I love Sunshine

Welcome Clayton and Wen Li to the start of the rest of your lives! Congratulations!

This is excellent news! Congratulations!

We are here at command central, waiting for the successful launch of Clayton and Wen Li into the future! Wishing you the best as you head to PLANET PINK!

After experiencing a little pain, it makes the victory all the sweeter! Congratulations!

Welcome to CFL! Get ready for a long wait, and we have lots of good information for you to read here in the meantime!

Yes, welcome! There is a wealth of information here, contributed by many who have already gone down this path. This really is a situation where knowing what lies ahead will give you better odds come interview time and make you feel more comfortable with the process. Not knowing is worse than being well-prepared in this case ILS

You sound like you are planning things out well. I know this wasn't the question you asked, but let me give some additional advice about your planned trip: Just be up front with your boss, tell him the reason why early and she/he will most likely work with you regarding this. If she/he is reasonable, and your work can withstand your absence, you will have her/him on your side. Hitting her/him up last minute for a 2-week absence will not make her/him understand your perspective. Additionally, you can buy your tickets earlier and with more confidence, once you get her/his agreement.

It really depends upon how much you want to pay. I think Ilovesunshine stayed at a place across the street from Yang's hotel. He like it. You can find his post and his experience there. There are many right in that area. I think the westin is right there also, but much more. We just stayed at Yang's and it was fine, typical chinese style. Western toliet, with shower head in bathroom (no seperate shower stall). Hard beds. This is the same in most chinese style hotels. We stayed at the Grand Palace hotel, which is on Lin He Zhong Road, the first side street past the consulate (if you are walking away from the CITIC tower/Westin hotel area). Mr. Yang was charging 350 for his "shared rooms" during the lull between the Canton Fair in October, whereas we got the 4-star Grand Palace for 480 RMB. For an extra 130 RMB over Mr. Yang's place, we got a very nice buffet breakfast, a comfortable room, internet access, and a shower with a tub. It may be difficult for your SO to sleep the night before the interview but if you are like me, you want her as comfortable as possible. I have stayed in many hotels in China, having had a business there, and the Grand Palace hotel was a good experience compared with most Chinese hotels. The beds were softer, but still not like a western bed. I think it would compare to a 3-star Marriott or Howard Johnson's here in the US. My birthday happened to be the night before Sunshine's interview. I didn't tell management, and when we got to the room that night, a cake, some juice, and some snacks were in our room with a birthday card from the GM. Sunshine swears she didn't tell him, so he could only get this information by being attentive to us at check-in. I appreciated this thoughtful touch. On 001, there was some discussion that Mr. Yang's place is shared accommodations, much like renting a house with others. If there are small children running about in such an environment (many people bring their children to the interview, since it is often required), this might keep you from getting a good night's sleep. Of course, I didn't visit Mr. Yang's place, so cannot speak much about this, only mention the comments others gave to Sunshine when we were looking for a place. Of course, if you want others to talk with, or to have someone look over your paperwork or give advice to you or help run your SO to a medical appointment, maybe Mr. Yang's place will be very useful. Here is a link to the hotel, from sinohotel.com (you can book with sinhotel and not have to pay until you show up, unlike some other hotel booking services): http://www.sinohotel.com/hotel/hotel.html?hid=841 Hope it helps, ILS

David, If I understand your words above, you normally don't advise attending ACH. Why do you believe that ACH is normally not a good idea? I ask this because it helped me out immensely, and maybe there is something I am missing about ACH. ILS

Clayton, put some Aerosmith on your MP3 player, listen to "Pink", and bring back your lady! We will be here at command central for you, buddy! ILS

Actually, Michael, your approach is very good. You are helping your teammate by allowing her to have her information handy and stay organized. What I disagreed with was presenting a list to the VO at the beginning of the interview, almost to suggest that he can choose from that list of documents only. On 001, some people suggest this approach. I am not sure if any CFLers have tried this in the past.

Congratulations on the PINK, Spacebar! Time to go celebrate with your lady!

Congratulations! It will be a welcome escape from Detroit in December! Wishing you the best in your quest for PINK!

When Sunshine went for her interview back on October 24, she suggested we prepare a cover letter to include all the items we have in our arsenal, and provide this to the VO. She mentioned many people advised to do this on 001. I was against this idea. Why? Because it is almost like telling the VO: "Here is what I have brought today. You can choose one of the documents I brought with me, but only from this list." This changes the control dynamic from the VO to the interviewee. Furthermore, it gives the VO the chance to ask for something that you don't have. I can see the other side of the coin too: It lets the VO know the documents you brought with you, so if he needs one for further proof, he can know you have it ready. But it seems a bit contrived. I think the interview setting is a bit like a trial. Perry Mason wouldn't do this, nor would any lawyer worth his salt if he/she didn't have to. Any thoughts from others? ILS

For those K-1s that have had their fiancee come over to the US, and went to a SSA office to get a card, did you receive your number at the time you applied, or only when the card came in the mail? The reason I ask is because the marriage license application in some states requests this number. This will affect when (and possibly where) we get married. Thanks, ILS

Hi Clayton, I asked this question as well. I finally decided not to bring it, since my luggage was pretty heavy as it was. During Sunshine's interview, it wasn't needed nor asked for. My post: http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=26779 ILS

Congratulations! It seems that the Portland office is pretty friendly compared with some others, according to what I have read on CFL. Once again, welcome to the rest of your life without worrying about all those documents to prepare and organize!

I think most FBI clearances are confidential or secret level clearances, not top secret. Getting a secret level clearance usually involves a criminal background check and disclosure of any financial or other complications. There is a lot of information about this available on the internet. It shouldn't be a hindrance to you getting married to a non-US citizen, as long as she doesn't have some sort of special background (such as a CCP member or a dad that is some big-wig official in the Chinese government). However, asking this question up front is probably a good idea.

Normally the following month slots are allocated early the month prior, so it's better than even odds that this week (first full week of November) you should see your December interview date come (that's where I would put my money if I was a gambling man, which of course I am!)

There were lots of pinks in October and I see no reason for the class of November to continue on this fine tradition! The rest of us will be back here at command central ready to give advice before your main audition on the big stage! And we will be here to welcome you after your success! ILS

I agree. Money seems to talk a bit louder in China than in the USA in such matters. I know of one other Chinese who had to "pay off" her husband to get this paper for his 9 year old daughter (and "pay off" the court officials to get the divorce quickly, but that is another story). I would talk with your SO and see what he is likely to do to get this document (since she knows him a bit better). If her ex needs money, then probably some negotiations around finances will be necessary. Because her ex wants the daughter to be raised right, it might give you the possibility of using logic rather than money to get this document. Many Chinese believe there are better opportunities in the USA for their kid to study, so you might use that line of argument with him. Hope it helps, ILS

I remember seeing a fairly recent interview where the American fiance brought his passport, his SO presented it to the VO, but the SO was still asked for a notarized copy. I think this was an oversight on the VO's part and not the norm. Having the passport there is better proof than any notarized copy! I went to be with my SO at the interview, gave her my passport to take inside, and gave her a notarized copy made of my passport as part of the kitchen sink. It was never asked for.

Clayton, I think you have your answer, but I will just reinforce what other sage CFLers have already said. My divorce decree had the embossed type of seal applied, since it was from a government office. However, my notarized I-134 had the old fashioned rubber stamp type. The consulate didn't make any issue of it, and my interview was very recent. Hope it helps! And come back with the PINK! ILS

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I agree with the others that you should try to keep your case in GUZ if you can keep it there. I'm wondering if nothing else comes to light -- it could be TPC (third party correspondence)? When this comes into the picture, your "right to due process" is put on hold. A qualified local lawyer may be able to help you in this situation. Which part of China is she from? This may also shed some light. Just coming up with the things I can think of based on the experience of others I have read about. ILS.

Don, I hope you don't go to the post office and get another fingerprint request. If so, you will feel like Jim Belushi in "Groundhog Day"! Sadly, GUZ is no comparison to charming Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania! This time it will be her passport in the envelope! ILS