Attorney/Firm For Marriage Assistance (Saigon)

The only time I heard of this is when the other party (the ex) refuses to sign the devorce agreement and the cases that I knew of just bribed the other party out.

Department of justice is the authority to issue a marriage certificate. You can do it yourself if you want to save money. Anyway, if you go directly, like any other offices here, they will try to discourage you to getting married with a Vietnamese girl(they will ignore all for money, even though the client is their sister)! If you have will power, surely you can win in this 'war' and obtain the certificate after 15 days from the date of interview. Remember to hire a translator other than your partner(they will interview you and your partner separately) for you!

Does the VIetnamese girl have to marry in VN to be able to leave VN and go to America? According to US Immigration the rule of law is that she must marry within 90 days or return to VN.

Solo1 wrote:

Does the VIetnamese girl have to marry in VN to be able to leave VN and go to America? According to US Immigration the rule of law is that she must marry within 90 days or return to VN.

That is only if u successfully bring them over as a fiance.

Solo1 wrote:

Does the VIetnamese girl have to marry in VN to be able to leave VN and go to America? According to US Immigration the rule of law is that she must marry within 90 days or return to VN.

No, but she might need to married to enter her husbands home country.

Each Vietnamese of 18 years + can apply for a passport. Takes about 7 working days to process.
There are virtually no restrictions apart from criminal investigations, prisoners and similar

cth wrote:

Solo1 wrote:

Does the VIetnamese girl have to marry in VN to be able to leave VN and go to America? According to US Immigration the rule of law is that she must marry within 90 days or return to VN.

That is only if u successfully bring them over as a fiance.

So how difficult is it for a VN girl to obtain a fiancee Visa if she already has a VN passport?

for which country?

l3ully wrote:

for which country?

Sorry I was eluding to my previous post. I am a American citizen who wants to marry a Vietnamese girl who has a VN passport. US Immigration policy states that she can enter America on a Fiancee Visa but must marry within 90 days or she must return to VN.

Hence the question: How difficult is it for her to obtain a Fiancee Visa to enter the United States of America.

Ask your embassy.

I know a guy, who was already here 3 years married to a girl. He did stay on here  for all the time, to get the papers done and take her home. That was about 2 years ago.

Just ask your embassy, they should be able to tell you precicely, what they want

Solo1 wrote:

cth wrote:

Solo1 wrote:

Does the VIetnamese girl have to marry in VN to be able to leave VN and go to America? According to US Immigration the rule of law is that she must marry within 90 days or return to VN.

That is only if u successfully bring them over as a fiance.

So how difficult is it for a VN girl to obtain a fiancee Visa if she already has a VN passport?

For me (Oz), same process as it would be if we were married....

Solo1 wrote:

l3ully wrote:

for which country?

Sorry I was eluding to my previous post. I am a American citizen who wants to marry a Vietnamese girl who has a VN passport. US Immigration policy states that she can enter America on a Fiancee Visa but must marry within 90 days or she must return to VN.

Hence the question: How difficult is it for her to obtain a Fiancee Visa to enter the United States of America.

Perhaps an even better question is: Does the VN government place restrictions on her leaving VN?

l3ully wrote:

Ask your embassy.

I know a guy, who was already here 3 years married to a girl. He did stay on here  for all the time, to get the papers done and take her home. That was about 2 years ago.

Just ask your embassy, they should be able to tell you precicely, what they want

Wow I never thought of that!!

Formalities for any documents in Vietnam are not an easy one as there is no single window system or a better service from the part of government servants!

charmavietnam wrote:

Formalities for any documents in Vietnam are not an easy one as there is no single window system or a better service from the part of government servants!

I wish someone would tell me something that I don't already know!

Getting married to a Vietnamese woman in Vietnam is not very difficult and you certainly do not need a lawyer to do it. I don't even think it would make it quicker. All the forms and procedures are very easy to find if your fiance can go down to the local government offices and ask a few questions.

As long as you have a true bona fide relationship with a lot of proof and not a huge age difference then it is not too difficult. However, it is a long process. You would be best to read and ask questions at a forum that better suites the topic. I suggest you check out http://www.visajourney.com/

There are a lot of great people there to answer your questions and tons of information regarding the K1 visa or the CR-1/IR-1 visa.

I figured an attorney would make it easier, ensuring all Ts are crossed and Is dotted, knowing the right people in places where the paperwork is filed.  I'll do it myself if that's the best way.

Unfortunately my fiance can't help me much with this, she's working all day every day 6 days per week... unless these offices happen to be open Sundays.  Also, we are temporarily relocating to northern Vietnam for a few months.  So I'm pretty much on my own here aside from getting her in there for an interview one day.

I'm worried about all the paperwork.  It seems I will need notarized documents from America translated to Vietnamese.  What sort of proof works for the bona fide relationship?  I've been living in Vietnam for six months, I'm planning to stay here, and we've known each other for a year.  What do they consider a huge age difference?

"Department of justice is the authority to issue a marriage certificate. You can do it yourself if you want to save money. Anyway, if you go directly, like any other offices here, they will try to discourage you to getting married with a Vietnamese girl(they will ignore all for money, even though the client is their sister)"

What does this mean?  Why do they try to discourage the marriage?  What do you mean they will ignore all for money?

They will not discourage you from getting married. I got married in Vietnam and my wife and I did all the paper work ourselves. If you will be doing it without the help of your wife, and do not have a Vietnamese friend to help you, then yes I would seek a service to help you. I could have never done it all without my wife's help.

Thanks Jayhawk.  She just doesn't have the time to get away from her work and I'm just not sure where to look.  I suppose a good start will be contacting some Saigon firms.

Solo1 wrote:

l3ully wrote:

Ask your embassy.

I know a guy, who was already here 3 years married to a girl. He did stay on here  for all the time, to get the papers done and take her home. That was about 2 years ago.

Just ask your embassy, they should be able to tell you precicely, what they want

Wow I never thought of that!!

yeah the wait time according to the Singapore timeline is 26 months. That's why I have to quit my job so I'll wait it out with my fiance as long as it takes. If she gets approved in 6 months awesome! But we'll probably stay at least 3 years if not longer or forever.

I am sure there are plenty of good reasons to get married. I just can not think of any...

Jayhawk wrote:

As long as you have a true bona fide relationship with a lot of proof and not a huge age difference then it is not too difficult. However, it is a long process. You would be best to read and ask questions at a forum that better suites the topic. I suggest you check out http://www.visajourney.com/

There are a lot of great people there to answer your questions and tons of information regarding the K1 visa or the CR-1/IR-1 visa.

the one I read for Canadians is http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigr … ship-b5.0/

very heartbreaking when you read some of the stories people have to endure to sponsor their wife over. I love my job but I love my fiance even more.

I told her I'll give her a chance to see what Canada is like and if she doesn't like it we can go back to living in Vietnam.

ancientpathos wrote:

I am sure there are plenty of good reasons to get married. I just can not think of any...

proof would be phone bills, receipts from restaurants and hotels you 2 have been to, pictures of places you 2 have been to, gifts, any money you sent her, e-mails, chat logs, skype, all plane ticket when you visited Vietnam to visit her, friends and relatives contact numbers to verify your relationship with her. They like big wedding and that ceremony before the wedding with pictures taken with close relatives.

yes I've been reading a lot about how to go about doing this sponsoring process on my own but I think I'll need to shell out a couple grand for a lawyer to help me fill out the proper paperwork.

You can also contact your local elected representative in your home country to ask them to enquire about the status of your sponsorship.

mtgmike wrote:

I figured an attorney would make it easier, ensuring all Ts are crossed and Is dotted, knowing the right people in places where the paperwork is filed.  I'll do it myself if that's the best way.

Unfortunately my fiance can't help me much with this, she's working all day every day 6 days per week... unless these offices happen to be open Sundays.  Also, we are temporarily relocating to northern Vietnam for a few months.  So I'm pretty much on my own here aside from getting her in there for an interview one day.

I'm worried about all the paperwork.  It seems I will need notarized documents from America translated to Vietnamese.  What sort of proof works for the bona fide relationship?  I've been living in Vietnam for six months, I'm planning to stay here, and we've known each other for a year.  What do they consider a huge age difference?

"Department of justice is the authority to issue a marriage certificate. You can do it yourself if you want to save money. Anyway, if you go directly, like any other offices here, they will try to discourage you to getting married with a Vietnamese girl(they will ignore all for money, even though the client is their sister)"

What does this mean?  Why do they try to discourage the marriage?  What do you mean they will ignore all for money?

If you are going to obtain counsel, get one from your respective country.  Vietnamese attorneys will not be able to assist you in the petitioning process.  Heck, they can't even get inside the embassy walls.

Now, on the Vietnam side, if you are going to hire an attorney, you should hire one in your wife's place of residence; because that is where your marriage certificate will be issued.  Let's say that you hire an attorney in Saigon, and your wife is a resident of Can Tho, there is a good chance your attorney will not have any affiliation with the So Tu Phap in Can Tho.  Then, he is as good, if not worst, than you or one of your in-laws, when it comes to dealings with the folks in Can Tho.  That is just how Vietnam works:  by location.  One can be a hot hot shot in one location, but in another, he is just a face in a crowd.

All and all, in Vietnam or in the west, the provess of getting married and petitioning to immigrate is pretty straight-forward, if you can read and follow instructions.  Even with the best of counsels, if the bureaucrats want proofs, then you will have to come up with proofs.

Thanks for the tips.  At this point I'm just looking into the Vietnamese side of things. I found someone who's done this before and also knows someone at the Saigon Justice Department.

I have a plan in place, but just a couple more specific questions about certain requirements if anyone can answer:

3. Medical examination from a competent authority certifying that the applicant is in sound mental and physical health. The examination results must be dated no earlier than six months before the date of marriage registration

-Does it matter where you do this?  Will any licensed doctor in Saigon suffice?

4. Affidavit of Single Status. The applicant can request this document from the civil registry in the state in which he resides or complete an affidavit at the U.S. Consulate. This document must be signed within three months of application for a marriage certificate. The notarization fee at the U.S. Consulate is $50 USD. If the applicant had a previous marriage, present an authenticated copy of the divorce decree or death certificate for the previous spouse(s);

-Has anyone tried completing an affidavit at the consulate?  Would I be better served doing that, or having it created and sent from America.  If I have an affidavit sent here, do I have it notarized and translated here in Saigon?  The person I spoke to said her husband got papers sent from America (then again, maybe he was divorced).

5. A letter by the local vital statistics office certifies that no marriage license or marriage certificate of the applicant is found within the state where the applicant is residing in. The search period must be started from the year when the applicant was 18-year-old up to date. In case the applicant was divorced, or the spouse has been deceased, a certified photocopy of a divorce decree or a death certificate must be submitted. This requirement varies from province to province.

-Does this apply to both myself and my fiance, or just my fiance (see number 4 which I think would cover this for me?)

1.  The folks in the Justice Dept. will tell you exactly where to go.  If they don't, be "nice" to them.  Heck, if you are nice enough, they will show you to the doctors who will help you pass.

2.  If your wife is a Saigonese, then the affadavit from the embassy will do.  It is far cheaper and easier to get than the one back home.

3.  That only pertains to your future wife.  The affadavit above is yours.

Okay, thank you very much Wild_1.  My wife is born and raised in Saigon.

Where do I get documents notarized and translated?  Will the US Consulate do this for a fee?

I found this rundown of the requirements, it looks pretty inclusive:

Documents Required

An application for marriage legally registered (the form is available at the Principal Registrar's Office);
A notarized, authenticated photocopy of your passport;
An authenticated copy of your birth certificate;
A notarized, photocopy of your visa registered at the city policy headquarters in Vietnam (exit/entry control office);
Medical certificates for marriage;
An authenticated statement from the local registrar of marriage documents from your state of residence attesting to the fact that there is no record of a previous marriage in your state of residence for two years.
An authenticated copy of a death certificate or divorce decree terminating any previous marriage.
A certificate of no impediment to marriage.
CERTIFICATE OF NO IMPEDIMENT TO MARRIAGE

Many countries require persons who wish to marry to provide proof issued by a governmental authority that there is no legal impediment to the marriage.

In the absence of a state or national certificate of no impediment to marry, this sworn statement seems to satisfy foreign local requirements.

PROCEDURE OF REGISTERING AND RECOGNIZING MARRIAGE

In registering their marriage, each side must fill in an application for marriage according to the set form. Enclosed with the application are the following papers:

A copy of the birth certificate;
A certificate not more than 3 months old of the authorized agency of the country of which the applicant is a citizen, certifying that the person concerned is single;
A certificate not more than 3 months old of a medical organization that the person concerned is not mentally ill, or if he/she is, he/she is still conscious of his/her act, that the person concerned is not infected with a venereal disease or HIV.

If a foreigner wishes to get married in Vietnam in addition to the documents mentioned above they must have a paper certifying that they are fully qualified for marriage and that their marrying a Vietnamese citizen is recognized by their country's law; if the law of the country concerned has a clause allowing its citizens to marry foreigners, then the paper must be marked with "Granted".

Your local ward has its own noterized service.  Get things done there.

The affadavit that the embassy will issue you should be more than enough, for your part.  Never take documents there to get notorized, unless they are absolutely necessary.  Last I checked, it was $50 a pop.

The affidavit is time sensitive, too.  So, you might not want to get it until you are ready to submit your application into the Saigon Justice Dept. 

If I were you, I would get the wife or one of the in-laws to go down to the Justice Dept. and befriend with one of the people there.  Her families or friends might even know someone down there.  Anyhow, if you can get with the right one and the entire process will be a cakewalk.

I got married in Saigon in 2011, to a local woman. I spent about a year there but it took only about 4-5 weeks to get the certificate. I've got a Vietnamese friend who got his certificate in three weeks (in Rach Gia) but he had to "pay" for the extra processing speed. There's really no "official" way of doing this, yes you need to follow the basic steps but at the end of the day it comes down to how you handle corruption and the government agents. Once the authorities know your wife will marry a foreigner or oversea Vietnamese, they will want some good lucky money. I got lucky and the local policeman only asked for $100 for the paper that proves my wife was never married before, but I heard of some stories where they were asking for 300$ or more.

I went through a local "agent", a woman who specializes in helping foreigners marry local Vietnamese, it's not necessary but it can save lot of time. It's better when you exactly who where you need to go and when. It won't help you with the bribes though, this you need to handle yourself.

Officially, from the time they accept your applications to when they issue you your certificates, it is supposed to be 30 working days.  However, I have seen guys gotten theirs within 3 days. 

Corruption...  What corruption?  I only know of expedite service.  Hey, it is all about what's important to you, time or money.  I think things work like that everywhere you go.  The Vietnamese just have a slightly "different" way of doing things. 

Reading that list of required documents again makes me so happy we live and got married in Vung Tau. We had very few hassles here and the only actual documents I had to get were a certificate of single status from the consulate and an official photocopy of my passport. The single status thing was easy, go to consulate, fill out a simple form, state before the official there that you are singe, that's it.
They even let my wife act as our interpreter during our interview

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Hmmmm... you are intelligent... or lucky
Things here in Q.3 office is not smooth as yours!
They do not allow interpreter other than outsider(with English major certificate or fluent with ID card). And with good dress (sleeveless not permitted - should take an over coat together to cover)
Getting single status affidavit from embassies (that is not under VN staff control)is not difficult. But for Vietnamese to get that from UBND is not easy (money is the villain there too!). Mental health certificate okay because application fee plus doctor's bata: 1000.000 VND:D

VungTauDon wrote:

Reading that list of required documents again makes me so happy we live and got married in Vung Tau. We had very few hassles here and the only actual documents I had to get were a certificate of single status from the consulate and an official photocopy of my passport. The single status thing was easy, go to consulate, fill out a simple form, state before the official there that you are singe, that's it.
They even let my wife act as our interpreter during our interview

At my mental health check the doctor just asked me if I heard voices

VungTauDon wrote:

At my mental health check the doctor just asked me if I heard voices

Are you sure it was your Doctor asking the question??

Them doctors are dodgy. When they say you have heart problems, let them see uncle Ho and everything is fine.

Here too simple! Name of father and mother
Vietnamese employees are only cautious where unnecessary places and matters!

VungTauDon wrote:

At my mental health check the doctor just asked me if I heard voices