Mick

Will do Don. Try to get them in the mail tomorrow. I need to find a box suitable for shipping them. Salina and I will go through the closets tonight, in search of just the right box.

Thanks. We will give that a try and see what happens.

For those of you familiar with our case, the following should come as no surprise. Received notice today that Li is to report for biometrics in Nashville on October 31. What makes this so remarkable is the fact that this will be our seventh time giving fingerprints and or biometrics. And, we had to pay each time. I am so tired of dealing with these folks at USCIS. It all started in 2001 and it hasn't let up since. All we can do is comply. Problem is, Li is in China and will not return until November 1. In order to make the appointment, she will have to reschedule all kinds of business appointments, not to mention rescheduling the flight. The letter we received said that if she didn't make the appointment, her case would be considered abandoned. It went on to say that if couldn't make the appointment, she could come in on the first Wednesday after the scheduled appointment. For us, that is no help and the first Wednesday after the October 31 appointment is the next day. I have grown so very, very weary of all this.

751 is filed for removal of conditions on the green card. It is done within 90 days of the second anniversary of the issuance of the initial green card.

Sorry to say she is busy packing, Don. She is leaving tomorrow for business in China. Will be gone for three weeks this time. So, looks like you guys will just have to put up with me for at least 21 days. If ya like, I can sign in under her handle, and pretend I am her. Either way, I will be staining the keyboard with Cheeto dust!

Thanks TYWY. Hope all is still well with you guys. Glad to see you still around the board. Where are you in all this?

Thanks for the kind reply. Yes, it can be a long wait and quite a process. Actually, Li and I have been together since before the beginning. We met in China in 1997, lived there together for over five years. We filed the initial paperwork in September 2001. Fell into the Black Hole. Picked up the visa in March 2003 and returned to the States. Filed AOS in May 2003. AOS approved in December 2004. Now, we are on hold for removal of conditions. And on it goes. What galls me, I guess, is that some of the centers get things done fairly quickly while others are slower than a cripple snail. Go figure. Our case has been plagued by USCIS mistakes at every turn. It is truly amazing. I guess that is why my frustration shows from time to time. And yes, that is our wonderful daughter Salina in the photo. She was born in May 2004.

Mick, I filed the I-751 for my wife two months ago and last Saturday we received the notice for extention the green card for 1 year. Also, she will go for biometric (finger prints) next week. I believe your wife will have to be finger printed again. Hope the process will be speedier than before. Hi Tony. We, too, received notice of extension of green card for a year. No request yet for further fingerprinting. They have already fingerprinted her six times, not including the biometric scans, which were done three times now. They have made a fortune off us, just on fingerprints. Glad to hear your case is progressing. Please keep us posted. Always good to know how the old timers are doing.

Just an update on our path. About a month ago, we filed all the necessary paperwork for the removal of conditions on Li's green card and residency status. Last week received notice from USCIS-Memphis that the paperwork had been received. No processing time was mentioned. All the letter said was, "If you haven't heard anything in six months, contact us." At least they didn't ask for a seventh set of fingerprints. B) Wonder what would happen to any business that treated its paying customers that way. After all we have been through since starting this mess inn 2001, I am not the least bit surprised.

Congrats on getting past such a monumental snafu in the system. Just think of what might have happened if you had paid attention to the cancellation letter. Good luck, and hope things go more smoothly from here on out.

Hang in there! So far, my wife has been fingerprinted six times since we started this process and, lo and behold, a few weeks ago we received another letter stating that she needed to be fingerprinted again. We just filed for removal of conditions on her green card, so we are much farther along than you. Still, don't be surprised how many times they want fingerprints...and money!

Sorry to hear they are putting the two of you through all this needless pain and difficulty. Stay the course and give them what they want. Wishing both of you much success and a positive outcome. Please keep us posted.

I don't know about most Chinese girls, but acts of service is true in my wife's case. Not that she expects it or demands it, but she sure responds positively to it. For example, each day I come home from work at lunch and make her bed for her. It seems a small thing, but it does light up her eyes, and her heart.

GOOD POINT!!! I would definately talk to a supervisor about that!! I can easily see them screw up so bad as to actually un-do everything you have accomplished so far!!! You could easily get the card that says "go directly to jail - Do not pass Go - Do not collect $200' !!! 239915[/snapback] By all means, this is good advice. My experience with these folks is that if there is a chance for a screw up, it will happen. Our case is now, supposedly, in Memphis and all paperwork has left Atlanta. Supposedly....

Well, I apologize for being off the board for a couple of weeks, but what with Li going to China again, and now having returned, I have been busy. The good news is: After three attempts at getting it right, we finally received Li's corrected green card and, lo, this time all the information was correct. However, Two days after receiving the green card, we got notification from the Atlanta center (our case was processed in Memphis), stating the they have received Li's AOS application (it was filed in June 2003) . They went on to say that she would be scheduled for an interview within 36 months (she passed her interview 20 months ago). Two days later, we received another letter welcoming her to the US. She has been here three and a half years. Fascinating isn't it. Our case was transferred out of Atlanta and sent to Memphis almost three years ago. Her successful interview AOS interview was almost two years ago. And, they are just now telling us they received her application for AOS. And the wheel goes round....and round... Oh, by the way, they also want her to be fingerprinted again. This will be seven times.

Really sorry to hear of this snafu Marty. Hang in there and work with your congressman to straighten out this mess. I am constantly amazed at the level of incompetence exhibited by this agency. (See my thread)

My wife was an English teacher in China. However, she had a four year degree...a Bachelors Degree.... I think the three year teaching degrees are from what are called "Normal" colleges, which specialize in training teachers. Some teachers in China complete the three year program, then, a number of years later, go back and finish their Bachelors Degree. During my first year teaching in China, many of my students were of this nature. The last four years in China, I taught at a university. Most of my students there were standard, four-year students.

Congratulations and best wishes for a wonderful future together. It was a long process, but, in the end, well worth it. Enjoy!

What was that about Zihi Zhang's legs?

My wife is far from traditional in terms of her outlook on many things. She does not feel her place is just to stay at home. She worked as a teacher in China for nine years and now in the States works in International Business. Still, some of her values remain traditional. She is faithful, loyal, and believes strongly in taking care of her husband and her child. She is non-traditional Chinese in that she is a sincere Christian who takes her faith seriously and tries to live according to her beliefs. In all ways, she is a very remarkable woman but, as I have said, not so traditional in terms of Chinese culture. Li was raised in a small town in Anhui Province, a very conservative area. She did not fit in well in her hometown environment although she was very successful as a teacher. She moved from her hometown to Hefei, the provincial capital. Hefei is a large city but remains quite conservative. It was in Hefei that she and I met many years ago. After a year there, we relocated to Guangdong, which was far more progressive. All in all, I think Li's independent spirit, coupled with her faith, has allowed her to become her own person in many ways. It is very hard to stereotype her. I often say she is one of a kind and she truly is that.

Great news, indeed, Jesse. Wonderful. How much longer will you be in GZ?

Best of luck Jesse. Glad you got that straightened out. Keep us posted.

Welcome to Candle and wishing you a speedy and successful visa journey. Look forward to hearing more from you.

Best wishes Frank. Please keep us posted. I can relate to that comment about no big decisions.

As unfair as it may seem, I think your only profitable course of action is to comply with their request. Granted, I think anyone in your situation would be highly upset. Still, in this process, they have all the power. Hang in there and I suspect you will eventually prevail. Best of luck to both of you.