Time Line, Relative List, Letter of Intent

[ScottThuy 140]

Also submitting a lot of info in front loading the 129F may also give a lot of ammunition to deny. It is fairly easy to send in what is required to get the 129F ok'ed like I did of course but what if a certain something in a timeline or a couple of things may not match up exactly. The embassy person that has the case file may have doubts about other things and may even be prejudiced against the case before the interview and may cause unneeded hardship. Also we know there is nowhere that it asks for this stuff that people get asked for such as timeline and list of relatives that get demanded after the interview. You produce it and then a pink comes like we got. You follow their game plan on their playing field and get what we come for. Now all of a sudden they are seeing this stuff front loaded. The same stuff that they used to hold off making a decision for a few days to get with whoever at the embassy to say if they think a visa is justified or not. Now they see this stuff coming in being front loaded. You are breaking up their game plan. They have to question why many are doing this all of a sudden. I am sure they know about this and other sites out there and figure now the fraudsters are going to be doing the same thing exactly. It is hard to explain exactly where I am going with this but one thing is plain and recently many here on this site is all of a sudden going into AP.

You know what they say.. ####### in ####### out... dont front load a bunch of ####### they dont need or want or can use against you... keep it clean simple and well organized.. everything sent is sent for a specific reason to address some need in the process. I front loaded my timeline and put enough in it for them to see what the relationship was about but not too much that Thuy cant remember everything they may ask about it.

Like Linda said in another discussion.. those that are in AP are there for some reason and many are pretty obvious... AP is better than a denial...

[luckytxn 2,264]

Just to add one thing. These are bureaucrats here we are dealing with. I have dealt with these types many times. They are used to doing things a certain way. It is nice to be proactive and all and try to insure a more positive outcome but my dealings with bureaucrats is that one must do things their way.

Also in the military I was a bureaucrat for my last year and found out things had to be done a certain way to get anything done.

Edited September 22, 2009 by luckytxn

[luckytxn 2,264]

Also submitting a lot of info in front loading the 129F may also give a lot of ammunition to deny. It is fairly easy to send in what is required to get the 129F ok'ed like I did of course but what if a certain something in a timeline or a couple of things may not match up exactly. The embassy person that has the case file may have doubts about other things and may even be prejudiced against the case before the interview and may cause unneeded hardship. Also we know there is nowhere that it asks for this stuff that people get asked for such as timeline and list of relatives that get demanded after the interview. You produce it and then a pink comes like we got. You follow their game plan on their playing field and get what we come for. Now all of a sudden they are seeing this stuff front loaded. The same stuff that they used to hold off making a decision for a few days to get with whoever at the embassy to say if they think a visa is justified or not. Now they see this stuff coming in being front loaded. You are breaking up their game plan. They have to question why many are doing this all of a sudden. I am sure they know about this and other sites out there and figure now the fraudsters are going to be doing the same thing exactly. It is hard to explain exactly where I am going with this but one thing is plain and recently many here on this site is all of a sudden going into AP.

You know what they say.. ####### in ####### out... dont front load a bunch of ####### they dont need or want or can use against you... keep it clean simple and well organized.. everything sent is sent for a specific reason to address some need in the process. I front loaded my timeline and put enough in it for them to see what the relationship was about but not too much that Thuy cant remember everything they may ask about it.

Like Linda said in another discussion.. those that are in AP are there for some reason and many are pretty obvious... AP is better than a denial...

True but they never asked for any of this stuff outright. It is always asked for after the interview. Now they see it at the beginning and have to wonder why.

[WeatherEmperor 21]

Scott,

I live on the east side of the state in Broward County so we are not that far apart. Thats cool. One thing I did not mention before. I actually met Thu is Singapore on vacation. She went to Singapore on a vistor type visa to visit friends. I actually saw the visa stamp on her passport. I think it said something like Immigration Singapore Visit Pass permitted to enter and remain in singapore for 30 days for social visit only. I remember reading that. She was even able to extend the visa for 1 more month while in singapore. She returned to Vietnam when the visa expired. Shouldnt this establish some sort of track record that she is first, able to obtain a visa to travel abroad, and second to prove that she will honor the visa? Would this improve her chances of landing a visitor visa to visit me in Florida or am I smoking too much of the good stuff?

The relative list seems to be a standard request when both are Viet.

Every person applying for a visa is assumed to have immigrant intent. That is how the USCIS approaches things. Most typical Vietnamese citizens cannot show strong enough ties to home to make the CO's feel confident that they will return to VN. If she has a good paying job, owns a home, owns a business, and has a good amount of money in teh bank, she may be successful in getting a visa. Many of us have explored the visitor visa and saw the futility of even applying.

Go visit her while the tickets are cheap man.. Around 750 RT from Ft Myers was a great deal for me... I had 50 students apply for tourist visa last month to come here for graduation.. 21 were denied... they dont give visas away there... its like winning the lotto... so dont count on her getting a visa to the US to visit..

[ScottThuy 140]

Scott,

I live on the east side of the state in Broward County so we are not that far apart. Thats cool. One thing I did not mention before. I actually met Thu is Singapore on vacation. She went to Singapore on a vistor type visa to visit friends. I actually saw the visa stamp on her passport. I think it said something like Immigration Singapore Visit Pass permitted to enter and remain in singapore for 30 days for social visit only. I remember reading that. She was even able to extend the visa for 1 more month while in singapore. She returned to Vietnam when the visa expired. Shouldnt this establish some sort of track record that she is first, able to obtain a visa to travel abroad, and second to prove that she will honor the visa? Would this improve her chances of landing a visitor visa to visit me in Florida or am I smoking too much of the good stuff?

The relative list seems to be a standard request when both are Viet.

Every person applying for a visa is assumed to have immigrant intent. That is how the USCIS approaches things. Most typical Vietnamese citizens cannot show strong enough ties to home to make the CO's feel confident that they will return to VN. If she has a good paying job, owns a home, owns a business, and has a good amount of money in teh bank, she may be successful in getting a visa. Many of us have explored the visitor visa and saw the futility of even applying.

Go visit her while the tickets are cheap man.. Around 750 RT from Ft Myers was a great deal for me... I had 50 students apply for tourist visa last month to come here for graduation.. 21 were denied... they dont give visas away there... its like winning the lotto... so dont count on her getting a visa to the US to visit..

A VN citizen can go to Singapore without a visa... US dont give a damn about Singapore visa... they deny so many visitor visas.. She would really need to prove strong ties to VN and a good reason to come here... If she said to visit you.. forget about it... Like Roger said.. they think anyone who wants to come here wants to stay here... I know a CFO of a major company in VN that got denied a visitor visa last month... If you can take the time off of work its worth the trip to go see her and address any cultural things like Dam Hoi and pics with relatives that will make your case stronger... I grew up just north of you... in PBG

[David-Hien 11]

Scott,

I live on the east side of the state in Broward County so we are not that far apart. Thats cool. One thing I did not mention before. I actually met Thu is Singapore on vacation. She went to Singapore on a vistor type visa to visit friends. I actually saw the visa stamp on her passport. I think it said something like Immigration Singapore Visit Pass permitted to enter and remain in singapore for 30 days for social visit only. I remember reading that. She was even able to extend the visa for 1 more month while in singapore. She returned to Vietnam when the visa expired. Shouldnt this establish some sort of track record that she is first, able to obtain a visa to travel abroad, and second to prove that she will honor the visa? Would this improve her chances of landing a visitor visa to visit me in Florida or am I smoking too much of the good stuff?

The relative list seems to be a standard request when both are Viet.

Every person applying for a visa is assumed to have immigrant intent. That is how the USCIS approaches things. Most typical Vietnamese citizens cannot show strong enough ties to home to make the CO's feel confident that they will return to VN. If she has a good paying job, owns a home, owns a business, and has a good amount of money in teh bank, she may be successful in getting a visa. Many of us have explored the visitor visa and saw the futility of even applying.

Go visit her while the tickets are cheap man.. Around 750 RT from Ft Myers was a great deal for me... I had 50 students apply for tourist visa last month to come here for graduation.. 21 were denied... they dont give visas away there... its like winning the lotto... so dont count on her getting a visa to the US to visit..

There is NO WAY for her to come to US by tourist visa if you have filed K1 visa for her. When US Consulate knows that she had a boyfriend in the USA, they will deny her tourist visa application.

[WeatherEmperor 21]

Hey there,

Sorry for the confusion. I have not yet applied for the K-1. I was about 1-2 weeks away from filing the I-129F but I put it on hold. I won't apply for K-1 for a while longer. This is why I inquired about Thu coming from Vietnam to Florida on some tourist/visitor visa. Scott informed me that option is next to impossible. I hope it can still work but it might be better for me to just fly to Vietnam and see her there. I would have to fly to Ho Chi Minh City. Thu lives in Tay Ninh which is about 50-55 miles away.

<CARRICK>

Scott,

I live on the east side of the state in Broward County so we are not that far apart. Thats cool. One thing I did not mention before. I actually met Thu is Singapore on vacation. She went to Singapore on a vistor type visa to visit friends. I actually saw the visa stamp on her passport. I think it said something like Immigration Singapore Visit Pass permitted to enter and remain in singapore for 30 days for social visit only. I remember reading that. She was even able to extend the visa for 1 more month while in singapore. She returned to Vietnam when the visa expired. Shouldnt this establish some sort of track record that she is first, able to obtain a visa to travel abroad, and second to prove that she will honor the visa? Would this improve her chances of landing a visitor visa to visit me in Florida or am I smoking too much of the good stuff?

The relative list seems to be a standard request when both are Viet.

Every person applying for a visa is assumed to have immigrant intent. That is how the USCIS approaches things. Most typical Vietnamese citizens cannot show strong enough ties to home to make the CO's feel confident that they will return to VN. If she has a good paying job, owns a home, owns a business, and has a good amount of money in teh bank, she may be successful in getting a visa. Many of us have explored the visitor visa and saw the futility of even applying.

Go visit her while the tickets are cheap man.. Around 750 RT from Ft Myers was a great deal for me... I had 50 students apply for tourist visa last month to come here for graduation.. 21 were denied... they dont give visas away there... its like winning the lotto... so dont count on her getting a visa to the US to visit..

There is NO WAY for her to come to US by tourist visa if you have filed K1 visa for her. When US Consulate knows that she had a boyfriend in the USA, they will deny her tourist visa application.

[hope2018 25]

I hope you had a engagement party that is very important Marc is great at what he does have your fiancee call and talk to mr Nam. He great good luck

[David-Hien 11]

Hey there,

Sorry for the confusion. I have not yet applied for the K-1. I was about 1-2 weeks away from filing the I-129F but I put it on hold. I won't apply for K-1 for a while longer. This is why I inquired about Thu coming from Vietnam to Florida on some tourist/visitor visa. Scott informed me that option is next to impossible. I hope it can still work but it might be better for me to just fly to Vietnam and see her there. I would have to fly to Ho Chi Minh City. Thu lives in Tay Ninh which is about 50-55 miles away.

<CARRICK>

It's good if you fly to VN. Be careful with H1N1 flu there.

[fred n Dao Honey 0]

Scott,

That sounds excellent. The more I reading I do at VJ, the more I realize that Thu and I need more time. I am starting to think that right now is not the time to begin filing for the K-1. Thu and I just need to be patient. We need more research and more time. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that I am abandoning the K-1 Visa. I just think that we need more time. Scott, I met Thu in Singapore while we were both on vacation. So while we put the K-1 Visa on hold, would you recommend that I go visit her in Vietnam or if she visits me in Florida? Would that be ok for now is that bad?

<CARRICK>

Do not file for a Visitors Visa if you are intending to to file for a K-1 Visa. When you apply for K-1 Visa the denied Visitor Visa will be a "RED FLAG". It seems the consulate looks apon any attempt to come to the USA as an attempt to commit fraud. The K-1 filing immediatly after a denied Visitor Visa attempt will not look good. They have the thought of, (you tried to trick us once with visitor visa and failed now you try to tick us again with k-1 visa)

Don't make the same naive mistake I did in thinking these people in the consulate have any idea how a "Normal" couple act. I thought, I came to your house and met your mom now you should come to my house and meet my mom. It doesn't work that way.

8 Months in AP, Fred

[ScottThuy 140]

Hey there,

Sorry for the confusion. I have not yet applied for the K-1. I was about 1-2 weeks away from filing the I-129F but I put it on hold. I won't apply for K-1 for a while longer. This is why I inquired about Thu coming from Vietnam to Florida on some tourist/visitor visa. Scott informed me that option is next to impossible. I hope it can still work but it might be better for me to just fly to Vietnam and see her there. I would have to fly to Ho Chi Minh City. Thu lives in Tay Ninh which is about 50-55 miles away.

<CARRICK>

It's good if you fly to VN. Be careful with H1N1 flu there.

H1N1 is worse in FL than VN IMO.. My son just got over it...

[lindal24 1]

Let me ask you a question. I read your timeline and you seem to have done everything right. How come they placed you on the AP list? Also how come my fiance' would not be able to get a visitor visa to come to the US?

<CARRICK>

My assumption regarding the reason I'm in AP is probably the short amount of time between meeting and getting married (6 months). It's been almost 2 years now though, and I've spent more time over there vacationing than ever in my life! It's all about patience I think.

You're wife could apply for any visa she wants, but it might seem fishy to the consulate if you apply for a K-1 visa and a tourist visa since it'll appear as you or she is doing so to commit fraud. Also, tourist visa is very hard to get. My aunt and uncles have been trying to get one for ages and the US just thinks they're gonna get one and abandon their families in VN. My grandma got one about 9 years ago. She went back real fast (out of boredom and loneliness)

[b_weeks 6]

The other reason for front loading the petition before you send it to the USCIS is this.

The CO at the consulate cannot deny your petition based soley on information already approved by the USCIS. If they do, you do have grounds for an appeal.

We did not provide a timeline in our intial filing, but DID provide one at the interview.

That being said, if you provided the information and it was approved by the USCIS, and your fiance DOES NOT KNOW the information at the time of the interview ( like where you work, what you do, how much you make, if you have clidren, brothers, sisters, etc) then your fiance CAN be denied.

[Kevin&Loan 0]

The other reason for front loading the petition before you send it to the USCIS is this.

The CO at the consulate cannot deny your petition based soley on information already approved by the USCIS. If they do, you do have grounds for an appeal.

We did not provide a timeline in our intial filing, but DID provide one at the interview.

That being said, if you provided the information and it was approved by the USCIS, and your fiance DOES NOT KNOW the information at the time of the interview ( like where you work, what you do, how much you make, if you have clidren, brothers, sisters, etc) then your fiance CAN be denied.

I agree with you 100% on this post.

[toddandhien 2]

Scott,

That sounds excellent. The more I reading I do at VJ, the more I realize that Thu and I need more time. I am starting to think that right now is not the time to begin filing for the K-1. Thu and I just need to be patient. We need more research and more time. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that I am abandoning the K-1 Visa. I just think that we need more time. Scott, I met Thu in Singapore while we were both on vacation. So while we put the K-1 Visa on hold, would you recommend that I go visit her in Vietnam or if she visits me in Florida? Would that be ok for now is that bad?

<CARRICK>

Do not file for a Visitors Visa if you are intending to to file for a K-1 Visa. When you apply for K-1 Visa the denied Visitor Visa will be a "RED FLAG". It seems the consulate looks apon any attempt to come to the USA as an attempt to commit fraud. The K-1 filing immediatly after a denied Visitor Visa attempt will not look good. They have the thought of, (you tried to trick us once with visitor visa and failed now you try to tick us again with k-1 visa)

Don't make the same naive mistake I did in thinking these people in the consulate have any idea how a "Normal" couple act. I thought, I came to your house and met your mom now you should come to my house and meet my mom. It doesn't work that way.

8 Months in AP, Fred

Applying for a tourist visa is not necessarily an immediate red flag. My wife applied for one early in our relationship in hopes of coming here to spend time with me and see the US. It was, of course, denied. We acknowledged when she applied again (its on the DS-156 form) that she had applied for a tourist visa and was denied. She was prepared to discuss it at the interview but it was never mentioned and she was approved without a blue slip or AP.

It has been stated here by others many times that each case is very different. What may cause concern in one case may not be an issue in another. It is the totality of the case that matters. Your case and relationship development needs to make sense to an average person. I believe that is the litmus test that the COs use...would this be believable to the average person. If you scrutinize your own case and have to squint or describe it to a friend and they say that it doesn't smell right, you may need to address those areas that raise concerns.

Regarding the tourist visa, it is essentially impossible for a young lady from VN to get a tourist visa at any stage of the game unless they have significant assets, which, honestly, most folks in VN do not have. Only costs $130 to try but expectations should be set very low.