Married before K-1

[patricks 0]

Way to go Charlie, you've earned your stripes.

Do you have any pics on your web site? It requires a password. I've only been to HaNoi once put I found the people very nice, and better yet, they were able to understand my Vietnamese, maybe the 20 cent beers helped?

I think you'll be OK to sponsor a N.Vietnamese as long as your patient, follow the rules, meet the benchmarks and you don't have any "red flags" in your past.

My wife and I actually got married on paper FIRST in VN and then the interview came quickly and we had to rush a wedding party in order to show the photos for the interview. (we broke all the traditional rules,oh well)

Again, I think the more difficult obstacle is during the your VNs wife first year in America: driving, getting settled, job, weather, food and "day in & day out" stuff that happens. Maybe because my wife and I were on a LOW financial budget, made our situation more challenging. We've been very LUCKY but I wouldn't want to do it again...................................

[chuckandkim 0]

CharlieBox,

You rock! rac ruoi = trash, if you make the NVN pooped himself when you responded to his rude comment, you make him "ỉa ra quần" (poop in his pants).

Kim and I plan to visit Saigon during Christmas season (way too cold in Philly) and it's much cooler in Saigon. My folks are coming along also, since both of my folks and hers haven't met yet (mom knows Kim's parents for years, step-father never met). Then we'll head up North to Hà Nội, Hải Dương (mom's birth place), and Hạ Long Bay. So maybe I'll take up your invitation to the "PARTY" It is true about Northerners sense of pride/proud is forever present within the Vietnamese no matter where you go, more so in the north! Southerners are more relaxing and easy going.

Phơ Bỏ = Best have it hot in Hả Nội in the Winter, or ANY TIME!!!

I like your school of thought when it comes to this whole VJ, you're right about that, worse case scenario is you move to VN and live with her. Then I think they can't have any reason to deny your now-wife her visa to return to her husband's country! I'm sure some people in China board can give you better idea how it is for them... Pretty sure at least one or two of them in China are Communist Party members and still get Visa to come here. This is the first time we hear about such case on Vietnam side of the Board.

Hà Nội = 36 Streets. Small narrow streets, best for walking, or biking. I loved it there on my first visit in 2004, the city is rich in culture and history, every corner you walk through, there is a history attached to it. I love the Old Catheadral, gotta check it out if you there. Well aged looking catholic church. I lost the photos I took in Hanoi during my trip. Laptop crashed. So charliebox, you are NOT missing anything here if you move to Hả Nội, you have my VOTE, if it comes to that.

Cheers

[Yodrak 7]

wait4ever,

Like many things dealing with immigration, the resolution of this issue is going to depend on the specific details of each case. A party member who is a die-hard leader and continues to seek the spread of communism throughout the world is going to get a much different reception from a party member who joined because it was once a matter of their life or death that they carry the card.

I expect that CharlieBox's attorney has reviewed the facts of the fiancee's situation, knows how to deal with them, and that any assumptions the attorney is making are based on experience.

Yodrak

My lawyer has brought several clients with fiancee as former party members here on a k-1 visa. He says this is a moot point. He goes on to say that Vietnam doesn't have a totalitarian regime. He says that Saddam H. had a totalitarian Regime....(killing political opponents, killing uprisings...etc) That is the sort of totalitarian that is described in that INA law.

I hope for your sake that your lawyer is correct in his assumption.