K1 refused, now they want me to come to Vietnam

[Tero 105]

Yes, she was denied. I neglected to mention that she was denied at the second interview. After the first interview my fiance was asked to bring more supporting evidence. Even with the new supporting evidence of our relationship, she was denied at that meeting. It was indeed a surprise when the translator called her and asked to bring me to another meeting and sent a letter with another appointment date to support her call.

So, two interviews so far, denied for the same reason. I see why they want you present. Just make sure you know the specific questions they asked your fiancée, and that you are both on the same page. It would be painful if you go again and they still are not convinced. If you have as much evidence as you said you have, maybe the discrepancy is in her responses to the questions. Leave no single paperwork behind when you go this time. Good luck.

[TBoneTX 46,156]

Friend Bruce: For as long as I've been a member of VisaJourney, I've been envious of (and, truthfully, awed by) the knowledge and supportiveness of the Vietnam members. Two of the very best (Jim and Anh Map) have weighed in here. Coralie has provided information about a Stokes interview (albeit for AOS and not for K-1, although the principles are the same), and the respected Pushbrk and Rebecca Jo are also keeping an eye on your situation via this thread.

If you can duplicate the exact text of the denial letter and the recent appointment letter -- omitting personal information, but otherwise verbatim and not paraphrased -- it may help us to help you. I also believe that you should consult Marc Ellis, the attorney, as a highest priority. Tell him that you're a VisaJourney member (as is he -- member name ellis-island).

Precisely because this sounds like a new situation in regard to the HCMC embassy, it's crucial that you chronicle every detail of what you learn from various sources, and of what happens. I wish that we Ecuador filers had had someone as potentially communicative as you, before WE got blindsided as we did. You'll be doing other Vietnam members a great service, and your words will be instructive to others, too.

We're all pulling for you, si man.

[Tuanv 2]

Thia is definitely a stoke interview in my opinion. It makes no sense for them to verify that you existed. You did provide picture with you and your finance, right? You also provide all the essential document, already.

[ScottThuy 140]

I am amazed that they are handling things this way at the consulate.. When we were in AP they did a form of a stokes interview over the phone... at least thats what it was IMO.. They called Me, My fiance, her mom and my ex all at the same time(no chance of warning anyone that it was coming and it was after 11PM my time) and asked us all similar questions and I expect that they compared the responses as I could tell they were writing down the responses.. My wife was asked far more questions than the rest of us, but it was all done via phone..

si man it sounds like a CO from Guayaquil has been transferred to HCMC...

I would start by calling DoS on Monday and asking what notes are in the system to see if they have anything noted about the USC being asked to be present at the interview... a logical person would presume that if they are asking for the USC to be present after what has already transpired, they have some good liklihood to approve the visa. But we are talking about HCMC and I would not expect a visa just because he shows up, rather expect additional hurdles IE Stokes interview etc.... I would go if possible, or if not possible I would send an email to the consulate explaining the reason why I was not available on that date and offering to be available should they want to call... if that is not acceptible to them I could go to the local service center.. It all boils down to what you are able to do...i wouldnt risk losing my job to fly around the world on this gamble of sorts... given two+ weeks to drop everything and fly around the world to "show ones face" is unrealistic to say the least.

Best of luck..

[K1visa125 3]

Thanks for all the responses.

After much thought and effort, I just cannot take off from my job right now as my position affects too many other people and any time off has to be properly timed for.

We are going to ask for an extension for me to come there, and if that is not successful, I will write a letter for my fiance to present explaining my situation and let them know that I am available by phone for any questions or just to talk to me. She will also have more information to bring to support our relationship.

I will keep you all posted on the outcome.

Bruce

[Fandango 1,440]

I really don't understand what's so humiliating about a Stokes interview. Asking how you met, which side of the bed you sleep on, what color is your spouse's toothbrush, etc are all very bog standard questions. Now if the interviewer started asking things like sexual preferences, I would refuse to answer those, but short of that, I personally wouldn't have had a problem (at the time) if my ex and I had been asked to do one of these interviews.

Btw, good luck Bruce.

Edited February 3, 2011 by Lisa C

[K1visa125 3]

I really don't understand what's so humiliating about a Stokes interview. Asking how you met, which side of the bed you sleep on, what color is your spouse's toothbrush, etc are all very bog standard questions. Now if the interviewer started asking things like sexual preferences, I would refuse to answer those, but short of that, I personally wouldn't have had a problem (at the time) if my ex and I had been asked to do one of these interviews.

Btw, good luck Bruce.

I was also wondering what the big deal was about a Stokes interview. If that is what they want to do to prove that we are in a real relationship, that is fine with me. Even if they asked sexual questions, I would answer everything if that is what they want in order not to upset them and to receive an approved visa. We have know each other for 4 years now and know a lot about each other and can prove our true relationship with any questions they need to prove it.

Thanks for the support,

Bruce

[pushbrk 13,123]

I was also wondering what the big deal was about a Stokes interview. If that is what they want to do to prove that we are in a real relationship, that is fine with me. Even if they asked sexual questions, I would answer everything if that is what they want in order not to upset them and to receive an approved visa. We have know each other for 4 years now and know a lot about each other and can prove our true relationship with any questions they need to prove it.

Thanks for the support,

Bruce

Depending on who is conducting the interview, they often become very confrontational and/or accusatory in the questioning. If it were simply matter of fact professional questioning, I wouldn't have a problem either.

One thought for some though is that even though my wife and I have been together in the USA since August of 2006, I'd have a fairly high level of concern that an interviewer might think we don't communicate well enough to have a real relationship based on language skills. They would be quite wrong, of course, but it would be a concern. It's been nice to have her daughter sometimes help with translating difficult things and sometimes we use the computer or electronic translator. We're a couple weeks into a 12 week trip to China right now, and haven't used any translation devices yet.

Fortunately, wife and daughter got their ten-year cards three years ago, so the concern is purely hypothetical. The AOS interviewer allowed our daughter to translate as needed in our threesome interview. We had all been living together 18 months by then.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Thanks for all the responses.

After much thought and effort, I just cannot take off from my job right now as my position affects too many other people and any time off has to be properly timed for.

We are going to ask for an extension for me to come there, and if that is not successful, I will write a letter for my fiance to present explaining my situation and let them know that I am available by phone for any questions or just to talk to me. She will also have more information to bring to support our relationship.

I will keep you all posted on the outcome.

Bruce

You can also now plan on having this case denied by the consulate. You will need to plan a trip to VietNam for a marriage and start the process for CR1 visa.

The others more familiar with VietNam will know if this decision could come into play at any interview for a CR1.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I was also wondering what the big deal was about a Stokes interview. If that is what they want to do to prove that we are in a real relationship, that is fine with me. Even if they asked sexual questions, I would answer everything if that is what they want in order not to upset them and to receive an approved visa. We have know each other for 4 years now and know a lot about each other and can prove our true relationship with any questions they need to prove it.

Thanks for the support,

Bruce

As pushbrk said, they can be very confrontational. They can yell and scream at you. Accuse you of lying. Threaten you with jail time for visa fraud. Pretty much anything short of actually hitting you. They know that anyone can prepare for an interview by memorizing their answers. Their job is to try to get you to slip up and admit something they think you're trying to hide. They are not your friends, and they are not trying to help you get a visa - they are digging for a solid reason to deny you.

Like most east Asians, Vietnamese are usually very polite. It's a bit of a shock to them when someone they don't know even raises their voice a little. It's considered rude. Being in a room with a foreign government official yelling at them for an hour can be downright terrifying. I know a VN couple in San Jose who faced a Stokes interview at the USCIS office in San Francisco. The wife was so traumatized that she cried for three days, and had nightmares about it for months. There is no way I'd subject my wife to that.

[Kang Lang 7]

a friend of ours also went through stokes in san francisco. usc(female) and foreign national(male). the questions were more invasive than just side of the bed. they did in fact ask about sexual proclivities. how often in a week, favorite positions of each, how long foreplay lasted, duration. i think that was it but it's been over a year so i the details of other q's are unclear.

i don't discuss my private life with my girlfriends so i certainly wouldn't want to discuss it with a stranger/government agency where the answers to that would be recorded. i understand men are TYPICALLY less shy about these discussions but my husband even said he wouldn't want to answer those questions.

just food for thought, that the op and his wife should prepare for that type of invasiveness and hope that it doesn't come up.

GOOD LUCK

Edited February 4, 2011 by Kang Lang

[Tero 105]

a friend of ours also went through stokes in san francisco. usc(female) and foreign national(male). the questions were more invasive than just side of the bed. they did in fact ask about sexual proclivities. how often in a week, favorite positions of each, how long foreplay lasted, duration. i think that was it but it's been over a year so i the details of other q's are unclear.

i don't discuss my private life with my girlfriends so i certainly wouldn't want to discuss it with a stranger/government agency where the answers to that would be recorded. i understand men are TYPICALLY less shy about these discussions but my husband even said he wouldn't want to answer those questions.

just food for thought, that the op and his wife should prepare for that type of invasiveness and hope that it doesn't come up.

GOOD LUCK

That is just so wrong! Do they really have the right to ask these questions?

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

That is just so wrong! Do they really have the right to ask these questions?

They ask all sorts of questions especially in sensitive areas where they think people won't rehearse the answers. Everyone expect how many bedroom and what color are the sheets today. No one expects to be asked when was the last oral sex or if missionary is more frequent than doggy.

[Tero 105]

They ask all sorts of questions especially in sensitive areas where they think people won't rehearse the answers. Everyone expect how many bedroom and what color are the sheets today. No one expects to be asked when was the last oral sex or if missionary is more frequent than doggy.

So a virgin would stand no chance, and missing any of those questions would be an automatic denial.

[pushbrk 13,123]

So a virgin would stand no chance, and missing any of those questions would be an automatic denial.

A virgin who says they are a virgin and their partner corroborates that the couple doesn't yet have a sexual relationship would answer all those questions correctly, right?