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Mark and Patrick, At one time before 9/11 the government was saying that a k-1 was faster because a k-1 wasn't considered as a perment immigration. But now that has changed and both are considered prement immigrations. The time can be faster for one than another, but it would depend on the service center you go through and also the security check at NVC. It's the luck of the draw. Watch out for some of these agencies that offer help for a fee. Some are just crooks like the lawyer I hired. Donahso may know more about the k-1 or k-3, but I think I got it right?

tywy_99, I wrote the consulate on July 16 and got the first part but they said nothing about the delay. I wrote them again yesterday telling them that they got my shippment July 21 and asked it they had posted our petition in their system yet and when the P-3 would be sent, but no answer from them, maybe today.

Patrick, now you have to take in account that there have been a lot of clearance delays at GZ after NVC sends the approved paperwork. Mine was sent out June 12 and sat in GZ till July 21 before the consulate got the papers. Maybe 2 to 3 months at NVC than maybe a month wait till GZ consulate gets the papers, than the P-3 and P-4. This is without any holds along the way.

You two just be happy, don't let anyone take all this from you. You both deserve this after the long wait you have had. Go Forth and bare many babies. Well, maybe just one or two???

I checked the DHL # that was sent from NVC on June 12 and it was received by the consulate on July 21. If you papers were sent June 12 than they are at the consulate now. Check with tywy_99, she seems to have many of the DHL numbers of certain days.

Whether you are marring a girl from China or the US or anywhere in this world, you can get taken, but if you are so worried about this than you should stay by yourself and dig a hole. Ask yourself, would you rather have 3 years of happiness or a lifetime of sadness alone. If you love her and are good to her and she is a good person, than you will never get cheated. You met her and you know her, you can decide.

Dave, I went through this process in Dec. 2001 for my fiancee. We were denied the visitor visa. THe INS. (BCIS) told me that all you need is a letter of invite that is notorized. Not so? You need the I-134, affidavide of support, also and your mother-in- law, needs all sorts of proof that she will return to China. letters from an employer, letters from family members, show proof of property owned, family ties. If she wanted a visa for one month she may be able to go to a travel agent and apply for a tour, than leave the tour group, but that is illegal. Because her daughter is in the States if won't be easy. Check the affidavide of support questions. Good luck, If she wants to come in Dec. start now. Write the consulate first to see what they want to be sure and keep the answer to give to your mother-in-law when she goes.

I am not sure if I know what bilov is referring to, but I think what he means is the security check the consulate runs after they get the P-3 packet back. Now the NVC does all the security checks first before sending to GZ, than GZ send out the P-3 packet and does a check of their own. It could be based on what is in the OF-169 form, but I don't know what is in that form, maybe someone can tell me that has gotten the OF-169 form. GZ check doesn't take long from the time lines I see.

This is just a really bad time for this story to be in the Washington eyes. It is very true that there are many of these marriages arranged by fake money maker, but it hurts all of us that still have to deal with the interview part. Even when I was in China on my last visit to see my fiancee, I went out for a run one morning and some couple offered me $ 20,000 to marry their daughter. Somehow we have to get this image out of the public eye and the consulate eyes. You know this story will get to the consulate after the trial is over and than we all will have a harder time to prove a real relationship. All the photos we have don't help with this kind of story. Good luck to everyone now.

PJ, I go to ShenZhen from HongKong everytime I see my other half. Your Visa is only good for one entry of 30 days. You don't need a visa to enter HongKong, Like youmulide said you can get a 6 month visa for mainland China in HongKong at any ctc office which most HongKong hotels have. You may even get one at the airport hotel, but you have to figure you will have to wait about 2 days for the visa and HongKong is expensive. If you want any information about ShenZhen, let me know, it is a great city. Once in China you can get a extended visa from any local police dept. for a fee.

PJ, Count me in, I don't know how much help I can be with Harty, because I have had some words with her, but I know what delay are,I lost 6 months when mine petition of 1/09/02 was shredded by Ca. service center. R2D2, I am a American Indian and believe me, we Indians feel more like illegal immigrates than you could ever imagine. Enough said!

tywy_99, This is really great news for anyone who is dealing with NVC. You most have some real charm on the phone to dig this out of NVC. I have called so many times, and I can only get the standard replies, but that's to you, I know my papers are not loss. That was my biggest fear. Thank you again for all this information, sorry you couldn't help Christy, she has really been waiting a long time and DOS has put her through the ringer. I hope next week will show a lot more P-3's going out.

PJ, I wish you the best while you are in China and I hope you can find this true love that you would like to find, but mainly try to enjoy yourself and look at each day as it come. You are in a new adventure and you should make the most of it. Remember you ticket can always be changed on the return for a small fee, so keep your options open. Please keep us informed as to how your trip is going. Maybe if you told the members what area you would be in next, some of us could help with connections for you. I would personally like to thank you for candles, if has been a valuable tool to help me and support me alone the way. A suggestion for donations, since many people come here for only a few posts, maybe after a certain amount of post candles could ask for a donation. I would be happy to offer one for all the help I have gotten. Maybe $ 10 to $ 25 each month from members could help candles keep going.

tywy_99 Thank you so much for this information. This is great news, because now we can judge better how long the papers take once they get to GZ till GZ sends out the P-3 and P-4 packets. Thank you again and a speedy visa for you and all.

tparrent, I have been writing the consulate over the past 2 months asking questions about their requirments. Just to get these things on paper, so they can't say we don't have correct paperwork. Like I wrote about the single person papers, and they wrote me back that they no longer require them. Ours are over a year old and if we don't need new ones, that saves time and money. Whether what they say is right or wrong, we have it from their e-mail, so I think they would have to go with the e-mail?

tywy, Mine papers were sent June 12. so it is a good chance that it is being held up also, because as of yesterday,GZ didn't have ant record of my file. this is like a month/half. I would rather have them at customs than lost. If you hear anything more about the June 12 shippment, please let me know. Maybe this is why MH hasn't answered my e-mails in three weeks.

My Fiancee couldn't go to HongKong even with her passport, she needed a permission slip from the local police in ShenZhen. But when you have a US visa than the passport and visa is all you need.

R2D2, Well put. Great letter.

Filatelist, The Consulate doesn't state if the 1040 has to be notorized, but some people that I know that when for the interview needed a notorized copy. To be a the safe side have it notorized. Any notory can do it, but most will only notify that they are the one that made the copy. This is what mind did. Bank and stock statements from an officer of the instute on letter head don't have to be notorized. The interviewer can ask for anything, they have too much lee way with the interviews. Nothing written in stone.

yanhua, you police certificate is good for one year after you receive it. I can't help with your medical papers.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why this thread was posted. Siince someone, I think it was tparrent, last week saying that he talked to Mr. X at the consulate and was informed that there are many fakers that mess up the system, there have been many negative post on candles. As for the math lesson. I have said it before. I think that there are maybe 50,000 couples that start a K process each year. With all the internet dating, mags, and business travels, Chinese that are here already, friends of friends. People meet and start a relationship. They may even apply for the start of a K visa, but the government makes everything so hard that I believe many quite before they ever reach the consulate. It is like this newbe that posted about getting the wrong papers. I can believe this very easy. Just like I know that over 90,000 petitions were shredded by the Ca. service center between Jan, 2002 and march 2002. I have the east coast paper to prove this, but when I told others about it, they said that was impossible. I came on this site for help and support with my K-1 petition, and have learned so many new things that have helped me along the way. I think most of the people here are truly trying to bring loved ones here, and like myself most of us are down in the dumps enough, without having someone post something that will drag us even farther down. I am here to help anyone I can with my limited knowledge and to learn from others who have gone before me. To read that the math doesn't add up to what the consulate is saying, is negative. I sent 2 days at the consulate in May 2002 and there were easly other 100 people just in the short time I sent each day inside. There are many K visas that never get approved and they are not on this stie, who wants to tell everyone that after a 2 year wait, they were turned down, because some AH didn't like their looks and denied the visa. This is terrible enough for all of us that have a loved one in China and want to be together. If you can't post something possitive, than don't post. We are all having enough trouble from our government, they don't need any help in making things more sad for us.

Wrong, the best thing China manfactures is their women, our wifes and Fiancee. If I can get mine over here, I don't care about the rest of what is made there.

I called GZ last night, never got through, but it's 1-2-3, 1 is English, 2 is information on interview, 3 is to speak to someone between 2 and 4 GZ time. Their massage said that for K-1 visa's it's 4 to 6 weeks for an interview after they get the OF- 169 and DS-230 back.

tparrent, I take the bus from HK to ShenZhen all the time and it goes on from ShenZhen to GZ. It's not a public bus, very confortable and air-conditioned. Your bags go in the hole so there are no crowds. The number is a HK number at the airport >852-9747-1202< >755-3751-805< this is the ShenZhen number. For China >011-86< I don't know HK. It is ten times better than the train and there are no stops, except the border crossing.

I did hear of a case about 8 months ago, where a girl was given the wrong package because she looked inside it. She returned it to the consulate and was given the right package. The consulate didn't seem to make any fuss about it even through she had opened it all the way. As for this new story, who know? Personally I can't understand why these packages are not checked in front of the person before they are sealed, just to make sure that the correct information is there. Why all the secrecy?