freedream

yes, that would be a deilightful change to their MO... but seems highly doubtful those courtesies will be implemented any time soon (?) we would have appreciated at least a chance to go back to a window to ask...but they don't allow that either. fax is the only way we were able to get through... don't worry...it'll be there (just have to not think about when). PLan to have her PREPARE to pay someone and do the legal papers to have them pick it up and send it to her... have her start talking to someone and plan to do that now. I can get a phone# or some contact # to a guy we used...not Mr. Yang and CHEAPER than Mr. Yang. have to find out tomorrow... if I forget remind me :-9 Just be thankful it's at the last stage of painful unknowns and waiting and it'll be all done soon!

Hang in there Jaybird... she might get it tomorrow -- or she might have to wait a bit... but (usually) my sense is that when there's some delay, it still means you're getting your visa...but...when is the question. Jaybird, as dnoblett posted below, our link to our issue is: http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=34053 Yes! it is unprofessional and not courteous or thoughtful to the parties waiting in Guangzhou who still don't dare quit their job, etc. and can't afford to stay in hotels for weeks and weeks (my husband stayed all he could for 2 weeks because we were so hopeful). Do you know it finally arrived at the post office yesterday in Guangzhou. that's about 6 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, it's not right... Like I said earlier, what would WE do if we submitted our visa to the Chinese consulate to see our loved ones...they tell us 2-3 days (they give us an actual date) and then it took 6 weeks? hmmm... but, these aren't just visitor visas... in any case.... How do you approach this? I found one effective way to deal. We faxed them. While we felt it wasn't good to bombard them, we also felt that we should let them know we're concerned (and we were) about the passport being lost... so we stressed that... after they received the faxes, usually it was 1-2 days and a lady would call him but didn't give much info... but sounded like she was telling him "don't worry'. after 3 faxes...she told him, "everything will be okay don't worry-- but still didn't give specifics.... then I saw the EMS package tracking on the move the very next day. Some people e-mail them and get responses. It didn't work for us...they responded at one point long ago when we were overcoming blue slips...but now they simply said they couldn't verify who were are... so for us, fax only worked. 3 things you can do to remain involved: 1. fax them (let me know if you need the #) 2. use the EMS tracking # to track the package on EMS website (she wrote that down?) 3. call DOS. 4. some people have luck e-mailing them-- this is individual basis for some reason -- doesn't seem to be any consistency. my husband had to use almost all the money he had intended to buy the aiplane ticket to come to the US just to stay in GUZ for 2 weeks...and his boss was getting upset! I know the feeling!! HANG IN THERE!

when I hear your story tsap, I feel petty for pining over my situation...and yet you remain very optimistic. Now you are an example of someone to follow when we have troubles with our immigration process (any portion of it). congratulations on your home!! and btw, did it really take 10 months after her interview to deny it? and still it's not been sent back to US? my gd! In any case HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!

congratulations to all of you!!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

YES there is... I'll have to get that info to you.... I don't know it off the top of my head. This person who does it is also only 400 yuan vs 600 that Mr. Yang quoted and this person works independantly and is reliable. There is also another place to stay that is cheap and as good as Mr. Yang's -- there are many of them I understand that are in the same bldg.

and hopefully you'll be able to maintain enough income that's required to bring her here...

I do have a feeling that it will be easier for you to get a long-term visa to stay in China once you have married her. I have read a lot lately about China playing the hard ball with foreigners-- and making long-term visas difficult if not impossible.. BUt my experience was always easy at the CHinese Consulate here -- as I always made it clear on the application and to the people at the window that I was staying with my HUSBAnD. IF I had just been visiting him as a friend or (non-relative) it probably would have been more difficult. my 2 cents

BEST LUCK TO ALL of you!~~~~!! stay positive!

all that worry for nothing (well I shouldn't say that until he's here and I can touch him)!! B) thanks for the support!

Called DOS this morning: VISA ISSUED!!!! Explains why EMS package is on the move! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi all, Last night (US time) husband told me that GUZ called him (in response to my latest fax) and that the lady basically told him: "don't worry! everything is fine and we just need to check you more" and he said she gave him the feeling that it was positive and that he was getting his visa in the "near future" but she wouldnt' give specifics. Late last night or early morning I had a bizarre and very realistic dream that we were holding each other-- he's very tall so I remember the feeling as if I were really in his arms...my head to his chest...gosh it was SO REAL feeling!! and I started crying and couldn't stop -- I felt it was out of sheer relief and just weariness of the whole thing..but that he was here (we were together) and it wasn't a bad thing...nor sad. It was a "finally" feeling... relief...woke up from the dream crying pretty hard. I called DOS this morning (US time) and they said, "still administrative review" ? (i've heard processing but -- whatever...maybe it's the same thing?) Maybe their systems are not in sync with real-time in GUZ? Because even if it had been a denial and I called after the package left GUZ last night US time, and assuming the systems were in sync with each other...that DOS would reflect "visa denial"...or something....but it didn't...oh gosh...driving myself crazy here! Then tonight (US time) got a wierd feeling to check the EMS tracking #. Sure enough...it is on the move "your item was collected (city of Guangzhou) yesterday 6p.m. china time). Husband had paid a guy in GUZ to pick it up and mail it to him. I am guessing that message from EMS means that it simply left GuZ bldg and on its way to the post office in Guangzhou.? I'm hoping that the guy hubby hired can tell what kind of package it is if he's seen them before... a visa package (the real thing) or just a letter and his passport being returned to him (?) if it's a visa (and the visa package), he'll be aware that's what it is, right? He'll see a large brown envelope that's somewhat thick? and his passport will be in there too? If it's just a letter (blue or worse yet-- a white)... would they even use the EMS package method I wonder? well... and would they even send his passport back to him if he got a blue or white? a white -- probably so...? a blue? Oh, now I just have to wait more-- again... I'm excited but also really worried about what it is in that EMS package from GUZ.

wow. 7 months. ouch. WELL...... I JUST CHECKED THE EMS PACKAGE NUMBER: EMS website said: "(Your item was collected (city of Guangzhou) -- yesterday 6:10 pm (china time)" "Status: posting" The strange thing is that I called DOS this morning...and they said "administrative processing". HMMM. If they had issued a visa, either their system isn't updated to real time or he's getting something other than a visa Anybody has any ideas? That may very well be the case. Way way back in the Black Hole days, this is what happened to so many people. The applicant had successful interview and visa was approved. But the name check rules were changed and, as a result, were being done in a different way. We had real long delays back then, but I doubt they will be that long now. Back in 2002, it took us seven months from interview to visa pick up. But don't panic. Things move faster now.

These kinds of stories are so helpful, as they give us insight to a process we seem to know very little about. Thanks for providing that story and congratulations~!! And I thought my waiting was painful!!! You were made of steel! Good job!

Well, I sure hope it's something benign like that. the thing is...why did they issue him a "congratulations your immigrant visa has been approved" before completing that though...? Do you know of anyone else who had that happened?

yes! ? who knows what they are checking...

Same here! they wouldn't look at any of my work stuff (which they should have already had-- but he brought it in just in case) and when they asked him about it and he reached to get it out and give it to them, they told him no visa today-- blue slipped him. Best of luck to you!!

That's a good point. He got a call from GUZ today-- the lady said, "don't worry about anything--everything will be just fine" (doesn't really mean anything)...she said she cannot tell him what they are doing exactly but she did say that "they just need to check you more". And that was it. So, it could be anything...

It seems "AP" is common theme and nothing to worry about in itself...just means they are processing whatever. As long as you gave them what they need. Now just "wait". Seems GUZ (perhaps all immigration) is more infamous for "hurry up and wait" than Navy is! LOL Good luck! Remember, it could have been a white-- so at least they are considering your stuff and taking it seriously (that's what an attorney here told me when we got two blue slips).

Congrats~~~!!

But, didn't name check already get done before the interview?? I thought it was already done for some reason... Is this the point they do name checks? once they get the passport in hand and give them the pink slip and get ready to stamp the visa? thx

warpedbored, that's reassuring, although the pink slip they get when they're told to wait 2-3 days for it at the post office does state that they still can have a visa denied. ? I hope you are right There is one form we forgot to submit that they said to include to make things faster: the one where it asked for the pinyin name and then the "code" (some number code)? for that name in chinese... we just blanked out and forgot to include it-- not a big deal but now that you say that (I think that was the last packet we submitted) I wonder if that's it. ? Oh, keeping fingers crossed! Thanks!

Yes, maybe you're right! they still (at least as of now) do have his passport... but I'm hoping there's not some process going on that will now involve shifting from stamping his passport-- to issuing some other blue (or worse yet white) paper. hope it's just a random, freak delay and benign. thanks for the continued support!

Hi, we went CR-1 route filed April 2007 (so it's actually not been soo soo long)...if he'd gotten his visa back in July at time of interview...it would have been as quick as the fiance(e) visas Now it's about 1-1/2 years... But still, being in the uknown is like a black hole.... I can really sympathize with those years ago who were in the "black hole" issue. it's really hard when you can't get an answer and something is taking way too long--

no clue

Congrats and good luck to you!! Hope they give her the visa in 2-3 days as they suggest.