HCMC Interview roll call

[ScottThuy 140]

I agree Jim... Are you at NVC still? I think your case is similar to mine in many respects so I look forward to a quick and painless approval for you. I just met with a bunch of officials from VN today here in the states.. I wanted to ask each of them that knows us to write a letter for us, but I really dont think that would help all that much or if the CO would even look at them... it feels like this journey is difficult enough, but they setup a big tiger trap at the end and it seems that so many are falling into it... I'm not even a tiger.. just a lil ##### cat...

Some of the officials had a hard time getting visas just to come here for the meeting today... #######? someone in HCMC consulate needs to get a better plan in place....

[Kevin&Loan 0]

Scott, my cousin is a Managing Director of Wrigley in Vietnam and like you said, he had a super hard time getting a visa to go to a conference in New York.

[ScottThuy 140]

Scott, my cousin is a Managing Director of Wrigley in Vietnam and like you said, he had a super hard time getting a visa to go to a conference in New York.

In both of the cases, the one you mentioned and mine, the US entity is profiting from doing business abroad and DHS is hindering that profit.... If I remember correctly, the economy is in sh!t shape at the moment and they are making it worse.

Reminds me of the saying.. to cut ones nose of to spite the face.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I agree Jim... Are you at NVC still? I think your case is similar to mine in many respects so I look forward to a quick and painless approval for you. I just met with a bunch of officials from VN today here in the states.. I wanted to ask each of them that knows us to write a letter for us, but I really dont think that would help all that much or if the CO would even look at them... it feels like this journey is difficult enough, but they setup a big tiger trap at the end and it seems that so many are falling into it... I'm not even a tiger.. just a lil ##### cat...

Some of the officials had a hard time getting visas just to come here for the meeting today... #######? someone in HCMC consulate needs to get a better plan in place....

About a week after I saw the NOA2 update on the USCIS website, I got a PM from someone here asking if NVC had my packet yet. I didn't know, so I called them. The lady who took the call said they got my packet, and it had already been sent to HCM. She gave me the NVC case number. A few days later I got a letter from NVC saying "This letter is to let you know that within a week the petition will be forwarded to the appropriate visa-issuing post where your visa interview will take place." The letter was dated August 31.

So, I don't think it's still at NVC, but I don't know when it was actually sent to HCM. The lady at NVC might have meant "Yeah, it's in the next box going to HCM". Other than satisfying my own curiosity, there wouldn't be much point in trying to find out if HCM has it yet. It's not like I could do anything about it if they didn't. Phuong has all the documents she's going to need for the interview, but we're still working on the forms. I figure she'll probably get packet 3 within a week or two.

Frankly, this is happening a lot faster than we'd expected or planned for. It's conceivable she could interview in late October, but sometime in November is probably more realistic. We were thinking (and planning) for late January or later. Her daughter is 18 on January 14, so we'd have dodged the "quit claim" bullet. She's not concerned, though. She says her eldest daughter (who isn't coming to the US with her - she's married with her own kid) has already talked to their father, and he's ok with signing the quit claim letter.

Anyway, now I'm in a mad scramble trying to get the house ready. My little workshop has to be converted back into a bedroom, like it was when I bought the house. My workshop is going into the garage, which currently looks like a warehouse full of stuff. There's a 14 foot dumpster on the street in front of my house that I rented to clear out the garage. It's minor pandemonium around here, but I'm loving it!

I haven't even told my boss that I'm going to need another couple of weeks vacation in a couple of months...

[ScottThuy 140]

About a week after I saw the NOA2 update on the USCIS website, I got a PM from someone here asking if NVC had my packet yet. I didn't know, so I called them. The lady who took the call said they got my packet, and it had already been sent to HCM. She gave me the NVC case number. A few days later I got a letter from NVC saying "This letter is to let you know that within a week the petition will be forwarded to the appropriate visa-issuing post where your visa interview will take place." The letter was dated August 31.

So, I don't think it's still at NVC, but I don't know when it was actually sent to HCM. The lady at NVC might have meant "Yeah, it's in the next box going to HCM". Other than satisfying my own curiosity, there wouldn't be much point in trying to find out if HCM has it yet. It's not like I could do anything about it if they didn't. Phuong has all the documents she's going to need for the interview, but we're still working on the forms. I figure she'll probably get packet 3 within a week or two.

Frankly, this is happening a lot faster than we'd expected or planned for. It's conceivable she could interview in late October, but sometime in November is probably more realistic. We were thinking (and planning) for late January or later. Her daughter is 18 on January 14, so we'd have dodged the "quit claim" bullet. She's not concerned, though. She says her eldest daughter (who isn't coming to the US with her - she's married with her own kid) has already talked to their father, and he's ok with signing the quit claim letter.

Anyway, now I'm in a mad scramble trying to get the house ready. My little workshop has to be converted back into a bedroom, like it was when I bought the house. My workshop is going into the garage, which currently looks like a warehouse full of stuff. There's a 14 foot dumpster on the street in front of my house that I rented to clear out the garage. It's minor pandemonium around here, but I'm loving it!

I haven't even told my boss that I'm going to need another couple of weeks vacation in a couple of months...

Dupster?... sell it all on craigslist..

she should have the first part of DS 230 and DS 2001 completed with the exception of the date and HCM# ready for the day she gets the packet 3.. The faster she responds the sooner she will get an appointment... should be approx 2 months from the day she responds... if you got the HCM# from NVC she can have it all completed now.... One could actually send an email asking if the case arrived and if it did fax the info before the pkt 3 arrives... All this if you wanted less time to prepare the house... can you tell I have spent a bunch of time trying to find any possible way to speed up things?

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Dupster?... sell it all on craigslist..

she should have the first part of DS 230 and DS 2001 completed with the exception of the date and HCM# ready for the day she gets the packet 3.. The faster she responds the sooner she will get an appointment... should be approx 2 months from the day she responds... if you got the HCM# from NVC she can have it all completed now.... One could actually send an email asking if the case arrived and if it did fax the info before the pkt 3 arrives... All this if you wanted less time to prepare the house... can you tell I have spent a bunch of time trying to find any possible way to speed up things?

It's embarrassing to admit, but most of the stuff in my garage is stuff I didn't have time to go through when I bought the house 5 years ago, so I just packed it into boxes and bought a bunch of shelf racks. I'm now going through 5 rows of shelf racks, each the length of the garage and 6 ft tall, full of boxes. I'm letting my daughter keep anything that might be worth something to somebody, but that I don't want to keep. She's going to have a yard sale this weekend. Whatever she can't sell is either going into the dumpster or going to a charity thrift store. I simply don't have room for it anymore. I hate craigslist - 90% of the people who contact you never show up when they say they will, and the other 10% try to lowball you after they arrive.

The HCM# is assigned at NVC. I got it over the phone, and also on the NVC letter.

We've already finished DS-156's, DS-156K, and the DS-230 for her. We're still working on the DS-230's for her two kids that ARE coming with her. She's already got my tax transcripts for the last 3 years (brought 'em with me last month), but I'll be bringing the I-134's and employment letter with me when I come for her interview.

Where can I get the DS-2001? I know it's the checklist, but I don't see it on either the consulate or DoS website.

[ScottThuy 140]

Dupster?... sell it all on craigslist..

she should have the first part of DS 230 and DS 2001 completed with the exception of the date and HCM# ready for the day she gets the packet 3.. The faster she responds the sooner she will get an appointment... should be approx 2 months from the day she responds... if you got the HCM# from NVC she can have it all completed now.... One could actually send an email asking if the case arrived and if it did fax the info before the pkt 3 arrives... All this if you wanted less time to prepare the house... can you tell I have spent a bunch of time trying to find any possible way to speed up things?

It's embarrassing to admit, but most of the stuff in my garage is stuff I didn't have time to go through when I bought the house 5 years ago, so I just packed it into boxes and bought a bunch of shelf racks. I'm now going through 5 rows of shelf racks, each the length of the garage and 6 ft tall, full of boxes. I'm letting my daughter keep anything that might be worth something to somebody, but that I don't want to keep. She's going to have a yard sale this weekend. Whatever she can't sell is either going into the dumpster or going to a charity thrift store. I simply don't have room for it anymore. I hate craigslist - 90% of the people who contact you never show up when they say they will, and the other 10% try to lowball you after they arrive.

The HCM# is assigned at NVC. I got it over the phone, and also on the NVC letter.

We've already finished DS-156's, DS-156K, and the DS-230 for her. We're still working on the DS-230's for her two kids that ARE coming with her. She's already got my tax transcripts for the last 3 years (brought 'em with me last month), but I'll be bringing the I-134's and employment letter with me when I come for her interview.

Where can I get the DS-2001? I know it's the checklist, but I don't see it on either the consulate or DoS website.

PM me and I'll email the pkt 3 with it in there..

[BinhJerome 14]

Since there are so many stuck in HCMC AP it may be helpful to have a discussion to let everyone know were they are in relation to others in the same situation….

Those in AP at HCMC:

Lindal24 7/8/2009

JohnCali 8/6/2009

Ituan 8/10/2009

JeromeBinh 8/20/2009

Ly Trinh 8/21/2009

Huong and Phung 9/8/2009

Michaelandluyen ?

Han & James ? no word since 7/6 interview…..

Let the others there know what you have heard since the blue slip and this way it may not be such a painful wait.... there are at least 6 couples in the same boat at the moment....

We know there are hundreds od people in HCMC got blue too and they are waiting for AP. Most of them are K1 and CR1. I wonder what future interviews will be if they had loads of cases like these? Binh.

[ScottThuy 140]

Binh,

We'll see if they are delayng the interviews soon.. Jim should have a date mid Nov and if it later than that.. it could be because they have CO's busy doing the AP's...

[bryonm4 0]

If you want to see whats in the mind of the CO the following link is a good article

http://www.ilw.com/articles/2009,0218-seminara.shtm

[Kevin&Loan 0]

Bryonm4,

It is indeed a very well-written and informative article. Although my "journey" is almost over but I still get chill down my spine reading that article. The people who are committed to visa-fraud are the ones that spoil the pot for the rest of us. I remember back in my days, there were these two sisters who live in the neighborhood with my wife bluntly told everyone that they paid two Viet Kieus to get them visas and yet, they both passed the first round of interviews and they hopped on the plane heading for the US the very next week. My wife and I, on the other hand, were put on AR for 8 months. That was simply unfair.

For those of you who can read Vietnamese or for our American brothers, ask your fiances to translate it for you, below is another article about how CO in Saigon determine your faiths

http://www.rmiodp.com/?catid=68&newsid=7957&pid=0

Edited September 12, 2009 by Kevin&Loan

[ScottThuy 140]

If you want to see whats in the mind of the CO the following link is a good article

http://www.ilw.com/articles/2009,0218-seminara.shtm

A good article, but I must say that I really disagree with the authors idea on K-1 visas being abolished. I truly think they should do more interviews with both the USC as well as the SO to get a better picture of the relationship and avoid the AP BS.... I am a firm believer in the idea.... "why put off for tomorrow what you can do today?" If they have both parties there, why not do the interview of both parties and get a good idea of what the deal is and get it approved or denied in one day.... it really amazes me that the USC is not welcome into the consulate (A US refuge abroad) when the case is being evaluated... they must wait accross the street. That truly makes no sense.... its like reading a book and one of the important chapters, or a few pages from each chapter, is on a table accross the room and wont be read.... the full story cant be known... if they truly go by the ideology that "if the usc believes it, then it is real" why not bring us into the loop?

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Bryonm4,

It is indeed a very well-written and informative article. Although my "journey" is almost over but I still get chill down my spine reading that article. The people who are committed to visa-fraud are the ones that spoil the pot for the rest of us. I remember back in my days, there were these two sisters who live in the neighborhood with my wife bluntly told everyone that they paid two Viet Kieus to get them visas and yet, they both passed the first round of interviews and they hopped on the plane heading for the US the very next week. My wife and I, on the other hand, were put on AR for 8 months. That was simply unfair.

For those of you who can read Vietnamese or for our American brothers, ask your fiances to translate it for you, below is another article about how CO in Saigon determine your faiths

http://www.rmiodp.com/?catid=68&newsid=7957&pid=0

Yeah, we've seen cases like the ones described in the article on Robert Mullins site. It basically says that a lot of visas are denied because the pictures presented don't indicate as many days together as are claimed (i.e., they think the pictures are staged or faked), and because the beneficiary can't answer questions about the hobbies of the petitioner, or the city where he lives.

To summarize for those who don't want to bother getting it translated, there are two questions at the end:

Q: How can you be successful using pictures to prove a relationship?

A: To convince the consular staff that the pictures represent the number of days claimed, you may need to provide additional evidence of temporary residence, hotel receipts, and other evidence to show two people living together for more than several days.

Q: How can a woman in Vietnam describe the city where the sponsor lives if she has never been there?

A: The only way she can do this: The sponsor must tell her as much as possible about the city where he lives, and teach her the pronunciation of the name of the city.

[ScottThuy 140]

****IMPORTANT NOTE: Processing wait time DOES NOT include the time required for administrative processing. These procedures require additional time. Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days of application. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on individual circumstances of each case. Therefore, before making inquiries about status of administrative processing, applicants or their representatives will need to wait at least 90 days from the date of interview or submission of supplemental documents, whichever is later. Processing wait time also does not include the time required to return the passport to applicants, by either courier services or the local mail system.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/tem...p;x=72&y=13

[ScottThuy 140]

Updated list:

Those in AP at HCMC:

FrednDaoHoney_____________1/?/2009

Lindal24 ___________________7/8/2009

JohnCali9 ___________________8/6/2009

Ituan ______________________8/10/2009

Vi&Art _____________________8/?/2009

JeromeBinh_________________ 8/20/2009

Ly Trinh ____________________8/21/2009

Huong and Phung ____________9/8/2009

Anyone see the trend here? July seems to have been a bad time to interview for many. Based on the completed timelines Everyone that interviewed after Jerome is approved except Huong and Josephs, but Josephs had the medical issue and were given a blue requesting medical..likely a pink when medical is provided.