TootTaLu

Thanks! 27 posts and 2 months later

Where are you applying for the Visa? In America of course. When your wife applies with a foreign consulate located in America,she will be treated differently than in China. Example: Chinese people applying for South Korea Visa withing China must make a $10,000+ deposit,refunded when they return to China. Chinese tourist visiting Thailand,wants to go to South Korea,MUST return to Beijing and apply at the South Korea Consulate there. Im not saying all countries will be friendly to the Chinese Green Card holder,but they will be treated better than if they were in China. Better contact each individual countrie's consulate well in advance of travel,and explain to them IN DETAIL if you are arriving/departing by ship/air/land etc. ALSO,some countries allow DIRECT round trip travel/transit visa free,but do not allow the Chinese person to stop in or continue on to a third country,without a visa. NEVER bet on any of these,MAKE SURE your wife has ALL the Visas before you begin travel,because its not worth it if you get jammed up in the middle of your trip because of some ignorant border offical,or new law or regulation begining to take effect.

Now hold on just a minute, Somebody's got to keep a thumb on them,(like I do my wife ).If you dont they will get out of control. You ever see them all going for the bus door at the same time? I dont think they really care what anybody says about them. They dont care at all. They just remind me of watching The 700 Club or Pat Robertson or some such other creepy TV preachers. I love it when they have the whole government on TV sitting there rowed up in tables,each one with exactly the same bottle of water to his left,but you never see anyone drinking from those bottles. They probably use the same bottles of water at next years meeting. Of course any leaders will issue a statment objecting to one thing or another,just to let their people know "we've got your back",but really do you think they care what anybody says about them? Obviously someone cares: Cafferty's comments may have been a lot of things, but racist ain't one of 'em. That kind of rhetoric only serves to detract from what may be legitimate complaints IMHO. Agreed. They showed lack of understanding and painted China as the pseudo-enemy the media seems dead set to portray them as, it implied all of China's exports to the USA were all "crap", and other unfair exaggerations... but there was NOTHING racist in his remarks. I swear people almost WANT to feel discriminated against. I've noticed people who now that they have Chinese wives and in-laws now have become super-sensitive to any implied discrimination, almost as if after decades of being "the man" they are tickeled pink to be a minority by proxy so they can start complaining about the man getting down on them. Branding his comments as racist, and reacting with irrational anger detract from the real issue, as Dave said. They also prevent any real understanding because both sides just get mad. The truth is, SOME of the stuff imported from China IS crap. QUITE A FEW of the leaders, police, and elites in China ARE goons and thugs. But that isn't the whole truth, nor does it look at the underlying reasons, and by making such a broad statement it does nothing but make people angry and polarized. China deserves more respect than a statement like that delivers. But I think we can all agree, unless we live in happy fantasy land with the gumdrop leprechauns, that China does have major issues that need to be adressed. Not so much in China's relationship with the US, but in how they treat their own people (and I'm NOT talking about Tibet). A statement like that just makes misunderstanding among Americans, and makes the Chinese angry so they are actually less likely to pay attention to their own issues because he has taken the role of a "foreign threat". It's like how you can say bad things about a family member, but if someone else does you want to kick their ass. Someone looking down on your family makes you angry at them, and think about how much you love your family and forget about the things about it that you yourself don't like, and rush to defend your family - even if there is some truth to what they said, even if you may have said it to yourself before. So yeah, that guy was being an idiot and was catering to anti-China sentiment and fear of China as a superpower. But he wasn't being a racist. And while we are puffing up with righteous anger at his statements... let's also not forget the nugget of truth that they contain in the process. In the relationship between China and the USA we BOTH need to develop a lot of MUTUAL understanding. Anything on TV is garbage. My wife had no idea what America was like until she got here (and she arrived in South Carolina during Bike Week!Yikes),so unless you see something for yourself you dont know. I look at it like this. If we "should" hate someone,we should hate them for the bad things they really do,not what the TV tells us. The truth may in fact be MORE HORRIBLE than what they are telling you on TV. Its all about TV. Now in my newspaper two or three times a week,there are full page stories about China and The People.There were NEVER stories like these just a couple of years ago. Then it was "Super Size Me",and bashing hamburgers was popular. A few years before that you could hardly leave your house without having the popularity of dinosaurs practically shoved down your neck. Now its China.China is popular. But maybe the American people ought not fixate so much on China right now. Of course,theres no escape for us,because we are all "half Chinese" now.

Now hold on just a minute, Somebody's got to keep a thumb on them,(like I do my wife ).If you dont they will get out of control. You ever see them all going for the bus door at the same time? I dont think they really care what anybody says about them. They dont care at all. They just remind me of watching The 700 Club or Pat Robertson or some such other creepy TV preachers. I love it when they have the whole government on TV sitting there rowed up in tables,each one with exactly the same bottle of water to his left,but you never see anyone drinking from those bottles. They probably use the same bottles of water at next years meeting. Of course any leaders will issue a statment objecting to one thing or another,just to let their people know "we've got your back",but really do you think they care what anybody says about them? Obviously someone cares: Forgive my spelling "cremudgeon"? Jack Cafferty is a kind of "cremudgeon" complainer,thats his style. He offends me even when I agree with him. I came home in October and naturally I watched loads of TV,because I was away in China. I turned OFF that TV about 2 months ago and I dont miss it one bit. I even quit watching C-SPAN Washington Journal. I confess now I listed to FM "morning drive" and AM radio,and its enough to hear ALL the B.S. thats going on. If I just went on living my natural unnatural life and never saw "Caferty" again as long as I lived,I cant say he would ever cross my mind one time. ABSOLUTE RUBBISH!!! EVERYTHING coming out of that TV! Can you imagine,getting 100,000 people SO PISSED OFF at you they signed a petition? We will never see "Caferty" again on TV? With him gone we can all get back on track again thank god. Some drugged out white guy snatched my 70 year old mother's purse from her,knocking her down,right in the middled of the day inside Publix (Publix-Florida Supermarket). They caught that guy outside and arrested him. Now this kind of thing plays it self out hundreds of times every day among us ordinary people,and that disturbs me.

Now hold on just a minute, Somebody's got to keep a thumb on them,(like I do my wife ).If you dont they will get out of control. You ever see them all going for the bus door at the same time? I dont think they really care what anybody says about them. They dont care at all. They just remind me of watching The 700 Club or Pat Robertson or some such other creepy TV preachers. I love it when they have the whole government on TV sitting there rowed up in tables,each one with exactly the same bottle of water to his left,but you never see anyone drinking from those bottles. They probably use the same bottles of water at next years meeting. Of course any leaders will issue a statment objecting to one thing or another,just to let their people know "we've got your back",but really do you think they care what anybody says about them?

She went in there herself and filled it out. For all I know she could have checked the "Natural Born Citizen" box! This one has a mind of her own.

You must be confused. If you read carefully, we are taling about visa extensions obtainable for spouses of Chinese nationals or PR while inside of China. The topic is not first time visa applicants. I mean, how can you be a first time visa applicant if you are already in China? In any event, for those who have some actual understanding of how things work, the actual regulations as implemented by the Ministry of Public Security & the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, do stipulate that tourists must show financial responsability before being able to extend their visa in-country as well as show round-trip air tickets for your initial visa obtainable from outside of China. These are the regulations. But we all know they are enforced on an ad hoc basis. Welcome to China. The past 2 years,I zig zagged all over China making "Visa Extensions" (L-Tourist),and the prices,processing time,and "Proof Of Financial Responsibility" were often different. It seems ANYBODY will accept $3,100 USD CASH (or RMB Yuan,definately not Korean WON or Thailand BHAT) In Foshan and ShenZhen and GuangZhou I found the most rigid enforcment about the money.Just showing a Credit Card was not good enough.They wanted a printed statment (impossible to get in China) from my bank showing my "available funds". My Foshan friend's mother's (both of them holding GuanXi Province ID Cards)co-worker showed up at the Foshan police station,and handed over her ID Card to somehow "sponsor" my 30 Day extension.I never met her before in my life,but there she was. (Those Chinese WILL COME THROUGH FOR YOU,no matter what Ive said about them in the past.Some of the nicest people you could meet anywhere on the planet) In Beijing they let you get ONE extension,no questions about financial responsibility,but after that you have to show something. I would say GuangDong was the most strict about following the letter of the law compared to the other places I went to across China. I think this attitude that...IN CHINA THERE'S ALWAYS A WAY...is why my wife is confident that even if we are both USC when we move to China there is always a way to allow us to stay... I think there is a thread here about some American caught overstaying his China Visa ove a year,so they sentenced him to three years teaching English for free.

Did they send it to you,or do you have to go there and pick it up in person?

The SS card NEVER expires. We advise ALL K-1's to get the SS card within 74 days of arrival. I've never seen a date on one. That card should be perfectly good. You are correct,it never expires,but this one is stamped in red ink "NOT FOR EMPLOYMENT" The reason she got the card was for employment purposes,because the Mexicans told her to. She did EXACTLY what we did when my wife arrived, got an SSN and State ID as do most of the K-1's on this site. Life is much easier with an SSN and yes there are those out there who will employ her with what she has. I think your wife is a bit unhappy with you for not knowing how the game is played in your own country and that is not the fault of the Mexicans. It's your country and she is expecting you to take the lead and help her out in these things. I think everything is going on time. We had only one "Overcome" appointment in GZ,to correct some documents,and I think that cost about 6 weeks. We arrived in America during the Thanksgiving/X-Mas/New Year holidays,so we wasted a couple of months before actually getting married. When I explain to her the game rules,she refuses to listen and presses forward on her own. (Trying to explain to her that she must get a drivers license BEFORE she can get a drivers license! You know,she has to take the test to get the "learner's permit",then she can go to driving school,then she can get the real driver's license ) She has not used the SS# for anything,but we do write it in on all of her applications.

If it really says "NOT FOR EMPLOYMENT", she should have had to document a need for the card - such as a government agency requirement. If she had taken her K-1 documentation, including the passport with I-94 within the 74 days, she should have been able get the "WITHOUT DHS AUTHORIZATION" notation, which IS good as an SS for work (but still requires separate authorization) 1) She did not "document a need" for the SS Card. 2)Yes to everything else,but she still cant get a "normal" job,so she's kickin it with the Mexicans,picking up the short change from the bus boys.

The SS card NEVER expires. We advise ALL K-1's to get the SS card within 74 days of arrival. I've never seen a date on one. That card should be perfectly good. You are correct,it never expires,but this one is stamped in red ink "NOT FOR EMPLOYMENT" The reason she got the card was for employment purposes,because the Mexicans told her to.

I have a computer with Windows XP. Now,I can read Chinese emails,and see Chinese websites,BUT,it is not possible to TYPE IN CHINESE. My wife needs to write Chinese on the computer,not only read it. What ever shall I do???? Can I get this software on the internet,or do I need to insert some kind of disk in my computer????

If she has an SS card, it is NOT temporary - it is good for life. It is used for income tax, including the tax rebate if you included her on your 2007 return, and any benefits you may be entitled to later in life. The SS card itself is NEVER good for employment, with or without the stamp on it. DHS Authorization in the form of the EAD or green cards is, as is an American passport or birth certificate. But without Employment Authorization, she shouldn't have been able to get the card. Edit: or if she was K-1 and applied within the 90 days Against my instruction,she complicated things. As soon as she got here and began taking advise from other "foreigners",she took her I94 ENTRY CARD/K1 Visa to the SS Office AND Florida Drivers License/ID Card office,to get a simple ID Card. She got: 1 Florida ID Card 1 Social Security Card BOTH of these cards EXPIRED soon after she received them (because the I94 Entry Card expired) and were worthless. Her intention to use them for employment,because the Mexicans at school told her to.

OH GOD I hope so!!! Im thinking anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months would be considered a normal waiting period. We did this fingerprinting in Tampa Florida. Same here, about 3 to 4 weeks. Im feeling better now. I see light at the end of the tunnel. Just the chance that she may remove her pint sized sawed off version of a jackboot from my throat ,in as little as a fortnight?I can do this!

After Finger printing it took about 3 weeks for my wife to get her EAD card in the mail. OH GOD I hope so!!! Im thinking anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months would be considered a normal waiting period. We did this fingerprinting in Tampa Florida.

{Edit, OK, I read some of your prior posts, I'm changing this reply to reflect the information you put there} You did regular AOS after K1 once you landed in USA, with additional EAD document, right ? IME, the EAD takes just as long to process, if not longer, as the AOS package - there's a d@mn good chance she'll receive her green card before she receives ANY EAD. Now, as to EAD - You REALIZE she NOT have to have EAD and SSN to OWN A BUSINESS AS A SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP, and OWNING a business is DEAD EASY !! can set up at the County Clerk's office with a /d/b/a, not need to incorporate, can then set up business to clean peoples' houses, hire the illegals you see on the street, SHE makes the big money. Or, she can set up some other business. Her ability to make money, as a business person, will solely depend on how well the two of you can market the services for that business. I thought AT LEAST my wife would be allowed to WORK (legally)when she arrived to America, - sorry, this is a fallacy - SHE has to WAIT to get some document, either EAD or Greencard, there is time gap between 'arrival' and 'legally clear to be a W-2 employee'. Setting up a small business as a /d/b/a, IME, bypasses the wait for SSN and EAD. Your County has a Small Business Center, perhaps the two of you should go out there and STUDY whats possible for a day, then file the /d/b/a paperwork, set up small business. Also Study the Schedule C instructions (soon) for IRS Form 1040, she'll have good idea of what constitutes a business expense. Please note that many educational expenses, if tied to a business, are 100 percent tax deductible with no cap limits each year. Also, she has 4 years in which to show a profit with her small business. What are your thoughts? Its hard to see these problems ahead of time. In one package,we sent all the EAD Application/Green Card Application/I-864,etc,etc,for the low low price of $1,010. Before she arrived in America,I was aware she would want to start working. Working is the best way for her to get out on her own,speak English,and introduce herself to the community. Sure,I guess it would be easy for her to make "walking around money" working part time in a restaurant. The reality is,as soon as she got here (we were living together in China for about 2 years prior to coming here)she was impatient,following the advise of any Mexican or Asian she meets in her English school about her visa green card process,ignoring me and going directly to the Social Security office to get a worthless TEMPORARY SSCard unusable for employment. EVERY move she makes "on her own" regarding this process,trying to push to the front of the line,has gained her nothing,and has even caused delays. Ok,I am responsible (with the help of CFL)for researching and making all the applications,and so far I think Ive done a very good job. I am trying to be patient with her and the process,and I understand why she feels frustrated about this,but she just doesn't get it. I get tired of her blaming me because she has no EAD Card yet.

Ok,Fingerprinting was just done a few days ago,in Tampa Florida. Now when do we get the EAD Employment Card??? Do you know the TORTURE I am going through right now because she feels as if she is being deprived of money (THE MONEY!!!) every second she is without that EAD Card,and I refuse to allow her to go clean houses with a bunch of illegal Mexicans she has been hanging around with at the local ESL School. Sure,its possible to pick up some money doing casual waitressing,and speaking Thai/Chinese/English is helpful,but EVERY TIME the LaoBan (restuarant manager) takes advantage,skimms off the tips,or only calls her in during the bussiest hours,then the next thing you know some young Mexican or Chinese girl shows up and does the same work for less money. What a crap deal! I thought AT LEAST my wife would be allowed to WORK (legally)when she arrived to America,and honored her agreement to marry me,and is SPONSORED,I-134 & I-864+I-864A. I mean REALLY,its not so much the money (it IS the money) but the fact that WORKING is what normal people do. How do they expect her to participate in American society in a healthy manner,when from the start she cant be sure if its "ok" to wait a few tables part time,and she is set up from day one to be ripped off by TYPICAL restaurant manager. No "EAD Card"=NO DIGNITY!

You must be confused. If you read carefully, we are taling about visa extensions obtainable for spouses of Chinese nationals or PR while inside of China. The topic is not first time visa applicants. I mean, how can you be a first time visa applicant if you are already in China? In any event, for those who have some actual understanding of how things work, the actual regulations as implemented by the Ministry of Public Security & the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, do stipulate that tourists must show financial responsability before being able to extend their visa in-country as well as show round-trip air tickets for your initial visa obtainable from outside of China. These are the regulations. But we all know they are enforced on an ad hoc basis. Welcome to China. The past 2 years,I zig zagged all over China making "Visa Extensions" (L-Tourist),and the prices,processing time,and "Proof Of Financial Responsibility" were often different. It seems ANYBODY will accept $3,100 USD CASH (or RMB Yuan,definately not Korean WON or Thailand BHAT) In Foshan and ShenZhen and GuangZhou I found the most rigid enforcment about the money.Just showing a Credit Card was not good enough.They wanted a printed statment (impossible to get in China) from my bank showing my "available funds". My Foshan friend's mother's (both of them holding GuanXi Province ID Cards)co-worker showed up at the Foshan police station,and handed over her ID Card to somehow "sponsor" my 30 Day extension.I never met her before in my life,but there she was. (Those Chinese WILL COME THROUGH FOR YOU,no matter what Ive said about them in the past.Some of the nicest people you could meet anywhere on the planet) In Beijing they let you get ONE extension,no questions about financial responsibility,but after that you have to show something. I would say GuangDong was the most strict about following the letter of the law compared to the other places I went to across China.

When I sent the "I-864,etc.package" to the Lock Box,I had made a small mistake,so I received a letter instructing me to send the corrected document "within 87" or some odd days. I just got that corrected document out in the mail a few days ago About the same time we received the Finger Prints appointment letter.

While I was in China waiting for my fiance's K1 Visa,my parent supplied the NOTARIZED I-134 (and supporting tax documents),and my fiance's K1 Visa has my parent's name printed on it as "Petitioner". (Also my family has owned the home for 70 years,showing a "stable" address probably helped her get the K1 Visa). Now in America and married: I submitted I-864 in my name (not notarized) My parent has submitted I-864A,and we BOTH signed it (not notarized),because we are both combining our income (because MY income is not much). So: I-134 is used for obtaining the K1 Fiance Visa (and can be submitted by a third party), and the I-864 is for obtaining the Green Card after arriving in America and getting married. Regardless of how poor you are,the American "Husband" must submit the I-864,and if he needs help, then another person (household member only?)can fill out the I-864A to offer their income.

Very soon we will go to Tampa to get her Finger Prints done. Is it possible she may recieve her Green Card then,or shortly after?

Hmmm,the more I hear it the less I like it.

English: "Toot-Ta-Loo" Chinese "Tu-Ta-Lu". What would be some apropriate Chinese caricters to make this a name?

DOH!!!

I hate to bother,but I just cant seem to fine the link to "001 Chinese Language Forum". Cant even find it on google. (Dave must have hid it again)