biggish data

Yes I know we are new and have only known each other a few months so yes it is early in our relationship. I know what the goals are that we hope and wish for together. We talk every night and I know I have found the woman beyond anything I could have dreamed of.....but, untill we do actualy meet then it is just a dream. I do plan on visiting her in the next couple of months I just needed to wait for the holidays to clear befor I could start making any concreat plans for a trip to VN. Curently I am working on my passport and I should have that in the next week and then I plan on getting the tourist visa. As much as I want things to work out for the best between us I do understand that it is for the best we meet first and take things one step at a time. I want her as my best friend, and loveing wife for the rest of my life but in order for that to happen we cant rush headlong into something we may regreat. So yes this meeting will be the primary deciding factor to a life together. Thanks for words of caution. Being 42 and divorced with 2 kids already I know full well the consequences of marriage. I thought I would only marry once and never again but in finding Hoa it has let me see a light I never thought I would look for again.

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-01-10 20:00:00

I have to say Jim's arguments are very compelling, they are all suported by fact, logic and not hear'say. It does apear the best choice to start is a K-1 visa
Thanks alot for all the debate its best to see both sides of any possability.

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-01-09 19:10:00

Now out of curiosity how many times should I visit my Fiancee in VN in order to satisfy the "ongoing relationship" standards for the k-1 requirements... Being I have been at my new job less than a year I do not yet have paid vacation so any time I take off will be unpaid and as an hourly employee the cost of the plane tix is a little steep to be running back and forth many times...

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-01-09 12:19:00

Thanks alot for the responces everyone. It does apear that it will have to work its own way through the system taking its own time. I have yet to file any of the paperwork, I will wait to file anything till after we meet the first time in person. For now I am gathereing all the paperwork and researching the best course of action and the process itself. After all no sence in filing anything or paying any fees if once we meet we decide were not exactly ment for each other. I hope for the best and will work for a dream of being together in a loving relationship. Moving to VN would only be a last resort action only if the process takes an excedingly long time. Also my job as a R&D machinist may raise questions for my relocation to a country like VN. Having worked on projects for the DoD, NIF, FormFactor, LLL and others I am not sure how that would work in relocating. I may just be overthinking it to... I have a consultation with an imigration attourney next week :-P he is also from Vietnam and specialises the visa process from VN. At most I would plan on using him for a consultant but I dont think I will actualy hire him unless absolutly nessecary. Thanks again for all the input and I look forward to reading more from you all.
Best Wishes all,
J. Scott Walkins

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-01-08 17:12:00

Hello all,
Ok so, as I begin this process my biggest question is what would be best...?
My Fiancee is a citizen of Vietnam and I am a citizen of the United States. I plan on visiting her in the next few months once I get my passport and a tourist visa to Vietnam. Most of what I have read so far is making sure you have a history of a relationship and that you can prove it is also ongoing. I talk with her mostly on skype so I can have a solid record of the time we have known each other and proof that the relationship is continious, ongoing and the feelings we share are genuine. Once I visit my love in Vietnam and we can establish the physical meeting and suport it with photo's and reciepts of our time together. Would it be best to propose then and be married at that point so we can apply for the spousal visa. Or... just have the trip as a meeting and have the Dinh Hong (engagement party) then plan on being married after we are together in the USA by aplying for the K-1 Fiancee visa. I understand that the spousal visa (c-130 I think) is about half the over all cost of the k-1 but it takes longer for the process to work its course 8-9 months for the C-130 vs. 6-7 months for the K-1. The time or cost isnt the issue, (I am a machinist so I make a fair living lol but I am far from being comfortable financialy) I am more concerned with making sure everything is done correctly so that we have the best chance to be together. If worse comes to worse I am even considering selling everything here in the USA and moving to Vietnam should she be denied a visa. Although I would much rather we live here in the USA... I do enjoy the freedom and life we have here...

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-01-06 20:18:00

K-1 or K-3

Go for K1, K3 is nothing it will just make the I-130 process longer or make you wait longer.

Sounds good...
Basicly here is the situation, Like many of you We feel we are caught betwee our families and the Visa procedure just because we love each other and want to be together. Being a father I understand each family wanting to be at the wedding and I would be a hartless husband if I denied either family that right due to the K-1 or K-3 process. Her family is unable to travel to the USA for a wedding and my family is unable to travel to VN for a wedding.
Hoa and I know what we want for each other and we know how we feel for each other. So in trying to make sure both famlies are able to be a part of a wedding we are going to have a wedding in VN and one in the USA. If a K-1 is best for us the wedding in VN will be "unofficial" and we will make sure not to have any marriage license ect.. this way we still hopefully quallify for the K-1. If the K-3 would be better then the marriage in VN would be "official" and we would have a second wedding in the US for my family. The main question is would the wedding in VN "unofficial" or "official" hinder us, and what would be the best way to procede?

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-02 12:18:00

K-1 or K-3

Hello Everyone, :yes:

Been a while since my last post. Hoa and I have been talking alot and I have my flight to Vietnam coming up on March 23rd. We are very excited to finally be able to get together and after all the time talking I have proposed to her and asked her to marry me.

I am overjoyed that she has accepted and once I am in VN we plan on having the engagement party :dancing:

. It is important for me that she and her family are happy and I want to include her family and friends as much as we can. So given the timing and my availability from work, we are wondering if it is best to pursue the k-1 visa or marry once I am in Vietnam and pursue the k-3 visa at that point. Would it go bad if we have the engagement party and we marry in 1 week during my trip to VN?
Thanks alot for your input.
Scott

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-02 00:06:00

Leaving on a Jet Plane!!!

Language is no problem :-) Hoa speaks fluant english...much better than my spelling :-P
and as of this point i have filled a 2" three ring binder with 6 months of skype conversations 300+txt messages and a slew of emails, reciepts for gifts I have sent her ect....I have kept everything and gone as far as having my cell phone email all the text messages to my email account so I can print them out. Every communication we have had I have kept and printed them out and filed into binders in preperation for the I-129F packet. I have been reading the forums and knowing what would be ahead of us I started planning early and compiling everything I could. I have bought books on the VN culture and I watch youtube as I can on VN. I am far from an expert but I am at least becoming familiar with the country and people much more than I was 3 months ago. I know the time we have known each other has not been long by NCIS standards but when you find some one you want to spend the rest of your life with, you want to start the rest of your life as soon as possable. I know they will take their time in processing our K-! application but for Hoa and I it just gives us more time to grow in our love for each other. The best things in life are worth the effort, and I will do anything I can to make it happen for us. With all I read on the forums of people building their K-1 packets I am wondering if some one actualy reads every note, email, txt and page people sent in... When a single k-1 paket can range in the hundreds to a thousand pages or more I see why it would take them so long to process one visa. If this is the case...by god for my Hoa I will fill a library if I have to.... :rofl:

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-12 17:18:00

Leaving on a Jet Plane!!!

Woot!! I am so excited!! My flight arrives in Ho Chi Minh Saturday the 24th in the eavening. Hoa will meet me at the airport (L)

and I will finaly be able to give her a big hug... :innocent:

:-) I was wondering if there was any one else in the area that week would you like to meet one day for lunch? I know we will be busy planning the engagement ceromony, but it would be great to meet some of the other VN VJ members. If your up for it drop me an mail or post and we can make the arangements. I look forward to the trip and I wish EVERYONE all the best!! :dance:

Scott

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-12 13:43:00

I use the term of Dam Hoi for lack of better. Hoa simply calls it "our engagement ceromony" lol but ill press her for the formal term just cus I am interested.

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-14 01:02:00

I have to say the points and discussion you all bring to the table is great to allow me a broader perspective to the whole picture. While I have read about the Dam Hoi and somt of the Vietnamese culture I see it is a large country with 83 million people and many different minorities.... alot like being an american and yet living in the south or *cough* Texas :lol:

or being latino.. they are all still americans. We are one people and of one country, but many different backgrounds. I have traveled extensivly growing up (england, spain, germany, france, switzerland, scotland, ireland, and i have even walked the streets of jerusalem) and I believe it has given me a rational picture of people as a human being and so I have a high value on life and for peoples beliefs. Judging by what I have seen and read on the internet yes I think I could throw a Dam Hoi together in a pinch but I guarentee you it would prolly end as a fiasco. I am interested in what other people have seen and done for their engagement parties and I would like to help my love any way I can but I do realise this is her day and I am only a part of it. I want her to be happy and I want to take part in this as much as I can though I do understand I only have the vaguest of clues of whats going to happen. The important part for me is I respect her and her famlies wishes. I know that even though this is not a wedding it is a monumental occasion for her and her family (even for me) and I dont want to do anything that might insult any of them or their culture, so I look to people that have been through the process for some enlightenment. You all are a great source of information and I am happy to be a part of this forum.

I actualy did my own divorce when my ex paid for her's (well her mother did anyway) I knew what would happen it was all spelled out in the books I read and websites I looked up. the ex 150k in debt... me 1/2 my check in child support... and thats the law according to the disomaster(stupid computer)...the judge has no control over the figure. Doing the k-1 doesnt seem any more or less complicated but like any beurocracy its obvious they have their rules and they must be followed if your going to play their game. I intend to and for my Hoa ill do everything I can to win.

So....since ill be in Ho Chi Minh on the 3/23/12 I know ill be busy ROFLMAO...Hoa is planning our Dam Hoi for the 29th. but any one in the neighborhood want to hook up for lunch? It would be great to meet...chat some....compare notes...lol

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-13 20:39:00

So my Fiancee and I dont plan it? Ok I must be missing something then, obiviously I still have alot of reading to do. I thought I was to bring the gifts to her parents and family and ask for permission of the family (and ancestors) for her hand in marriage. If most of this is all symbolic then why does the consolate scrutinise it all so closely?. I want to be sure we do this all correct but I am afraid if I make any mistakes (like not putting enough money in the envelope) I will be seen as cheep or insulting to the family. At this point I have put out serious money just to plan the trip over to VN like I am sure everyone does. (dont know how some of you are able to move there or spend a month there lol) I have work and other family here in the USA and just taking the week will be difficult. But its for my love so I will do anything I have to, even working 12 hr days till the day I go to the airport. So, what should I do or am expected to do for the Dam Hoi party?

Edited by JSW, 08 March 2012 - 07:29 PM.

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-08 19:28:00

So I am going to be in Vn with my Fiancee and were going to have the Engagement party. My question is about the traditional gifts. I have read many websites about it and they all mentioin the normal gifts, the Batel nuts, leaves, tea, wine, a rost pig and my fiancee tells me a part of the traditional gifts are money in an envelope to the family. I have read that the envelope gifts are normaly in the wedding ceromony. Am i reading the tradition wrong? what ceromoney is the envelopes given and about what would a reasonable amount be?

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-08 12:17:00

Return from HCM

Hey everyone,
I have been back from Ho Chi Minh for about 2 weeks now and I had an absolute great time!! Hoa was a dream, and she was the best guide I could have for any visit. I feel blessed to have found a woman like her and I keep asking myself what good I did in a past life to desearve Hoa in my life. We celebrated our Dinh Hon and I meet her family and alot of her friends they were all amazing and great people with wonderful hearts. Here is a link to some of the pics we have http://www.flickr.co...otos/titansteel please feel free to visit. I knew I would have to say something during the Engagement ceremoney so I took some time and did some digging on the web and found something I thought would be suitable for what I feel for Hoa. LOL Here is a little vid I made on youtube for her about it.... Yes I did actualy say the captoning you will read...http://youtu.be/5EEq24H1OpM I think it fits perfectly so call me a sap lol. So all in all It was a great time I am more in love now than I thought I could ever be. (L)

Even though I have all the input from this great site and all the good people here I decided to hire Marc Ellis just to be sure every base was covered and so there would be no possable chance of my messing up having Hoa to the USA asap. So I just want to say to everyone thanks for all your input and support and as soon as I get the package from Marc and send it off I will start the timeline... and I so hope that it will be fast... lol
Best wishes all!!!

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-04-17 18:26:00

WOOOOOT!!!! NOA2 !!!

OMG it FINALLY came!!!

I got off work today and picked up my kids and we went to see a movie, the new Bourne one. It was not bad and answered alot of the questions from the first two movie.. LOL We drove out to my home and stopped to do minor grocery shopping and my cell phone buzzed with new emails at 10pm PST. After finaly getting home and unpacking groceries i looked at my emails. It took me 3 times reading the email before it finaly hit me.....NOA2 Approved!!

86days!!!
I Called my love (L)

, and sent her txt msgs and an email to call me. :luv:

I was so happy!! It truley made my week.. Thanks for all the help and advice VJ and I wish everyone to have an equaly speedy responce and initial approval!!!
ALL THE BEST!!!!

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-08-18 01:30:00

College Credits

Hello VJ,

I have a question some one may know about or have experience with. My fiancee from HCMC VN has a BA in IT Tech. She has her degree but missplaced the paperwork (diploma) Its going to take some work to get the admin clerk at her old school to do her job and just get my fiancee her transcripts... (prolly more than a little "coffee money") but the question is one she gets her school records when she comes to the USA will any of her course credits be transferable to a US college or JC?

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-09-15 10:50:00

Marc Ellis

Yes, this will be my first visit. for me its extreamly difficult to get away from work, and the financial cost of the traval and pay loss from time off of work makes repeated and prolonged visits impossable. I wish I could stay longer but I am pressing things with 8 days as it is. At this point after this visit me next one I could plan would be next year after I get some paid time off acrued at work and taxes come in.

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-14 20:07:00

Marc Ellis

Hello again all,
So I have read several of you have used Marc Ellis and give glowing reviews about his ability, while one or two other dont like him. Personaly my experiences with lawyers still leaves be believing they are more akin to a bottom feeding fish... But I do recognise there use in the legal system and their experience on those issues.
Basicly I was interested in getting a professional view on my case so I called Marc for a cunsult. He was polite and cordial and apears to know his stuff (with 15 yrs in the trade there in HCM I would hope so). Long story short he belies my K-1 will be denied first time through due to my first trip coming up only being 1 week long and a past legal issue I had in 2005 involving a missplaced handgun and planed trip to Washington....needless to say I missed my flight and was a guest of the Elmwood correctional facility for 10 months in Santa Clara. Stupid...yes, all my fault...yes. It teaches me to search my luggage better before I pack for any trips. All that is over now I served the time and finnished probation I even was tutoring other inmates in math and algebra to help them get their GED's so I did all I could to prove it was an honest misteak on my part. That being said he "believes" he can help imensly on my case and probably get the approval of the K-1. Noting that my case will have to be "airtight" for it to go through and be approved. Now I understand that he will of course build himself up and talk doom and gloom so he can getthe work. I am sure he doesnt need my case but a smart buisnessman will always be looking to keep the work coming in. He is asking for $1500 to handle the case from start to finnish. The question being will my red flags out right deny my petition from the start If I try to handle this myself or is Mark good enough to make good on his word. The added cost of his service would be hard but if thats my only option then I will do what I have to and get a loan or work 12 hr days if I have to.
Thanks for the input and as always Best wishes everyone.
Scott

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-14 17:26:00

Change in Direction

DOH accidently posted twice

Edited by JSW, 13 October 2012 - 05:53 PM.

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-10-13 17:51:00

Change in Direction

Hey guy Good luck and safe Journey,
Out of curiosity can any one go and be an English teacher there? I am a 15 yr journeyman machinist and I have been looking a little for Jobs in HCMC and I done see much but they are always looking for English teachers... I have taught many people in machining and back in High School part of an ROTC course I was taking was Instruction so I have taught some.

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-10-13 17:49:00

NVC:..."Merry Christmas....don't worry we have lube..."

lube is for the ####### regions? Are you being copulated with, against your will?

What's up with the lube reference?

lol nothing vulger... just meaning murphys law.
I am extramly happy to finaly have the interview 2 red flags about my case were that we only had known each other(chatting on the internet) about 4 months before I decided to fly out and meet her... I then proposed and we started our paperwork. So duration is one and proposal on first visit another. We talk almost every day and have a strong relationship. I tried to work all the OT i could so I could fly back for her interview and support her there in HCMC. so as "murphys law" has it for all my hopes of an interview we get it on the 1 month i didnt want it... when the flights book and fill extreamly fast and the ticket prices skyrocket. Nothing ill to the NVC(they have been actualy fast) just the best laid plans so to speak.

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-12-13 00:04:00

NVC:..."Merry Christmas....don't worry we have lube..."

Hello VJ and a Very Merry Christmas to one and all! Best Wishes and All the Best to One and All!!!

FINALY!!! it happend! Hoa and I finaly recieved our interview date!!
After several months of waiting I decided to prod the Consolate and sent a email for a status update back in Nov.
The responded with their standard chain letter "...We are curently working through the current applications please check back every..."
So i sent another ? on December 5th and what do I hear?...
"Your fiancee aplication has been aproved please click the link below for more info...."
Joy!!!!
Finaly!!!!
Your interview date is: 12-27-2012
OMG 19 DAYS!!!! and Hoa has not even recieved the paperwork yet.
After all the OT I work this summer to save enough for the plane trip, they schedual the interview 2 days after Christmas...
Any flight not booked is $2000-$3000 or more than I could save, I spend 3 hours a day looking for tickets and its a bust.
At this point all I can do is hope and pray I have enough evidence and proof to show our love is real.
At the best and we are approved then we have more money for our wedding and honeymoon.
At worst...more time...more...time...
Merry Christmas NVC...

To all who wait,
To all who's love is true,
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.
And May you recieve the News you dream of..

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-12-12 20:53:00

Well Interview day.......

Congratulations! My fiance will be interviewing tomorrow and I am hoping for the same outcome. If there is anything specific about the experience that you can share, I would greatly appreciate it via a message.

Happy Holidays to you both!

From the experiences I have read here on VJ and from what my fiancee says. It apears that once the consolate sets the interview they have an idea if they will aprove deny or request more info. Hoa said is was a short and simple interview even though they offered it in Vietnamese she chose to do it in English to show we could comunicate well together.
We followed the guides here had all our pictures(though we should have had more), skype logs and reciepts for everything. We had the decree of my divorce frome 5 yrs ago and the court docs from my long ago arrest. They asked her a few simple questions and said congrats your approved you will have your visa in about 5 days.
I hope that helps... just if you believe you have any questions in your file be honest, provide all the documentation and dont hide anything. Mark Ellis and Mr Nam looked over and tweeked my files some, then supported Hoa in Ho Chi Minh and everything went perfectly. I only had 1 visit and we have known each other just over a year and I couldnt be happier.
I wish you all the best!!!!!

Edited by JSW, 27 December 2012 - 02:20 PM.

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-12-27 14:19:00

Well Interview day.......

So I sent my love a Christmas gift with a small something for her Mother, Father, and Sister. Amazingly it all got there in time and everyone seemd to like their gifts.
One last day to prep with Mr. NAm and his staff and Hoa was off to her interview in Ho Chi Minh City. Stand in this line fill out paperwork. Stnad in next line turn in paperwork, wait, wait ,wait some more, Your next... and WE PASSED!!!!!!! :star:

I was a good boy for Christmas Santa did get my love and I our christmas wish!! ! fancy new K-1 VISA!!!!
I couldnt be soo happy!!!!untill I look around my appartment...? Yeah you can tell a guy lives here.. :whistle:

As much as I wish she would fly out tomorrow Im glad she decided to stay with her family for Tet. That gives me just over a month to clean and make the place presentable for my love. Well now for the next step to prepare for the PoE and her iminent arrival.

All the best to everyone!!!!

JSW

Male

Vietnam

2012-12-27 00:10:00