YiandE

Unknown to anyone here, I am a lawyer who specializes in complex litigation on very significant matters in addition to a prior career as a CFO, who also retained an immigration lawyer for this process. Yi's papers were perfect, with duplicates of everything in her "kitchen sink" and CD-Rom copies of documents, emails, videos, etc. etc. for her interview. The fact that government workers all over the world, even in this country, cannot process paper without incident should be of no surprise to anyone. How a file can be such a "yo yo" here and a "yo yo" there is beyond belief, but should be anticipated given the large volume of paper that goes through GUZ every day. Once a "bump in the road" is encountered, you never know where it will end. My time working in the judicial system was nothing like this and these errors reflect poorly on the US and its people. If the government spends so much time on a paper chase like this, how can real visa fraud be uncovered? My only suggestion here is to be patient with our workers in the consulate and only believe they will give the proper attention to your file as if it was their own family member at issue. From my experience, the government workers at GUZ did exactly that, even with our limited issues from lost, incorrect, and misplaced papers in the visa process through no fault of Yi or myself. If we all try to make their job easier, everyone will benefit in the long run. Good luck and best regards to everyone in this visa process. Yi and E

After submitting another single paper on Monday and having to repay the interview fee on Tuesday (the original receipt was given at interview, later misplaced and we could got give the other duplicate receipt because it is with me in the US), Yi finally received pink --- again. Passport with visa picked up on Friday without any issues. I think I am finally off the merrygoround! Eric

My earlier post explained how this situation arose, which is that the government worker who prepared all of the white books for Yi failed make sure that she signed all three of the single certificate books. Unforntuately for her, that unsigned one was given at the interview first and then later, after realizing she had two, she then gave a fully executed single certificate book, resulting in the pink being issued. Well after the visa was issued, someone determined it would be best to cancel her visa and have her bring in a new fully executed single certificate book. The inference is that she never had a proper single certificate and simply signed the second one at the interview, which would be impossible as her thumb print was also on the second, properly executed single paper. This is a K-1 visa. She was divorced years ago and has a son who lives with her father, who is not going to the US. She also submitted divorce white books, so being married at this time is NOT an issue. This seems to be more of a paper chase than anything else. Regarding the Call-In Letter, it is Form GUZ-LF1 with the box under "Your immigrant (or K) visa application will be approved once you submit the following ... need new unmarried certificate." This will be another trip to GUZ, wait for approval, go back to pay EMS fee, wait some more for visa to be placed in passport, etc. etc. I need to get off this merrygoround! Eric

The following is an update on my earlier post. After getting through the single paper issue at her interview (as previously reported), we received pink and I returned stateside. We got the call that the passport/papers were ready for pickup. Yi retrieves them and sees the visa in her passport with a stamp "Cancelled without Prejudice" and other ugly black markings on it (but you could see the visa was issued on 7-24-09, being the day after the interview). She also gets a "Walk In" Paper, requesting that she deliver on any Monday through Wedensday between noon and 2 p.m. The only thing requested is for her to bring in yet another (this will be her third single paper submitted in connection with the petition!) certified single paper and her passport, which she will do this coming Monday. It goes on to say that a decision on her visa will be ready in two business days. Anyone have any experience in dealing with these issues? It seems more like a late blue than anything else, which will be easily resolved. Eric

We stayed at Mr. Yangs for a week (one of his apartments near the consulate building) before our interview on July 23, 2009. He reported 23 pinks for the people staying with him the week before us, a perfect record. For anyone, I would highly recommend Mr. Yang's apartment for the interviews. He helped get us to GUZ (Yi from Chengdu and me from HK), his apartments were in or near the consulate building, he promptly provided service for problems (ever get locked out of an apartment with no cellphone in a strange city where you cannot speak a word of the native language and do not know where the landlord lives? It is amazing how many people in GUZ know Mr. Yang!), he personally resolved a medical issue and went with us 4 times to medical office until the issue was concluded days later, he provided assistance on interview questions, he allowed us to use his printer and copier, and he gave information on local places to make life easier here (supermarket, restuarants, travel options, etc.). Although his apartments are not five star, his service and knowledge of this whole visa process make him a resource of incredible measure. Frankly, if it had not been for his assistance and personal, immediate attention to a small issue we had, Yi would have been in blue slip hell for the next year. Now, thanks to him, we are able to move on with our lives as a family. And in the most honorable of ways, he did not ask for a single penny or favor for his trouble. Mr. Yang, and his family, are a rare find in this visa business, particularly when you see all those opportunist visa sharks in the consulate building looking to prey upon the emotions and finances of troubled loved ones. I will, and have already, recommend the Yangs to anyone for this final leg of the visa journey. Yi and Eric

Here is our story on Judgment Day: Yi was one of the last ones to line up outside, but one of the first called for processing once inside the consulate. After submitting her consulate forms and financial documents, they put a blue slip in her file because her single certificate paper (original) was not signed by her even though it was properly certified. An obvious error by that company making that document. While waiting for her actual interview, Yi and other interviewers looked through her folders in the "kitchen sink" and found another (original) copy, this one was signed and completed properly. I had asked her to bring two of every white book to the interview just in case. Now very excited, Yi went back to the person who had initially received her documents and showed her the second single paper book filled out correctly. After some discussion, Yi was told they would not accept it and was told to give it to the consulate officer who was conducting the interview. Minutes later she was called for her interview and Yi immediately gave the correct white book to the consulate officer (a man in his thirties with brown hair and very nice), which, after review, resulted in the blue getting thrown out. The consulate officer then commenced the interview which lasted about 5 minutes. The questions were as follows: Is your fiance here? May I see his passport? Why do you want to marry a western man? How many times has he been to China to visit you? Do you have any pictures? Are you worried about your son while you will be in the United States (as he was not traveling on this petition)? Okay, you passed. He then gave her pink and they said goodbye. The interview was over, with passport and visa to be picked up no earlier than Tuesday of next week. Note that I did not attend ACH (although I was in GUZ) and had notarized at ACS an updated Affidavit of Relationship on Tuesday, which was not asked for at the interview on Thursday. Note that it took 45 minutes to get the affidavit notarized, which I suspect was being copied and then placed into Yi's file for the interview. As previously reported here, there were many CFL member at the coffee shop, with each reporting pink. We stayed at Mr. Yangs for a week (one of his apartments near the consulate building) and he reported 23 pinks for the people staying with him, a perfect record. For anyone, I would highly recommend Mr. Yang's apartment for the interviews. He helped get us to GUZ (Yi from Chengdu and me from HK), his apartments were in or near the consulate building, he promptly provided service for problems (ever get locked out of an apartment with no cellphone in a strange city where you cannot speak a word of the native language and do not know where the landlord lives? It is amazing how many people in GUZ know Mr. Yang!), he personally resolved a medical issue and went with us 4 times to medical office until the issue was concluded days later, he provided assistance on interview questions, he allowed us to use his printer and copier, and he gave information on local places to make life easier here (supermarket, restuarants, travel options, etc.). Although his apartments are not five star, his service and knowledge of this whole visa process make him a resource of incredible measure. Frankly, if it had not been for his assistance and personal, immediate attention to a small issue we had, Yi would have been in blue slip hell for the next year. Now, thanks to him, we are able to move on with our lives as a family. And in the most honorable of ways, he did not ask for a single penny or favor for his trouble. Mr. Yang, and his family, are a rare find in this visa business, particularly when you see all those opportunist visa sharks in the consulate building looking to prey upon the emotions and finances of troubled loved ones. I will, and have already, recommend the Yangs to anyone for this final leg of the visa journey. Lastly, I offer what I personally observed and what Yi told me from her overhearing of other interviews (I asked her to sit in the front of the waiting area for this reason), which seemed to be a "loose" pattern from all the whites, blue and pink papers being passed out that day. If you do not have enough income or sponsor, you get a white paper. Elderly persons received the most white papers for this reason. Those people that did not have papers as requested received blue. You could immediately tell who they were as they brought nothing to the interview, which only slows the process for everyone else. All the CFL fiancees had papers in order and were processed first and quickly. I met one female doctor who hired a chinese visa consulate and even brought her to GUZ, but she was totally unprepared and got blue. Most of the fiances did not speak any english and it did not appear to have any impact on the results of the interview. Similary, age was not a factor either, as young women received pink as readily as others. Applicants with problem files are interviewed last, so that everyone else can get out of there. We were last in, and one of the first out. It would appear GUZ orders the interviews in this manner, but that is simply a guess. Best of luck to everyone on their visa journey, and thanks to everyone for all the help, information, and support CFL has provided to me along the way. Yi and Eric

For us, we are coming in separately but should be in GUZ by the 20th. We plan on staying at the Yangs given their location and help with medicals, review of forms, local knowledge, transporation, etc., to take the worries out of many things. That will leave time for ACH and other preinterview events. Not sure about all the "pink" though at interviews, since it might be viewed as a public demonstation/ intimidation as to the government workers, who are simply trying to do their jobs without incident. I have personally seen those types of activities backfire in many court proceedings. I believe us westerners will know who we are after the ACH and sitting in that coffee shop waiting for our results. I also think silent support is better, and we should just let our women show the confidence they have in their hearts that cannot be denied. However, one must do as they must and these are difficult times for SOs. I would not miss it for the world and pray for a joyous ending to this long, lonely journey for us all. Eric

Congrats. Yi (and I) also have an interview on the 23rd. We will see you there in the coffee shop. Not sure of travel plans, but ACH is in the plans for that Monday. We look forward to meeting others from VJ and CFL while in GUZ. Eric

Here is another problem that we discovered when sending in our P3 paperwork to GUZ. For some reason, the White Swan Hotel (located on the first floor in the consulate building) has an agreement to receive EMS deliveries for the consulate. That information is on the consulate's website. Unfortunately for us, our P3 papers sent EMS were received there and not the consulate. We checked the EMS website and confirmed receipt by the White Swan Hotel, called the hotel, and was told that the consulate would eventually pick up the deliveries at the hotel. Two weeks later our P3 package was received by the consulate, adding to the interminable delay. For those whose EMS deliveries may be lost, they could be at this hotel waiting transfer. Eric