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| Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam |  Review on June 26, 2016: |
VN2
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
We would have interviewed at least a month earlier when NVC sent the case over but the Justice Record had not arrived in time. My fiance only needed to create profile online, pay fee at post office, get health check at IOM and no vaccinations. So you could practically interview after you get the sealed health records if you already have the justice record #2 in hand (no need for translation).
Arrived around 7:30AM for 8AM appointment on June 3rd with an already long line. We lined up outside for security check at the back door labeled "Visas or Thi Thuc" and an EMS post service greeter checked the appointment sheet and passport and only asked for one photo. We continued to the line inside and another greeter gave a blank form for mailing the visa back (you should keep this form in case you have to add documents later to get final decision after the interview date). Continued onto security and we said we were together so showed both passports.
Once inside, K cases were asked to step over to EMS counter to write case number on appointment confirmation sheet and my fiance went back to the line for fingerprint processing and getting number. I sat in the waiting area. She finally got the number about 8:45AM. About 10:30AM (after most other numbers and people were done) we were called to counter 7 (counters 2-11 did preliminary document checks and rest were for interviews) to speak with a Vietnamese officer. She was polite enough, less mean than other counters I observed. I luckily stepped up to support my fiance to answer document questions as I knew more and my fiance was too nervous to answer. She asked what the petitioner's name was and about her documents. She was asked if she had traveled abroad before, checked petitioner documents (same as in petition already but they don't look-can always refer them to it if you don't have extra copies), if we had any children of our own and about financial support documents including copy of 2015 tax return. It was fine to have a notarized copy of the Household Registration (Ho Khau) as the original was in her hometown. The initial document review was fine, the staff returned other documents to us, and wrote "same sex" on the appointment sheet. The mistakenly issued justice record #1 was rejected, we were told to resubmit #2 later, and I knew we would not get approval that day.
We went back to sit and wait for the interview. I waited and saw some couples go up to the counter together then the petitioner was asked to sit back down. Then later asked to come up to answer questions in support.
Then her number got called about 10:45AM for the CO interview at counter 17 with a woman American CO. I let her go first, sat near the counter and she was asked if she spoke English, to raise her right hand, and if she read the domestic violence pamphlet. She was asked initially:
- What's your name?
- What's your fiance's name?
- How did you and your fiance meet?
- Have you traveled abroad before?
Then called me up to raise my right hand. Asked many questions rapidly while typing into computer and barely had time to skim through the original packet from NVC. The following questions were directed to me:
- How long have you lived in Vietnam?
- Will you be returning to [home city]?
- When did you travel abroad together?
- Asked about previous spouse and documents
- Do you have any children?
- Do you have any evidence of your relationship? - Can you show some pictures of you together? Showed recent pictures not in petition; searched for copies of photos sent in petition; asked if CO needed more copies of photos and leases already in petition, CO said no
Asked my fiance:
- Do you know where you are going to in [home city]?
- Do you know who lives there? Who are they (family members)?
- Have you met her mother before? How is her health? Have you met any other family members before?
- What do her family members do?
Asked us both:
- What do you both do?
- Do you have a dog? (photo with us dog-sitting for someone)
- Does your family support you?
- What language do you use to speak with one another?
Then the CO said, oh you don't have a Justice Record (like a final checklist item before giving approval), asked why we didn't have it. I said they gave the wrong #1 instead of #2. She gave us a blue slip and told my fiance to return to submit #2 without me. I can't remember if she said congratulations (though it felt like we didn't get approved but wasn't declined either) and we said thank you, she smiled and we left quickly. It was a good interview and the CO was professional and polite. She did not ask about the financial support but very detailed questions about relationship and family, I imagine to confirm authenticity.
She managed to submit the missing Justice Record #2 the following week and then got the approved white slip. Asked for EMS expedited delivery COD and on June 20th they called for pick up as soon as it got to the Ba Vi central post office to save time. javascript:emoticon(' ')
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #19825