biggish data

Case rejected at HCMC and sent back to USCIS what do I do now?

QUOTE (Dai_VN @ Feb 10 2009, 11:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Jack & Xuan @ Feb 11 2009, 12:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Brianandphuong @ Feb 10 2009, 06:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lolly and associates are handling my case. They will review the case and find out the reason for my rejection and freeze the case and keep it from being sent back for $500 additional services after that are more. Its worth it to keep the case from being sent back and finding out the correct course of action to take to make sure you dont make any more mistakes.

Sounds like a WISE move. Let me know how it works out for you. I may need their number. Are they state-side lawyers or in HCMC?

Good luck

Holmes and Lolly was one of the lawyers I was planning on using but them tried so hard to tell me I should get married in Thailand instead of Vietnam. That really turned me off when they tried to push me hard to do that. I decided to use a Vietnamese Attorney with experience with immigration in Vietnam.

This is Holmes and Lolly's website
http://www.fianceevisas.com/

That's actually an interesting idea. I'm assuming they would have wanted the interview to be in Thailand? I had considered trying that.

Edited by Joe Six-Pack, 10 February 2009 - 11:18 PM.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2009-02-10 23:17:00

Case rejected at HCMC and sent back to USCIS what do I do now?

QUOTE (Brianandphuong @ Feb 6 2009, 09:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What is the Dam Hoi? I guess i could get my fiance to tell me but please answer anyways......I guess im in the same boat as Bryon hey thats funny cuz my name is Brian also. Im just trying to figure out the correct course of action and get things squared away before my next trip to Vietnam hopefully this comming May or sooner.

It's the engagement ceremony.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2009-02-06 21:49:00

Case rejected at HCMC and sent back to USCIS what do I do now?

QUOTE (payxibka @ Feb 6 2009, 12:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Brianandphuong @ Feb 6 2009, 10:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for all of the advise. I will have her and her Aunt get in contact with Mr Ellis ASAP. As soon as she gets the papers in the mail Monday or Tuesday next week then she will go in the same day to see Mr Ellis.

Thanks so much Brian

Mr Ellis is US based but has representatives in Vietnam... You should contact him here in the US

He is US based, but spends most of his time in Vietnam and Cambodia.

I found his Stateside #. It is 713-893-7091. That's a VOIP phone number that goes to his cell no matter where he is. I would call at 8 or 9 PM Eastern. That way if he is in VN it's 8 or 9 AM. I'd call tonight.

Edited by Joe Six-Pack, 06 February 2009 - 03:10 PM.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2009-02-06 15:07:00

Case rejected at HCMC and sent back to USCIS what do I do now?

I would retain Ellis. Some will agree, some will disagree. You should call ASAP IMHO.

marcellislaw@gmail.com

Mr. Nam is his partner. Here is his office number:

84-8-261-4124

Edited by Joe Six-Pack, 06 February 2009 - 10:04 AM.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2009-02-06 10:03:00

Case rejected at HCMC and sent back to USCIS what do I do now?

Did you ever contact Ellis?

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2009-02-06 09:54:00

Case rejected at HCMC and sent back to USCIS what do I do now?

I'm sorry to hear this.

Your case has been sent back to the States. What you should do now is up to you and your fiancee. It can take 2 years or more for USCIS to review it. Most people choose to get married there and file a K-3 or IR/CR1 petition.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2009-02-06 09:23:00

QUOTE (Melrose Plant @ Jul 13 2008, 10:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (WideAwakeInTheUSA @ Jul 13 2008, 03:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Melrose Plant @ Jul 13 2008, 04:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (consolemaster @ Jul 13 2008, 06:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (WideAwakeInTheUSA @ Jul 10 2008, 07:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (don2008 @ Jul 10 2008, 07:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i hope not! im going to be pissed if my tax dollars are wasted buliding a castle in a 3rd world country...

That's sort of what I was thinking.

Hmm...Don't get offended too quickly.

In Cambodia, they recently built US Embassy costs about 5 million dollars. Having a US Embassy that exhibit status provides a powerful influence to the locals.

$5 million ain't all that much any more for a good sized building, with all the security and everything. I'm not offended.

Spoken like a Union Electrician!

I will take that in the spirit in which I am sure it was intended.

But I will still contend that it is absolutely true! $5 million doesn't buy you all that much building any more.

You knows I'm justa' kiddin'! I'm a Union man all the way (working for a Non-Union company)! They treat us fair though IMHO.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-14 06:57:00

QUOTE (Melrose Plant @ Jul 13 2008, 04:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (consolemaster @ Jul 13 2008, 06:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (WideAwakeInTheUSA @ Jul 10 2008, 07:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (don2008 @ Jul 10 2008, 07:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i hope not! im going to be pissed if my tax dollars are wasted buliding a castle in a 3rd world country...

That's sort of what I was thinking.

Hmm...Don't get offended too quickly.

In Cambodia, they recently built US Embassy costs about 5 million dollars. Having a US Embassy that exhibit status provides a powerful influence to the locals.

$5 million ain't all that much any more for a good sized building, with all the security and everything. I'm not offended.

Spoken like a Union Electrician!

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-13 15:44:00

QUOTE (PeterFB @ Jul 11 2008, 01:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (STL_HCMC @ Jul 10 2008, 10:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Below is a photo of the entrance to the US Consulate in HCMC.

http://flickr.com/ph...uong/474334315/

STL_HCMC

I like my picture of HCMC Consulate better. It shows Thi walking with VISA in hand!!!

ThiwithVisa.jpg 74.87KB 44 downloads

Peter and Thi

I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26
I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11
I-129F RFE(s) :
RFE Reply(s) :
I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26
Touched: 2007-11-02
NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16
Consulate recieved ??????
Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11
Packet 3 received 2007-12-24
Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28
Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14
Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23
Interview Date 2008-2-27
Passed Interview 2008-02-27
Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05
Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier)
POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles
Wedding 2008-4-26

Sweet!

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-11 00:23:00

QUOTE (mimhnhut @ Jul 10 2008, 09:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (WideAwakeInTheUSA @ Jul 10 2008, 07:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for clearing that up. Someone posted them on Picasa.

http://picasaweb.goo...VietnamSept2007

It's a mistake post. There's almost no any picture of the Consulate in HCM on Internet. Because of security, taking picture is prohibited.

Yeah, that's what I had heard. I think that Consulate and Embassy are probably the safest one's in the World, which is surprising given the history of the two Countries. I guess you never know though.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-10 20:46:00

QUOTE (mimhnhut @ Jul 10 2008, 08:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi.
It's HCM city hall. was built in 19th century.

Thanks for clearing that up. Someone posted them on Picasa.

http://picasaweb.goo...VietnamSept2007

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-10 19:41:00

QUOTE (don2008 @ Jul 10 2008, 07:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i hope not! im going to be pissed if my tax dollars are wasted buliding a castle in a 3rd world country...

That's sort of what I was thinking.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-10 18:56:00

I didn't bother going by there. Just wondering what it looks like.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-10 18:41:00

Interview today......

Call the airline and ask for a reciept also. They should be able to email it to you. They may put up a little resistance (they did with me). INSIST! I told them (United) "Fine, Vietnam Airlines is opening direct routes to the U.S., so I'll use them from now on". That did the trick. The receipt should look like this:

Dear Valued Customer
Thankyou for choosing United Airlines
As per your request for the copy of the receipt

PRIMS OTIS -------------- OTIS TICKET INQUIRY ------------------------ 05/23/08
TKT-NO: 016 2170 548948 2 / 000 STAT D E/P: E *PRIMARY CONJ 2170 548948 / 000
NAME SNUFFY,JOE ISSUE-DTE 01/31/08 DAY-BATCH-SEQ 038-000075-000
SOLD BY 00-43711 3* RPT-DTE 01/31/08 BANK-REF 000000000000 *MULT TKTS Y
TOUR-ID COMPEN-CD O CORR CDS: SALE RFD DUPLICATES N
ELEC-SALE: Y REPR-CD: PR-ADJ-CD: FARE 863.00
OCAK A/L FLT CL DATE TIME FBC TKTDES RPT FARE *TAX UST 30.80
01XORD OO 5923 W 02/20 0600 WLXWEB UAC 33.82 *TAX MISC 302.50
02XHKG UA 0895 W 02/20 1217 WLXWEB UAC 334.72 PENALTY
03OSGN UA 0867 W 02/21 2050 WLXWEB UAC 62.96 SVC CHG
04XHKG UA 0856 W 03/20 0700 WLXWEB UAC 62.96 TOTAL 1196.30
*1XORD UA 0896 W 03/20 1140 WLXWEB UAC 334.72
02 CAK OO 6377 W 03/20 1950 WLXWEB UAC 33.82
F-O-P PC 80 AUDITOR: CURR USD RT 1.000000 A/C: CURR RT
BA 1196.30 CARD-# xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx EXP AUTH 103167 PID H LSC E

NO ADD-COLLECT DATA
NET-REMIT AGY-RPT-COMPEN TOTAL DISCOUNT $
FARE-WAIVER UNMTCHED: VALUE TKT-USE-CORR-ACTN-CD
SLOT CPN USE PR LOCATION/INFORMATION AC DATE
01 ME01 LIFT 02/20/08 0000000 5923 2 CAK CHI 33.82 02/22
02 ME02 LIFT 02/20/08 0000000 0895 2 CHI HKG 334.72 02/26
03 ME03 LIFT 02/21/08 0000000 0867 2 HKG SGN 62.96 02/26
04 ME04 LIFT 03/20/08 0000000 0856 2 SGN HKG 62.96 03/25
*1 ME01 LIFT 03/20/08 0000000 0896 2 HKG CHI 334.72 03/25
02 ME02 LIFT 03/20/08 0000000 7352 2 CHI CAK 33.82 03/25
******************************
*** END OF DATA *********************************

With Warm Regard
Darrel Paul
United Refunds Department

Edited by WideAwakeInTheUSA, 09 July 2008 - 01:43 AM.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-09 01:42:00

Reverse commute

QUOTE (Melrose Plant @ Jul 14 2008, 11:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the tip. We have yet to venture out on the town after I took her to that Mexican restaurant--big mistake!

I guess we are the only ones on this board with a weird enough situation that we would like to send money from Vietnam to the U.S. What is more, Mai's family is of a generation where you don't put your money in a bank, so there are no banking connections anywhere. We're either going to have to get creative, or just wait until we come back to Vietnam and physically just take the money with us.

On a side note, Mai had her first online shopping experience today. She seemed fascinated by the ease of it all. We bought some cookie sheets from Amazon.

Better watch her! I think I'd also brief her on the abundance of scams out there. There seem to be more than ever these days.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-15 02:54:00

Reverse commute

Boy you can really hear the crickets chirping in this post!

Personally, I would only trust Western Union. You two may want to go to this restaurant in Des Moines and ask them how they have been transferring money:

http://desmoines.cit...restaurant.html

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-14 19:10:00

QUOTE (don2008 @ Jul 15 2008, 08:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (WideAwakeInTheUSA @ Jul 15 2008, 06:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Thai @ Jul 15 2008, 06:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I woudl biatchslap your girl for talking on the phone while riding a bike. That's illegal practice .

Tell me what city you're in and I'll ####### slap you instead.

+10 for wideawake!

I don't think he really meant to be that rude. Maybe. Regardless, don't suggest violence against my Wife (not girl).

I had a guy make the mistake of punching his Wife in front of me once. I mean he really hit her hard. It took 4 people to pull me off of him. I'm glad they did because I had him in a "lights out" situation. When I went to Court to testify against him he tried to pick a fight with me in the Courtroom! He was a real idiot.

Edited by WideAwakeInTheUSA, 15 July 2008 - 07:22 PM.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-15 19:20:00

QUOTE (Rodney n. @ Jul 15 2008, 08:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

best thing i have found too do is buy a phone here and unlock it and send it too VN. so if anything happens or it gets stolen its not a big deal.

Rodney

To late. She ran out and bought another one before we had a chance to talk about it. Thanks for the advice though. I'll keep that in mind.

The thing that pi$$es me off the most about it is I'm sure these cowards don't do it to men, or at least a very small percentage of the victims are men.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-15 19:05:00

QUOTE (Thai @ Jul 15 2008, 06:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I woudl biatchslap your girl for talking on the phone while riding a bike. That's illegal practice .

Tell me what city you're in and I'll ####### slap you instead.

Edited by WideAwakeInTheUSA, 15 July 2008 - 06:33 PM.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-15 18:33:00

QUOTE (Thanh @ Jul 15 2008, 05:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cell phones are expensive over there $300-> $500 and most carriers don't offer incentive when you have a 2-year-contract with them like in the US

Really? I can understand why they did it now then. Wait, no I can't.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-15 16:55:00

QUOTE (chuckandkim @ Jul 15 2008, 08:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So she was riding her motobike while talking on the cellie? No offense, but She should have known better!!! It's been a known fact in Saigon or any major cities in Vietnam: Not to talk on the cellie while riding, for the VERY SAME REASON that thief will grab your cellphone and run.

Anyway, time to buy a new phone for her brother! No respectable vietnamese woman will live a day without her phone....

BTW, I love the suggested phone above!

She was a passenger with her girlfriend. She acknowledged that she had broken one of the cardinal rules of Sai Gon and already has a replacement. I'd love it to actually be the one in the picture. I'd also love to get ahold of the "men".

This reminded me of a scene from one of my all time favorite movies:

Edited by WideAwakeInTheUSA, 15 July 2008 - 07:32 AM.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-15 07:30:00

My Wife got knocked off the back of a motorbike in Sai Gon a few days ago. The reason? A f%^$ing cell phone. One hit her and the other grabbed the phone. She hit her head, but is O.K.. That led us to yet another conversation about the importance of helmets and a conversation about having a cheap phone that no one wants to steal. Here is the replacement:

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-15 07:20:00

PINK!!!!WE PASSED!!!!!!!!!!

That's great news! Congratulations to you both.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-15 04:49:00

One Way Ticket To HCMC

QUOTE (Tony&Tram @ Jul 21 2008, 12:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi, I just got back from Vietnam on 2 one way tickets. I had to get there in a hurry and couldn't find any non business class tickets on that day. Also since it was really last minute i ended up using a visa on arrival service. They never asked me for a return ticket so it should be OK. You might try doing the whole visa on arrival thing, you just need to email them the details and they email you back a letter saying your authorized to get a visa on arrival. Bring the letter, a couple passport photos, 25 fee paid at airport, and your set. It might slow you down though since it will take about 10-20 minutes and then you will end up at the back of the immigration line.

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the information.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-21 01:12:00

One Way Ticket To HCMC

QUOTE (Melrose Plant @ Jul 20 2008, 02:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Have you actually priced the one way? Maybe the round trip is cheaper anyhow. Of course, knowing you, that's a stupid question. I'm sure you have researched the thing to death.

$850.00 one way -vs- $1600.00 R/T.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-20 20:18:00

One Way Ticket To HCMC

Has anyone flown into HCMC on a 30 day tourist Visa with a one way ticket? Just wondering if a round trip is required.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-20 05:46:00

A funny situation I saw at the HCM Consulate.

You're going to make fun of someone's English? I usually don't ride someone about their language skills, but since you opened the topic:

Report of Bird Abroad

http://www.visajourn...p;#entry1890746

What kind of bird is it that you want to report?

Dude, I'll be in HCMC teaching English soon. Feel free to PM me if you want some lessons pro bono publico.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-22 23:08:00

QUOTE (tway22 @ Jul 24 2008, 05:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We got the Visa today...Wooooohoooooo

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-24 05:18:00

QUOTE (Melrose Plant @ Jul 23 2008, 09:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes the same thing happened to Dave_Thao, and the explanation given was the same. Something about having to "cancel out" the former case. Mai is on the phone right now with em Thao, who is now residing happily in Minnesota with Dave. The visa should issue soon.

MP's back in the house!

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-23 20:45:00

Got it:

DaveandThao:

Mai and I went down to the consulate yesterday and picked up her visa, no problem. However, they turned a lot of people away, saying their visa wasn't ready yet, including em Thao (Dave_Thao). She is to wait for the consulate to call her. That's a bunch of ####### if you ask me. We had the same interview date and the same pickup date. I guess Mai and I just got lucky. No chance for Dave to question anybody at the consulate as to why, either, as it was 4:30, and they shuttered their doors for the week-end.

http://www.visajourn...howtopic=128266

and Tyrobe:

My wife and I went to HCMC at 2 pm to pick up her visa as scheduled on the pink slip. She waited until almost 5 pm when there were only five people left in the room. Then she asked the staff there to look up the visa for her. For some reason, they said my wife's visa is not ready yet! They have a week since June 5th when my wife passed her interview to print the visa. Anyway, my wife is very devastated right now.

What pissed me off was that while she checked in her bag with the cell phone, the staff(s) there took it out and played with it. They even changed the theme on the phone. Keep in mind that we also keep some personal materials on the phone. Well, we suppose to have a visa party tonight and a 3-day trip to Da Lat starting tomorrow. This event is a big turn off. I'll give the Consulate a call tomorrow to find out why. They also said they'll call us for update on the visa. Hopefully, we'll receive the visa before my return trip on June 18th. I already threw away my scheduled flight on June 16th and bought two brand new one-way ticket so my wife can accompany me on the same trip. Air China + Continental don't refund the ticket; there's an inside story but I'll tell it other time. It would suck if I've to delay my return trip to US even further. I'm an optimist so I hope for the best.

http://www.visajourn...h...31632&st=30

Dave and Thao had been put through 2 years of hell when this happened. Both couples are in America now, so don't despair!

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-22 10:17:00

They did that to someone else recently and I can't remember who! They got it within a few weeks though.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-22 10:08:00

Still no answer about expired passport

QUOTE (Matt_Stevens @ Jun 25 2008, 02:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

U.S. law states you need a valid passport to enter. I worked for an airline two years ago and the rules are iron clad.

But we want to travel next year anyway, so she MUST get that passport taken care of.

Have you tried contacting the San Francisco Consulate yet? It took the guy who responded to my first email there 4 months to answer a Visa question for me, but he said he had been out of Country on a research assignment. I'm wondering now if that assignment may have been on the most efficient way to answer an email while you are traveling. If that is the case he needs to go back and do more research! He answered another question within 15 minutes though. That was 2 weeks ago. Here's the email address:

info@vietnamconsulate-sf.org

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-06-25 14:39:00

someone went through this?

QUOTE (tung1965 @ Jul 23 2008, 10:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dear Peter

Just wonder how can we talk or see a CO?

Here's a new thread discussing that issue:

http://www.visajourn...howtopic=140333

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-24 06:53:00

can you speak to a co about your case if you go too HCMC?

QUOTE (WideAwakeInTheUSA @ Jul 25 2008, 02:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (PeterFB @ Jul 25 2008, 02:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (WideAwakeInTheUSA @ Jul 24 2008, 07:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dude, we ran the gauntlet of marriage in Viet Nam. In the end we got it done, but what a trip! I had to submit to a brain mapping on a machine similiar to this:

I kept thinking "I'm not sitting in a chair, with electrodes hooked to my head, in a former enemies country"! The version shown above is much nicer than the one they had.

My Wife had already done hers before I got there and she knew I would have to do one. She didn't tell me it was coming! It was a smart move on her part. When I walked in the room I knew what it was because I have a friend who works with them. He hooked me up to one in 2005 to show me how it worked.

This is the wave of the future. It is an EXTREMELY reliable lie detector.

And you passed?

How reliable can it be?

Peter and Thi

I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26
I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11
I-129F RFE(s) :
RFE Reply(s) :
I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26
Touched: 2007-11-02
NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16
Consulate recieved ??????
Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11
Packet 3 received 2007-12-24
Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28
Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14
Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23
Interview Date 2008-2-27
Passed Interview 2008-02-27
Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05
Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier)
POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles
Wedding 2008-4-26

Too big to repost:

http://www.nytimes.c...amp;oref=slogin

Well I just gave it another read and maybe I'm incorrect about the accuracy of the mappers. I may be wrong about the test that I was subjected to also. It may have been an E.E.G. Regardless, we did pass because we were telling the truth Mr. Smartypants!

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-25 05:17:00

can you speak to a co about your case if you go too HCMC?

QUOTE (PeterFB @ Jul 25 2008, 02:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (WideAwakeInTheUSA @ Jul 24 2008, 07:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dude, we ran the gauntlet of marriage in Viet Nam. In the end we got it done, but what a trip! I had to submit to a brain mapping on a machine similiar to this:

And you passed?

How reliable can it be?

Too big to repost:

http://www.nytimes.c...amp;oref=slogin

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-25 01:16:00

can you speak to a co about your case if you go too HCMC?

QUOTE (chuckandkim @ Jul 23 2008, 11:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

YES, in theory, you can request to speak to the consulate officer, consular or even the embassador of your country while you're in a foreign land. The tricky part is: need to have legit/valid reason and purpose!

Yes, people have done this before! Personally, I met the consular of HCMC with Kim once before we even start the K-1 process... initially we planned to get married in Saigon and then apply for K-3. This prompted me to obtain a Birth Certificate Certification from HCMC, via my US Passport. Vietnamese government wants me to give them my BC and US Citizenship proof.... To get one of those while you're in VN, you just need to walk in HCMC with your Passport and $50 (few years back), you will be sworn in infront of the Consular that you are who you are and they issue a signed, sealed BC for you on the spot. But they did conduct a quick "stoke interview" with me and Kim. How we met blah blah blah, whose my dad/mom/brother? where do I work? where she went to school? What is our plans after we get married etc.?

NOTE: this was done due to the fact that I told the consular the reason why I need my BC Notification that I want to get married a Vietnam national in Saigon then bring her home, Philly baby! I would have gone K-3 route!

End up didn't need to go K-3 route, but when we submit our application for K-1, we did include that piece of BC Notification and Notice of Single Status from HCMC with our names and pictures in raised seals with the application. That def. helps our case since whoever review our case in HCMC would see their own consular's signature and seal on those documents. Just another layer of showing HCMC how serious we WERE before we arrived at their door with K-1 application

Long story shot, to answer your question: You can most certainly request for a meeting with C.O. to present and rebutal your case. Just email HCMC and make an appointment. Say you'll be in Saigon in Sept 10-30, need to meet with C.O. please let me know his availablility

I'll be there and you can ask me any question.

Good luck and stop stressing out Rodney, you need to stay focus more so than ever!

Dude, we ran the gauntlet of marriage in Viet Nam. In the end we got it done, but what a trip! I had to submit to a brain mapping on a machine similiar to this:

Edited by WideAwakeInTheUSA, 24 July 2008 - 07:04 AM.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-24 07:03:00

can you speak to a co about your case if you go too HCMC?

QUOTE (Rodney n. @ Jul 23 2008, 04:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i am going to go to vn and see if i can get anything done. i also want to make sure all documents requested are in order before we turn them in.do you have to make an appointment to see a co or you just demand too see one?

rodney

Some have managed to make it in to see one by presenting themselves at the door. Usually they are denied access from what i have read on here.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-23 05:06:00

Really upset now, can anyone help?

QUOTE (FormerConOff @ Jul 23 2008, 07:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (WideAwakeInTheUSA @ Jul 23 2008, 12:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1. How do you know I didn't review your submitted evidence before your fiance's arrival? I wondered about this too. I agree with Peter in his belief that all of the evidence should be submitted with the I-129f or I-130. That way you know they have it. There have been way too many people on here saying that they had already submitted a timeline and were asked for it again.

2. I already made up my mind to further investigate your case, the evidence your fiance brought with her means very little to me for I have very little time (say... 5 mins or 10 mins) to conduct a Face-To-Face interview with her. It's her job to make ME, the one who holds her future, to feel warm and fuzzy about approving or reversing my decision. She failed to do that! Possible.

3. Her English wasn't good enough for me to understand her. However, my Vietnamese is VERY GOOD, it's scary! Trust me, State Dept. didn't send someone who doesn't know the local or the language to work in this Division. My Vietnamese is VERY GOOD! That's why I "forced" her to speak vietnamese to me... wait... the interpreter. Of course, you and her didn't know I know Vietnamese like that! Even in her native language, she wasn't comfortable to answer the questions, what else do you expect me to believe if this case isn't right!

This is where I'd like to hear from the former C/O. How many of them actually speak Vietnamese fluently?

4. NO we do not look at every case as if it's a fraud. Every case is unique in its own way, no matter what people tell you. And YES, we did review your evidence and it didn't make us "feel" 100% comfortable to approve! I think they probably do go in with the assumption that it is a fraud. Guilty until you prove yourself innocent. I'm a cynic by nature though

Cases aren't decided before the interview. Consular Officers don't even review the file until the moment of the interview -- at least that's how it worked when I was there. There just wasn't time. ChuckandKim is right -- if the applicant leaves the officer wanting to issue a pink sheet, she'll probably get a pink sheet. If she sounds identical to everyone else (rehearsed answer, displaying only surface-level knowledge of fiance), then more investigation is probably required.

As for VN language -- all consular officers get quite a bit of Vietnamese language training and can understand quite a bit. I never needed a translator to translate from VN to English -- but I would keep one next to me in case I needed clarification on something or if the person was from an area with an unusual accent. I always had a translator translate FROM English to Vietnamese, because as you all know, white girls and guys get strange looks from Vietnamese people when they speak Vietnamse unexpectedly, and we are usually asked to repeat ourselves, often multiple times. Multiply that by 25 interviews in a day, and it wastes a LOT of time.

The whole "should I use a translator" thing seems like a false issue. When I was an interviewer, I knew that many of the applicants spoke English to some degree, but I was far more interested in the applicant's knowledge of her fiance, and that is best demonstrated in one's native language. It's very hard to get nuanced information out of someone who is (a) nervous and (

has only a limited grasp of English. I would never assume that the level of English displayed at the interview is the same as what applicant and fiance exchange in private. Applicants are asked to speak Vietnamese only as a time saver. If an applicant absolutely insists on speaking English during the interview, she does it at his/her peril, because she will be limited to speaking about her fiance or husband only in those terms for which she has already learned the English vocabulary. If that means she can only say, "My fiance is a nice person because he is nice," then the officer may have a problem.

My two cents.

Your two cents is definitely appreciated. Thanks.

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-24 08:26:00

Really upset now, can anyone help?

Teacher Mark

Male

Vietnam (no flag)

2008-07-23 11:23:00