xulei601

Thanks for all the responses, everybody. Schuller, I like both of your suggestions - the roaming consulate service in Seattle and the Vancouver option. I live in Walla Walla, so we're always up for a trip to the cosmopolitan West Side. Do you know how to find out when/if the SF consulars will be traveling to Seattle? And please share what you find out about the Vancouver office. Ryan

I've searched the threads, but nobody's saying what I want to hear. Does my wife really need to travel to the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate in order to renew her passport? Can she just mail it? If not, could she mail it to a government agency in China? If not, could she renew it in person in China? (As strange as it sounds, that would be easier, as a trip to China is always in the cards--and usually in the budget--but an unscheduled, bureaucratic trip to San Francisco or NY is not something we could easily do.) Information about this is oddly hard to come by. But I know this group has a wealth of experience, so I hope you can come through as you've always done in the past. To be clear, I'm looking for recent information or first-hand experience; from my research it sounds like things have changed over the past couple of years. Thanks! Ryan

I've just started putting things together for my wife's 10-year greencard and am dismayed by the biometrics fee. Not only is it 80 smackers, but it also means a three hour drive to Yakima and a missed day of work. This is for fingerprinting, right? What she did two years ago when she got her two-year greencard? So why is it necessary now? Anybody know?

My SO received her permanent residency card in the mail today. Surprised the hell out of us! They finally got something right! (well, almost. it was sent to the wrong address, after "changing" our address three times - by mail, by phone and in person at the biometrics. oh well, at least it found us). woohooo!

I've been out of the loop for a while, patiently waiting....waiting so long that I've forgotten how the process works. Is there an interview for EAD? Is EAD and AOS generally granted at the same time? When you go to the AOS interview do you really need to take all the stuff you've already sent in - tax returns and whatnot? Don't they have all your files in front of them during the interview? Thanks!

We're moving, thus jumping through more DHS hoops. On form AR-11, the last question states: "My stay in the U.S. expires on:" We just filed for AOS a month ago. The date of expiration on her I-94 has already expired. So how do I express this without raising alarms? Should I write "AOS pending" or something like that? Give the (expired)date and add an attachment explaining that the AOS is pending? Thanks!

We just got an RFE asking for proof the my wife's joint-sponsors are U.S. citizens. Will copies of passport ID pages do the trick? Kinda ticked off about this. She's getting really impatient to work (i.e. bored). Plus we got this just hours before our Spring Festival party. Damnit.

I finally filed the AOS forms, along with EAD and AP. I sent them by certified mail to Chicago and now I'm wondering when it might be received, or when I might receive notice that it's been received (just so I have something new to worry about in the new year). Any ideas? And happy new year to everybody, especially those of you spending it together with your SO's in America for the first time!

Roger that. Thanks. But does that pertain to the possible skin test, or was it just a general "heads up?"

Finally settled on a doctor who will sign my SO's vaccination form. But the secretary said they might need to do a skin test (I think she said PPD, but I couldn't understand her very well). Is this normal? Has anybody else had to do this?

But in the end, I do have to go with somebody on the list, huh? I live in Walla Walla, WA and there are only 2 doctors on the list. My hometown (small town) hospital said they would gladly do it for me, but they are not on the list..... Thoughts or suggestions?

One of the last things we need to take care of before submitting AOS (and we're getting close to the deadline, if there is one) is the vaccination supplement. Can this be done anywhere? Like a county health dept., for example? I think it was on the USCIS site that there was a way to look up doctors in your area who could do it. but after calling them I came to the conclusion that that was only for the physical (one receptionist said they could do the physical but not the vaccine form, another said they could do it but would have to charge me the full physical price - $175!). If anybody has any info I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.

For my wife's K-1 visa my parents were co-sponsors, because my income was not sufficient and I'd lived in China for several years and hadn't filed tax returns. Now we're in America filing for AOS/EAD and I have a pretty good job that starts next week. I have a letter from the company stating my starting date and salary. I still don't have tax returns, though. Should I ask my parents to also fill out the I-864, or will my letter of employment be enough?

I-94 never expires 171712[/snapback] But it does have an "Until" date..... So the expiration date in question is that of her visa?

At the end of Part 1 it asks for an expiration date. Is that for the I-94 or the visa itself? Cheers

Aside from a visit to the SS office, I haven't thought about immigration in weeks! I was planning a wedding and looking for a job and a house, but that stress was like a vacation. Now we're applying for AOS........ Most of my questions were answered by VJ's sample forms, but here are a few lingerers: 1. She is going to keep her entire Chinese name and take my last name. So her legal name will be <Chinese family name> <Chinese given name> <new American last name>, in that order. So, the simplest question on form I-485 (YOUR NAME) has become a little complicated. It has boxes for FAMILY NAME, GIVEN NAME, MIDDLE NAME. Under FAMILY NAME I want to write her new American last name, and for GIVEN NAME her full Chinese name, beginning with her Chinese family name. Nothing for middle name. Does this sound right? 2. In Part 3 it asks for her name exactly as it appears on the I-94. Are you guys putting family name first or last? Does it matter? 3. Initial evidence - birth certificate. Can we send a photocopy of this? I'm not sure if there is a difference between "copy" and "photocopy". It asks for a copy of the BC, but a photocopy of her visa. Is there a difference? I'd like to hold on to the original if possible. 4. Other evidence - I've been reading of people getting RFE'd during the AOS process. Do we need to submit evidence of our relationship, other than marriage certificate and other specifically requested docs? Thanks in advance!!!

We went to the Social Security office the other day, and it was a debacle. It's a small place and nobody had encountered a Chinese immigrant before. Then their whole computer system failed! But, everything should be in order - we filled out the forms and they made copies of her passport, BC, and I-94. But, they said it would take an extra week or so because they had to send out the BC to be translated by "one of their people." Does that seem weird? This notarized document that got us through Homeland Security isn't good enough anymore? Has this happened to anyone else?

OK, we're a week away from departure. I've got a question about what to claim on the customs form they give you on the airplane. Almost everything we own was bought in China. So what do we do? Do we have to list all the items? How could I even estimate the approximate value of, for me, 5 years of accumulated goods, and for her, a lifetime? They are ALL for personal use - though the several hundred CDs/DVDs I've collected might not appear so I've flown from China to the US several times and never know what to claim. I usually write someting about trinkets and souveneirs with a value of 50 bucks or so. I'd really appreciate some advice or hear about some experiences. Thanks!

I agree. If I were you, I would have your friend fill out the I-134 and get the required documents, but just keep them in reserve. Don't present them at the interview unless, for some reason, they say your income isn't sufficient. But that shouldn't happen. As far as I can tell, there is no subjectivity on this matter. Either you have enough money or you don't.

But only in China can you buy "Madame Pearl's Cough Syrup" over the counter. I can't say for sure what it is, but it should have been banned after the Opium Wars. Good for colds/coughs/fever/flu and Pink Floyd concerts.

Especially Chapter 17 (Boarding Busses) and Chapter 32 (Crossing Streets). If you have the Italian translation, there are six additional chapters devoted solely to buying train tickets. Very practical knowledge for anybody visiting China.

That reminds of a story my friend in Hong Kong told me. While waiting in line at the bank, somebody entered and went straight the the front of the line. My friend walked to him, tapped him on the shoulder, and the led him the by the arm to the back of the line while others lightly applauded. Another man at the back of the line advised him "You're not in the mainland anymore." So if it's not cultural, what is it? Just poor upbringing? Or the result of having to push for everything or risk being squeezed out by others? I think it is primarily related to population, as so many of China's problems are. As was stated already, most people seem to recognize it as improper behavior, but when 30 people are rushing to fill the last remaining space on a bus, that can quickly be forgotten. By me as well. But maybe I'm just a product of the culture

You didn't also notice the legions of men and women whose job it is to clean the parks and gardens, and of course the streets? They would not be there if there was no litter to pick up. I've seen soda cans crushed into the rocks of Suzhou's meditative gardens, popsicle wrappers intentionally set adrift on Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace, and college students spit on the classroom floor. Not much is sacred when you've got a sinus to clean or some garbage to dispose of.

Here, here! Things like pushing and spitting and rampant government corruption are funny little quirks to a traveler scribbling in his journal. They become much different things when you deal with them day in and day out, when you stick around long enough to call a foriegn country home and wish it were a little nicer place to live. I don't think wishing people wouldn't push me or spit in my general direction is culturally insensitive. It has more to do with a sense of public order and hygene.

Well, no, but hopefully somebody can help you to access a website operating in China. The cost of shipping would be much cheaper, and the mooncakes would probably be better. (By the way, they just passed a law in Guangdong that mooncake boxes can only contain mooncakes. don't know if it affects the whole country. if not, you can send them mooncakes that come with a bag of high quality tea, or wine, or brandy....last year in Shanghai a box of mooncakes came with the deed to a new apartment and sold for over 300,000Y. I think that's why they passed the law. which probably means it affects the whole country. so disregard everything you've read within these paranthesis)