Zingaro

I telephoned the DOS today to check up on our case (name check status). As expected, DOS shows only that "name check is incomplete." Fortunately, the DOS person was a pleasant, helpful fella (most are actually pretty helpful in my experience.) I asked him for the "Name Check for Dummies" explanation of the process. Here's what he told me: Typically, GZ (or any embassy/consulate) requests a name check based on application data received. NVC notifies GZ when an I-129f petition is approved. (This notice is sent to GZ by email, followed by the hard copy petition and approvals file). The name check request usually is sent at this point - right around the time GZ mails out the P3. The name check request goes to DOS in D.C. DOS then sends the name check request to various US security agencies - FBI, CIA and other such entities. These security agencies perform a standard process. The process doesn't vary, but variables can occur with each individual case. Normally, the US security agencies do not request data from the respective foreign government, but this can vary depending upon US relations with that government. Special mutual security agreements with a foreign government can enable direct data sharing. It's my guess that the US security agencies don't request data from the Chinese government. Normally, the entire name check process occurs internally - within the various US agencies. During this P3-P4 name check, several different checks actually occur, performed by different US security agencies. When the name check is complete, GZ is notified and can then continue processing the fiancee's application - leading to the P4. Once DOS requests the name check, it's out of DOS's hands, and they can do nothing to influence the process. GZ will send queries to see if the name check is still in-progress. Name checks actually occur at several points in the entire visa process - at the beginning (I assume at the I-129f petition stage) at the middle (at the P3-P4 stage) and "at the end". I didn't ask what "at the end" means. I can only assume that this means at POE. None of this is really new news, but I hope it helps to describe the name check process a bit.

An additonal note - if you'll look at the Timeline thread, " Interview/P3 List for 3rd Week of May 2005, Interview Dates and P4 Projections", you'll see where you stand on the timeline (your name is on it!) and you can also look at the timelines of other CFLers. It's helpful to see where you stand in the general flow of things.

With a P3 received at GZ on Feb 15th, you're not yet delayed beyond the "average" time from P3 to P4 - which seems to be 3-4 months for most CFLers. The P4 interview appointment letter usually schedules the interview for 1-2 months after the date of the letter - so you could still have your interview in July or August. That's assuming there's no name check delay. Mercifully, that seems to happen to a small percentage of applicants. BUT, as David Zixuan pointed out, the consulate is moving the immigrant visa section and some other offices to a new building sometime in June. Nobody can predict if that will delay things or by how much time.

You have our P3 date listed as 11/15/04. Actually it should be 11/5/04 (received/logged at GZ).

Your timeline would help. My SO and I have been stuck in name check limbo for over six months now. I've emailed GZ, telephoned GZ, telephoned CIS, telephoned DOS several times. What I've learned is that once the name check process is in the works, DOS consistently says they can't do anything to speed it up. Telephoning DOS isn't useless - you can find out quickly if the name check is complete if you check on a regular basis. My SO and I are now at the stage where assistance from Senators/congressman is about all that's going to pry our name check loose. I don't know what state you're in. In California, both our senators have staff assistants assigned specifically to immigration matters. Go to your senator's website. Senators typically require that you fill out a form to submit with requests for assistance. You can download the form, if required, from their website. If you write to your senator, keep the letter direct and succinct and as calm as possible. Attach a sheet with your GUZ number, your name, your fiancee's name and birthdate in both Pinyin and Chinese characters (if you can do that.) Also include a timeline starting with the date you submitted your I-129f, first NOA, the date it was approved, sent to GZ, etc. And attach the senator's form if required. By the way, DOS has told me that the name check takes a minimum of two months. Judging by the average timelines here at CFL, the average is closer to four months.

Excellent idea!! My SO and I are nowhere near the SSN/EAD/AOS/SOS! stage yet, but I try to plan ahead. I'm in the LA area, so a little detour to one of the Chinese neighborhoods could well be worth the trouble.

From your lips to Guz's ears!!

Hey, Jim CONGRATULATIONS on the interview date!! Best of luck at the interview! Richard

No, I really haven't gotten a straight answer on the name check from DOS. After speaking with 3 different people at DOS, the picture I've developed is this: DOS sends the file for name check/security check to FBI/CIA/etc. DOS then waits for the security/intelligence agencies to spit it back out with an up or down vote. The folks at DOS routinely tell me that once it's into the name check process, there's no way DOS can influence it or find out anythiing about it. I plan to telephone DOS again on Monday or Tuesday. I'll ask for the "Name Check for Dummies" version of the process. I definitely have some confusion on how it works and what it is. For example, one DOS person told me that there's a name check and there's a security check, two separate processes, but both lumped under the "name check" umbrella.

It's just the opposite. To call someone for fun is to do it at leisure... I don't care about GUZ or DOS responses. I just get an email into their system.. it's a game. Don't take it too seriously. I actually do pretty much the same thing. I want my emails and phone calls to be on record. And as it turns out, GZ sent inquiries about our name check status after each time I emailed them. As for taking it seriously, I try to follow Oscar Wilde's advice: "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." I was actually amused (in a horrified sort of way) when I discovered that someone with the same name as SO's was arrested in NY as part of a large illegal alien smuggling ring. I wonder if anyone at the FBI chuckled about that one. On the other hand, the name check delay has royally screwed up our planned visits to her family, her business travel plans, my travel plans, etc. etc. etc. But when she is here at last, none of the aggravation will amount to anything.

Sorry, zingaro.. just don't follow... what is the I-129F stage? you mean a name check occurs at the Visa Center? So that one occurs on the petitioner while in the US center, then the second occurs in GUZ, for the P3-P4 stage... I have only heard the term 'first and second name check' here.. so that is why I ask. The last time I talked to DOS (and I only call to for the fun of it), they said the name check is not complete. Yet the email from GUZ said "clearance is complete". I had assumed it was name check for beneficiary.. so this is 'second name check'... You must have entirely too much time on your hands if you're calling DOS for the fun of it. Honestly, I'm a bit fuzzy on the actual name check process along iwth most other folks. In one phone conversation I had with DOS, they mentioned both a security check and a name check as more or less separate entities, but couldn't clarify what that meant. Next time I call DOS, I'll ask again for an explanation. I get the idea that there is a security check that occurs within the name check process, possibly involving more than one US agency. It was also my impression that a "name check" occurs on the petitioner during the I-129f petition. The name check on the beneficiary doesn't actually occur in GZ. DOS told me that GZ requests a name check when they're notified of an approved I-129f petitiion, right around the same time they send out the P3. Yep, it's pretty murky. I'll try again to get a clear explanation from DOS when I make my next weekly phone call. If I get no joy there, I'll ask my US Senator's immigration assistant to explain it to me. (One advantage of living in California is officials who have some experience with Pacific Rim immigrant issues and procedures.)

By the way, Linstun&Shuang, welcome to CFL!

I think the two name checks are at the I-129f stage (US petitioner) and P3/DS-230 stage(China fiancee). So - one name check for each of the two parties involved. The P3 name check on the beneficiary is considered the second name check. At least, that's my understanding. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

The second name check seems to be an area that's especially susceptible to Murphy's Law. While most people here seem to go through that process "normally", there have been a few who have fallen into name check limbo. The most common problem seems to be name similarities - other people with the same name and/or birth date as your SO. I think this is the situation with mine and my SO's delay. (I Googled her name in both Pinyin and in simplified Hanyu, and got quite a few hits - including someone by the same Pinyin name who was arrested in NY in 1998 for illegal alien smuggling!) I had over 200 hits in Hanyu - beauticians, investment counsellors, real estate agents, chemists, engineers, salesmen from Fujian to Shanghai to Beijing, all with exactly the same name. As DavidZixuan mentiioned in his post, the nature of your SO's name change is relevant. Just realize that a name change, other than for marriage/divorce, could complicate the name search a bit. It's good that you're aware of this, but there's not a lot you can do until the name check process starts to exceed an expected "normal" time. If you can tell us a bit more about your SO's name change, maybe we can make a more educated guess about potential problems/delays.

A couple of ideas/suggestions: When I compiled my I129f, I printed out quite a few of our emails, but only a sampling. It was a ton of paper, but I wanted to show our regular correspondence. (We have written each other daily for more than 2 years. That's a lot of email) Also, for the I-129f, I scanned a pretty good selection of photos, arranged them 5-6 on a page in MS Word and printed them in color with captions. I included some photos of me with her sisters, nephew, etc. Seems to me that a similar arrangement would work well for the interview, especially as regards the photos. (I'll make sure she has some actual photographic prints with her as well.) As for the email, my email program allows me to print the contents of an email folder - just the "to" "from", date and subject line. I plan to do this as an index of our thousands of emails, plus a selection of a dozen or so actual letters. Phone records: We talk on the phone daily. I have a list of phone calls from my long distance service, including calls to her parents' home (in another province) and to her sister's homes (one in Shenzhen and one in Taiwan). I plan to highlight the calls to other family members to show that family connection. Just a few ideas ...

By the way ... What fees did you have to pay after the interview???

CONGRATULATIONS!!! And thanks for the interview questions. Very helpful.

I found that "95 questions" list on some website somewhere (maybe the Asian-American Couples board). I translated it and sent it to my SO with an explanation that they were sample questions, and that only a few questions would be asked. My SO still almost had a heart attack. I find the actual interview summaries that pop up here from time to time much more valuable, especially for a fiancee who doesn't speak a lot of English. I've collected a few of the recently posted interviews, but it sounds like David has a much more complete library.

Larry ... first off: CONGRATULATIONS! Second, thanks much for the informative writeup. My honey is worried about the interview, and writeups like yours are so very helpful and encouraging. Best of luck to you both!

DavidZixuan ... I know you have compiled a number of FAQs. The excerpts I've seen in various threads are very helpful! Do these FAQs exist in one place/folder?

Quite true. You just have to roll the dice and hope to get someone upbeat and helpful on the phone at DOS. Being nice as pie and even a little bit dumb does seem to elicit a little more willingness to help (if not pity) on the part of the DOS folks.

Feathers268 I'll second what nooneufo said and add a few thoughts of my own. My SO and I have been waiting for our P4 for more than six months now. I have emailed GZ, telephoned the GZ info line, telephoned CIS and telephoned DOS. -- GZ's email replies were little more than form responses and did not answer my specific (and simple) questions. -- CIS could only see what GZ already had put on the computer and had no other information. -- DOS (telephone) offered little more info, but did give a bit more interpretation. It was also DOS that told me what GZ didn't - what date GZ received/logged the P3. However: DOS also told me that GZ had sent two queries about our name check status. Both queries were dated just after my emails to GZ. So, while GZ didn't give me a satisfactory email reply, they did send inquiries as a result of my email. There does seem to be some value in emailing GZ. One more bit of advice: Make your questions very specific. Be very pleasant, and matter-of-fact on the phone and in email. If you get no answer or "info not available", telephone on another day and ask the question again.

A dubious distinction ... Talked to DOS again today. No new data ("name check incomplete"). However, the grumpy woman I spoke with said that the P3 had been "logged" in at GZ on 11/5/04. I asked if that meant 11/5 was the date it was logged into the GZ computer for processing, and she said yes. Seems the terms "received at GZ" and "logged in" are somewhat interchangeable. I also asked what her opinion was of the delay. She said it could be that my SO had the same name as someone else or the same birthdate. She said she's seen worse (than our six months). Large sigh. Time to write senators, etc.

I have a slightly more accurate P3 date. DOS tells me GZ "received" the P3 on 11/5/04. I'm not sure if that means that the mailroom actually noticed it on that date (it was sent express from Shenzhen on 10/28/04) or if that's the date it was logged. Still no new news except for this tidbit. I'm calling DOS again tomorrow, then it's time for letters to senators and congressman.

DOS told me the same thing on the telephone. Doesn't help me and my SO out of name check limbo, but I hope it's true.