ToNhi

Thank you! Do you know the processing times? On the USCIS website, it says 12.5 months average for Employment Authorization, and 14-15 months for the I-485.

Hi, I am currently assembling my I-485 packet and was wondering what the best evidences were: Marriage Certificate NOA2 Letter Photos of City Hall/Courthouse Wedding Evidence of Cohabituation (Both of our names on credit card statements, bank statements, phone bills, medical/dental/vision insurance policies) Her name as beneficiary to my retirement/IRA accounts Photos of us together in the U.S. Birth Ceritificate CA DMV ID Card Passport Biographical Page Passport K1 Visa Page Copy of I-94 Arrival U.S. Admission Stamp on Passport Affidavit of Support Vaccinations/Medical Reports Should I include anything from my K-1 packet (Vietnam) such as our engagement party/banquet/how we met/relationship timeline, etc.?

I recommend going through the Vietnam forum and looking at past blue slip denial reasons and bringing all of that evidence with you to the future interview (relationship timeline, family tree, chat/message screenshots, photos, engagement party/dinh hon photos, receipts of places visited together, airline tickets, how did you meet, who introduced.) If I could do it all over again, I'd recommend CR-1 over K-1. Trying for a K-1 from HCMC Vietnam was tough.

Bring it with you to the interview. They may not even look at it. I stressed out for months because I did not frontload my petition with a relationship timeline or family tree, but they had approved us before they even met us. The C.O. had questions pre-loaded on her computer screen, and she simply asked us those questions and typed out our answers (me in English with my Fiancee in Vietnamese through an interpreter). They didn't even look at any of the evidence that we had brought (which was 3 binders full, and fearing that we would receive a blue slip, I forced stack of our Dinh Hon/engagement photos through the little slot and made her look at them, lol).

Hmm, so would it be best to apply for the name change when applying for AOS (I-485), like @Phamas mentioned, or when applying for naturalization (N-400), like @Liam2021 suggests? Also, do most Vietnamese drop their "middle name" (Văn for male/ Thị for female) when they apply for the name change? Do they allow that? So essentially her name will be [Thu Trang] [Nguyen or Phan (My Last Name)] without the 'Thị' after the name change. From 'Thi Thu Trang Nguyen' to 'Thu Trang Nguyen' or 'Thu Trang Phan'. My immigration consultant said to keep everything consistent and all the same with the name on her USCIS account, K-1 Visa, and Vietnamese Passport like @Liam2021 said to avoid mixups between different government agencies (Federal, State, City, etc.) so her name would be essentially 'Thi Thu Trang Nguyen' until we start her name change process later on.

@Phamas Thank you so much, Davis! And sames (calling my fiancée by her full first name)! It always catches her by surprise. 😂

This forum gave me a 10-month approval estimate date for my I-129F (which wasn't bad compared to the USCIS website estimate of 12-14 months at the time), but I also followed/paid for TrackMyVisaNow's estimate similar to @Maria Emília's experience, which gave me an estimate of only 4 months (April 20, 2024), which I thought was unbelievable/unrealistic at the time, and it ended up being exactly that, almost to a T (my NOA2 ended up being April 18, 2024)! So they were only off by 2 days. So, 4-month I-129F approval from December 11, 2023 to April 18, 2024. I-129F Sent : 2023-12-05 I-129F NOA1 : 2023-12-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2024-04-18

I've seen numerous posts about this topic, but I am still confused. For my Fiancee's paperwork, passport, and K-1 visa her name all matches, which is: Surname: Nguyen (Example) Given Name: Thi Thu Trang (Example) Her airplane ticket is in this order. In Vietnamese, her surname would be "Nguyen", her middle name "Thi", and her Vietnamese Given Name is "Thu Trang". A lot of Vietnamese have 2 names as their First Name. (Last, Middle, First #1, First #2) For Social Security Administration (SSA) and Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) purposes, we know we should match it exactly like how it appears on her I-94 entry form (Thi Thu Trang Nguyen). For everything else, including our upcoming Adjustment of Status (AOS) paperwork, Removal of Conditions (ROC) paperwork, rental/lease agreements, employer health, dental, vision insurance, utility bills, and credit card/bank statements, Should the correct 'American Name Order' be: Trang Thi Thu Nguyen (First #2, Middle, First #1, Last) or Trang Thu Thi Nguyen (First #2, First #1, Middle, Last) or Thu Trang Thi Nguyen (First #1, First #2, Middle, Last) It's a bit awkward for my Fiancee to get used to having her name switched around which I am sure everyone here (and their relatives and spouse) has had to deal with as well when first coming to the states. Thank you so much! - Tony

I am Vietnamese-American and my Fiancée is Vietnamese National. We both speak Vietnamese to one another (which is pretty uncommon for this site I guess?). Has anyone had trouble at Port of Entry (SFO, SF Int'l specifically) for their Fiancée at a POE and required secondary inspection? Will they have translators there at POE (SF)? Thank you so much!

Hi, I was wondering for USCIS Adjustment of Status purposes, if a city hall/courthouse wedding is acceptable at first, and then a couple of months later, if an interview is required for our I-485 (App. to Register Permanent Residence), if we can bring evidence/photos/video proof of an actual wedding celebration then. I have a giant family here in the U.S. and it will take months to book a venue, and have "evidence" of a wedding celebration. We hope to have the "legal" marriage first at city hall/courthouse and wasn't sure if USCIS would accept this as adequate proof of bonafide marriage evidence. Thanks! - Tony

@Liam2021 Sorry, I meant, I will be coming back in February 2025 (after Tet) and taking her back with me to the U.S.

@TD6886 Not yet! She has a ton of stuff to pack. Hoping to return and celebrate Christmas or Tet Vietnamese New Year with her and come back with her sometime in February!

Hi, I am a bit confused about the I-94 document requirement for entry for K-1 Fiance/Fiancée(s) into a U.S. Port of Entry (specifically SFO, SF Int'l). Should my Fiancee have this filled out online (https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/i-94) a week before her entry into the U.S. Or will one be issued to her (application to be filled out) in the U.S. when she lands into SF Int'l Airport. I was told by my immigration consultant that I do not need to apply for online but I rather be safe than sorry. Thank you so much! - Tony

Hi @TD6886, my Fiancée received her passport with the visa by courier on early morning, Monday, 10/7 which was about Sunday night, 10/6, over here in California (PST time). Good luck, Yung! And congratulations again! Sorry that you had to endure months and months of having to deal with the Blue slip denial from Vietnam!

@TD6886 Congrats, Yung!