Last Things Before The Interview

[Hy Vong 9]

Hi All,

It's been 7 months since I came here for help and ideas on filing the K-1 Visa. Everything went well on my case, no additional paperworks were needed by the USCIS or the Consulate.

And now my fiancee is scheduled for an interview in less than 2 weeks.

I took a short trip to Vietnam last month, brought with me all the paperwork, evidences. We also had the engagement party, it was really nice and I love her more each day.

When i was in Vietnam, I called DoS and they said the interview letter was sent out and they gave me the interview date. 2 days later, my fiancee and I received the letter in Vietnam at her province.

We then travelled to Saigon and paid the visa fee at Citibank.

I came back to the U.S. and my fiancee went to Cho Ray hospital and got her health checked. The doctor said her health is good, nothing wrong and doctor gave her the sealed envelope of the results.

We've been practicing around 200 questions and answers about us, our families, and our relationship on a daily basis over the phone.

Regarding the paperwork.

What I brought to my fiancee and she will bring that to the consulate on the interview day. Please let me know if this is a correct way to do it.

So there is a big binder that I made, inside the binder, I use the clear pockets like dividers, on each of these pockets, I put each type of requested paper work by the consulate (package 4) inside and made label for it. For example, pocket "Interview Letter" i put the interview letter in there, for pocket "Visa Fee" i put the receipt of the fee i paid at Citibank, and so on.....

What I really need to know is, should I include the Timeline, the 10 years residency of myself and of my fiancee in the binder as well and hand the entire binder the to consulate when they ask her or should we take out the Time line and 10 years residency and only give them when they ask for?

Please provide any ideas, things to know that might help my finance better prepare for the interview.

Edited October 1, 2012 by Hy Vong

[pieroot 43]

you may want to check on the country portal to see if other members can give you some insight on what to expect for the interview. I believe that VN is a tough country. Best of luck to you both.

[ScottThuy 140]

How is she going to get the required documents from the "big binder" through that little slot in at the bottom of the window? They will normally only 'accept' what they ask for.

[Hy Vong 9]

Scott,

There are so many documents like hand written letters, receipts, airline tickets, forms, pictures,....passports, income taxes,....

It would be so hard to organize them without having them in the binder with divider pockets. Even we put all of these in a big envelope that wouldn't be so organized like a binders with different clear pockets when we take them out.

Can she carry the binder with her and if they ask her to slide all these under the slot of the door then she can take each of these pockets out and slide them in? I just don't understand why they choose a method to slide all these stuff under the slot of the door. Why wouldn't they just take the one complete organized package.

I read through package 4 instructions, I didn't see how they want us to pack all the documents, except listing them in order.

[Anh map 2,098]

Bring everything and then she will submit what is requested. Having it organized so that she can find everything is good. But do not expect the interviewing officer to flip through a binder or sift through a file folder.

[ScottThuy 140]

its a security thing. They dont want the CSR's having any physical contact or for you to have the possibility of getting to them. So they sit behing a very thick wall of glass/plastic.. There is a very small opening at the bottom to pass documents to them. A thick binder being passed to them is not an option. If she carries everything in a binder, she WILL have to remove the required items to pass them to the officer. So be prepared to take them out when the time comes.

You can argue the logic of it all you want... won't change a thing.the consulate in VN defies logic.. it's their game and they make the rules.. I'm just trying to help you avoid a cumbersome mess when the time comes. What you have indicated she is bringing, is a small fraction of what others have carried in.. Some have taken in large boxes full. Ours were in an accordian file with sections built in. everything tabbed and labeled. easy to get each item as they ask for them.

[jac_chappin 24]

OP - You can use rings to keep everything together. I used clear folder like inserts and labeled them first visit, 2nd visit etc..

Also, I had two stacks of evidence. One for before Dam Hoi and the other after. I had a table of content of what was contained in each stack. As others have mentioned, the opening to submit paper is very small.

Quite frankly it took me quite a bit of time to put things together. I included the time line and the 10 year residency in the first stack (pre dam hoi). The CO knew it was there due to table of content for each stack.

I hope this helps!

Best wishes!

[Ruinthere 0]

Here's how it works:

She'd be given a number after she checked in.

She'd be called twice.

First time when she's called to a certain window, someone will look into, organize, make sure she has all the forms with her, it will also be the time they return the originals to her ( birth cert. divorce paper etc ).

Second time when called is the actual interview.

It is very important that she submit the timeline before the actual interview, a format that the CO are accustomed to. Make sure it's notarized. You don't want to give them any excuse to give you a blue.

Good luck

[KennyJ 10]

Sorry if I hijacked your thread, can you or someone please send me a template for 10yrs of residence? Also I thought one of the question on i129 it already asked for 10 years so we have to have another document for that?

[quann 26]

Sorry if I hijacked your thread, can you or someone please send me a template for 10yrs of residence? Also I thought one of the question on i129 it already asked for 10 years so we have to have another document for that?

include addresses you've lived the last 10 years and names of people living there, your relationship to them, and their phone numbers. some go as far as including photocopies of driver licenses and util bills for proof (unnecessary unless you've got a unique situation imo).

the interview is simple, you play by their rules and try not to complicate or muck up the process further and let them do their job. it will lead to a more pleasant experience for everyone. first time they call you up will be for all the packet 4 documents and accompanying paperworks(tax transcrips timeline residencies etc so have that ready and separate from your evidences). then the interview have all your evidences in neat stacks and ready for submittal when they ask (PHOTOS in chrono order, chat/phone records, ancillery evidences such as flights/hotels/restaurant receits etc). accordian-type folder is perfect.

[Hy Vong 9]

Thanks guys,

Ok, I'll tell her to bring the binder with her but be prepared to take all the documents out and slide under the slot of the door when they ask for.

I'll tell her to have the timeline ready and hand it to them right before the interview.

KoJ,

Here is my 10 years residency template.

KoJ

2121 Washington St

New York, NY 12345

Cell: (234) 567-7890

Email: KoJ@yahoo.com

U.S. Consulate General

Immigrant Visa Section

4 Le Duan Street, District 01

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Case Number: HCM 111-111-1111

Re: 10 years residency of petitioner, KoJ

I, KoJ, a citizen of the U.S., the following is a sworn affidavit documenting the 10 years residency during 2002 to present.

1.

01/2011-present

Address:

1212 Washington St

New York, NY 12345

Lived with:

Landlord: Thanh Xuan, DOB: 01/07/1955

Landlord: Bob Dole, DOB: 03/14/1959

Phone: (610) 459-1235

2.

03/2010-12/2010

Address:

1234 Lincoln. # D

Garden Grove, CA 94844

Lived with:

Mother: Sarah Paling

DOB: 04/20/1946

Phone: (714) 351-9865

3.

08/2002-11/2009

8212 8th St

Gablber, CO 87101

Lived by myself in an apartment of LASP’s campus

Phone: 575-835-1345

I, KoJ, a citizen of the U.S and currently reside at 2121 Washington St, New York, NY 12345, do hereby state that the following is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.

______________________________________ ____________________________________

Name Signature

---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----- ---- ------ ---- ------ ------ ------- ---- ---- ---- ---- --------

State of__________________________

County of__________________________

On this _______ day of _____________, 2012, before me, a Notary Public for said County and State, personally appeared ______________________, known or identified to me, to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument, and acknowledged to me that he executed the same.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal the day and year in this certificate first above written.

Notary Public for the State of California

________________________________________


Notary Signature


(SEAL)

________________________________________

Name

________________________________________

Residing at

________________________________________

Commission Expires

[Hy Vong 9]

1 more thing that I need advices for the interview.

on package 4, they said to label one package of evidences BEFORE ENGAGEMENT and the other package AFTER ENGAGEMENT.

We took a lot of pictures of the ENGAGEMENT, where should these pictures be?

I also plan to have all the evidences that I sent when I filed the I-129F into the BEFORE ENGAGEMENT package, this is a correct thing to do right?

[Ruinthere 0]

1 more thing that I need advices for the interview.

on package 4, they said to label one package of evidences BEFORE ENGAGEMENT and the other package AFTER ENGAGEMENT.

We took a lot of pictures of the ENGAGEMENT, where should these pictures be?

I also plan to have all the evidences that I sent when I filed the I-129F into the BEFORE ENGAGEMENT package, this is a correct thing to do right?

Organize your photos in stacks and rubber banded, roughly 1" to 1 1/2" thick, because if they ask for photos, they want to flip thru the whole stack, you don't hand over the photos one by one. IN your case, one stack before engagement, one stack of engagement photos and the last stack for the trip you took after the engement

[Hy Vong 9]

her interview is next week and we both are very worried. She is very nervous, everyone in our two families are waiting for the news from her on that day. I think about her interview all the times and it would be so sad for both of us if she doesn't pass.

Edited October 8, 2012 by Hy Vong

[Hy Vong 9]

The thing I am worried the most is I can't be there on the interview with her. People on this forum said having to be there with your fiancee gives your higher chance of passing else it would be tough. I am so worried.