bubbafred10

I had and overcame a little bit of that fear and strangeness on my second visit after 4 months of separation. No problem whatsoever after the first 5 minutes. On my third visit, everything is smooth from the encounter at the airport. I even gave my laopo a big hug at the crowded airport. My taitai liked that, just like the hug I gave her on the first encounter over a year ago. The Chinese don't hug that much. My laopo later said that first hug clinched it for me, because I showed warmth and gave her the electricity of sincerity. Her words were "Emotioned by the action". Yeah, I am a man of action. Hehehe!

Done it a few times, and they all got there within 2 weeks. Global priority and regular airmail through USPS. Surprised they are so trustworthy? Working for China Post is a pretty good job, and they are honest.

Those illegals are one tough bunch. American companies and small busineses love them. That's why there are so many illegals in US. One of the best paying jobs for illegals is in the construction industry. That's why there are so many of them in Las Vegas area. I once came across a contractor who specialized in site and ground work, such as sidewalks and sprinkler systems. After chatting for 10 - 15 minutes, he admitted that most of his best and preferred workers are the illegals because they work harder, take little breaks, and don't get benefits. One time I stopped by a house being constructed in Las Vegas. No need to say who were the workers. An acquaintance has several apartment buildings and his favorite tenants are the illegals because they always pay on time, and there are 3 to 6 singles living in one apartment. No need to advertise any vacancy because the illegals have friends who want to be live in the same apartment complex. I also saw a television program on illegals. A farmer was interviewed and admitted that he would be bankrupt if it were not for the low salaried illegal workers. If it were not for the number of illegals in US, our economy would have experienced an enormous price inflation with subsequent recession. That's why the politicians are only making lip service on controlling the illegals. For all I know, they (politicians) probably have partnerships with companies that have significant benefits from the illegal workers. For all I know, most of our ancestors were illegals by today's standard. At that time, they were called pilgrims, pioneers, or immigrants.

They (INS) are likely to put the illegals in detention for a few weeks, take them to court for a hearing and then release them on their own cognizance. This is what they do with South and Central American illegals who cross Texas border. Most of them don't appear at the appointed court date. I have known some people who are illegals, even a few from England (Britain). The Brits are not considered as illegals - you know why. Likewise with the Germans, Italians, and other western Europeans. Now, the smart ones or the more entrepreneurs, they establish business in US. By employing a minimum of two Americans, their visa can be extended many times, and even become permanent residents. Since they contribute to the US economy, they can become permanent residents after a few years and show their businesses are successful and tax paying member of the society. Another means is to get sponsorship from their employers.

I trust life is very good, and gets better, two years after that momentous day.

16 years of age is the cutoff point for police clearance, name check, etc. Health check is required for all. One of the parents can be present at the interview for under 16. That "16" is the magic number that my laopo told me many times, that once the CR2 petition for my son goes to GUZ, it will be processed very fast because my new son is considered a minor under 16.

Signature is very personal and I have seen them written both ways, although I cannot read most of them. Some even look like initials with scribbled extensions. It should be consistent as it is a personal identification.

The new passport's wavy lines do seem more visible. And the plastic lamination seems thinner. The only difference is the photo - an older, more mature and wiser face than the old one. You think that's what might have happened to your passport?

One time I tipped the taxi driver. He was surprised and initially refused ( gave it back to me) probably thinking I don't know how to count. So I put 20 yuan in his shirt pocket and I said "thank you". It was a tip for driving so efficiently and fast to the airport. I never tell my laopo, for she would spank my ears good.

I cannot find it either. Before, I used the link www.001.com and there it was. Since I cannot read Chinese, I don't go there. I only get 001 information from my laopo. Today, after reading your post, I cannot get to the link. The routing appears to have been upgraded or changed. I think 001 is a forum of various subjects, and one of them is immigration.

If writing to Congressman or Senator, I would suggest that you write the letter and words that you would want that office to send to GUZ. It will save them time and staff with writing a specific letter for your case. They can edit your letter to their office's formal style. I think this the key to avoid getting a "canned" response of "Sorry, can't do nothing". In addition, personally going to your elected officials' offices would be very effective. Also give them a disk with the word file of the letter that you wrote, so they can edit it more easily without retyping the whole message. I know one CFL member who is doing just that. The amount of effort you put will inspire more positive response from your elected representatives. I was ready to do so, if the interview had not been successful, or if the case is still pending after 12 months. I chose 12 months for this dingdong incompetent clueless idjut bureaucrats to do their job, specially related to the CR1 versus K1. Just a few months ago, the P1 and P2 for K3 petitions took two months longer than for CR1 and four months longer than for K1. It is as if the government place higher value for fiances than for spouses and families. The much lengthier process time for K3 (versus K1) was so obviously very wrong and so irrational. Now it's the differences in processing times among the CIS service centers. Cal service center is by far the slowest, and Vermont is fastest. Another example of bureaucratic inconsistency of greater incompetency. Imagine too, that visa processing for SO's from terrrrist bed countries get processed much faster than those from China. Wonder no more why 911 took place. I think a few CFL old timers had posted some of those letters in CFL. You may ask DavidZixuan if he knows such posts. David has studied CFL's content much more thoroughly than most of us. When you get one, then you can edit it accordingly to suit your case. This CFL started some 6 to 8 years ago when getting visas for SO's from China was quite an arduous and extremely lengthy process. One of the original purpose of CFL was to pressure politicians to make changes in the immigration policy, specially for SO's from mainland China. It has succeeded to some degree. It was probably killed by the immigration lawyers, because they have to protect their own industry. Imagine how many lawyers will have to change their specialties if immigration petition is painless. By the way, CFL provides so much more information than what most lawyers can do or know. This CFL is dynamic and constantly updated by latest experiences of members. Quite a few members here can give your more sensible and much better information than lawyers. I read several posts in the last 8 months on the negative and worthlessness of lawyers in handling visa processing. Almost same incompetency as our bureaucrat leaders who are mostly lawyers. I have no doubt there are a few lawyers and paralegals who visit CFL to get the latest info. Besides, don't get a lawyer from ebay.

Your birth certificate should show your biological father's name on it. Unless you get a birth certificate when you started kindergarten. Prior to early 1970's, there was no automatic birth certificate issued for newborns. The first birth data is collected or registered on first day in public school. The birth certificate is issued based on that data from public school registration. Since you already submitted two both fathers' names but in two separate documents, it would be advisable to write a letter with explanation of changes. If you had stick with just one, then it would be better not to change. I trust the family data (including both fathers' names) is in G-325 (biographical data). If I were in your situation, I would also include a copy of the page document with the corrected information, and I would write both bio-father and step-father's names and their information. Just think as if you are the reviewer, and noticed the two different names. Wouldn't that make you get suspicious? I would.

Just as important is for your wife to know the biographical and financial information/data that you submitted. When my laopo was interviewed, she noted one lady in an adjacent booth who did not get a red slip because she did not know one specific data about her husband (previous marriage or about the husband's father). Particularly for CR1 visa, where both should know the other's immediate families real well and about divorces. On your questions: 1. My laopo wrote the GUZ case number on the upper right corner of each page of P4, except the ones to be filled out by medical exam. Actually it's not needed because the name is written. However, if it's a very common name such as "Jane Smith", then it would be a good idea to write the GUZ case number. 2. My laopo put documents in clear plastic envelopes, so she can easily find the P4 documents that will be submitted prior to the interview and the supporting docs (photos, emails, phone calls, etc) that VO will ask to look. 3. Mainlanders need a HK visa to go to HK. I think it is easier to get the HK visa once she gets the US visa, and she will be entering HK only for a few days before going to US. Without the US visa and your presence, it would be more difficult to get HK visa. 4. Newark is an international hub, just one step below Dulles, JFK, SFO, LAX, and LaGuardia. So it should be easy and painless. It's not like Minneapolis or other small airport with country bumpkin' hicks running around wearing US Customs uniforms. The reason for HK visa: HK don't like mainlanders to enter HK and get HK's welfare benefits. The maids in HK are mostly from Indonesia and Phillipines. There is hardly any maids from mainland. Any Chinese mainland who live in HK for 3 (or maybe 5) years, they then become entitled to HK's social welfare program which included medical care which is much better than what's provided in mainland. Also the low income public assistance housing which is much better than what's provided in the mainland. HK welfare system is more socialistic than that in mainland. It's more "dog eat dog" world in mainland. It used to be the opposite. Topsy turvy world! He he he!

Think of the much cleaner air and environment that your baby will have in the US.

When my visa process was at the "Ship to GUZ" stage, I found it an anxiety period and turned out to be a waste of time trying to keep track of delivery and receipt. Even after the case has been received, it was a seeemingly long waiting time for the name check and whatever else to be processed. Looking back, it's better just to be patient for a month to allow for DHL package "clearance". Then wait another 2 months for GUZ's "name check" processing. I wrote a letter to GUZ once a month, requesting updates and offering additional data and information that may be of assistance with the "name check" and the remaining decision. Of course I never received any reply from GUZ, and I doubt if those letters would make any difference. I got better response from DOS than from emails to GUZ. The replies were the worthless "canned reply" variety, just one level above retardation. I much rather not get any reply than getting those canned replies. Hence I stopped writing emails. I am more disturbed by the USCIS processing speed, particularly on the I-130 for my stepson's CR2. It took almost 6 months and that's totally ridiculous. I heard that the processing at the Calif Service Center has slowed down to a crawl during the past several months. I have no idea why - perhaps funding cutbacks and reduced manpower. It's so typical bureaucratic organization. Even Feinstein, who in previous years had been supportive of legal immigration and had a staff to help visa processing, is now toe'd in line and her staff no longer assists the visa processing. I read in one of CFL thread about a K1 scam operation ran by a couple of Chinese named individuals who paid Americans $10,000 to be fiancee stooges. They collected $40,000 from Chinese counterparts. Maybe Feinstein's office got stung by one or several of these scam operations, and now has a hands-off policy on immigration processing. http://www.fbi.gov/page2/july03/072903chinaimm.htm

I took cash in my previous trips to China, but I never ventured into the "wild west" Guangzhou area of the country. I have also used my ATM card and did not like the transaction fee for the maximum allowed 2,000 yuan amount of withdrawal and the lower exchange rate.

It looks like you are quite organized and thorough. John should easily get the approval. As a last minute preparation, John should re-read all those documents, particularly the DS230, your biographical data, and financial support I-864 from both you and your father. The VO likes to ask those personal questions, such as your father and mother, where they live and work because they all pertain to familiarity with your family - a sure sign of marriage is knowing the SO's family inside and out. Many CFL members post lists of questions asked at the interview, and many seem too short and too simple. My laopo's first report was also short and sweet. Then a few days later, when she was back home, she recalled and told me more on the interview questions. Not short and sweet at all. They were more like 10 to 12 questions. Many of the information the VO gathered were in conversation mode and and do not appear like direct questions. From what my laopo told me, I found many of the information gathered were related to knowledge of family. That's in addition to my job and employment, and where I live. The information in the answers have to match with the information provided in those biographical sketch and other documents such as DS230 and I-864 affidavit of support. According to my laopo, one lady in an adjacent booth failed to get the red slip because she failed to recognize and stumbled with the answer to a question about her SO's past - I forgot whether it was about the in-laws or about the SO's past marriage.

That reminds me what my laopo told me. After the interview, she realized she was not fingerprinted. When my laopo informed them, she was told that she was mistaken and they DO have fingerprint associated with the name. My laopo was worried that it could be someone else's fingerprints got mixed up with her name. So she told the consulate that she is not stupid, not senile, not forgetful, not ...., and insisted with an inquiry on whose fingerprint is on her record, and asked if they would take her fingerprint (again) just to make sure they have the correct one on record. (Boy, if it were me, I would have screamed and really tell them how much retards they are, and probably got the visa revoked on the spot.) Anyway, she had to return in the afternoon so she could be fingerprinted. My laopo doesn't want to get rejected at POE if the fingerprints don't match. Whew!, glad my laopo had enough awareness to make sure the consulate's goof offs don't mess her up. This just shows how bad the consulate is. I thought only USCIS CSC has all the retard dyslexic idiots. Looks like GUZ has a few of them too. Hmm, the mighty USA despite all the technologies at its disposal, is still mere mortal.

Nile virus was somewhere in the mix too.

That's surprising to read a Chinese girl died from consuming a cooked chicken that had died (presumably sick from this flu? - though no confirmation). But how about the rest of the family. Why the others don't get sick. Maybe the girl and the boy got sick from handling the dead chicken to prepare it for cooking. So sad!

Xenophobic, not only US but also EU. The dominant culture in US is the so called "western" or European. In US as well as Britain, sinophobia is quite strong. For many decades, the Chinese were portrayed as cooks and laundries. The best portrayal was Charlie Chan the inscrutable Chinese detective. The worst one is the devious Fu Manchu character. These are the kind of characterization or stigma that the western dominant culture like to impose on those who look / are / seem different. Remember too, there were strong differentiations among the westerners themselves such as the Catholics and Protestants. The Ku Klux Klan were originally formed to harrass the Catholics, until they found the African Americans to be much worse for their homogeneity taste than the Catholics. Not so in China. It's history is full of newcomers and "immigrants" who just got absorbed and assimilated into that Chineseness that no one in western world can realize or acknowledge. So many different types of foods and festivals in various regions of China. China has over 60 cultural or minority groups. Never heard or read any recount of ethic cleansing in China ever took place. Ethnic cleansing is a European and western culture's practice.

Yesterday I caught a television news story of the illegals going through a Texas border town. They are from South and Central America, and they were not detained. Rather they were given a Court date appointment and released on own cognizance. Of course the majority of them don't show up at the court hearing, and they could be as far away as Boston or Seattle, etc. The Mexicans are detained and returned to Mexico because the transportation cost is minimal. The ones from south and central America, the cost of sending them back is enormous. Most of our ancestors came here as neither legals nor illegals. They were called "settlers" or other names. The more recent settlers came from Europe and decided to distinguish the old versus new immigrants. The oldest settlers came from northern China and now called native Americans.

I agree with DavidZixuan, that "you can submit updated info via a cover sheet". I also had to make a correction. I mailed them a letter explaining the error and I included the one sheet with the corrected date highlighted with one of those pink highligter pen.

Congratulations! I also got a GUZ number for my stepson, one week ago. I mailed form DS3032 (to NVC New Hampshire) and the $70 I-864 fee bill (to NVC Missouri) last week. I am one step ahead, and NVC should have them when generate and mail out the forms. That's all I can do for now. The next step is to send I-864 (Affidavit of Support) early next week. Then I have to wait for IV fee bill because I cannot self generate it. The IV fee bill is bar coded with the GUZ number plus a few extra randomly generated numbers. I cannot proceed with the DS-230 either, because IV fee bill must be in the system. Though I am very tempted to do so. These two (the $380 IV fee bill and DS-230) will have to wait until after I return from my China trip in November. I will come back with my laopo on Thanksgiving day.

I sent a number of packages to China through USPost Office. The most recent were sent via Golbal Priority to Wuhan (package delivered in 11 days) and Shanghai (8 and 10 days). I previously sent by regular package airmail to Fuzhou and it was delivered in 14 days. I also sent a global prioirty letter (with return receipt) to Consulate in Guangzhou and I think it got there within 10 days. Overall, I am very pleased with the delivery, the packages were delivered intact and never got lost. The delivery time is a bit slower than I expect for "priority". Next time, I will send by regular airmail package and save a few bucks.