Katrina

Many people do change once they are here but you should be careful. It can be very difficult. Technically you should leave the country before you can change. But, usually in China there are ways around everything. Another problem is Hebei will be stricter with the laws. The closer to Beijing you are the more strictly they enforce the laws. Only last year, about this time, in Liaoning, the government refused to issue or renew a Z visa to anyone who didn't have a Bachelor's degree, a TEFL certificate, and two years working experience. Many, many foreigners were forced to leave during this time. And they started cracking down and checking to make sure the private schools were not employing anyone who had a L visa. Also, if he applies for the "D" Permanent resident visa, won't he have a difficult time to prove domicile? Many things here just depend on how strict the government is currently being. Another example, every few months all of the DVD places get shut down by the government for selling pirated DVD's. Then, about a month later they open back up again. If it all possible I would suggest getting a job and coming on a Z visa. I think it's the safest way. But, I don't like to take risks and it's only my personal opinion.

Here I explained marriage and immigration for a USC in China to another person. I hope this helps. http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16188

sorry. Just realized, I didn't do that for you. That was someone else. Just a minute. I will post the process.

No, it's EXTREMELY easy. The process that I already posted for you about getting married is it. Nothing to it. You file and a week later you go back and your married.

Ryleeys, I will also tell you something else. When I went to file my I-130 (DCF) at the consulate the visa officer told me that after filing the I-130 I am free to return to the U.S. and everything else will keep going just as if I were there. So, if you really can't stand China and you've just got to get out the best way to get your SO home to you in the fastest way is to get married in China, file the I-130 (DCF) at a consulate, then you can return to the U.S. and wait for her to finish the process. Many, many people also file with a joint sponsor. It is ok to ask one of your parents to help you with the financial proof. It's not a problem. I know the process seems complicated now but it will get easier to understand. Don't lose heart. It's not as bad as it seems in the beginning.

I agree with David. I also felt I was right there and feeling nervous with you. Congratulations! I wish you happiness together in your future.

Congratulations and I hope the two of you have a happy life together!

Congratulations! Now enjoy your lives together!

I'm not a very experienced member but I think the problem would be before the interview you need to get copies of birth certificates, police certificates, ect. from yous SO's hometown. These are only good for a certain amount of time. I might be wrong, and one of the other members could chime in here and tell you exactly but I think those are good for a year after you get them. But, I'm really not sure so I hope some other members can tell you exactly how long these documents are good for. I wish you good luck though. And, I too am ready to leave China. I understand how you feel. The one thing that gets me through everyday is I know I am lucky to be here with my husband. There are many others on this website that have spent so much time away from each other. I really count myself lucky that I am with my husband everyday during this process.

Thanks for the post and truly Congratulations!!!! I wish you the best of luck in your future!

Congratulations and best wishes for a happy life together.

In reference to Oxford English, you can also buy electronic dictionaries that use Longman's Dictionary. It is for American English. When my husband and I first started dating he didnt' have one so I bought him one for Christmas. They are really cheap. His only cost 300 yuan. Longman's has only half of the words of the Oxford dictionary though. But, again, we don't use a lot of the words in the Oxford one. I also have a student who has great english and one way that he improved was by watching English movies. My husband did this also. In the beginning we watched movies together with the Chinese subtitles on. After his listening improved we watched with the English subtitles and now we don't use subtitles. His listening is really good now though. I talk pretty fast and I don't need to slow down at all for him. But, he also taught Chinese to all the foreigners at my university this last term. So, he has a lot of experience talking to foreigners. Still, the best way is practice. Any way that she can practice with you is the best. One problem she will have is picking up on the native phrases and idioms we use. These things to make since unless someone explains. An example from my class once, "The chinese finally gave them the boot..." It was from a paper about the Chinese and Japanese. I asked my class what that ment. They were very confused about why the chinese would give a boot to the japanese. These things need explaining. But, with time they will come. My husband has learned, "What's up dog?" and "It's my way or the highway." These things are really cute to watch develop. And finally, if she can find a school that has an american teacher that would be good. These schools usually have a chinese teacher for half the time and a foreign teacher for the other half. The chinese teacher teaches grammar and the foreign teacher works on oral and pronunciation. It will obviously be a little more expensive but that would be the best way to go. Practice with an American is really important. That way she starts to understand the accent. The chinese teachers at the private school I work part time for are good. Don't get me wrong, but she still needs to hear the accent a lot. And, listening to only you will only let her understand you. It's better that she practices with a few other english speakers as well.

Congratulations!!!!!

Hey hunter. Tieling is my husband's hometown. We live in Shenyang. About an hour away.

B) Congratulations!!!

King, don't worry! Just to reinforce what other have said, you are a highly valued member on this forum and very respected. I have always appreciated and respected what you have said on this site. Thanks for you participation.

Congratulations!!!!!!!

My husband said we can't have joint bank accounts in China. I just know the pin number to our card and the account is in his name. On your application did you put your and your SO's address as the same? If so, then I would think it would be ok. They should know that you live together and therefore won't have emails and phone records. As for lease agreements, a lot of things here just don't work like that. Our lease agreement is just a hand written piece of paper by the owner with our signatures on it. Nothing official looking at all. And utility bills, as far as I can tell, don't appear to be in anyone's name. Some lady knocks on our door every three months and tells me how much we owe for electricity and I pay her. But, the VO's live in China. They should understand such things. We are the same way. But, we are CR-1. We only have a bunch of pictures. Nothing else. I can't think of anything else that will help.I do think the video is a good idea though.

Well, here is the thing. We are in China and difficult to call DOS. Also, my husband was very adment about not wanting to send back the checklist until we had all the things collected. We are still waiting on my mother to co-sponsor with the I-864. Then, someone called from the consulate and asked my husband to please send the checklist back. So, I don't want to jump the gun, but I thought maybe this ment that our name check was complete and they needed it to proceed. My husband asked her if he could continue working on collecting the documents after sending it back. She said yes and we sent in the form.

The OF-169 is the big checklist of things you need to collect before the interview, right? I emailed GUZ to ask about case status and I received this in reply. "Thanks for your email. We are unable to schedule the case unless we receive the form OF-169." We sent this back EMS. Does this mean that our namecheck is finished and they are only waiting on this form to schedule our interview? Thanks for the help.

Sorry that should say P3.

Timeline, I mailed my P# back on Dec. 16th by EMS. It should arrive Dec. 19th. Can you please add me to the projected timeline?

Our P-3 asks us to send the I-864 back with the P3. So, no. We haven't sent back the P3 because we don't have the sponsor for our I-864 yet. I've been working in China for the last two years and don't make enough money to sponsor him alone. I was depending on my mother but it doesn't look like she is going to do it. So, I guess my question is...when do they start the name check? Do they start it after we mail back the P3 or when they mailed the P3 to us? I was under the impression that they started it after I mailed it back, but from what you wrote... "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." I understand it as they have already started the name check. Maybe I am misuderstanding.