The NEW Vietnam Interview Thread

[scy 0]

It's about two weeks away before my wife has her interview at USCG HCMC. I thought I'd share some preparations that are needed for this particular consulate. The list below are items sometime needed by beneficiaries, eventhough they are not specifically asked for on form DS-2001, as part of the evidence of bona fides relationship. Usually if there are any suspictions by the COs, they will ask for these items in the form of a 221g denial. Suspictions come easily to COs at this consulate since there is a lot of fraud.

It's probably a good idea to have these ready before the interview so that the beneficiary can produce them at the interview should the need arise.

-Credit card statements from the petitioner showing he/she actually paid for any plane tickets for travel to Vietnam. These are requested to make sure no one else paid for the petitioner to go to Vietnam and commit visa fraud.

-A 5 to 10 minutes video of the petitioner speaking Vietnamese or a video of the petitioner and beneficiary communicating with each other in their own methods. This video is requested when the petitioner is not an ethnic Vietnamese and the beneficiary is not fluent in English.

-Hotel receipts and/or police registrations showing evidence the petitioner and beneficiary were in the same place at the same time.

-Current addresses of all former spouses of both petitioner and beneficiary. One of the reason this information is requested is to ensure that the beneficiary did not divorce his/her spouse, then commit visa fraud in order to rejoin his/her spouse in the US. Another reason is to show the communications between the petitioner and beneficiary.

-A statement from the petitioner detailing how he/she first met the beneficiary, if they were introduced by someone, persons present at first meeting, date and place. This is done to check the petitioner's story against the beneficiary at the interview. It's a good idea to get your story straighten out with the beneficiary regarding the first meeting.

That's all I can think of right now. The above items are in addition to things like phone bills, photos, e-mails, chat logs, letters, post cards, etc.... Preparation is key when applying for a marriage based visa with the HCMC consulate. The HCMC consulate processes over 30,000 visas a year and has very high amount of fraud. Most beneficiaries go through the grinder and usually are denied visas until they produce some of the above items.

See below for a link to the old interview thread.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums2/index.p...opic=25244&st=0

[kvtran 0]

I hope everything goes well. My fiance and I just submitted the form for DS-2001 on Jan 26th. I guess I'll be waiting 3 more months before the interview. By the way, did they make your wife get a medical examination and where? How much did that cost? Can you post up the questions they ask on the interview as well? Thanks. Best of luck to you both.

It's about two weeks away before my wife has her interview at USCG HCMC. I thought I'd share some preparations that are needed for this particular consulate. The list below are items sometime needed by beneficiaries, eventhough they are not specifically asked for on form DS-2001, as part of the evidence of bona fides relationship. Usually if there are any suspictions by the COs, they will ask for these items in the form of a 221g denial. Suspictions come easily to COs at this consulate since there is a lot of fraud.

It's probably a good idea to have these ready before the interview so that the beneficiary can produce them at the interview should the need arise.

-Credit card statements from the petitioner showing he/she actually paid for any plane tickets for travel to Vietnam. These are requested to make sure no one else paid for the petitioner to go to Vietnam and commit visa fraud.

-A 5 to 10 minutes video of the petitioner speaking Vietnamese or a video of the petitioner and beneficiary communicating with each other in their own methods. This video is requested when the petitioner is not an ethnic Vietnamese and the beneficiary is not fluent in English.

-Hotel receipts and/or police registrations showing evidence the petitioner and beneficiary were in the same place at the same time.

-Current addresses of all former spouses of both petitioner and beneficiary. One of the reason this information is requested is to ensure that the beneficiary did not divorce his/her spouse, then commit visa fraud in order to rejoin his/her spouse in the US. Another reason is to show the communications between the petitioner and beneficiary.

-A statement from the petitioner detailing how he/she first met the beneficiary, if they were introduced by someone, persons present at first meeting, date and place. This is done to check the petitioner's story against the beneficiary at the interview. It's a good idea to get your story straighten out with the beneficiary regarding the first meeting.

That's all I can think of right now. The above items are in addition to things like phone bills, photos, e-mails, chat logs, letters, post cards, etc.... Preparation is key when applying for a marriage based visa with the HCMC consulate. The HCMC consulate processes over 30,000 visas a year and has very high amount of fraud. Most beneficiaries go through the grinder and usually are denied visas until they produce some of the above items.

See below for a link to the old interview thread.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums2/index.p...opic=25244&st=0

[Vietnam 0]

I hope everything goes well. My fiance and I just submitted the form for DS-2001 on Jan 26th. I guess I'll be waiting 3 more months before the interview. By the way, did they make your wife get a medical examination and where? How much did that cost? Can you post up the questions they ask on the interview as well? Thanks. Best of luck to you both.

They will make your fiance get a medical exam. The instructions for where to go to get it will come with the letter she receives with her interview date ("pack 4"). It costs about $80, or at least it did a year ago.

[kvtran 0]

I hope everything goes well. My fiance and I just submitted the form for DS-230 on Jan 26th. I guess I'll be waiting 3 more months before the interview. By the way, did they make your wife get a medical examination and where? How much did that cost? Can you post up the questions they ask on the interview as well? Thanks. Best of luck to you both.

They will make your fiance get a medical exam. The instructions for where to go to get it will come with the letter she receives with her interview date ("pack 4"). It costs about $80, or at least it did a year ago.

So how long will it take for the packet #4 to arrive after the DS-230 from is sent? Waiting sucks and I miss my fiance so much!

[scy 0]

I hope everything goes well. My fiance and I just submitted the form for DS-230 on Jan 26th. I guess I'll be waiting 3 more months before the interview. By the way, did they make your wife get a medical examination and where? How much did that cost? Can you post up the questions they ask on the interview as well? Thanks. Best of luck to you both.

They will make your fiance get a medical exam. The instructions for where to go to get it will come with the letter she receives with her interview date ("pack 4"). It costs about $80, or at least it did a year ago.

So how long will it take for the packet #4 to arrive after the DS-230 from is sent? Waiting sucks and I miss my fiance so much!

Packet 4 takes about two months to arrive from the date you sent in the checklist and DS-230 Part I.

Medical costs $60 and can be done at Cho Ray Hospital in District 5 or IOM at 1B Pham Ngoc Thach in District 1.

[kvtran 0]

I hope everything goes well. My fiance and I just submitted the form for DS-230 on Jan 26th. I guess I'll be waiting 3 more months before the interview. By the way, did they make your wife get a medical examination and where? How much did that cost? Can you post up the questions they ask on the interview as well? Thanks. Best of luck to you both.

They will make your fiance get a medical exam. The instructions for where to go to get it will come with the letter she receives with her interview date ("pack 4"). It costs about $80, or at least it did a year ago.

So how long will it take for the packet #4 to arrive after the DS-230 from is sent? Waiting sucks and I miss my fiance so much!

Packet 4 takes about two months to arrive from the date you sent in the checklist and DS-230 Part I.

Medical costs $60 and can be done at Cho Ray Hospital in District 5 or IOM at 1B Pham Ngoc Thach in District 1.

Another question. My I-129F is only valid until 2/18/06. Will this be a problem when my fiance goes to her interview after the date? Will I need to get an extension now? Do they ask for this form at the interview at all? Thanks.

[scy 0]

Another question. My I-129F is only valid until 2/18/06. Will this be a problem when my fiance goes to her interview after the date? Will I need to get an extension now? Do they ask for this form at the interview at all? Thanks.

The consulate automatically extends the I-129F. No need to worry about asking for an extension.

[kvtran 0]

Another question. My I-129F is only valid until 2/18/06. Will this be a problem when my fiance goes to her interview after the date? Will I need to get an extension now? Do they ask for this form at the interview at all? Thanks.

The consulate automatically extends the I-129F. No need to worry about asking for an extension.

Could you tell me what documents and forms will they need at the interview? I'm kind of worried that my fiance won't have enough documents. Thanks again.

[scy 0]

Could you tell me what documents and forms will they need at the interview? I'm kind of worried that my fiance won't have enough documents. Thanks again.

See the list below at the HCMC consulate.

http://hochiminh.usconsulate.gov/required_documents2.html

You will receive the same list with packets 3 and 4.

[kvtran 0]

Could you tell me what documents and forms will they need at the interview? I'm kind of worried that my fiance won't have enough documents. Thanks again.

See the list below at the HCMC consulate.

http://hochiminh.usconsulate.gov/required_documents2.html

You will receive the same list with packets 3 and 4.

I don't have a birth certificate. I left VN in 1979 when I was 3. I don't know if they have any record of me anymore. Besides, I'm a naturalized US citizen. I have a copy of my citizenship. Is that OK? Thanks.

[scy 0]

Interview today 02/16/06 at 10:00AM in HCMC.

Here is the story:

Arrived at 7:15, got in line, present interview letter at front gate, got searched and went through metal detector.

Go inside, got a number from a desk and waited. Number was called to a window to turn in documents. Documents were turned in and examined by a Vietnamese consulate employee. Now here is the interesting part.

The Vietnamese employee made a comment that co-sponsors are not accepted in K-3 cases. She initially did not accept the I-134 from the cosponsor, but finally took it. The beneficiary's birth certificate is an extract of the original since the original was lost. The Vietnamese employee mentioned that the birth certificate was not acceptable, but took it anyways.

After turning in documents, waited until 11:00AM before being called by name to a window for the interview. Consular officer was a young male. There was a female translator.

Asked to swear to tell the truth and fingerprinted. Questions that were asked:

-What is the petitioner's full name?

-How did the petitioner immigrate to the US?

-How did the petitioner's sponsor immigrate to the US?

-How did you first meet the petitioner?

-When was the petitioner's first trip to Vietnam?

-For how long?

-Did you have a wedding reception?

-How many people attended the reception?

-Who from the petitioner's family came with him to the wedding reception?

-Did the petitioner propose to you?

-When did he propose?

-Who is the cosponsor?

-When was the petitioner's last trip to Vietnam?

-How often do you communicate with the petitioner?

-Do you have a former spouse, children?

-Does the petitioner have a former spouse, children?

-Are you related to the petitioner?

-Do you have relatives living in the US?

-Who paid for the petitioner's trips to Vietnam?

-What does the petitioner do for a living?

-What is the petitioner studying in school?

-Do you know the school?

Then the consular officer asked to see proof of relationship. My wife started with the phone bills, then moved onto the pictures, then the consular officer stopped her. Didn't want to see anymore proof and didn't keep any of them.

I'm a student so I wrote that on the I-134. Now the consulate wants to see proof of enrolment in school. That was the only item they requested in the blue 221g form. So I think my wife passed the interview except for my proof of enrolment and attendance.

From everything I've read, I have never seen someone mentioning that they must show proof of enrolment if they are in school.

What is interesting is that a consulate employee suggesting that cosponsors are not accepted for K-3. If HCMC makes this an official policy, they will be in for some nasty lawsuits. The consular officer didn't mention the cosponsor, except to ask who it was.

Summary: interview passed pending futher documents.

[scy 0]

Here is the 221g denial from HCMC. You don't want one of these when you interview.

[kvtran 0]

Here is the 221g denial from HCMC. You don't want one of these when you interview.

Sorry to hear that. Hopefully it will be a speedy process after you send in the documents. The CO don't know what true love is even if it hits them on the forehead.

[dalegg 143]

Hope you get a speedy return. Proof of being a student? That's a new one.

[scy 0]

Hope you get a speedy return. Proof of being a student? That's a new one.

Yeah I was surprised the consulate asked for that also. Nothing I've read says that the petitioner needs to prove he is a student. I can understand proving the petitioner's employment, but going to school is not employment. But then again, arguing this point with the consulate is useless. At least the consulate's request is fairly simple to fulfill, unlike others who had their relationship questioned and made to prove every details of their relationship.

Every questions they asked I had practiced with my wife. So my wife knew the exact answers and I think this convinced the CO of our relationship since he didn't ask to see a lot of evidence.

I wrote up the interview with the hope that those in similar situations know what they need when going through the HCMC consulate.