tywy_99

The USCIS has an option under 'case status online' where a 'customer' can create a 'portfolio' account by adding the case number and other information concerning the individual(s). In the portfolio is a field titled last updated.' When the date has changed or been updated to a new, moe recent date, this is termed as 'touched.' There's no getting in touch with the service centers except by mail. All you can do is call the 1-800 nohelp number. Sit back and relax. Time rolls on forever.

Let's be clear. Roger is NOT an attorney. He is simply a private person who is an entreprenuer. He saw a need, and fulfilled it. The need: virtually all the Chinese women haven't a clue how to fill out paperwork on their end. Not to mention, while the American citizen may better understand the process, there is a high liklihood that they do NOT understand the many facets of the process. Roger is NOT acting on their behalf, but simply assisting in the completion of paperwork. Makes sure all the i's are dotted and t's crossed. This service provides more peace of mind to the American than can be expressed here. A telephone call to Roger can in turn provide you a service of having him call your partner on the telephone to explain or embellish a topic, help complete a form, or otherwise. Again, he is NOT an attorney, simply a third party providing a service. While he assists with the forms, he is NOT acting on your behalf. For me, I wished I'd used this service as the large number of headaches and misunderstandings could have been prevented. Uh...pardon me but isn't that what our own CFL member, Eunice, (smilingasia), is skilled in? Did Eunice move back to China? Roger is right there in China, specifically Nanning. Because he is right there, he is able to quickly respond to needs. In the end, it's up to the individual. What's often forgotten here, are the challenges that one must undergo during the process. The challenges get most difficult after the paperwork gets to China, not so much before. Eunice, (smilingasia) never left China. She is in Guangzhou where she has helped many Chinese wanting to immigrate to the US with their paperwork. Ask her about it the next time you see her on board. She probably knows this Roger you speak of so diligently.

Thank you very much, tywy99. Very informative!!! I will definitely think twice before I make any decision. You're welcome, swallow88 If you want my advice, stick to the immigrant visa. The difference in time is not worth messing with the K3 these days. At one time, the K3 visa was faster, and was the popular choice but that is no longer the case. These days, the time is about the same, defeating the purpose of the K3 visa. With the immigrant visa, the applicant will have a green card upon entering into the United States. No waisting time and money on AOS when you go K3. -good luck

What they're looking for is evidence that you, the sponsor, is able to support the visa applicant and will not become a public charge. You can use form I-864P as guidence to determinre your ability to sponsor the visa applicant. Problems can arise if the consular officers consider that you are unable to meet the qualifications of the I-134. They do look at the I-134 considerably more than anything else at the visa interview. The second most looked at evidence is photos. -good luck

I think this is a super first post as a mod! The decision was a good one!! Great job Joanne! Darn it, missed the whole post sounded interesting. Guess i go to bed too early. The life of a young mushroom hey You didn't miss much. The whole thread got off to bad start and it just escalated from there. I've seen worse.

We were K3 and we didn't show any of that stuff; no phone records or bank accounts. We had no problem getting the visa. But that was before the I-130 changed. The form is more strict than it was before. Just gather what you have. Indeed, that's all you have, and let the consular officers decide. If you are indeed a true and honest couple, you shouldn't have any trouble at all. I don't always agree with their decisions but I feel they know how to spot fraud. That's what they're trained for. -good luck

James ... sorry if you find my post repetitive. Obviously I don't think we all know that Paget is very high priced or I wouldn't post the item above. The new people just get a recommendation from well meaning CFLrs, most (all?) of whom have not used Paget, to go to him and I feel it needs to be put into perspective. The feeling I got in discussing a matter in our case with Paget is that the company he works for feeds on the vulnerability of visa applicants who have just had an unfortunate turn in their case and uses that vulnerability to over charge. My feeling is based on my discussion with him and his Chinese colleagues. Others may have a different opinion. If I had another lawyer to recommend I would do so ... but I don't. In our case I simply asked a friend who lived in Guangzhou to do what needed to be done. Jim It appears your experience with Peter Paget was not a good one but there are others who counter your thoughts about him. I don't know him or have any experience retaining his services but I always heard good things about him. There is one CFL member who spoke well of him after hiring him for visa help. I'm sorry for your discouraging experience and I wished things had gone better between the two of you. Afterall, he is a CFL member.

Welcome to Candle, swallow88 The intent of the K3 visa, when it was created under the LIFE Act, was to bring families together sooner while enduring the intensly long wait for the immigrant visa (IV), IR or CR. This applied mainly to family members of lawful permanent residents, LPRs, who had to wait for a visa number to become available which could make the wait many years to come depending on the visa catagory the applicants fell under. Being as such, United States Citizens, USC's, could take advantage of this new K3 visa to bring their family members to the United States but unlike LPR's, USC visa applicants didn't have to wait for a visa number to become available therefore making it much quicker for them to come to the United States. There was a time, in GZ, that the K3 was the quicker way to go but in the past few years that has diminished. Currently, with the procedural changes at the USCIS and the new I-824, the K3 has lost alot of it's prestige and petitioning for the IV is just as quick as petitioning for the K3. That may change one day however, making the K3 a popular choice again but currently the IV visa seems the way to proceed. I hope this explains it to you a little. If I were currently petitioning for a visa, the IR1/CR1 would be the way I would proceed. The benefits are much better than the K3. The K3 only shortened the wait time but that doesn't apply lately in GZ. You may think otherwise but that's the way it is. -good luck

Peter Paget is good. He's pricey but he knows his job in and out. I never heard a bad remark about him. He is also a Candle member although he hasn't posted in a long time. His username is king -good luck

Let's be clear. Roger is NOT an attorney. He is simply a private person who is an entreprenuer. He saw a need, and fulfilled it. The need: virtually all the Chinese women haven't a clue how to fill out paperwork on their end. Not to mention, while the American citizen may better understand the process, there is a high liklihood that they do NOT understand the many facets of the process. Roger is NOT acting on their behalf, but simply assisting in the completion of paperwork. Makes sure all the i's are dotted and t's crossed. This service provides more peace of mind to the American than can be expressed here. A telephone call to Roger can in turn provide you a service of having him call your partner on the telephone to explain or embellish a topic, help complete a form, or otherwise. Again, he is NOT an attorney, simply a third party providing a service. While he assists with the forms, he is NOT acting on your behalf. For me, I wished I'd used this service as the large number of headaches and misunderstandings could have been prevented. Uh...pardon me but isn't that what our own CFL member, Eunice, (smilingasia), is skilled in?

Dennis, you share my emotional make-up, so I have always appreciated your thoughts and your posts. You have called me down when you believed that I was out of line. It hurts, but I appreciate it when you do. Sometimes I wonder why you are being hard on me, but later I recognize your intentions. We all can over-react about things. Frankly, the only posts I saw from you on this topic were restrained, IMHO. But perhaps there were posts that I missed. I have particularly appreciated the cool and calm way that David has counseled me at times, so I feel sure he was giving his best guidance. When I see something that I have strong feelings about, I usually don't post at all. That may be the way of a man with no courage to support his convictions. Perhaps. But it may also be the way of a man who recognizes the potential explosiveness of his opinions. Either way, I don't feel like you need to apologize or explain. You have earned my respect. You aren't going to lose it for defending the integrity and honor and worthiness of our Chinese ladies. I applaud you for your courage. Well said, Lee. My sentiments exactly! We all have are down days and we all react to situations that touch us most. I think this site stays very much in line, much more than it has in the past, and has been that way for a long time now. For the most part, it is well behaved. We all share a comradery which I think holds us together. That's what I like about Candle and why I am still here. So I say, "what's a few words between friends?"

Why wait a week? Call again tomorrow. Maybe you'll get a different answer from them. 90 days doesn't sound right anyways. That's too long. It's always been 30 days to me. Yep, give'm a buzz tomorrow. You might be surprised. -good luck

They won't discuss the case with me unless she is present to answer questions over the phone. That's right. I forgot about that. But you can at least give it a try. You have nothing to lose. Sorry for the troubles but like I said, the worst is you lose the fee.

Well, the worse thing that can happen is that you lose your fee money. Call the USCIS and explain it to them. At least get it on record. You might want to mail a letter to them also but do call. They might be able to work something out with you considering the circumstances. -good luck

Wow, she wears no jewelry. What were your thoughts when she told you this? I respected it thinking it was a Chinese way. I was a bit surprised. I never knew a woman who didn't like some kind of jewelry but she doesn't care for it. She's one in a million! Me, on the other hand, had to have a ring, a wedding band, one I had made. It's really cool! It's sterling silver with my wife's Chinese name engraved upon it. I get quite a few compliments on it. I love it! I posted a link to the website that makes them. If you'd like, do a search using "poetry ring" as the key word. The link is there. It was the perfect place to get my ring made. It was exactly what I had in mind. Uncanny, to say the least. But it's a cool site. WoW!...that's been 5 years ago! -good luck! Lets hope she never hears Diamonds are a girls best friend. Though she would more than like say my best friend is standing next to me. Yes you got yourself a one in a million. Hope mine is that too, which I think she is so far. I'm sure she is "one in a million", Corbin. Just treat her with love, kindness and understanding. She will repay you tenfold. Most Chinese women are honest, caring, and loving women. This, in time, you will see for yourself. -good luck, my friend

This topic on rings brings up an interesting point. The younger generation of Chinese women, between 22-42, likes jewelry, and they like rings from their fiance's, because they enjoy much more freedom than generations before them. They have gotten a taste of the western world and they want to be a part of it unlike the generations before them that were isolated and under strict communist rule. Todays Chinese women are free and being such, they want to enjoy their freedom. I say, "Power to them. Enjoy your freedom, young ladies!"...

Wow, she wears no jewelry. What were your thoughts when she told you this? I respected it thinking it was a Chinese way. I was a bit surprised. I never knew a woman who didn't like some kind of jewelry but she doesn't care for it. She's one in a million! Me, on the other hand, had to have a ring, a wedding band, one I had made. It's really cool! It's sterling silver with my wife's Chinese name engraved upon it. I get quite a few compliments on it. I love it! I posted a link to the website that makes them. If you'd like, do a search using "poetry ring" as the key word. The link is there. It was the perfect place to get my ring made. It was exactly what I had in mind. Uncanny, to say the least. But it's a cool site. WoW!...that's been 5 years ago! -good luck!

I can't help you on that one, Corbin. You see, my wife doesn't wear a ring. She cares nothing for jewelry and won't wear any kind of jewelry at all. That's peculiar, even from a Chinese lady, but that's the way she is. I guess it has something to do with her traditional Chinese upbringing. She is a very traditional Chinese woman. There'll be others along soon that can help.

What he said. Pleeeeeze!...........

I don't even use checks anymore. Using my checkcard is so much better than writing a check. Just like those commercials on TV where everything is going smoothly until someone stops to write a check and hold everything up. I can understand that thoroughly! Checks are so 20th century!!!.........

You should be able to file the petition yourself without any outside help. Just follow the instructions very carefully. I studied the forms for over two weeks before I filed and that was before I found Candle. I didn't have much help at all. I just carefully studied everything before I mailed it off. You need to reassure your fiancee that you can do it yourself. That includes her and her son. No attorney is needed at this point. Make her realize that. Things will be just fine. There's P1, P2, P3, and P4. That simple! -good luck

I wonder if Candle could ever get into the "Post"? I'm not a VJ member but I've been there sevral times looking for info. It's a good site but I'm strictly a CFL member. We all face troubles with immigrations. They are just so large that one can easily fall into the cracks. It happens all the time. I'm still dealing with them. But you know?...dealing with such large governmental bureaucracys prepares you to be able to deal with anybody on the phone! Thanks for the article, Jing Quan

Has anyone ever hear of Torley Wong? What's his music like?

The only advice I can give you is try contacting your congressman and/or the USCIS ombudsman for answers to your questions. You can at least see what kind of feedback you can attain and you are at least married, which is a plus. Sorry for the mess -good luck http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/structure/editorial_0482.shtm

Fantastic! That' one less thing you have to worry about.