mercator

My SO had a quasi-western name when I met her online, but had no attachment to it. Later, she asked me to suggest a name for her, one that sort of matched what her actual name meant. It took me a couple of months but I came up with a few (Kay, Elaine, Sunflower (which is the literal to her Chinese name)) and she didnt really like any of them. We've not talked about it since. I personally like her given name, but in talking with people around here, I can see why some Chinese want to adopt a western name when they get here because we Americans seem to massacre Chinese names. So I guess I am curious of other's stories of their SO's taking a western name. What their Chinese given name is, what western name they chose, and how far they took or will take it. Will it just be a nickname, or will they go for a complete name change when the time is right? Merc

Yep the K-3 so I will assemble what I need for the I-134. Thanks!

I am just getting things researched and as readyas possible WAY in advance of when I need them... I noticed on VJ that some consulates want the I-134 and some want the I-864 Support form. Which does GZ want? Should I just make packages for both?

I sort of have the same situation, but with my address versus hers. I live in a small town, and street delivery isn't done. Everyone has PO Boxes. So what I did was put the street address and then the PO Box. If her address is long like my wife's, I would attach an 'Additional Sheet' and put the street address and preferred delivery addresses there. For the Additional Sheet, I put in large letters at the top that it was an Additional Sheet for the (325A / 129F I had them for both forms), and on the 325A that it was for my SO. On the 129F I put both of our names on it. On the original form, I said to "See attached Additional Sheet" and then on the Additional Sheet I put Question: (then details on what the question was on the form) (answer to the question) The format may be a little more than needed, but I wanted it to be implicitly clear so that something l;ike that didnt trigger and RFE and thus delay the time before my SO comes... I then stapled the G325A to the Additional Sheet with a center staple for their files (I guess they are punched at the top). I just put the I-129F Additional Sheet in the binder behind the I-129F. I hope this helps! Merc

Looks like that did it. лл Randy£¡ Kenn/Merc

Wow. Quite a post. Made me uncomfortable reading it. I don't want to think it could happen to me. Maybe it's because I was divorced twice before... Once, I knew it was coming, we both sort of gave up. We married too young and grew apart. The second time was a bolt out of the blue, though things weren't all roses and champagne... Another man, and perhaps the worst Christmas present my ex could have given the kids and I... I wait a couple of years, date a few people I realize are wrong for me, and I meet Quikui... Slowly at first, but then at a quickening pace I realize... WOW. Intelligent, beautiful, sophisticated, yet grounded... We meet in China and we just know. I did go there looking for any red flags, going to verify I was doing the right thing. What I had was green flags... Seeing her out of the corner of my eye giving me that 'look' thinking I didnt see her doing it, that same look I myself would give her when she wasn't looking... If she was visa hunting, then her family (all 40 of them) put on a heck of a show. The graciousness and hospitality they gave me was genuine and generous. The wedding reception was toasts and feasting, and blissful. I find it hard to believe she duped them as well as me. I was asked my thoughts on her coming to America, as well as if I wanted to live in China. They asked, perhaps as a formality, if she would be able to come back and visit (of course she could), and, god forbid, return to China if the marriage did not work. I don't know if Qiukui would stay or not, if something happened. I hope never to find out. I have every intention of doing all I can to keep her happy, comfortable, and loved every day of her life. That's all I can do. That's all any of us can do. I'm not going to hold anything back. Life is too short. Do I have a 'contingency plan?' Only to bounce back if something happens. Nothing more. Yes, there are visa diggers out there, just as there are gold diggers here. You could get hit by a car tomorrow, too. It won't stop me from driving. Another person posted how you can't live your live hiding in the corner. Live it, embrace it, go for it. Be careful, but don't forget live your life. Merc

Definitely. The minute that NOA1 is received, I will be adding it to the 129F package and mailing it out. merc

I've seen in some signature lines that people can see their application was 'touched' or that they get NOA information in email. How? I never saw a spot in the application for entering an e-mail address. I assume that once I get NOA1 for my I-130 I will get some sort of tracking number (or maybe the 'A' case number) then I will be able to login and see what is going on with my account. Is this a correct assumption? Thanks! Merc

Thanks! I sent her an email as soon as I read your reply! Merc

My process is a long ways from the point she is getting on an airplane, but that is the best time to ask these kinds of questions, right? We are doing a K-3. Ultimately she is either going to have a K-3 visa in hand or the CR-1/IR-1 visa in hand. Will she also need to have a Chinese Passport in order to leave China? Will she need one to board an airplane? I fully intend to be on the same flight as she is, barring any unforeseen circumstances, so it'd be doubly good to know that we'll have all the right documents in hand... Thanks! Mercator

Unregistered I did everything in Jim's FAQ/help and it is the same, even after a reboot... I'll have to dig into this thing and see what might be going on...

Sorry - I guess I wasn't clear. When we were married, we each were given a little red passport book (so there are two) and those are our marriage documents. What I was concerned with was whether or not both of those passport books should be translated and submitted or just one... Qiukui made the question moot, at least in my case, by going back to the City of Yingde and getting an officially notarized marriage certificate. I guess that is like me calling up the state of Washington and getting an official copy of my birth certificate. She is sending me a second one, so that I have one for the I-129F mailing, so I am set now I guess.

The Conch hotel in Yingde is very nice (4 stars in China), very inexpensive, and they'd be happy to have you (never saw too many other guests). Yingde gets you out of GZ, but sometimes its not a bad thing. A few natural things to see in and around Yingde (not alot, its a smaller town (only 100k or so)), and the train ride from GZ-East (or north) is pretty nice, up along the river. Pay the extra for the 'good' train and its like 90 minutes. Gets you into the 'real' China in a hurry. Probably some nice hotels in Qingyuan as well, and Qingyuan is only 30 minutes out of GZ, and more like a smaller version of GZ.

When I look at some of the posts, the text is in Chinese Simplified Characters and I can read them okay. Others are pure gibberish. An example are the stickies. Corvette's second post (the third one listed) looks fine, the other two are gibberish. What am I missing? Merc

My wife is sending a notarized, certified translation of her version of the marriage certificate via EMS. I hope to have it in hand soon. It was about 300RMB for her to get one translated and express mailed. The question is: Is one of them enough, or do I need to spend about $150 to have someone in the states make a notarized certified translation of my version as well? The only difference between the two, of course, is who's name is on the top of the document. It is also nice to think there are two originals, just in case. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated. Yours, Merc

1 year for a CR-1 is blazing fast from what I can tell. Another poster on here is looking at an interview 11/7 after filing the 130 for the K-3 in May. I can only hope I get my beloved over here in that kind of time frame. I'd much rather have a K-3 in 5-6 months and have her here, than a CR-1 in a year, but all that matters is that you will be together, and the added lack of a status change is icing on the cake. Warmest congrats from a newbie to the site! merc

This has me stressing a little... I went the Post Office, which is where you apply for a passport and get the photos, right? (well where I applied for mine anyway). The photos are like 3" tall and 1.9" wide, which I then trimmed to 2x1.9 and the head/eye measurements are good. Qiukui's photos from a little shop in Guangzhou are perfect. 2x2 and the head/eye measurements are perfect. So I guess I go back to the post office and complain, ruler and guidelines in hand. I am not sure what they can do though, since the measurement is fixed, they could have the camera 100 feet away and it will just mean a tiny head and a 2x1.9 photo... Bleh I should have just done them in Guangzhou!!! I guess I am going to submit it anyway, and hope that since they do passports they know what they are doing. The exact same camera worked when I did my passport, which is a seemingly a more critical document than a G-325a for the U.S. Citizen is (IMHO). Merc