HCMC Post-Interview: White slip after Blue slip?

[jac_chappin 24]

Definitely a red flag! You divorced then married a few months apart. What's going on here?

[bigdog 376]

Hi, My wife got the interview at HCMC (Ho Chi Minh City) in Saigon in July 1. She was given a Blue slip asking for info from the petitioner (me) such as "report details about how relationship, residency in the last 10 yrs, info about ex-spouse" and from my wife info about her "residency in the last 10 yrs".

She was asked to submit these reports on July 29 at 1pm. After waiting until 4:30pm, she was given a "White" slip with note saying in Vietnamese but similar to this translation "your case still need additional procedures. N additional document or info is required from you. We'll contact you when the additional procedures are done. If you have any question, contact hcmcinfo@state.gov or via letter".

What does that "white" slip mean? What is my situation? what could or should I do? Is there anything I could do? etc..

Please help. Thank you very much

Sounds like additional processing, you forwarded everything to date?

[confusedasheck 21]

yes, I found the contact info.

Regarding my case,

1) My most recent divorce was last May, then I went to VN and married last October

2) 12 yrs age difference (my wife and ex-wife are the same age)

3) I also sponsored my ex-wife via I-129F in 2004 and she came to the States at the end of 2004

Any good suggestion for my case? thanks.

When you say "most recent divorce", does that mean that you've been divorced more than once?

How many trips did you make to Vietnam before you married your current wife?

[buggy22 1]

hi all,

yes, I sponsored my ex over in 2004. Then helped her sponsor her parents in mid 2009 (she did not have enough income) when she became US citizen. They came to the states in late January 2010 and I also opened a Nail store as a family business to help them having jobs in Feb 2010. Shortly after they came, we were separated and a divorce was in daily threat (I slept in my car or at the store to avoid further argument or conflict). While depressed, I met my wife on the internet, at first as pen-pal. Then I lost my job in in April (after taking a full week off to set up the Nail store so that it could be open on the good-luck day of Feb as they believed), the divorce was coming in the following week and finalized in May 2010. I then went to VN in August to meet my wife and we married in October 2010. I stayed in VN for 3 months and came back late Nov and filed I-130 for my wife. I wished I could go back there to visit her again but I just got my job back in Feb and it is hard to get off from work with this current downturn in US economy. And here we are...

What could happen to my situation and my case? What other things I could do beside asking Senator/Congressman for help? Please advise. Thanks

[confusedasheck 21]

So to summarize...

XXXX - Previous marriages?

2004 - Married ex-wife

2009 - Sponsored ex-wives' parents

2010 Jan - ex-wives' parents arrive in US

2010 Feb - Met current wife on internet (while still legally married to ex-wife)

2010 May - Ex-wife divorces after nail shop set up for parents

2010 August to November - Met current wife in person for the first time person and married her on the first meeting (though after 3 months of being with her)

WOW... That definately seems like something suspicious is going on. I can't blame the CO for wanting to take some more time with this case to verify that it's not fraud.

[WeatherEmperor 21]

hi all,

yes, I sponsored my ex over in 2004. Then helped her sponsor her parents in mid 2009 (she did not have enough income) when she became US citizen. They came to the states in late January 2010 and I also opened a Nail store as a family business to help them having jobs in Feb 2010. Shortly after they came, we were separated and a divorce was in daily threat (I slept in my car or at the store to avoid further argument or conflict). While depressed, I met my wife on the internet, at first as pen-pal. Then I lost my job in in April (after taking a full week off to set up the Nail store so that it could be open on the good-luck day of Feb as they believed), the divorce was coming in the following week and finalized in May 2010. I then went to VN in August to meet my wife and we married in October 2010. I stayed in VN for 3 months and came back late Nov and filed I-130 for my wife. I wished I could go back there to visit her again but I just got my job back in Feb and it is hard to get off from work with this current downturn in US economy. And here we are...

What could happen to my situation and my case? What other things I could do beside asking Senator/Congressman for help? Please advise. Thanks

The first thing you need to do is let go of the past. You made many mistakes but there is nothing you can do to change that now. Right now, your case is in AP. Honestly, there is almost nothing you can do now except to wait. Yes, you can ask your Senator/Congressman but all they can really do is inquire about your case at the Consulate. They cannot force the Consulate and CO's to do anything. Like I said before, prepare yourself for a long wait. Find a distraction to reduce the stress of waiting. It won't be easy...

[quann 26]

OP,

some things don't pass the smell test. you're a long time VJ member, you know who marc ellis is, you made sure to have a big wedding with pictures, honeymoon, squeezed in trips here and there, probably lots of different outfits to differentiate the pics...yet you didn't include the most important docs like timeline, residency, ex-spouse. this is not your first round at the rodeo, seems like you were glossing over them and hoping the CO wouldn't notice.

as for your previous marriage...you got her over, she got her permanent residency, she got her family over, they opened a business...what should've been the happiest of time for the whole family there were problems with the marriage and you got a quick divorce...how convenient. what i do know of older vietnamese parents...they are very traditional and shameful of divorces. yet here they did not care to counsel their daughter to stay together with the man that got the whole family over and a better life for all of them...seems very ungrateful to me and not very understanding (especially since you kind of implied you lost the job because of the help you gave them opening the nail shop). and if there were problems already, why did you help get the parents over?

...not to mention another quickie marriage and petition. i'd be suspicious if i was the CO, or any rational person.

[Chynna/gapamix 11]

Hello,

Welcome to the world of AP. The past cannot be undone. Just move on and accept the reality that you may have to wait several months to get a result from the Consulate. As others have suggested, start doing research on Google on how to contact your Senators/Congressman. They are unlikely to force the Consulate to speed up the processing but at least they can continue to make inquiries on your behalf and let the CO's at the Consulate know that you are still serious about your case.

Buggy22

I recommend that you and your wife find something to do to make time go faster. I went back to school and it is proving to be a pretty good distraction from all the stress. Things are going pretty well for my fiance and I even though we hit a little bump in the road recently. Just prepare yourself for a long and frustrating wait. If you have the time and money, I would say pack up your stuff and visit your wife in VN for a while. Lastly, keep us posted on your progress. Don't be shy. We are all here to help you. Good luck

Wow that was a great response....Not sure if it helps you Buggy22 but... I agre contact your congressman for their support during your journey.

[buggy22 1]

Hi all,

Yes, I was very unlucky. The only thing I could think and do was to help sponsoring her parents over so she is happy cause she was my wife. I talked to American friends at work before doing this, and they all told me not to do that because once her parents came and lived with us even for a short time until they could be on their own, there would be problem and my wife would not need me anymore. I did not let my family know though.

Then even with the idea of opening the Nail store, I only thought about helping my wife to advance in her career and jobs for her parents since it would be difficult for them to find a job with no english and no Asians in the area where we live. They wanted to open the store much sooner for a lucky day, so I took 1 week off from work to finish it (I set up the store all by myself). When the store showed profit at the end of first month, they wanted the store to be themselves and we officially separated (unofficially separated just a week after the parents came...I slept off and on in the car). I even continued to finalize the home loan for the house that we planned to buy and reserved a room for her parents (before they came). My wife then backed out of the loan and I still bought the house with the hope that my wife would change...While depressed and sad, I met my current wife on the internet as pen-pal, while my ex and I was officially separated (I lived alone, she and my daughter were with her parents). Then I lost my job in April and the divorce had to come a week later. Since they wanted the Nail store and I did not want further conflicts and arguments which would affect my daughter later, the divorce was uncontested after I agreed to let them have the store (because that was my initial intention for the store). And it was finalized a month later in May 2010. While in separation, depressed, and knew I could not save my marriage, my current wife was always there to comfort me via calls and chats. Then as I mentioned before, I went to VN for 3 months and we later married in October 2010. When I returned to the States in late Nov 2010, I filed I-130 for her and here we are...

Regarding some comments I did not know what to respond to the CO, I only responded what the CO asked for in the most honest way, most details, etc. That was all I could do or think of. And hope that they would be considerate and understand our case and approve it, so that we could be together soon..

What other advice I could have from you guys? Please help anything. Thanks.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Hi all,

Yes, I was very unlucky. The only thing I could think and do was to help sponsoring her parents over so she is happy cause she was my wife. I talked to American friends at work before doing this, and they all told me not to do that because once her parents came and lived with us even for a short time until they could be on their own, there would be problem and my wife would not need me anymore. I did not let my family know though.

Then even with the idea of opening the Nail store, I only thought about helping my wife to advance in her career and jobs for her parents since it would be difficult for them to find a job with no english and no Asians in the area where we live. They wanted to open the store much sooner for a lucky day, so I took 1 week off from work to finish it (I set up the store all by myself). When the store showed profit at the end of first month, they wanted the store to be themselves and we officially separated (unofficially separated just a week after the parents came...I slept off and on in the car). I even continued to finalize the home loan for the house that we planned to buy and reserved a room for her parents (before they came). My wife then backed out of the loan and I still bought the house with the hope that my wife would change...While depressed and sad, I met my current wife on the internet as pen-pal, while my ex and I was officially separated (I lived alone, she and my daughter were with her parents). Then I lost my job in April and the divorce had to come a week later. Since they wanted the Nail store and I did not want further conflicts and arguments which would affect my daughter later, the divorce was uncontested after I agreed to let them have the store (because that was my initial intention for the store). And it was finalized a month later in May 2010. While in separation, depressed, and knew I could not save my marriage, my current wife was always there to comfort me via calls and chats. Then as I mentioned before, I went to VN for 3 months and we later married in October 2010. When I returned to the States in late Nov 2010, I filed I-130 for her and here we are...

Regarding some comments I did not know what to respond to the CO, I only responded what the CO asked for in the most honest way, most details, etc. That was all I could do or think of. And hope that they would be considerate and understand our case and approve it, so that we could be together soon..

What other advice I could have from you guys? Please help anything. Thanks.

Just curious. You say that you were essentially broke and even sleeping in car and had lost your job and turned everything over to the wife family and had nothing when the divorce was finalized. You were able to in the few months then get online and find a new VN GF and then finance a trip to VN. How?

We also see that you have been registered since 1995. Since you have then you know what needs to be done and really should not need us to help you. There is no magic bullet. If we smell a stink then just imagine what the consulate smells. The consulate also may be trying to save you from yourself.

[Hot Vit Lon 7]

yes, I found the contact info.

Regarding my case,

1) My most recent divorce was last May, then I went to VN and married last October

2) 12 yrs age difference (my wife and ex-wife are the same age)

3) I also sponsored my ex-wife via I-129F in 2004 and she came to the States at the end of 2004

Any good suggestion for my case? thanks.

OP, to give you the benefit of the doubt that you are a good US citizen and never engaged in immigration fraud in the past (sponsoring someone for $$$), I wanna stress the bold part of your above remark.

Maybe she (the Ex) was no longer satisfied with her sexual life due to the age difference. Pay close attention to this issue in your new relationship. At first the woman can try her best to pretend everything is fine and dandy so she can get her GC first, then the USC, then her immediate relatives to come over.

In Vnese there's a saying "Meo phong nuoc soi, thay nuoc lanh cung so", roughly translates "A cat was burnt by hot water in the past; in the future if it sees cold water, it becomes very cautious and fearful as result."

Have you done the same?

Spend more time this time "investigating" buddy. The C/O is doing you a big favor IMHO.

[tcTTct 37]

I agree with Dau Que on this one. Good luck to the OP, I hope you protect yourself this time.

[Dan_P 5]

So to summarize...

XXXX - Previous marriages?

2004 - Married ex-wife

2009 - Sponsored ex-wives' parents

2010 Jan - ex-wives' parents arrive in US

2010 Feb - Met current wife on internet (while still legally married to ex-wife)

2010 May - Ex-wife divorces after nail shop set up for parents

2010 August to November - Met current wife in person for the first time person and married her on the first meeting (though after 3 months of being with her)

WOW... That definately seems like something suspicious is going on. I can't blame the CO for wanting to take some more time with this case to verify that it's not fraud.

the whole thing is very very suspicious, ex-wive's parents come, few months later divorce, talked to new wife before divorce finalized, married a few months after divorce. this whole thing is very very fishy, and to be honest, I would not blame the CO. I understand you were unlucky, but you also moved WAY too fast. But that's all behind you now, what's done is done. If you don't already have legal counsel, i'd strongly suggest you find a good one now to assist you. This is a very tough case.

Also, I am a little suspicious of your new wife, I mean, you were still legally married and she still wanted to get involved with you. I wonder what her motives are. I just don't want you to get burned again. How did you meet your current wife?

I really wish you the best of luck, not just in getting your wife here, but in a happy life.

Edited July 31, 2011 by Dan_P

[seattlerain 1]

Hi all,

Yes, I was very unlucky. The only thing I could think and do was to help sponsoring her parents over so she is happy cause she was my wife. I talked to American friends at work before doing this, and they all told me not to do that because once her parents came and lived with us even for a short time until they could be on their own, there would be problem and my wife would not need me anymore. I did not let my family know though.

Then even with the idea of opening the Nail store, I only thought about helping my wife to advance in her career and jobs for her parents since it would be difficult for them to find a job with no english and no Asians in the area where we live. They wanted to open the store much sooner for a lucky day, so I took 1 week off from work to finish it (I set up the store all by myself). When the store showed profit at the end of first month, they wanted the store to be themselves and we officially separated (unofficially separated just a week after the parents came...I slept off and on in the car). I even continued to finalize the home loan for the house that we planned to buy and reserved a room for her parents (before they came). My wife then backed out of the loan and I still bought the house with the hope that my wife would change...While depressed and sad, I met my current wife on the internet as pen-pal, while my ex and I was officially separated (I lived alone, she and my daughter were with her parents). Then I lost my job in April and the divorce had to come a week later. Since they wanted the Nail store and I did not want further conflicts and arguments which would affect my daughter later, the divorce was uncontested after I agreed to let them have the store (because that was my initial intention for the store). And it was finalized a month later in May 2010. While in separation, depressed, and knew I could not save my marriage, my current wife was always there to comfort me via calls and chats. Then as I mentioned before, I went to VN for 3 months and we later married in October 2010. When I returned to the States in late Nov 2010, I filed I-130 for her and here we are...

Regarding some comments I did not know what to respond to the CO, I only responded what the CO asked for in the most honest way, most details, etc. That was all I could do or think of. And hope that they would be considerate and understand our case and approve it, so that we could be together soon..

What other advice I could have from you guys? Please help anything. Thanks.

It seemed like you went through a lot. Such selfish in your wife's family after you went through for them. I hope your new wife will help you forget your past. I'm in AP as well. I was never married and my fiancee was never married. It seemed like most cases in HCMC are typical resulted in Blue requesting for the same information. I plan to go back to Vietnam in December if I don't hear anything from HCMC Consulate because that will be 6 months in AP. This is will be my 5th trip.

[quann 26]

seriously...a house and nail shop is alot of money and commitment. either it wasn't your money to start out with or you're incredibly generous to some very ungrateful people. you paint yourself as some naive sympathetic figure who just wanted to do the right thing amidst great turmoil and willing to walk away empty-handed so your ex and her family can enjoy the fruit of your labor? then seemingly not learned anything you rush into another marriage in vietnam. you are like the walking buddha...and a much better man than me.