bethelion

Hello everybody...long time no see. Life has been busy and interesting for everybody and we are all doing well. My wife received her green card this summer and we applied for her daughter's green card late summer. I included the congratulations letter from the wife's interview with the daughters AOS package thinking that a green card would be automatic but they have called her in for an interview. What do I need to bring as far as evidence to this and do we need to get an interpeter due to her limited english skills? Anybody recently had to do this for a minor child like my step-daughter? Any help would be great......thanks, Brian, Lily and Betty

Bill, Just curious how your son's interview went? I have an interview for my wife's 17 year old daughter coming Dec. 11 and was wondering what they wanted to talk to her about and what evidence to bring. We had some trouble with the wife's interview but now have her green card in hand. I figured with that the daughter's card would be automatic but I guess not. If you have any advice I'm all ears.... Thanks, Brian

OK guys, I'm a little confused , OK, I'll admit it...I'm alot confused . Can I file the I-131 seperately in an effort to speed up the chance of getting the AP document? We applied for her SSN and that should arrive in a week. Picked up marriage license and will tie the knot this Saturday . Leave on a week honeymoon Monday and will continue getting things organized for all the other forms after we return. Am I missing something or is it really stupid to file seperately.....costs, need SSN before filing or something else? The question #9 in part 1 asked for SSN so I put 'Pending', is that OK? Thanks for any help, Brian and Lily.

I know you don't want to hear this but it has been 80F day time and 60F at night here in socal for about a week straight. Maybe global warming is regional

Thanks for the information guys....you guys ROCK Brian

Hello guys and gals of CFL...hope everybody had a safe and fun holiday this year . I was planning to get married on Valentines day and then go to Hawaii for honeymoon . The airlaines say you need a government issued picture ID to get on the planes....what will Lily have to bring for positive ID...only the I-94? She will only have been in the US for 16 days so I don't think we can get a gov photo ID. Any thoughts? Thanks everybody, Brian

Good luck with the interview, they should still be in a giving mood at that time . Wendy has some really good resturants picked out so take her advice if she suggests someplace. Brian

Thanks for the information everybody.....I will let her know some of the options available. Brian

OK guys, I'm thinking ahead here. Lili is making payments on a home in China and also has money invested in the market there. Is there a good bank that she should move her money to that will have branches or partnerships with American banks so we can continue to handle money issues in China while living in USA? I read about BofA and China Construction bank having a partnership but are there others? Also, she is paying into what sounds like a chinese social security plan that she can get money from when she turns 55. Should she continue to contribute to this after she leaves China and will she still be able to recieve the money even if she leaves China and becomes a U.S. citizen? Thanks for any help you can provide, Brian and Lili

Hey everybody, Wendy's right about this place.....close to consulate, 7-11 across the street along with a good resturant, airport bus drops off only 1 1/2 bocks away and the toilets are western style . We rented the whole place for 380 rmb a night so I am sure Wendy can get a great deal on individual rooms.....ask for the one with the bathroom attached. Also the landlord looked over our papers and had a few tips on minor changes to the 156 and 157 forms. Good luck everybody, Brian

YAAAHOOOO!!!!!!!! Congrats!

YAAHOO! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

We will keep your husband in our thoughts for a safe finnish of his tour of duty. Congrats on passing you interrogation....i mean interview . Brian and Lili

OH MAN....a whole new set of problems to start worrying about, I can't wait! Brian

Yep I was guessing 50RMB to be on the high and safe side. Yep....still 20RMB as of 11/28/08. Good luck!

Way to go!!!! I think I've seen that smile before...... Brian and Lili

Here are some pictures of our dinner with Wendy, SteveK & Maggie, Lili, Betty & I. Brian

A little more information for you guys, after the interview was complete and the VO handed Lili the pink paper, Lili asked if she could get the visa Friday because they were flying back to Shenyang on Sunday and her daughter did not have her Chinese ID card with her so she needed passport to get on the plane. She showed the VO her plane tickets and the VO then talked to one of the clerks and she told Lili, 'I'll see if we can'. Well big suprise, the package arrived on Friday and we picked them up. Of course we had to bring the CFL ambassador with us because she was going to get them for us if they arrived after the weekend. Due to good timing after visa pickup it was lunch so we treated Wendy and she picked a really good place that had many good choices. Another thing I just remembered...part of my financial documents included my SSA report that shows I have worked in the US since 1976 and how much I made each year. I thought this would help establish my work record and support capability. Tomorrow I fly back home and Lili and daughter fly to Shenyang. It will be a long 1 or 2 months before Lili arrives in US and her daughter will follow a few months later. We are all very relieved this part is over and now I start the next step.......what is that again? Good luck to the rest of the interviews coming up soon.

Dylan's Wendy took us all out to dinner tonight. Wendy is a great gal as I am sure Dylan can tell you. Thank you Wendy for being such a great hostess! I have pictures on my camara but will have to wait until I get home to post.....forgot cable . It was quite the honor to be in the presence of the ambassador for CFL once again

Yeah!!! Like Steve said we were successful yesterday. Let me relate what Lili told me it was like for her and daughter. First thing was after arrival on 5th floor they give a clerk the I-134, tax information and supporting financial documents. He then asked her if she was member of CCP (no), if she had done any foriegn travel (yes) and if yes, where to and how long. After that they sat down and then were called up for finger prints then later sworn in as a group. Down stairs in the coffee shop Steve, Apple, a few non-CFLers and I started the coffee drinking pee-break suffle . I really enjoyed talking with everybody and it helped make the time pass a little faster. Back upstairs Lili was talking with another lady and they noticed the black widow at window 21.....they looked at each other and both said "please no window 21!"......they both were called to 21 So Steve, Apple and I were deep in conversation when a bouncing bundle of joy came flashing down the isle, BIG smile she arrived so fast she caught Steve off gaurd....all of us actually. It was only 9:30 when Maggie came down with PINK and we all . Two hours later Lili gets the call....window 21 please. VO asked for chat records and photos. She asked Lili who the people were in the photos (I made sure she handed the pictures of my Dad, stepmom, Lili and I first) Here were the questions: 1. Who petitioned for you? 2. When did you meet? She answered when we first met in person and the VO asked her again so Lili replyed, "do you mean on the internet?" VO said yes so Lili gave right answer. 3. How many times did your fiancee visit? 4. What dates did he visit? 5. What is your current job? (Lili's job) 6. What was your first job? (we have no idea why they would ask this, it was 15 yrs ago she left that job) 7. Where did you study english? 8. Where is your ex-husband? (she told VO she lost contact with him about 1 yr ago so she said last known address in Shenyang) 9. Have you ever applied for a visa? (2 tourist visas in 2005, both denied) 10. Does your fiancee have any kids? (she replyed no, VO asked why not, Lili replyed because he never married, VO then said....maybe he will want kids with you and cracked a smile. ((kind of a cruel thing to say when she must know that once you have one child they make you get operation to prevent more)) After that the VO said congrats you are approved. Lili said thankyou very much and then came downstairs, stopped right by the coffee shop and started talking to somebody standing in the hallway. Turns out she didn't see the coffee shop and was asking where it was....I walked up and then she noticed it was right next to her . Anyway, that's how it happened for us, all for the support and good wishes sent our way. Brian and Lili

Hello Brian, Where are you staying? I am curious. I will need to find a place to stay too. I might stay at the yang. Joe. Joe, Actually I don't know the name of the place, it's a 3 bedroom apt. for 400RMB a night. We needed more room because of her daughter. Lili and Wendy communicated and with Wendy's help we found it. Maybe send her a PM and she can get the name for you if it is what your looking for. Take care, Brian

Thanks Steve for posting this and thanks to all who wish us good luck. I hope that having the interview the day before Thanksgiving and 4 days before my birthday the wizard of Guz will be generous and kind......to everybody! Brian

Thanks Randy, The reason I was looking for another place that can do this is because we are not staying with the Yang's and from what I read, he will help if you stay at his place....seems fair to me. Brian

I have been looking for hours but cannot find the information. Is there someone besides Mr. Yang who can pickup a visa and mail to my fiancee in Shenyang? She needs to get her daughter back to school and will probably miss the opportunity to pick it up in person. Our interview is on the 26th and we all fly out on the morning of the 30th. Is there any other service of this nature that is 100% trustworthy? Thanks in advance, Brian

Charles, Looking forward to hearing the good news. Brian