jkobman

"HEY, just send the quackin' visa, OK!!" http://www.br-online.de/kultur-szene/thema/animationsfilm/galerie2/img/bild02.jpg

Thanks for the posting!!

You're getting there! Keep hoping and she WILL get here!!!

GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT!!!!!!!!! B) B)

WOO HOO!!!!!! GREAT NEWSSSSSS!!!! B) B) (man, that's a lot of smilies!! BUT, this is some mighty good news!!)

A good point, and yes because I was able to go through Vermont, I did not have to wait for a zillion yrs. If I had to wait like a lot of other CFL'ers, I might have gone off the deep end!! I am thankful for the quickness here in the US, but I have problems with the lack of communication over there. I asked my Senator to see if the P3's and P4's were moving. I am still not convinced that they are sending out P3's and P4's. GZ mentioned "manpower" - in Washington DC-ese manpower = money+people, which means "we have this many people to interview that many applicants - so, we will see you in (write month here) for your interview." I don't know what else to say........ I care, I want her here and and and and and............ oh yah, HURRY UP AND WAIT!

...........and, to call GZ, call the central # and then I punched 0 and got to the operator. I asked for the Consulate General's office. She switched me to the visa office - that's who I spoke to. I hope that helps.

Here's the EMail/etc. in response to the phone call to GZ on the evening of 5/26 - about 10 am, 5.27 in GZ. And yes, I do have writing a "suck-up letter" down to a finely-tuned scientific endeavor!!! B) (maybe I will offer an online "suck-up letter writing class - 3 graduate credits from the College of Hard Knocks) _________________________ Mr. XXX, It was a pleasure speaking with you on May 26, 2004(GZ), regarding your petition for Ms. XXX. Thank you for providing me with a copy of your e-mail information, as promised a follow-up. According to our computer personnel our system off and on for three days was kicking back e-mails. Of course no exact reason why the system sent replies, when they were not technically received. They have tested the system via DC to here and it appears to working fine. Also I've attached our response to your congressman's inquiry of May 24, 2004 with our response on May 26, 2004. Have a great day!!! XXX Consular Section U.S. Consulate General - Guangzhou Phone XXXXXXX Fax XXXXXXX This e-mail is unclassified based on the definitions provided in E.O. 12958. -----Original Message----- From: XXXXXXX Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2004 10:25 AM To: XXXXXXX Subject: thank you RE - XXXXXXX GUZ#### Thank you for your help this evening. I am forwarding the EMail of 5/16 (here in the US) that I did not receive a response that we discussed on the phone. The EMail is copied/pasted below. Sincerely, XXXXXXX _______________ Thank you for your inquiry. You may expect a response from us in 5 to 7 business days. PLEASE DO NOT FOLLOW UP BEFORE THEN, AS REPEATED EMAILS RE-SET YOUR INQUIRY DATE AND CREATE A DELAY IN THE RESPONSE TIME ON YOUR CASE. If you have not had an email response from us after 7 business days have passed, please go to our website (http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn/guangzhou/iv/email.html) and resubmit your request. GuangzhouIV no longer receives incoming email. Your cooperation in this will help us serve you better. Immigrant Visa Unit U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou, China -------------------- Registration Message Begin -------------------- Email_Address: XXXXXXX Is This Your First Email?: 0 5/9/2004 Beneficiary Name (pinyin): XXXXXXX Relationship to Beneficiary: Petitioner Beneficiary Date of Birth: 7-2-1964 Beneficiary Case Number: GUZ##### Beneficairy Visa Catagory(optional): Subjects: Other Message_Text (optional): XXXXXXX RE - XXXXXXX GUZ##### I realize GuangzhouIV is a very busy office. But, I need some level of clarification from you, not an exact answer, just some clarification. When can I approximately expect Wen Xia to be scheduled for her Interview. I am a public school teacher in Virginia and am very limited in my travel times - my work calendar is held against the annual school calendar. I need to schedule flights to/from China and I would like to accompany XXXXXXX to her interview in Guangzhou. I realize you are enable to give specific answers. It would just be a huge help if I can get an idea about when XXXXXXX's interview will be - an approximate time period will be so very helpful. As I said, I know GuangzhouIV is a very busy operation. Any help you can give me would be of immense help. Thank you so very much for your help. XXXXXXX ------------------------- Message end ------------------------------ Letter in response to my US Sentor's letter May 25, 2004 REF: SENATOR ALLEN’S EMAIL OF MAY 24, 2004 TO: THE HONORABLE GEORGE ALLEN UNITED STATES SENATE Dear Senator Allen: Thank you for your e-mail of May 24, regarding the visa application for Ms. XXXXX – GUZ####. Mr. XXXXX asked if appointments have resumed. In response to the question regarding K’s and immigrant visa appointments they have never been stop. All K’s and immigrant visa are schedule by the Immigrant Visa Unit. He must be referring to the China Call Center who scheduled nonimmigrant visa applicant’s appointment. As to the status of Ms. XXX’s case, when her file review is complete, the IV Unit will schedule her formal interview appointment. Due to the high volume of K’s and immigrant visa applicants being scheduled at this time for interview appointments (4,500), our best guestimation for Ms. XXX’s interview will be mid-September to mid-October. We are most hopeful that it will be scheduled sooner. When Ms. XXX’s appointment is scheduled her appointment packet with instructions will be sent to the address of record via EMS courier mail approximately four week prior to her interview date. We hope this information will assist you in responding to your constituent. Sincerely, Congressional Correspondence Team ______________________________ This is not what I wanted to hear, but at least I am hearing SOMETHING from SOMEBODY! Again, HURRY UP AND WAIT!! I guess all I can do is laugh , it sure beats crying!!

I called GZ and expressed concern that no P4's are being sent out. She took time to explain the situation - lotsa lotsa applicants, busy busy staff, they can only schedule the number of appointments to fit manpower they will have on that day. (sounds like the govt. - my friends who work in DC use the same phrases/words). She said based on our P3 arrival date, the interview could be scheduled as early as August, but more likely September-October. Not good news (or the news I wanted to hear), but at least I have a better idea what is going on. Who remembers the K-1 guidelines? Is it 120 days to leave the PRC and 90 days to get married once in the US? THANKS EVERYONE!!!! You all are a good group of people to work with! THANKS!!

WELCOME!!!

I filled the forms out and then we finished them on the telephone.

Could you fill it out, send it to him and have him copy the information on to a blank form? You could talk on the phone as you do it. I have done that with Sarah. You can get a "cheapo" phone card for .8 - 2 cents/minute so you can talk until you get the form done. B)

I guess I'd eat a plate of broken glass if Sarah got her visa today...at least it's worth considering! "I eat broken glass" In Pinyin: "Wo ke yi chi bo li, wo bu huei sho shang" B)

sometimes all of this feels like eating broken glass! B)

WELCOME!! We are all in this together. Ask for help, share victories/problems! Again, WELCOME!!! B)

http://www.tomsfarms.com/produce/watermelon.jpg

EMail the pix to WalMart - they print them at the local store. DOD YOU KNOW that profits at HP were up this year. I think they said 66% of their profits were from ink cartridge sales. Let me know before you buy more ink carts and I will go and buy some HP stock!

I found out that our P3 was received at GZ by calling the DoS Visa Service Center in Wash DC. When it is entered into the computer in GZ, the DoS can retrieve that info.

I sent a letter to the DoS today. I sent it to the Assistant Sec for Consular Affairs - so........maybe........

Well someone has to do the dirty work! SOmeone has to volunteer to go first!!!!! YUP!

Well, I have just finished burning up the lines from Virginia -> GZ, specifically the American Citizen Services phone # from the US - 011 8620 8121 8000 I spoke to a polite womsn who did not quite seem to understand the difference between the K1 K2 etc visas we are working with - after I explained that there are several dozen people who have similar dates likes me and there has been no issuance of P4 or the appointment letters for a while. AFter explaing it several times, I got the same old same old: 1. fingerprinting is slowing things up (fingerprinting? send the LAPD over there they'' get it straight! how does fingerprinting affect us?) 2. we have a lot of visa applications in our office (dumptruck loads! they're coming in on pallets!) 3. There are computer changeovers that are slowing down the process (new software? no more slide rules, we now have IBM PS/2's!! WOW!!) 4. you are still in the 2-3 month processing time frame (this is my favorite one!) none of this made much sense - it seems like same old same old is the stock answer........ I just wonder WHY the P4s and appt letters are not getting sent out. There has to be some reason - this is the $10K question! Maybe Alec Trebek could find out. I also called the Public Affairs Office in Beijing, She said all of these functions are handled and administered in GZ. I wonder So, I wonder, would it be any good to bring the issue to the attention of our US Senators/Reps? I kind of think not. ANy opinions? Maybe write the US Consulate General (?) in GZ or maybe someone at the DoS. So that's the news - remember, inquiring minds want to know!

WELCOME LENNY! I live in Fredericksburg - lets see, we're about 80 miles apart (??)

There are several of us who are same/similar dates. Let's keep our ears/eyes open - one of us will be first, the next second and so on... ...but we will get there and we will get our visas. (besides, I told my sister-in-law to be...if I have to, I will call from GZ to Washington DC and then go into the Consulate and "talk turkey" with whoever I have to. She had a good laugh!!) Let's keep our heads up!

WELCOME to CFL!

Thanks for all of the info about your interview!! AND...CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!