Randy W

just posted - His other thread got more response

But this (on VJ through the link above) is a new development: and suggests that Frank's daughter would now be denied her AOS because she was over 21 at the time of adjucation. Our plan presently is to bring Jiaying's son over and apply for AOS and EAD before his 21st birthday (Dec. 17). He already has the visa in his passport. Will this fail because of the above "certified" decision?

the line may be shorter.. and the room is probably more crowded once you get in.. I'm not sure if there is more than ample seating or not, etc.. but if one wants to pick a seat, get up a little early. Recently, someone said they got there quote late and was brought in.. I think they will accomodate you the best they can. ---- As to the options for interview: Look at this thread about 'follow to join' and getting the an visa 1 year later.. and an 'extension' option: http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12786 NO! Do NOT have him attend the interview, and do NOT get a visa for him, until he is ready to use it. The K2 follow-to-join option is easily (and readily by GUZ) activated at any time by the petitioner. follow to join USCONGUZ comments I don't think we have heard back from anyone who got a K-2 visa extension. Both Leefisher3 and myself have gotten K-2 visa's by emailing GUZ to activate the K-2 sometime after the interview.

David - isn't it true that someone who arrives late (while they're still admitting) would simply get placed at the end of the line? In other words. if you sleep late, wouldn't it simply mean that the line is shorter at that time? I believe they admit applicants until 10 or 11 or so.

Two questions for anyone who can make an educated guess. For someone who comes over at or near age 21 - How long can they expect to stay in the country? Would EAD be denied as well?

In a nutshell, you were single for almost the entire year of 2005. So your withholding tax was calculated at the higher single rate. When you got married, (and filed a new W-4 as married), your tax would be withheld at the lower married rate. But when you file your return, you claim "Married". Then you get a refund of all the extra "single" withholding you paid during the year until November - your "Married" status counts for the entire year. For 2006, your withholding will be at the lower, married rate for the entire year - meaning there is less money to get refunded. So you had 11 months of with

Mr. triattorney's effort in 2003

Randy, I've read and studied that specific response many times. However, it does NOT reconcile with all the information available for us to study via DHL tracking. There are distinctly two types of shipment which are sent from NH to GUZ. Smaller packages weighing few pounds always go through customs very quickly. The larger packages--which ostensibly contain our visa petitions--always take 1-2 months, if not longer, to clear customs. Their answer doesn't reconcile with the empirical data. The smaller packages also went through DHL and NOT via diplomatic pouch. So what gives? I believe they use DHL/customs as a storage facility and to ward off any congressional inquiries as to why the process takes so long. A few years back, there was an attorney trying to get information together for a class action suit or some such action.

USCONGUZ comments on the subject

The United Airlines counter in Beijing opens fairly late in the day (I had a several hour wait before I could check my luggage in - 1st in line). The IO's in Chicago are there to admit legal aliens with their paperwork in order. They will give her the forms (I-94 and customs declaration) in Chinese on the plane. They will take her to a separate room for processing and will point and grab if neccessary. No problem with the eticket - if they give her flak, she can talk to a supervisor. A round trip ticket is a very hefty price to pay for a little bit of insurance - meet her at the POE (after customs) instead - you will also save an entire day.

?Too true, Scott. WAY too true. In my view, it's extremely important to set the mood by smiling appropriately, placing pictures and/or passports on the counter where the VO wll see them whether he wants to or not, having a 5 foot, 3 part backdrop (just kidding), etc. Ron - one member reported having a dialect problem, but I think they will accomodate Cantonese.

Check out his previous posts

My wife (former SO) learned to say "English, no. Please Putonghua". That was all the English she needed for the interview. You are allowed to communicate via electronic translators, or any other means you feel appropriate.

Sounds like the insurance companies in the US - anything beyond a standard and "Reasonable" fee is the responsibility of the patient. Also in the US, many K-1's are charged for a second medical exam even if the first (in China) is less than a year old. I've heard of people who had filled out the online form being required to fill out a hard copy, but not the other way around. GUZ tries to keep the hospitals up to date on policy, but is not always successful.

Sounds like she has her visa and is here - if so, file a Change of Address with the USCIS. I think that most of the mail from USCIS is marked "Do Nt Forward", so you will need to keep them current.

When we were in Guilin, a taxi driver kind of latched on to us - took us to the hotel, took us to the CITS office to sign up for tours, was there waiting for us in the morning, and even after 3 or 4 hours at the animal park. He even had 2 or 3 meals with us. He told us that the government would pay him to give free rides to foreigners. We found out later that he gets a 20% kickback from CITS for bringing us there. No big deal, since the price we paid was the same, and we got quite a few free cab rides. Then, in Beihai, a cab driver offered to take us to a restaurant for free (not the restaurant, the cab). She even came in and was helping Jiaying pick out the fish: http://i13.tinypic.com/29fugb9.jpg When Jiaying found out the prices they were charging, she said "No, thanks" and we went somewhere else that didn't give a kickback. Moral of the story: Make sure you're not paying a higher price for a "free" cab ride.

A few of these things, I don't remember seeing before. So here goes: The consulate is in the center section of a building with 2 towers - the fifth (top) floor circled here: http://i13.tinypic.com/2hga0m0.jpg The building itself is open - anyone can come and go as they please. The guards seem to be there simply to watch over "No Loitering" zones - around the waiting queue, between the queue and the escalators, and around the small entry area on the fourth floor (which contains simply a desk for the guards and an escalator to the fifth floor) and to admit visa applicants. The consulate itself is on the fifth floor. This is the waiting queue outside the building. The guards were distracted by someone to the left. All of them left their posts and joined in the argument, although one came by within seconds to tell me to put up the camera. http://i14.tinypic.com/2a9wuw5.jpg American citizens can go to the fifth floor anytime they want - just show your passport to the guard. I reccomend that everyone do this after their SO has checked in to scope out the area - see where your SO is waiting and where you might meet her. You can also meet her/him by the down escalator after the interview. On the fourth floor, aside from the consulate checkpoint, there is a coffee shop and travel and visa services. The "sharks" that day were all from the travel services (no lawyers). This picture is of the coffee shop, what we have called a "Starbucks". It is actually called "Chamey Coffee", with a different logo and no apparent affiliation. The consulate escalator (up) is to the left of the coffee shop, while the down escalator that everyone takes when leaving the consulate is on the right (behind that group of travel agencies). http://i14.tinypic.com/2youx4j.jpg

Yes - the American citizens are allowed into the consulate area at any time - simply show your passport to the guards on the fourth floow and they will allow you access to the fifth (consulate) floor. Like he said, the visa applicant area and the American citizen area have the restroom area in common. There are apparently no restrictions places in this area. In fact, I think some have reported having access to window # 30, which I believe is in the visa area, and from my experience, the visa aplicants are allowed into the American citizens area side of the restroom. I reccomend to everyone that they go upstairs and scope out the area as soon as they can after their SO is admitted. Oh, and Congratulations !

Yes - the CR-1/DCF would have no connection to the K-1 other than through the names (the K-3 is filed with a copy of the NOA1 for the CR-1) and the consulate states that the K-1 must be canceled (remember that it requires proof that you are unmarried). But considering the time it might save, it can't hurt to ask. On the other hand, considering the IMBRA backlog, the DCF might just be faster anyway.

Perhaps this is a question for USCONGUZ. I don't think we know of anyone who has done this, and I think the advice here has been that you would have to start over with the I-130. The CR-1/K-3 visas require that you first submit an I-130 to the USCIS, then a I-129F after receiving the receipt for the I-130.

Congratulations are in order all around - and thanks for the update!

Anyone can "report" anyone for anything they want. As long as she is in the country legally, there is nothing they can do. I think it's wise for her to carry adequate documentation with her (passport, or I797C for AOS, EAD card, etc.) at all times. It's conceivable, I suppose, that a clerk could refuse to issue a license (but very unlikely - make sure she can say things like "yes" and "I do"). I'm not being facetious - that's where Jiaying was when we got our license. Just go to a different clerk. A common language is not a requirement.

repeat

http://bergoiata.org/gif/Feu4.gif Congratulations !! http://i2.tinypic.com/24317xl.gif http://i2.tinypic.com/24317xl.gif http://i2.tinypic.com/24317xl.gif http://i2.tinypic.com/24317xl.gif http://i2.tinypic.com/24317xl.gif http://i2.tinypic.com/24317xl.gif http://i2.tinypic.com/24317xl.gif

I agree if she can explain what happened and get a new envelope great, but what I saying is it appears they are not even required or asked for. I would be curious if any ones SO have been ask for the x-rays at their customs POE. No one has even HEARD of it being asked for. The only one we know of that was even looked at was my wife's at the AOS interview. With travel the way it is in China, for most of our SO's it is a day or longer to get back to the hospital for a new envelope. A judgement call here, for sure. But even if she were to be asked for the x-ray, she would have it with her - just not sealed.