Financial Support

[pwolocen 2]

My fiancee recently lost her main source of income. Even though she and her daughter live with her parents, and receives a small amount of child support, I wish to send her money each month. This money is solely intended to help with normal daily living expenses. It will be a modest amount to replace the income she lost. We are awaiting Packet 4, so I don't think this support will be needed for a long period of time. I would like to get the opinions of other VJ members as to whether this will raise a "red flag" with the CO at the HCMC Consulate in Vietnam. From all that I have read about the HCMC Consulate, this may even be looked upon as favorable. I guess it could go either way. Your opinions would greatly appreciated.

[ScottThuy 140]

Moving to VN regional for HCMC specific responses

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

My fiancee recently lost her main source of income. Even though she and her daughter live with her parents, and receives a small amount of child support, I wish to send her money each month. This money is solely intended to help with normal daily living expenses. It will be a modest amount to replace the income she lost. We are awaiting Packet 4, so I don't think this support will be needed for a long period of time. I would like to get the opinions of other VJ members as to whether this will raise a "red flag" with the CO at the HCMC Consulate in Vietnam. From all that I have read about the HCMC Consulate, this may even be looked upon as favorable. I guess it could go either way. Your opinions would greatly appreciated.

Most of us do/did send money to our SO's. I haven't heard of it making a significant difference in anyone's case, but I've heard a lot of conjecture about it. Phuong brought the receipts to the interview. I told her not to bring up the subject unless the CO asked about it, in which case she should show him the receipts. He didn't ask.

[pwolocen 2]

Most of us do/did send money to our SO's. I haven't heard of it making a significant difference in anyone's case, but I've heard a lot of conjecture about it. Phuong brought the receipts to the interview. I told her not to bring up the subject unless the CO asked about it, in which case she should show him the receipts. He didn't ask.

Thank you, Jim Keeping in form, your response was most helpful. I read your posts every time I see one. Your knowledge is always appreciated.

[BinhJerome 14]

My fiancee recently lost her main source of income. Even though she and her daughter live with her parents, and receives a small amount of child support, I wish to send her money each month. This money is solely intended to help with normal daily living expenses. It will be a modest amount to replace the income she lost. We are awaiting Packet 4, so I don't think this support will be needed for a long period of time. I would like to get the opinions of other VJ members as to whether this will raise a "red flag" with the CO at the HCMC Consulate in Vietnam. From all that I have read about the HCMC Consulate, this may even be looked upon as favorable. I guess it could go either way. Your opinions would greatly appreciated.

As Jim has said, most people do send money or have sent money. Usually it does not make any difference, and I have never heard of anyone being denied for sending money, although some people have argued that it helps because it shows intent, but in all honesty that argument is neither here or there. If you send money, have the receipts, if asked show them, if you choose to make a spectacle out of it, then you can also do this and let the cards fall where they do. Either decision you make, at least have the receipts at the interview is my opinion. Jerome

Edited September 8, 2010 by jeromebinh

[luckytxn 2,264]

It is common and the norm to send some money to help support our other there. Usually once the process starts the person in VN ends up having to stop the job or business that they had to go through this process and thus ending their financial support they had. It is usually not much at all and the only time anyone here I have ever heard of that raised an eyebrow is when they are asked for a huge amount of money.

It is very normal and as have been said before just answer the question if it is brought up truthfully as they know at the consulate this is normal. I have never heard of it brought up though at any interview.

[lindal24 1]

This was mentioned some time before in another thread and I just want to repeat it here...

One of the reasons someone stated that it might be frowned upon if a K-1 petitioner sent money was because of the appearance that the petitioner was paying the fiance. The line of reasoning for the person that stated that I believe was because the two are not yet married so why is the petitioner already sending the beneficiary money...

Just putting it out there.

[lindal24 1]

Oh...and I also remember reading in another thread to use caution when sending money when the beneficiary requests because of the possibility of being scammed. I don't remember the whole thing, but I do recall people posting links to horror stories.

My intention isn't to scare you or persuade you one way or the other, just to inform.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I've seen a lot of the general advice given on this forum about this subject. Whenever the subject came up, I used to repeat the same advice others have stated. After a year and a half on this forum, I'm less cautious about it now, especially in the VN forum.

Before Linda thinks I'm being sexist, I'm talking mainly about girls here because they constitute the majority of fiancee and spousal cases in Vietnam. Other countries, like Morocco and Nigeria, have a larger majority of male visa applicants, and have their own particular scams to look out for.

I don't recall ever seeing a case where a consular officer in HCMC thought a US citizen was "buying a bride". In fact, I can't think of any reason they'd ever suspect this. If someone really had a penchant for girls from Southeast Asia, they would have no problems finding an interested girl, and wouldn't have to pay a dime to persuade them. It is, in fact, the overwhelming eagerness of so many girls to hook up with any American guy that will sponsor them for a visa that makes Vietnam a particularly difficult country to get a visa from.

The money scam occasionally happens, I suppose, but I don't think it's common enough in Vietnam that the consulate would be suspicious of it, or even look for it. First, you can make a dramatic difference in someone's standard of living by paying them what amounts to less than a monthly car payment in the US. Second, these sort of scams usually occur when the foreigner has no intention of actually getting the visa and immigrating, but are just playing the US citizen to bolster their finances. The majority of girls in Vietnam who are playing American guys are actually trying to get a visa - not just some money. The money scams are more common in the former Soviet Union states and eastern Europe.

[pwolocen 2]

As Jim has said, most people do send money or have sent money. Usually it does not make any difference, and I have never heard of anyone being denied for sending money, although some people have argued that it helps because it shows intent, but in all honesty that argument is neither here or there. If you send money, have the receipts, if asked show them, if you choose to make a spectacle out of it, then you can also do this and let the cards fall where they do. Either decision you make, at least have the receipts at the interview is my opinion. Jerome

Thanks Jerome, That is pretty much what I thought too. I really appreciate your help. Pete

[pwolocen 2]

Oh...and I also remember reading in another thread to use caution when sending money when the beneficiary requests because of the possibility of being scammed. I don't remember the whole thing, but I do recall people posting links to horror stories.

My intention isn't to scare you or persuade you one way or the other, just to inform.

Thank you for the input. You do make an interesting point about why send money to your SO before marraige.

[pwolocen 2]

It is common and the norm to send some money to help support our other there. Usually once the process starts the person in VN ends up having to stop the job or business that they had to go through this process and thus ending their financial support they had. It is usually not much at all and the only time anyone here I have ever heard of that raised an eyebrow is when they are asked for a huge amount of money.

It is very normal and as have been said before just answer the question if it is brought up truthfully as they know at the consulate this is normal. I have never heard of it brought up though at any interview.

Thank you for the response. VJ members have made this difficult process a lot easier to handle!