ktmracer

yeah, those PCs in china are more expensive after checking for myself a few times in Beijing. Just got a Lenovo Ideapad S10 netbook (ice blue) from Lenovo Direct, fantastic little machine. Wife still likes her Thinkpad T43 I got for her for Xmas.

Yayyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We got to eat sweet dumplings today for Lantern Festival!

Some places such as Dubau UAE are on a list of countries where you do not need police records. But if you do, contact a SA embassy in China to get records.

Yeah, she is all about that cooking stuff. The funny thing is when she goes to the mall, her friends come out w/ clothes and she has Macy's cooking accessories.

She has alot going on there, but I forgot to mention its all in Chinese.

There is a form to fill out to let them know you have a SSN. I was told this when i was on a visit to their office recently. We were told my wife was not in system (although we had already sent in amended taxes w/ new SSN) and went downstairs to Social Security and they printed out a statement that verified she had a SSN. Brought it back upstairs and IRS updated the file.

Well, the Spring Festival special foods and preperation has started along w/ decorating the house, yay! My wife has posted todays entrees at: website = www.huaren.us message board section = Chinese In North America her screen name = air475 She is on there everyday posting her recipes and pics for our ladies here at CFL to come check out.

Some get P2 quick, some don't, we didn't. Don't worry, some things are well worth the wait.

Hmmm, I am told "not my job", so I just stay out of the kitchen. Nice!

I would at least print out your credit card statements showing that you paid for the flights. Also, as said before, just tell them why not many trips. Myself, only 2 trips and did not explain why. As for the long trip, mine was about 12-13 hrs to Beijing, I think. I pay the extra money for direct flight, less chance of lost luggage. I left Chicago about noon, had the crappy lunch downed a couple doses of Ambien (I have a terrible time w/ time difference) and woke up over Japan.

From 1st hand experience, the DR. visit upon arrival here is imperative to me. It can be a life saver.

Statistics actually say K-1 is faster and has a slightly higher approval rating than the K-3. That's the only reason I went the K-1 route. Not to mention getting married in China has its own paperwork nightmares. Good Luck! And what exactly are those nightmares? spoken from experience?Hmmm, 1 hour to single certificate and then the little red book. Yeah, a total nighmare.

Don't worry about having a zillion pics, just make sure you take the best colored wedding pic of you two and submit it to your local newspaper in the "wedding announcements" section. Buy a few copies of the newspaper and take out the entire page w/ date of paper intact and send to your girl for her interview. Also, list the primary family members in attendance.

Yeah, I never knew what the difference was. But I did know the cost difference! K-1 = Fiancee (Not Married) K-2 = Child of fiancee K-3 = Spouse (Married) K-4 = Step Child CR1 = tax exemption CR2 = another exemption. It sure was alot of nice amended tax refunds. Nice!

Yeah, I never knew what the difference was. But I did know the cost difference!

K3 not married? CR1 married

My suggestion on pictures is always get picture with the same family members on every visit. save the tourist style pics for future memories. Also, if you get married in China with the traditional wedding outfits take one of the more colorful pics of the wedding couple and then when you get home put in the "Wedding annoucements" section of your local newspaper(pay the extra money for the colored pic). When the newspaper comes out, take the entire page, because it will have a date of the paper at the top and get it to your wife for the interview. from what my wife told me, her VO loved it and showed other VOs and then continued to read the paper!

CR1 -CR2 no difference, you will be waiting about 15 months start to finish

Because they have not listed it as what it really is: DCF/CR1.

Go with CR and save the extra costs(alot) for stateside medical/dental check ups.

June '08, start calling in Jan-Feb 2009

I slept so damn good everytime I went to china. Come back home, bad sleep as usual and lower back pain. I had bought a really nice pillow top bed for laopo. She got here and said, way too soft and she got back pains. So we went to Lowes and got a some wood flooring cut to the size of bed. Laopo then removed stitching at base of bed and slid flooring between springs and pillow top. This F-ing bed feels great! Me and Laopo sleep so good now and feel so rested in morning.

That Red Book will need to be translated into English then this translation copy notarised. There's alot of advice and guesses here but check the instructions w/ the forms (I130) it's stated there concerning this.

John, Beyond Beijing is usually on channel 9407 (colors).

From a 11/22/06 post of mine: I get to the screening at the airport where there was a problem with my coat. They kept screening it over and over. In one of my side pockets there is a small hole, where a drywall nail fell through (remodeling downstairs per laopo's directions). So I think I am done, no, still a problem now they find a un-used bullet. Oh no, Midnight Express,Midnight Express,Midnight Express. Security comes takes me away, main man was smart realized it not made in China, I told them I had found it on the ground near a store(really I did) and had forgotten about it. They had me sign papers, copied my passport and let me go. moral of story do like your mom says and always have clean underwear on. Been back to China a few more times w/no problems.