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We had an easy time with the "AOS" for a CR1 with one exception: 11/29/05 Kelly enters arrives to the USA. POE - Newark, NJ 12/07/05 Receipt date for Welcome Notice to USA I-797C letter 12/13/05 First attempt to apply for a SSN at the local Social Security office. No go !!! 12/14/05 Received the Welcome Notice letter 12/16/05 Received a second Welcome Notice letter !!! USCIS must like us. 12/19/05 Green Card arrived. 12/21/05 Second atttempt to apply for a SSN. Success !!! 12/31/05 SSN card arrives in the mail !!! Not sure why two Welcome Notice letters arrived. I carefully compared both letters and I found only two small differences: 1. The notice date was different. 2. One letter had Valid from // to // in the "Notice Type" block with the second letter did not ??? Applying for the Social Security Number was a problem. As other CFL members have stated, we waited about two weeks until applying. My mother accompanied Kelly to the local Social Security office on 12/13/05, before her Green Card arrived. Kelly knew to show the SSA employee the CR1 visa in her passport with the stamped entry date. The SSA person said this was not acceptable. At first she would not tell her why. After pushing from my mother, the SSA person said Kelly had to have a Green Card (I-551). Kelly stated that the visa acts as a temporary I-551 form (as stated on the visa itself !!!) but the SSA person said this was not the case. No matter what Kelly and my mother said the SSA person would not budge. My mother asked to speak to a supervisor. The employee said ok, but it would be a 2 - 3 hour wait and the supervisor would tell them the same thing. They return empty handed. First, I tried to call the local SSA office over a two day period. I could never reach a "real" person. Next, I called the toll-free SSA number, waited on-hold for 15 minutes then reached a "real" person. I explained what occured at the local SSA office and explained why I believed the documentation that my wife supplied was appropriate and that the CR1 visa acts as a temporary Green Card for one year (as stated on the visa itself). In addtion, I added that the IO at the Newark Airport, Kelly's POE stated this was the case. The SSA person told me I did not know what I was talking about. Specifically she said: 1. The Department of Homeland Security and the USCIS do not understand SSA policy. 2. The reason why the SSA changed it procedure on not using the CR1 visa as proof was because of 911. I was waiting to reply that the Department of Homeland Security is responsible for foreigners entering the USA after 911 and they should know the proper procedures, but to no avail. The SSA employee hung up the phone after she stated the two reasons, so I could not reply !!!! At this point, we decided to wait until Kelly's Green Card arrived, which occured within a week. A week later, Kelly and my mother returned to the same SSA office with the Green Card and all went well. Kelly had a different SSA person this time and he was extremely helpful and pleasant. We only wish that all the agencies involved would inform and train their employees uniformly, so issues think these would not arise. Kelly and Mark

Our journey from China to the USA on November 29th was fairly uneventful. Shenzhen : We wake at 6:30am. Van from a local hotel. I always use a bus from HK airport to the China border at Shenzhen when I arrive to China. However, I pay the extra money for a van to take the return trip since it is faster and I do not have leave the van at HK customs at the Chinese border. Chinese Customs at Shenzhen Border : Kelly has paper tickets for her airline flight. No problems at the immigrations booth. Hong Kong Customs at Shenzhen Border : Drive through booth (like turnpike booth in USA) Again, no problems. Hong Kong Airport : The airline employee at the luggage check-in counter check Kelly's passport, looks at the Visa, notices the immigrant visa (CR1) and asks to see her sealed brown envelope. He checks the visa information on the attached stapled page on the envelope with the information on the actual visa. We did not realize the airlines were cognizant of the process. He tells her she must carry this on the airplane with her. So there is no way someone can mess-up here. He also tells her an airline employee will again ask to see the sealed package at the gate before we enter the plane. HK Customs at the Airport : Again, no problem. Gate at HK Airport : The airline employee checks Kellys visa information on her passport with the sealed package. Hey, we knew this was going to occur !!! Immigrations at Newark Airport : I ask an immigrations officer (IO) directing the passengers to the proper lines, either US Citizen/LPR to the right set of lines or l others to the left set of lines, if I can accompany my wife to the left set of lines. She says no problem. At the immigrations booth, the IO checks Kelly's passport, notices this is her first entry into the USA and asks for the brown sealed envelope. Kelly also gives him the completed I-94 form, but he says this is not required, what ??? He does nothing at his booth, and then takes us to the adjoining set of rooms for Immigrations. The IO delivers her passport and envelope, tells us to take a seat (there are about 30 seats for people to wait), and then returns to his booth. Along with the rooms and seats, there are restrooms (thank you !!!). The is an open area at the front of the room where IOs talk to foreigners about there visas. As I find out shortly, this is for non-immigrant visa people (tourist, student, business). We beginning to get nervous, many other people entering after us, are getting called up and questioned by the IOs. We do not see her stuff in any of the stacks at the front desk. Finally, after 30 minutes an IO comes from one of the back offices and calls Kelly up to an adjoining desk. The process takes less than two minutes; he takes hard copy fingerprints (black ink) and she signs two documents. No questions asked. Then the IO tell her the visa is a temporary green card, she can work, obtain a SSN, etc. and should receive her actual green card shortly. The IO is very positive and enthusiastic when talking to Kelly and congratulating her. Again, I ask the IO about the I-94. He states this is not required. I am thinking maybe for a CR1 this is not applicable, but I did not ask him. A pleasant experience after the long wait. The non-immigrant visa people were questioned much more extensively than Kelly, not sure why ??? Remainder of stay at Newark Airport : No problems, all-right !!!! One exception, a 2.5 hour delay on our connecting flight due to the storms on the east coast that day, this was difficult for both of us. Overall, the entire journey was easier than I expected, with the exception of the 30 minute wait, with no indication what would occur next. However, I do have four questions : I-94 : With all the talk on CFL about making sure you must have the I-94 stamped at immigrations upon first entry into the USA, what is scoop on this ??? Is CR1/IR1 different than K1/K3 ??? I asked two different IOs this question two times each, and they both emphatically said this is not required. A-number : Much talk on CFL about this. On the attached stapled info sheet to the sealed brown envelope, the A-number is identified, an 8-digit number ending in with a 9. On the actual visa this corresponding 8-digit number is identified as the Registration Number, a black 8-digit number, the same as found on the attached information page to the sealed envelope. There is a red 8-digit number, on the lower right of the visa, but is not the same 8-digit number identified as the A-number on the attached information page to the sealed envelope. I think I have this correct, any CR1/IR1 out there agree with this ??? One other puzzling item, other CFL members have stated that the A-number can be found on the NOA2 (I-797C I think) from USCIS. I cannot find this on Kelly's NOA2, is this because of CR1/IR1 versus K1/K3 ??? Green Card : How long until she actually received the green card ??? SSN : Even though we checked the boxes on the DS-230 Part II for the SSN, what should we actually do to obtain a SSN quickly ??? I need this to add Kelly to my health insurance at work. Thanks for the help. Kelly & Mark

Jiaying & Randy: Congratulations !!! Kelly and I were happy to be China whe Jiaying received the great news on her interview success. We had a pleasant lunch after the interviews on the 22nd. Like us, I knew you were anxiously awaiting the outcome. Its alarming how all the work and anxiety comes down to one morning in Guangzhou !!! However, the success makes up for all the agonizing moments in-between. Good luck to both of you in the future. Mark

Coco & John: Congratulaitons !!!! Happy to see you made it . Mark

Joanne: Best wishes to your family in the future. It has been a pleasure for Kelly and I to spend time with you in Guangzhou. Hopefully this will continue in the future. I enjoyed your other post on the interview. Good luck, until we meet again. Mark

Amy and Doug: Congratulations on the long awaited good news !!! Our timelines after NOA2 (I was faster through the VSC) closely matched each other (with a week of so of each milestone) until the interview, which our wives had on the same day. After all this it seems almost anti-climatic when your wife experiences a two minute interview after the "long" months of agonizing and waiting for the day of the interview. I agree, we can never recoup the lost time in between !!! We can only hope to move forward the best we can. Good luck to Amy and yourself in the future. Mark

Ying & Dennis: Congratulatons on the great news !!! Yes, I agree with your observations on the interview experience and the anxiety leading up to the actual interview. Mark

Matt: Congrulations to you and your wife !!! I am happy to read all went well and for the description of the acutal interview experience. Mark

notrevorich: Congratulations on the great news !!! I think you both are particularly happy with the outcome after the "extra" effort that was required. Mark

Jocelyn: Congratulations !!! Great information not only on the DCF process but also detailing the actual interview experience. The DCF information will be very helpful to others following the same course. Mark

Joanne: Excellent information on your specific background and the actual interview. I enjoyed the description of the exchange between the VO and yourself, particularly the nov-verbal communication that occured. I concur that the interviews takes their course on a case-by-case basis and not a VO-by-VO basis. For each specific case the VO questions what is important to them and not necessarily what we might believe is important to us. Congratulations again Mark

After a 14 month trek, Kelly (my wife) and I finally arrived at the journey's end (for the visa that is !!!). We filed the I-130 visa petition with the Vermont Service Center (VSC) on 09/09/04 with a NOA1 of 09/16/04. Never considered the K3 since the VSC was moving "fast" at the time, not sure if it still is. Funny how the USCIS process was consuming our thoughts at the time but once we progressed to the NVC, then the USCIS was no longer a concern. Probably should of filed for the K3 (I-129f) as Kelly's interview would of occured earlier, with the K3 converting to the CR1. This was one of a number of oversights we made along the way. At the NVC I calculated we "lost" 32 days for being cautious in returning the forms. From not pre-generating the forms to waiting until I had my 2004 W2 forms to file the I-864, our approach was "error on the side of caution" as to not make a mistake during the process. For us it seemed to work. Next was the nine week delay from shipment of the case from the NVC to "entered into the computer" at Guangzhou. When the average at the time was six weeks, our concern was growing when other passed us by. Now, I see many are experiencing the same wait time or longer. However, our "2nd namecheck" completion time occured quickly. Once at Guangzhou, we like others e-mailed the consulate with questions concerning the status of our case. Always received a response, sometimes not the reply we were looking for though. Looking back, it appears the consulate replied promptly and specifically on questions that "mattered" (in their process not the process we have in our minds). At the time, our case consumed five and half months at the consulate from case "entered into the computer" until interview date. Many other cases were quicker than ours, but we tried to concentrate on our situation. Possibly unlike other couples, we knew going into the process that the "process time" for couples from Chinese was the longest when compared to couples from other countries. And the time passed faster the further into the process we progressed (liked aging I think). During the past two years I have been to China seven times, and we have bought a new house (apartment) in Shenzhen. We plan to keep both our home in China and our house in the United States. And did I mention that I am broke now but much happier. I know this has happened to a number of us !!! Even though we felt confident regarding our relationship pertaining to the eventual interview outcome, I still experienced lingering doubts about interview success until Kelly actually received her passport with the visa attached. My wife never had a doubt on the successful outcome, but she is much more optimistic than I. 11/11/05..Depart USA via Continental Airlines at Newark NJ (EWR). 11/12/05..Arrive Hong Kong, then bus to Shenzhen. 11/14/05..Arrive Guangzhou by train. 11/15/05..Medical Examination on Shamian Island. Expediated same-day results. Return to Shenzhen 11/20/05..Arrive Guangzhou again, hotel two blocks from "Consulate" building in Tianhe District Like other members we have carefully "constructed" our interview documentation for the day of the interview. Following David's (DavidZixuan) advice, we used three binders and one folder; one for financials, one for correspondence (phone logs, e-mails, chats), one for photos, and the folder for letters and back-up documents. Also had six additional small photo albums. This weighed about 7 - 10 pounds, and we used a big clear "ziploc" plastic bag. My wife was not happy about the weight, but I thought it was less than what others from CFL members have taken to the interveiw ??? 11/21/05..Day of Interview ..........06:00..Wake up, too early for my wife !!! ..........06:45..Leave hotel, crisp cool morning, required a sweater. ..........06:55..Arrive consulate building, Kelly's appointment at 07:15. The area in front of the entrance is fenced off with metal barriers (similiar to wooden horses I remember as a kid). There are a number of Chinese security guards. You must enter at the right-side where there are two portable scanning booths. Kelly and I entered this area (the staging area beyond the metal barriers but in front of the entrance to the building), she had to present her passport and "Appointment letter". Basically two lines, the one to the left for "immigrant type" visas (K1/K3/CR1/IR1) and the line of the right for "other type" visas (student, business, tourist). I meet Bob (bobmal99) who was there with his wife, their two children were there for their interviews. Also talked at length with another gentleman from the northeast that morning. One note, the Chinese security guards would not permit "non-American" persons to linger near the metal barriers, on either side !!! ..........07:40..Estimate about 70 - 90 people in the immigrant visa line, less in the other line. Line finally starts to move inside. My wife is one of the first called into the building. Take a picture as she enters the building. The security guards are not happy with this !!! Talked for about 30 minutes then decide to take a walk, I do not do well with waiting and worrying. ..........07:40 - 10:05..Kelly inside the consulate. Standard "stuff" happens. First, she turned in the sealed packet from the hospital, pay the additional $45 (for visa fee), fingerprints taken, signs DS-230 Part II (all these occured with Chinese staff). Her ticket number is 1052. Not sure what this means since she was approximately the 10th person to be called for an interview at, I think, Window 32 !!! Her observations; many passed, interviews were relatively short (with a few exceptions), however she did see a few blue slips. One person who's American fiancee/spouse was there, failed the interview, did not have the proper notorial documentation. She approaches the interview window, takes the three binders out of the bag and places them next to the window. Kelly'said her interview consisted of three questions and took about 30 seconds. A pleasant VO greets Kelly in Chinese. My wife replies in English. VO is happy she can speak English, he replies that her English is better than his Chinese !!! My wife said she can read and write English well but she speaks English only average. Question 1:.....Who helped you in applying for the visa ? Question 2:.....How did you meet ? Question 3:.....How long have you known each other ? The VO said this was all and she passed the interview. My wife asked the VO if he wanted to see any of her documentation/photos/etc. that she brought; he replied no !!! She thanked him and they say goodbye. ..........10:05... Depart the consulate area/floor. Before she exits the building, the hanger-ons (many of them) ask her and the other applicants if they have passed the interview. I do not understand why this cannot be controlled within the building itself ??? ..........10:10..Leaves the building and I greet her outside. Of course she says that she has failed the interview but I knew better !!! ..........10:20..Return to the hotel and crash for awhile. ..........13:00 - 19:00..Shop in Guangzhou. ..........20:00..I am sleeping, I was suprised how mentally exhausted that I was. My wife did not have the same problem !!! 11/22/05..My birthday ..........12:30 - 15:00..Lunch with Joanne and Jia Ying (Randy_W fiancee). Very relaxing after all involved passed their interviews !!! ..........15:00 - 20:30..Shop till you drop at the Tee Mall in Guangzhou. 11/23/05..Pick-up Day ..........09:50..Arrived by taxi to JunYuan Post Office. About 1.5 miles from consulate building. ..........09:53..Got number (B0130) and then wait in line. The current number being serviced was B038. ..........10:53..One hour later our number is called. There are 3 postal employees processing the packets. ..........11:00..Checked the documentation and the visa is there! Made sure all the spelling/numbers are correct before we left the post office. When you enter the post office, the passport/visa pick-up area is on the far right closest to the entrance. A "number" machine is located soon after your enter on the right. There are two green buttons and two red buttons. Press one of the red buttons to get your ticket with the number. Then wait your turn until the number is called. Your fiancee/spouse will need their National Identity Card and possibly her "Appointment letter". ..........11:30..Leisurely walk back to the hotel. ..........12:30..Lunch with Joanne. ..........14:09..Train to Shenzhen, 1 hour 10 minute ride. ..........15:30..Kelly's younger brother, his wife, and various cousins arrive. ..........17:30..Home style dinner including, free ranging organic black chicken fresh from her aunt's farm in Hunan Province. A few observations: CR1:...I assumed during the interview the VO would ask my wife for random "proof of relationship" documents. I believed this since we went the CR1 route exclusively. Unlike the K1/K3 route in which the petitioner supplies sample "proof of relationship" documents with their filing (I think so but am not sure), for the CR1 this is not the case. However, we were extremely careful in filing all the documents, including a cover letter with each filing required (I-130, I-864, DS-230). The only "extra" included was a copy of my wife's Notorial Birth Certificate. This was not required but members on VisaJourney.com recommended this and since we had it, this was included with our original I-130 filing. It lists Kelly's father and mother which is another "verified" piece of information the government has before the interview. Documentation:...A very sore spot with my wife. She was dragging around all the docementation. I saw no one else with the same amount of documentation as us. I thought our amount of "stuff", by weight, was less than many CFL members ??? But not compared to everyone else at the interview that day. Even the consulate staff felt sorry for her while she was moving from station to station !!! They asked why she brought so much with her. So she let me have it after the interview, particularly since the VO did not want to see anything at all !!! Interview:...Like many members before us stated, I believe four items are "key" to a successful interivew: 1......Petitioner's income and employment time. 2......Ability to communicate, usually in English. 3......Number of visits by the petitioner to China. 4......Your fiancee's/spouse's confidence during the interview. Items 1. & 3. are known to the VO before the interview. Items 2. & 4. are know within the first 15 - 20 seconds of the interview. A few secondary items that can either help or hurt: 5......Contacts with the consulate via e-mail during the process. No longer possible I think ??? 6......Visit to the consulate for American Citizen's Hour. 7......Prior marriage(s) and children for both the petitioner and beneficiary. I do believe my wife's interview outcome was pre-determined, so this had to be based on items 1. & 3. with items 5. & 6. lending minor help in our case. Items 2. & 4. could have only been a negative at the time of the interview, "maybe" causing the VO to ask additional questions if the English/confidence is lacking (but I am not convinced of this). This is only my opinion, and as always, something or someone can derail an otherwise "good" case. Thanks to all the members who have helped us during our journey, with special mention to nooneufo, Richard (Chinese_Wife!!!}, Wayne (olemanoman1950}, Michael (Bahan), Dave (sailorboy), Joanne, David (DavidZixuan), and finally donahso for carrying this website on his shoulders. If you have made through this post, then congratulations, you are a better person that I !!! I do have one question, when we arrive the USA, and complete the I-94 form, what do we use as the A-number. On Kelly's visa is an eight-digit Registration Number, I am assuming this is her A-number ??? Thanks all Kelly & Mark

Larry: Here is our recent experience the medical examination at the "Health Care Center of Guangdong International Travel" on Shamian Island. My wife called the hospital before I arrived and asked about timing for the exam, there were two options: 1. Pay the 800RMB fee and results will be ready three days after the exam. 2. Pay 100RMB extra (900RMB total) to expediate for same day results, assuming no problems are encountered during the exam. However, you must arrive at the hospital at 8:00AM when it opens for the exam. We stayed in GZ on the night of the 14th (11/14/05) at a hotel within walking distance of Shamian Island. Walked to the hospital the next morning (11/15/05) a few minutes after 8:00AM. The hospital was already open and approximately 20 others (most with additional family and friends in tow) were already in front of us. The total time from entering the hospital to completing the exam was suprisingly short (in my mind), about 2 hours and 15 minutes. This included the vaccinations since my wife's case is CR1. We left the hospital at 10:15AM. The hospital told us to return at 4:00PM to pick up the results. Returned at appromiately 4:05PM. You must take a number to pick up results. There were eight people in front of us. The hospital has two people working on this. My wife was called at 4:45PM. It took 10-15 minutes to process everything. The staff persons assembles all your supporting documents such as DS-230 Part II, GIV-24, Notarial Certificates, etc. (this is for CR1, I know K1/K3 have additional documents) and places these with the medical results in a sealed brown envelope your spouse/fiancee takes to the interview. They also give you the tube with their xray. We left the hospital by 5:00PM the same day (11/15/05). A few words of caution: 1. I would leave at least four days before the interview to have the medical exam done (even if expediating) in case the hospital needs to perform additional testing. Without the medical, and accompanying brown envelope, no interview. 2. Fill out the top portion of the medical forms (DS-2053, 3024, 3025, 3026) before you arrive at the hospital. Only the name, address, case number, etc. portion as this saves times in the morning. My wife completed this in English with the exception of her name which she completed in both English and Chinese. 3. See Joanne's topic on the medical procedure, it is excellent and very detailed. We owe our easy path through the medical process to Joanne's post. One observation, many of the others we saw also payed the 100RMB to expediate the results. The hospital, in the morning, told us the results might not be ready until 5:00PM to 7:00PM at the start of the process. However, when my wife's medical exam was completed at 10:15AM we were told to return at 4:00PM. Since my wife required the vaccinations we had to pay an additional 300RMB (approximately). She also received the "yellow vaccination book" everyone talks about. Mark

Greg: Congratulations on the good news !!! An eary Christmas present. Mark

Meidon: I am helping my wife to complete the GIV-24 also for her interview. As other have stated on CFL, and I will do also; if you the petitioner were born in the USA , then complete with the statement: U.S. citizen by birth or words to this effect. And later in the GIV-24 form, question 7 is for the petitioner (you). So your wife must list you, your parents, and your brother and sisters for this question. Mark