mchina34

That's outstanding!!! My wife said if they accept the application, then it will be processed normally, which you already know. I wonder if the provinces deal with the process differently? Because in Zhejiang the 3.5 months+2weeks is the case, and according to the other forum member it' the same in Hubei province. That same member said he only waited 2 weeks when he applied in Beijing though. Both Beijing and Shanghai are municipalities. I wonder if that makes the difference? I'll see if my wife can find this out, because that would be good to know. Congrats again!!! --------------------------- Do the e-mails go to Guz staff, or to the mostly mis/uninformed outsourcing agency?

I almost fell out of my chair when I read this! That there is proof you've been to china!!!

That 'person' had to go directly to Beijing to apply. Locally (her local city) they tried and were also told 3.5 months for ad, and 2 weeks for new passport. And as I said, the agency told my wife that all filings go straight to Beijing for approval, so taking that into consideration and what the forum member did(go to Beijing directly), I guess it's possible to do this. I suggested this to xiaoheather, but I really doubt they do this for everyone, but it is worth a shot. I guess the passport offices are closed on Saturday, so they will have to wait 'till Monday to get a definitive answer.

Well she isn't going to pretend I'm there or anything like that. I thought people said it was a good idea so as to not prove fraud, since no fraud guy would give up his passport. I made copies of it too, so I'll have to rethink about sending it I guess. Thanks!

Wonderful! See you in GUZ! I wish I could, but it's not going to be possible. I just went for 23 days last month, thinking it would be a while before her interview and we hadn't seen each other since January. But I'll be sure to mail off my passport soon. Hope we both walk out with PINK.

After waiting 27 minutes on hold for DOS, I finally got in and they said our date is July 5 at 7.15am! Wow...I really mean wow! That was so much quicker than I anticipated. I thought early august at the earliest and late August for sure, but I'm not complaining. Good luck to everyone else waiting....

Thanks for getting back to me on this. I'm checking out WangJianShuo's blog - it's always so helpful (used to work with him at Microsoft!) ... seems that he experienced this in 2003. Hope the regulations have changed since then! My husband, Tyler, is Shanghainese - lived there his whole life (still strange that I don't live there!). He went to the police station today and filed a report. Tomorrow he'll head to the newspaper. He said the police didn't tell him how long the ad would have to run. Apparently he had called the passport office, and they didn't indicate that he could only apply after it had run for 3 months. Seems a bit obsessive. I'm praying that everything has changed. It's TOO long apart. We've never been apart for that long before. Anyway, I'm rambling. Will fill you in on the details as everything progresses. Heather I know it's very excessive. Ridiculous in fact. I hope you don't have to wait that long, but that is what the the agency told my wife, so I'm only relaying information, not interpreting it or anything like that. You'll find out tomorrow for sure. The fact that Shanghai is a municipality might make things happen differently, but that's just speculation on my part. That's so unreal you know that guy in the blog...especially from MS. Must be a Washington girl (that's where I am)?

Hi there, Can you tell me where you found this information? That's interesting, because my husband researched it, and said he read that once the ad has run for just 1 day, he can bring the newspaper and police report to apply for a new passport. 3.5 months sure doesn't sound good. I can't believe this is happening. I can't handle being apart for that long, but I need American health insurance, and can't find it in China. That's why I am here. Cry! I'll let you know what happens. I'm off to try to go back to sleep. Passport issuing department in China. Another member of this forum it happened to as well, and a google search shows another incident all stating the mandatory 3.5 month wait. Of course it will be difficult to google since Chinese people will of course post things in Chinese not English. Like I said, he may go to the local office and they might tell him something different, but that's the normal process I've found in Zhejiang province, and the other member of the forum did this in Wuhan city (Hubei province). My wife knows someone at the local passport issuing 'place' (for the lack of formal name), and this is what they told her. I hope that doesn't happen to you, but it seems to be the rule. He can get the police report and an ad in the paper for the next day normally, so you shouldn't have to wait long to find out for sure. Here's the only english link i found: http://home.wangjianshuo.com/archives/2003...f_p_r_china.htm Others my wife found are in chinese, so I don't even have the links. He should find out now for sure, while the office in China are still open, if he hasn't already. That's coming from in impatient person. What province is he in?

Hello xiaoheather. I'm sorry to inform you that the information I provided in a previous post is incorrect, in most situations. Passports are processed in Beijing. First they go through a local office (city), then a provincial one (capital of province). Shanghai is a municipality (not in a province) so it may be less time for there, but the law in China is that when a passport is lost the person has to get a police report (which from various readings it can be very difficult just to convince them), then you take this to a newspaper company that can run a 'national ad' stating that your passport is lost. This ad has to run for exactly 3.5 months before you can go to the local passport issuing department and file for a new passport. After that it will take the normal two weeks to process the passport request. That means you have to wait for 4 months before you get your passport. The mildly good news is that I've read stories where Guz gives a new sticker/visa, or at least can if they choose to do so. And, the original VISA is good for 6 months, so if the 4 months don't consume that whole period you might not have to reapply for K3 visa if you can get Guz to give a new sticker, otherwise I think you'll most likely have to reapply. One person I've read says that if you go straight to the Beijing office you can get it in the 2-3 week normal period, but I don't think that happens 100% of the time. I guess it's worth a shot if you have the resources. Of course you should contact the local passport issuing agency (or rather your husband should), to ascertain what I said. Guanxi will be the only other alternative. Good luck, and let us know if you find out different, or the same.

did you just send it back? Your timeline shows sent to you on 4/28 but returned maybe late May (received june 1)? Go from about 30+ days from the day you sent it back to GUZ.. then call... It's already been about 40 days since she returned it. She returned it on 04/28, but it was shown as "received" in the DOS computer on 06/01. They also told us that she was "eligible" for an inteview on 06/01, but none was scheduled yet. That is why I think a date will be scheduled any day now. See, mine is a little different situation. Ours got done in like 12 days I think from when we mailed it back 'till the name check was completed. I am sure I'll still have to wait at least another week or two or maybe more, but part of our waiting, i think, was negated with our quick name check turnaround. I think you will get yours soon though. Another 2 weeks or less and you'll have it. How far from that till the actual interview will be very interesting to know.

Who says I'm not already crazy from this process? Those are the only times I've ever called, so that's my excuse for future calls. I think I'll call Friday at the end of the week to see when the date is. And then the next Wednesday for the same information since Friday won't be revealing, yet I'm still going to call. I'm trying to get it down to once a week after this week.

How often do you contact DOS to see if a date has been set? I've called them 3 times since last Thursday, with the only news that the namecheck process has been completed.

I'm sure he's thought this through and has a valid reason. I can't imagine he simply feels bad for the rest of us so he moves his SO down a slot. That reason will be interesting to learn, if told.

I contacted Guz earlier today (when it was daytime in China still), and they said you will need to send a notarized letter in English and Chinese to the consulate mailing address asking it to be rescheduled and why. They said it should not be a problem. I also contacted the DOS and they said contact Guz, but they sai dit should be fine to reschedule and that you won't have your case thrown out or sent back to USCIS. Disclaimer: This is what I was told. But don't' hold me responsible for these words.

how do you contact your congress man/woman? are you trying to change your date? have you asked if this can be done? Try one of these links to find your congressperson http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=599 Changing an interview date can be done. I think there might be something about it in the GZ consulate's FAQ's. thanks!!

how do you contact your congress man/woman? are you trying to change your date? have you asked if this can be done?

Guess I didn't see this the first time. Do you know if her name check has been completed? That's different than if they've only received it. Go call and let us know. My life is depending on it.

Actually Osama's niece Wafah Dufour,who was born in America, is pretty hot. I really wonder what treatment she gets when trying to pass through airport security on her way to Cancun to work on her tan. In reality to the conversation, at this point you have reached another of those infamous sit and wait periods in the pursuit of your SO's visa. So just sit back, relax, and be happy your SO isn't Osama's niece. BTW: GUZ recieved my SO's packet3 May 18. We are still waiting for packet4 and the scheduling of her interview date. Indeed is she! She probably gets the new see-through-your-clothes scan.

Called United in the States, but it's 2 a.m. here. We'll try in the morning. Also, he may have had it when he changed money at the bank. We'll try that in the morning too. And the taxi company... I really don't know how this could have happened. :( You are in amazingly good spirits for something so awful to have happened. The Chinese passport he can get in a couple weeks. My wife has get a new one because the bloody IRS didn't return hers like they said they would. Dunno about getting a new sticker, but it will probably be pain, though I don't think you will need to start over.

First, congrats, as I know any little bit of news is very exciting! Once they get packet3 they run background checks on her, and maybe you too, but I don't know for sure on the latter. I think we are done at the NVC stage. Anyways, after they do that and she comes back as not being related to Osama, then they get a interview date and send packet4 when they have that. You should ask if the namechecks/background checks are complete, or if they've only received it. Most like they are done if they are telling you they have it, but of course the interview date won't be set and therefore p4 won't be sent until the background check is complete. My wife's were just done yesterday (about 10 days after I sent p3 back), so we're just waiting for the interview date to be chosen and p4 to be sent. Maybe in same boat as you now. Very exciting eh...

You should be able to get record of birth, at the local notary office, Yu was born in Beijing, but got birth record in Guilin, as for the military record, yes you can leave that unchecked, Yu was a Sargent in the army, we did note this on all forms that ask about military service, and were not required to provide the records. http://travel.state.gov/visa/reciprocity/C...der/C/China.htm Thanks Dan, We have the birth certificate duly notorized and all. I was just using the "unobtainable birth certificate" box as an example of one that didn't pertain to us. Sorry if I was unclear. I think you answered my question though. It seems you're saying it's ok to leave the ones that don't pertain to us blank. Yeah, we checked only the ones that pertained to us, eg passport photos, birth certificate, English translated documents, etc, and our name check was just completed so I assume p3 was filled out correctly.

toward the top right corner of the page there's 'My Controls'. Click that then Edit Signature on the left panel and you can add that to your signature so all future posts will have it then the world will keep going round.

The problem is that the documents might expire by the time she needs them, or even the OMB control numbers might be different. You can fill them out for a sample for her to use, but I personally wouldn't submit them instead of the ones they will mail her. In p3 the checksheet they send is in Chinese and English, so the language part shouldn't be a problem. However, my wife and I decided to fill out (check the boxes essentially) both english/chinese portions. I think the DS230 I is only in English.

Holy sweet Jesus!!! I just called DOS (just called last Thursday too ;-), and they told me twice 'the name checks are complete", but that an interview date has not been made. So that's for sure done right? I mean, they have accurate info right? I guess that $100 bill I put in the envelope helped! Anyways, hopefully we all get our P4 around the same time!!!

I think 5-8 weeks is the norm. You'll probably get p4 soon. You wouldn't happen to know exactly how many weeks it took for the background check to be done would you? Or did it just finish (6 weeks)?