AZwolfman

Add Kiss.com to the list.

Don't know if this is still current, but I think it is somewhere in CFL links and resources. Linda Donahue FAX 8121-8341* Fax 8186-2341? donahuell@state.gov *To call China from the United States, first dial (011-86-20)

Chris, For INS to ask to see your sales receipts from your online business would be like the IRS auditing you. Even if you have no receipts, keep records, or make some from memory. Show the INS your recent pay stubs from your current job, and a copy of 2003 income tax including schedule C. If you don't have your W-2s from you employer in time to do taxes before her interview, then explain this along with the 2 or 3 most recent pay stubs (hopefully one showing year-to-date income) and a copy of your completed Schedule C tax form. I think this is the best you can do, unless you can somehow delay the interview. With your explanation of why you don't have the complete tax return, you might show projected income.

Enjoy!!!

Hmmm...... according to this chart, they are just now processing (AOS)June 15, 2003, here. We filed in person on June 9, and received approval on Sept. 17. That means they have processed only 6 days' worth of apps in the last 2 months??

Yes, definitely call your local office first. Send in everything you can at the local office. Whatever the local office won't do, send to your regional service center. It seems to definitely vary from region to region. Here in LV, we filed AOS, EAD together at the same time and place locally. You will need to file AP only if you plan to travel outside the country before your AOS approval and ADIT processing

Right you are James. This info is from those who have been there and done it. It is from actual personal reality experiences, not from books. So, I think CFL knows more than the lawyers and possibly more about the BCIS than any part of the BCIS itself.

She has no name in America currently; therefore she can choose whatever she wishes. Start with the marriage certificate. Then use the new name in all BCIS forms and any other forms such as SSN, driver license, etc. Of course, when using her passport (which has her Chinese unmarried name) you will have to present a certified copy of the marriage certificate. We did the same thing: but kept her first name, used her family name as a middle name, and my last name as her new family name. The AOS process goes more smoothly if you marry first, then fill out the AOS papers, SSN, EAD, etc.

Hmmmm..... ours is pale yellow.

Many of you have made me realize how very lucky my wife and I are that we can both speak English very well. Not only is this important now, but it was necessary for us to even meet, develop a relationship, and fall in love. Not much has been said about meeting online (which I will write about on a later date), but that is how we met. Even if you met online and were able to have your email communications sent to a translator, you would eventually have work out instantaneous 2-way communication when you met physically. What I am curious about is, in the absence of same-language communication, how did the two of you even meet? How were you able to develop the relationship? How did you manage to fall in love with one to whom you could not speak? Since open communication is key in any relationship, how was understandable communication possible between the two of you?

Welcome Louis, It looks like you are near the beginning of this sometimes lengthy process. Looking back, there is just one thing I would have done differently if I had known it would take 1 and 1/2 years from the beginning of this process until she was here in the U.S. with me. I would have worked it out so I could visit her in China several times. If you can manage this, the waiting may be easier.

The original "Black Hole" generally refers to those who were interviewed in GZ after July 31, 2001, and issuance of their visa was held up indefinitely while 'new security checks due to the 9/11 attacks' were implemented. During this time, from August 2001 until late February 2002, almost no visas were issued. That 7 months seemed like years for all of us. I think the delay that you have experienced has been occaisionally referred to as "The Pit" - the new delay that seems to have emerged between P3 and P4. The original "Black Hole" appeared after P4, at the interview. Congratulations on climbing out of "The Pit."

You will fill out the I-864 with your AOS (I-485). So good idea to make copies of everything. You will need much of the same docs and info from your 134 to fill out your 864.

Let me know if you need any old tax forms. I have saved them in .pdf

This is not the first denial for such a reason (not convinced of relationship due to no way to communicate). The solution in other such cases was for the petitioner to submit proofs that he could communicate in her language. A video of him speaking in her tongue. I doubt the age difference influenced the consulate's decision at all. Many couples here have quite an age difference. In fact, I am 19 years my wife's senior. In such a case where neither person speaks the other's language, I myself even wonder how such a relationship could develop. It must be difficult. I can see how with the naturally suspicious BCIS could question the relationship's validity. They are going to have to learn a common language eventually. Might as well do it now.

Again, it seems to matter at which location you file the AOS application We made separate checks for everything including fingerprint fee and included all (I-765, I-485, 693, 864, etc.) in one package. BCIS again at their inconsistent finest.

If you were married, you should send certified copies of your divorce. My divorce was in 1977. I drove to Phoenix and paid about $20 fee. I could have also had them mailed to me.

I-693 supplemental form required at time of filing here.

Your co-sponsor affidavit should be sent in with the I-485. If this is not possible, send it in as soon as you get it. Remember, there is a huge backlog of cases to review, due to the infamous Black Hole of 2002. If you can make your case look very good on paper, they might just realize that the two of you are really living together as a married couple and waive your interview entirely. That is my theory on why ours was approved without interview.

Here is what would have to happen to make this work. It is November already - less than 2 months inthe year. Get the site up quickly and start getting sales quickly. Keep records of everything. You would have to make a special request to your regular employer and see if he would issue your w-2 statements right after the New Year holliday (like maybe Jan 2 or Mon, Jan 5). Then the next day, fill out your income tax returns, including Schedule C which shows your profits from your business. Copy the tax return, and include it with your I-134. Can you make all this happen? No need to make pay stubs. Just keep records, report on Schedule C, and make photocopies if possible of all payments received, receipts given. Your tax return will show the income, but it's always nice to have them if asked.

Partition Magic is well worth the price. With it you can have many operating systems on the same computer. I have several on mine, though I use Win 2000 most the time. Have her bring her hard drive. You can have 2 hard drives on one computer. PM can make it easy. PM software also includes Boot Magic, a very handy uitility that makes choosing which o/s to boot at startup a breeze.

Clifford, Don and Mick have pretty well summed up what happened. Our interview was 08/08/02, and we even had a flight already booked, which we changed several times at expense. At her interview, she was told there would be a 2 to 4 week delay due to new security mandates because of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. From November to February, almost no visas were issued. We finally received ours in March of 2003. I suggest you read some of the old posts on this forum (Nov 2002 to Feb 2003). You may find them quite informative, and may learn just how much those of us on Candle went through to get our loved ones home - and just how screwed up our government was. The system still seems to run into snags occaisionally, but nothing like in the Black Hole Days of '02. Hopefully we will never experience anything like that again. Before this website was created in November 2002, about all we had to turn to for information and support was the old G7 site (wonder if it is still there?) which censored just about anything I would post.

My wife is so proud of that card. She has been taking it out and just staring at it these past few days - possibly in disbelief that the process is finally at end and the U.S. finally considers her a resident. One of the last to crawl out of the Black Hole and one of the first to hold the green card. . . almost makes me believe in the system again For those who think they are hung up in the system, I want to emphasize that we were one of the earliest interviewed and one of the last to receive the visa. At times we wondered if we would ever be together again. If your love and committment for each other is strong, the BCIS will eventually sort things out and you will be together. Just communicate with each other daily, and visit if possible.

You are about $750 short for the year. You mentioned some extra earnings. Document them. Make photocopies of the checks before you deposit them, and for goodness sakes, report them on your tax returns. I sell things on the internet. That is how I document the sales (in addition of course to keeping records). PM me if you have any questions.

have it there with the I-134 for the interview.