rchilde

My wife constantly needs to communicate with her folks, family, and business entities in China - so we use Tel 3. They have good rates WW, local US (and even other country access #), and it is nice to be able to manage everything online (complete call history, billing, texting). The phone quality is second to none - sound like they are next door and it even recognizes her cell so she don't need to always enter in the passcode/account (even though she can if she need to use a different phone). If you're interested, CLICK HERE. We tried phone cards before and other VOIp concerns before she immigrated to US but have been completely satisfied with Tel 3 after I found out about it years ago. I almost forgot to mention, there's no mainenance fee/deductions. I just add money to the account when necessary (and they always have promotions/discounts) and the account is there to use. its a piece of cake.

I renewed in June and it was seamless. I also got a Q2 China Family Visa allowing 180 day stay for 10 years. Highly encourage others with travels to China for family visits.

regard I can only answer using BoA card in China; there were no fees and the currency was converted using BOA's rate for the day (which I believe is a running lowest exchange rate for the week or some period of time). It was seamless, easy, and I let my wife take my BoA card to CCB where she used it at the ATM. I can't speak to using CCB Card at Bank of America (in the US) but I'd imagine the process might be the same or easier and there shouldn't be any fees given the reciprocal relationship the banks have (along with Bank of Nova Scotia in Canada, and a few others. ...). In fact, this was the principle reason I even got a Bank of America account - the reciprocal relationships with foreign banks (ie, no fees).

Sorry for the delay. A few important points. 1) parents/family on B2 visa usually get 6-months I-90 stamp upon arrival 2) B2 can be used for re-entry into the US provided they travel outside of the US a) this includes Canada, provided they have a Canada tourist visa $150 3) they will get new I-90 stamp as long as the following are true a) they left the US AFTER expiry of the I-91 AND b) there's still time on B2 visa c) they not seeking any immigration to US no matter if flight, drive, train, bus, or walk; have those satisfied and entry and new stamp. No new I91 is given if it is current, so if you have multi entry visa to CA then you only get new I91 following step 3. Take this as you may, by the way my father-in-law is still here and has the above steps. Key points Don't go to Canada without a Canada visa Be sure to get a stamp when leaving Canada, otherwise you might be flagged with overstay in Canada Be honest if interviewed, Border Patrol is quite helpful If B2 visa expired, don't travel to CA even if you have still have valid I-90 time left and CA visa. You will be denied back to US without a valid US visa regardless. If you have Canada visa, you can travel to CA anytime, including if return to China provided it is multi entry and valid. You may have gotten the CA visa due to US connection, but you don't need to be in the US in order to travel to CA.

Gents, Thanks for the information. I will contact the LA Canada office to hopefully persuade them to expedite.

Hi all. I have an interesting problem and need your help. My wife's dad has a one year B-2 visa and has been here since May 24. His I94 expires Nov 23 but instead of extending we want to go to Vancouver for a visit with the thought that he'd receive a new I94 at the border upon re-entry. He'd need a Canada visitors visa making this route potentially cheaper than extending. So far so good, but here's the problem. I received notice early this month from Canada that he's approved and to send them his passport. I did this last week (along with prepaid return postage with tracking) and was hoping to receive it back this week but nothing has been mailed back from them yet. Now I'm worried that they may not return the passport in time for the departure by Nov 23. Anyone have a recommendation on what I should do? I don't want this to cause a black eye due to an overstay, but he couldn't leave the country now regardless without his passport and it appears the LA Canada Consulate General is not expedient in placing the visa sticker and mailing it as I had hoped. Much appreciate any help.

Thanks so much everyone!

I applied for 1-year B-2 visa for my wife's dad and he received it in May. Upon arrival to SEA, they gave him only 6-months; this despite my wife writing a letter explaining his visit would assist us with our newborn baby. Needless to say I am a bit disappointed with the I94, but is there a way I could extend it while he is already here? I really hate putting him on a plane in Nov only to turn back around. Also, we'd like a different family member to come next year so we have the help and her family can visit the baby and USA; 1-year durations work best. Any advice?

Thanks, we had AOS interview on Tuesday and passed; and got the I-551 stamp; so we're off to Vancouver Big City for the weekend! WooHoo!

Ah, thanks so much for the information about Canada. I had no idea they required a green card for entry and am certainly glad I read this before venturing up to the Big City that is Vancouver BC. So as I now understand, the Advance Parole is more useful for return trip(s) to China since she already has passport; all other countries (including those who typically allow 90-day visits for US citizens like me) my wife will need a visa to visit then use the Advanced Parole to return to the US. Please let me know if this is true, and thanks once again!

Hi All: My wife received her AP (I-512L, multi entry) today and we were curious about folks' experience using it. We're planning trips to Canada (Vancouver baby!!) and China mostly, and she may accompany me on business travel overseas. I appreciate any insights into what was your experience. --- Also, do I understand correctly that she will not require AP anymore to return to the USA, after she receives her 2-year Green Card? regards,

we sent certified, but I am quite thorough

thanks guys

Hi everyone: I appreciate your help. My wife completed her medical examination and all vaccinations in China (Guangdong Int'l Travel Healthcare Center) as part of her K-1 Visa. The hospital gave her a sealed envelope AND a bag full of other stuff; including Form DS3025 and a sealed CD which was separate from the sealed envelope. At the K-1 Document Intake, she gave them all things but they only took the sealed envelope. The person told her 'america might want to see the DS3025 and CD' when she arrive to USA. However, at POE, SFO immigration did not ask to see any medical so we still haver this sealed CD and DS3025. (she was expedited through SFO immigration in less than 2 minutes by the way. ....) Now, we are looking to complete the AOS and I am so confused on what to do. I understand that since we completed the vaccinations in China that we dont need to do it again here, but do we still need to see a civil surgeon to certify the DS3025 (and sealed CD?) and complete the I-693 just for vaccinations? Or do we just give the DS3025 (and CD?) with the AOS package with no I-693? This is so confusing because the i-693 instructions say we dont need to see a civil surgeon but it doesn't say what K-1 needs to give to the AOS. Also, I perused the pinned thread and the info there wasnt wasn't clear to me on what someone with in our situation (unsealed DS3025/sealed CD£©should do. Please advise. Also, assuming we need to see a civil surgeon, would her primary care physician from my health insurance = a Civil Surgeon, or do we need to see somebody special?

Hi Everyone: It has been a little while since I've posted because things have changed rapidly for me; but I do want to let everyone know that we had our interview May 8 and received White Slip (pink is gone?) and my fiance arrived to the USA on May 24. We will be getting married July 2. We had delayed our interview for a few years actually because I was doing contract work in China then had to wait until this year for a permanent job. All of that took place, so here we are. Anyway, Im not sure if there is a sticky thread to post results (and if so, mods please move this to there) but I did want to share the good news.

Congrats Wil. .. We're in the same boat. Interview on May 8 and got white paper/congrats but nothing mailed yet. any advice?

Thanks Dan! Best wishes to you and Jia Wen as well!

ok, thanks All!!! I restarted and cleared cache and still can't. I'll try to connect from my office computer. If I can, then I know something's going on with my home machine. Im glad GUZ is online and nothing is wrong on their end. ... cheers

hm, ok. Thanks guys. Ill try restarting.

Thanks Randy, Are you in China? For some reason, I still can't access it and I am in Seattle, USA. I changed my IE security and still no go; it just time-out and then stops when I try to access. ...

Hi All: I have been trying for the past few days to access the guangzhou website with no luck. I have tried using IE and Firefox web browsers, again - no luck. Is it just me, did the website address change, or is it really down for some reason?

See Randy's response above: "The one report from her hukou covers "each locality of the country of the applicant’s nationality", so it applies to China as well." The police report should come from her hukou regardless of where she has or is living in China. thanks but I have a second question. the police report from her hukou was done in July 2009. We're at P3 and probably should expect an interview in May or June. is it ok to have a police report so old? or should we get a fresh one? I know the rules say 1 year validity, but is it better to have one more recent?

I understand that we need 1 police certificate, regardless of where she has lived in China. However, I have another question: Last year (July), she got a police certificate from her native hometown of Neijiang; but she has been living in Chengdu more or less since graduating high school. She has owned a condo in Chengdu for the last two years and has steady residence here since 2003. So my question is: do we need a "fresh" police certificate from Chengdu? or will the one from Neijiang work? - she had got the police cert from Neijiang last year because we had thought she needed one from every place she has lived (for 6 months) since 16. I appreciate any insight. ...

yes, thanks for this information. I too have been worried about this, what a relief that we only need ONE from Chengdu. Maybe this thread should be a sticky. .....

hi all, while I can't confirm this is policy for all K1 cases - it appears as if our K1 application was sent to GUZ electronically. We received NOA2 from VSC on March 16, 2010. We received P3 package on April 1, 2010 (NO JOKE). The weird thing is, I checked with the NVC to try to get her GUZ number and the automated message said they dont have my case. But low and behold - P3 showed up yesterday and only 2 weeks after NOA2. .... Postmark on the P3 package was March 25, 2010 (so GUZ had to have received it from VSC by Mar 24 or earlier). This is why I am assuming they might be doing "some" K1 cases electronically, and they must have done mine. I can say I was very careful in assembling the I-129F (really making everything easy for them using the suggestions from CFL and VJ), maybe this had something to do with it? Anyways, Im elated because hopefully she will get an interview whilst I am still here in China with her. ...