Preparing Document Order For Interview

[Lurker 0]

I understand that there is a document order in which to put all the documents for the interview. We haven't gotten the packet 4 yet, but I would like to jump ahead a bit and somehow get the order. Could someone that has been through this enlighten some of us on the correct document order?

I am also confused on the difference between the DS-230 Part 1, DS-230 Part 2, and DS-230. This seems a bit confusing.

I am also confused on the 156 and the 156k. There wording on the HCMC website contradicts the use of the 156 and the 156k and if you fill it out as a K-1 visa or not.

[Tony_H 0]

Hi Lurker,

I just got done with preparing my documents, so this is what you can use as the guideline.

Assemble the documents listed below in the order they are listed and bring all of the documents (originals and photocopies) pertinent to your case with you to your interview. Your application will be refused if you fail to bring all required documentation. Do not mail the following documents to the Consulate General. Bring them with you to the interview.

a. Your Appointment Letter

b. Color visa photographs (see instruction attached)

c. MRV payment receipt

d. ID card (CMND) (original and photocopy)

e. Household registration book (original and photocopy)

f. Passport valid for at least eight months past the date of visa issuance (original and one photocopy for each applicant). Please note that we require one photocopy for each applicant, including children who are listed in their parent’s passport.

g. Form DS-156, Nonimmigrant Visa Application (in duplicate), Form DS-156K, Nonimmigrant Fiancé(e) Visa Application (single copy, only for fiancé(e) visa applicant), and Form DS-230 Part I, Application for immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Part I-Biographic Data. Fill these forms out completely in English, using a typewriter or printing in block letters. Every numbered part must be completed. If any paragraph does not apply to your case, write in “Not Applicable” or “N/A”. Form DS-l56 (in duplicate), Form DS-230 Part I must be completed for each member of your family who plans to travel with you. PLEASE SIGN ALL PAGES EXCEPT THE FORM DS-156K; YOU WILL HAVE TO SIGN THIS FORM IN THE PRESENCE OF THE CONSULAR OFFICER.

PLEASE NOTE: Responses to question on the Form DS-230 Part I and Form DS-156, visa application forms must be complete and accurate. Addresses given must be actual places of residence (where you sleep and eat), not addresses once used for household registration. Addresses and telephone numbers must belong to the person indicated; if beneficiary or petitioner does not have his/her own dwelling or phone number, applicant must so state. If a contact address or phone number is that of a relative or friend, applicant must so state. Failure to follow these instructions could result in processing delays or in refusal of the visa application.

h. Birth Certificate for each applicant and the petitioner (original and photocopy)

i. Evidence of the legal termination of any prior marriages by you or the petitioner: divorce decree or death certificate of spouse, if applicable (original and photocopy)

j. A typed single status statement certified by the local authorities for all female applicants age 18 and over and all male applicants age 20 and over who are single, divorced, or windowed.

k. Police Certificate(s) issued within the past year by the Department of Justice office in your district of official residence as registered in your household registration book (Ho Khau) for each applicant age 16 and over. In Ho Chi Minh City, you may apply for a police certificate at the Department of Justice at 143 Pasteur, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.

l. Foreign Police Certificate(s) for persons age 16 and over from any country in which you resided for more than six months

m. Court and prison records, if applicable

n. Military record, if applicable

o. Medical examination results

p. Affidavit of Support, Form 1-134 and the specified financial documents:

Affidavits of Support (Form 1-134) must be signed by the sponsor and notarized by a Notary Public no more than one year prior to the date of interview. Please submit one copy of the 1- 134 for each applicant.

Complete tax returns and W-2s for the past year

An official letter of employment (on company letterhead) signed within the past year or a valid business license for the petitioner

Proof of your relationship with the petitioner and your derivative family members (see below):

YOU ARE STRONGLY URGED TO PERSONALLY KEEP A DUPLICATE FILE COPY OF ALL DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR VISA APPLICATION.

PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP: Please be prepared to present suitable documentation to establish the bona-fides of your relationship with your petitioner at the time of your visa interview. The type of documentation you present will depend on your particular circumstances. Failure to present satisfactory documentation may delay or prevent issuance of your visa. The following types of documentation have proven helpful in the past in adjudication of visa cases involving engagement or marriages.

Photographs of you and your fiancé(s) together, photographs of your engagement ceremony/party, letters and/or e-mails that you have exchanged, telephone bills from your fiancé(e) showing that you and your fiancé(e) are in telephonic contact with each other or any other evidence to demonstrate that you and your fiancé (e) maintain an on-going relationship with each other from the time the relationship began. Please arrange all materials in chronological order.

NOTE: Do not bring photo albums. Remove relevant photos from albums and bring loose photos only.

Receipts showing joint obligations for housing and living expenses, such as rent, utilities, telephone, etc.

Correspondence to both you and your fiancé(e) from family members;

Evidence that those who know the parties recognize them as a couple, such as invitations, cards, correspondence, and so forth;

Any other documentation or evidence would be suitable which shows a bona fide relationship exists.

[Lurker 0]

This is a great post. Thank you for your time in responding to this question.

[Yodrak 7]

Lurker,

DS-230 consists of two parts, DS-230 Part 1 and DS-230 Part 2. Each part has a subtitle at the top giving the function of the part.

Look at the form.

Yodrak

.....

I am also confused on the difference between the DS-230 Part 1, DS-230 Part 2, and DS-230. This seems a bit confusing.

.....

[Lurker 0]

Lurker,

DS-230 consists of two parts, DS-230 Part 1 and DS-230 Part 2. Each part has a subtitle at the top giving the function of the part.

Look at the form.

Yodrak

.....

I am also confused on the difference between the DS-230 Part 1, DS-230 Part 2, and DS-230. This seems a bit confusing.

.....

So I guess my question would be then...If we filled out a Part II already and sent that in from packet 3, does this mean we have to bring another copy to the interview?

I am just looking at the Embassy Info area for HCMC and it shows that you have to submitt a Part II when mailing the packet 3 request, and then you have to bring another Part II to the interview.

Edited January 18, 2007 by Lurker

[ridejewel 0]

Can I ask how you put all of those in order? Did you use a folder, or a paperclip? Kind of a stupid question, but me and my fiancee are getting ready to organize all that stuff. I know some of it's hard to clip together. Maybe we'll end up with a big airline bag full of papers...

[Lurker 0]

Can I ask how you put all of those in order? Did you use a folder, or a paperclip? Kind of a stupid question, but me and my fiancee are getting ready to organize all that stuff. I know some of it's hard to clip together. Maybe we'll end up with a big airline bag full of papers...

I still am not sure how we are going to bind everything together. When i find out I will let you know.

[STL_HCMC 0]

For my wife's interview, we categorized, prioritized and time/date organized all of the evidence. All of the specifically requested evidence (i.e. the listed documents in packet 4) were put in order. All of the other supporting evidence was divided into two groups: primary and secondary evidnece. How you determine primary versus secondary evidence is up to you and specific to the type of supporting evidence that you have for your case.

In our case, handwritten letters, our house rental agreement (I was living/working in Vietnam throughout the whole K1 process), photos, wedding party invitations addressed to both of us, plane tickets and hotel receipts from travel together within Vietnam, etc., were all categorized and prioritized based on what we thought would be the most important for the interviewing officer to see first. All of this was then put into a large plastic envelope and my wife was aware this was the primary evidence envelope.

This same process was followed for our secondary evidence (i.e. MobiFone records, emails between her and my family, etc.). This was then put into another plastic envelope and she was aware this was the secondary evidence.

Just FYI for how we completed the interview prep. I've also posted on a few other threads regarding this same topic.

Best of luck!

STL_HCMC

[Tony_H 0]

Can I ask how you put all of those in order? Did you use a folder, or a paperclip? Kind of a stupid question, but me and my fiancee are getting ready to organize all that stuff. I know some of it's hard to clip together. Maybe we'll end up with a big airline bag full of papers...

I prepared 2 3-ring binders 1" & 2". They both have many clear plastic pre-punched pockets. I insert each document and its copy in each pocket. The first pocket has a table of content with titles and numbers of all pockets. The first binder contains all required documents per packet 4's order. The second binder has all the proofs of relationship in the same manner. I have an extra copy for everything in both binders. Loosed pictures are ordered chronologically and group together per trip and in a labeled envelope. The medical exam result is too big because it has the X-ray so I asked to carry it separately but there is a placeholder in the binder for it. I also used 2 type of stick-on labels, 3"x .5" long, and .75" round.

She has a copy of each table of content to hand to the interview officer. She can quickly look up the item needed and go directly to that pocket to get it.

The reason that I used clear plastic pockets because each item or group of items can be seen easily through the pocket, easily grouped together, moved around, added on, not having to punch holes in anything, or not stapled, nor clipped together. Things like the passport, Household reg. book, ID, boarding passes, hotel bills, etc.. can drop into these pockets easily. The title label was put on the pocket first while collecting documents. The numbering scheme was added on last when all documents are in place and ready by using small round labels as numbered in the table of content.

I found this method very easy for me to organize, move around, update, and change my materials throughout this process. I started it in July and have been adding to it as needed through now. So on Tuesday when she goes to her interview, all she has to worry about is to bring those 2 binders with her and she can be organized through the interview process.

It is probably not the best way but it has been great for me.

[STL_HCMC 0]

The beauty of this board is the ability for everyone to share their individual experiences and methods, and then for others to piece together others' ideas with their own to make the process smoother for each!

STL_HCMC

[patricks 0]

I gotta chime-in on this one:

I made the big mistake of putting our documents inside plastic sleeves then I put them into a 3 ring binder (30 pages of plastic sleeves).

My wife went to the window and the CO said politely, "Can you please take all those documents out of the plastic sleeves and we'll call you back up to the window in a little while...."

If I had to do it all over again I would use a large "alligator clip" that holds at least 20 to 30 pages together. Live and Learn....

[andrew va thuy 0]

Thanks - I almost used the same idea with the plastic sleeves. Do the documents get turned over through the window for some time ( several hours > ) while the staff reviews them ? Did they take the binder with the 3 rings in the window - just without the sleeves ? I have purchased small folder with posts to hold and organize the items with dividers. If it gets broken up by the consulate, I need another idea so birth certificates, divorce papers and everything else doesnt become a first class fiasco.

[David-Hien 11]

I gotta chime-in on this one:

I made the big mistake of putting our documents inside plastic sleeves then I put them into a 3 ring binder (30 pages of plastic sleeves).

My wife went to the window and the CO said politely, "Can you please take all those documents out of the plastic sleeves and we'll call you back up to the window in a little while...."

If I had to do it all over again I would use a large "alligator clip" that holds at least 20 to 30 pages together. Live and Learn....

Patricks,

Please tell me that you put many pages in one plastic sleeves or only one page??

Oh, it will be problem for me too, I arranged each page of paper in one plastic sleeve. The evidences such as phone bills, envelops, ...and the original documents cannot be made a hole to keep in the binders.

How can we keep it separately and in order to see easily?? Anyone had experiences, pls help..

Hien

[Lurker 0]

I gotta chime-in on this one:

I made the big mistake of putting our documents inside plastic sleeves then I put them into a 3 ring binder (30 pages of plastic sleeves).

My wife went to the window and the CO said politely, "Can you please take all those documents out of the plastic sleeves and we'll call you back up to the window in a little while...."

If I had to do it all over again I would use a large "alligator clip" that holds at least 20 to 30 pages together. Live and Learn....

Patricks,

Please tell me that you put many pages in one plastic sleeves or only one page??

Oh, it will be problem for me too, I arranged each page of paper in one plastic sleeve. The evidences such as phone bills, envelops, ...and the original documents cannot be made a hole to keep in the binders.

How can we keep it separately and in order to see easily?? Anyone had experiences, pls help..

Hien

With the help of another VJer, we have also thought of the idea of creating a document master list...with an ordered numbering scheme. Then everything will just be clipped together. But on each section of documents, there is a sticky tab piece of paper with the coorisponding number which is referenced in the master document. So basically there are paper tabs stuck (removable) to each section. Make sense?

[Tony_H 0]

Thanks to Patricks' shared experience, I modified part of our materials. Since we have 2 binders, 1 for required documents and 1 for relationship proofs, we pulled everything out of the first binder and grouped them together in the required order. There seems to be no large allligator clip available overthere, so we bought several smaller ones for holding documents together in smaller groups. Then we are putting all fo them into a large and long folder pocket with open side for carrying purpose.

We decided to keep all of our proofs in the sleeves for easy access until she's asked. Since she will be holding on to that binder and wait for the question, it will help her get them out quickly. She will still give the interview officer the master list of all proofs. We are assuming that they will ask for the proofs when it's time to do so during the interview. Is that correct?

The first group of documents still has the master list in front and will be presented to the clerk at the window for checking. She will tell them that the proofs are in the binders to be presented separately.

It's too late for us to devise another acceptable document arrangement at this point. So I hope this works. Please pray for us.

Many thanks.