Patrick & Li

Well Cliff, At this point in time, I'd have to say you reached a milestone by just getting a reply from them. I have watched your case since you came to CFL. I am truly happy to see that you maybe now are making some progress. I will be keeping my fingers crossed and maybe now, you'll start moving along like the rest of us. Congratulations, Patrick & Li

The problem i had with Calling cards is......You dial the number, and it is busy. You do this over and over. I have done it for 2 hours before i got through. I have also done it and given up and just called direct and get right through. Which lead me to believe that they get bogged down during certain times. It was also a hassle due to having to dial 20+ numbers each time. But if you have the patience, That is definitly the way to go. I was paying 5 cents per minute with a calling card. I just wasnt patient enough to deal with those wait times. Patrick

My sister teaches school in Brazil. She was telling me about this cheap way to make international calls. It is called a "Callback Phone service". You call a number, and hang up. The computer at the other end calls you back and then you dial the number that you intend to call. It is extremely cheap. I have MCI International plan and it is 14 cents per minute + $4.00 per month. This call back service only cost 11 cents per minute to China, and some rates are even cheaper. Here is the URL, go check it out. Callback phone service Patrick

I also use FlyChina when traveling to China from here, Round trip. But if you want a 1 way ticket from China, it will be much cheaper to book from there to LA. Patrick

Seems to me, And of course I would NEVER do this. But if you needed a document signed by your wife/fiance, and she agreed to it. Why not sign it for her? All you would have to do is look at her signature, and maybe practice it a bit. Who is going to know? Yea, yea, yea....I know ya'll are gonna flame me for advising to do something illegal. So, I am not advising, but just curious how they could find out.

Mari, I can truly understand your misery. It is awful! I didn't sleep good at the end of each phase we were in. Unfortunately for you.....You are only in phase 2. You still have NVC to deal with, and then the real nightmare starts. GZ is the slowest of all processes especially when you know you are so close. I have no enlightening advice, I suppose the best thing you can do for yourself is to find something to do that will take your mind off of it. If you find that possible, Lets patent it! I believe we could make gazillions of $$$ at CFL. Patrick

We can pronounce it too! V as in Visa, or V as in Very, Not V as in Woman!

I have read and re-read this thread. It really is too bad that people don't realize the sacrifice and hard work that it takes to get this Visa. But for me, and my wife, it was never about the Visa. It was about making a life together in a country that gives us more opportunities to be successful. If my wife hadnt been able to get her Visa, Then i was willing and able to quit my job, sell my house and get a teaching job in China. This is about LOVE. Blueheart, I feel as if you have been USED by someone who wasnt ready or maybe even able to truly commit to the relationship/Marriage. I am sorry that you have been used this way. My heart goes out to you. The bottom line is....If he will not marry you within the 90 day time period, then you will have to leave this country. Seems to me the lesson to be learned is, If a Chinese lady's fiancee asked her to come to the USA to marry him. She should flat out refuse unless he came there and married her first. To me, the K1 is a shitty commitment! It leaves it too wide open for abuse from both sides! Patrick

Bag of Cheetos and a Jergins lotion? Patrick

LOL....Thanks Cliff

Must have been the Cheetos!! Congratulations Carl & Bing!! Patrick & Li

Seems like such a long time ago. We are so naive when we start this process. I would have been mighty surprised if you had told me it would take almost 1 year to get the Visa. I thought i would be lucky and get it in 4 to 6 months. But still a joyous day for us!! Patrick & Li

Very Good Luck, We will all anxiously await the good news!! Patrick & Li

Why wife? Q- Why is there no "Road Rage" in China A- What is Road Rage? Q- Why do shopping carts turn on all 4 wheels? A- So you can make tight turns Q- Why do you pull the shopping cart instead of pushing it. You are bumping into little old ladies and everyone else. A- ?

Come on Mike, Tell us the story now. I am all ears! Patrick

Li can now quit her job and concentrate solely on completing her University degree. All she has left is passing her English exam. She has 2 chances to pass the exam this year. May 22 is the 1st date for her to try and pass, and June 19 is the 2nd date. Now that she is able to quit her job and study everyday without distractions, we are hoping she will be able to pass the 1st exam. If so, she will be coming to the USA sometime in late May or very early June. If not, it will be late June. See ya, Patrick

First and foremost I want to go on record as saying a huge Thank -you to the GZ embassy for their efficient and professioinal approach towards giving my wife and son their K3/K4 visa. Contrary to what people will say, Their is nothing at all wrong with making a woman and her 10 year old son take a 10 hour bus ride to a strange city just to be told they need additional information, so therefore they must return at a later date. And there definitly isn't a thing at all wrong with sending out a letter to her saying she can come and get her Visa on any day she chooses, just so they once again can tell her they need additional time to prepare. It is not their fault that there was a convention going on in GZ at the time and that Hotel prices had been quadrupled, and that my wife had only brought enough money for the one night, and not the 2 nights she ended up having to stay. The efficient and professional organization that they are, they gave her the Visa on the 2nd day. I am sure that it takes a lot of preparing to print up the documents. I guess they needed that additional day on top of those 18 other days since they had sent her the letter. Just wanted to say Thank you GZ, Your professionalism and efficiency is unlike any other i have ever dealt with! 2nd, I wanted to take the time to thank all my CFL brothers and sisters for all of your support and allowing me to vent when i needed to. It was a long hard road. I do not wish to do it again. I know it is not completed yet, but i am sure it will be a whole lot easier with my wife by my side. I will stay in touch with CFL. I am sure i will need more help along the way, and i am sure i will be able to offer more support along the way. Thanks to the creator of this message board. It has been a true oasis for us in need! Thank you all, Patrick & Li

No, but she knows how to ask! Patrick

I am absolutely deflated at the moment. My wife called me this morning to tell me that she still hasn't received the VISA. They have told her the exact same thing as before. It seems from talking to her that GZ doesnt even realize they have sent her the letter stating she could come to GZ to pick up her VISA. My wife is ready to give up. She is so emotional right now. She feels like she has failed me. The hardest thing about all of this is, I only have two avenues of Information. GZ E-mail form or DOS. I want to scream at someone! I want to hit someone for hurting my wife. I feel so fucking helpless. This is a copy of my E-mail to GZ this morning..... My wife and step-son came to Guangzhou on March 1st for their interview. My step-son didnt have his passport so he was denied the chance for the interview and rescheduled for a later date. My wife went ahead and did her interview and was told she had passed and to come back at 4pm to pick up her Visa. At that time she was told that "They needed additional time to prepare her paperwork" On April 2nd, my wife went back to GZ for her sons interview. I was told by E-mail that he had passed the interview, but due to a problem unforseen, they would need additional time to prepare because of a security clearance. One week later, they sent me an E-mail saying that the clearance had been received and that they would sent my wife a letter of invitation to come back to GZ to pick up her Visa. Today, April 19th, My wife went back to GZ with her son to pick up her Visa. Once again, she was denied because they said the exact same thing as before. They told my wife to remain in GZ, and come back tomorrow and they would have additional information. Why???? This is my wifes third trip to GZ! She received a letter stating her Visa was ready for pick-up. Why doesn't she have her Visa now? Sincerely, Patrick Alexander If she doesnt receive the VISA tomorrow. I don't know what else i can do. This has taken a huge toll on me and her.

Great news Louis!! Patrick

I am not for sure about this. But my wife had to go to GZ 2 times and both times she had to deal with the same VO. I think you are assigned a VO and that is the one you deal with till the end, but i like the idea of turning in the original tape. Maybe they will assume it is something new and agree it is enough. Patrick

It is so sad that they hold so much power over us. Why does my Government have the power to say who i will love and where she will come from? I am not gonna feed ya shit and tell ya its chocolate. This is a huge bump in the road, but it has been overcome before, In fact i read at AAC where a man did just that recently. Took a lot of perseverance, but he overcame it. Don't give up Carl, If you want this bad enough. You too can persevere! Good luck, and if ya need anything...send me an E-mail or PM, Patrick

I could Fax you a copy, Bryan. Patrick

OMG no, Just want that VISA in hand! Nothing else matters! Patrick

They said they would send a "Call in" letter. What ya reckon that is, A private telephone number? I am gonna fire off a reply asking them to set a date, any date, and she will personally come to GZ for her third trip there to pick it up. Its a damn good thing my wife doesnt live on the other side of China. Patrick