ericeblack

We had this problem. There was no birth certificate. We had to get a letter from the local PSB stating this. Again, you can not just walk there and ask. Yuo must have a connection and pay (bribe) the person in charge. You then take this letter and translate and notarize it.

About 6 weeks from now you will get a confirmation letter in the mail. A few weeks after that your wife will get an appointment letter. You need to get together all the documents listed. First off, you have been living in China for 2 years. You must prove domicile in the US. Utility bills, voter registration, or a house in the US will do. Since you were out of the US for so long you need to show that you have intended to return. Next, you need to get you wife's, birth certificate,a police report, her passport and all the other required documents that it states on the form. The big issue for you is to make sure that you can prove that you make enough money. Do not you need a sponsor? You are working in China, so there is is good chance you don't make enough money. Get your past income tax returns for the past 3 years. Did you file for the years you were working in China? Yes you still needed to file, this can be an issue if you did not file in the last few years. Finally, you need to have all the evidence that you can get that your relationship, and your marriage are genuine. Lease, wedding photos, bank amounts....everything. Make sure you have a notarized translation of your marriage certificate.

We just completed the DCF process through Guangzhou, and I had no idea that you could mail in the application. We were told that it had to be filed in person which we did and the whole process only took a few months. All the correspondence that I had with the embassy in regards to letter was received by EMS, but I was living in China through the whole process. I don't know how they will send it if your address is US based.

Most Chinese women are very realistic. They will understand the concept of a prenuptial. If they do not, you have some serious concerns.

In the posts offices you can send dollars into the US. First you need your SO to change RMB for dollars, it is a project for an American to do it. Then go to the post office, and find the Western Union window. They will immediately try and get you to send the money Western Union, simply because it is the most expensive option, but China Post has a contract with Deutsche Bank to handle international wire transfers. You simply fill out the form, you will need your bank account number and routing number, and watch them enter the info into the computer to make sure they do not make any mistakes. The first few times I went to the post office they told me it was impossible to do this. Then one day I found a person who knew what they were doing, and she explained to me that this option was available. It takes 2-3 business days and it is half the cost of Western Union for a $1000 transfer. I used this option for several months, sending most of my money to my dollar account in the States. If they tell you this is impossible, talk to a different person.

What the P4 says is that "Identify, in English, any person taken in group photos". In the Chinese version it is "Use English to note the people in your photos". Like I said, I don't think that this is a requirement, just a suggestion. I was just curious what others have done. I will try to scan the P4, I am going into Beijing in a few days. I am in my wifes hometown for the holiday and I have no access to anything like that here.

In my P4 it mentions something about writing the names of all the people in the photographs. Is this really necessary if my wife can easily explain who the people in the pictures and and what their relationship is to us? We have an awful lot of pictures with an awful lot of people, it can turn into a huge project.

I wasn't sure. I found this on the site when I was looking to download the current forms that are in packets 3 and 4. I couldn't find a date on the information that was posted there. Thanks for the update.

Does anyone know anything about this? I found this information at http://travel.state.gov/visa/laws/telegram...grams_1540.html on the DOS website. How is this going to effect those of us waiting for approval of the I-130? has anyone received any of their packets electronically? Has anyone noticed any changes yet? SUBJECT: CHANGES TO PACKET SYSTEM FOR IMMIGRANT VISA PROCESSING This message has been cleared with M/P(SEP). 1. This message describes changes to the standard information packages used to communicate with immigrant visa applicants. Briefly put, the IV packet system is being eliminated in favor of a simpler system of standardized mailings and more explicit provision for the use of Internet and other electronic resources when appropriate. The procedural notes in 9 FAM Volume 42 dealing with immigrant visa processing have been revised to reflect these changes and will be updated in the next release of Inserts. 2. Although the IV packet system has served well for over forty years with relatively few changes, the ease with which information can now be maintained and shared electronically makes the linear, rationed approach to immigrant visa information less useful. The numbered packets, many of which are no longer used by consular sections and rarely seen by applicants, were also the source of some confusion. The numbered packet system has therefore been eliminated. Packets 1, 2, 2a and 3a no longer exist. Standardized information sheets should be used to respond to queries as discussed below. The old Packet 3 has now been renamed the "Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants." Packet 4 is referred to as the "Appointment Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants." Packet 4a, important as the mailing that initiates the termination process, is now referred to as the "Follow-Up Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants." 3. Automated consular systems will continue to refer to standard information packages by their old packet numbers for the time being. 4. The DSL series information sheets are obsolete and should no longer be used. Instead, information sheets identified by title and date have been drafted and are available on the CA Intranet by clicking on the "IV" link. These information sheets are referenced in the revised FAM notes, but copies of this information will no longer be maintained in the FAM. Instead, consular personnel should consider the text available on the Intranet site to be the definitive text. Every effort will be made to ensure that content of the CA Internet site mirrors that maintained on the Intranet, but in the event of any discrepancy, posts are reminded that the Intranet remains the definitive source of visa information. These information sheets and the forms posted on the Intranet site may be e-mailed to inquirers and IV applicants as requested. They may also be printed on demand at smaller volume posts. Larger volume IV operations should use these information sheets as master documents and continue to print in bulk those most commonly used. 5. VO is working with CSD on changes to the format of Appendix C that will make it easier to maintain and share post-specific IV processing information. In the meantime, post should print country-specific portions of Appendix C from the online version of Appendix C whenever this information is requested. 6. The old OF-169 (the "Packet 3 checklist," renumbered DS-2001 last year) has been redesigned. The information concerning documents required for IV application has been separated out into an information sheet entitled "Instructions for Immigrant Visa Applicants." This document, covered by the form letter generated by the automated IV system, will become the basic component of the new "Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants." The DS-2001 has been redesigned as a one-page optional form to be used by applicants or their agents to notify post or NVC that they are ready for interview. The revised DS-2001 is now with OMB for approval and will be distributed and posted on the Intranet as soon as available. In the meantime, posts may feel free to use either the current DS-2001 or the revised "Instructions for Immigrant Visa Applicants" (posted on the CA Intranet) but should not use both forms as this would cause confusion. The new DS-2001 cannot be used until approved by OMB. 7. The 9 FAM 42 procedural notes have also been revised to remove references to "rationing" or piecemeal provision of information to IV applicants. Although IV processing posts are still required to provide the "Instruction Package" and "Appointment Package" at the appropriate stage in the IV process, this information may be provided to all inquirers, applicant or not, prepared or not, at any time. The forms and information sheets used in the IV process are public documents widely available on the Internet. Although consular officers will still need to stress to IV applicants the need to proceed through the IV process in a linear manner to avoid confusion, all information should be made available upon request. 8. Septel will provide guidance on further FAM changes concerning the definition of "documentarily qualified" and various pre-screening measures that may be used in the IV process. 9. Post comments and questions concerning these changes are welcome and should be addressed to CA/VO. 10. Minimize considered.

I finally got to Guangzhou to file the I-130 for my wife. We check and rechecked and triple checked all of out forms...and good thing we did because even after we double check, my Zuo noticed on the G-325a that I had here sex marked as male...that would have looked weird waiting for approval. I spent a lot of time preparing the packet for submission. I put all of our information into a folder with address stickers on it just incase it was misplaced. I also typed a cover letter and table of contents describing what the packet contained and what we were filing for. When I got to the window at Homeland Security, they did not want any of it. Typical!!! All they wanted was my residence permit, which has only been valid for one month, the I-130 and g-325a forms and one picture of each of us. She also took copies of my passport, my wife¡¯s passport, my birth certificate, her notorial B certificate, a letter saying that my wife has no original B certificate, and our Notoraial marriage certificate. That was it. Just the basics. It was a very simple process to file and I think it only took me 5 minutes with the woman behind the window. One problem with Guangzhou is that the window to file is only open and Tues and Thurs. from 1:30-3:30 which is not much time. I was behind several people who were there rjust to ask questions, not to file anything. They would go in the room and be there for 20-30 minutes asking questions. This was disturbing for us who had traveled a long way and were prepared. I was able to file but there were others waiting who would have to come back another time because people took too long asking homeland security questions that I am no doubt sure they could find by simple internet research. So please, if you are going to file, go there prepared. Do so for the sake of everyone who has traveled a long distance to file their petitions. If you are prepared it will go very quickly.

It was helpful...thanks. I am heading to GUZ next week to file th I-130 and I am jsut trying to make sure I have absolutly everything...thanks!!

You are correct that I am about to file the CDF in Guangzhou. The USCIS offices asks for a residence permit and a "employment certificate". I have a residence permit, a contract, and a letter from a University saying that I work there, but no "employment certificate". What I do have is the small "Foreign Experts Certificate" which is just a small book with my picture and where I work and life. Is that "Foreign Experts Certificate" my "employment certificate"?

Is an "Employment Certificate" the same thing as the "Foriegn Expert Permit"?

From what I was told the USCIS office in Guangzhou has different requirements for the birth certificates than the consulate does for a visa interview. This is exactly what the instructions say. In order to file a I-130 petition at DHS-USCIS-Guangzhou, you need to submit the following documents: 1. One I-130 2 One G-325A for petitioner and one for beneficiary. 3. Petitioners US Passport and/or US birth certificate, and Valid Chinese Public Security Bureau issued permanent Resident Permit. 4. Beneficiary's original birth certificate or certificate issued with Public Security Bureau letterhead for certify original is kept in record or loss. 5. Beneficiaries Notarial Birth Certificate. 6. Nortarial Marriage Certificate 7. Original Marriage Certificate 8. 2 photos for each petitioner and each beneficiary 9. Other documents mentioned in the instruction statement of the I-130 10. All non-English documents should be translated into English 11. Beneficiaries Chinese Passport. The birth certificates are listed as separte items and dthe woman at the office said they were. I have read on here in other places that some people had gotten a letter from the PSB. I was wondering what they had received and if it was a simple piece of paper.

The best way to do this is to use your computer. First, you need to have "East Asian fonts" installed on your computer. This you can do this in the control panel under languages. You can then use Adobe to enter in the Chinese characters into that section of the form. (You can also use adobe to input all the English info so it is nice and neat). If you don't know how to use the Chinese input methods have your fianc¨¦ email you her address in the Chinese characters. Then copy it from the email and paste it on your form using adobe. It is very easy but to do this you must have East Asian fonts installed on your computer and adobe as well. If your version of adobe does not support Chinese fonts you can download the patch for free. Simply go to Google and type "adobe Chinese fonts". Download the patch and install. It is very easy. Plus in the future it will come in handy having the Chinese fonts on your computer anyways. Good Luck!

I spoke on the phone with a woman from the USCIS office in Guangzhou. To file the I-130 you do need 2 Birth certificates. One is the notorial birth certificate which I got from a notary. This was very easy. This is what the I-130 instructions say for the "original" birth certificate..."Beneficiary's original Birth Certificate or Certificate issued with Public Security Bureau letterhead for certify original is kept in record or loss" As we all know many people do not have their original birth certificates simply because they were never issued. What this woman from the USCIS told me to do is to go to the PSB and get a letter on their LETTERHEAD that says that there was never a birth certificate given at birth. We spoke with the PSB and they said they don't deal in such matters, but my wife¡¯s family knows the leader there so he said he will give us whatever we want. Here is the thing, they have no letterhead. All they have is that cheap thin paper that is all over the place here. Has anyone here ever had to get one of these letters? If so, was it something as simple as a letter containing her birth information and that there was never an original birth certificate issued written on cheap tissue paper with the PSB stamp on it? It just seems like so much trouble for something so simple and stupid. What if my wife¡¯s family didn't have friends there? What a project!!!

Ok...this is what I understand. If you file the DCF you file with the USCIS which has different requirements than the embassies as far as certificates are concerned. In the I-130 instructions that I received from the USCIS office the Notoral Birth Certificate is listed as a separate item from the original birth certificate. As mentioned in the forum, many Chinese people were never issued a birth certificate, which is the case with my wife. So therefore you must get a certificate from the PSB in her HuKou stating they do not have an original birth certificate. This can be simply a written piece of paper with my wives name, date of birth, and her parent¡¯s names, which says that a birth certificate was never issues. This handwritten piece of paper is then stamped with the police stamp. After that, I take this thing to the notary where they notarize and translate it. In David¡¯s post the I-130 petitioner says: "4, Birth certificate issued by a Sub-police station of Shen Zhen Public Security Bureau, where my Hukou is located. I don't have a Birth Certificate, was not born in hospital instead of at home. ( Kept by CO)" so it seems that this person was able to get the police station to issue him a new birth certificate. Because latter her mentions he filed with 2 birth certificates: Notary certificate: ( kept all by CO) 1, Divorce Notary ( one Direct and one In-direct) 2, Marriage Notary ( one Direct and one In-direct) 3, Birth Notary 4, Birth Certificate issued by Police station Notary So since my wife was never given a birth certificate at birth, I need a new one issued by the police station, or a letter from the PSB stating that she never received one. We called her PSB and they told us they have nothing to do with birth certificates, so I I will have to ask them to write a statement for me. I think I got everything. This forum was very helpful Notarized Birth Certificate & Marriage Certificate, What are needed for the interview? http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16315 If anyone knows anything else or has had another experience with filing the I-130 with the USCIS in Guangzhou please let me know.... Thank You

To file the I-130 form in GuangZhou they sent me a list of things that they will need. On this list one item is the Notorial Birth Certificate. This I think my wife has. She brought her household register, a letter from the police, and a letter from her father to the notary and they issued this birth certificate. Another item on this list is the origional birth certificate, which she does not have and was never issued one. This is what the instructions ask for... "Beneficiary's original Birth Certificate or Certificate issued with Public Security Bureau letterhead for certify original is kept in record or loss" From reading posts in this forum I take this to mean that the PSB in her hukou needs to give her something that says that she does not have a birth certificate. Of course the police have no idea what we are talking about. Has anyone had any experience with this? My wife does not exactly understand what they are asking for either. Does anyone have any links to Chinese forums that refer to this? I could simply get a letter from the police saying that she has no Birth Certificate. Would this be acceptable?

I was in Hong Kong one month ago for my visa. I was getting a Z visa for the company that I work for. I think I paid 400 HK for the visa and 600 HK to rush it. I know you can get tourist visas at the same place, but I do not know the exact price. The reason that I say that Hong Kong is cheaper than getting the visa in the US is because in the US you must pay a middle man to carry your passport to one of the Chinese consulates or you must bring you passport there yourself. This can cost anywhere between and extra 50 - 200 USD depending on how fast you need the visa. In Hong Kong there is no middle man. You get the visa directly.

It is very easy to get your visa in Hong Kong. First any travel agent will do it, or you can simply go to the Chinese consulate. Get one the Hong Kong subway and get off the Wan Chai stop. Go to the exhibition center. You will find this on any map in the subway...the exhibition center is a huge building that you can not miss. Once you get off the subway follow the signs to the exhibition center and there will be an over the street walkway that will take you directly there. It is a massive building. In this building there is a place call the immigration center...this is NOT what you want. This is for getting visas and residence for Hong Kong. The Chinese consulate is one block to the east of the exhibition center and is called the "China Resource Center". There are guards in the exhibition center who all speak English. They will be happy to shop you where you need to go. Once at the China Resource center you will see a sign that says "Chinese Visas this way---->. You will then go through security and take an elevator. The correct floor is clearly marked in the elevator. Once you get off the elevator, fill out the paperwork and take a number. Once your number is called you go up to a window and give them your passport and the application. If you get the same day service you can come back in a few hours to pick it up. They also offer a nest day service and a three day service but I don't think this is what you want. Hong Kong is probably the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to get a visa. Even though you rush the visa in Hong Kong it is cheaper than getting it at a consulate in the US. Good Luck!

As far as I know the 25K will be enough, even if it was made in China...as long as you have been reporting what you make here to the IRS back home. When you work in China you don't have US taxes taken out, but you still have to file. Also, if you have been in China for 3 years you will have to prove domincile. As far as your real estate is concerned you can file that on your affadavit as an asset, and possibly use it to prove domincile as well

You can get a new tourist visa easily in Hong Kong. If you go to the office early in the morning and pay a heft rush fee you can get it that very afternoon. The standard visa issue period is 3 days. If you are only planning to stay for 2 you will have to rush it. Hong Kong is a great place but it can be a real pain with entering and exiting especially if your Chinese fiance is comming along. HK is a part of China, but mainland Chinese citizens must have a special entrance permit.

Correct. You get the police record from her hometown. When you take the record to the notary to get it translated they will give her a certificate that says she has no record in ALL of China. If you have trouble with the police or the notary, you must find someone who knows someone who is somehow connected to the police or the notary. My wifes parents were very well connected in their hometown so we had this taken care of within one day. They told us it normally takes them 2-4 weeks to process the stuff...that is in Hebei province. Good luck, but you will only need the one police report. The notary will give you one for all of China.

I was just recently married in China. I got my certificate of marriagability from the Beijing Embassy. My wife had to be present because they gave us a short interview. Just simple questions...how did you meet, how long have you know each other, future plans etc. It took about 30 second to answer all the consuls questions. I just gave them my passport and my wifes ID and asked for a certificate. !0 minutes later they came out with one in both Chinese and English. The counsul asked his questions and I signed the paper. Very easy. As long as you are not currently married I don't think the consulate can deny you this certificate. We had not trouble at all. To get married all I needed was my passport and this certificate. No residence permit is required for this. You can marry on any type of visa. The visa I had at the time as a business visa. As long as you have any visa you can marry. I married in Hebei province in the capital Shijiazhuang. Other provinces may be different. It was very easy here. Once hour and we had our marriage certificate. I am now in the process of getting my residence permit. This takes time to get. First, you need to have a job in China. Your employer must then file paperwork with the local authorities and give you a letter from the local government. If you are in the states you send this letter, visa application, and your passport to the Chinese Embassy in America...they will then send you a Z visa. If you are in China you must take you letter to Hong Kong to do this. You Z visa is not your residence permit. It is considered your working visa. Your Z visa is good for ONLY 30 days after you enter China. Once you enter, you must find an appartment if your employer does not provide one. Then you have to give you passport and visa to your employer and they will send it away to get your residence permit. You must have a residence and a job in China to get a residence permit. Once you give your employer your passport it will take between 14 and 20 days to get your residence permit. When you want to file a I-130 from within China, you have to file at the USIC office where your residence is located. I live in Xiamen so I have to file at Guangzhou. If you are filing the I-130 in the US You DO NOT need a Chinese residence permit. DCF means to directly file a I-130 form in a different country. Therefore it is a process reserved for people who hold residency to that country. You can not come to China on a tourist visa and file a I-130 here. You can only file an I-130 in China if you have a Chinese resident permit. Also, as far as I know, it is no longer nessessary to have residence for longer than 6 months. "Petitions on behalf of immediate relatives may be filed in person at the DHS office in Beijing or at the American Citizen Service office of any Consulate near your residence in China. However, if you do not have a valid Chinese "Foreigner Residence Permit", "Z" work visa, ¡°X¡± student visa, or other long-term official authorization permitting you to live in China, you should file your immediate relative petitions with the nearest immigration office (DHS/BCIS) in your home state in the U.S." As long as you have a Z visa or a Residence Permit you should be ok.

As far as I know in filing the DCF BOTH of you need to go to the consulate with the paperwork and proof of your marriage. As far as I know all you need is your marriage booklets, your passports along with your BF's residence permit, and the I-130 paperwork. Make sure all your Chinese documents has a notorized English translation. I just married yesterday. I have been teaching in China for several months but I have been here on a business visa. I just got a work visa for the new school that I am teaching in so i am waiting for my residence permit. As soon as I get this we will be applying for the DCF. Which hopefully will be in about 2 weeks. Unfortunatly we will be filing in Guangzhou, which has a reputation for being very slow. Does anyone have any ideas how long a DCF takes out of GuangZhou? We are hoping to head to the US sometime in late Feburary. Here is a checklist I found on the Shanghai consulates page...very helpful!!! 1. Form I-130 (the following items must be completed) • Name of the beneficiary must be consistent to the one in the passport. Any other names used should appear in item 7 of Part C (Other Names Used, including maiden name) • Item 11 of both Part B and Part C (Names of Prior husbands/wives) must be completed. If not applicable in this case, please write “none”. • Item 18 of Part C (Address in the United States where your relative intends to live) must be completed. • In item 20 of Part C (If your relative’s alphabet is other than Roman letters, write his or her name and foreign address in the native alphabet), please write in Chinese characters the beneficiary’s name and address, including ZIP code. 2. Filing fee ($185.00) 3. Original and copy of the petitioner’s valid U.S. passport (the biographic page). 4. Original and copy of the petitioner’s valid Chinese visa (“Z” or “X”), and/or the Foreigner Residence Permit 5. Notarial Translation of the Marriage Certificate (if married in China), or certified copy of the Marriage Certificate (if married in the U.S.), or authenticated copy of the Marriage Certificate (if married in other country/area). If Marriage Certificate issued in other country/area is in foreign language, an official English translation must be attached. 6. Proof of legal termination of all previous marriages (i.e. divorce decree and/or death certificate), if applicable. The document(s) should be a). notarial translation (if issued in China); or . certified copy (if issued in the U.S.); or c). authenticated copy with official English translation (if issued in other country/area and in foreign language) 7. Form G-325A for both the petitioner and the beneficiary (4 copies for each, must be completed and signed) About the item “Applicants employment last five years. (If none, so state) list present employment first”: • Employment also includes studies. If the applicant (either the petitioner or the beneficiary) is/was a student during a certain period in the last five years, please list the name and address of the school, and specify the occupation as “student”. • If the applicant is/was during a certain period in the last five years staying at home as a housekeeper, please list it and specify the occupation as “housekeeper”. • The time frame for each entry on the G-325A form should be continuous. 8. Personal photo for the petitioner and the beneficiary (1 for each, US passport photo). 9. Original and copy of the beneficiary’s valid passport (the biographic page).[/size]