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Hopefull, this simple map will be helpful. North is to the top of the map. The Tianhe area is east of the central area of GZ. See the map at http://www.gzglobal.net/pic/map.jpg Go to http://www.urbanrail.net/as/guan/guangzhou.htm to see a city map of the Guangzhou subway lines. The Red line is the one that goes to the East Station. The Blue line is under construction.

My Chinese source says there is no hotel in the new visa center building. Above the 5th floor there are high-rise apartment units so it could look like a hotel I guess.

The high priced hotels are within a block or so of the new visa center. The 2 lower priced hotels are several blocks away, but within walking distance. In my mind's eye, I would say the East Station ("dong zhan"), the last subway stop on the eastward train, is about 3 long blocks from the new visa center. Easy walk if you are not carrying the kitchen sink or it is not raining. The 3 better hotels are between the East Station and the new visa center. The whole district is called "Tian He." Lots of restaurants, lots of shopping, a computer city (the premium computer retail area in GZ) and the city'ws biggest sports complex with a stadium, a gym, tennis courts, workout place, bowling, football, basketball and a swimming pool; have I missed anything? The subway stop just before the East Station stop lets you off close to the spots complex and is not a really long walk to the visa center, maybe 10-15 minutes. Yes, I will be moving over with the company I work for, to the same building where the new visa center will be located. We will be located on the 1st and 4th floors called Global Consulting. You all are welcome to stop by to say hello. Just ask for the US lawyer. No sales pitches from me.

Recently I received the following info on hotels near the Consulate's new visa processing facility. They are also near the Guangzhou East (railroad)Station. There probably are other hotels fairly close. Note the price swing. The first three hotels are supposed to be 4 star hotels. The other two might be 3 stars but most likely no star. They are included to give an idea of prices. FOUR STAR BUNKS 1. Name: STAR HOTEL Address: 89 LinHe Xi Road, TianHe, GuangZhou, China Post Code: 510610 Tel: 8620-8755-2888 Fax: 8620-8755-3288 Email: startel@pub.guangzhou.gd.cn HONG KONG OFFICE Address: Unit 1001,10F., King’s Commercial Centre, 25 King’s Road, Hong Kong. Tel: 852-2521-1671 Fax: 852-2521-2580 TARIFF *Standard Room RMB 550 *Superior Business Room RMB 650 *IT Business Room RMB 720 Deluxe Room RMB 820 Standard Suite RMB 820 Deluxe Business Suite RMB 1050 Extra Bed RMB 105 â–³ The room type with “*â€, the garden view room rate will be raised to 5%. â–³ Check-out time is 12:00 noon. â–³ Rates quoted are subject to change without prior notice. â–³ All reservations will be held until 6:00 pm local time unless prior arrangements are made. â–³ Rates unless prior arrangements are made. â–³ Rates quoted is not suitable for the Trade Fair Period. 2. Name: TianLun International Hotel Address: 172 LinHe Road Central, Guangzhou, China Zip Code: 510610 Tel: 8620-8393-6388 Fax: 8620-3882-4162 Email: sales@tianlun-hotel.com TARIFF Standard Room RMB 1,200 Superior Room RMB 1,350 Deluxe Room RMB 1,750 *Studio Suite RMB 2,100 *Executive Suite RMB 3,500 up *Chairman Suite RMB 9,800 All suites, rate inclusive of all executive floor privileges. Executive Room RMB 1,500 up All executive floor, rate inclusive of all executive floor privileges. Extra Bed RMB 220 *All rates are subject to 15% service charge. *Check–in/Check-our time is 12:00 noon. *Reservation only held until 6:00 pm,,unless guaranteed by advance deposit. *Children 12 or under can stay free of charge in same room with parents. *All rates are subject to change without prior notice. Apartment(with kitchenette) Monthly Rental Studio Apartment RMB 18,00up One Bedroom Apartment RMB 23,000up 3. Name: GRAND PALACE HOTEL Address: NO.148, Linhe Zhong Road, Tianhe Dist., GuangZhou, China Post Code: 510610 Tel: 8620-3884-0968 Fax: 8620-3884-0960 For reservations call: 8620-3884-0438 TARIFF Standard Room RMB 550 Superior Room RMB 580 Deluxe Room RMB 800 Premium Room RMB 640 Standard Suite RMB 880 Superior Suite RMB 1080 Deluxe Suite RMB 1120 Executive Floor Executive Superior RMB 640 Executive Premium RMB 700 Executive Deluxe RMB 880 Executive Standard Suite RMB 980 Executive Deluxe Suite RMB 1250 *All rate are subject to 18% service charge. *EXTRA BED in room at RMB 240. *No charge for children under 12 years old sharing Parent’s room. *No charge for baby crib. *Check out time at 12:00 noon. *All major credit cards accepted. *Group rates available on request. *All rate are subject to change without notice. ABOVE RATES ARE NOT APPLICABLE DURING GUANGDONG TRADE FAIR. ------------------------------------- OTHER BUNKS (NO REPRESENTATIONS ON CLEANLINESS OR SUITABILITY) 4. Name: GUANGZHOU EASTERN STATION HOTEL Tel: 61346100 61343827 61345419 61343859 61343637 Address: NO.1, Eastern Station Road, TianHe, Guangzhou, China. (7/F of the Eastern Station) Deluxe Room: RMB 228 Standard Room: RMB 140 Cheaper Room: RMB 80 One living room and one bedroom: RMB: 400-RMB: 600 One living room and two bedroom: RMB 600-RMB: 900 One living room and three bedroom: RMB 800-RMB 1100 THE FINAL PRICE WILL BE DETERMIND ON THE DAY YOU ORDER 5. Name: JIAN LI BUILDING (hotel) Address: NO.40, Yu Dong West Road, Shahe, GuangZhou, China Post Code: 510500 Tel: 87021149-1100-1200 For reservations call: 87021276 Fax: 87020303 Single Room: RMB 180 Two people’s room RMB 210 Three people’s room RMB 230

The hotels near the present Consulate/visa unit are a long way from the new visa facility. By taxi I would guess about 40-50RMB. There is the subway at probably 8 or so RMB with walks of several blocks on both ends. There are hotels very close to the new visa facility. If I get a chance to get some names I will post them here.

Trigg You might want to correct your 01:14pm post. The reference to 2 and 10 year VISAS should be IMO to 2 and 10 year GREEN CARDS.

Real experience with a client spouse in China whose husband died. It worked for her to self petition as all the statutory conditions were met. The "law" apparently means what it says.

Gene Would you please post the name and tele# of that travel agent in Seattle you used? My daughter and her SO are coming over to China from Seattle and I am trying to find sources of cheap tickets.

I think you will have to go through the PRC Embassy or Consulate in Australia as the US Consulate relies on the authentication of the PRC Em/Cons to verify the notary cetificate is legit. It may require you to get the documents translated and notarized, then the notary's signature verified by the OZ government department that issued the notary license and then send/take all ot that to the PRC Em/Cons for authentication.

If the beneficiary resides outside of Guangdong Province the visa package will NOT, repeat, NOT be mailed to the beneficiary. I would suggest if your SO does live outside of Guangdong, he ask if he can give a Guangdong address for mailing purposes only to the VO at his interview. I am not sure that that will work. If he lives in Guangdong he can have the visa package mailed or picked up, by himself or another. To use another person he will need have some authorization paperwork for the pickup. This is the current situation.

My previous reply was for a K1 visa. An immigrant visa looks much the same. Beside what MSMcKee states it has the words IMMIGRANT VISA in the upper right corner and under that the GUZ number and some other miscellaneous info including marital status. Near the bottom just above the machine readable stuff is the statement: "Upon endorsement serves as temporary I-551 evidencing permanent residence for 1 year."

The visa is pasted on to the passport page. It is more colorful than the Chinese visa and has a picture of the holder. It should have the holder's Chinese passport number on it. It should have her/his birth date. It should have the issuance and expiration dates of the visa. It should have a U.S. control number. It should have the petitioner's name, issuing post and a few more items.

BIG CORRECTION. As mentioned on another thread, if the visa applicant lives OUTSIDE Guangdong province they must come to Guangzhou to pick up the visa package at the designated post office. Only applicants who live in Guangdong have the option of picking up the visa in person or having it mailed.

I haven't heard anything about that, unless you are refering to anti-Japanese protests. One weekend there was a protest about a kilometer anyway at the big sports complex.

The new slip color is more purple, not pink.

This has been my experience over the last few days on the postal deal. Two days ago at 2:00pm I obtained a visa approval for a client (no snickers allowed because of what some of you might think of lawyers ) with new type paper work. Took it to the designated post office that day to register it and pay the in-person pickup fee, 20RMB. Yesterday I picked up the visa package. Yesterday, I obtained 3 visa approvals and proceeded to the post office to register them. Cannot pick up the visa packages today because the IV unit did not deliver them to the post office personnel. I think I can pick up the visas tomorrow, but at a different post office. You will get directions and it is not far away, but off island. Today the same routine. Visa overcome refusals remain the same, blue sheet plus whatever else the IV unit gives out. One or two hooks in this. After one visa approval from yesterday, today the IV unit wanted the case back to hold it up for fingerprints, but the approval was not withdraw. I cannot tell yet if the delay will be 3 days or less like the first visa I obtained.. I think it will depend on how the system works. I don't know how the mailing by EMS will work. It cost a bit more. I would worry about lost mail until EMS proves itself. Then if it is okay it might be that just going to your SO's home and waiting for the EMS package might be the best thing. Just a thought at this point.

Some people on one or two other threads have said the consulate is moving That is true as to the visa section, adoptions and,. I believe, the American Citizens' Service, not the Consulate proper. The target date is July 1, 2005. I am not sure they will make it by then, but they are trying. I have seen the interior, lots of space on one floor. They were working on the floors and room frame outs about 2 weeks ago. The new location is in the Tianhe District. It is near the GZ East Train Station with trains to and from HK. The new location is about 3 big GZ blocks from the train station which also has a subway stop in it. There are several hotels close by.

The current overcome procedure at GUZ is: 1. submit the overcome documents, photos, video tapes or whatever in the morning, Mon to Thur, 9-10 WITH the SOs passport and if children, their passports; they will give you a small white slip to tell you to come back the following day for the results; 2. the day following the submittal of the overcome evidence at 2:00 pm the overcome results are handed out; a. if you are refused, you will get a blue sheet and maybe other colored sheets and at least the passports back and maybe other stuff, b. if passed, you get another small white slip telling you to come pick up the visa the next day (the second day after you submitted the overcome evidence); 3. Generally there is no second interview. However, saying that, I had had several cases recently where the beneficiary was asked back for an interview. This is the general procedure, but things can happen that change that routine, such as a request for another interview or a request for more evidence even after your SO received the notice to pick up the visa.

Beachgirl. I am a practicing attorney, living in China and practicing immigration law.

Added note, if Lustig is contacted ask if he can find Jimei a job.

If the lady was married for at least two years she could self petition based on that marriage. Her situation may best be in the hands of an immigration lawyer, not some lawyer who doesn't practice it. Several years ago I met a lawyer from Chicago here in Guangzhou who was doing immigration law. He was married to a Chinese lady. He said he represented some Chinese restaurant owners in the area and was at the time looking for Chinese cooks. His name is Jonathan Lustig at 312-567-9198. If someone contacts him about the Jimei, say I referred her to him to help at a "low cost", if possible. Use my real name, if contact is made.

Law school is good for developing analytical abilities, usable in many endeavors beside practicing law and, of course, you will learn much about the how a legal system is the framework for much of a society's interactions. One counter thought to your interest in attending law school. Unless you will use the knowledge to some purpose that enhances the development of the law or your own delevelopment if you are admitted into a desired law school, you would of necessity be taking the place of some other person who is most likely, passionately intent on going to law school and practicing law. Just a thought for you if your interest in law school is not too serious.

Children 14 and over have to have a security check. At this point it might be too late to get the child to the same interview time as your SO, but you could ask for them to be interviewed together if the child's security clearance does come through before 4/14 or you can ask to postpone your SO's interview and have both interviewed at the same time after the child's secuity clearance is finished.

Actually I have heard there is some type of pre-notice to GUZ from the States, but I have never had it confirmed. Makes sense as it would be the logical way to verify GUZ gets the physical files. If I had it that easy by just looking out the window, I would not get my daily walking exercise which I need for the "battle of the bulge."

This news is from Bill Martin straight to me. He said he is hoping to move to the new quarters by July 1st, but somethings have to be done first. Of course. Two months before the move the Visa section has to get approval from Wash. DC and the inspection team is due here in April. We will see. I'm not going to hold my breath.