Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Just mailed I-130 today	Best of luck!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-08-17 10:40:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Theory: Where is my file located? (NBC or Local Field Office).	@NLR - excellent post about understanding what you can and cannot control.  My (Vietnamese) wife is very patient but gets frustrated when we don't know what is happening.     Very true that a delay of weeks or months is nothing in the context of a lifetime.  Another way of looking at it is with each week or  month that goes by we are that much closer to her being here, even if we don't know exactly when that might be.     And - having been married before and having learned this the hard way - I believe the really important thing is the marriage.  Suggest people put their energy and emotion into making that work well.  The rest will (generally I know) sort itself out.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-08-22 11:45:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	wife has interview this morning,,,,	Best of luck!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-08-15 21:33:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Visa Approved	Hey VJ family   Just wanted to let you all know that my husband had his interview on the 4th of September, and he was approved! I posted in the consulate review section, if you want details.   Thank you all for your help. And best of luck and wishes to all!   Congratulations!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-09-05 23:29:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Personal experience	I totally agree with this post.  I also have a lawyer due to mitigating circumstances that I personally would rather have a lawyer deal with.  However this does not mean one should not double check everything the lawyer submits on your behalf such as forms or question the process.  I verified the entire I-130 package before the lawyer submitted it and I caught an error; they are human.  My lawyer didn't take it personally and was impressed that I am taking such an active role in the process.   This is my and my husband's future on line so I better be actively involved. I read up on all the requirements for each stage and ensure we submit everything properly to avoid any potential RFE's.  So could I have done this on my own without a lawyer?  You bet!  But when your case isn't a straightforward one and your visa approval hinges on a waiver approval, I will pay money to hire someone who is successful with those types of cases.   No lawyer should promise any client that they can guarantee a faster processing...that is highly irresponsible of them! Also, don't just hire the first lawyer you consult with.  Research them, see if they have been sanctioned or even disbarred, and consult with at least two or three before selecting your lawyer.     Ditto here - we also require a waiver for which our particular lawyer has a lot of experience obtaining.  At no point has he ever promised quick processing with USCIS or NVC nor did I expect him to speed things up.  Both my wife and I are very involved in and educated about the process.  I hired him to assist in obtaining the waiver, not as a means of outsourcing the process.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-09-21 16:08:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	decision	I was told by tire 2 that decision will be made on my case on the 24th of September but till now I have not gotten any decision.my noa1 was on the 18th of march   It's not clear to me how the tier 2 would know in advance when a decision will be made but in any event it's only been two days...suggest you give it a week then follow-up again.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-09-26 12:40:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	The unfairness of it all	I sit here and read about this persons approval in 39 days...and here I am waiting 7 months...with nothing from NBC....are we being punished because we choose to marry instead of applying for a fiance visa?  I'm so disappointed in the whole process and I don't believe anything anyone tells me anymore...I have had lawyers tell me.....You are an American...your husband is Arab..you can't go live in his country so it is the U.S Governments job to bring your husband to you....why did I ever believe these words....I have already decided that if this process takes much longer for approval..I will go live in the West Bank....I refuse to let anyone tell me who I can marry, and who I can love.   I know it's tough...our situation perhaps isn't so bad (hoping for an interview in December with a priority date in January) but remember with the CR1 visa a lot of the processing that is otherwise done for the K1 in the US is done for us before our spouse enters the US.     I don't think the delay with USCIS is due to your husband (the beneficiary) because at this stage I believe they are focused on background checks of the USC.     More likely what you are seeing is an overwhelmed system...lots of delays for CR1 applications.     Admire your attitude - marry who you love.  Wish you the best of luck whatever you decide.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-09-25 22:54:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Email from NVC	Congratulations!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-10-28 20:52:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Pakistan	Sorry...I'm struggling to see how any of this has to do with the "Visa Journey".	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-11-17 09:22:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	NOA2 APPROVED IN 19 DAYS	It's disappointing people have such a hostile and suspicious attitude, especially when so many people are petitioning the government to speed things up.  In my experience life isn't fair.  As a husband who misses his wife dearly, and whose case has been going on now for just about a year (and that's average) I wish the OP and spouse the best of luck.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-11-22 21:46:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	APRIL FILER GOT APPROVED DEC 12TH,2013 ALSO...SO FAST	Congratulations and best wishes for a happy future!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-12-14 16:21:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Filed i-130 Been 2 months 21 days	That is a good advise! Actually I already have both our birth certificates, our marriage certificate and my divorce degree translated and ready. I also already filled the NVC forms, ready to be printed and signed and I have my tax transcripts ready for the last three years Only forms left are police and court certificates since they expire in 6 months (at least the police certificate does). Good luck everybody   Excellent preparation! As odd as it may sound it seems the NOA-2 sneaks up on people and they spend more time preparing things for NVC that should have been ready by the time the USCIS phase passes.  We were caught a bit flat-footed.  As it turned out it took just over two months to go from USCIS to NVC so the wait on my wife's police check didn't slow things down.  That is, after we relented and paid the "admin fee" at the justice department.     Our NOA-1 date was 22 January, NOA-2 27 May, and interview on 28 January.  This is about what I expected - for CR-1 petitions this is probably the best time frame to expect.  Anything faster...pleasant surprise.   Best of luck!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-12-21 15:05:00
Vietnam	Stock And The Engagement Ring	$1K for this engagement ring is just to represent my love for her, this is not a wedding ring. I know she'll be really happy and will love the ring because it means so much to her that am thinking of her. I hope my prediction about BAC is correct in 1.5 month from now because that is when I get my NOA2 and heading for Vietnam to see her. I know the European crisis and all these financial difficulties going on in the U.S. but you guys can sit here and watch how my prediction turns out in a month and a half and I would like it to see it happens the same time I receive my NOA2. So you will buy and sell daily on dips in the price? What about transaction costs? BAC is incredibly volatile right now, which suggests there is no good consensus as to how it will perform in the short-term. I don't have any problem with speculation if people understand what they are doing...I am not sure though that I'd pick BAC...except to short it.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2012-06-14 13:28:00
Vietnam	We made it	Wow - thank you so much for your post, very inspirational! Best of luck to you and your wife.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2012-08-13 14:45:00
Vietnam	Banking in HCMC	I live in Ranch Santa Margarita, work Irvine. Are you in OC?	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2012-08-23 18:53:00
Vietnam	Banking in HCMC	Thanks for all of your help - ANZ bank has indicated to me they can offer me an account but since it's utility in the visa process is limited I won't work too hard to get the account. I will reach out to Jerome for information on Wells. I'm a loyal USAA member so this is a temporary thing in any event. I am not taking any chances - five visits in 12 months, family members and friends from US in attendance at wedding ceremony and reception in VN, receipts for anything you can imagine - rings, plane trips, meals, over a thousand pictures (most of them date and city stamped love that iPhone app), email/phone/skype logs, a year of Vietnamese language class (got receipts for that too) etc. Finally being a pack-rat and a little ####### is paying off..although I realize at the end of the day it comes down to the mood and whim of a consular officer. Again - thanks and best of luck to all!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2012-08-20 13:53:00
Vietnam	Banking in HCMC	Hello...I would also like to open a joint banking account in HCMC. In any other universe it wouldn't be necessary to do this to establish our bona-fides but this is HCMC. A VN D denominated account is fine - we'll use it for incidentals in VN as well as helping to further establish the bona-fide nature of our relationship. I don't care about interest rate arbitrage between the US and VN. I'll put a couple of thousand USD (in VND) in the account and keep it at a constant-level. I live and work in the US and currently travel to VN on a 3-month multiple entry visas - I am not a resident of VN. So - my question - is it possible for me to open a joint account in HCM and if so what is the best bank for doing this? Internet banking would be nice so I can transfer money to the account on a regular basis. That said I travel to VN often enough I can make deposits in person (as can my fiance). Suggestions?	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2012-08-16 18:32:00
Vietnam	Pink For Our K-1 Visa	From my experience, it's cheaper to buy directly from the airline online. Check with China Airline, Eva, United,... You can buy a round trip ticket for you and one-way ticket for her with just her passport number. I make the flight back and forth frequently - from Los Angeles the cheapest tickets are on VN Airlines codeshare with China Airlines. Flight goes thru Taipei (an easy airport to transit) and total elapsed time is the shortest from LAX (right around 19 hours). Fare varies but is normally ~$1,500 (sometimes less, sometimes more). Coach of course. I like Hipmunk to compare costs and durations but VN airlines has always been the cheapest (and I have FF miles). I book direct w the airline. They are strict about you having the CC used to pay for the flight when you depart	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2012-10-22 12:55:00
Vietnam	Shipping/ Mailing to Vietnam	I use Vietlink in Orange County CA to ship things to VN - cheap and fast and dependable (they deliver direct to the home). Mailing boxes (5 lbs) to HCM costs under $20 and takes 4-5 days. They also are a customs agent, meaning you pay taxes at their office. That said if you can't just drive to their office in Westminster that might be a problem...I have used Fed Ex and it's expensive but dependable. USPS is slow...	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-01-24 16:44:00
Vietnam	Notary Services - US Consulate HCMC	Hi..this is good...she is VN and it's her first time going to the consulate so she's a bit apprehensive. Her English (speaking and reading/writing) is good so I doubt she will have problems. I'll accompany her to the interview when that comes. This should be relatively straight-forward (aside from standing in line and waiting). Jim	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-02-26 14:11:00
Vietnam	Notary Services - US Consulate HCMC	Hi all...I am looking for some help re: Notary services at the US Consulate in HCMC. I know the general location, hours of operation, etc. but I remember seeing something that gave a little more information. If I can I'd like to give my wife as much information about what to do and where to go - she lives in HCMC and knows where the consulate is located but...I'm hoping someone can provide a bit more information about the experience. My wife will be taking her passport to the consulate to have a notarized copy made (for ITIN) - does she need to bring anything else to prove it is being submitted to the US Govt (IRS)? Is it just a matter of standing in line and paying the $50 fee (in USD)? Does she need to get her signature notarized on anything else (I think not but want to confirm). Appreciate advice from anyone who has had to use these services at the consulate - particularly for non-US citizens. Thanks!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-02-24 20:33:00
Vietnam	Certified Copy of VIetnamese Passport - HCMC	So..I thought I could use a notarized copy of the passport - that won't work per the IRS website it appears I need a certified copy. Apparently the rule was changed last June and affirmed in January of this year. Notarized copies no longer work. Has anyone's spouse obtained a certified copy of their passport in HCMC? Can you help - which government office will my wife need to go to in order to obtain this? Do I need the US consulate to do anything with the copy before I submit it with the W-7? Thanks!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-02-26 14:34:00
Vietnam	How to purchase plane ticket	A word of caution - I've flown back and forth on the China Airlines/VN Airlines roundtrip between LAX and SGN now four (soon five) times, along with a number of VN airlines flights in country. VN airlines often asks to see the credit card I used to purchase the flight. I don't recall it happening on the international trips but I had a nasty surprise last summer with VN airlines. I didn't have the card I used to purchase the ticket (three months prior) and they forced me to purchase new tickets. Oddly enough (although this is VN so odd is a relative term) they then gave us money to pass the time (a 7 hour wait for next flight). I got my refund (on the original ticket) within a week - surprised me how quickly it was processed. The whole thing felt like someone deciding to check a box - it doesn't happen all the time and it also doesn't seem to matter how far in advance I purchased the ticket (sometimes it's 6 months, sometimes 2 weeks). I don't have any specific advice to offer other than to make sure you understand VN airlines rules on how to validate the CC used to purchase the ticket in advance. China Airlines may not give you a hassle but VN airlines might. Completely unrelated - I like using the CA/VN route because it is normally the cheapest and always the fastest (especially returning to the US) but China Airlines has a well-earned reputation for lousy cabin service that only scotch seems to correct. For me..not them.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-03-25 14:57:00
Vietnam	Application copies	I believe you just need one - you will need multiple pictures however. JF	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-04-02 11:17:00
Vietnam	NOA2 - CR-1 - Approved!	I just received the text message informing us our I-130 has been approved.  My wife and I have tried hard to focus on getting everything ready for NVC and the consulate, despite not knowing when approval would arrive.  I'm glad we didn't put things off; focusing on what you can do (prepare) takes your mind off the things you cannot control (USCIS processing times).   Thanks to everyone here who has shared their experiences - I know we have a lot of work left and more waiting.  That said getting thru the USCIS phase was scariest, since you have so little idea what is happening.   I've updated my timeline (NOA-1 was 1/22/2013) but I can't figure out how to display it in my posts.  Sorry for that...   Best of luck to everyone on their journey!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-05-29 17:16:00
Vietnam	Police Check - VN	@jmhull..thank you very much.  I appreciate all of the details.  I feel comfortable what we are going to get from HCMC will work.  My wife was never in doubt..but I am an accountant and like to check and re-check!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-07 13:01:00
Vietnam	Police Check - VN	@jac_chappin...thanks for the feedback.  Unfortunately now even more confused as my wife ordered this a week ago from HCMC - they told her to come back on 20 June and it would be ready.  She hasn't lived in the home province for 16 years but if we end up needing anything from them it would go quickly - I am more worried about not meeting USG requirements.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-06 16:20:00
Vietnam	Police Check - VN	I know the requirement is for my VN wife to obtain a police check covering the period since she was 16 - but I am a little confused in that the form she completed in HCM for the police check asked for all of the places she lived since she was 14.  She lived in her home province from 16-18 and moved to HCM where she has lived (in the same house) ever since.   Will she need to get a separate police check from the home province or will the check she ordered in HCM cover that - will they actually perform a check on all places she stated she lived or just HCM?	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-05 23:21:00
Vietnam	About to file I-129F Please help me!	Best of luck - good decision to delay until you have the Dam Hoi.  It doesn't help you to hear about how long others have had to wait; trust me it goes by...quickly some days slowly on others, and for both Visa and VN cultural reasons you will be better off if you follow tradition and have an engagement party.  My opinion anyways.  As others have said save every piece of paper, take as many pictures as you can, and take advantage of an engagement period to be sure your relationship with Thu is as solid as it can be prior to her moving here and going thru that transition.   Chuc mung tram nam hanh phuc!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-07 12:57:00
Vietnam	Marriage Certificate Delay	They tell you it typically takes 30 days from the interview to the approval.  I was told that to make this shrink to 2-4 days would roughly cost the same as an air ticket (fancy that).  My then fiance (now wife) is frugal and nixed that idea as soon as it emerged from my mouth.   We had someone help us through the process which sped things up (for a modest  fee). What we did was fill out our papers and interview in September, and signed the certificate in December the week before the wedding ceremony.  I was able to return to VN (September and then December) but couldn't stay a month.    I don't know everyone's situation but I do know that our application required a bit more review, etc. on the VN end.  PM me if you want more detail, but I doubt that applies to your situation.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-12 12:21:00
Vietnam	Marriage Certificate Delay	Agree with Anh Doi Em...30 days from application to interview is actually pretty good time.  Without connections it may be tough to get an interview and then to be approved within three weeks.  We applied at the start of the week, had our interview later that same week and signed the papers three months later.  The delay in signing was due to my not being able to return to VN sooner..but as I remember it was 30-45 days from interview to when we were told it was approved.  Our case took a little longer for them to approve, probably due to reasons that you won't have to worry about.  Send me a PM if you want more info...	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-10 23:09:00
Vietnam	Police certificate in Vietnam	If you are filing in HCMC they will tell you 20 days to process - no surprise but it is taking longer.  We are at about 30 days, I was expecting two months so I'm not worried yet - as if worrying would do any good!  My wife has been in HCM since she was 19 and in one other province prior to that, so it shouldn't be too difficult to obtain all of the necessary clearances.  Shouldn't...key word.   They are using the correct form (#2)...	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-01 13:17:00
Vietnam	Rural address in Vietnam	My advice would be to use whatever is listed in her household book.  Does that help?	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-08 00:06:00
Vietnam	USCIS Field Offices and NVC...be proactive	"I" live in Orange County.  My wife lives in Vietnam.  Chalk that up to positive thinking!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-14 12:42:00
Vietnam	USCIS Field Offices and NVC...be proactive	Thanks to advice from fellow VJ members I called USCIS and spoke to a tier 2 IO.  She was able to locate our file in the Los Angeles office (we live in OC, not sure why it went to LA).  She sent them a message to send our file to NVC and recommended I schedule an InfoPass appointment, which I did for later in July (few available).     So...our file was approved and has been in the LA office for six weeks.  I am still worried the file will get lost or sent to NRC.  I plan to call USCIS and talk to an IO before the InfoPass appointment to try and confirm the location of the file before I drive up to LA.     On the positive side the IO was extremely helpful and knowledgeable.     So...NVC will tell you eight weeks for the file to arrive from USCIS.  My recommendation is to call USCIS after three weeks and speak to an IO if NVC hasn't received the file.     Good luck to all!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-14 11:14:00
Vietnam	new journey	Congratulations!! Chuc mung tram nam hanh phuc!	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-07-10 23:08:00
Vietnam	Vietnamese Marriage Cert. & i-130 application TIP	Agree - the ceremony is simply that - a ceremony. You are married on the day you sign the paperwork.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-25 22:20:00
Vietnam	Being present at interview vs. getting a job at home	Assuming your grandmother has sufficient assets or income she should be able to act as a co-sponsor.  That said - as a US citizen you are required to report world-wide income - to the extent there are waivers they are very rare (if they exist at all).  The calculation of tax owed is completely separate.  You should look into whether you have any tax-related issues.   It sounds like your relationship bona-fides are strong.  I may be showing my age and it's just an opinion but securing a good job and financial security is best for the long-term.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-08-17 10:37:00
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.	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-24 13:39:00
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).	JRF	Male	Vietnam	2013-06-17 16:55:00