Cambodian VJ Thread

[SqdnGuns 21]

Question:

What telco provider(s) does your SO in Cambodia for their cell phone?

Thanks!

I Cant remember. She told me once.....cause I have had so many problems trying to get her with my long distance provider..I will find out again.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff

[nighttrain19 0]

Question:

What telco provider(s) does your SO in Cambodia for their cell phone?

Thanks!

I Cant remember. She told me once.....cause I have had so many problems trying to get her with my long distance provider..I will find out again.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff

I think most people use Mobitel in Cambodia.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Hello Friends!!!

I like to know how I would find out if the overseas consulate office have recieved the case forwarded by NVC. And, I would like to also know how I would be able to obtain packet 3 for k-3 by email. Thank you!

Calling the Phnom Penh Embassy is out of the question, unless you have some advice about calling.

[N/A 0]

CM, I wish I could tell you something. I dont know if K-3s are the same as K1. I have been just following Dustin and Lace's comments and waiting. I sent P.P. 2 emails and did finally, as you can see in past posts, get a reply from them from the first email I sent. They said they just received my petition And will be sending out a pack 3 to me and my fiancee'. Could be they just got to it or just found it....Smells kind of fishy to me...This place is not to good. Leaving everyone hanging...

Send them an email inquirey if you have not already. wait a week or so and send another. What else? I never tried to call them cause of Lace's comments.

I just spent the last 3 evenings on Yahoo IM filling out forms with my SO and trying to get them right. What a pain. Total of about 10 or more hrs. Poor girl dont understand these things. We have a K2 and decided bring the 4 yr old with her, instead of following to join as previously planned, cause of the poor cummunications with this consulate. And also thought he should have his own passport, cause the guy at the ministry of interior said he does not need one when she went and got hers long time back. So this took some time and $$ And yesterday, 7-18-07 (cambodia) she finally mailed pack 3

Jeff

[N/A 0]

Question:

What telco provider(s) does your SO in Cambodia for their cell phone?

Thanks!

I Cant remember. She told me once.....cause I have had so many problems trying to get her with my long distance provider..I will find out again.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff

Sorry SqdnGuns, I keep forgetting to ask her, been extremely busy, but I will the next time I talk to her...

J.

[Dustin Nila 0]

Hello,

I'm back in USA now, my wife and dog are here with me....I am very happy!....if u guys need any advise, please let me know.

..

during the interview process, CO only asked basic questions, a few questions about me..ect...process took about 15mins.

we gave them an evidence package, included engagment photos (25 pcs.), 4 pages phone bill, 5 pages email, 6 pages westernunion, 20 phone cards stapled on white paper, engagement certificate...after the interview finished, they returned evidence package to u....visa approved July 5th....Pick up Visa on July 13th..........Good Lucks!!!

[Dustin Nila 0]

POE--SFO--plane landed 730pm...walked directly to New Immigrant line, Custom Officer marked (A) on our filled custom paper and sent us to Visitor line...got stucked 30 minutes in line...there are mixed race of Custom Officers, asian, black, white...we chose the black CO, he was very nice and friendly. the process took us around around 4minutes...we were directed to (A) line, asian CO scanned and opened one of our luggage, found shrimp paste and dried fish!!! oops! as for the dog, took us about 40 seconds to verified vaccine paperwork.....heading out to the parking lot.....Good Lucks!

[Dustin Nila 0]

Hi, u can use internet phone, once the call finished, ask the shop owner to print out call logs...and keep it a safe place...

good lucks!!!

[nighttrain19 0]

Hi, u can use internet phone, once the call finished, ask the shop owner to print out call logs...and keep it a safe place...

good lucks!!!

WELCOME BACK!!! My Sincerest Congrats to you both so very much!!

What questions did they ask you both? Can you answer both in english and Khmer? So it looks like it took a week to pick up the visa. How did you go about getting seats together for the flight home? We sent in our Pack 3 almost 4 weeks ago and am feeling very antsy and want to know now when we'll get our interview!

I wanna hear how things went for Lace also when they get back.

[Lace 0]

Hello friends,

I just got back to the US with my fiance. I know my signature is messed up now but I will fix that later. Now, on with the review...

Our interview was on July 2nd at 7AM. We got there at 6AM and waited. There were two lines and the guards asked my fiance to stay in the immigrant line (K1 is a non immigrant visa but they treat it like an immigrant visa). We were the 2nd in line. The guard calls each person to come inside one by one. When our turn comes the guard stopped me and asked if I was a US Citizen. I showed him my passport and the guard stated that I was not allowed to attend the interview with my fiance. This is still outside the embassy. He said if there's any problem I could come back at 1PM during the US Citizens hour to discuss. So I handed my fiance my passport and waited across the street. The rest is my fiance's account.

She was lead to a room where she waited alittle bit. They than called the first person in line to come up to Window 5. The person was missing an employment letter, her Cambodian ID, and a few other documents. She was told to come back with the needed documents to proceed forward. They asked her to leave the building and come back once everything is in order. They than asked the next person in line to come to Window 5 (my fiance). They looked through her documents and saw we had everything needed. They than asked her for some evidence. **************** IMPORTANT as I believe this is what the CO will review before the actual interview **************** She showed them our evidence including my passport with the boarding passes. The person gave her back my passport and said it isn't needed. They took a few pictures of my first, second, and third trip to Cambodia. They also took our Engagement DVD, about 5 engagement pictures, engagement invitation, guest list, engagement certificate, and also a few pictures of our engagement picture from our album (we hired a cameraman for our engagement ceremony). Than she was asked to proceed to Window 1 to pay the $100 visa fee (they accepted cash) and was given a number.

Since the original first person had left this left my fiance the first in line. She was nervous than and asked one of the other girls if they wanted to switch places. They decline her offer. When her number was called she saw a single Caucasian male. He looked at her carrying all the evidence and was just laughing and shaking his head. When she saw him smile she was no longer nervous. The CO greeted her in the Cambodian custom calling her bong even thou he's much older. My fiance put her evidence on a desk there and greeted him back. The CO looked at some of the pictures they took earlier and the first photo was of my sneaking a kiss on our cheek at the airport (I was caught red handed). My fiance said the CO saw that and again, he laughs. He stared at it for about 1 minute and kept smiling. While he was looking at that picture the conversation between my fiance and the CO went something close to this:

CO: When was the first time you meet your Fiance?

My Fiance: It was October 24th, 2007.

CO: 2007?

My Fiance: 2006!

CO: 2006?

My Fiance: 2007

CO: 2007?

My Fiance: No, no, no it's 2006! 2006! 2006!

The CO started laughing historically and my fiance was smiling.

CO: How many trips did he made to Cambodia?

My Fiance: This is his 3rd trip.

CO: Is your fiance in Cambodia right now?

My Fiance: Yes, he is waiting just outside the embassy.

CO: Did he came to Cambodia on his second trip? (Not sure if this is a trick question or what)

My Fiance: Yes, he came to Cambodia on his second trip.

The CO than proceed to look at my fiance to see if she was making eye contact, she was. My fiance smiled at him and he smiled at her back and looked through some of the other pictures.

CO: How did you and your fiance meet?

My Fiance: Both our parents knew each other since childhood. His parents ask him to stay with my family and I during his trip to Cambodia.

CO: Do you love your fiance?

My Fiance: Of course I do!

CO: Why do you love your fiance:

My Fiance: He's nice, friendly, respects both our parents including all my family member. Most of all, because he loves me.

The CO than saw the other 400+ pictures my fiance had with her and again, he started laughing and shaking his head. He began to look through the pictures they took from her earlier. He than saw the both of us with an elderly lady. He pointed at the elderly lady and asked my fiance who's she. My Fiance replied: My Grandmother. The CO than smiled and shook his head. He than told her to come and pick up her Visa on July 6th at 3PM.

One the way out my fiance dropped a few documents, pictures, etc etc etc. One of the security guard inside picked them up for her and proceeded to help her bring them out. He could clearly see she needed help carrying out. The guard also opened the doors for her. Outside I could see her smile from across the street. I knew what the results were. We came back on July 6th and picked up her Visa. We than stayed for our Ceremonial Wedding on July 15th (Yes, we planned this based on the Interview date). We are now here in the US and are taking a much needed rest.

The documents they took:

-Tax Returns for the past 5 years the 1040 form. (I also had my W2 and IRS Tax Transcript and copies of them but they didn't take either of them).

-My employment letter stating salary, length, and position.

-My employment letter with a newly earned raise.

-My County property value (I noted my home as an asset since I'm a home owner).

-Notarized 2nd letter of intent continuing my support for my fiance's K1 visa.

-The I-134 Old Version (I had both the new and old. They returned the new version back to us).

-Bank statement stating my present balance and when account was opened. Signed my a senior back admin.

-Most recent 3 or 4 pay stubs.

All in all, it went very well. Not sure if the others being interview were the same as my fiance was the first to be interviewed and she left right away after she passed. The most important thing IMO is to look at the CO straight in the eyes. Not to be afraid to smile (my fiance felt this helped). And to be overly prepare. It tells the CO alot when they can see great care was taken to prepare just for this interview and have all the documents and some ready. She also felt my being there helped as well.

I will put in a review in the Phnom Penh Embassy latter. Our passing mark will NOT have any impact on the performance of the Embassy. Meaning, well, since we passed let's give them a good review. How the staff behaves including the CO will from the start to finish.

[N/A 0]

Hardest part is over....

[Lace 0]

Few other important notes.

-You can have Pyramid do the Cambodian to English translation. The US Embassy had no problem accepting documents from them.

-For $45 USD you can have Pyramid fill out Packet 3 and they will also send it. Make sure to ask them to give you copies of everything. They send the required documents but ask them for a copy anyways. If you or your fiance isn't very familiar with this do so. This will save alot of headache and they know the local area and have connections with the local postal office. My fiance gave them the Packet 3 Pyramid filled out to the US Embassy during her interview with no problem.

-If your fiance is going to send it through the local postal office have him/her ask them to sent it out today nicely. Sometimes they sent it when they feel like it. Or take them forever if you piss them off. It's a different ball park there.

-When you get your police records it's now good for 3 months. They also charge extra for English translation. Accept their offer. The faster you need it the higher their price. Don't wait too long to get this done or you're end up having to pay a high price ($100+ USD).

-They only hand out Visas once a week between the hours of 3 - 4 PM only on Fridays. It's first come first serve. They ask the applications to enter 2 at a time and they call the names once inside. Many people missed it on their 1st week and had to come back and get it on the 2nd or 3rd week. There were over 200+ people trying to get their Visa on July 6th. By the time it ends most haven't even entered the building yet. And thus, had to come back next Friday. So when they open the gates everyone rushes in to cross the street which was not regulated. They hit a motorcyclist while dashing for the embassy door.

I plan on writing to my Senator my dissatisfaction on the following areas.

1) I was not allowed to wait inside the Embassy during my fiance's interview. It's fine they not allow me to attend as I don't plan on dictating how they run things. Rather they should take the safety of US Citizens into consideration. My embassy is right in front of me and I had to wait across the street for 3+ hours! It's pretty obvious I'm a US Citizen if I'm waiting in front of the Embassy. What if something were to happen?

2) They did not regulate the streets before allowing people to rush in line to get their Visa. This is not safe whatsoever. The people I spoke with felt they were being looked down upon. If they were already approved why not give them the dignity and pick up their Visa M-F 3-4PM instead of having them to rush in before they had to try another week?

I doubt anything is going to be done if enough people complains perhaps.

[nighttrain19 0]

Looking at Lace's and Dustin's timeline it seems that if you're scheduled and interview on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday then you can pick up your visa on Friday of the same week. If you're scheduled on a Thursday or Friday then you have to wait until the Friday of the following week. Am I right?

That is crazy that you're allowed to pick up during a 1 hour window once per week! Then you gotta make the mad dash and hope the streets are clear and that you and your fiancee can run faster than everyone else!

[N/A 0]

I'll be just happy getting the visa NT....picking it up later no biggie, we have waited this long what is a few more days..

[Lace 0]

The problem is this... Your there with your fiance. It would suck if your fiance couldn't pick up their visa and travel back to the US together. Now you either need to make a decision to stay alittle longer in HOPE they're get it next Friday and travel with them back to the US. Go back to the US and return to pick up your fiance at a later date. Or have your fiance travel to the US alone. We were luck enough to have my fiance pick up the Visa on time that the both of us including both my parents all traveled to the US together. There's no better way for my fiance to start her new life in the US than this IMO. Imagine what would happen if she didn't pick it up on time?