ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
VietnamGot RFE for police certificate
Just got an RFE for a police certificate that we already sent in. I sent the original #2 that we got a week prior to sending it in, a photocopy, and an English translation, all of which were mentioned on my checklist. Should we get another police certificate? Or should we call them and ask them to recheck the file?

______10 - VIETNAM POLICE CERTIFICATE:_____________________________
VIETNAM: Available.
Residents: Requests for a "Justice Record Check" (Phieu Ly Lich Tu Phap) are made at the Department
of Justice office in an individual's district or official residence. The official residence is that registered in
the "household registry" (Ho Khau) issued by the district police. There is a fee. The record check takes
approximately three weeks to complete. The record check must be initiated in the district listed in the
household registry as the citizen's official residence.


dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2012-12-12 01:40:00
VietnamWe got PINK!!!!
Congratulations! Thank you for your review. This is very helpful. I'll write up my 10 year residency right away
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2012-12-29 17:22:00
Vietnampay taxes asap?

You cant really file accurate taxes until the new tax law gets signed. all tax filing for 2012 is on hold for a while.

I read that it may be requested that i prove my income to about 6 months after submitting the i130. Would a rental contract suffice?
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-03 11:51:00
Vietnampay taxes asap?
Should i pay 2012 taxes asap? I sent in my 2011 returns which just clear the minimum. I could have my 2011 + 2012 returns and can claim my home of 200k as equity. Or would only my 2011 returns of $25k be enough? I know it is technically all that is required, but have heard that hcmc is strict with proof of income.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-03 06:39:00
VietnamEMS said they have received our Visa
Congratulations and good choice on the colors!
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-10 02:13:00
VietnamWhat are the exact fees for visas into Vietnam.

Anyone can get a regular single entry visa. What I want and should have no problem getting is a 5 year visa exemption. That would allow me multiple 90 day entries over five years as I am married to a Vietnamese citizen.

They should be able to help you get that as well.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-08 18:05:00
VietnamWhat are the exact fees for visas into Vietnam.
If there is a Vietnamese neighborhood/shopping center in NYC there is likely a travel agent that can get the visa for you without any hassles.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-08 13:41:00
VietnamAnnouncement from US Consulate in HCMC: New requirement for Police Clearance Certificate
Just got our pc #2 today and guess what? They messed up the translation. The sex of my wife was translated as "male". Rather than having them redo it (who knows how long that will take) we took it to our regular translator to have it redone.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2012-11-19 12:37:00
VietnamAnnouncement from US Consulate in HCMC: New requirement for Police Clearance Certificate

guys do we need to get this Police Certificate #2 for the interview since we turn in the Police Certificate #1 to the NVC already and accepted. Comments and answer pls.


Might as well pay $12.50 to get the new one just to be sure.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2012-11-08 01:46:00
Vietnamgoing back to HCMC VietNam
Let me know if you come to Nha Trang. We can go out for beers
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-25 03:49:00
VietnamDid I front load enough evidence?

I think the biggest issue with front loading your Petition is how well you address your red flags. Things like previous marriages, children with ex spouses, family members arranging the relationship with your loved one, etc. Including hundreds of pics wont really convince the CO that your relationship is legit. I also did that stuff and 8-9 months of additional waiting is all I have to show for it. Been there done that.

You can bring as much evidence to the interview and hopefully they will accept it. Do you have any red flags in your case? Let us know so we can offer the best advise possible. Good luck and keep us posted :)


No red flags other than I only have 1 tax return from 2011 for about $25k for a family of 3. I'll be bringing an updated AOS with my free and clear $250k home as an additional asset. Other than that we have a perfect case.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-10 01:00:00
VietnamDid I front load enough evidence?

I would get more photos, they are cheap anyway only VND2000 per picture. I had over 1000 pictures on the counter, separated them in multiple stacks and on each stack I had a label describing the event of those pictures. The CO didn't look at our pictures but he did look at the stacks I had there.

Did you guys have any bank account together? what about phone bills? I know foreigners are allowed to register those in VN. Gift receipts? Wedding receipts? Hotel and/or airplane tickets that you two traveled together..

I will print out some more photos. Perhaps showing a huge stack of them can help a lot. we do have all those types of receipts.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-04 15:20:00
VietnamDid I front load enough evidence?
I'm reading on a Vietnamese forum that most of the cases are decided before your interview date and the interview is only a formality or a method to deny/blue slip. In the I130 I included about 30 photos from before we married, our engagement, wedding, our baby, and photos up till the date of submission. Also included was our marriage certificate and our baby's CRBA and passport. I am worried that it was not enough front loading because a rental agreement was not attached, due to us signing on the "landlord" space and the landlord signing on the "renter" space. Of the 3 places we've lived together, both of our names are only on one of the agreements, due to foreigners not being able to easily rent in their own names. We will have a new rental agreement for the interview, in addition to 100+ hand picked photos (out of 4000), and receipts dating back to when we first started dating, but I am a little concerned that questions will arise especially since they've yet to see 99% of our evidence.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-04 13:31:00
VietnamInterview on 3/19, do I need to file taxes before then?

Not sure about your case....however my parents in-law is scheduled for the interview on March 11, and it is required the most recent Federal Income Tax Return even though our income last year was over the poverty guidelines.

Did they contact you to request this year's income taxes?
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-02-02 05:16:00
VietnamInterview on 3/19, do I need to file taxes before then?
My wife's interview is on March 19, 2013. Do I need to file 2012 taxes and bring my returns and new AOS to the interview? Will the CO ask for them or can I wait until I go back to the US to file taxes? The AOS I planned to bring has my returns from only 2011 which is slightly above the threshold and my home as an additional asset.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-02-01 12:43:00
VietnamAbout Police Clearance Certificate in Vietnam

Below is the information taken from my wife's appointment letter:

Visa Interview Requirements
***NAME**** must bring the following to the visa interview:
* Any original documents that were requested by the NVC but were not submitted
to the NVC
* The medical examination results if not submitted to the Embassy/Consulate by
the physician
* The correct size and number of photographs
* Valid passport for all traveling applicants

So, according to the requirement documents in this letter, NVC and the US-HCM Consulate operate on two different requirements? And for the people that follow this letter, they are going to get denied at the interview because they cannot produce the new PC#2?

Btw, we already got the PC#2 several weeks ago just in case we needed it. But after received the appointment letter, based on the wording in it, all the "required documents" were satisfied.

All NVC wants from every country is a police certificate. They don't care which one it is as long as it's adequate. As for HCM Consulate, yes starting back on November 2012 they're denying anyone who does not present the #2 PC.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-02-01 11:38:00
VietnamAbout Police Clearance Certificate in Vietnam

My wife's case was submitted with PC#1 and approved at NVC on 11/9/12. On the 01/31/13, we received the appointment letter for interview date of 03/04/13. The appointment letter does not request the new PC#2 as under the document status of PC, it has code O = The original document has been received and accepted as meeting post
requirements.

The HCM consulate is the one that requires PC #2, not NVC. I would get it done immediately since your interview is coming up. They will not accept PC #1 at the interview.

http://hochiminh.usc...rant-visas.html
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-02-01 08:27:00
VietnamAbout Police Clearance Certificate in Vietnam

Thank you very much for your respond. Because I think I will tell my wife to go ahead and get it done, so when the time come, she will be ready. Is it a good idea?


I would wait until you get your NOA2 just to be safe since that is the longest wait. If she lives in the city it will only take 1-2 weeks to get it done. We got her PC #1 before we even submitted the I130 and it expired but then they switched over to #2 so we had to get a new one anyway

Edited by dreamwarrior, 29 January 2013 - 09:53 AM.

dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-29 09:51:00
VietnamAbout Police Clearance Certificate in Vietnam
The new police certificate #2 is valid for 1 year. If you have the old #1 certificate, it's not accepted anymore. You'd have to get a #2.

Edited by dreamwarrior, 29 January 2013 - 05:58 AM.

dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-29 05:55:00
VietnamHow long to receive Visa after interview CR-1
The HCMC consulate does not allow you to pick up visas there anymore. It could take anywhere from 2-14 days to get your visa, and some people who run into trouble end up waiting 1-3 months. It's advisable not to book your flight first. Who knows, you might even get a blue slip which would take a minimum of 1 month to get approved.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-28 08:59:00
VietnamHelp! my fiancee got blue from today interview, asking for my letter of explanation about my finances
Your income and home value minus mortgage owed does not amount to enough to sponsor your fiance since the value of property is liquidated at 1/3 (135k valued - 91k owed / 3 = 14.7k). The money you still owe on the home is a problem because they would consider the asset as one that would cause undue hardship if it must be sold. And since HCMC rarely takes co-sponsors for K1 visas, your best bet is to marry your fiance in vietnam and go the CR2 route. That way you can use your parents as co-sponsors if you still did not make enough in 2012. Otherwise, if you want to keep trucking on, have your parents sign an affidavit claiming that if you ever need to sell your home, that you and your fiance would be welcome to live at their house free of charge.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-20 07:44:00
VietnamIs it better for the P to not attend interview?

Imo, in the eyes of the co, if you are in hcmc, and choose not to show up, i think this to be a red flag. I have seen kids crying through the whole interview and their parents having a hard time, so i am not sure if the co would take that excuse. If the toddler is too hyperactive, just like leave him with a friend or relative nearby and both of you attend the interview.

You know I think I will attend the interview. My personality is a non risk taker but maybe this is one risk that I should take. I'm weary because I had a very difficult interview for our kid's CRBA...I thought I didn't bring my tax returns since they're not required for CRBA but in fact they were in my bag all along. Without her laptop, our kid is going to be the one climbing up and down and falling over the chairs, but at least they'll be able to see first hand how involved our family is.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-29 13:04:00
VietnamIs it better for the P to not attend interview?

I you are in hcmc, I would advise you to go to the interview. I have seen babies at the consulate when I went, toddler might not enjoy it, but so be it. The excuse that the toddler might not enjoy it so my husband and baby is in the hotel might not go over well with the co. if they ask where you are, and she says in the hotel, that might be a red flag in and of itself.

Imo, if you do not plan to attend the interview, then don't be in Vietnam at the time.

With that said, I think being at the interview would be beneficial, the co will know the difference between you being nervous and someone who is intentionally trying to deceive them.

Our 2yo is very hyperactive. I guarantee she will be crying uncontrollably before the day is over. If she cries while my wife is interviewing, consider that the end of the interview. Neither of us can concentrate while the baby is crying, although I can do it a little bit better than my wife. It's a huge risk just taking her which is why I'm considering not doing it. I don't see how me not being there is a red flag though, because I'm not required to be there. We have been there together one time already to get her CRBA. Luckily she was sleeping through the whole deal. The one benefit of me being there is that they've seen me there on 4 occasions already, so they might be familiar with our story. But yeah, the main thing is that my wife will not be able to concentrate if the baby has a problem, even if I take her out of the room it's going to be in the back of her mind...
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-29 05:32:00
VietnamIs it better for the P to not attend interview?
I'm debating whether or not to attend my wife's interview. There's a good chance that I would be called up to be interviewed after her, but I don't see the point of that unless we're seriously lacking evidence. We do have plenty of evidence and the big issue is that we have a toddler who likely will not enjoy sitting around one room for 2-3 hours. So I'm thinking I will accompany my wife to the interview and stay for the first 30 minutes, then go back with the baby to the hotel. I'm worried that if I do get called up and answer something wrong, we will get a blue slip. For example, my wife goes up and has a great interview. They get the pink sheet ready. But then call me up. I interview badly and they give us a blue. I feel that if she has a bad interview there is little that I can do to rectify the situation. What are your thoughts, VJ?
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-01-26 12:04:00
VietnamQuestion About 10-year Residency- Vietnamese HCMC
This is a mess for me. I lived in several places during college and do not remember every single roommate, though I remember one from each house. Luckily I remember all of the addresses, except for one place I only lived for 6 months.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-02-04 13:45:00
VietnamCopy or certified copy
The purpose of the birth certificate is to prove your citizenship and secondary, prove you are who you say you are. They want this in addition to a copy of your passport. Since you're the petitioner with a foreign birth certificate, it's preferable to send your "original" certificate of naturalization in its place. All they need is the original and a photocopy.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-02-05 09:11:00
VietnamReally need your help with certification of translator's competency
Looks like you already sent in your I130 with your own translation. Be sure to keep both translations on file for the interview as they may or may not accept a translation from the petitioner (depends on the CO).
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-02-08 05:16:00
VietnamMedical exam issue

It seems that this Dr wants coffee money. You have nothing to worry about, I would just go to Cho Ray hospital

Her medical was already completed and we pick it up tomorrow. I'm hoping that means everything is ok.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-03-10 10:09:00
VietnamMedical exam issue

I don't know how it's work in VN, but here in the US, it's not a lie when you tell your DR. you do not have any disease. OK, I do not have any disease, it's your job, the Dr's job to find out. But I thought when you go for your medical exam for Visa, you only see Americam Doctors? By the way what is IOM?

There's only Vietnamese dr's here. IOM = INternational center for Migration. Within this center is a place to conduct health checks for visas. The US consulate in HCMC allows two places to conduct medical exams for visas. IOM and Cho Ray Hospital. We picked IOM because it's a lot cleaner since it's not a public hospital
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-03-09 13:46:00
VietnamMedical exam issue
Also, if it's going to be a problem, could we just redo another medical exam this time at Cho Ray instead of IOM? After all we're supposed to bring our results to the consulate since IOM doesn't send them to the consulate themselves. We can simply redo it at Cho Ray and use those results, no? Also, does anyone thing the examiners were looking for coffee money? It seemed they were more interested in threatening my wife than finding out the truth by using common sense (ok, common sense doesn't exist in Vietnam).
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-03-08 11:45:00
VietnamMedical exam issue
My wife had her exam at Iom yesterday. The dr asked if she had any prior illnesses which she replied no because she has no infectious diseases. However, we have been treating her for an overactive thyroid for a little over a month. Her thyroid is noticably large and so the dr asked if she knew she had a thyroid problem. She replied yes. The dr immediately chastised her for lying when asked if she had any illnesses. My wife replied that she thought only spreadable diseases were any issue so that is why she said no. She had nothing to hide because a thyroid issue isnt going to prevent her from entering the us. The dr however insisted she lied to cover up a sickness and claimed she would write in the report that my wife lied and could possibly have a fake marriage to enter the us. After some insisting and crying from my wife, the dr said that she would not make the report, but could instead suggest barring my wife from entering the us until her thyroid treatment is complete in 6 months. In reality, based on the test results, her thyroid will be at normal levels in 2 weeks or less.

Can the dr really do this? Will it become an issue at the interview? My wifes medical came back all clear btw. And she really had no intention of lying to the dr.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-03-07 23:03:00
VietnamExit Visa for baby born in Vietnam

My son has both an American passport and Vietnamese passport. So you are saying to use the VN pp to exit Vietnam and use the US pp to enter the US?

Yes, that is all you will need
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-03-08 11:37:00
VietnamExit Visa for baby born in Vietnam

Any update to this? I am curious too since I'm in the same situation. I really didn't think about it until I read your post.


Apparently there is no exit-only visa in Vietnam. The vn visa is an entry/exit visa and costs $50. It requires a stamped Tam Tru form. However, you may or may not be hassled by airport authorities because if the baby was born in Vietnam and registered as Vietnamese on the bc, they will require the child to have a vn passport to travel. It may be possible to get away with just a US passport and visa. A lawyer told me that the baby doesnt even need a visa. But a vn pp is not much hassle and only $10. We were trying to avoid entering our child into my wifes ho khau which is required to obtain a vn pp, but the vn pp is the most surefire way to leave the country, so we are now in the process of obtaining a vn pp.

Edited by dreamwarrior, 04 March 2013 - 11:14 AM.

dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-03-04 11:12:00
VietnamExit Visa for baby born in Vietnam
US passport. She doesn't have a VN passport
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-02-18 03:24:00
VietnamExit Visa for baby born in Vietnam
Does anyone know the process of obtaining an exit visa for a baby born in Vietnam? We have a 2 year old who's got her passport and CRBA, but no visa stamps on the passport. We were planning on getting the exit visa when we go to do my wife's medical on the 7th. Our interview is on the 19th. How long does it take to get the exit visa and how much does it cost? Will they hold her passport in the meantime? Because we were planning two trips to HCMC. One for the medical and then we will come back to our town immediately that night. Then we will go back to HCMC the day before the interview. That way we won't have to spend 2 weeks in a hotel while at the same time still paying for our apartment back in Nha Trang.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-02-17 11:05:00
VietnamHow to purchase plane ticket
So I figured out the name issue. It's not really that important as long as all the names are there and spelled correctly. But now the credit card issue. Most international airlines will not accept my Discovercard, even through an online agent since they're billed separately. So my dad has to use his own card, but if he does that, he needs to send in a copy of his card and an authorization form...unless we use priceline, which is $100 more for the 3 of us. That's just too much trouble! Now the last option is to go to a travel agent and pay the bill there. Hopefully they will be able to book a Vietnam airlines flight.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-03-23 08:47:00
VietnamHow to purchase plane ticket
How do I purchase a plane ticket in my wife's vietnamese name? She has the typical name of Nguyen Thi A B. Do I buy it in the name of B Thi A Nguyen? Or A B Thi Nguyen?

Also, will I have to show my credit card (we're flying China airlines) when checking in? My father in the US is the one who's going to be using my credit card to purchase the flight since he just received my new card in the mail and activated it for me, making my card here useless. Can I just show them my old card? I don't think they actually scan the card, only look at it for proof, right? Or can I explain that it's my old card and that my father in the US used my new card to make the purchase?
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-03-22 14:01:00
VietnamLost police certificate by NVC
Did you label the police certificate for them and did you include a translation? They're supposed to accept original untranslated police certificates in the consulate country's native language, but sometimes they won't know what paper is the PC unless it's properly labeled. What they could be wanting from you is a translation. I forgot to include my translation and did not label my pc so I got a checklist for that.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-02-10 10:49:00
VietnamDNA Testing procedures at Ho Chi Minh consulate

Congrats Dat!  


dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2013-08-01 02:36:00
VietnamRetirement In Vietnam, good Idea or Bad idea?
I would retire here if I was single and had enough money in savings to live off the 14% interest alone.
dreamwarriorMaleVietnam2012-11-11 05:27:00