darianstarfire

My SO wants to know how many my parents should claim for sponsorship. Should they also claim me as someone they should sponsor. I am fairly confident that my parents should only put down three and leave me out of it. I live with my parents, but I am not a permanent resident, meaning I haven't lived here for more than 6 months, and have no intention of living here for 6 months either. Can anyone verify that I am correct? Thanks everyone. My SO interview should have her interview soon and I want to thank those who have been helping her (her name goes under lizzydannypie) Daniel

Hey everyone, Finally got a job in America, and things look good more or less right now. My SO, who posts on here as lizzydannypie wants to know what she can do for the vaccine. She was allergic to her shots in the past. Each time the shots could have killed her. I was hoping if anyone knew what she could do. I hate to be a bother. Here to hoping my SO gets her P4 on the date you nice people have written down for me, which is 4/04/2005. Though were not really sure when it will come in April. That'd make my SO very happy. Anyway, I really hope one of you knows the vaccine question. Thanks Daniel Hubbell

Hello all from Portland (well really Camas, WA) I came back to the United States about 3 weeks ago. I miss my wife quite a bit, but don't miss the city even slightly yet. I was having an arguement with my father about what is more important on the I-864: the previous three years or recent earning from current employment. See, the argument was based on whether the government, by its own rules, would even care about how much a person made on a pay check, because my mom has made enough for the last 4 years, but based on a current paycheck, would make only 15K for 2005. My dad contests that they could suppose anything based on three to four months, and they don't request anything but the most recent pay stub as proof of employment. The facts are: My mom will not make enough for 2005, though who knows she could get a raise, but her monthly income is not high. My dad can't prove what he makes because my brother never wrote my dad a W-2 form and he currently has no job. (I mean he does, but he is self-employed, and proving that would be difficult now) My mom made enough the last three years on her taxes to sponsor three people. I am not considered a resident in my parents house, at least not until July. (6 months). Should I: A. Just give up on my parents and ask my uncle and aunt who will have no problem. B. Hope that my dad can prove his income C. That I am wrong and that my mom just needs to prove that she has the same current employment and they don't do a numbers game with current employment, but base it off history, but making less, but same job. I really think I'll have to ask my uncle, yet I want to believe my dad is correct in saying that they don't add up numbers that have not be assertained, I just figure they estimate. He doesn't know how annoying VO can be, and a bad VO could be a jerk about it. This sponsor business is my only problem, though I am concerned about my SO being cheated for the doctor thing and anything else, I'd like to know if there are some good people in China who won't cheat you over that. (I feel slightly jaded about things over there, living there has not given me a happy opinion of the system) (still my family there is great) ------------------------------- Hey you Portlanders, my e-mail is danielhubbell@gmail.com. I live across the river in Camas, but if you want to contact, just give that a send. I know my wife will need some Chinese support, so I'll try to be better about staying up with things. Dan

Hi everyone, Thank you for your kind remarks, poems and thought-provoking questions. I will say that I am not a ABC, if I was, then I some of my stress would not be as large. I could meld in with the crowd and would not fear for her safety if people knew she married me. We go to great lengths to make sure people don't see me go into her parents house. I must admit that having to hide your relationship is more stressful then it might seem at first. I had believed that her parents would accept everything (but they haven't). Don't ask why. Suffice it to say that it is another stress. Maybe I am impatient, maybe I am not trusting, these are things I don't know well enough. I am sure I could go to US. My SO and I have talked at length and we are no more clear today then we were before. Financially, this is good reasoning, but mentally and spiritually, it will be difficult. Mind you, this will only be for 4-5 at most. Yet, few days have passed when I have not seen her at great length. This is very different from many of you and I have always considered this a great blessing. I will be able to understand her feelings while living in America. This has been my gift, but it makes this decision no easier, now, at this moment. I want to leave, but I find that what we want is not always what we get. I could go, and I would be able to setup a nice situation for her, but these are still unknowns. The truth of the matter is that I could still come back after 2 weeks and make things work. The ticket I will buy will be open-ended up to six months, and I intend to use it as I can. I am leaning towards going back, though more then I ought to lean, because my want is far too transparent. I have said to my SO, "My decision is irrelevant without your support." She says she is okay with this which is Chinese for, "I want to make you happy, but I am going to bust your balls later." I am trying to avoid this and trying to probe for a clearer answer. Thanks for your help and please pray. Dan

Hi all, I hope I am posting this in the right place, but it is regarding visas and especially potentially delays. Also, know that I live in China and filed in Beijing. The Guangzhou embassy supposedly received our sent out P3 today, though I was only able to verify this through EMS (China's UPS) I have found this past week quite strange. First, I posted a request about the P3 regarding the I-864. It turns out I didn't have to do it at that time, though my parents went through a lot of hassle to send me something that they believed I could finish. On that point do I: 1. Need to have a sealed official government envelope 2. Can I modify the document as long as it is notazized. So, I have more time to figure out the I-864 and who who joint-sponsor my wife. My parents can't, they can't document how much they make, well my mom can, but still not enough. So joint-sponsor all the way. Then yesterday, my wife was watching TV and saw an AD for exceptionally cheap round-trip ticket from Shanghai to Portland (my hometown). The cost was only 3200 yuan, or 400 dollars. I asked her to call the free number and apparently it seemed good and is done through Northwest Airlines. Now, I was sceptical and still am. I can only buy the ticket in Shanghai, the Wuhan branch (at least on the phone) was of course unhelpful and totally useless. Though, the ticket resolved in me a certain mindset that sent my mind towards thinking about home again. Then today I talked to my wife and she tells me of a girl who was rejected because the man could not prove he would be going back to America. This to me seems minor, since a valid ticket would erase such nonsense. Yet, it put in my a spectre of fear that my laxity and poor job, or lack thereof, might contribute to a rejection. This again pointed to a decision that I didn't want to make. It would be wise of me to go home and have a job waiting when she arrives. I could live with my parents, but this is not something I would like to venture long. I add on top of this my lack of acceptance for Wuhan. If you have lived in Wuhan, then you will know, but it is a city of around 6-8 million, of which more then half probably comprise of country immigrants. This is not a slow town, nor a kind town to strangers, but a dog eat dog town where the pedestrian crossing in front of a moving car is not the rare but the accepted norm, also a place where you do not ever line up or queue, except to eat. There are other things which I care not to list, but have contributed to my cycnically attitude. I realize that those two I mentioned are a Chinese thing, but Wuhan is more the sum of its parts. It is not one thing, or two, but the whole, which has burned me into a cinder. I am to a point, where I fear teaching university students, though I love helping people one on one. To summarize, I don't think I have the ability to endure this city longer and still give my wife 100%. You may or may not understand, and I hope you have a chance to experience Wuhan, or any place in China, because no city of the same. My experience is in Wuhan, and I couldn't recommend the place. The summers are like a furnace, the winters are dreadfully cold, and the pollution is slowly killing me. (I developed athsma since coming here). Yet, I still think you should come, because it is still my home. It may have warts and I might dislike it right now, but I will think fondly of it when I finally leave permanently. So my concience is unbearable. I don't want to be here, yet I would stay here until the summer for her sake. I am tired mentally, physically, and spiritually and I feel like this city is killing me, yet there is her, and I would walk a thousand miles for her. (even if I go, I will come back for her interview). The postive is that I could setup a nicer situation for her to go to and I would be happy to be in Portland. Yet, I would be unhappy to be away from her, and suspect that this time away would be far more difficult then being away for less then 3 months last summer. I could also potentially sponsor her myself, through this method. This could also create delays as why I went home, but this is not my immediate concern, because there is a reason for everything. The school I am trying to apply for is dragging there feet and I just don't want to be here anymore. Is it possible to love friends and family and yet almost hate the city. So, my spirit is tired, and I have no urge to fight this want. I can go home, this is a certainty; but do I? I have made my decision personally, but I do not trust my judgment and am asking for your opinions, good or bad, to go or not to go. I will ask others and they will decide this for me, and especially I will depend on my wife to decide on this, I cannot go knowing she would resent me. (She is still too Chinese to say no though. So I can only trust her words halfway on matters such as these and probe her about her real feelings) For those who pray, I ask for prayers that God would find a way and give wisdom when wisdom is needed most. I could write a great deal more, but it is not needed now. I always glad to have had the chance to come, but.... (and that's the crux... but ....) Thanks greatly for listening. Dan

Slenish, I agree with Jenny. She is correct in pointing out that their is not that restriction on a person in America who is willing to Sponsor your SO (significant other). The restriction you are fretting about has to do with the fact that you cannot sponsor her, though you still need to fill out the I-864 and submit your own financial information alongside the joint-sponsor. If you are like me, then you will have to have a joint-sponsor because even if you go back to the United States, you ought find someone to be a air-tight case. In my situation I am considering going back to America, but this only helps show that I will be planning to go back to America, but it doesn't really help the I-864, unless I find a dang good job. Who knows, but focus your thoughts on that joint-sponsor and work from there. You could go home and try to sponsor her yourself, this is possible, but would be full of great potentials for present rejection (though would setup future acceptence for visa) Read my next post. I am in the same boat as you. Dan

Hi Slenish, I was reading around about how many people are regarded in a particularly household size. Here is a good link I suggest you read. I am using my parents as the domicile and I can't support her anyway. So, I w ill be using a joint-sponsor, because the school here in Wuhan don't pay very much. http://infodomain.com/general.htm Read this it should answer many of the questions you have about the I-864. I know it helped me. Dan

Please give her this BBS, I think this BBS has been helpful to my wife for questions and even for her morale. http://usa.bbs.net/bbs/01/index.html The girls there are very helpful. The process is long but do your homework, follow directions. God Bless Dan

Yeah the I-864 came with the O-230 in the P3 packet. I won't have to pay any fees until we go for the interview later next year (or almost this year!) which is be about 3000 yuan or about $380 dollars. See, that's the thing, I am not paying any fees until I go to Guangzhou for the interview. I live in China and have to take the train to pay any fees. (it does give one a clear conscience since you see the transactions). I guess I'd have to give them money for the process fee... I am doing CR1 though. That's the trouble with the CR1, not too many people have done this process, enough though. Thanks Dan

I can help you with the P3, but I don't know about the P4 exactly, except what I will explain below. The P3 packet came with a number of sheets, most of which were hard to sort out as to what it was and did. I received the O (maybe I) 230 which is simply a biographical sheet for your wife and you. You will need to make copies and it says it is expired, but my wife told me she read online and it is okay to use it, but if someone can correct me, please. I also received another sheet which your wife will need to fill out, but it is simply a series of question, none of which will be a brainteaser, this form you will need to attach to the O-230 when you send it back. I also received a sheet which you will recognize as a check list, I believe it is formally call the O-167 or I-167. This you will need to fill out if you wish to have an interview. The checklist is useful. I am uncertain as to if your wife needs to write both the English and Chinese parts of that form (two translations) but it couldn't hurt, and probably correct. I received the I-864 which you should already be aware of, but I don't know the answers for this form, but you will need to fill it out and have it notarized no matter what. You will received an instruction sheet on taking pictures; ignore it; passport type pictures are the norm. In all things, read all directions carefully. God bless your future Dan

I realize I recently posted a question on what I ought to do in regards to notarization, but my wife and I were talking and we quite confused as to whether we need to send the I-864 with the other required documents for the P3. I am certain I do need to give the I-864 to the embassy at some point during the application process but the P3 packet was unclear, and the checklist we were given seemed to think we only had to return the I-230 and a few attachment sheets. It would be a wonderful relief to know that I won't have to send that to Guangzhou until later, but this is a question that seems to very unclear, and I can't risk sending and I can't risk not sending right now. (Again need help with parents and other things) So to send or not to send, that is the quesiton Dan Thanks all

thanks! Whiplash... not yet... will be posting another question which is related to this and is heavy on my mind. Though currently I have no job. I am suppose to be learning Chinese and that has been quite a ride and I still don't know very much, though more. I plan to go to Shanghai. I like Shanghai anyway. Dan

Hi All, My name is Dan and I married my wife about a month and a half ago. We went to Beijing on the 30th of November, received the P2 on December 20th and received P3 today, which is the 30th of December. Let's just say we were surprised to receive it so quickly. We weren't ready! I have to get my parents support because I live in Wuhan China and that don't pay their teacher anything. ($350 a month). We won't be able to get all of this prepared until next week at earliest because my parents must send me their notazed completed I-864 and my tax returns. Now you see, I need to get my I-864 notarized. I know I can do this at any American embassy. Thus, I am wondering if I can: 1. Give the embassy the packet in person and save myself the trouble of mailing it and worry that it was lost. Plus, get my forms notarized, thus killing two birds with one stone. 2. Can I go to any Chinese public notary and use them. My wife will be using the Chinese notary, so I am not sure why I can't. 3. Go to Shanghai (because Shanghai is much nicer and I really don't want to go Guangzhou), get my forms notarized and ask the embassy to send it to Guangzhou in their outgoing mail. Nice to meet you all. I really pray that your processes work out. I do not know how some of you feel. I spent the summer in America and I missed my then girlfriend, no wife terribly. Jia You! (I forgot the tone) Dan from Portland, Oregon Is it me or are there many people from Oregon on this board?

Yesterday, I came back from Beijing where I had submitted my I-130 to the Homeland Security Office, including the 325-A for my wife and I. Now, she came along with me, since we both live in the same city. So, on November 30th, 2004 I started my process and received the p-1 the same day, which was just a small piece of paper that cost me $185 dollars. I just wanted to ask if anyone had any helpful links that could help me with the CR-1 process. We plan to finish all of this in China, since I go to school here and plan to work soon. Also, if anyone else lives in China and is going through the CR-1 process please tell me. I'd love to know that someone else is doing this too, because I haven't seen anyone else doing this, though if anyone needs to know the first step, I know Thanks Daniel