SBS

Congratulate!!!! wow evrything moves so fast Nicole. what it happened on your on hold case. Could you tell us more detail. wish the others good luck too

Hi PJ Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2003 is really useful. you can search for any city in China and know where it is. also i just found these websites may be useful.it has nice photos of the cities you mentioned. http://www.chinats.com/index.htm http://china.muzi.com/travel/city/hangzhou.htm also each city has their own dialect. it will be hardly understand especially in most of the cities in South China. however young people can speak Mandarin well so it wont be a problem to understand each other.

yeah PJ you are right the costs of living between various cities in China are so different. well i dont know much about other cities but we did have experences about how my husband and I spend money for living and eating here last year in Hangzhou we got so lucky to find a really kind old man who owns two nice apartment. we had chances to stay in both of them and we really enjoy the first apartment very much. it is about 150M2 and everything is new in it. only cost 1800 RMB for one month(well but its a bit far from city center so we can only taxi each time if we wanna go somewhere). if you teach here some of the school will offer apartment for you and you wil be easier to find a good place to stay than us as a couple Well but living is really costly in Shanghai. and it was a nightmare that we stayed in a apartment cost 4500RMB per month but shanghai monkeys were so rude to us and we left that apartment 2 days later. people in shanghai really care money more than anything else and they will trick you since you are not local people and can;t speak chinese. in my opinion, if you really wanna get a teaching job in China then you should try to find a city as Hangzhou , Suzhou. they are not as big as Shanghai but still they are not poor. If you work in such a big city as shanghai or Guangzhou you might be tired of crowd street all the time. but if you live in a city close to the nature then you will be able to relax your mind and really feel Chinese culture better by yourself. well up is only my own idea because my husband and I love the living style like that. anyway if you get a teaching job which is too busy then you will not have any free time to do anything else. about food. if you can make your own food at home then you can save alot money. most food in resturants are oily here. we dont like them really. and they wont be healthy if you eat them everyday. you can get fresh vegeable or fruits in super market here and 600 per week is enough me for in hangzhou.

How about passenger from China to America? I would like to carry a heavier backpack instead of suitcase everyday i day-dream about that i am seeing my honey in the airport the next day

the number will be over 10,000 for sure This is really a year filled of nightmares we need peace!

It has been so long no more news about on hold people. it seems like a silent and dark place to us here. Are you all still keep sending Email or Fax to your congressman? Let us really collaborate with each other on contacting your congressman in your state and update your information here please. I wonder how many people on Hold until now. here is the one list as i know. see if it is correct. SBS/ Orbitalpunk CR1 rfsun Hope Nicole K-1 Don&MuSi rmistie Joy&Gongfuman / Gongfuman CR1 Jason tunger88 doqqie

I think this is the Hotel i stayed last time when i went to GZ. You have to take taxi go to U.S. embassy. Well their buildings look great in the photo but since they are old i dont think they are as clean as Victory. their room is ok and does has windows. But i really don't like the small stree behind this hotel. it is really so crowd and dirty and a lot small resturtants there. I really don't think i will stay there the next time if i go to pick VISA. I would rather stay on the same island where U. S. emabssy is. I think a good area is also important and you can go to Embassy only on foot then. well this is only my opinion. It is just not that easy to pick a good hotel as we wished during this SARS period. also as Mick mentioned here "I think a much better choice is the Shamian Hotel. It is located near the White Swan Hotel, kind of across the street and down the block toward Lucy's Bar and Grill. You kind of have to look for it. There is a large sign over the entrance. The rooms are nice and can be had for around 250 RMB. Also, the location is great. We were able to get a discount the last two times we were there, once in February and once in March. " i wonder if room in Shamian Hotel has windows or not

GZ is having their holidays. but DOS or CA dont. so maybe we can hear good news after holidays from DOS No one knows how long this name check will last. but one thing we do know is that how much we have waited. It has been half a year again since my interview. So no matter how long we still have to wait we have stayed strongly in this long peroid. Stay strong all freinds here! PLease don't give up your hope! at least our loved ones are safe & healthy. there is realy nothing more important than that when the world is filled of fear of SARS. take care of yourself for your loved one that is the best you can do now! God bless you

everyone needs a holiday and i think GZ has been really working hard for everyone here. They need a good rest and come back to work again. I really respect them because they are working while GZ is filled of SARS disease

Hope SARS will really leave people away soon. i have been really sad reading all these reports about how bad SARS keeps going. i pray for China & world safe and peaceful !

here is the website of victory hotel. though i haven't got EMS but i think i will go there sooner or later. thanks for sharing your experiences here freinds! http://www.gd-victory-hotel.com/fangjianleixing-e.htm well i also look for a best price you can get if you want to stay in the White Swan for one night. it is 550 RMB from elong. hope i can go to guangzhou soon and pick my visa

zhejiang province has at 300 people for SARS by inside information but only reported 4 our city Hangzhou is filled of fear now

"In addition, if security concerns are indicated when a name is run through a database, an interagency review in Washington may be required. While fewer than 2.5 percent of visa applicants worldwide are referred for additional background checks through interagency review, Harty said that "glitches in interagency communications" have resulted in significant delays for those applicants, particularly toward the end of 2002. " does it mean about cases like us which is put on hold

(Assistant secretary for consular affairs comments on U.S. visa regulations) (2250) "Secure borders" and "open doors" -- two goals of U.S. visa policy -- are not mutually exclusive, according to Maura Harty, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Speaking April 16 at a forum on "Sustaining Exchanges While Securing Borders" in Washington, Harty said the United States values visitors from overseas, and she outlined government efforts taken to achieve both security and openness. "We are an open society. We welcome the diversity and richness of experience that attends international exchange. We must not, as Secretary [of State Colin Powell] Powell has said so eloquently, become a gated America," Harty told an audience of international educators gathered at George Washington University. Discussing changes in U.S. visa policy since September 11, 2001, the assistant secretary said the United States now requires more information from all applicants and places more emphasis on the visa interview. In addition, if security concerns are indicated when a name is run through a database, an interagency review in Washington may be required. While fewer than 2.5 percent of visa applicants worldwide are referred for additional background checks through interagency review, Harty said that "glitches in interagency communications" have resulted in significant delays for those applicants, particularly toward the end of 2002. But she said the government has "made great strides forward" toward solving these problems and at present 80 percent of these cases are cleared within two weeks of application. "We are making continued improvements in the efficiency of this process, without sacrificing anything in thoroughness," added Harty. The assistant secretary explained that most visa denials are based not on security concerns but on the statutory requirement that applicants for non-immigrant visas be presumed ineligible until they establish to the satisfaction of a consular officer their "entitlement to a legal nonimmigrant status." "Most applicants who fail this test do so either because their economic and family situation makes them seem likely to overstay their visas or because their stated reasons for visiting the United States do not seem credible," she said. In response to rumors that the United States is denying all visas or large numbers of applicants indiscriminately, Harty said, "the reality is that the laws relevant to visa eligibility have changed only slightly since September 11." "While procedures have been tightened substantially, we have made every effort to minimize inconvenience to the applicant," added Harty, who said the United States continues to welcome legitimate visa applicants and issue millions of visas. "We want to facilitate legitimate travel just as we want to identify those who might want to do this country harm," she said. She encouraged potential visitors to visit a new Web site, www.unitedstatesvisas.gov, designed as a single point of access to information about U.S. visa policy and procedures. Following is the text of Harty's remarks as prepared for delivery: (begin text) Remarks by Maura Harty Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Open forum on "Sustaining Exchanges While Securing Borders" The George Washington University Washington, D.C. April 16, 2003 I'm happy to be here today and to have this opportunity to share with you some comments on visa regulations and educational exchange. America's educational institutions are a national treasure and one of the main attractions for foreign visitors, who continue to view the United States as the premier place to study. I believe that international educational and cultural exchange is one of our most potent means of influencing world opinion and developing lasting and meaningful relationships. Such exchanges add strength to this nation in the realm of ideas and, frankly speaking, add to our national bottom line. Department of Commerce data places U.S. Higher education as the country's fifth largest service sector export. International students contribute some $12 billion annually to this nation's economy in the form of tuition, living expenses and related costs. Nearly 75% of student funding comes from personal and family sources outside the United States. The national interest in encouraging this exchange is obvious. I think however that it is important for you to hear me repeat what Secretary Powell has said many times since the terrible attacks of September 11, 2001. Consular officers serve in the front line of this nation's defense as they interview visa applicants around the world. They do their job with security in mind first. But they are also mindful of the great strengths of this country which must be nurtured and preserved. We are an open society. We welcome the diversity and richness of experience that attends international exchange. We must not, as Secretary Powell has said so eloquently, become a gated America. Our policy toward the visa function is best summarized in the phrase, "secure borders, open doors." Let me talk first about secure borders. The events of September 11 made clear to the public something that consular officers have long keenly felt: the moment of visa adjudication is the first and best opportunity we have to keep dangerous people out of the United States. Since September 11, we have redoubled our efforts to use that opportunity to best effect. Security review procedures in place before September 11, 2001, are still in effect, with some additional procedures now also in place. We are requiring more information from all visa applicants, and scrutinizing every application more closely. We are placing more emphasis on the visa interview, as an opportunity to assess the applicant's credibility face to face. We have established additional screening requirements in many cases, whereby the consular officer must refer certain categories of applications for an interagency review in Washington. Working closely with other U.S. Government agencies, we have vastly expanded the visa lookout database, against which every applicant is checked before visa issuance. We have also taken steps toward implementing a statutory mandate to incorporate biometric identifiers in U.S. Visas. I should point out that most visa denials are based not on security concerns, but rather on the statutory requirement that each applicant for a non-immigrant visa must be presumed ineligible until he or she establishes to the satisfaction of a consular officer his or her entitlement to a legal nonimmigrant status. Most applicants who fail this test do so either because their economic and family situation makes them seem likely to overstay their visas, or because their stated reasons for visiting the U.S. do not seem credible. To sum up our "secure borders" policy, our goal is to make sure that the visa issuance process is as secure as possible and supports our overall security and counter-terrorism efforts, taking into account all intelligence and law enforcement information available to the U.S. Government, so that -- with the addition of the immigration check and review at the border, and taking advantage of the enhanced capabilities of the new Department of Homeland Security -- it will form a coordinated and interlocking network of border security in which the American people and our many foreign visitors can have confidence. The other aspect of our approach to visa work is, I suspect, also of great interest to this group. Open doors. We in the Department of State, who study foreign languages and live and work abroad for extended periods, are acutely aware of the importance to our country of international exchange. We deal with foreigners every day, and we know from experience that the vast majority of visa applicants harbor no ill intent. On the contrary, they seek to come for family reasons, tourism, business, studies, and cultural exchange. They generally support and admire the United States, and they tend to return to their home countries with a favorable impression, spreading their views to others. Visa demand was strong throughout the last decade, rising from 7 million in 1993 to 9.5 million in 2000. Since 9/11 that trend has gone into reverse; demand fell off immediately after September 11, and although visa applications are up in some countries, overall demand has declined dramatically. For planning purposes we project 6 million applications for the current fiscal year. What are the reasons for this decline? Travelers are concerned about the risk of terrorist attacks on airplanes or airports. Some may be put off by greater security measures at airports. Some may fear that foreigners are less welcome in the U.S. today than at other times in our history. Some decide not to travel because of the global economic downturn. Some may stay away because of antipathy toward a particular U.S. Foreign policy. With these possible reasons, and I am sure many others, it is impossible for us to tell to what extent people are deterred from coming to the U.S. by concerns about the perceived difficulty of the visa process. Many applicants have heard stories about long delays in visa approval. It is true that, during the latter part of 2002, we experienced real glitches in interagency communications, resulting in significant delays for those travelers whose visas required referral to Washington. While we have not entirely solved these problems, we have made major strides forward. At this point, more than 80 percent of such cases are cleared within two weeks of application, and we are making continued improvements in the efficiency of this process, without sacrificing anything in thoroughness. One area in which we are still experiencing longer delays involves vetting of applicants whose travel raises concerns of possible harmful transfer of high technology. Of course, we recognize that this part of the process will often affect scholars and exchange students. Let me assure you that we are working closely with other federal agencies, such as the departments of Homeland Security and Justice, to implement a process for tracking the status of foreign students that is minimally disruptive and less time-consuming. I know that you are concerned with the impact that the implementation of the Department of Homeland Security's SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) database has had on our ability to issue visas to students, exchange visitors and their dependents in a timely manner. First, let me give you the good news; at this time, well over 400,000 SEVIS records have been posted to our consular consolidated database. This data is made available to consular officers around the world for adjudication, record keeping and reporting. We have issued tens of thousands of student and exchange visitor visas since the full implementation of SEVIS on February 15. And while we, too, know that some SEVIS records are still not being made available to our embassies and consulates, due to technical glitches, I can tell you that state and DHS data technicians cooperate daily to locate, correct, if necessary, and forward these SEVIS files to our consular consolidated database. This is a small number of cases, and they are receiving a great deal of attention. Many unsubstantiated rumors have circulated, indicating that we are denying all visas, or large groups of applicants, indiscriminately. The reality is that the laws relevant to visa eligibility have changed only slightly since September 11. While procedures have been tightened substantially, we have made every effort to minimize inconvenience to the applicant. Yes, there are new name check procedures in some cases. To put the issue of special clearances into perspective though, it is important for you to know that fewer than 2.5% of visa applicants worldwide are subject to additional background and security checks. The other 97.5%, if otherwise eligible and approved for issuance, generally receive their visas in one or two days. The most important thing we can do to dispel unwarranted concerns about the visa process is to provide information and predictability. We want the public to know that we continue to welcome legitimate visa applicants, and we continue to issue millions of visas. We want to facilitate legitimate travel just as we want to identify those who might want to do this country harm. The state department has established a web site, www.UnitedStatesVisas.gov, to provide public information about visa policy and procedures. I would encourage you and your foreign interlocutors to check this site, as well as our main site, www.travel.state.gov. You in the academic community occupy key positions in promoting the public image of the United States abroad. I have no doubt that you understand the reasons for our primary emphasis in the visa process on "secure borders," and I hope that you also are clear that we remain strongly committed to the "open doors" aspect of visa work. We want the world to know that we value our visitors and that we want them to come to the United States to enjoy the richness our country has to offer in so many areas. We want them and our own citizens to be safe while they are here. Toward that end we are taking extra precautions, but America remains an open and welcoming country. I do not believe that we need to choose between secure borders and open doors. Together with our partners and colleagues in other agencies of government, we at the Department of State are committed to achieving both goals. We hope that the very valuable asset of international exchange continues to thrive -- in a nation that is both open and secure for its citizens as well as those who would join us here. Thank you. (end text)

I am emailing you right now. hold on My husband and i did look for teaching job in china last year. I would like to share our experence with you

After some thinnking, this is probably something we should do or ask, since KC says they are doing everything they can, and they cannot trace individual cases during that process... 1. what they can do, as a category, for "on-hold" cases? and what they've done? 2. as a standard procedure, they could at least issue a memo requesting infomration from that government agency and they should get a response not matter what. 3. To move up the food chain, we should contact Colin Powell, or the Congress Judiciary committee... We never contented with Congress Judiciary Committee before. What can they do for us? Do they have much more power than DOS?

It's form DS-230 Part 1 Application for immigrant visa and alien registration Don't email Harty about this. Email the consulate. You probably can resend a corrected one by marking it "amended submission for form DS-230" or something like that. Thank you Eric and ttlee_99. yeah it is DS-230 Part 1 which i wrote wrong name of the university i worked. Well I wish they will give me a chance to explain my mistake and correct it. I can only think this as a reason why my case on hold right now. I appreciate your help freinds!

I just found out i wrote my worked university's name wrong on the Form in packet 3 Can it cost trouble on my case??? I am going yo write email to Harty but does anyone can tell me what the name of this form? i can;t find it really from website. you should received it in Packet and you only filled out Part One that time. and then send it back to GZ. then in packet you will get Part Two which you will fill out and bring it to interview. i really can;t remember the name of this Form anymore. Anyone can help me please?

We dont know why our case is put on hold too. No one can really get a real answer from CA or FBI Does it really mean an unknown waiting? It has already been 2 months after we were told our case put on hold

I am really sorry to read this kind of form letter again. we need more information than just sorry from them!

Thank you for everyone pay attention on us! We really need to wake them up and let DOS and CA know our cases are important!

Does anyone have any idea how long this on hold case will last? seems no really good news still I haven't send any email to DOS or CA for two weeks. just because it seems useless. Should i start to send again ?

My husband and I really appreciate of your reply Blennon! Thank you very much!

Could you please tell us your visa TYPE?

God this is really a good news to all our put on hold cases!! but one thing i wonder Why you didn;t get any information before you get EMS? CA or DOS may tell you that your case has sent to GZ before you get EMS. does it mean CA or DOS can;t really check from their comptuer?