James R Klingler

Hello All,

I an American man who just recently got engaged with the woman I love in
Vietnam. Because we want to be together as soon as possible, I am
petitioning for a fiancee visa. We had planned to have a traditional wedding
with her family right before she came to the US and have our legal wedding
here.

The problem we have is that we were told that we will not be able to have a
wedding party in Vietnam without a marriage certificate. I was told that not
having the marriage certificate at the party could lead to a fine or
possible imprisonment !! One of my Vietnamese friends got around this at his
wedding by putting engagement signs up at the wedding party, but we have
already had an engagement party in December....

I spoke with the U.S. embassy in Ho Chi Minh city today, and they said that
they were unfamiliar with that law.

My questions are:
1) Is that law real? Is it possibly a regional law? (my fiancee lives in Cai
Lay)
2) Can I ask the U.S. consulate for help on this matter?
3) Has anyone had experience with this law and how did you approach it?

If we need to get a wedding certificate to have the wedding party in
Vietnam, we will be unable to have the traditional wedding in Vietnam since
the fiancee Visa would become void and I would have to petition for a
marriage Visa with about 1 year wait :-( I really would like to have the
wedding there for her family if at all possible.

thanks in advance for your help and advice....
Jim