Zhen's Tiger

Congratulations!! Best of luck in your new life together!

I wish I could give you a better answer, but this really is the best place to see this type of info. This is the link for the current Timelines: http://candleforlove.com/FAQ/Timelines/CFL...lines_Final.htm And here is the link for Historical Timelines: http://candleforlove.com/FAQ/Timelines/CFL...lines_Final.htm Also, the main page to the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and Timelines: http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19303 I would recommend spending hours on these pages, reading as much as you can. It's not easy and is sometimes depressing to see (when you finally realize it's not as fast as you first thought), but it is accurate and will give you a better feel for wait times and also help you with any other questions you may have that someone else has already asked and/or researched. So it is a lot of information, but it could save you many more hours of searching somewhere else. Try to stay positive... said the man crying in his coffee as he writes this, haha

I did not need any kind of proof other than what I put on the form: "To visit Family (Wife)" and I gave them a copy of my marriage certificate. That was all... got the Visa a week later. I am pretty sure you can get the 1 year without anything but saying you are going to see your Wife and a simple xerox of your marriage certificate to go along with it. I do know they didn't need my Birth Certificate as I've sent away all the copies I got in the beginning of this process and don't have one now that I could have submitted to them. I really think you will be fine! Steve

I'm pretty sure that has changed, at least that is what I was told today by my travel agent when I picked up my mother's Visa. I opened her passport to check the Visa and I saw they made her Visa valid for 6 months and she could stay for up to 90 days, 1 entry. My first Visa was only good for 3 months with a 30 days stay maximum, 1 entry. He said they've changed recently... Of course, if you have been there already and are married to a Chinese citizen, you can obtain a multi-entry Visa valid for longer than that as you have Family there. My second Visa is good for a year, with stays of up to 90 days and is multi-entry. Good luck! Steve

Sorry I can't help with the first two questions, but faxing to China is fairly straightforward. Just make sure they remember to start it out with 011-86- and then the number you're receiving it from and you should be fine. I just sent another fax to GUZ today to change my wife's address since she's moved. Good luck and have fun visiting your wife!

Hi David, What about the K-3's? Can they tell or do they know what is in a packet being sent from NVC? Ours is a K-3 that left NVC over 2 months ago and still has not been entered as received. You said CR-1s have less priority than a K, but they have not touched it yet either, haha. I am just curious if they know what is in the packet or if they just blindly open them after finally retrieving them from DHL. Thanks! Steve Most of what I will say is more guessing and filling in the blanks... I would not think that the idea of a 'priority' concerns the handling of incoming mail.. but the interview slotting and assignment. K's get the extra boost of having enough info on the electronic transfer of the case from NVC to GUZ to allow the start of the name check while it's physical case is being sent to GUZ. This alone pushes it ahead of a CR1 case leaving NVC at the same time... I would guess they get the cases from warehouse and entered them as they pick them off the pile... the computer probably triggers a few issues (if a K, then generate a P3; if a CR1, then generate a start to the name check)... As always; thanks for the info, David!

Hi David, What about the K-3's? Can they tell or do they know what is in a packet being sent from NVC? Ours is a K-3 that left NVC over 2 months ago and still has not been entered as received. You said CR-1s have less priority than a K, but they have not touched it yet either, haha. I am just curious if they know what is in the packet or if they just blindly open them after finally retrieving them from DHL. Thanks! Steve

Well, no such luck... today's call was just as depressing as all the rest "call back next Monday..." and when I started asking too many questions about the amount of time it was taking and what recourse do I have...? "Sir, sometimes it takes 3 months... call back Monday or you can wait another month and call" haha She really is very nice, she knows my case the second I state my wife's name (she's had the bad luck of answering 5 of my calls out of 7), so I am not complaining about her or any other person working for DOS, but rather the process itself and the amount of time it takes to receive packets from NVC. USCIS is starting to seem like a pleasant experience in retrospect!

I know exactly how you feel; I can't say it will get any better until you are reunited again, but try to cheer up! Sometimes you are flying along, and then all of a sudden everything seems to stop... but it will move again Some things cannot be told in exact days... many people's Apps get into GUZ in 3-4 weeks, and others take up to 2 months. It has been 7 weeks since our K-3 left NVC (8 weeks tomorrow) and GUZ still says they don't have it. But I'm thinking tomorrows call will be a good one (was told GUZ enters all newly received Apps into their system on Saturdays). We'll see... Good luck!!

Thanks so much, David! This is what I wanted to do, but was not sure if it was possible or exactly how to 'direct' it towards that end. I went ahead and sent off the IV Fee Bill yesterday anyway... 380 is really not much compared to my wife's happiness and ease of adjustment!! OK, just so I understand... once I get the K-3 P3, I should check on the status of the K-3 Name Check and if it is done, then that is a good time to send in the P3. If it's not done yet, it may make more sense to wait a bit if the CR-1 has not arrived yet, right? Yep - one step at a time... B) Thanks!!

Congratulations!! That is a great story, sorry you and your SO had to go through it though! Very glad to hear of its happy ending!! We were pulling for you!

Yes, this is certainly true! But am I right in thinking that if you are lucky enough and the CR-1 gets to GUZ before the K-3 Interview occurs, they can and will change the Interview type to CR-1 without changing the original K-3 Interview date? So, we would have skipped some of the longer wait times for the CR-1 because it is riding the K-3's wave?

Our CR-1 caught up to our K-3 so by the time my wife went to the interview she received her CR-1. I feel very fortunate; everything has gone so smooth for us since she arrived. Now all we need to do is file for the Change of Conditions in less than a year. Yes, and that is what I was hoping would happen to us!! To Carl's point; speed is the most important thing, but I think Zhen would be much happier arriving as a CR-1 rather than a K-3 if it can be done just as quickly. I'm no millionaire and trips to China aren't cheap, but I would really like it to be a CR-1 Interview if at all possible - so the $380 is doable, if not desirable! She says it does not matter as long as we are together, but I know that there are many advantages to the CR-1 in terms of ease. Plus she wants to work the second she gets here, and drive, etc.... Thanks for the opinions

I was leaning towards dropping the CR-1 and going purely with the K-3, but GUZ/DHL may have changed that decision for me... I believe our K-3 was in the the hold-up at DHL until yesterday, and has now been received by GUZ (Although it is still not in their System as Received, all packets sent within 4 days of when I was told ours was sent have all been signed for now). Anyway, all the while our CR-1 has been rolling along nicely at NVC with the I-864 & DS-3032 done and I am now holding the IV App Fee Bill which I just got in the mail @ $380 So... do I go for it and hope it gets there in time to change the K-3 Interview to a CR-1? Three weeks ago I would have said no... but since the K-3 took 7 weeks from NVC to GUZ, there is still a chance we could make do it. Opinions/experiences, anyone? Thanks!!

Congratulations! Hope everything keeps going smoothly for you!! Good luck!

Good luck at the Interview!! We're all pulling for you!!

Yep, you're on your way! Good luck and I hope it is smooth sailing for you through NVC!

Congratulations, Ron!! I am very happy for you! Let's hope it flys by and is in GUZ soon!!

Hi Don, I wanted to send you this link from a similar question I asked when our K-3 got to NVC. I'm not sure which type you are going for, but K Visas will should get through NVC very fast. When I asked them the status, they told me Administrative Review and I panicked, but it turned out to be only a generic term used to indicate Name Check... in my case anyway. I hope the same for you! Good luck! http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...eview&st=15 Edited: the relevant conversation starts at Post #22... I couldn't figure out how to make the link start there.

Congratulations, Randy!! You had me for a half a second with the CFL logon name...!

Thanks David, I agree. She will have it at the Interview in case it's requested. I also thought it would be a good idea to try and get my 2006 Tax Transcripts as well, if available at that time. Of course, I'd love it if the Interview came in before the end of the year, but I doubt it and want to make sure everything will be 'up to date' when she finally gets her Interview.

Hi, welcome to CFL I don't want to give you advice as I am behind your timeline, but I think you can expect a 30-40 day wait before Guangzhou will receive your paperwork. So I don't think they will have them in time to change it from a K-3 to CR1 Interview. Here's a reply to me from a guy who knows much more than me on the subject. http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...mp;#entry245680 Good Luck with the Interview!

They will not suddenly stop accepting all I-864 forms October 19. They have been accepting older forms going back to 10/21/98 edition, don't worry about this. I hope you're right!! It's on it's way to them now, no turning back!

Right!! OK, I did get the letter. But should I just keep it to give to my wife for the Interview in case it's asked for? It states NOT to send it with the I-864 if I meet the requirements. Thanks again! I believe she should have it with her at the interview in case they ask for it. She should have it filed along with her other financial documents where she can get to it easily. I think you're right, Ron! She will have them for sure. Thanks!

Right!! OK, I did get the letter. But should I just keep it to give to my wife for the Interview in case it's asked for? It states NOT to send it with the I-864 if I meet the requirements. Thanks again!