this is new "U.S. Consulate General Introduces Online Appointment System For Nonimmigrant Visas"

[Tony&Tram 0]

http://hochiminh.usconsulate.gov/pr/online/appointment.html

U.S. Consulate General Introduces Online Appointment System For Nonimmigrant Visas

(HCMC – March 28) The U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City and the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi are pleased to announce a new online appointment system for people wishing to apply for Nonimmigrant Visas. Nonimmigrant visas include those issued to students, businesspeople, and visitors or tourists. This new internet-based system offers an easier, more convenient way for applicants to schedule a visa interview appointment. It is available now at http://hochiminh.usconsulate.gov for applicants applying at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and at http://hanoi.usembassy.gov for applicants applying at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi.

Effective Saturday March 29, 2008, all appointments for nonimmigrant visa interviews must be made online through the Consulate General or the embassy websites. Citibank will no longer be authorized to schedule appointments.

The new web-based appointment system is free of charge, and is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day, so that applicants can complete the process at their convenience. Please note that although the online appointment service is free, applicants must continue to pay the $131 nonrefundable nonimmigrant visa application fee at Citibank in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi.

Under this improved system, applicants may now schedule interview appointments as much as a month in advance, and can choose any available appointment date and time. If applicants need to change their appointment date or time later, they can do so online without contacting the Consulate General or the Embassy. The appointment website also provides information about each visa category.

More information about the visa process can be found on the U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City’s website at http://hochiminh.usconsulate.gov or on the U.S. Embassy Hanoi’s website at http://hanoi.usembassy.gov

[PeterFB 0]

It's too bad they don't do this for K1/3 visas......or at least set up a system where we can use our USCIS or case number to check status of what is going on at HCMC Consulate.......

Peter and Thi

I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26

I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11

I-129F RFE(s) :

RFE Reply(s) :

I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26

Touched: 2007-11-02

NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16

Consulate recieved ??????

Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11

Packet 3 received 2007-12-24

Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28

Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14

Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23

Interview Date 2008-2-27

Passed Interview 2008-02-27

Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05

Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier)

POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles

[Tyrobe 1]

Technically, K1 and K3 are nonimmigrant visa but, for some reason, HCMC groups them in the same category as immigrant visa. Therefore the new system doesn't apply. Now that NVC does the interview scheduling for immigrant visa CR-1 for HCMC post. IMO, it only makes sense to have appointments for K1/K3 visa interviews to be made through this system as well. That would be the right step to streamline the biggest fiancee workload post in the world.

By the way, on a totally different note I have a question for you, Peter. Do you always copy and paste your timeline at the end of your post? You know you can also paste them in your signature in your profile so you don't have to re-do it everytime.