheduled? August 16th? Congratulations!

Looks like July has been a busy month with interviews, and August is stacking up to look that way too.

Stay tuned for a reply from us, details might help you out.

Best of luck!

STL_HCMC

dam boy, congrats!!!

Thanks nhatrang!

Your next up to bat buddy!

We'll get details posted quickly for your benefit. I know what a great resource the interview reports are. They were instrumental in our preparation.

Good luck!

STL_HCMC

STL_HCMC,

Congratulation!!!

Nhatrang

Thanks wait4ever!

Always dig your smilies!

STL_HCMC

Awesome! Congratulations!

[STL_HCMC 0]

So here is how it all went down...

Dropped her off at the US Consulate this morning around 7:00am. Appointment wasn't until 10:00am, but she insisted that she wanted to get there early, whether they made her wait or not.

She showed her appointment letter and passport and then the security let her through further where they checked her bags and asked her if she had a cell phone. She replied no. Security then let her through further.

She next encountered the Vietnamese staff that requested her appointment letter. After showing this, she was given a number and she went to sit down and wait for her number to be called.

She said she waited about 2 hours after receiving her number before it was called. When her number was called she went to the window and met the female Vietnamese staff. She said this woman was very nice to her and helpful when collecting her documents. This is where she turned in all of the documents, in order, listed in the packet 4 instructions. She said she just pulled out the whole pile and gave it to the woman. The VN staff pulled out the co-sponsor and set it aside. My fiancee then asked if they were going to accept her co-sponsor. Then the VN staff replied, "what is your co-sponsor's name?" My fiancee replied with the co-sponsors name, and then the VN staff included his documents along with mine.

Then the VN staff asked the following questions in Vietnamese:

1. Can you speak English?

2. What is the petitioners name?

3. How did you meet him?

4. Where does he work in the US? To this she replied that I work in Vietnam.

5. How did he get his job in Vietnam?

After she finished the woman told her to sit down again and wait for her number to be called.

Her number was called for her interview at 10:45am.

She approached the window and said, "Good morning, how are you?" to the interviewing officer. She said the officer was a very nice older woman. The woman replied, "good morning. I'm fine, and you?"

After the greeting she did the fingerprinting. After this she signed the DS-156K.

Then the interviewing officer asked her the following questions:

1. What is your fiance's name?

2. How did you meet him?

3. Does he work for a Vietnamese company?

4. When did he propose to you?

5. Did you have an engagement party?

6. How many people in your engagement party?

7. When do you intend to go to the USA?

8. When does his employment contract finish?

Then she spoke the magic evidence words and said, "show me what you can show."

My fiancee pulled out our mound of evidence and then started to hand her evidence piece-by-piece. She showed her some documents relating to our living in Vietnam. She said that the officer looked at those and then asked for some evidence of relationship. She showed her cards and email between my fiancee and my family. She had some select email and told the officer there were many more if she would like to read them. The consular officer replied and said...ok ok ok and laughing. The officer looked at these and then requested to see some photos. She showed the photos of the engagement ceremony first and then some others.

Then the consular officer stopped and started filling out the pink slip. She handed it to my fiancee and told her to come back and pickup her visa.

Then my fiancee replied and told her thank you and wished her a good day. The officer replied and said, "you too!"

Then I got the phone call.

So 7 months of preparation for a good 10 minutes face time in the US Consulate in HCMC.

We realize there are more obstacles and challenges to come, but we'll meet them with the same force and confidence that we persevered with through this initial stage of the VisaJourney.

I sincerely appreciate the VisaJourney community and all of the support we received from the beginning of our I-129F petition filing, all the way through to the blind relationships we've developed here in the Vietnam side of VJ.

The advice I gave my fiancee before her interview was to slow down when talking, take a minute and collect her thoughts before replying and never be afraid to ask them to repeat a question if she didn't understand.

Looking back, the wait, worrying and latest stress attacks (i.e. hearing Matt_Stevens tell of the co-sponsor acceptance only in special cases) was well worth the experience and shaping for a mind of diligent planning that will surely be needed for the new journey of what's to come.

chuckandkim couldn't have said it better when advising us during our final preparations: "Think BIG PICTURE".

In my own words, borrowed from somewhere: everything happens for a reason!

I'll be around!

STL_HCMC

[Mike n Huong 1]

Congrats!!!! We are so happy for you. How long will you stay in Vietnam?