Mick

Best wishes for much success. Our prayers are with you!

Li's entire interview was conducted in English as she has excellent language skills. According to Li, the VO asked if she could speak English and, when he found out she was fluent, never spoke Chinese. Now, this was over three years ago (August 2002) so, I don't know how they do things these days.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you Tony. Hope all turns out well.

Ditto.

That is just fantastic. It is nice to hear that, every now and then, something happens without the anticipated hassles. Congrats and best wishes.

Congrats and best wishes for a great future!

Hope all goes smoothly and quickly for you guys Tine. Hang in there, you're almost at the finish line.

Congrats Ski!!!! Finally, the dance is over. Enjoy and best wishes.

Li told me she was a Christian on our second date, without me inquiring. She took me to church on our third date. We attended church weekly during the five years we spent in China, although I couldn't understand much of the language. Since coming to the States, we still go to church, usually twice a week. We pray together and our faith is an integral part of our life together. We visited a number of churches upon returning to the States, before finally settling on one congregation where we felt comfortable. I would encourage you to expose her to a wide variety of churches and let her find one where she feels at home, if in fact, she does find one. As to Chinese congregations, we steer clear of most of them. The atmosphere was just not right, at least not for us. As for language, Li's English is excellent, so that is not an issue. Again, expose her to different tastes, pray for her and just let go and see what happens.

Both Li and I are Christians and attend church on a regular basis. In fact, Li was a Christian long before I met her. Our third date, in fact, she took me to a church in Hefei. We do not attend a Chinese church, although there are several nearby. My spiritual journey has been a long one, having studied just about every major, and a lot of minor ones. My path led me to remain in the Christian fold. For that, I am thankful but do not disparage other beliefs. I wish all well in their search for truth. May it find them.

Congrats and best wishes. Hope the real estate issue gets cleared up soon.

We went through similar date shifts with both the Atlanta and Memphis Centers. We filed in May 2003 and finally had interview in December 2004. Sometimes, it do take a while don't it.

As I read through this thread, I had several thoughts. First, I have never been asked or questioned about marrying a Chinese woman. Guess I am just lucky in that regard because I wouldn't have much patience in answering such a query. Interestingly, though, Li was often asked that during the years we lived in China. She was often taken to task for marrying an American. She was called a traitor, green card seeker and other sorts of things. Several of her friends wondered openly why she didn't want a Chinese man. So I guess the phenomenon discussed in this thread can cut both ways. I think we need to be sensitive to our SO, particularly if they are still in China and may be encountering questions and comments about choosing an American man (or woman). Just my two bits....

The best reccomendation yet and we'd be delighted to assist him in any way that we can 160134[/snapback] Amen! This is the place to be, and to stay.

Unbelievable, before you could get a response from GZ, within a week by e-mail. Now we have to use a credit card and pay additional money for something that should be free!!!! Only in America!! 160108[/snapback] I'm with you Bob. This bites the big one (sorry Don Don't wanna end up in the PC ) What makes it even worse is that this outfit in Shanghai is a Chinese company, contracted to handle the inflow of requests. Our tax dollars at work.

We prepared all our stuff and put it in a large, clear plastic folder that had button snaps at the top. No problem. Once, when I went in to see a visa official for an appointment, they confiscated my pen. It was a felt tip no less.

I used to have a bald spot; now I have a hair spot.

There has been so much wisdom expressed in this thread, I won't add anything except to say: This thread is an example of why Candle is so valuable. So much great knowledge, experience and suggestions.

The question to ask is... why don't you give up everything for HIM? Look, if he is doing just fine in China, why don't you go ahead and move to China? You can marry him, settle down, become a happily married couple, perhaps even start a family. Or you can take option B: Long distance relationship for at least a year, lots of money spent flying back and forth, tearful goodbyes at the airport, hassles of dealing with the consulate in GuangZhou, worries about the interview. And all for the same outcome that you can have RIGHT NOW, but in China instead of the USA. On edit: How to tell is she/he is the one-- Would you be willing to leave everything in the USA behind and start a new life in China with your fiancee? A lifetime of unfamiliar customs, rude people trying to remind you that you are an outsider, living under a different legal code and system of government, etc.? Because that is what you are asking of your fiancee. I would have been willing to stay in China with my wife, came close to packing it up in the USA to permanently relocate when she started to have trouble getting the visa. And if I thought the USA did not agree with her I'd be the first to suggest we return to China. Are you willing to do this for him? 155335[/snapback] You, as usual, make a lot of sense Moon. The very thing you ask, I did. Li and I met over eight years ago, shortly after I went to China to teach for a short time. We fell in love and wanted to be together. However, due to family health problems, she did not want to leave China. We discussed things, I returned home, closed up shop and moved to China for, what at the time, seemed an indefinite period of time. Our love was pure and still is and I was more than willing to sacrifice what I had for us to be together. After five years, we finally came to the States. Our plan is to stay here, but, if for some reason we have to return to China, we will do so. We, along with our lovely daughter Salina, are a unit and we choose to stay together, here, there or anywhere.

I understand what you mean about missing some of the vibrancy of the street life in China. I lived over there with my wife for quite a few years and, for the most part, enjoyed it very much. Upon our coming to the states two and a half years ago, I think I had a harder time readjusting to American life than she did adjusting for the first time. I was homesick for China for at least six months. Still, I am now glad we are here and that things are going well. We don't live in the suburbs. In fact, we live just outside a very, very small town. Li has adjusted well and likes the natural beauty that surrounds where we live. She works in a larger city about 20 miles south of here. My job as a journalist carries me all over the place. So I guess we experience a wide variety of living situations. There is a possibility that Li's job will necessitate us returning to China for two to three years at some point in the future. If need be, we can easily do that and, in a way, I would look forward to it. I think we can live well in either country, but yes, I do get the China blues sometimes, but not as much as I did shortly after our return.

Look at the bright side Tony...if this thing works, you wife will look younger and younger. And if it works for her, you can climb under it yourself. Do they have one that helps grow hair?

Our EAD took exactly 84 days, give or take an hour or two.

It will, indeed, take awhile, so best be as patient as possible, although I know it is easier said than done. I remember back in the Black Hole Days, once the pipeline finally started to flow again, it was grossly unfair. Many cases who were after us got processed ahead of us. A very frustrating time for sure. Hang in there and keep the faith. Eventually your ship will come in.

Welcome to Candle; it is a great place with great folks. Hope to hear more from you.

I'm not expert, but I think Frank is right on the money. Because there was no marriage, and she left within 90 days, I would think there is nothing for you to do at this point. I am sorry to hear things didn't work out as planned. Best wishes.