lele

I got a direct flight from Beijing to New York City for her for 490$US. Even on the street in Beijing it seems the going price is about 4500Yuan, which is about 520$US. I used my same agency that I always use. To the west coast, they range from about 300-350$US (if you use a good agency again). As always, I can point you in their direction, or you can do it yourself! The agency I use is a local in a NYC Suburban Chinatown area.

I am sorry about the confusion here! We all must pay in China for the visa. My point was about *where* to pay for the visa. From what *I* and my darling can tell, one much purchase the visa check through a bank in either Guangdong or Fujian. UGH! Good Luck!

It could be. We are going the K1 route. But, it sounds the same as my darling's problem. The bank in her city said that she would be *fine* to do it by wire, but the bank in GZ would not do it without first seeing the passport. So, a copy of the passport was sent to a friend there who did it and EMS'd it back to her. I think that she needed it *before* going to the SOS, but i am not sure about that. Good Luck you two!!!

One last thing: Never fly internally in the US unless you do not live near SF, Vancouver, LA, or NYC! It is always far cheaper to fly direct. If you must pay more than 750 direct (to go to Beijing or Shanghai) from the East Coast, or 850 to Hong Kong from the east coast (or 600 from the west coast), you are paying FAR too much. Go to your local China town and talk with them. If you do not know a person there who can do it for you, the people I use in the NYC suburban area will gladly help you. I do not have any business dealings with them, it is just that I use them and they are dang cheap! Happy flying...

They have *daily* nonstop flights from JFK and EWR to Beijing. They have daily non-stops from NYC to HK and to SH. (I live near and have always flown the route, non-stop, from JFK to Beijing.) The prices run as follows: RTX from NYC to Beijing should cost from 700-750. If they are charging you more, you are getting jipped. Send me a PM and I can hook you up with a company in chinatown that can do it for you for that price. From NYC to Hong Kong, the price is about 750-850. Again, if being charged more, talk to me. *do not* take any of the indirect flights, it is a waste of your time (and will cost more).

Richard, Thank you. Some excellent points here. I do not know what VJ is, so I can not comment more on that. However, with what you DO say: 1. China has one of the longest waits in the world, and it is on par with middle-eastern nations and african nations 2. In India, the only other country that is nearly as large as China for population, they have *multiple* consulates/embassies which issue K and IV types of Visas. 3. China is one of the few places in the world that the US Citizen *can not* enter the room for the interview, even if they want to! In some countries, it is a "requirement" for them to do so and in others, the option exists. Why is it that in China they can not? It seems like a great way to help present people with the common "oops, your relationship is not valid" response. IMHO it is BS! 4. We can not even directly phone the VOs in China. In most other consulates that issue these types of visas, not only can you directly email the VO's, but you can directly PHONE them too. Here, what little phoning can be done is expensive and ineffective. 5. The turnaround time for people adopting children, at least from the two couples that I know that did it, *from Guangzhou's point of view* (I am not talking about the other aspects of the issue) is 2-3 weeks. How come those family members get such a fast turn-around time, while we take 5-7 months (for us specifically, it has been about 6.5 months)? 6. Why are the only banks allowable to pay the fee located near GZ? 7. Why are there not hospitals available in most major cities, or at least 2-3 in each province which has a city of more than 1 million people (each province except for Xizhang, ningxia, and possibly inner mongolia)? It is absurd and extremely difficult for people such as my darling who comes from a *large* city, but because it is not in the SE nor in Beijing or Shanghai, she is really stuck. 8. Why is it that when we send emails, more than 75% of the time (from my own experience, I have sent 9 emails and 7 of them were as I will describe) the answers which are returned do not: 1. answer the question 2. were obviously not written by a VO (since the grammar and logic show that the writer was a native Chinese writer/speaker) 3. contain vague information at best and misleading information at worst. 9. Why are all of the forms that they send to us already expired? I wonder if they do this to later justify any refusals. Ok, enough for now!!!! Thanks again Richard.

Here is the list from the Guangzhou consulate: From what I can see, it *must* be purchased in Guangdong, or in Xiamen or Fuzhou in Fujian, with no exceptions. Immigrant Visa Unit Immigrant Visa Unit Intro Immigrant Visas Fiancé(e) Visas Life Act Visas Diversity Visas State Dept. Visa Services Contact Us Print Version / 中文版 Going-Abroad Financial Service Center Add: 269-271, Huang Pu Da Dao West, Guangzhou 510620 Fax: 020-87587076 Tel: 020-87586720 Sub-branch in CITIC Plaza Add: 233 Tian He North Rd., Guangzhou 510613 Fax: 020-87754463 Tel: 020-87521188 Huan Shi Sub-branch Add: 2 Shui Yin Rd., Guangzhou 510080 Fax: 020-37604926 Tel: 020-37605518 Bei Xiu Sub-branch Add: 179-191, Xiao Bei Rd., Guangzhou 510045 Fax: 020-83556611 Tel: 020-83555963 Sub-branch in Beijing Road Add: 10 Guang Wei Rd., Guangzhou 510030 Fax: 020-83332924 Tel: 020-83340724 Dong Shan Sub-branch Add: 748 Dong Feng East Rd., Guangzhou 510080 Fax: 020-87613576 Tel: 020-87761888 Liu Hua Sub-branch Add: 120 Liu Hua Rd., Guangzhou 510016 Fax: 020-86667770 Tel: 020-86667677 Hai Zhu Sub-branch Add: 134 Jiang Nan Da Dao, Guangzhou 510240 Fax: 020-84493382 Tel: 020-84242947 Sub-branch in Ji Chang Rd. Add: 6 Ling An St., Ji Chang Rd., Guangzhou 510405 Fax: 020-86133540 Tel: 020-86133087 Sub-branch in International Building Add: 339 Huan Shi East Rd., Guangzhou 510098 Fax: 020-83317581 Tel: 020-83319595 Sub-branch in Zhu Jiang New City Add: 398 Hua Sui Rd., Zhu Jiang New City, Guangzhou 510623 Fax: 020-38620212 Tel: 020-38620219 Pan Yu Sub-branch Add: 25-29 Gong Hua East Rd., Pan Yu District, Guangzhou 511400 Fax: 020-34518086 Tel: 020-34518888 Fo Shan Sub-branch Add: 91 Fen Jiang South Rd., Foshan 528000 Fax: 0757-3981101 Tel: 0757-3989999 Dong Guan Sub-branch Add: 40 Huang Cun Lu Duan, Guan Tai Da Dao, Dongguan 511715 Fax: 0769-2819151 Tel: 0769-2421188 Garden Sub-branch Add: 432, Huan Shi East Rd., Guangzhou 510075 Fax: 020-87622130 Tel: 020-87622121-121 Development Zone Sub-branch Add: 3, Zhong Shan Da Dao, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510660 Fax: 020-82578976 Tel: 020-82578953 Xihu Road Sub-branch Add: No. 19, Xihu Road, Guangzhou Fax: 020-83341548 Tel: 020-83341548 Sub-branch in CITIC Building Add: No.1093, Shennan Central Road, Shenzhen 518031 Fax: 0755-25941940 Tel：0755-25941876 Luo Hu Sub-branch Add: 2/F, Xinglong Building, Nanhu Road, Shenzhen 518005 Fax: 0755-82187387 Tel：0755-82202841 Contact: Yuping Nie Shang Bu Sub-branch Add: Sanda Building, Hua Fa North Road, Shenzhen 518031 Fax:0755-83243781 Tel：0755-83231401 Contact: Yiqing Luo Bin He Sub-branch Add: Wireless Administration Building, No.3002, Binghe Ave., Shenzhen 518033 Fax: 0755-83219892 Tel：0755-83219887 Contact: Hong Cai Hong Ling Sub-branch Add: No.2108, Hong Gui Road, Shenzhen 518001 Fax: 0755-25576113 Tel：0755-25584091 Contact: Wenjing Huang Sun Gang Sub-branch Add: ZhongMing Plaza, No.12, Sun Gang Road, Shenzhen 518008 Fax: 0755-82485291 Tel：0755-82485293 Contact: Sihong Chen Fu Nan Sub-branch Add: Investment Building, No.4009, Shen Nan Da Dao, Shenzhen 518009 Fax: 0755-82912249 Tel：0755-82912255 Contact: Danli Huang Ba Gua Ling Sub-branch Add: ,Pengyi Garden, No,1012, Shang Bu North Road, Shenzhen 518029 Fax: 0755-25849070 Tel：0755-25849560 Contact: Xun Liu Hong Li Sub-branch Add: Shenkan Building, No.4, Shang Bu Central Road, Shenzhen 518028 Fax: 0755-83755782 Tel：0755-83755162 Contact: Na Li Nan Shan Sub-branch Add: 2120, Nanxin Rd., Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518052 Fax: 0755-26561741 Tel：0755-26561743 Contact: Li Xie Bao' An Sub-branch Add: 64, Xinan 3nd , Bao'an District, Shenzhen 518100 Fax: 0755-27759092 Tel：0755-27759593 Contact: Tanmei Zhong Jin Shan Sub-branch Add: 1/F, Jinshan Building, No. 5033. Shennan Rd., Shenzhen 518008 Fax: 0755-82073316 Tel：0755-82073338 Contact: Xiaorong Xu Hua Lian Sub-Sub-branch Add: 1/F, Hualian Building, Shennan Rd., Shenzhen 518010 Fax: 0755-83668628 Tel：0755-83668508 Contact: Zhiqiang Liang Bu Ji Sub-branch Add: 1/F Buji Central Square, Buji Town, Shenzhen 518112 Fax: 0755-28526248 Tel：0755-28526224 Contact: Weiqiang Chen Hou Hai Sub-branch Add: 1/F, Yuehai Building, Shennan Rd., Shenzhen Fax: 0755-26405481 Tel：0755-26405481 Contact: Yihui Ling Fu Tian Sub-branch Add: 1/F, Union Plaza, Caitian Rd., Shenzhen 518026 Fax: 0755-82710824 Tel：0755-82910815 Contact: Haitao Ling Long Gang Sub-branch Add: No. 808, Shenhui Rd., Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518116 Fax: 0755-84803034 Tel：0755-84803064 Contact: Ang Li Xin Zhou Sub-branch Add: 1/F, Renmin building, Shennan Rd., Shenzhen 518009 Fax: 0755-83904794 Tel：0755-83905221 Contact: Zhiming Jin Dong Men Sub-branch Add: Lixin Garden, Renmin North Rd., Luohu District, Shenzhen, 518003 Fax: 0755-25198125 Tel：0755-82197745 Contact: Xiao Li Cui Zhu Sub-branch Add: 1146, Cuizhu Rd., luohu District, Shenzhen 518020 Fax: 0755-25624103 Tel：0755-25624092 Contact: Jianyu Chen Fuzhou Branch Business Division, Fuzhou Branch Add: No. 99, Hudong Road, Fuzhou 350001 Fax: 0591-7613275 Tel：0591-7539196 Xia Men Sub-branch Add: 79 Hu Bin South Road, Xiamen 361004 Fax: 0592-2233515 Tel：0592-2232506

You are right! However, these branches *do not* apply for the fee which Guangzhou is willing to accept. It was very clearly said from them that it must be at a branch that they specify. These banks, when inspected by my darling, stated that their fees are only good at their own respective consulate. If you want to go this route, feel free to. Tell me if it works! If it does, then we just ate 26RMB for payment to EMS. However, I have a feeling it may not. All of the other people who were at the hospital a few days ago with my darling did the same thing, waiting to get it by EMS from Guangzhou or Fuzhou... I hope however, that I am wrong with this one.

I am not sure if there are any in BJ which can accept it or not, but even though my precious lives in a city which has more than 5,000,000 people, even the head branch of her bank said that she had to go to GZ or one of the other banks in Guangdong or Fujian to get it done. They told her that it could not be done in her hometown, but she never inquired about either Beijing or Shanghai (both of which have hospitals on the approved list). Be careful about this! The bank in her city said they could wire the money (no fee, 1 day) to the correct bank in Guangzhou, but that when they got back to her after inquiring said that the bank there could not send the document without seeing her passport. So, she would have to copy and fax the copies of her passport first, before they would send it. It was just easier to have the friend do it in the end... Ridiculous, YES! Unexpected? No.

Did she get an EAD stamp at SFO when she arrived? If so, that is the best you can do until you file for AOS. What I recommend is filing for AOS and the EAD at the same time. Good Luck!

Yep! Sorry. I remembered reading in the P4 that it said to bring all of the documents mentioned in the P3, so I assumed that they were lumped together with all of the P4 documents. You do not need to bring your emails, letters, copies of leases, etc. however. Oh, the one thing she found tough was that she needed the receipt from the Bank in Guangzhou. In her city the bank could not issue it. So, she just had a friend get it and EMS it to her. I bet that you could do the same... Good Luck to you two!!! I certainly hope that he can go back to the US with you for your twins to be born.

This is a wonderful idea! So far, my darling has *only* met 3 other people, and they were all going to the hospital because they were brothers and sisters of LPRs and Citizens. Not another K1. She *did* meet one K3, but that person never posts here. She will arrive in GZ in the evening on Feb 27, and her parents will arrive on Feb 28th. She has only been to GZ for a single day before, when due to an error we had to stay a day to make a flight (we had some fun that day). If someone would be willing to meet with her, I am sure that she would be willing to trade by helping you to learn about Qing/Ming dynasty pottery (or at least how to tell a real "antique" from a fake one). Just send me a PM and I can send you some details. Also, if you know of a relatively safe and inexpensive place for them to stay, that would be great (we know that we can likely get a place near the train station for 90-100rmb/night, but I am worried about the distance from there to the consulate (even though I believe I saw that the subway went there). She hopes to have a visa in hand by March 3rd and to leave on March 4th, for all of you other early-birds.

Roger, I asked a similar question about 3 months ago. And the answer that I got went something like this: Given that *if* I went now (I was just there in January, and left 1 day after the P4 arrived at the end of the month), I would have to flunk all of my classes at my university, piss off my advisor, and likely irritate my entire research program, or withdraw for at least 6 months, I thought that the costs were too high. However, we talked about this together. This is the decision that we both agree with. However, if things do not go well, it will greatly depress us, and we will try our best. What we have agreed upon is that if things do not work well by the time my term is over, I will take a leave of absence for as long as it takes (6 months, 1 year, forever, etc.) and I will go to China, and we will start our life together. This would be a great blow to us both, as we find what I am studying to be important, but she is important to me too, as she is my family. Who knows, in the field that I do my work in, and in the field that she is interested in too, there are many opportunities in China and other places in SE Asia. The future will work out. Now, I hope that this does not need to occur, but since I am ready to do what I will for my family (she and I and her parents and my parents) to finally find peace, I am prepared for anything. I can only hope great thoughts, and know that she will do an amazing job (although she has never studied English, she already is far better than most of the Chinese students who arrive as graduate students at my university are, when they first arrive), and that is all that matters to me. She will just tell the truth, and if they can not believe that we are for real, then either they are missing something, or the system is far more antiquated that even I believe. If they really do outright reject her, we both agree that coming to the US may not be what we want to do for our lives, or that some person has a serious vendetta to take out, of which we have no knowledge! What is important is that you try your hardest, and weigh your options. How much does she matter to you, and how important is sticking around here going to be for you? In the case of being there, it may not help (there are some who have been there, and written that they still got blue/yellow slipped). However, it is *likely* to help, at least a little bit, in the case of a rejection... For us, we are hopeful too that everything will be well in less than 1 week when she has her interview, and that we will hence be able to see each other in 2 weeks time (without having to wait any more...4 trips together there, although long in time, still feels way too long to be apart...)!!!!!!!!! Good Luck, and follow your heart on this one!

I am not leary about getting them done in China, just about the fact that in Beijing, they charge 600RMB for the shots (that is more expensive than through my university here in the states)...

They charge the standard 130 x 8.28 = 1076. However, this is the rate that banks use to trade with other banks. The best *I* have ever been able to get in trading money is 8.2149 to 1. Hence, by using the US$ you can save 11 RMB. It is *not* a very big amount, but when I left her in late January to return to school here, I left her with a few hundred US$ and a few hundred Euros in case if she could purchase a ticket to fly from China to the US cheaper than I could (it turns out my connection in NYC can do it cheaper than the agencies in Beijing or her home city). She said that the doctors at the SOS clinic were very professional and that they were fast. Just be prepared that they will need to do a full-body inspection, but will have a nurse available who is of the appropriate gender if he obtains a female doctor. Yep, your documents sound like they are enough! Good Luck...

Thanks for the heads up to both of you. It seems to indicate that they are processing requests from mid January now, and if this trend continues, it *should* allow us to be processed within 2.5 months, leaving just enough time for her to come along. Although this is far too close in my mind. However, after she *gets* the visa, I will think more about this. Thanks for the help, and if any more advice is out there, I would love to have it.

King, You have supplied a huge amount of useful information about the "pretend lawyers" who prowl around outside of the consulate, and about the methods of things coming and going. Thank you. Now, if you can only give us some insight as to what to do in the chance that something goes wrong, and we can not be in China to help make a quick tape or jump through their hoops which require us to be there. Thanks!

I think that you are both right...that every hour I sleep, it will be far better than ever before! However, I am not sure if I will get as many hours of sleep in anymore (and that will be perfectly fine with me!)...

Your list is quite good, except for this one! My darling and I have found a place (maybe a manufacturer) where you can get them for 5 jiao each. If you want, I can ask her for the address and post it later!

Good Idea Trigg!!! However, you forgot priority 4.5 -- learn how to deal with the fact that I will never get a full night's sleep again!!!!

Hello Everyone! I have a serious question to ask and would appreciate any advice that people have. I know that I am jumping the gun, at least a little bit, but I think that it is time to ask this question, as my darling's interview (upon being issued with a real visa, I will reveal her name publically, but for now, I still am worried to do so) is less than 1 week away. I have just received an offer to teach a course at a Chinese University over a month in the summer, working for that month, full time. They will arrange for an employment visa for me (since the amount of money to be paid is quite large). My darling was absolutely thrilled when she heard the news! She thinks that it is worth taking the month where I can only write for my research and not have access to my local University here, for this opportunity. I think that I agree with her. However, we do not want me to go, unless she can come as well. The money made will more than pay for 2 rtx tickets from New York City to the destination City (or to her hometown), and since housing is included, it is even better yet. But the issue is that since this is during the summer, I am not yet sure if she will have an AP issued. If the interview goes well, we are planning (have a ticket reserved, but have been given until 1 day after the visa is issued to turn over the cash) for her to arrive on March 9th. We have a wedding planned for march 26, and hope to file her paperwork on Monday March 28th. This would only give us about 2.5 months to get an AP. Is this enough time? (we would be filing in Boston) If this is not enough time, is there some way to show the employment offer (and that it is a short time offer to work there) to someone in the office to try to expedite the process? It would be extremely amazing if this could work out. Thanks for everyone's time to read over this and for offering any ideas/suggestions.

Hello! The video tape is *not* required of everyone, but for some it is asked for. I would recommend either having one (but not showing it unless asked, and then returning the next day with it), or being able to improvise on the fly (with you not in China the latter may be hard). Read on the site, as many have posted about the specific VHS requirements of the tape. What day is the interview? Did you include copies of documents which have both names on them, such as the leases that you have had, insurance documents, etc? One of the large problems with GZ seems to be that some officers refuse to look at *any* evidence. This is something my darling is really worried about for her interview. She currently is carring about 10 kg worth of emails, airplane tickets, bus tickets, passport copies, phone records, photos of us all over, written statements from people we have met who are neutral and whom have met us as a couple, etc. However, if the VO is having a bad hair day, some have posted they will not even look at the information! In this case, I guess you just have to go back and try to get another one to look at it a few days later. I am still not sure of what the best way to approach this is, but at least my darling knows that she will have done everything right and that we are legitimate. I will not worry more unless the road is crossed. So, I guess that I would discuss some alternative plans with your fiancee. Much better to be ready than not I think... Finally, did she ever *overstay* her tourist visa in the US? If so, then there may be other legal problems...if not, then it should not be a problem! Good Luck and read the archives here!

Thanks Trigg! I am going crazy right now with everything...and your advice is always so helpful, so when I read that I was really worried that I had messed something up... Thanks again.

My darling just finished her exam at the SOS clinic in Beijing a couple of days ago. You will want to bring everything that tywy told you, as well as all of the forms (completed) from Packet 4. These will all be placed in an envelope. Additionally, the price is CHEAPER in BEIJING if you pay in US$, so if your fiancee wants to save some money, bring some US$ with you. Oh, also, bring a lot of patience. The wait took all day, but the envelope was signed and returned the same day at least (in at 8am and out at 6:50pm)...

I thought it was i-864. Am I missing something here (with the interview scheduled less than 1 week away, I am going crazy trying to gather all of our forms to file as quickly as possible!!!)?