Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	December Filers	My fiancé and I barely talk now. This is getting depressing ack. Hang in there, don't loose faith, we have one of the toughest consulates to get thru next so stay strong and send him all your love. Don't discuss visa progress, discuss your wonderful future you will have.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-14 21:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	December Filers	is that when we will get approvals? Sorry, I didnt read your previous post. I'm so eager to find out info about the transferred  petitions.  Well I'm guessing they will be processed by that date. approval, denial or more documents/or interview, but not setting in a stack of papers. it was nice to talk to someone who was willing to find out answers and not just reply with the prescripted government replys.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-11 18:30:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	December Filers	Well I got my call back and it was positive, didn't give me an exact date but said the person he talked to said he could promise they would have it by June 22nd. First time I talked to someone who didn't use a prescripted speech.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-11 05:38:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	December Filers	Hmm I was transfered from the vermont service center to the texas service center...I checked service center process time for texas at the uscis website and I-129f isn't listed. I called and was told they didn't have answer but I could hold and in 90 minutes I could speak to another representitive or I can wait 5 business days and be contacted., I chose to hold and was told by the automated system I could arrange auto call back in 90 minutes and not lose my place in line... I chose that....I think I need Yoga classes...hummm	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-10 13:25:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	December Filers	It does make me wonder though because the update states they will mail us a letter...does that mean we wont be receiving the updates via text/email anymore??? OMG im gonna have to start stalking the USCIS webpage now... I miss my fiance   I am in similar situation and I am doing that every morning, check for changes of status. And yes, I miss my fiance also. I got a text on may 29th, 30th and 7 texts on the 31 from two different numbers from the uscis. the first one changed from vermont service center to "local" now I know local is in texas hehe, then again on the 30th and on the 31 I got 7 texts that said it was processing..... I hope you don't mind I follow your timeline, we are similar in time and the country that our fiance is at.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-06 05:28:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Fiancé forgot he was married before!	Hang in there Kay, try to find out what needs to happen, and just do it, you've come a long way. You seem committed and with that you will find a way. Commitment is the foundation of any good relationship.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-08-31 08:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	February 2013 filers K1	i filed last week for my fiancee and me. still have not heard that they received my package...getting nervous...	hmansingh	Not Telling	India	2013-02-13 11:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Biggest Age Difference	i am 18 years older than my fiance and we are still waiting for our answer.  keep your hopes up!!!!!!	hmansingh	Not Telling	India	2013-05-02 13:10:00
Vietnam	Rural address in Vietnam	Hi all - a couple questions here.   1. My wife has two address, a permanent one (her family) in the country and a temporary one in the city that she lives at to go to school.  All of our paperworks (marriage cerfiticate, etc.) have her permanent address listed, my question is which address do I put on G-325A and I-130.   2. My second question is how do I translate this rural address into number street name, city/province, country.  My mind is blown away that they can find anyone with no house number or street name   Dien Huong Phong Dien Tinh Thua Thien Hue Lol google maps has all of Vietnam on it but yes it doesn't work with addresses unless it is big establishments. I know my fiancé's address and can walk to her house from the hotel but forget finding it or the hotel on the map. I spent hours and hours trying to accomplish this   Edited by BatonRouge Bill, 07 July 2013 - 08:13 PM.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-07 20:12:00
Vietnam	problem with record check #2	this will flag as visa fraud, get a new one!!!	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-09 04:22:00
Vietnam	Where Is My NOA2 Please?	Dam hoi is overrated ( there are  Dam hoi businesses in VN, they  will set up and make it like a real Dam hoi for a reasonable fees)  , just for your infor. many fraudulent marriages  used Dam hoi as their proxy to make it looked more legit, Dam hoi won' t make it more assurance, as long as you have all your creditable documents required  by the consulate, you will  have no problems. Traditional Vietnamese Dam hoi is in the past, though its still  use for many, but, not all follow the tradition, and the consulate knew it. Many got their  K1 Visa  approved without , so called Dam h?i.   For sure is isn't required, one of the questions at the consulate is often when is your Dam hoi. Linh's parents are 64/62 and it was required by them. and also was a fun experience. I met a lot of her older relatives and younger ones as well. I enjoyed spending the time every evening to have dinner with them and even to help cook. The Dam Hoi did have signs with the date which was something I was short on for my first visit so I thought that may help. But is all the regulation and time really needed by uscis, 3 of my four grand parents immigrated from Europe without papers. two came thu ellis island and filled out some forms and stayed two weeks under quarantine. the other simply got off the ship in new Orleans. We really want to get on with our lives, we want a child together but I am not young and she doesn't think she is either, but I feel every woman deserves motherhood. so I hope this doesn't keep dragging on.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-14 19:53:00
Vietnam	Where Is My NOA2 Please?	I mailed off all that was requested and then some for my RFE and sent it next day return receipt. I included the updated timeline notorized and the both her signed intent to marry and my intent to marry signed and notorized. also more photos of both the first meeting, and the second meeting including photos of the Dam hoi. I was thinking the more information I send the better for both the NOA2 approval and Linh's interview . Did I mention what an awful heart wrenching process this is?? sorry I got to vent a little occasionally.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-14 15:57:00
Vietnam	Where Is My NOA2 Please?	Thanks for your advice, i will try once more time. It's been getting more difficult to keep in good spirits as we wait and watch processing times exceed their normal times. I send Linh flowers and they are fairly inexpensive and they take a photo of her with them and email you the receipt and photo. She is happy as it is something real she can touch and it can be also more evidence of your relationship. For me when she isn't sad and anxious and hurting lonely, then it is easier for me also. Well it lasts for about a week. Good luck my friend.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-04 09:42:00
Vietnam	Where Is My NOA2 Please?	We are waiting for NOA2 too . Ours is almost 7 months... Hang in there, and try to keep her as upbeat as possible.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-03 15:17:00
Vietnam	Where Is My NOA2 Please?	Waiting since December 2nd receipt date	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-01 11:38:00
Vietnam	Where Is My NOA2 Please?	Where is my NOA2? I am almost 6 months and it is not in sight yet! Any Vietnamese couples took this long to get it?  it's still state side so no VN related delays yet but when it does go to the consulate that is when the unfairness to VN begins.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-28 10:10:00
Vietnam	Where Is My NOA2 Please?	I'm a December 4th filer, after almost 7 months I was just informed of RFE although, I havent gotten it yet, only a phone call I made to them to get that information. Call and start pestering them, use number sequence that you have a problem and wait for a human, set up for them to autocall you back like the airlines do as it is like a 90 minute wait	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-28 10:08:00
Vietnam	Interview on July 11th-advice	PEOPLE,,,, great stuff. our package is at NVC, trying to put and keep the ducks in a row the wait is just part of the rest of my life, I am a lucky man chip I'm looking ahead also, yes this is great stuff.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-16 15:23:00
Vietnam	New here and very confused!	you need to see the visa timeline,  you can go there and propose the first week at a restaurant somewhere nice western style and also meet her parents, possibly have dinner every day there the first week allow them to get to know you a bit informally.,  but also Plan your Dam hoi or asking/engagement ceremony to take place  the 2nd week. and on the third week tour the country some. it takes 6 to 7 months to clear the states NOA2 then one more month thru the NVC to the consulate.  then it is between 96 to 108 days for the interview. so 10 to 11 months minimum. Here are some problems you may face: Proof of inperson meeting, it is illegal for you two to stay in the hotel together unmarried. you can still do it but the hotel will not provide documentation for you to use as they turn in the names to the local police. Get photos with date/time stamp on them. bookings for tours that record your names, in country flights with the itenarys with both of your names on them. Airline tickets don't have the year on them so they get rejected but the luggage claim tickets do why is that I don't know. I had trouble with this even with hundreds of photos. (no time stamp) not being on this site when I started and not sending in all the proper documents. Print them all and bring with you. She will need to sign at least the Fianc'e intent to Marry form. also the her biographic form and her part of the I129f.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-14 08:17:00
Vietnam	So many contradictions (First time questions)	Well you spent months together in person, that is how you developed your relationship, they only require one in person meeting but more is better of course.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-21 07:08:00
Vietnam	So many contradictions (First time questions)	yes there are a lot of contradictions but there is an aweful lot of useful information even though some of it is contradictory. I don't think you can be over prepared. Our Dam hoi wasnt expensive at all but still very nice. Almost everything can be rented there except for the fruits and flowers and usually a family member or friend can do the arrangements. Linh didnt want the traditional but in the end it was her parents choice. I wore the western suit but I wouldn't have minded to wear the man's ao dai. I didn't do a good job of keeping reciepts as we probably are not supposed to stay in the same hotel room while touring the country, but the consulate is a US institution so no problem there, also we didn't have a camera person so she took photos of me and I of her with only a few where we had someone take of us together. Both trips and I did better the first trip. She wasn't as concerned with collecting evidence for the future as I was. you are not married so I don't think you need a mutual bank account. although I have reciepts where I wired money to her account and Western Union reciepts. The financials.....I will defer to someone else, but you need to be able to prove you can support a wife and she not become a burden of the state. I hope if there is better advice someone chimes in and corrects any misconceptions I may have caused. Good Luck	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-20 15:36:00
Vietnam	APPROVED!!!! 6 Months 3 Weeks!!	Congradulations!	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-30 12:36:00
Vietnam	Question regarding foreign degrees and working in the US.	My girlfriend has a Master's degree in Linguistics. She works at a university mainly and travels to other schools as needed. She loves education and learning as well as teaching children. She has also mentioned owning a coffee shop together. Now I know from reading up on the K-1 Visa process, the beneficiary can't work right away until their status has been changed, correct? Since she has a degree from Saigon, would the US even recognize this? Or would she be able to get the degree transferred from a US university? I just would some feedback on this so I can give my girlfriend some options and something to think about. I have a very similar situation she has a degree as medical translator VN - French and VN - English.   Although I don't want her to work until she is comfortable with the culture and also we have imidiate family planning because of my age, I'm guessing it will be beneficial for her to go to the university and take the courses or test out if they will allow her to. I'm not sure if she will need to do SAT like young college students do. If she is pregnant School it something to keep her busy.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-08-02 07:12:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	Where all have you gone??? I've been trying to get my domestic house wife cooking skills up. Been looking for recipes and found some. One was wandering chopsticks. And the other was ravenous couple. It slowly getting there. Pho orchid, pho Nola those are some. Then you have dong Phuong and nine roses. Those are the ones I've tried. I love dream berrie and little Saigon in BR. I went to Pho Bang on Chef Menteur hwy. on my way home from St. Bernard Parish, it's easy to hop off and on the 5-10 loop and they always give me a large to go portion, and the waitress is always very nice.  In Baton Rouge Dream Berry is nice  so is Dang's and Viet garden, I haven't tried little saigon or the Drunken fish yet. Thanks for the tips, I will look them up and try them, Linh purchased me a cookbook today and she plans to ship tomorrow. She likes Chef Luke Nguyen from Australia. He has a lot of books on Amazon and videos on youtube. Not sure if that is what she bought me though. I wanted a cookbook of every day household foods that VN people cook daily. Good luck with the cooking!	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-08-22 11:19:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	I was born in the states...and I informed my fiance that I don't know how to cook.  My domestic skills are on the slim side. BUT as an alternative route, I offered to give him $10, the car keys, and point him to the nearest McDonalds. I love this! hehe Congradulations on your noa2 approval! I love cooking and recently participated in the company Jambalaya cookoff for the United Way, didn't place but always enjoy it. I love to cook and make wine, and home made sausage etc. My friend from New Orleans is supposed to take me around New Orleans to find some of the better VN restaurants there. Less than a dozen good ones here in Baton Rouge area. I checked some in NO east but was told that isn't the nice ones. I need to go to the west bank and downtown. We'll see.  Any suggestions I'll go taste them	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-08-22 08:40:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	That was a good idea! This is something I will consider myself, though my girl likes to drown herself with work all the time as opposed to going out with friends. She said the only person she cares about is her mother. That was a very considerate thing you did for her. Little things like this will go a long way. yes vn get a lot of selfworth out of work. but when they get off work, and go home to the parents and all is quiet, it comes to them. I am glad her boss approved her leave today even though she is responsible for an important meeting that will occur during her time away. Linh will gather the materials and build the presentation and her boss will handle. it was nice of her so Linh can go with her friends. I think it helps me more than her that she is going.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-08-02 07:21:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	I did something to help her with this awful wait time last week, her friends from work were saving for a trip to Malaysia/singapore/indonesia 7 days tour. so they couldn't go eat with her after work. Her life is on hold wating on the uscis papers.... anyway, I suggested she go with them and well I had to talk her into it citing it would probably be the last time she got to do that with her friends. I sent her a little money and really bought her some happiness to break up the time waiting. I told her to take lots of photos to upload to FB and make some fun memories with her friends. It also made me feel better knowing it made her happy. This may not be a prep but it certainly is something mentally good to help with the long wait time.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-08-01 07:36:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	Hmm, picked up my deer stands as they did logging over the summer and from what I can see it looks like I will be missing another hunting season. Linh doesn't care much for guns so I think I will keep them out of sight so as not to make her nervious. Most of my sister inlaws are hunters and so is my two college age daughters. I think it is something I will introduce her to very delicately because although she isn't vegetarian she is sympathetic to animals. I don't think she will have a problem with fishing though.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-01 11:47:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	we will have a place for her alter for her father, so she can pray, she is cao di, I am christian, non denominational,  (mostly just spiritual) but she will have freedom to practice as she wants.  I feel a need to respect her traditions, and we hope to be able to pass them on to the next generation, if we are to be that blessed.   Freedom of religion is the first and foremost reason for the pilgrimages to America, Linh is Buddist, and we already talked a bit on this subject. She told me it was unnessasary to have the ancestrial alter but the one in her parents home is quite large and well attended to. She is more religious than she admits to me. I am of similar opinion as you that our spouses should and will have the freedom to do that.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-26 14:30:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	GREAT QUESTION, our packages are at the NVC, and should have an interview date soon. The transition will be important, I think she will like reorganizing the house, and what ever her choices of styles or colors or moving furniture I will support, it is her house as well as mine. It will be fun to work together to get the house and yard and garden to her liking, no longer is it me or I , it is us and we. It also is the best part of my life, and also my future. I AM A LUCKY MAN CHIP Great posts, I wish there was a like button or carma points here!	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-26 08:24:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	Good luck with the language studies.  I attended class for about a year here in OC.  I can read better than I can speak - my wife's English is good so we have little incentive to speak VN.  I am able to communicate with her family, albeit not extensively.  I personally found Vietnamese grammar very easy and the tones are not that hard.  However, unless you get regular practice actually having a conversation is difficult at best.     My advice would be to find a school or a tutor (check out Craigslist maybe) and purchase some basic books (and a dictionary) from Amazon.  I realize you are not near the coast - are there many Vietnamese in Baton Rouge?   Plenty of big box stores in HCM as well as smaller supermarkets (like Co-Op mart).  That said nothing nearly as nice as HEB.   I am originally from the coastal area southeast of new orleans and yes larger population of VN there. Baton Rouge has about 3% VN in the area with a larger percentage going to college here. Thanks for the advice on getting some basic books and and a dictionary. I will check for a class or for skype type language lessons on craigs list.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-24 13:55:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	I recently purchased the pimsleur approach language learning system for learning Vietnamese. I was going to get the Rosetta stone but it is only offered in levels 1-3 in vietnamese while in other languages it is offered levels 1-5 for the same price. My future inlaws are the nicest people and I need to be able to better communicate with them. There is also a strong posibility I we may move to Hochiminh City, when I reach early retirement age. (in 5 years) That is what she wants, to be near her family, but she hasn't lived here yet. Also we will vist a couple 3 weeks out of every year so I really do need to learn the Language. I listen and practice every morning and evening to and from work from the lesson CD's. I completed the first 8 lessons and I am fixing to start the next 8 lessons. I wish rosetta stone had all 5 levels in VN Language.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-24 11:24:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	In the area she lives there are not any big grocery stores. All of the food is bought fresh every day, from stalls set up along the side of the road. She is not used to going to a big grocery store and buying food to last a week, it is going to be a big change for her hmm, in hcmc there are fresh street markets like you describe and the selection is better than at big grocery stores on fresh produce and meats. Many of which I don't think she will find even in the local asian and VN markets. So I am gathering seeds and trying to grow as much of that type stuff as I can, while paying attention to seed importation laws. Yes they watch ebay purchases! USDA intradiction officer left his business card on my door! Or	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-24 11:15:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	hmm, Linh ordered new linens for the bedroom online to be shipped to the house hehe, brighten up the bedroom.   I love that woman! I guess i'll be painting the bedroom soon hehe.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-20 07:40:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	the first thing my wife did after she came here was she re-organized my kitchen cabinets to her liking. she even moved my computer desk and tidy up the place.   she moved anything that is an eyesore to her.   and i love it. i'd rather see her do that instead of just sitting in the house like a duck. I so look forward to that! I been divorced for over 7 years and my place has become a bit masculine due to all the hunting and fishing activities I do.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-18 14:07:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	hehe, this is one cultural difference I didn't know existed until my first visit to Vietnam.... it's the Bathroom Bum Gun. hehe I started looking because without going into detail I'm sure it will be used. I couldn't even find one in any homecenter, not even their catalogs. but I searched online and found Home Depot has them that can be ordered online and delivered to the nearest store.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-18 06:49:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	We just started using Viber last fall...free calls and text messaging.  It's been great (can use it over 3G) for those times when you can't use Skype (or Yahoo).  Awesome! ok I will download this and try it, thanks!	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-17 17:10:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	I think the biggest adjustment for her will be the seperation from family.  Skype is a great thing but let's face it, it doesn't match being there in person.  Like many Vietnamese women she is very close to all of her extended family.  I think that adjustment will be far harder than anything else.  Oh, that and living with me.  Can't forget the basic adjustments involved when you start living with someone else.  This is a good point we only briefly discussed. she has an old desktop tower computer running windows xp. She will need to get a new computer and to teach her parents how to use it to use Skype. I have an account same as my profile name here, but rarely use it, we use Yahoo as it seems to be easier and it keeps chat log to the beginning of time. (our time hehe). My niece is moving to Vancouver and been getting all her friends to use Viper, I don't know much about that but may try it as a secondary option. Linh is very close to her family as you described also. Linh and her brother support their parents.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-17 16:39:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	Buy plenty of hangers, Find the local Vn markets... wait to buy foods etc and do that together so she is able to take ownership of the tasks rather than feeling like she is walking into a prepped hotel... Thanks for your reply, hangers, I think that is with the gender Lol. I agree with you on her taking ownership of the the shopping tasks, as well as her redecorating the house to her tastes to make it her home. Problem is I live outside the Baton Rouge city limits and it is 20 minute drive to the VN section of town. She drives a scooter everywhere in HCMC and that is a city of convience, everything you want can easily be found nearby. I will have to teach her to drive, I have a 2002 Grand Prix as a "learner car"  for her to drive when she gets here. It is in really good condition, my daughter used it as her learner car until I bought her a new one. It's a solid and safe car so I don't have much worries. I thought about getting her a scooter as well but I live on a busy hwy and fear for her safety, Americans don't stop when someone pulls out. Unlike HCMC were millions of scooters can roam aimlessly. I guess I'm concerned of her feeling caged without the freedom of travel she currently enjoys even if it is a temporary thing. I guess I need to find out about Louisiana driving requirments, learners licences, motorcycle endorcements ect.	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-17 07:29:00
Vietnam	Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences	Foods:  My love knows a lot about the west because she works at a French hospital and works with them. She also speaks English and French well, but I know she doesn't like western foods, I am from South Louisiana and the seafood here is similar and so are the ways we cook them. Cajuns can easily be Asians for all the rice we eat. And I?ve heard it said on more than one occasion, ?A Cajun will eat anything? and not always in a complimentary way hehe. My openness to not eating any western food on my first trip there put her at ease I think when it came to foods. On my second trip I was invited to eat dinner every day with her family. They were initially concerned if I would eat the foods and Linh told them ?Don?t worry about him, he?s normal? I loved it when I heard that, but sorry I digress a bit. I love to cook like most Cajuns and paid a lot of attention to the foods and the ingredients. As well as preparations, and even the appliances used to cook them. I do not own a quality large Hot Pot, and so I ordered one on Amazon. I am also an avid gardener and recently added things to my kitchen garden to make my trips less frequent to the local VN market. I am also been stocking up my pantry with can and dry goods that are commonly used in her everyday eating. I am also subscribed to web site Vietnam foods and several YouTube Vietnamese cooking channels, like yummies for dummies. I would love to know what others are doing in regards to food? Bill	BatonRouge Bill	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-16 10:45:00