mercator

EBay. They all come from hong kong and are probably jia de but at least you'd have them. My wife will go on a VCD spending spree prior to coming to the US. I'll then put them all in a CD case or two to save on room in the bag. We'll have to get a VCD player as well, so she doesnt have to always watch them on her laptop.

Yeah I meant the dish package. Seems like a better deal for what she likes. She is way into movies, and the movie channel alone is a selling point beyond the CCTV offerings. I personally enjoy CCTV9. Too bad they don't have GZ english too. Acutally that is a pretty quirky channel, but it is new and they'll figure it out soon enough.

bump

If this was the CR-1, then I would pay that because NVC would send me a $380 bill with the second NVC package prior to the CR-1 going to GUZ. This was a $380 fee noted in her P3 package, which now has me confused too!

I walked to the bank with the hotel boss where we were staying and paid the fee at the bank while my wife was getting her physical. 207771[/snapback] What did you have to present to them , anything or know what the hotel boss said? 207923[/snapback] It would be good to reconfirm the type of visa fee paid. This sounds like the standard procedure for a K visa. In this thread, Merc asks about the CR1 visa fee of $380. 207932[/snapback] No this is K-3. In her P3 she has two fees to pay. The first is the 810/830RMB (we paid 830RMB) she paid yesterday at a bank, and got two receipts for. The other is one for $380US and I assume that is the fee paid upon granting of the visa for processing, but I am not entirely sure. She thinks she is supposed to bring $380 in cash to the consulate, but that doesn't sound right to me. She says it is a $335 fee plus a $45 fee together. Maybe P4 will elaborate for us?

King I think has an office in Seattle. I didn't use an attorney. If you can fill out a 1040, you can fill out an I-130, G325A and later the I-129F and second batch of G325A's. I was nervous about filling it all out too, but the sample forms on visajourney.com are straight forward, and the forms are also available in a fillable PDF format from the USCIS site. Sorry I don't have the links handy, but I am sure they are on the links forum. Where the fillable PDF wasn't big enough (or asked for Chinese characters), I just added an addendum, and did the same for the 325A. No problems so far, and we're waiting on the P4. My 130 was all handwritten and printed REALLY small on the form so it would all fit. It is at NVC post NOA2. It took a while to get there, and I think it was because of its legibility. Now I swear by addenda and the fillable forms, since my 129F breezed through NVC. If you have a full version of Acrobat you can probably alter the font used and not even need an addenda, since the default font is pretty huge. Be honest, be thorough, and use addendae if you need to, just staple them to each copy. Good luck! Merc.

Where should I look if I want to study Cantonese and Hakka (Guangdong Kejia) online? MDBG is awesome for Mandarin, and of course there are tons of Mandarin sites, but is there a site like that for Cantonese and Hakka? Mom speaks Hakka and a little Mandarin (she's in her late 70's). Cantonese is the language of choice in Guangzhou, despite the government's standardizing on Mandarin. I've studied Mandarin enough to know my wife has a thick "southern" (china) accent when she speaks it, and my 'book' Chinese isn't always understood on the first go. One example that throws me off sometimes is that her pinyin 'h' sound is often more like an fh sound. So 'putonghua' sounds more like 'putongfha.' passport sounds more like fuzhao than huzhao. I also notice differences in pinyin sounds that end in 'i' like zi and si. Anyway, I thought I would surprise her and start learning a little of her more comfortable languages, and also to be able to talk to mom better, and of course get more brownie (or would that be moon cake?) points. Any help is much appreciated! Merc

GOOD LUCK!!!

That's just it. The CR-1 overriding the K-3 might actually increase the time it takes for us to be together. If the CR-1 arrives in China, then the K-3 is pushed aside and we wait on the CR-1 time frame, which is more in the 15-18 month range, than the 12 months for a K-3. We're still in pretty good shape, sitting at K-3 P3 received day 174. She sent it to the consulate today via UPS overnight, so they should have it tomorrow. *IF* the timelines are accurate, we're somewhere around 3 months from interview, which still puts us in at 9 months on the K-3. I think what I may do is pay the $70 and have her fill out the agent form, and then keep tabs on how the two applications are running (waiting on the $380 bill and emailing GUZ in 10 days or so to see if the P3 is in the computer), to decide my next move. Priority one is being together. Merc 207594[/snapback] Let's clarify something... The arrival of the CR1 at post does not push overboard the K3 scheduled interview and force a longer wait on the CR1 to complete... You've commenced the K3 application and can choose to keep to that, even if the CR1 is in transit from NVC to post. If by the time of the K3 interview, the CR1 is at post, you can then opt to have the [same scheduled] interview, but for the CR1 visa... Once you get the interview date, there's no reason really for it to change. 207600[/snapback] That's exactly what I'm hoping for and would seem to be the best possible outcome for us married in China folks. Switch that K3 interview to a CR1 and come home without any AOS challenges. My CR1 NOA2 was 7 days behind the K3. 207643[/snapback] My NOA2 for the K3 came on day 60; the CR1 NOA2 came on day 137, with the first bill coming about day 170. That's why I have no desire to sit on a CR-1 timeline and not see my beloved until mid-2007. It'd be nice to not have to mess with AOS, but I would rather AOS and deal with it together, than deal with the time apart, which is driving us both batty.

I'd sign, and even submit my resume

Was it lack of information? I am curious the latest trends since some people are waiting ages for P4 and others got theirs in a matter of weeks. With this apparently crazy set of times, I am very curious what the trends seem to be. So curious you can put me down for 4/11 on a P3 K-3. Merc

I *dream* of 45 days from P3 mailed back (today) to interview. That would give us an interview in late May early June. I would be beside myself. Congrats!! The timeline is coming to an end, and you will be together soon!!

That's just it. The CR-1 overriding the K-3 might actually increase the time it takes for us to be together. If the CR-1 arrives in China, then the K-3 is pushed aside and we wait on the CR-1 time frame, which is more in the 15-18 month range, than the 12 months for a K-3. We're still in pretty good shape, sitting at K-3 P3 received day 174. She sent it to the consulate today via UPS overnight, so they should have it tomorrow. *IF* the timelines are accurate, we're somewhere around 3 months from interview, which still puts us in at 9 months on the K-3. I think what I may do is pay the $70 and have her fill out the agent form, and then keep tabs on how the two applications are running (waiting on the $380 bill and emailing GUZ in 10 days or so to see if the P3 is in the computer), to decide my next move. Priority one is being together. Merc

Yep - within a couple of days. Mine sailed through NVC since I have an uncommon name and so does she (I assume). I hope your P3 arrives soon!

Merc, Was this 105 days from NVC shipment or from Stamp? 207518[/snapback] From NVC shipment. I tracked STAMP two weeks either side of my NVC letter date and they were STAMPed anywhere from mid-Jan to the first week in March. So even if I was in the late STAMP group, it was 30-40 days time from STAMP to P3. Tracking the ones just after my NVC letter date, it was about 80 days from STAMP to P3.

She says in the Chinese version there is a bill for $380 but that either of us can pay it, but it apparently is vague on how I can pay it for her. Also, she thinks she goes to the interview with $380 in cash, but I don't think that is correct. Can anyone tell me how things really are and if I can just pay this myself. This is K-3 129F P3 stuff. 335 + 45. Thanks!

1-2 months from P3-p4 and 15-45 days from the P4 to the interview seem to be the most common ranges. If we get our interview passed in 2 months from now, I will break down from happiness and then offer to buy all the consulate VO's Starbuck's and Krispy Kremes (to remind them of home), which I will overnight from Spokane myself! also remember that there isn't a P3 per se for the 130. Only the 129F. If you are going K3 then you will do a 129F as soon as your SC sends you the 130 NOA1.

Our P3 came last week, and when I got home from China, my first ($70) bill for the 130 came. So I am perplexed. I understand that if I pay this bill soon, and the next one soon, the 130 could theoretically reach GUZ before the P4/interview date and thus end the 129F which is so close to completion. I am also wondering if the CR-1 fees are duplicated / paid again if she gets the K-3 and comes here and does the AOS. I asked her what she wanted, and she, like me, wants to be together as soon as possible. She wants to work, but it is more important to her to come here and be with me. Besides, I think she wants to have our child sooner rather than later, so she may be wanting to wait and work after the child is a few years old. Should I pay the 130 fees because the timeframe is so slow? As a hedge to the 129F falling way behind again (like waiting 15 weeks for the P3 to come after my NVC->GUZ notice)? Like I said, I am perplexed.

*maybe* the trip to the consulate on the 7th was a catalyst and maybe it was just auspicious timing, but the P3 came early the next week. Hooray! What seems on average to take 30-45 days took us an astounding 105. I just hope we can get back on this "speed up" bandwagon, and see the P3->p4->interview in the 3-4 month timeframe and get my baobao where she belongs!

I inadvertantly broke wind in front of my wife, and she must have laughed for a full two minutes. I was embarrassed, but then finally just started laughing with her. Other incidentals (big and small WC as she calls it) were just inquired on to check to see if I was healthy or not, since I had a bit of a cold and ate some hothothot (she calls hotpot - hot, hothot, or hothothot depending on the strength of the ingredients). I was on the ground 9 days, and drank a full bottle of pepto. You pay dearly for the hothothot. So dearly...

I dont see your timeline as being that slow... Seems you are on track to me! Good luck!

Yes , good information , I had a question on your comments: When you wrote that the GZ staff does not have access to a VHS recorder at their desk , did you mean to say that a CD of one's self and SO communicating is best put on on a CD so the GZ staff can put it in their computer at their desk ?? 205864[/snapback] The VO said that the CD Drives at the computers at their desks were disabled to prevent viruses from entering their network. They have a desk in some sort of media center that has pc's that do have drives that are enabled. Sorry for the confusion.

I think the bottom line here is that your son CAN accompany your SO to the US with the necessary paperwork and an interview, up to one year later. This is irrespective of your answer to 21A. GUZ will leave this door open. As long as your SO's paperwork is complete, she will be scheduled for an interview, and your son MAY attend, but doesn't have to if he is not going. If the GUZ asks for additional information, provide it. Otherwise, all you can do is to stock up on Cheetos. All DOS can do is relay what they see on their computers. Official notification of anything will come from the GUZ. 205457[/snapback] Unfortunately if there is a question about 21a they will stop all processing until the question is answered to their satisfaction, in our case we got held up about 7 weeks and I was fortunate in receiving an email from them instead of waiting for a letter. GZ usually leaves question 21b open for children just in case things change and I'd bet that saves them a bunch of grief in the process. I do recall a number of people having problems a year or so back with the children not being included in the P-3 and now it seems to be reversed. 205462[/snapback] We, the honest and law-abiding citizens have to wait for nine months to two years to legally bring our immigrant SO's into this country. Why don't we just sneak them over the border, wait 2 years, and let them become citizens the "Republican" way?????? Ok, I am jet-lagged and crabby to beat hell, but ya know what? The satisfaction of working within the system and getting her and her daughter here will be well worth it. Ahhhh, the school system. I feel another headache coming on.... 205673[/snapback] yeah don't get me started on that BS. I guess the Chinese mindset of Naixin isn't a powerful enough lobby tool compared to a bunch of admitted illegal aliens flying foreign flags in protest of being denied legal status. Illegals of any nationality piss me off, but then we're just preaching to the choir, eh?

Ok, here is a good question then. If I send a fax to GUZ from the usa, will there be a huge charge? I dont have a fax machine but there is on at my office. Will I need to call long distance to do it? 205207[/snapback] Well, if you use onesuite or anything like that, make the phone call using the fax machine, and then when the fax whistle comes, hit the start key. Whether you have speaker phone or handset will depend on the model, but you can test it by calling a local fax machine. That way there is no charge on the fax line

Plan the trip. My stuff was sent to NVC in late Dec/ early January, and it has yet to get into GUZ computer. March 23 is nothing, mate! Bank on 1-3 months, based on timelines, and my personal experience ;\ Worst case, you get everything done, and you move your plane ticket up a month. Small price to pay...