Enagement Ceremony or not? (Vietnam)

[Kevin&Loan 0]

To 3AD

1. You should the "Dam Hoi". However, be very sure to put "Le Dinh Hon" (Engagement Ceremony) on the invitation cards as well as to have the banner with the same wording along with you guy's names and the date on restaurant's stage. Then make sure you guys take a few picture under that banner.

2. Although "Cong Ham Doc Than" (Single Certificate) for your fiancee is not required at the Consulate, you should still get one for her just in case. This document is very easy to obtain in VN. Be sure to bribe the right guy at So Tu Phap, your fiancee can get it done right away

To Matt

There is no fun to relax alone, my friend ... When Anh gets here, you guys can do that together and its really fun. When Loan came here, we did nothing but hanging out, chilling and realxing the first few days.

To wait4ever

I wish you lots of courage and strength. 3 years of waiting is not something someone can endure. You've eanred my respect. Please keep on fighting. You guys will prevail

[STL_HCMC 0]

Anh map,

Best of luck to you both on the VisaJourney. I still remember the day I mailed off our I-129F package. It was the beginning of the unknown.

Enjoy that "fish out of water" experience at the Dam Hoi. I think you'll like it! It's another window opened for you to experience the culture and lifestyle of Vietnam.

STL_HCMC

I'm mailing off the I-129F on Saturday, so let the games begin.

I'm heading back to VN on September 1 for a short visit. We will do the dam hoi as well. It'll mean a lot to Linh and her family, and provide some more proof for the Consulate. I will definitely be the fish out of water. But I am really looking forward to it.

[Matt_Stevens 5]

Just be prepared to spend money. It got way out of hand and I had a hard time keeping it under control.

Take out a small loan if you have to.

Edited July 8, 2006 by Matt_Stevens

[Anh map 2,098]

Yes, I'm seeing that (keeping to the budget) as the biggest challenge.

[woodgc 0]

Some one posted my old tread so I will say that my thoughts are still the same I am now leaving for my 4th trip next week and am learning all the time. Here are some things I found out

1. The marriage process was actually 7 separate ceremonies’ that now have been culled down to 2-3 to make it simple. My engagement party had 50-60 people and my lady informed me that if we had a wedding it could hit 200. She has steadfastly refused any thoughts of a VN wedding and desires a simple one when she is the USA. The engagement party satisfied all her wedding desires and also convinced her she in no way wanted the hassle of a much bigger event

2. The HCMC consulate says that engagement or wedding ceremony does not matter to them. What does matter to them for a K-1 Is you do not make it legal. I.e. you need the singles cert anyway.

3. You can spend a lot or a little. The less you spend the more trips you can make.

4. Very hard to get them to quite their jobs but once they do the things they can do to prepare for the move is extensive and also cements the feelings of commitment to each other. I found in the end my fiancée is very comfortable with her daily life now.

You can pay anything you want; my lady and I spent a few K if you count the jewlery which was the dowery. The party it self was 1k if you count the hand made wedding dress and suit-- and they do really expect nice clothes .

I have heard of people doing it at relitives homes for a few hundrend so you need not go over budget or spend alot of money and at evey turn my lady offered ways out of expenses so I think you can keep it reasonable if you want and they do understand ---no I can not do that, quite well--- I think what they look for the most is

#1 a loving partner who respects them

#2 a simple life

So any thing that can get in the way of that is on their hit list

[martindart 0]

Yes, three years and still waiting. We have been victims of exceptionally bad treatment and service at the HCM Consulate. Not all cases take as long as ours, but I hear wait times are on the way up. I hope your case and those of others do not suffer the same kind of service we have received. Good luck and stick with it.

We have been waiting for 2 years now. Denied petition said we were a sham relationship. Consulate said 8 people attended our ceremony. Consulate slected 3 photos out of 52 presented at time of interview of our ceremony. They over looked the others photos where CLEARLY in the background you can see many other tables filled with other guest.. Other photos where I wore my work clothes while in VN and those photos of me in same clothes (which I have 5-7 sets all same color was another reason to deny our petition. My buddy got my airline ticket for me while he was in China town while I was on call with work that day, that was final reason to deny. returned petition(s) take about 6 months to get back to service center who approved petition. They then contact you to rebut consular officer findings (which I've done) NSC reaffirmed their decision to approve our petition once again and now we wait as it travels back through the NVC then onto HCMC visa unit and reset another interview date. Once I found out our petition was denied I was so angry I was spitting nails...Today I am more at ease... and as I look back the consulate did they're job there are so many people trying to scam that consulate it hurts true and real relationships like ours and others. So to all the new people who are about to have an interview at U.S. Consulate in HCM be on guard and prepare well. being denied it a cold shot in the heart I know, I am healing well now. Should it happen to you be prepared to fight at the Service Center who approved you petition because if you don't overturn the consulate decision it will haunt the next K-129F you file because that decision will follow the new application and that will be grounds to deny you again.

Stay healthy and happy! This is what I say to my love Vo daily We will be together soon