Luo_Bin_&_Jialu

My file was sent the same day (Feb 3) from NVC to GZ. Three of the four were picked up on March 6, one is still in "clearance delay". This, of course is mine, only because my case is older than yours and someone has to have those 16 month waiting periods..why would yours be delayed when you didn't file until October... F******A*****M****F****S*****S***OB*****G**D***...

Good luck Rick! I am happy for you both. It always feels like Jialu and I are that much closer every time someone else get's their visa.

I tried to put solutions on the letter, but it got way too long and the solutions I had were not well thought out enough. We could put a line at the beginning or the conclusion that "we are willing to offer some solutions, in a follow up letter" or something...ideas? I think this is important so don't worry about hurting my feelings if you have any suggestions. I am sure Hank feels the same. The letter is a rewrite of his letter. I also am not totally pleased with the description of the problems in the numbered items on the letter. We also need to put a correct heading that has Maura's title, and address on it. Finally, how do we all sign it?

The last paragraph should say "unpredictable timeframe"...I left the "un" out...sorry.. I also used "Citizen's" when I should have used "Citizens" plus a few more little gems due to a great need for SLEEP!!! (with my girl of course)

Okay, here is my stab at the letter. I don't know if it is any better, or any more concise. There are some "xx" and "??" that I don't know that need to be filled in, and the conclusion is kind of redundent. In addition, the spacing is great on the word doc I created this in, but gets lost in translation to this posting format. At least my evening passed quickly. Without further ado: Secretary Maura Harty: We are members of “A Candle For Love” (CFL), a steadily growing online community of almost two-thousand (??) law abiding, taxpaying U.S. Citizens. We are joined by the common bond of a lengthy and unpredictable wait to receive immigrant visas for our wives, fiancés and children. The purpose of this letter is to address current immigrant visa processing problems at the American Consulate in Guangzhou. These issues have caused unnecessary hardships for us and our families. We ask that you take a moment to read our honest and concise assessment of the current situation and that you consider possible solutions. Following, you will find a list of some of the reoccurring problems that our members have encountered: 1) Our wait time for the K-1 Fiancé Visa and I-130 (??) Visa is among the longest in the world. Our members average a 13-month (??) wait. We are told that this is because the only consulate able to process visas in China is Guangzhou. We ask that you examine the wait times for countries such as Mexico and Columbia to note the discrepancy in timelines. We are asking for consistency and equality. a. China has the world’s largest population. Why is there only one consulate to handle the large caseload? Why does a country such as Mexico—with 1/10 the population—have XX consulates to process family visas? We are asking for consistency and equality. b. Why is the staff at Guangzhou able to provide business and student visas within a few months but takes more than one year for our family and fiancé visas? We do not doubt that the Immigrant Visa (IV) staff is very capable. Please examine your policy in this matter to provide more consistency and equality. 2) We can provide specific examples of the wives and fiancés of U.S. Citizen’s--our members--being denied visa’s for no apparent reason. Denied and allowed no consultation with a member of the IV Unit to resolve these denials, or to know why they are being denied. 3) We can provide specific examples of a white acceptance slip being given to the wife or fiancé of a U.S. Citizen immediately after the interview, only to have the visa denied the following day—with no reasonable explanation, and no consultation provided as to why this is taking place. 4) We can provide specific examples of U.S. Citizens waiting for extended months on end—with no consistency or predictalbe timeframe whatsoever—for the second name check process. These items are simply a few occurrences we wish to bring to your attention that cause the wait time to go from the rest of the world’s average 9-month timeframe to the 13-16 months that we endure. We understand that there are many bureaucratic issues that we may not be aware of. We feel that there are many of our colleagues working at the Guangzhou Consulate who are doing an excellent job in providing our constitutionally given rights. What we do not understand is why there is such a discrepancy in the way the visa process is handled for our members as such an extensive deviation from the rights we are promised as law-abiding taxpaying U.S. Citizen’s. In conclusion, we are requesting more equality through consistent and expedient service in the family visa process. This is an urgent request, from law-abiding U.S. Taxpayers who are inexcusably suffering due to an unnecessarily lengthy separation with predictable timeframe from our loved ones. We beg of you to examine these issues and we stress that consular officers treat our fiancés, spouses, and family immigrant visa cases with the respect and attention that we deserve as law-abiding, taxpaying U.S. Citizens. Thank you for taking the time to hear our concerns. Respectfully, The Members of CFL.

I am at work, and very busy, but will take a few seconds to reply. The format of numbered items we view as problems and numbered items we suggest as solutions is the best way to be "concise, yet cogent". This does not mean a "short letter". One idea to consider is an executive summary consisting of a few paragraphs highlighting main points (the above mentioned numbered format) attached to a detailed letter of explanation complete with specific examples. Excellent collaboration on this so far. I am happy to be a part of this. Rob

Hank: This letter has excellent content, but is way too long. "Concise, yet cogent" is what we need to send. This will never get read. If we can modify it from its current literature style to a business style of writing we have a greater chance of it being read. Feel free to contact me directly. Thanks for your efforts! Respectfully, Rob

This is an excellent draft. Please consider my following suggestions: I agree with Trigg on the order of magnitude you are placing on the items. The first item should be the most important. It is my firm belief that the most intrinsic problem is the lengthy waiting time we endure as opposed to visa's for other countries. Noonefu's use of the P.I. as an example is a direct reference that will add factual weight to our case. In addition, please consider using "unbearable" instead of "upspeakable" "expatriation" for "deportation" and "accountability" for "transparency". The word "transparency" is not a word a government employee will relate to (not that "accountability" is much better, but it makes a more direct and active point) Please inform me of how I may further participate. Thank you very much for your efforts.

For my initial I129F to CSC, I included 6-8 showing her and I at two different trips, pictures of our engagement party with relatives--and us in front of the backdrop with our names and the date of engagement in chinese. Don't worry about asking stupid questions. If you are worried, just look at some timelines of people who have had errors in their paperwork, or didn't send in enough things and you ask even more questions... Good Luck!

Thank you for starting this topic F & L. My dates are a few weeks behind you and I am waiting on GZ to get my K1 papers out of the clearance delay from NVC/DHL....if you just got your P3, then I could very well be the same distance behind you that I was when I started this deal...which is heartening. I would love to see this thread to the end to find out what happens with your P? package you received. Good luck!

hey man....this is a civilized website...(not to be confused by the people who go to family reunions looking to pick up chicks) do you think we can keep the f****** language a little cleaner.... For example... "..the kleenex is on sale at the supermarket today, everyone is just swell. we all love one another and are baking cookies for the party."

Hey Mr TN...just because your gal is here and you are all happy...don't think you can come here and post your a** off about how da** happy you f****** are...I mean what the f***...******************and ***** do you *****think**** we feel like I mean***********************************************************************************you know!!!

You all know I mean that there is a lot of cattle farming here right? I would not want to insinuate anything about our local government ordinances here in the peoples republic of california...

Trigg, me and jim live in the valley...we don't live where the surf is up, we live where the level of bullshit rises until the rain comes and the floods wash it all away...so you can say, that "shit's up dude"...and we would all understand you perfectly...

Well...I have to input my theories about the science of language...BUT...I don't wish to bore you all any longer about structure and engineering... I am sure you phd's have at least studied some philosophy....metaphysics, and have at least considered space and time...and realize everything is simply just points on a grid....so...we all actually know everything...and since this is far too much info for us to maintain during our lives....our brain acts as the reducing valve...so...as any one will tell you...we actually do know more as a 16 year old than as a 40 year old!!!

Yes..I agree. I don't want to freak you out, but I am sure you have looked at the timelines for all us west coasters....they are all at the one or one plus year between submitting I129F and receiving visa. Jim from Modesto will be well over one year--not to scare ourselves too much--but this can be any one of us. I am also sure you have seen "what CSC giveth the NVC doth taketh away" and other such colorful phrases. My SO's cousin's visa took 13 months. I was all gung ho about getting my paperwork quicker and all this jazz, as many others before me with "superior paperwork skills" (please note the sarcasm)...I was probably more impatient around 3-4 months than I am now (at six months). Now, I am more or less settled into my miserable meaningless life and waiting patiently for the visa gods to smile down upon me from their lofty perch's..... I wish expedience for you, and believing in Karma, if I were to wish for mine to go quicker than anyone else's, then mine would take twice as long...so...I can honestly say that I wish for all to be fair "among those who have a true love waiting for them and are a true love waiting and have taken the time to fill out the forms correctly" "god can move mountains, but I must bring the damn shovel" Thank god for CFL or I would have committed some kind of 'cide by now...

I have had hundreds of photos printed at photo shops over the last year, and when we get our interview, we are planning on bringing a big photo album. I hope they will allow us to bring it, I don't see why not, we have a clear bag to have them in with all our other items. We are at the six month period, so I doubt we are going to get an interview anytime soon, but who knows...we are trying to assemble as much crap as possible, little by little.. The point is that we plan on having so much damn info that if they choose to "pick at straws" then there is nothing we can do about it. I find it hard to believe that the "quality" or lack thereof, of your pics is what they will look at. I have read some posts here and it seems as if there could be a problem with suspected alteration, but they can say that for anything. I wouldn't print them out just to be safe, but who knows... We also have so many damn receipts backing up our claims to have spent time together, including airline tickets with both our names on the same plane, at the same time, in seats next to each other...they got to have it out for us to say we are not telling the truth...

So, what were people talking about a few weeks ago saying that they were going to the local government offices to get things notarized...I remember a long chain of messages about thick packages of documents with impressive seals on them?????

I have flown a few different airlines and prices and paths of travel. My favorite is taking a new A330 Airbus from SF to GZ on Northwest Airlines. I have seen prices around $800-1200 depending on availability, time of year, and how far in advance you book. I have seen people get great prices up until a few days prior(or not)--depending on these conditions, and I have seen people pay much more far in advance(or not). I always check out every place people say to look so I get an idea of prices. I live in fear of tiny seats on crowded airplanes with no entertainment for 16 hours. Best of luck, and let me know how it turns out...

Have you contacted NVC to relay this info? I was told that if GZ does not receive it within 6 weeks to contact NVC

Mei guan xi Bill.... Posting timelines allows everyone to see how long this process takes at various stages. It is easy to set up your signature to include a timeline by going to your control panel and adding it..

Richard, Good luck with your P3. I hope the rest of your process goes quicker than the first parts. It really gets me aggravated when I see a timeline that has taken as long as yours. It means there is no method to this and ANYONE can be out as long as yours. I hope they take your initial time into consideration and process your P4 ahead of someone who is in the 7-8-9 month range. This is only fair for everyone. Of course most people are only out for themselves....

Bill What is your timeline?

Trigg, some people just make me feel good about being me simply because I am not them... Hey XueLei, my case was sent on Feb 6. I will let you know when mine clears customs. Methinks yours could be in the same clearing pool--or not..

I am so tired of fighting. It seems that is all anyone ever wants to do. In the midst of any struggle, I always seem to find many who do not wish to fight, yet wish to do what they can to assist and understand. I do not like waiting this long for my visa, but I am doing what I can within the system, all the while being polite--yet doing what I can. I will, for the most part, remain positive while I look for others who are experiencing what I am and are as sympathetic to me as I am to them. Thank you all for being here with me during this time I am apart from the woman I love. I am willing to be part of any group letter or group action aimed at lessening our wait time, or improving upon our situation. I stress that any negative or imflammatory actions are not in my best interests, and under those type of circumstances I will not participate.