ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Asia: East and PacificTexas Barbecue
QUOTE (JimVaPhuong @ May 2 2009, 06:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Melrose Plant @ May 1 2009, 10:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Vietnamese women convince men to eat all kinds of crazy things under the guise of "improving men's health." I personally believe it's more of a subconscious control issue, myself. Do the various crazy things actually work? Maybe some of them do. But I have only anecdotal evidence to prove it. And I can't really go back to the same set of circumstances and not eat the crazy things to see whether my "health" declines. But it does make for some pretty good stories.


Too true! My fiancee has asked me a couple of times to bring nutritional supplements that are either difficult to find or too expensive in Vietnam. She has made some odd concoctions for me to treat some relatively mild ailments. I've eaten or drank pretty much everything she gave me, but only after insisting I know exactly what's in it, and confirming that it isn't going to make me sick. I can't help but feel that some of the ingredients are chosen for their horrible taste, rather than any specific health benefit.

My fiancee thought western medicine actually made people more sick. She changed her mind in January when I gave her two Advil for a headache. On my last trip, whenever we were packing my backpack for a day trip, she made sure the Advil was packed! whistling.gif

Luckily, I don't have that problem, as B? is a Western doctor. That is, he practices Western-style medicine. One entire large cupboard in the kitchen is a pharmacy! However, that sure doesn't stop other family members from concocting all sorts of awful tasting and smelling stuff for various things.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-05-02 09:36:00
Asia: East and PacificTexas Barbecue
Vietnamese women convince men to eat all kinds of crazy things under the guise of "improving men's health." I personally believe it's more of a subconscious control issue, myself. Do the various crazy things actually work? Maybe some of them do. But I have only anecdotal evidence to prove it. And I can't really go back to the same set of circumstances and not eat the crazy things to see whether my "health" declines. But it does make for some pretty good stories.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-05-02 00:40:00
Asia: East and PacificTexas Barbecue
QUOTE (Anh map @ Apr 29 2009, 02:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'd do the snake blood or heart in vodka. The booze will kill anything that might hurt you. If figure all the moonshine that I drank in college from the hills of North Carolina and Virginia had worse mixed in.

I've done this. Actually, I've eaten all the "exotic" foods mentioned here, plus a few that aren't listed here.

The snake blood tastes a lot more like wine, and I just swallowed the heart, so I couldn't really tell you what it tastes like. Feeling the thing still beating in your stomach is a curious sensation, however.

Coincidentally, I'm from North Carolina also, though not from the 'hills.'
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-04-30 22:13:00
Asia: East and PacificTexas Barbecue
Jack, I'd just call Mark. He will know where it's at. I went there once, but I couldn't begin to tell you how to get there. Just so you know, I wasn't terribly impressed by the place. It's just a bunch of white people eating overpriced, mediocre barbecue.

But don't let me discourage you. I didn't think it was THAT bad that I'd tell everyone to stay away.

Congratulations again to you and Xuan on your apparent success.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-04-25 09:07:00
Asia: East and Pacificjune interview
Good luck to you and your wife Dan. And hasn't that ####### been dead long enough now to be Ông H? yet? I've even got a few little kids that call me Ông at age 41.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-05-09 23:44:00
Asia: East and PacificFinancial stuff for I-134
I was always advised to get tax transcripts as well as providing the returns. A tax transcript is basically just a receipt from Uncle Sam showing that you actually paid X number of dollars into the system. However, I really don't see how that's any better than the return/W-2 combination. Maybe it's more important if you're self-employed and need to prove you paid your taxes? Anyway, it's really easy to get the transcripts. You just call (800) 829-1040 and go through their automated system and request transcripts for whatever year(s) you want. Then they just show up in the mail about a week later. Maybe not necessary, but if you want to do it, it's really easy.

Oh yeah, and one more thing. I had a letter from my bank that I am an account holder in good standing, and deposited X number of dollars into account number such-and-such in the last year. Again, if you're way over the minimum income requirements and you've got a normal enough job (unlike me), then you probably don't need that, either.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-04-26 09:19:00
Asia: East and PacificVietnamese drivers License
This is an American forum. "Learnt" is definitely British. My spell-check is even squawking at me that I wrote "learnt." Twice. The Oxford dictionary is indeed the standard. But not in the U.S.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-04-12 09:22:00
Asia: East and PacificVietnamese drivers License
[Insert your favorite interjection here], this thing has degenerated a lot since this morning. It was a simple question, it's a Vietnam-intensive forum, and the rules say you can talk about whatever you like concerning SE Asia. Why do you guys have to be so mean spirited?

Just remember, there's some poor dude out there who can't read, and probably will never be able to learn. It's very difficult to do as an adult. He's probably going to be dirt poor and downtrodden all his life. Then there's this other dude out there trying to help the illiterate dude the best he can, and give him some hope. And no, this second dude's name is not Jesus. So, what did YOU do this week?
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-04-08 20:58:00
Asia: East and PacificVietnamese drivers License
I have made inquiries. According to my unimpeachable source, not being able to read is an insurmountable impediment to getting a commercial drivers license, even with money changing hands. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Then again, you know where my information comes from. Ask someone else for a second opinion. Ask Jimbo when he gets back. He'd probably know.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-04-07 20:00:00
Asia: East and PacificVietnamese drivers License
DPNH: You actually had to edit that post? Why? Did you discover a way to make yourself look like an even bigger horse's patoot than on the first go-round? It's a legitimate question, and I'm sure Mr. Six Pack has already inquired locally without success. It is not a question your average Vietnamese would be able to answer in clear English. You ought to know that.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-04-07 17:13:00
Asia: East and PacificTimeline needed for HCM Consulate Interview
Can't go wrong with "anh," nhe? "Bro" does sound a little bit familiar for someone you don't know, and to be quite frank, makes a person sound a little bit low class. I may get myself into trouble with that one, oh well.

Edited by Melrose Plant, 23 April 2009 - 10:07 PM.

Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-04-23 22:06:00
Asia: East and Pacific1st Vietnamese-American Elected to US Congress
I guess this is a good thing, but just from reading the little blurb printed here, I don't have high hopes for anything here. First, as a freshman congressman, there will be nothing accomplished by Mr. Cao on the immigration front. More importantly, "The only thing I am certain of is that I'm anti-abortion. . ." Isn't everybody? How wishy-washy, even by political standards. We can only hope he will rise to the challenges presented by his district. Some people do. Other people, such as Jesse Ventura, on the other hand. . .
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2008-12-11 12:19:00
Asia: East and Pacificwhat ever happened to
I have news about Crazy Linda.

She also disappeared from my sight as well. I never did meet her in person, but I spent (or wasted, as the case may be) many hours of my life listening to her and trying to give her constructive advice about her case.

About 3 months ago, I was on Yahoo Messenger, and Holland (using the ID Linda Chaidez) came online. I dashed off a quick message to her. Something to the effect of, I haven't seen you in an age. She did not respond. Several days later, the same thing happened again. I again sent a short greeting to her. She responded with "Who are you?" I though that was pretty rich, so I responded with something slightly snotty. Anyhow, after several more back and forths, it came to light that the person I was chatting with was not in fact Holland Ashley, but the REAL Linda Chaidez. Linda Chaidez was evidently at one time Holland's landlady, and she claimed that Holland had for the past year or more, appropriated her name for as she put it, "God knows what purpose." Now pieces of the puzzle started to fit together. That's right. Holland did admit early on that she was not really Linda Chaidez.

Anyway, Linda (the real Linda) said that this Tuan, aka Tan, was here in the U.S., and she thought he and Holland were living in Arizona somewhere. She didn't know any more than that.

I hope Holland will come back to VJ and tell her story, but I don't think that's likely from the sound of things. Good luck, Holland and Tuan, wherever you are.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-11-05 23:19:00
Asia: East and PacificGuitar calls it off
I'm not trying to hijack this thread or anything, but I would like to point out that many, if not most SE Asians think all Westerners are rich people. Which, in many ways, we are. But not to the extent they're thinking.

I was made quite aware of this by an experience I had with some Vietnamese strangers who didn't realize my wife was my wife. I won't retell the story here. But the attitude seems to be, "Well, they're rich, a few hundred (or thousand) dollars is nothing to them. Why shouldn't they give it to me?"
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-01-18 10:26:00
Asia: East and PacificGuitar calls it off
Wait, I don't understand. She's suddenly and irreversibly walking away from 8 years' investment in a relationship on account of $14,000? Say it ain't so, brother! Surely it's just another bump in the road.....
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-01-15 14:48:00
Asia: East and PacificAll Japan Filers
QUOTE (Uncle Wally @ Feb 16 2009, 09:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Cheers, everybody. cool.gif

There's been some talk here as of late about homesickness.
My wife has only been here with a permanent visa for a few days, but she was here on a tourist visa for most of last summer, and it was her first time outside of Japan. Early on, I found a way to head off homesickness: I set aside a designated time each night to sit down together and watch Japanese news online. If your spouse is homesick, or even if not, I suggest giving it a try. It will be much appreciated.
This website has a bunch of Japanese news channels: http://wwitv.com/por...annels/2099.htm
{after a couple of edits to this post, I still can't figure it out- Anyway, start by clicking on the "Japan" link on the left to see all the options [there are many options]}
I suggest the "FNN" (Fuji News Network) link near the top, the most inclusive. Just click on the bandwidth (in FNN's case, click on the "325K"), and when the next screen pops up, click on the "325K" again to watch it. Then, right-click and 'zoom' to 200% (or whatever is the biggest screen size you can get).
To tell you the truth, I couldn't give a rat's a$$ about Japanese news. But my my wife sure seems to appreciate me sitting down to watch it with her each night. While watching, my mind is often on humping the newscaster or the hops content of the beer I'm drinking, but she seems happy that I make the effort. Give it a try.

Yeah, that's something we definitely run into regardless of country. Our saving grace here has been Skype and almost daily yakking with family back in Hanoi.

Uncle Wally, she's lucky to have you, and I sincerely mean that. On the other hand, I can see it wouldn't hurt for me to give a nod to the Man Upstairs every once in a while, and ask that she be given the patience to live with you. Have fun watchin' the very beeyoootiful newscasters!
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-02-18 17:31:00
Asia: East and PacificAll Japan Filers
QUOTE (Uncle Wally @ Jan 22 2009, 05:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Not to change the subject, but I just wanted to sign in here and thank everyone who's offered me their advice on this thread over the past year.
This week, my wife passed her interview and subsequently got her visa-containing passport back in the mail, so we are finely golden.
She's gonna chill for a minute to say her goodbyes and pack up the rest of her sh!t, then she'll shoot here for the 2nd week in February.
Serious, thanks- you folks are ace.

-The Wallinator

Congratulations to you and your wife, Uncle Wally. Sorry for the late reply. I usually only peek in the Japan thread every once in a while.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-02-08 09:59:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIs pink slip the good one?
I think it really depends on the embassy/consulate you're dealing with. I don't think there's a universal worldwide color-coded system. For Vietnam and much of Asia, the pink slip is the good one (which is ironic, considering you wouldn't want to get a pink slip at work).

Other embassies might use other colors, but color is not important, right? Passing the interview and getting the visa is the important thing.

In Vietnam, you have to personally pick up your visa from the consulate about a week or two later. I'm sure it's different in other countries.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-01-15 09:26:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPoint of Entry
Cool. I never knew.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-01-15 10:00:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPoint of Entry
QUOTE (Old Dominion @ Jan 15 2009, 08:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Charlotte NC is an international aiport. Try making that her POE. You can easily meet her there.

That's a good idea, but I seriously doubt there are any direct flights from Asia to Charlotte, at least not at a reasonable price. Atlanta is probably the closest I can think of off the top of my head.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-01-15 09:37:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPoint of Entry
QUOTE (WHsoulmates @ Jan 15 2009, 07:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
yes she can, the only thing u would worry about is the lay over time cz sometimes the procedure at the port of entry could take some time , so to be safe she will need a 3 to 4 hours lay over depending on the airport and the time of arrival, wish her a safe trip:)

You know, that's a good point. Make sure you buy a ticket that gives a good amount of time to catch that connecting domestic flight, just in case immigration/customs takes longer than expected. In our case, I bought tickets with a 4 hour layover in Chicago, which we didn't wind up needing, as we flew through immigration and customs (only thing that's been easy about the process so far). But you can't count on that. Good point.

On Edit: I just noticed my pun about "flying" through customs. I really didn't mean to write it that way.

Edited by Melrose Plant, 15 January 2009 - 09:10 AM.

Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-01-15 09:08:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPoint of Entry
QUOTE (Brian and Jopay @ Jan 15 2009, 07:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Who chooses the point of entry? Are we told whre she must enter? Or do I choose that? I live in NE Tennessee, far from any international airport. Can she arrive at point of entry without me meeting her there, and fly on a domestic flight from there to close to whre I live?

To answer your question, YOU choose the Port of Entry (rather than point). You buy the cheapest plane ticket you can, and wherever that enters the U.S., that's her POE.

You could meet her at the POE airport, wherever that may be, but you won't be able to help her get through immigrations or customs anyway unless you're traveling with her. There is something to be said for saving the money and meeting her at your local airport. Millions have done it already, I'm sure she'll be fine.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-01-15 09:04:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresWe know waiting is a b*tch...but what are you grateful for?
As someone who is a little bit further down the road on the Journey, I have good news for y'all. All those feelings that we're a little uncomfortable with--you know--why did such-and-such's case go through way faster than mine, etc., etc? Well, all those feeling pretty much evaporate soon after re-unification. I no longer care that our case took a long time compared to the average for that time-frame.

But it's not all good news. The bad news is, waiting is the easy part. Like any marriage, the hard part is life itself. There is no ideal marriage in this world. Throw in some cultural difference for good measure and it makes for an interesting life. But it's all worth it, and I'd do it again.

Good luck all!
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-01-15 18:40:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCould this really be true---they moved our case from VSC to CSC????
Yes, I believe that you must be going for a CR-1, not a K-3 if the attorney filed the I-130F.

Anyway, how times have changed. A year ago, I would have wished MY petition had gotten transferred from CSC to VSC.

Good luck, and we wish you a speedy approval.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-01-15 09:16:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresWhat documents do i need to bring with me for vietnam marriage?
You need to post this in the Regional forum for a better answer.

You could always go with a K-1 and not worry about the legalities until she gets here, but maybe that's not a good choice for you, I don't know.

In any case, you WILL need a certified copy of your divorce decree. You can't just turn in some ordinary photocopy of it. The court should have issued you one certified copy of your decree when it issued. But you don't want to give that up. That's for you, in case you ever need it. You need to go down to the courthouse where your decree was issued and request a certified copy. In fact, I'd request several certified copies while you're there. It will cost you some money. In Iowa, it's a pretty nominal fee. I don't know what the fee is in your state.

Make darn sure you've got some sort of official looking stamp on your copy(ies) before you leave, and make sure that they've not messed up and given you a certified copy of your QDRO or something (yes, this happened to me, and I had to drive all the way back).

Do post this in the SE Asia forum, though. I think you'll get a more satisfactory answer to your marriage question.

Good luck.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-01-18 10:52:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresGUESS WHAT...
Well, I guess I'd better jump on the bandwagon and offer my belated congratulations. Let the real fun begin!
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-02-05 10:50:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMy lawyer is driving me nuts!
Yeah, what everybody else said. You'll get approved at USCIS. I swear, for as long as those guys take, they don't really DO much. It seems to be up to the embassy/consulate where the interview takes place to decide anything for real.

Your embassy/consulate is Pakistan, I see. Can't help you there. I don't know nothin' 'bout that. In Vietnam, it seems to be very helpful to "front load" information, that is, send stuff in the original petition that is not required. Thataway, the CO or her staff has a chance to look at the evidence before the interview.

Good luck to you, and shame, shame on airhead lawyers. We got a bad enough reputation as it is.......
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-02-03 18:32:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussioninterview
I can't be too much help with the embassy in the Phillippines, but I know in Vietnam you'd almost better call once a week and bug them to find out. This is because the mail system in Vietnam is not good, and if you just wait, there is the possibility you might never receive Packet 4 and then you might miss your interview date.

In Vietnam, it's a least 2 months between when they receive your Packet 3 and the interview date, sometimes longer. If you're lucky, you get almost a month's notice. But that information is only for the curious because your situation is different.

If I were you, I'd delete this post and re-post it in the SE Asia forum. You'll probably get better responses there. Good luck!
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2008-03-29 21:49:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionDoes time really matter?
QUOTE (J & Q @ Apr 27 2008, 07:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (rebeccajo @ Apr 27 2008, 08:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (J & Q @ Apr 27 2008, 08:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (pushbrk @ Apr 26 2008, 10:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Like everyone else, be prepared to demonstrate you have a bona fide relationship. There is no minimum "know each other" time except to have met in person in the past two years. Vietnam is a high fraud post, so I'd get to the appropriate regional forum for advice on what evidence to be ready with and how to prepare for the interview.

Would you happen to know where I could obtain this information?


By reading the regional forum here and also general research on the web about Ho Chi Mihn City consulate.

Some have found it advantageous if they attend the interview with their fiance. After researching you might want to consider that option.


I am going to put in a request to my employer on Monaday to take off so that I can be there with her so that she doesn't have to do it alone. Will I be allowed to actually attend the interview? I was reading on the Ho chi Minh Consulate's website that I cannot attend, only the one being interviewed.

Thanks for your help

No, sadly, you will not be allowed in the consulate during your fiancee's interview. However, some think it is advantageous for you to be waiting outside so she can say that you are there to support her. I've never understood why they don't want to interview the petitioner as well. I think it should be a requirement.

As others have said, you need to post this on the SE Asia forum. There is a lot of Vietnam-specific information in there. Good luck!
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2008-04-27 16:53:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionK-1 Visa, What is a marriage?
Sorry to offset the topic a little here, and I am glad that a satisfactory plan has been put into place, but I have suddenly had a clearer understanding of my lawyer's actions, after all this time.

Mai and I had a "wedding" that wasn't a real wedding in 2007. The lawyer was freaked out about this, and made me promise to keep it all a secret. We even had to re-write our Letters of Intent, causing us to miss the filing fee increase deadline. Boy, that hurt.

When we got to the Vietnamese portion of the Journey, no one seemed to care about our "wedding." In fact, it was very strong evidence, as my parents and other family were in attendance there. Maybe it's the fact that you've got to go through a hell of a process as a Foreign National to marry a Vietnamese National. It's fairly obvious whether there's a legal marriage there or not.

Like I said, there is not really relevance here, but now, a year and a half later, I finally understand what the guy was worried about. Good luck to y'all.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-02-18 18:05:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAffidavit of Support - most of his pay is "off the books"
QUOTE (Ginger cat @ Apr 26 2009, 12:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Melrose Plant @ Apr 26 2009, 10:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Man, it either took some serious naivete or something to post this on a public forum. Everybody knows you have to report everything as income. Now some of that income might not get taxed, but you still have to report it anyhow. Not to be a jerk, but I would really be careful with this guy. Something's not right here.

You know, that's how they eventually got Al Capone--not for all the people he'd killed (or had killed), or all the illegal schemes he had going--they eventually got him for income tax evasion.



you have to be spycho and machiavellic and nasty to be able to report that someone who is eanring 24K$$$ per year is not declaring all his income. headbonk.gif

Good grief, I think we're in the K-1 section, not the Off-Topic!

Anyhow, I don't know where that came from, I never suggested that anyone turn him in, I'm suggesting that the OP step back and take a look at a guy who would claim to be ignorant and unintentional about his income tax cheating, when that can't possibly be the case. I'm not really that fussed about the actual crime, but I'd be awfully pissed if my wife did something like that (she has, and she understands what is and is not acceptable in America), but lied to me about it (she hasn't).
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-04-26 17:34:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAffidavit of Support - most of his pay is "off the books"
Man, it either took some serious naivete or something to post this on a public forum. Everybody knows you have to report everything as income. Now some of that income might not get taxed, but you still have to report it anyhow. Not to be a jerk, but I would really be careful with this guy. Something's not right here.

You know, that's how they eventually got Al Capone--not for all the people he'd killed (or had killed), or all the illegal schemes he had going--they eventually got him for income tax evasion.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-04-26 09:06:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionHow to physicalyl print the N-400

This is the Land of the Brave and Free. We have 5% of the world's population yet use up about a third of its resources.
We are fighting 6 wars now for nothing but corporate profit and you want to come over as a tree hugger? That's so un-American and makes you subject to the Patriot Act.
Better watch you back, Lady!
:bonk:


Haha, Bob, I know what you mean. We seem to hate conserving resources. It's inconvenient, isn't it?
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2011-07-11 12:26:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionHow to physicalyl print the N-400
OK, thank you very much for your replies. I think I'm gonna go with the one-sided version, just because it's easier, and what the hell, it only wastes 5 extra pieces of paper.

And yes, I know, I need to update my timeline. I'll get it done soon.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2011-07-11 12:19:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionHow to physicalyl print the N-400
OK, I may be worrying about minutia here, but I can find nothing in any instruction that speaks to this matter. Is it important whether you print on both sides of the page? I'd really like to use 2 sided-printing to save paper, but I know some places don't like it because sometimes the information on the opposite side bleeds through, making it difficult to read. Thanks.

Oops, I meant "physically."
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2011-07-11 10:14:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionCheating - Any Effect on Citizenship?
Contrary to what some of the above posters intimated, "family court," which in most states is just regular old state district court, doesn't care about cheating either. Even the few remaining states that still have "grounds" really don't wan't to get involved. Why would they? It's a court of law, not Maury Povich. That goes double for USCIS, which doesn't deal in family law. Cheating certainly isn't guaranteed to affect the outcome one way or the other.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2009-02-15 09:54:00
PhilippinesUSPS express ?? mail
I don't think there is anything you can do about the time. When I send packages to Vietnam, it often takes 4-6 weeks. I know for a fact that it gets to Vietnam very quickly, but it sits there for a long time before they deliver it. And I don't know the details (I don't want to know) but there is always some sort of money exchange for her to get the package. We would probably call it a bribe.

I don't even bother sending it any kind of priority/express for that reason.

I have sent probably 6 or 8 packages there over the past 1 1/2 years. Only 1 got lost. Unfortunately, that was Mai's Christmas present.

If you want to send it by DHL, it will get there faster, but it will cost you dearly, I am guessing at least twice what you paid for the Post Office.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2008-04-11 23:29:00
PhilippinesCall for Congressman
Don't worry too much, I had the same problem with CSC. It still galls me that some people got really lucky and had their cases go through so quickly, and ours took so long.......

I try to imagine that waiting helps make us stronger, which in many ways is true. I have not seen my love in more than 9 months. Now, our case is "stuck" again at the consulate in Saigon. One woman who turned in her Packet 3 nine days before us had her interview 2 days ago (and got the pink slip). We are still waiting for an interview date to be set for us.

You must tell yourself over and over again, this does not change our love for each other. It is not fair, but this is NOT about us. It is only the government, not doing its job fairly. You will prevail eventually. Try not to argue with each other too much over this. You are not alone. I know about the arguing and the impatience firsthand. It is very silly, but very real. Good luck!
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2008-04-11 13:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsInterview Vietnam!
Congratulations em Eric and em An! Many of us in VN have been watching your case, and many who are not members of VJ. OK, I am not in VN, but my heart is there.

I am sure you must realize how lucky you are that your case went through from filing to pink slip faster than most of us have even gotten through USCIS. I hope your luck continues to hold in the rest of the process, and I really wish both of you the best back in the States, when real life begins again.

You both are welcome to come up and visit us in Iowa if you ever make it over that way.

Anh James và ch? Mai
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2008-01-11 10:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsAUGUST I-129F FILERS UNDER CSC
QUOTE (mox @ Jan 26 2008, 11:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Melrose Plant @ Jan 26 2008, 09:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Geico @ Jan 26 2008, 10:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Another august filer approved.
Congratulations Melrose Plant!!! kicking.gif good.gif


Thank you very much, I was quite shocked. I think that's the trick. Don't go online for a while. (Had no choice--no internet service where I am working out of town)

Heh! Well the real trick is to get your file on someone's desk. Don't suppose you'd want to share your secret? laughing.gif


I am going to be very forthcoming about my actions. I don't know whether any of this made any difference, you can draw your own conclusions.

Two weeks ago, I talked with my lawyer, and he said it's been long enough that he encouraged me to get congressional involvement. I then called my State Representative, who is somewhere between an acquaintance and a friend. He gave me a contact with my U.S. Senator. I called the Senator's office, and made a request for an inquiry. The staff person was very bureaucratic with me, took my name, my finacee's name, and our case number. She said she would email USCIS because they weren't answering their phones lately. I was a little disappointed, but was polite and said thank you for your help.

Then my lawyer had a meeting with USCIS at the local office in Des Moines, and he found out that our case was OK, that there was nothing amiss, but that I would have to wait at least another month or two for approval. This meeting was on Jan. 18.

After that, I was pi$$ed. I called the Senator's office back and asked them what they had found. They told me exactly the same story, that I would have to wait. I voiced my dissatisfaction with USCIS, that I had paid triple the filing fee and gotten worse service. But in the end, I said that was fine, I understood there was a backlog, and I was willing to wait my turn for approval. But I made a request that when approval came, that CSC send the file in a timely fashion to NVC, just like the VSC people get. The second time I called the staff were a lot more friendly and seemed more willing to help me.

In the meantime, we have gotten approval, 9 days after the initial congressional inquiry. I honestly don't know if our number was up anyway. The real truth will be told when we see how long it takes for NVC to get our file. I will be continuing to talk with my Senator's office.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Melrose PlantMaleVietnam2008-01-27 00:52:00