audelair

We just get automatic denials when we apply online, and have to go through a bunch of hoops (faxing in extra information for her... never for me). The thing is that some firms (like investment firms) require you to open online since there is no local branch. Also, online banks like ING obviously have no local branch. I think we will have better luck if we go into a branch and talk to someone. Problem is, banks like BofA only offer free checking (with no catches) if you apply online. At the branch, the free-checking offer has some requirements (like direct deposit or other). It is inconvenient that we are unable to do things normally. And it has been a very consistent problem, with 3 out of 3 banks over the past few years giving us the same issue. One investment firm told me that they have more requirements dealing with immigrants, since 9/11.

she's got a SSN. she's been working for a few years, paying taxes. No debt. we have perfect credit. It's been a continuous annoyance.

It seems every bank rejects our application because my wife is a new resident with no credit history (and/or potential money launderer or terrorist?). Oftentimes we have to provide a form (a W-??? form). Other times, it is flat our rejection. I have no problems opening up a single account, though. But I prefer to keep everything "joint". Does anyone else have this problem with joint accounts? I am wondering what is the best way to deal with this?

Just wanted to say that I got my visa. www.mychinavisa.com was very fast and easy to deal with. I just attached an invitation letter and copy of airline tickets and everything went very smoothly. 1 year multiple-entry visa.

Well, I called a visa service company (mychinavisa.com) and they said that just writing in your inviter's name and address and contact information on the visa form was sufficient. Apparently, they are not that strict. I'm a bit surprised, because it seems some people have had problems getting accepted without hotel reservations or proof that they have a place to stay.

Thanks for the feedback. I will have a copy of the marriage certificate and a letter and copy of her Chinese passport. Hope that will be enough!

Has anyone applied for a Chinese visa recently? My understanding is that you need airline tickets and hotel reservations for tourist visas. However, for those visiting friends and family, hotel reservations are not required and it suggests providing a "certificate of kinship". So for those married to a Chinese, would it suffice to show a marriage certificate and a copy of the spouse's Chinese passport? Thank you for any suggestions.

We opted to follow the directions as accurately as possible and NOT include any photos. We were afraid the existence of photos in the package would mislead them into thinking we were abroad for military reasons. In this case, since the instructions are very clear, I think the safer thing is to NOT include the photos.

Sorry to hear that. Sometimes they just need an extra item or two. No, we did not do the G-325A's. Not sure why they are asking for it. Good luck and hope everything goes through soon!

My wife got her 10-year GC today too, also from the California Service Center! Wow, that was fast... we filed I-751 end of October, and she just had her biometrics done on Dec. 12th... i thought it'd take like 8-10 months or something. Maybe the higher fees for paperwork processing is speeding things along?

My wife's parents are hoping to visit the US in the near future. I have seen that a few people on this forum have been successful obtaining visitor's visas. I was wondering if anyone sees any issues with her parents applying to also have our niece come along? She is my wife's sister's daughter, and will be around 5 years old soon. I googled around and found that some people had problems with getting kids to come, as immigration is afraid they will stay. Has anyone had any success with this type of issue? Would it be easier for her to come with her mother (if my wife's sister can find time to visit)? Thank you very much!

Thanks for the link to that poll! Has anyone had any experiences ordering from any of those places? A google search found that WorldMed seems to be recommended for comprehensive insurance (available from the www.travelinsure.com website linked in the other thread).

Hello, My in-laws are planning to visit the US sometime in the near future. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on the best way to handle health insurance for them while they are here? Thank you very much!

Hmm, that's too bad. My wife takes public transport so can't put it in the car. She might just have to go without a cell phone. Thanks for all of the feedback! She will be going to the Portland, OR office.

My wife just got her biometrics appointment letter for her I-751 (10 yr green card/removal of conditions). On the letter, they say in bold that you cannot bring cell phone or camera. As she will be by herself going into the city, she will naturally have her cell phone on her for emergency purposes. Does anyone know if they will let her simply turn it off and bring it in? Or perhaps allow her to leave it at the front desk? Thanks.

It looks like UPS actually used USPS service (and dropped it in a mailbox), so in that case, it looks like the PO Box should still work, no? In general, if I were to take an express mail package to the post office, they are okay with just a PO Box number, though, right?

Thanks for the advice. I think I will ask them to do an affidavit, in which they can briefly mention that we lived in their home. I'm pretty sure I have enough evidence (took a few trips together, with boarding passes and photos, plus plenty of insurance/financial evidence), but this will put my mind at ease

The people that do rent, however, probably have a lease agreement with both names on it. Do you think an explanation mentioning that we live in my parent's condo (and hence no lease agreement) would be helpful at all? I guess i'm just a little worried that the things that I am missing might be critical. Basically, the house/lease thing. Also, my wife is still learning to drive, so the car title and insurance doesn't have her name on it yet. Thanks for the feedback!

I wanted to ask another question. I am concerned that the lack of lease/mortgage/property title will raise a flag at immigration. We live in our parent's condo, so we have no legal documentation. Instead, i was planning on showing the property tax that shows my parents name and a utility bill with my parents name, just to show that this is indeed my parent's home. Do you think that is sufficient? This is, of course, in addition to much other evidence (bank statements, plane tickets for vacations, photos, and paychecks for both of us sent to the same address). Thank you for any suggestions!

Thanks for the advice. I think you are right. Doing exactly as they say is always the safest way to go.

I just noticed that the current instructions do NOT require us to send in passport photos? I guess the new biometrics procedure takes care of it. Or would it be best to send them anyway, just in case?

Thank you very much for the suggestions. I think i do have some old christmas cards around from friends that were addressed to us

Hello, I am going through my package of evidence for the removal of conditions on my wife's 2 year GC. There are a few items on the list of suggestions from Visajourney that we don't have, but overall, we feel like we have enough evidence to pass. I am just wondering if anyone can think of some other suggestions that proved to be helpful? This is a list of the evidence that we have: - Credit card bill with both names on it. - Copies of actual credit cards showing same account number. - Two different bank/investment accounts showing joint ownership - Three travel itineraries/boarding passes, showing our three trips that we took together in the past 2 years, including a trip to China, and two other domestic trips. - 2 Affidavits from friend and relative asserting our genuine relationship - Healthcare plans (3 different ones in the past 2 years) showing both our names together. - Life insurance plan showing my wife as beneficiary. - 2005 and 2006 tax returns. - Lots of photos from our trips together. Some items that we unfortunately cannot provide: - Utility bills showing both names - Unfortunately, they all show my name only. - Birth certificates of children (we don't have kids yet) - lease or property titles - we live in my parent's home right now. Some ideas of what might be good to include? - My VerizonWireless bill shows two phones. Unfortunately the entire bill is in my name (that's just the way it was enrolled, i guess). But we can add a note that says that one of them is my wife's phone number. It also shows a phone log showing that these two phones are calling each other regularly (several times a day). I am wondering what people think of the evidence that i currently have? Is that sufficient? Is there anything else that might be good? Thank you very much!

Man, that is really unfair. You never receive a document, and you have to pay money for a duplicate?

Yea, my neighbor has filed a few complaints. Maybe it's time for myself (and others in the neighborhood to speak up). The possibility of getting immigration papers lost definitely scares me!