Wayne2010

As I¡¯ve been told of myself in the past, what I hear from you are emotions. You should concentrate on the objective of the exercise, and that is to get your mate to the U.S. The firm you hired to do the paperwork is secondary. Remember, GUZ works on facts (or what they suspect as such based on input or their own bias).¡­. What is done¡­ is done¡­. I think it is good advice to respond to the Consulate in email. Show a sincere effort and ask for their understanding in trying to correct the error. Write the email¡­. save it¡­ and read it again in a day or two¡­. Edit to make sure it is based on facts, not emotion¡­then send it. Although it is often difficult to understand, this is all about ¡°perception¡± and paper work. I¡¯m not sure the email will resolve the problem, but it is a great start. Based on their response, it will at least lead you to your next action. A sincere wish of good luck in your efforts¡­

My my tsap..... a very hefty congratulations to both you and the lil-rabbit.......... I guess I've been away enjoying the company of my wife and not keeping up with this crowd... I do agree that even the wait is very long, it gives all of us time to get to know each other , strengthen the bond, and appreciate all we have endured together as husband and wife. Best wishes to you and all the ones who will follow.. with kind regards, wayne

Not there yet.. many months till that for us. Good luck to you. I was there 26 days ago.... I wish you the very best.... oh... and please say hello for me to the arrogant Chinese guard at the entrance.... He is also the one that prods you to stand in a line while waiting for your wife...

Hello everyone...!!... My wife passed.(finally after more than 2 years waiting)... HURRAY.. The paper turn in was 1 June with interview on 2 June. All the leg work paid off.... everything in order.. Now we are in Guangzhou waiting for the visa. With any luck perhaps before the end of the week. If anyone is interested in details I would be happy to share...just ask the question... I sincerely appreciate all the kindness shown on this website. It helps to know others experiences and be able to vent to an understanding group.

I am preparing to go to Guangzhou Sunday with a "one-way" ticket. My wife got her interview notice Tuesday 24 May saying the interview was 1 June. After she received a call confirming her address it took 3 weeks to get the papers. Now we are stressed trying to make all the arrangements, but I am so thankful because it has worked out that I will be there a day ahead of her interview. We have all the "i's" dotted and the "t's" crossed. Maybe, just maybe this will be our lucky time. During her interview I will wait outside hoping for success..... and probably almost as nervous as her..

No need to fret¡­. All is fine.. shucks it couldn¡¯t be better¡­.Thanks for your response today¡­ it was very much appreciated. My wife told me yesterday she got a call from the Consulate. We are hoping she will receive more info about another interview within the next week¡­.. but as you already know¡­ that may or not be¡­¡­..all we can do is hope and keep our altimeter high. ......... the journey never ends... until the end.........and old dogs never die............

Hey there tsap¡­speaking as a new-cummer..(hehehe)¡­ although I don¡¯t¡¯ really know you, I know you well. ..been to places you have been¡­.. done some of the things you have done¡­and waiting the wait you have waited (even if not as long)¡­¡­you helped me when I was down¡­.you helped me feel not alone¡­..for that I am grateful.. A dear friend once said to me, ¡°I hope you have a wonderful day, and I have a better one¡± ¡­.leaving you with that thought, I sincerely wish you and lil¡¯ rabbit the best years of your lives as you venture though the unknown..............together as one....... If it is in the cards, it would be a pleasure one day to meet you and the lil¡¯ one you speak of so often¡­ it would be an honor to call you a friend.

Someone said that they gave their passport to their wife for the interview. I think this is a wonderful idea¡­whether it helps or not¡­I can¡¯t imagine it doing anything other then showing a sign of force¡­.and for being there during the interview¡­. absolutely priceless¡­ I can¡¯t think of it in any other way. Baring anything unforeseen, and if for no other reason, I will be there for moral support ..as for me this is one of the most important things I will do in my lifetime.

Hi Davy, I wrote a response, but somehow it was lost in the "back" click. Anyway, I want you to know that I understand very well what you are going through. My wife was denied in Jan 2010 for K3, and CR1 in Feb 2010. We had to wait until March 2011 before hearing directly from the USCIS. Others on this site have had to wait even longer. Xiao Hua and I submitted our response to the NOIR, and within 3 weeks were reaffirmed. Now we wait again. Nobody can tell you how long, but we are hoping to be together by the end of July. We also contacted our senator, ombudsman, and made several stops by the local USCIS office. I truly understand the frustration and anger you are feeling. As for my wife and I, in my heart I know we have become a stronger couple because of the wait. At this point one might say "follow the lemon aid". My only advice would be to relax, find something constructive to do, and keep trying all the avenues to expedite the process. While the effort may seem futile, there is always a chance it will be worthwhile. Good luck, Wayne

Much Happenings: Howdy again. The last time I started a thread was to let others know about the ¡°toothless tiger¡±. After continuing to bug the congressman¡¯s office, the ¡°Ombudsman¡±, and visiting the local USCIS office, and after 12 months of agony of waiting we finally got the NOIR. Not that this was anything other than expected, we were hopeful somehow we would have escaped the torture, and merely got re-approved. Guess that was only a foolish dream. Yesterday through FedEx I was informed the USCIS CSC received the documents in response to the NOIR. The next question, should we be so granted another opportunity for interview, is how long we must again wait. I¡¯m sure there are many who will read this that have gone through similar experiences. Any timeline that could be shared would let us know what lies ahead, and be gratefully appreciated.

The NVC will now forward it to the Consulate. Once they receive the papers they will schedule an interview..... Sounds like you are on you way...

The NVC is in NH... that is a good thing......

Tsap seui I have read many of your posts. It is very unfortunate we have to live this way, but, hey, at least we have the internet to connect with friends on CFL who are in the same boat. Some of your posts are very comical, some sad, and others inspiring. I also want to thank ¡°bullmastiff¡± for such encouraging words. I have only been to China three times since my wife and I began chatting. As everyone knows the trip cost and time away from work makes it difficult. Also, since my Mother lives with me, I hate to leave her when I travel, so I try to consider her when I make plans to visit my wife. Otherwise I would stay longer when I go. Today was a very good day for me. My wife and I chatted twice, morning and evening. It is these days that make this terrible wait tolerable. Her English is getting much better every day, but she still gets very nervous when trying to communicate with others. I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful person in my life as my wife. Hopefully one day soon we can physically share our future together. Many that frequent here on CFL have sad stories, but there are also those who have overcome. In time I hope this will pass for all of us who wait the fate of Guangzhou so we can live our dreams with the one we love.

Thanks for the responses. Sometimes it seems hopeless, but I know that each time I do an inquiry the ¡°touch date¡± changes on the USCIS website. This I find encouraging, and if nothing else, it gives me something to do while I wait for our next round with the Consulate. Next Tuesday I have an InfoPass appointment with the USCIS office in Dallas. And yes, I expect nothing, so whatever comes of it will not be too disappointing. More importantly, chl2010, how were you able to get the Consulate to write to the Senator? I¡¯m assuming you ask the Senator¡¯s office to initiate an inquiry to the Consulate in Guangzhou, right?

After my return in November from China I decided to be more proactive in getting the attention of the USCIS. Before doing anything I asked my attorney if it would do any harm if I contacted the Ombudsman. His response was ¡°there would be no harm however; we often call it "toothless tiger"¡±. Yesterday I finally received a response to my email request 5 weeks ago. It read: The Office of Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) is unable to assist in your matter. Your correspondence indicates that you filed Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative on April 13, 2009. Our research indicates that USCIS is still reviewing your I-130 Petition for Alien Relative, and your case is within expected processing times. You should receive a response from USCIS once the review process is complete. The letter went on to say their functions are to ¡°identify problems and formulate recommendations to improve the USCIS service¡±. What a joke. I guess since they did not define the ¡°expected¡± processing time there conclusion was ¡°no problem¡±. If only I could look them in the face to ask the rhetorical question: ¡°If this was your spouse, and you had waited two years to be together, would you honestly believe the system is working properly¡±. Of course rather conveniently they distance themselves from the petitioner.

Hi Gary, I am very sorry to hear this story, and for sure can relate to your frustration and the feeling of helplessness. There are so many people who either have been, or are currently experiencing similar results. After my wife received her ¡°blue¡± slip at her initial K3 interview, I was certain it was a mistake, and it could be simply rectified by submitting the requested information. Less than 30 days later she received notice of the CR1 interview. The results were staggering. I could not believe the VO would not take the time to review the new information, or give her the opportunity to explain. She was quickly given a white slip and turned away. As of today we do not know anything more than the standard ¡°non-bonafide relationship¡± that appeared on the paper. That was 6 Feb 2010. It was only after the shocking event at the second interview did I begin searching the internet for answers. Even more shocking was what I found. During my search I ran across a few good articles which gave me hope to prevent the return of the documents to USCIS. I quickly made plane reservations for Chongqing (where my wife lives) so we could travel together to Guangzhou to plea our case during their weekly ¡°citizen¡± hour. You can read my posts under ¡°Frustration¡± for details, but the bottom line resulted in ¡°your case is going back to USCIS¡±. On 1 April 2010 the papers returned to USCIS. The next day we hired an attorney, but it was too late to change the course. After about 4 months of waiting I contacted the local USCIS office in Dallas. They didn¡¯t and don¡¯t have a clue. The officer I spoke with said give it another 45 days. I walked away empty handed. After the time period passed I tried to call the office listed on the website. Punching every button on the keypad only resulted in disgust. The next try was to contact my congressman. After three tries I finally was able to get enough attention that one office checked the status. I was given the same ¡°45¡± day story. I am now on my third try, still waiting and hoping that we will hear soon. If you have not tried the senator or Ombudsman approach, I would suggest you try. As long as you use common respect for their position I do not believe it will hurt your case. Judging by the ¡°touch date¡± on the USCIS website they record every action taken on your case, and the fact you show concern is positive. If you have an attorney please get his input, if you don¡¯t, you may want to contact someone so as to be prepared in the event you are sent an NOIR. As for my wife, I feel totally responsible for being so naive. If I had done more research I ¡°may¡± have been able to avoid some of the grief. Although I do not know your specific circumstances, I do understand how such events can impact your life. Every single day that passes my wife dominates my thoughts. The wait is painful and as you ride the roller coaster of life with the government in control it almost seems unbearable. Try to be patient, and show unfaltering love to your wife for you are both in the boat together.

Actually, I count my blessings. In a ¡°distorted way¡± the wait is good. It has done two things, first it has given my wife time to learn more English, and secondly, it has given me more time to realize how much I love my wife, and to appreciate what she has gone through to be with me. In America we are innocent until proven guilty. In Guangzhou you are guilty by default. It is the American way. I love my Xiao Hua¡­..and I pray she has the stamina to endure.

Sooner than a "trend" can be spotted, you can bet it will change - we see this all the time (a trend in itself). Whether tour relationship is "bonafide" (for immigration purposes) or not is solely at the discretion of the VO. Yes Randy, I surely know. But my question is, "is it right"? Just my humble opinion, but the only duty of the VO is to determine if the information submitted is "fraudulent". The job of the USCIS is to determined if the petitioner and beneficiary qualifies by US law. The VO "opinion" of whether the relationship is bona-fide is irrelevant. He should perform his duty based on facts, not speculation.

Posting a model on an internet site is not always helpful. I purchased a ¡°do-it-yourself¡± kit on the internet, carefully read the instructions, and was comfortable in thinking all requirements would be listed on these government documents. So it never crossed my mind to dig deeper. Obviously, based on posts on CFL and VJ, this was also the case with many others. Ideally, the best way is for the USCIS to stipulate VO requirements on the petitioner¡¯s application for the beneficiary of K1/K3/CR1 visas. Not only would this save a lot of heartaches, it would cut down on the paperwork seen by the VO.

No we did not indicate that I spoke Chinese or that she could speak fluent English. And yes, she received a blue slip asking her to provide additional information on my previous marriage, and to explain how we communicated. I do not speak Chinese, and as I said before, my wife only spoke a little English. Between having a close Chinese friend who speaks English very well, the use of an electronic translator, and her limited English we did very well. Of course since then she enrolled in an English class and things are much easier now. The CR1 interview came so quickly after the K3, so we decided to translate the requested response to English and submit it at the CR1. According to my wife they did not even take the time to look at the information. As you can imagine, after a long flight to Guangzhou, another physical, and to be turned away after only 5 minutes was heartbreaking.

She was interviewed twice ( I 129 and I 130 ) . How was the interview ? Any clue as to the reasons why they concluded this way ??? Would you share with us details ? unless they just handed over her the white slips twice without a word. Since I immediately filed for I-129 after the I-130, there were two separate interviews. The first came on 2 Jan 10 for K3, the second was 6 Feb 10 for CR1. She received a blue slip in Jan. It is my belief that denial of K3 resulted in immediate CR1 denial. She was not given any opportunity to explain, or submit any additional documents. At this time we have not received the typical NOIR so it is merely a guess as to why the denial. The paperwork says, “not a bona-fide relationship”. My guess would be the lack of English my wife displayed. At that time she could speak very little English, and only understand when it was written, and naturally she was scared to death. Secondly, we were married on the first visit. As I said in an earlier post, out of the tons of documents submitted none stipulated the criteria for approval. I hold myself totally responsible for the denials. I assumed submitting the appropriate documents and approval by the USCIS meant the visa would be issued during the interview unless something significant turned up. Wrong..!!..

There are others here that have waited and are still waiting. It took me 4 years. No need to think time is wasting away as there are many things you two can do to learn more about each other. I thought I knew my wife well but when she got here it was like starting all over again. I am sure others will chime in and tell you the same thing I am telling you. Be patient and learn each other. You two have known each other such a short time. Good luck!!! Have been waiting for more than 2 years now. Still waiting for the famous NOIR from USCIS. Many of us are in the same boat. Hang in there. So when did the USCIS receive your papers back??

Good Morning Scott, and thanks for the feedback. As a small business owner I totally agree with your assessment. And as big government would have it, once the decision is made it is nearly impossible to get it reversed. I find it interesting that when I went to Guangzhou to try to have the case review before the return to USCIS I initially spoke with a VO. I looked at his badge, called him by name and demanded to speak to Karen, his supervisor. He turned around put his badge in his shirt pocket (as if I did not see) and told me that was my right. Of course it was all for naught, but at least they heard my plea. The point is that a person behaving in a professional manor making just decisions would not fear who they were or what they had done. It is obvious there will be a long wait before my wife and I can be together. Although I am not a patient person, giving up is not an option.

I guess tonight I seem to be long winded, but I have some additional comments/thoughts (opinions¡­.) The forms filed with the USCIS never asked how many times we had met before marriage, or whether her English or my Chinese was adequate to communicate. The fact is that we met the criteria to marry, including my ability for financial support. She was divorced, did not have a criminal record, nor carry a communicable disease. As for me, I think it irrelevant that she spoke little English, and I spoke little Chinese. From information I have gathered and read, it is not a requirement by law that your spouse be able to speak English for visa eligibility. The fact she was granted an interview (twice) means that the USCIS thought we both meet the requirements of the US laws. Futhermore, if being able to vocally communicate in Chinese or English are requirements, why is it not located on an applicable form? What if she had ¡°no¡± tongue? And what if I were deaf? Could we not communicate by other methods? The American way is ¡°innocent¡± until proven guilty, however; by the rules of the American Consulate in Guangzhou you are guilty by default. How many people¡¯s lives have been affected by such irrational thinking? In all due respect, I feel the VO should furnish substance to decline a request after USCIS approval. A few days ago I read on this site about one person¡¯s spouse who had been denied a visa. Later he found that 3 VO¡¯s had been dismissed for taking bribes in exchange for granting a visa. This is not merely a story, it happened to us. Again, being naive, I chose to ignore it as being ridiculous, but now, as another respondent admitted, I would gladly pay the $5000USD to have my wife in my arms. So I ask, why is it that the system gives the ¡°absolute¡± authority to the VO to determine a valid relationship? Where is the oversight?

My many thanks to my ¡°new¡± friends here on CandleForLove. I am very happy tonight because I have just spent the last hour in IM chat with my wife from Chongqing. I even had a chance to say hello to her Father in Chinese. There is so much to share, but first I must try to answer ¡°credzba¡±. I must admit you have many things correct. I am 62 years old, have been married before, and my new wife will turn 48 next month. She has a son who recently graduated from a college in Beijing. He seems to be a very intelligent and considerate person. I am proud he has accepted his mother marrying an American. His toast during the family dinner on my last visit to China was very moving, as well as that of my wife¡¯s father. And, yes, we met on the internet. Yes, her friend¡¯s daughter is an English major who has been helping her and I through these times. Xiao Hua¡¯s English has improved drastically over the past two years and we are able to communicate (mostly) by ourselves, which was not the case when she took the interview. During the past two years I have gone through doubtful times, however; I think the last visit with her was delightful and reassured my feelings. Although this is not my first rodeo, there is much to learn. As I am well aware, no marriage is perfect. It takes time to learn each other, and accept life as it is. The most important part is to share the desire to be together, and what life has to bring. I do have one question for ¡°chilton747¡± which may be helpful. You said you have waited for 4 years. If you would, please explain why it took so long, and the sequence of events?