About to petition I-130 for spouse (merged topics)

[WandY 430]

Looks like you have plenty. I'm not a "front-loading" fan, but in your case, it might not hurt. I brought a complicated case when we went before the consulate in Saigon. I'm two decades older, divorced, spent a lot of time in Asian countries, and work for the government and owned a business. In other words, I had some explaining to do. I didn't front-load. I gave them copies of my travels to VN, photos and explanations of my time with my fiance and her family, and lots of financial/tax records. My time at the consulate window was probably longer than hers (she speaks English very well, which helped). They simply wanted to know how we met, why I was traveling around Asia so much (I worked and traveled in China, Cambodia, etc.), and what my fiance could do for work in America. They seemed real interested in how she would assimilate into American culture and not be stuck at home. I live in a rural area and commute to a city for work. I had already touched base with a local Vietnamese neighborhood and had some jobs/schooling ideas for her. Do your homework and be prepared for "life in America" questions. You already have plenty of evidence. Now make sure you have plenty of answers. Be confident, be cool, enjoy the crazy consulate experience. Get there early and don't talk to anyone outside the consulate. There's a bunch of scammers sitting around on their motorbikes, just waiting for Americans to arrive. Go straight to the gate and show them your letter and passport. You'll be fine.

[Bill Hamze 89]

Wow, @WandY! Thanks so much for the reply and appreciate you sharing your story with me. Very comprehensive, which seems to be rare around these parts. 

 

My case is quite similar to yours, except I don't work for the government. I do have my own business, which is a LLC based in the U.S. and I do all my banking there. So that should help with the domicile, but I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do as to why I was traveling in Asia. I'm 14 years older than my wife, previously divorced, etc. I simply wanted to travel around Asia and then go back after a year or two, but I met my wife - so I moved to Vietnam to be with her

 

Thanks for the warning about the scammers outside the consulate, and for some pointers on how to prepare for what happens after the visa approval. I was so focused on gathering evidence, that I didn't even think about how to re-assimilate into American life! Luckily though, there is a huge Vietnamese community in Houston, so I will reach out sometime soon. 

 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Bill Hamze

[Ryan H 3,812]

***Posts merged with existing thread.***

 

On ‎3‎/‎2‎/‎2020 at 7:39 PM, Bill Hamze said:

Here's a list of documents and additional evidence I intend to submit along with the I-130 petition. I'm front loading this with as much documentation as possible for 3 reasons:

 

1.  HCMC Vietnam consulate is probably being more difficult about approving spousal immigration visas due to a marriage fraud ring that was exposed last year (100 arrests made in Houston Texas, where my U.S. address also happens to be... and I have a previous marriage as well). 

 

2.  We do not have a joint bank account nor do we own any joint property, so I'm backstopping the lack of co-mingling finances with as much secondary evidence as possible. 

 

3.  If I don't submit the additional evidence now, I may not have a chance to present it later at the interview. In Vietnam, the consulate doesn't even look at additional evidence at all, even in cases where applicants bring 4-5" stacks of it. 

 

So, here's my list. If I'm missing/forgetting anything, please let me know. If it helps, I will try to file online and see how things go.

 

Primary evidence:

 

• I-130 form + an extra page of additional information (for part 9)
• I-130a form (I will print it out, hand write everything in, sign and scan it)
• 2" x 2" Passport Photos (only of myself, the petitioner -- my wife has never been to the U.S.)
• Marriage Certificate (certified and translated)
• Divorce Decree (from my previous marriage -- my wife has never been married before)
• Birth Certificate (only mine)
• Bank Transactions - Proof of me paying our rent, transfers to her bank account for support, wedding expenses, etc.
• Beneficiary on Bank Accounts - shows my wife's name as beneficiary on my U.S. bank accounts (including retirement IRA), plus as an authorized user on my credit card
• Joint Tenancy Lease Agreement 2018 (not notarized, but attached a copy of my passport biometric page, and her national ID)
• Joint Tenancy Lease Agreement 2019 (not notarized, but attached a copy of my passport biometric page, and her national ID)
• More Evidence of Shared Address in Vietnam - my Vietnamese driver's license with our shared address, mom's invitation letter for tourist B2 visa (which was previously denied), her employment confirmation, Grab taxi receipts with the address on it.

 

Secondary evidence: 

 

• Passport biometrics, all stamped pages (for 2 of my passports -- I had renewed it a year ago, has proof of travel into Vietnam and proof of travel together)
• Passport biometrics, all stamped pages (for her passport -- I know it's not required at this time, but added it in anyway to show passport stamps for proof of travel together)
• Spousal Visa Exemption Certificate in my passport (that shows proof of valid marriage and ability to enter/stay in Vietnam for 5 years)
• Additional Evidence - Before Marriage (32 pages of photos, chat screenshots, social media screenshots, flight & hotel bookings, passport stamps before and up until marriage)
• Additional Evidence - Wedding Photos (32 pages of engagement AND wedding photos, I hear the consulate is very fussy on requiring BOTH engagement and wedding ceremony photos)
• Additional Evidence - After Marriage (41 pages of photos and travel bookings, passport stamps after marriage)
• Affidavit letters from my mother and sister

 

Just the additional evidence photos + travel evidence adds up to about 100 pages. All in all, probably around 200 pages including everything.

 

Am I missing anything? Or is this way too much?

 

I'm just waiting for a mail delivery with the beneficiary stuff on it, then I will be ready to submit everything. 

 

 

 

On ‎3‎/‎3‎/‎2020 at 9:27 AM, WandY said:

Looks like you have plenty. I'm not a "front-loading" fan, but in your case, it might not hurt. I brought a complicated case when we went before the consulate in Saigon. I'm two decades older, divorced, spent a lot of time in Asian countries, and work for the government and owned a business. In other words, I had some explaining to do. I didn't front-load. I gave them copies of my travels to VN, photos and explanations of my time with my fiance and her family, and lots of financial/tax records. My time at the consulate window was probably longer than hers (she speaks English very well, which helped). They simply wanted to know how we met, why I was traveling around Asia so much (I worked and traveled in China, Cambodia, etc.), and what my fiance could do for work in America. They seemed real interested in how she would assimilate into American culture and not be stuck at home. I live in a rural area and commute to a city for work. I had already touched base with a local Vietnamese neighborhood and had some jobs/schooling ideas for her. Do your homework and be prepared for "life in America" questions. You already have plenty of evidence. Now make sure you have plenty of answers. Be confident, be cool, enjoy the crazy consulate experience. Get there early and don't talk to anyone outside the consulate. There's a bunch of scammers sitting around on their motorbikes, just waiting for Americans to arrive. Go straight to the gate and show them your letter and passport. You'll be fine.

 

On ‎3‎/‎3‎/‎2020 at 6:12 PM, Bill Hamze said:

Wow, @WandY! Thanks so much for the reply and appreciate you sharing your story with me. Very comprehensive, which seems to be rare around these parts. 

 

My case is quite similar to yours, except I don't work for the government. I do have my own business, which is a LLC based in the U.S. and I do all my banking there. So that should help with the domicile, but I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do as to why I was traveling in Asia. I'm 14 years older than my wife, previously divorced, etc. I simply wanted to travel around Asia and then go back after a year or two, but I met my wife - so I moved to Vietnam to be with her

 

Thanks for the warning about the scammers outside the consulate, and for some pointers on how to prepare for what happens after the visa approval. I was so focused on gathering evidence, that I didn't even think about how to re-assimilate into American life! Luckily though, there is a huge Vietnamese community in Houston, so I will reach out sometime soon. 

 

 

[Bill Hamze 89]

Hopefully the last question before I file I-130 online.

 

I have lots of additional information to add in Part 9, so I created a blank sheet, put all additional information with page, part, & item numbers, and saved that into a PDF. 

 

When you file online, does it ask you to upload a printed & signed additional information PDF? 

 

Or does it allow you to fill in additional information as much as you want through its online interface?