pre visa process, marriage documentation info needed

[PnD2014 0]

Hi all, new forum member here. My name is Paul, and my girlfriend in Vung Tau and I are just starting on this journey and need help with the process. As you can imagine, there are a lot of questions, and a lot of advice from friends and family. I hope I am posting this in the right forum.

First off, we are planning on marrying in Vietnam in September. We are in the process of gathering documentation and the necessary forms.

I found a page on the Vietnam Embassy website that outlines the documents needed, and allows you to gather, have notarized, and send in the documents to be certified by the embassy, BEFORE traveling to Vietnam to get married. http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular/legalization-document-marriage-registration

it has a list of documents to send in, along with a certified photocopy of my passport (info and pic) and then I will receive the items certified by the embassy, along with Power of Attorney for her to apply for the marriage license before I arrive.

She is concerned that the local justice in Vung Tau will not accept the documents (even though they are certified by her government)

She picked up a packet from her local office, and they look similar to what is on the Embassy website, with two distinct differences.

1) the forms she received have a stamp on them from Vung Tau and are printed in Vietnamese only.

2) the forms on the Embassy website have both English AND Vietnamese on them; no need for translation later.

My question concerning this situation is, has anyone here used the Embassy forms (and had them certified through the embassy) and been successful when applying for the marriage license/certificate?

I know we will need those forms translated later for the visa process (K3/IR1-CR1) and this would save us time and money in the long run, and make things easier and faster for us, when I go to Vietnam in September.

[skyking02 11]

i'm sorry to say this but the Vietnam Embassy website is a POS. I called them and they can't even answer a simple question. Tell me to call Vietnam and ask.

if anyone can answer OP questions, it would be great. since we are in the same boat.

[anly8872 25]

Hi all, new forum member here. My name is Paul, and my girlfriend in Vung Tau and I are just starting on this journey and need help with the process. As you can imagine, there are a lot of questions, and a lot of advice from friends and family. I hope I am posting this in the right forum.

First off, we are planning on marrying in Vietnam in September. We are in the process of gathering documentation and the necessary forms.

I found a page on the Vietnam Embassy website that outlines the documents needed, and allows you to gather, have notarized, and send in the documents to be certified by the embassy, BEFORE traveling to Vietnam to get married. http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular/legalization-document-marriage-registration

it has a list of documents to send in, along with a certified photocopy of my passport (info and pic) and then I will receive the items certified by the embassy, along with Power of Attorney for her to apply for the marriage license before I arrive.

She is concerned that the local justice in Vung Tau will not accept the documents (even though they are certified by her government)

She picked up a packet from her local office, and they look similar to what is on the Embassy website, with two distinct differences.

1) the forms she received have a stamp on them from Vung Tau and are printed in Vietnamese only.

2) the forms on the Embassy website have both English AND Vietnamese on them; no need for translation later.

My question concerning this situation is, has anyone here used the Embassy forms (and had them certified through the embassy) and been successful when applying for the marriage license/certificate?

I know we will need those forms translated later for the visa process (K3/IR1-CR1) and this would save us time and money in the long run, and make things easier and faster for us, when I go to Vietnam in September.

You need to do all of embassy forms as they required. When approved your file, they will send all of them back to you. In Vietnam, you have to redo Application for Marriage Registration in their form. Dont worry about that, you do anything embassy required in here and redo anything in local justice. The funny thing is embassy doesnt accept local justice forms and local justice doesnt accept embassy form. I did twice, so trust me

[jerezblack 1]

You are better off getting a fiance visa to bring her over and get married on document in the states. You can do the private ceremony for the engagement and wedding there, but it will be quicker and not as painful to go through the whole process of getting married there. When you get married in Vietnam, get ready to open up your wallet with open arms to get that marriage certificate.

[skyking02 11]

You need to do all of embassy forms as they required. When approved your file, they will send all of them back to you. In Vietnam, you have to redo Application for Marriage Registration in their form. Dont worry about that, you do anything embassy required in here and redo anything in local justice. The funny thing is embassy doesnt accept local justice forms and local justice doesnt accept embassy form. I did twice, so trust me

so don't waste time doing the paperwork over here? since we have to redo it in vn anyway right?

[PnD2014 0]

Well, it looks like I dodged what could have been a very expensive bullet. All the plans we made, sudenly got changed one evening, and now from what she is saying, it sounds like she has found someone with a fatter wallet.

known her for 2 1/2 years, been a 'couple' for almost 6 months, and I initiated the relationship based on who she made herself out to be, and the fact that she never once mentioned anything remotely close to wanting a relationship with me, or wanting out of Vietnam, or anything like that which would indicate to me that I was bidding against someone else. She went so far as to have her uncle, or cousin, or whatever he is, ask me when I would have the money for gifts for her family for the wedding. He knew the exact dollar amount, although I had never told him, that she had told me a month ago. And 30 seconds after telling him no, she said she was sorry but she had changed her mind. At that time she and I had discussed this, I had inquired as to why she was changing our plans, and things got stranger from there. There are other oddities as well, in all of this. Random messages/texts and phone calls from people at times that make me think there is a lot more than meets the eye here.

needless to say, it is over and done with. My trip to Vietnam in September is now on hold. Part of me still wants to go, but my brain is telling me not to, because I currently have no purpose to be there (and a potential purpose to be elsewhere).

Live and learn, I guess, but I am a bit 'gun shy' so to speak.

[PnD2014 0]

Reading comprehension goes a long way, although I could have been more specific.

It is over and done with. With HER.

I still would like to go to Vietnam, for a vacation.

[PnD2014 0]

Guess the saying "No money, no honey" still is true for some people in life?

Hah! She's now on the look out for the new "sucker"!

And there's that saying "a new sucker born every minute"!

This lady is stupid though. Have to wait til he's got some pu$$$y first to hook the sucker in.

Then after that, Iphones, laptops, whatever she wants, she gets.

Someboby, please coach this lady for better game plan for her next sucker!

She already has one, that is why she "dumped" me. He's been in a "relationship" with her the entire time, supposedly. He has already visited her family once, and is there again tomorrow for the engagement ceremony. He's got the money, and is making lots of promises apparently, about documents for other family members.

Whatever. If she wants to spread for money, that's her gig.

Moving-on time for me.

Edited June 20, 2014 by PnD2014

[PnD2014 0]

Nah, not 'poor' Paul.

'Dumb' Paul, perhaps.

like I said, I got out cheap.

The poor sap she is going to marry is the one who is really going to be "poor" as I have no doubt, from the things I know now (and what I learned from her cousin about the situation) that she has no intention of staying married to him once she gets out of Vietnam and gets legalized where she is going. She made it pretty clear what her intentions are, she just didn't realize she was doing so. Just had to learn to read between the lines, so to speak.

I am not the first, and I am sure I wont be the last that this sort of thing has happened too.

But if what I experienced and posted about can spare someone else, then I've done a good thing today.

[skyking02 11]

Nah, not 'poor' Paul.

'Dumb' Paul, perhaps.

like I said, I got out cheap.

The poor sap she is going to marry is the one who is really going to be "poor" as I have no doubt, from the things I know now (and what I learned from her cousin about the situation) that she has no intention of staying married to him once she gets out of Vietnam and gets legalized where she is going. She made it pretty clear what her intentions are, she just didn't realize she was doing so. Just had to learn to read between the lines, so to speak.

I am not the first, and I am sure I wont be the last that this sort of thing has happened too.

But if what I experienced and posted about can spare someone else, then I've done a good thing today.

but she didn't tell u this important info until now?

[skyking02 11]

Guess the saying "No money, no honey" still is true for some people in life?

Hah! She's now on the look out for the new "sucker"!

And there's that saying "a new sucker born every minute"!

This lady is stupid though. Have to wait til he's got some pu$$$y first to hook the sucker in.

Then after that, Iphones, laptops, whatever she wants, she gets.

Someboby, please coach this lady for better game plan for her next sucker!

here we go again.

[PnD2014 0]

but she didn't tell u this important info until now?

She didn't have to tell me. I just didn't "see" everything I was reading/hearing in various conversations I have had with her and her family, because I wasn't paying attention.

The guy in Chicago that made her wait 5 years.

The guy from Italy that she couldn't get a visa to go see, that she was in love with.

The cousin in Australia that she wanted to go visit, because it is much easier to get a visa to Australia than the U.S.

Her parents saying she will marry someone, after they have already agreed to let her marry someone else.

Sometimes stepping back and acutely analyzing things, really makes everything become crystal clear.

this is about money, and her getting out of Vietnam.

I was just being dumb.

[skyking02 11]

She didn't have to tell me.

then you don't need to associate with them anymore.

[PnD2014 0]

Trust me, Paul, the other chap is not stupid! He knows very well what's in the game for him. He plays it along because right now he's got what he's after, a cheap and quick "sexual" relationship. He prob can't do that "legally" here in the States.

Both sides benefit from this "symbiotic" relationship. Sadly but true, that's how it is in Vietnam nowadays.

So don't feel "dumb" or anything. If you feel like playing that kinda game, that's your gig. Nobody cares or should intervene in your personal love life.

I do feel dumb because I got played lol.

It's ok though.

what comes around goes around.

She wants out of Vietnam, that's what she apparently is getting.

Her needs, her choice.

I just don't see it being a real relationship, so as long as he understands that and is getting what he wants, more power to him lol

[PnD2014 0]

then you don't need to associate with them anymore.

If you are referring to her, I don't.

I don't associate with women like that.

If you are referring to my friend, I am not sure how knowing one person that simply knows other people is a reason to disassociate with my friend.