wolf

I can't help but to think that the warmer weather in the south of China, including Hong Kong could help slow the sars sickness and since Beijein is colder and more crowded that it is strongest there at present time. It also took the Chinese a long time to get reports from all their hospitals as to the number of sars patients. Maybe that is also why Taiwian's figures are climbing so fast now. Whatever the real count is, I hope they can come up with a answer soon. We all have loved ones and firends that are effected by this and the poor news reporting isn't helping anyone.

You forgot the most feared one> WE have not record of your file. you most have hit the wrong numbers, please try again<

Sarah, Your letter was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes. This really is a bad time for everyone, but your letter give some light to a empty, dark tunnel. I wish you and Dave a quick togetherness and a long life in happiness. Wolf

Thanks Mick, If she will let me use her computer while I am there I will keep all informed about sars and also anything I can find out at GZ. I will try to visit the consulate and see what is new. Wolf

I heard from a friend yesterday that Hong Kong is also having trouble finding masks. My girl in ShenZhen says that most people are staying home, but all shops are open and she hasn't seen many people wearing masks. I will be going in a few weeks and will bring some masks and antibacterial wipes, for the bus and taxi. Just hope I don't get stuck in Hong Kong trying to cross the border to ShenZhen, once I get to ShenZhen I don't care if I am confined to the house, her house that is.

Two people that had their papers sent to NVC around 3/10/03 after p-2 approval and had their papers sent to GZ last week to start the p-3. I can't remember who they were, but their notice was here in one of the posts. Mine was sent 3/5/03 and still waiting, but what's new, I've been waiting since 1/9/02, when the contract people in Ca. INS. decided to shred 90,000 petitions because they had a back-log.

Each Airline has different rules about carry on. Check first. If you are bring things you don't need right away, the cheapest way would be to mail them by slow boat and it can take 2 to 4 months to arrive. Don't ship big boxes, if you don't have big items, better to ship many small boxes.

ChinaDave, From your letter it doesn't sound like GZ is taking this sars too serious. If their people have the chance to leave and don't, I think this is a good sign. But this 90 day business is pure BS. It seems to me that if GZ has to have this process done more than two times, that they should inquire about the holdup and notify the petitioner. I can only wish you good luck,

Rabbit, It's opened now, so this leaves little to do but check to make sure everything is in order. From what you say, it says( don't open it alone.) but it doesn't say to open it with anyone special. For your sake, just say you opened it with a friend and call GZ and let them know you received it and everything is right in it. This is just a guess, but as you say it was opened, so what else can you do. Good luck

Thank you for that info. I was afraid I would get stuck in another merry-go-round. That's all I need now.

Fact or Rumor Need to ask> I heard today that GZ doesn't except any name or security clearences if they are over 3 months, so if the security clearence goes longer than 3 months, DOS, in the States resibmits it again< Hope this is not true. Any experience from anyone about this?

It's all part of the process to contain this sars sickness. I read today that there are some 70% of major corporations in the US that have told there people not to visit certain countries with sars. Maybe these major corporations are the 10 top ones, the article didn't say. There was also another article in todays papers saying that the newspapers have blown this way out of fact. It wenton to say that the number that have died are killed on US highways every holiday weekend, which is true. Sars is a real problem, but with the population in China and the closeness of living there, I don't fear going there as I will go next month.

My Fiancee returned from GuangZhou two days ago and called me as soon as she was back in ShenZhen. She told me that she was feeling sick and had a fever. I told her to go right to the hospital for a check-up. She called a few hours later, it was nothing, just being overtired, but I told her not to take any chances. If she has a fever to go right to the hospital for a check-up. Better to be safe than sorry later. ShenZhen only has 33 cases now, so that is a good thing, but it is much cleaner than GuangZhou and other parts of China. I would suggest you all tell your wifes or Fiancee to go right to the hospital if they feel sick. I know most hate to go to the hospitals, but what else can we do?

I called the Chinese Consulate in L.A. today and they also said no more mail in visas. I asked for the name of anyone they can recoment and the girl, sweet vioce, told me that there is someone name Vincent in L.A. that will do this. I called him, he charges $ 20. dollars plus the new fee. His name is Vincent Zhao, phone>626-318-3055< and the company is Star Express.

This was a great article. I was happy that he gave mention to CFL also. That may help with more awareness of our plight. I also sent him a think you for printing it. I think it would be a good thought if we all didn't send him a thank you, so that maybe he would do a folow-up

I have read that SARS could slow down very much do to the summer coming. I also read were it may start up again in the fall. Hopefully by than they will have a cure.

In 3 months even if your interview was on, GZ could change the rules again and you may be in big trouble. My other half has been to GZ for 3 times this month and she said it isn't that bad there now. If you are healthy, even if you catch SARS your chance of death would be very slim. Don't take the chance, get the interview over with.

It seems that there is no set rule for anything. Some people go through a name check between their P-3 and P-4 and than get their interview. Some are getting their passport stamped that day or the next day and some go through another name check after the Consulate in GZ gives the visa the OK. Some of this second group have waited up to 6 months for their visa to be stamped. If the DOS and the Consulate would just follow one system it won't be so bad. I have tried to follow the months of each and it still doesn't make any sense. Maybe one of the older members could enlighten me about this process.

I've been at this 2 years, everything that can go wrong, has gone wrong. I am sure it is the governments job to keep delaying everyone that wants to marry a Chinese. When you think about it? If GZ processes 40 thousand petitions each year, than there are probably 100 thousand couples that start the process and give up because of the time and expense. I go to China every 4 months to be with my family there. Two years is a big expense. I am sure with all the internet dating services, tourrist travel, business travel, and meeting girls in these ways, that the government has planned to delay as many and as long as possible to make people back out. I have traveled to many countries and China has the most beautiful women of any culture I have ever seen. Given the fact that most women in China want to leave for a better life, the government will do anything to keep this from happening. If the government wanted all these petitions could be final and our brides here in 2 months tops. 9/11 gave them the excuss they needed to delay everything. They change the rules to fit the delays.

I got an e-mail from Maura Harty last week, saying that they had a new procedure in effect. From what she said, The Consulate at GZ who no longer ask for security checks. The DOS would get the security checks before any papers were sent to GZ. Now what that means for people that have their papers at GZ first, I don't know? I guess she was trying to tell me that now the DOS is backloged again.

We have stayed at the Victory Hotel a few times. The one a block an half from the US Consuate and it's fine and also away from the noise of the places down by the river, where all the outdoor cafe's are in the park. Now those cafe's are expensive.

The suit is a great idea, but after 9/11 we could never find a lawyer to take the case. Since 9/11 the government has had a green light to do what it wants in the name of > National Security < Bush when into Iraq when the world and UN were against him, and he came out smelling like a rose. Many of our constitutional rights have been pushed aside in the name of security. Our's is a small fight in the face of the economy, which is also hurting us, because so many citizens are out of work, so every foreign that enters this country posses a threat for jobs. The people that are working for the DOS and all the rest of the agencies know that they can keep a file on their desk for months and no one will question why. They only need say>Still checking it< and they keep their jobs. About 2 months ago in Washington State they had complaints that customs officers were refusing some visitors with legal visa into the country and sending them back to their home country. Many had been living in this country for years and had visas, but they didn't have any appeal at the airport so they were sent back and had to appeal from their countries. They were finally allowed back in, but nothing was done to the customs people, or to pay them for their expenses. I think we most just keep writting warm letters to everyone in government and hope the system will change before we die. It sucks but that's the government for you.

I wire money to the Bank of China all the time and the only thing I need is my Fiancee account number, the area in the town. Like>FuTian Area< and the bank of China. If I wire it before 10 am it's in her account the next day. And she can pick it up at any Bank of China branch. This is only good if she already has an account with Bank of China.

ShenZhen has many computer bars were she can go to copy off the internet. My Fiancee lives there and has a printer at home, but she will be in GuangZhou for ten days.

For the last two years, if I fly an American carrier, I just stop at a deli near the airport and get a few good choices and carry them with me. THe food the airlines gave was bad for 5 or more years now. JAL is the only airline that really offers good food and as much as you want for free.