yanglan

We arrived in Guangzhou today and decided to make a quick call to the healthcare center to verify the exam process. We're lucky we did because according to the lady on the phone you cannot simply arrive and get it done anymore. Thankfully we had the time to prepare the extra requirements listed here: http://www.gdwbzx.com - it's all in Chinese but you need to click the US button and follow the instructions in the first link which includes filling out a form, emailing it to a specific address, calling to verify it was received, and printing out another form to bring with you (we printed out the first form as well). Maybe things are different in other cities but this is how it is in Guangzhou now.

Over the years the "censorship" here has just become worse and worse. Using a VPN used to be something I did occasionally during the day, now I'm connected to one 24/7. It's easily my third biggest annoyance living here, just slightly behind the lack of food variety/quality and pollution.

Our hotel is a block and a half away so I'm going to try and be there around 6:30 so we can be some of the first people in. Am I able to go in with her to the exam? Also I just wanted to verify, both the fee for the medical exam and the fee for the interview are paid first thing, right? Am I correct in assuming the interview process is as follows: 1. Pay fee 2. Document intake 3. Interview

If you've been living in China you can also include copies of any residence permits, entry/exit stamps, and lease agreements (though they'll need to be translated). If you or anyone else would like a translated template of the standard lease form used in China, I've pasted what I'm using below (couldn't find an "attach" button). This is what they use in Shenyang, I'm assuming it's the same or similar in other cities but that's up to you to figure out! I added the underscores so you can see the spots that are usually filled out. On the documents I'm submitting only the signature underscore is left, everything else is entered in Word. (Line breaks were removed so I put dashes there instead) Apartment Renting Agreement - Landlord (Party A) _________________________ ID No. _________________________ Tenant (Party B) _________________________ ID No. _________________________ Apartment address: _________________________ Renting date: _________________________ Monthly rent: __________ Half year: __________ Water bill amount: __________ Electricity bill amount: __________ Gas bill amount: __________ - Responsibility for Party A: Must give Party B the normal living rights and use rights during the lease time. Once the renting agreement is made, Party A must not add other additional terms. Party A should pay for the Real Estate Fee and winter heating fee which are required by the Real Estate Bureau. When Party A intends to stop the renting before the lease is complete or under special circumstances, Party A should notify Party B thirty days in advance. The contract can be terminated when Party B agrees to it.- Responsibility for Party B: Party B should pay for water, electricity, gas, complex service fee, telephone, internet and digital television fee during the leasing time. Party B should also pay for housing water, electricity, gas leaking fee, or sewer congestion charge. Party B should also pay for the next rent thirty days in advance. Party B should take care of the apartment and facilities very carefully. If Party B breaks anything, Party B should pay for it accordingly. When the damage was caused by force majeure (such as earthquake, war, etc.) repair will not be the responsibility of Party B. When not getting Party A’s permission, Party B should not change the main part structure of the apartment while doing decorating, otherwise, Party B will take the consequences fully. Party B should not rent the apartment to others during the leasing time. Party B should not carry on illegal activities such as making fake products, selling fake products, multi-level marketing, hosting gambling, etc. Otherwise, Party B will take the consequences fully. If Party A could not contact Party B when the lease is done, Party B has the right to take back the apartment. If Party B gives Party A deposit for water, electricity, gas, etc. () yuan, Party B should get whatever is left after the lease is done. If Party B intends to stop renting within the leasing time, or intends to keep renting, he should notify Party A thirty days in advance. After getting Party A’s agreement, the contract may be stopped or renewed.- Utilities in the apartment: double bed() single bed() small side table() sofa() closet() fridge() TV() set-top box() computer() washing machine() heating machine() air-conditioner() microwave() stove() kitchen exhaust hood() dining table() chair() and () - Broker fee was paid by Party B () yuan, paid once when the agreement was made. After the agreement was signed, broker will cease all responsibilities and duties. When either part violates the agreement and cannot be harmonized, a lawsuit can be brought to people’s court in the administrative area. During the lease time, if one party breaks the contract, he should pay for one month’s rent to the other part. The broker fee will not be returned. It will be paid by the part which breaks the contract. This agreement will go into effect once agreed and signed by Party A and Party B. - Party A signature _________________________ Phone No. _________________________ Party B signature _________________________ Phone No. _________________________ Broker signature _________________________ Phone No. _________________________ - Note: - Issued by Shenyang Real Estate Bureau ______ year ___ month ___ day I certify that I am competent to translate from Mandarin Chinese to English and that the above “Apartment Renting Agreement” is a correct and true translation to the best of my knowledge and belief. Signed: ___________________________________ Address: ___________________________________ Telephone: ___________________________________ Date: ___________________________________

We're going to do the medical exam in Guangzhou the day before the interview. Got a nice hotel nearby too

Thanks a lot, I missed the pricing on the medical document.

Hey everyone, my wife's interview is quickly approaching so I wanted to list out all of the items we've prepared as well as ask a few questions just to double-check the information I've already gathered. This post will probably look similar to kdavid3's post (found here: http://candleforlove.com/forums/topic/46807-guide-to-ir-1-dcf/- thanks a ton, btw!), but since all of our cases are somewhat unique, I hope that my post can be of help to others who have questions and share similar circumstances! Background I've been living in China with my wife for quite a few years and filed our I-130 in Beijing in summer 2014 (DCF). Medical Exam Copy of email titled "Immigrant Visa Instructions" (5 steps for scheduling interview and medical exam) Copy of email titled "Notice For Immigrant Visa Applicants" (instructions for completing DS-260) "Appointment Confirmation" (available at https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/AppointmentConfirmationafter scheduling) 6 2" passport photos (5cm x 5cm in Chinese print shops) Interview "Appointment Confirmation" (same as above) "DS-260 Confirmation Page" "DS-260 Print Application" 6 2" passport photos Copies of all emails received from USCIS/Immigration Wife's resume (Chinese and English) Both of our passports Medical exam documents Chinese "White books": Police ("No criminal sanction") Birth ("Birth") Marriage ("Married", with our pictures) Marriage ("Certificate of Marriage", copy of marriage certificate) ~20 Photos from the 6 years we've been together Originals, copies, and translations of 6 years of shared leases Copies of matching passport stamps from 3 trips to the US My I-864 My 1040 tax returns (2013, 2012, 2011) Letter explaining tax status "single" Copy of my birth certificate Self-employment explanation letter Daily income spreadsheet for past 5 months Monthly income reports for past 8 months Proof of payments to my personal bank account Mom I-864 (co-sponsor) Mom IRS transcripts (2013, 2012, 2011) Mom income proof Copy of mom's birth certificate Dad I-864A Dad IRS transcripts (same as mom's, they file jointly) Dad income proof Copy of dad's birth certificate Latest statement from my personal US bank account Latest statement from two US credit cards Latest IRA statement Documents showing ownership of NY based company Copies of: All "Confirmation" emails/pages Both of our passports Wife's National ID card Questions 1. In kdavid3's post, he mentions including a notarized hukou. My wife did not receive such a thing when she got her white books and it was not asked for when we filed her I-130. Is this something that is required and if so, where do we get it? 2. What are the current total fees paid for the medical exam? 3. For the resume, the IV Instruction pdf says "all educational history". How far back is she supposed to go? Elementary school? I will update this thread with our experiences after the interview!

Thanks again for your help. I guess I'm at the point now where I'm worrying about every little thing as I fear the only reason we could be denied is due to some technicality. I was worried they'd look at the documents, see different sized paper, and go "these don't match, original documents only!"

What's the proper way to notify the interviewing officer of any errors on forms like the I-864, where I wouldn't be able to get a new original document in time for interview? It's not a big deal, but I noticed they put their own address in a field which was meant for the beneficiary's address due to the confusing layout of the first page. I would print out a new page myself but Chinese A4 paper doesn't match US A4 and I don't want the officer to have anything to complain about.

Here is the exact wording from the "IV Instruction DS-260 07222015.pfd" interview preparation packet: "Immediate relative (CR/IR) and family preference (F) cases: An original I-864 (or I-864EX, if applicable) signed by the petitioner must be submitted with her or her most recent Federal income tax return." So based on that wording I have a feeling that Dan is right from a technical standpoint. Bringing my 2014 return even though it's not included in the I-864 itself may cause issues of its own, and there's no way for me to get new/updated I-864 and I-864A from my co-sponsor before my wife has her interview. I'll be sure to include reference to this document, along with wording like you mentioned, Dan, with my sponsorship documents.

While I've got all of the documents ready for my wife's interview (including last 3 tax returns for myself and the co-sponsors), I was wondering if I should include my 2014 return (not filed yet) as well? The co-sponsor's income is above and beyond the requirements for financial support ($100k+/year), but my last 3 returns are kind of shaky as I've been building a business (online) and living off of savings while in China. Either way, I'm planning on including a summary of the financials/evidence for my company showing monthly growth since June and even my personal daily income since November. Off topic: I've also been wondering if it's possible for me to go into the consulate with my wife to provide support and help during document intake? She speaks fluent English but I know it's going to be a stressful day and it would be great if I could be there to help.

My wife speaks fluent English and has been running a small English classroom here in China for the past couple years. The plan is to move to a city with a decent number of Mandarin schools and have her make the switch from teaching English to Chinese kids, to teaching Chinese to American kids. Currently Denver, DC, and Salt Lake City are high on the list, and we've already received a few emails back from schools which are interested in interviewing her once we arrive back in the states.

I'm assuming this is because of Spring Festival, but how far in advance does GZ typically allow you to reserve your interview appointment date? We're a few days into February but the system still isn't showing anything for March.

"Is it good and practical?" I have a profile but I mostly see it as a glorified online resume. I've done a little networking with it but most inquiries I recieve seem to be "cold call" communication from companies trying to sell me a service. That said, I have been contacted by a few businesses relevant to my industry who I am working on partnerships with. Overall I don't see any reason why an adult shouldn't have one and keep it up to date. It takes a small amount of time to create and update a profile and can potentially open new doors. "Is it necessary to log in for Chinese new comers in America like me?" I would think that any sort of networking an immigrant can get involved with is a good thing. When my wife and I move back to the states I'll definitely be helping her set up a LinkedIn profile, as well as a ton of other things to help her get integrated into our new environment as quickly as possible.

New Yorker here as well, Poughkeepsie to be exact. When I tell people where I'm from and they assume "the city" I just let it go

Following up on my previous post, we just received an email from GZ with interview setup instructions. Nothing was mentioned about us not including the pick-up confirmation document.

Do i864/i864a need to be original signed documents, not copies of the original? Edit: Nevermind, just searched and found that these documents DO need to be originals.

In the email we received from GuangshouIVAppoint@state.gov it did not say we needed to submit the document I've bolded. Under "How to Submit Required Materials" it was included as step 1: "You must register a location for document pick-up by selecting the “Select Document Delivery Address” option in the Immigrant Visa Section of http://ustraveldocs.com" The only items the email told us to include were the following: DS-260 confirmationPassport bio page copy2 Passport photosIV Pre-interview Document Submission Cover LetterHopefully this isn't a big deal. I really wish the government could get its act together and provide EXACT instructions on what each specific immigration case type needs to do at every step along the way. The current hodgepodge of instructions scattered across multiple sites with conflicting information just adds to the huge amount of stress we're all dealing with to be with our loved ones. They really should be paying the helpful folks here for minimizing the number of incorrect applications they'd otherwise receive. While I'm here, is anyone aware of the average wait time from DS-260 CITIC submission to receiving the email that allows us to set an interview date?

Background: Filed I-130 DCF Beijing, Submitted DS-260 online I remember reading somewhere that you need to write a specific number on the top right of the Citic drop-off cover letter but "dc-260 cover letter number" is returning squat from Google. Is it the case number that we need to put there? ("GUZ########") And should we put it directly above the CGI graphic?

My wife and I have been married since 2011. During this time I have been filing my taxes as "Single" under bad advice from an accountant who I had handle back taxes years ago. After reading that this would be a red flag for the immigration process, I attempted to ammend my last 3 years of tax returns by filing 1040x for each year along with an explanation for the incorrect filing status and a copy of our marriage certificate. This was months ago and the changes still aren't reflected on my IRS tax transcripts. Would it be acceptable to provide full printouts of my past 3 years tax returns along with the 1040x's attached to the front? This is the only item I'm worried about when time comes for my wife's interview and I really want to make sure we don't get screwed over due to it.

My mother is our co-sponsor and has completed the i-864 form and provided her tax transcripts for 2013 as well as proof of income and birth certificate. My parents are both retired, married/live together, and file their taxes jointly and I'm wondering whether I need to supply an i-864A for my father. If so, does he need to provide the same documentation as my mom? (tax transcripts would be the same, but birth cert and income proof?) Their income far exceeds the poverty line due to pensions and social security.

So just to be clear for myself and any other viewers who may be wondering the same thing, we don't need to submit anything other than the DS-260 packet (DS-260 confirmation, passport bio, 2 photographs, cover letter) via CITIC bank? No additional documents need to be mailed/emailed? All supporting/financial documents will be submitted pre-interview during "document intake"? We'll bring originals/copies of the following: My documents: -I-864 -Last 3 years tax returns -Bank statements -Credit card statements -Personal self-employment explanation letter -Proof of income -Birth certificate* -Passport* -Photos* Co sponsor documents: -I-864 -Last year IRS transcript -Proof of income -Birth certificate Spouse documents: -Passport* -Whitebooks* (Birth, marriage, and police) -Resume -Correspondence with potential jobs in the US -Photos* Additional documents: -Shared apartment leases (6 years worth) -Relationship affadavits from friends/family* -Printouts of all immigration correspondence * means this was submitted with I-130, will bring copies just in case Also I'm expecting the interview confirmation to give us a few more required documents like an appointment confirmation printout, medical checkup documents, etc. EDIT: Will I be there with my wife during the document intake process?

Thanks for the quick reply, dnoblett So none of the I-864 related documents need to be submitted prior to interview, what about the other supporting documents? The "Supporting Documents" page http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.htmlincludes a bunch of documents we have already submitted when filing the I-130 (in fact, I don't think there's a single thing on that page we haven't already submitted). Do we need to submit them again via email? Do we need to bring them along to the interview? Specifically I'm speaking about: -Birth certificates -Marriage certificates -Police certificates I think these all fall under the "white book" category?

Background: Filed I-130 in Beijing (DCF) We're at the step where we've submitted my wife's DS-260 and have just finished gathering all of the required documentation listed here: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents.html I'm not sure what exactly I should be doing with these supporting/financial documents. Should they be submitted to Guangzhou via email as described on the website? Or should we merely print them out and submit them when we do the interview? The I-130 confirmation email says the following: -Complete DS-260 (print confirmation) -Copy of passport bio page -Photographs 1. Register document pick-up location 2. Print pre-interview cover letter and submit along with above requested items Nowhere in the email does it mention anything about the supporting/financial documents. Only on the confirmation page of the DS-260 does it mention that we need to submit them, but according to many stories posted here it appears that people are not submitting them but rather bringing them for the interview. So as I understand it, the DS-260 submission needs the listed documents only. I'm just wondering whether we should be submitting the additional documents after the DS-260 or when we go for the interview? Thanks

We married in China and all of the official documentation is with her Chinese name. I current have C1 with her Pinyin name and C20 with characters. I just wanted to make sure this would be acceptable.