frank1538

This is beginning to sound like good news. Hang in there and one day this will all be a distant memory. I'm just wondering if yours might be a case of mistaken identity particularly in light of what TSC has noted on the file.

At least the P4 wasn't in the purse. Good luck next month.

I realize there is no comparison but what would your response be if she came to the US and really got burned out living here and said she couldn't give you 100% and stay in America? Jingwen, my wife, is not thrilled about the US. When I ask her if she likes America, her response is always something along the lines of "I love you". She won't answer the question, but I know she definitely prefers China to the US, but she left her country and her culture to spend her life with her husband, and I know that her love for me transcends all. Now, I'll be the first to tell you that Jingwen is anything but burned out, so it wouldn't be fair to you to suggest that you tough it out. But, please examine what might be your wife's reaction when you tell her that you want to return to the US and re-charge the batteries. You can offer any and all valid reasons for wanting to return, but if Jingwen wanted to return to China temporarily because she was burned out living in America, I would begin to wonder about the relationship and why I could not make her happy. One of the things that seems to help our Chinese halves when then come to the US is a taste of home - Chinese friends, get togethers, Chinese TV, Chinese restaurants, Chinese food and shopping - all those things that help make the transition a bit more tolerable. What about you? Have you located any ex-pats in Wuhan? Anything western going on that could help? Also, it sounds like you're nearing the end of the visa journey with the P3 now in the hands of GZ (but likely not entered into the system). Take a guess on how much longer you'll have to wait and decide if you can endure living there. I offer only one piece of advice. If you want to return to the US to get things ready for her arrival, fine and dandy. But, if you want to return to the US because you're burned out living in Wuhan, be honest with your wife and make sure she understands why.

Is the daughter coming to the US on a K-2? If so, she will have to have an interview and a medical exam, particularly at age 15. What I don't know for certain is whether she must attend the same interview as mom if the daughter is not planning on coming to the US at the same time. But, I would encourage you to have the same interview for both even if the daughter will be coming later. Although a K-2er has up to a year to enter the US, I think the year starts to run from the date the K-1 is issued. Given GZ's pace, I'd hate to see a year run out before they got around to interviewing the daughter.

Not true. The SSN card is an SSN card. If going to work, an employer needs to make sure you are either a citizen or have authorization to work. The green card or EAD is the proof of right to work - not the SSN card. Just going by what the website said: My SSN card does not permit me to work, but I now have permission. What do I do? Question When I first applied for a Social Security card, I was issued a card that says, "Not Valid for Employment" and I now have permission to work from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Will I be issued a different number, or will I have to apply to adjust my current number? Answer If you are now a U.S. citizen or if the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has granted you a change in status which changes your work status in the U.S., you need to apply for a replacement card. Your replacement card will have the same number as your current card. To apply for a replacement card, you need to complete Form SS-5 which is available for download at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5.html. Or you may obtain Form SS-5 by calling 1-800-772-1213 or visiting your local Social Security office. You will need to submit Form SS-5 with evidence of your identity and proof of your U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work from the DHS. Your immigration document may be acceptable as evidence of both your identity and authorization to work in the United States. All documents must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies of documents. We need original documents or copies certified by the custodian of the record. Notarized copies are also not acceptable. If you’re a noncitizen, we must verify your documents with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) before we issue a replacement SSN card. We will issue the card within two days of receiving verification from DHS. Most of the time, we can quickly verify your documents online with DHS. If DHS can’t verify your documents online, it may take several weeks or months to respond to Social Security's request. For more details, please see the answer to the Frequently Asked Question, How is SSA protecting Social Security numbers? We suggest that you take your application and immigration documents to your nearest Social Security office rather than mail them. You can find that office at: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/locator/. You're right in that the SS card is not needed to work, but what concerns me is whether there will be appropriate credit to your SS history if the SSA's records show you as having a card that is not valid for employment.

We applied for Jingwen's SSN after she got her EAD. She was K-1, but we decided to wait on the SSN for two reasons. First, she wasn't planning on working any time soon and second, I didn't want an SSN that said "not valid for employment". If you apply for an SSN before you receive the EAD, you'll have to apply for a replacement card if you want to work, so I figured having to deal with SSA once was more than enough. Here's the link on having to apply for a replacement card: http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/ssa.cf...ldyBjYXJk&p_li=

Maybe the doctor's fee is based on the USC's ability to pay.

Here are a couple of links that might be helpful. http://www.netherlands-embassy.org/article...ef=AR00000134EN - the Dutch embassy. Apparently police certificates are called good conduct certificates (how quaint). http://www.australianaustralia.com/page/Co...ries_J_to_P/292 - from an Australian website suggesting that it can take up to 3 months to get the certificate. I agree that it would be a very good idea to get the clearance certificate and also to contact the Dutch embassy/consulate in China to find out the exact procedures.

Jason, refresh my memory. Are you using a co-sponsor for the I-134? If so, wouldn't his/her financial data be more appropriate? The issue of bank deposits has come up before, and I seem to recall that providing 12 months' worth is not required if you are relying on income as the basis for the I-134. The I-134 instructions are a bit misleading, but you are only required to provide documentation as appropriate. Income is documented through the employment letter or income tax returns. Bank deposits are generally used when you are relying on assets to meet the 125% of poverty reqirements. I am not suggesting that you give up on Wachovia (give 'em hell), but maybe bank statements are more insurance rather than a requirement. I relied on income rather than assets to meet the requirements, and I did not provide bank deposits with the I-134.

As crazy as it sounds, this may be the case. I have heard stories about flat denials the first and second times almost as a matter of course in an effort to weed out the "intending immigrant" who eventually gives up trying for a tourist visa Of course, this is anecdotal, and I have nothing to base it on other than hearsay. Maybe the third time will do the trick. Good luck.

Coffee

If history is any indication, it took GZ almost a month to enter Jingwen's P3 information into the system after they had received the packet. I wouldn't be too worried, but I probably would drop them an e-mail once a week or so to inquire as to the status. The responses I got from my inquiries were along the same lines but without reference to the Christmas holidays.

OMG, he's baaaaaaaaaack. Just in case you haven't seen them, there are some new rules here, but the only one you need to worry about is the one that prohibits mooning the administrators in public. However, private mooning is still okay.

lele has it right. If you hire a lawyer for the "normal" processing, you'll end up gathering all the information anyway, giving it to the lawyer who will have an assistant type it on the forms for you to sign. Of course, before you sign, you'll have to double check everything, including typos. Why pay someone to do this? You might as well just go ahead and put the information on the forms yourself. I think there's enough expertise here at CFL to put most lawyers to shame. Having said that, I will tell you that I hired a lawyer from China and practicing in Atlanta. Her prices were reasonable, and she was helpful in advising me on what documentation to include with the I-129f. Of course, this was before I joined CFL where I could have gotten the information for free. My thinking at the time was also that she could be helpful if I had a problem with GZ. Turns out I didn't really need her services.

Wonderful news. Get the visa tomorrow and go go go.

Damn, second post and they're done. Congratulations. Get her here asap.

Frank and anyone else: Yahoo CAN archive all of your messages, but you need to have this feature turned on first. Open Yahoo messenger and at the top of the window click on Messenger, then Preferences then on Archives. Click on Enable Archives and your PC will store a transcript of both sides of each conversation with date and time of each entry. (EDIT) almost scared myself when I went to double check my archive of messages. They weren't in the same place that MSN messenger puts them. To find mine I had to go to D:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\Profiles\cosmiclobster69\Archive\Messages\amyxxxx To read the messages click on Contacts, then Message Archive. They are neatly sorted by date. You can read them or print them right from there. You're absolutely right about this - this is what I did. I was referring to Yahoo (the company) keeping backups of messages as opposed to the individual user archiving his/her messages. Sorry about the confusion.

Thanks - my bad on NOA1 v. NOA2

Let's assume that the $65 is appropriate for the I-130. As of right now you have two processes going - the K-3 and the I-130. Both will allow your wife to get to the US. With the I-130, upon approval in GZ, your wife will enter the US as a legal permanent resident, and the need for the K-3 (if it is still pending) goes away. For all intents and purposes, she's done except for possible removal of conditions, etc. With the K-3, upon approval in GZ, you wife will also enter the US but she would then have to file for an adjustment of status to legal permanent resident or wait for the I-130 to be processed. My inclination would be to go ahead and pay the $65 even if it appears that the K-3 will process faster. My thinking is that the K-3 process requires the I-130 in order to be valid and although the K-3 can be filed as soon as the NOA 2 is received on the I-130, I would be reluctant to drop the I-130 before I filed for AOS off the K-3.

A great way to start off the new year. Welcome and best of luck at the interview. I used Yahoo as well and unless there is a newer version allowing for it, Yahoo doesn't keep transcripts.

Welcome aboard. It's nice to see a fellow Atlantan finally join the ranks of one of the best sites out there.

P3 is a major step in the right direction. The faster you get the paperwork back to GZ, the sooner you'll get the P4. Good luck.

Congratulations. I'm a little confused though. Are you saying that NVC has cleared your paperwork and sent it on to GZ or that GZ has sent out the P3? The difference can be a month or so in wait time.

Another February interview - wonderful news for you two. I hope your 2/22 date doesn't mean that February is filled up for everyone else who is waiting. Best of luck.

Let the good times roll. That's two that I've counted today. Good luck.