Two-Trees

Thanks for the tip... In other news... the GUZ sent me a note telling me that if I paid about $6 I could talk to them for 12 minutes... So I paid the $6 and guess what... the GUZ phone phone system says the PIN number issued me by the GUZ payment system is an invaild PIN. Like a well oiled machine... not! More news to come. This is not over!

I guess there's some misunderstanding here. I've gone through the B2 interview. Actually the VO makes his/her judgement and decision majorly based on the info provided in the D-156 form. If the VO can obtain enough info from the D-156, no extra doc is needed. 232525[/snapback] Well I see your point of view. Here's my point: It is my understanding (and someone correct me if I am wrong) that the decision of whether or not to grant the B-2 visa is be based the question "Are there are sufficient ties to China that they will choose to return to China?" If the visa officer could not find sufficient evidence of strong ties in the D-156 they had, then they had an obligation to check to see if there was anything in the additional documentation that would serve as proof. The visa officer did not make any effort to see if there was any additional documentation that would back up the claim of sufficient ties which would make a reasonable argument. If the D-156 did not indicate enough ties, then it is reasonable that they should have examined the supporting documents (that GUZ suggested we bring) in search of additional proof. This was not done by the visa officer; hence my in-laws did not get a decision made by a fully informed decision maker. This opportunity to present the facts of the matter for consideration is a SERVICE that I PAID FOR. After about $300 in fees, 20 hours of misc paperwork prep, and 16 hours travel by train to the interview... 5 minutes of time to fully examine the papers is not at all unreasonable. I paid for their application to be examined and given consideration based on the facts of the matter. This was not done. So I will work through channels until I get what I paid for.

An open letter to the GZ! (If you are paying GZ for an interview... are you getting what you paid for?) To whom it may concern: My name is Charles Bell. Today my in-laws interviewed for a B-2 visa. I paid about $100 US for each of their applications. At today’s interview the visa officer, a woman of Korean descent I think, conducted the interview. Two questions were asked: 1) How did your daughter go to America? (Fiance Visa) 2) What is your salary? (Answer given) The visa officer did not even open the package of papers we spent 20 hours and about $90 preparing, before she summarily refused the B-2 visa application for a couple that own real estate, have full pensions, and 2 other children (and grandchildren) all in china! I paid for the matter to be given fair consideration. If the visa officer never examined the paperwork before refusing them, I have clearly not been delivered the service I paid for: a fair consideration of the matter. Please provide me with the point of contact and the regulations dictate the decision review process. I would like to open an inquiry. Thank you, Charles Bell (This is not over.)

Choose your battles very carefully... From what I read the child is in no distress, is being raised by a tight family, you are not the father, and are not being asked to pay the bills. Sorry to be so blunt... but are you really sure you have a dog in this fight?

Yeah... I never did quite understand why people always said mile"s" per gallon. I thought it was the other way around... Actually I have been getting about 12.3 over the life of the vehicle. Most days I prefer to drive the mini-van where I have been getting closer to 23 mpg. I think the hummer might give Hong a warped set of expectactions about life in the US... Talk about choices for a "first car"...

Hong has now been here for 17 days. I think she is settling in some. All of my things are no located in a single drawer and she has staked out space in the closet... We've been doing lots of things... going to DC, different foods, exploring, dance lessons on Saturday night. Yesterday was, I think a highlight. We went to an offroad event where get got to take our truck out into the mud and play around. Since we haven't posted any pictures on the picture site of us.. for those that want to match a face to the name, here's a link with some pictures of us: http://elcova.com/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/510601.../5171003621/p/1 On the whole, I'd say she's adjusting nicely to life in the states

No handwritten letters to my finance... ever.... It's 2005! And as I write this she is sitting next to me... here in my house in the states... Don't sweat it. Takes some print outs of your e-mails... You DO have e-mails right??

We are in for Vegas... We're going to be there July 28 to August 1st this summer. Gonna do a Vegas wedding...

Please... CHILL OUT! Fear and nervousness are contagious!! The night before our interview we did not practice. We did not have a massive binder of e-mails and pictures -We just had 3 or4 e-mails and 3 or 4 pictures. We did not buy a special set of clothes -She wore a clean denim skirt and a pink cotton shirt We did not get nervous and practice questions for hours -We went to dinner, held hands, took a walk, and talked We did not get stressed out or nervous -We knew that we would find a way to be together, regardless We did not spend endless hours on CFL stressing about it -We enjoyed the process and the end of the process So those of you going for your interviews... RELAX -Fear is the mind killer Do what the forms tell you to do Get together a couple days before the interview & emotionally reconnect Get to the interview relaxed & speak from the heart Know that even if the interview doesn't go well that you can and will work it out. The system is not perfect, but it works. (Some times slowly...) Please don't stress out your SO about her/his interview. We actually enjoyed ours. You can too. Charles & Hong Been there, Done that.

We stayed at the "new" Victory hotel. Room was nice, service was excellent, and the western breakfast buffet was near flawless. Five minutes walking to the consulate, 7-11 on one side, little grocery store on the other. China Post was right next door. And Lucy's, where all the expat'gather, was just the other side of the island. ... stated in simple terms... the new victory hotel was fine. The other hotels mentioned in this thread are probably fine too. Price wise... the new victory was probably about $25/night more than other hotels in the area... So I went by the you-often-get-what-you-pay-for axiom... and paid the extra bucks. I have no regrets and no misquito bites. Go to Lucy's and get your SO a Banna Split. I did this and it was a big hit! As for arrival times... I would get there 2 days early. You do NOT want to risk not being there, right?? So get there early, take you SO to dinner, enjoy holding hands, reconnect emotionally, and enjoy being in love!! Get there early, eliminate the stress, and enjoy the journey... As I write this I am in Shenzhen with Hong. We picked up her visa three days ago and fly back to the US in two days... We are having a great time just walking and looking around... Enjoy the ride...

Yahoo! Clap Clap! Now bring her home! (Start cleaning too!!)

We went to the Shamian Island Post office (For us westerners... if is the pace next to the new victort hotel with the large green "China Post" signs on it and stainless steel benches in the lobby). At the post office we paid 20 RMB for them the get and hold the delivered passport. These are the only fees we had to pay after the interview... Of course if you look at the big picture... the real expensive part will be the babies we are planning... much more than 20 RMB....

Well... I think the worst is over and the best is starting. Today at 2:20 Hong came out with a big smile on her face and a purple slip of paper in her hand... notifying her that the interview was a success and that we should register at the China Post to pick up her visa! I was a little worried at first when she came out. I was looking for a pink paper and seeing the purple one worried me some... but then I decided "what the hell... thier copy machine might have run out of pink paper, I'll worry if there's a problem" Moral: Stop worrying so much about the visa process glitches, stick to the basics, do your paperwork carefully, and hope for the best! Special Thanks to Holmes & Lolly our attorney's for the good advice, timely inspection, and reasonable fee's. They can be found at www.fiancevisa.com and I highly recommend them. Hong was well prepared for the interview with a handful of letters, handle of pictures, the required proof of support, and other required documents. I spent the week before the interview with her and we spent a lot of time talking and getting to really know each other again. This way at the interview she was able to speak from the heart which she did. What we did not do: No books of thousands of e-mails, no heroics, no 10,000 photo essay systems, or extreme stuff like I sometimes see here. (She did however prominiently display her 3kt solitaire engagement ring... and funny thing there were zero questions about financial support... strange eh?) I know everyone will ask... so here it is: Guangzhou is hot as hell. We sweat alot just walking down the street. Bring light weight clothes, sunscreen if you burn, and a large damn good book to read. You will do some waiting here. Might as well use and enjoy the time. Interview Questions: Who is your petitioner? How did you two meet? What is his work? What is your work? Are you a member of the communist party? Have you ever been a member of the communist party? Show me 1 or 2 pictures from when you first met? Interview then says your visa has been approved. Purple paper handed over (Not pink... sorry guys!) Paper clearly says you are approved and give directions to the China Post next to the new Victory Hotel. We go to the China Post and pay the fees.... then back here to the hotel room to put away our stuff and post this. Food on second floor of Victory Hotel is good at lunch. Breasfast buffet in Victory also good. We are told we can pickup the visa the day after tomorrow. Bravo!! Clap Clap!!

Ok... She's in there now. Line outside was all of 10 seconds long... Has big stack of clear folders, misc evidence, and a big smile B) Let's see how it goes!

Hello everyone, We arrived here in GUZ last night, are well prepared for the interview, excited, and wondering if anyone else from CFL would like to get togther and have dinner or lunch. We are staying at the Victory hotel... I am the 6'4", 36 year old, American guy wearing a red short sleeve short. blue jeans, and brown hiking boots. (I stand out a bit here...). My finace sort of blends in a bit with the locals... Oh yeah Guess who no longer has his beard! (Damn!!) Other than that, I am doing great... If you are here in the area, either e-mail me or "walk up and say Hi!" if you see me! And for everyone else... GUZ INTEL: The Consulate is easy to fins... massive crowds and NO SIGNAGE at all. I guess that we are supposed to be able to figure out what it is by the massive crowd of "Traslation Services" signs... and handfuls of that paperwork that we all know and love so much now! I am at the internet cafe on 3rd street. Free internet access if you buy a coffee... Beyond that... everything here seems exactly as described on CFL... which is good! If you are still waiting for your iterview date... HANG ON! As I stand here today I cann tell you fopr certain that the moment I saw Hong... I knew it was worth the wait! Peace... and if you are in GUZ... let's do lunch! Two-Trees...