bobbyA

My fiancee called the post office about an hour ago and was told the visa packages usually arrive at the post office at 5 or 6pm. She called the general number listed on her pink slip. The designated post office's phone number kept ringing busy. I'm sure a lot of people call them everyday. Thanks for confirming that you haven't gotten your yet. Hopefully we'll hear something this afternoon.

We tried both English and Chinese versions of EMS tracking. Both came up with nothing. I guess our visa has not been sent out.

Thanks Ryan, I agree with you. I intend to keep it for her AOS interview.

Thanks Randy, My fiancee called the EMS phone number last night and got a live operator. She was told the package is not in their system yet. We tracked the package on the Chinese site the past few days and found nothing. It wasn't a problem with the verification code. We tried multiple times. I tried the English site a few minutes ago as you suggested and came up with nothing either. My fiancee said she remember seeing a sign at the station where she filled out her EMS label which says in Chinese something like "the earliest you'll receive the package is Friday". So I hope we'll hear something today. I'm getting impatient By the way, my fiancee had her 3 shots yesterday and was given a white envelope addressed to USCIS. It's about a third of the size of the medical report envelope. I'm for sure it's only for her vaccination, and since k-1 does not require vaccination for visa approval, I'm tempted not to turn it in at the POE. I'm going to hold on to it until her interview for AOS. That would be one less piece of document to get lost in their system. What do you think?

Thanks tsap seui, My fiancee called just now and was told they have not received it. But we learnt that we can call 24 hours a day. We'll call tomorrow. Good night! Bobby

tsap seui, Glad to know that you got your visas the second day after the interview. We're waiting for ours, and was wondering if your tracking number showed up at the EMS website? We've been tracking ours and no news. Tomorrow would be 3 days since our interview. Would you suggest we go to the post office tomorrow and make an inquiry?

Thanks, I'm glad you did ok too.

I'm sort of a perfectionist, so I had Google maps printed out before I left America. I showed the cap drivers maps and directions, etc. I was with my fiancee at the medical, my finacee asked enough questions while at the center (after being read the "death sentence") so they know us well. And my fiancee called the clinic enough times over the 4 days that everyone at the clinic knew our case well. Once I showed up at the clinic on the interview day, they knew what I came for. The medical was the least of our worries, so we thought. Everything we read were about bona fide relationship etc. So we were not prepared for this shocked, but I read way enough, and for some odd reason I asked about accessing the consulate before I came to Guangzhou in the July Interview thread. Randy W was helpful to offer information about the consulate, and no Chinese language is required to access the consulate. Some of the gaurds actually spoke very good English. Anyway, I'm glad to be able to share my experience so others may learn something from it. Before my own experience, I thought the consulate (5th floor) was a mysterious place off limits to everyone except people with appointment letters. Now I'm glad to clear that myth. I want people to know that no gaurd will give you any hard time if you go to the consulate during American Citizen Services hours of 8:30am to 11:30am, and 1:30pm and 3:30pm.

http://i28.tinypic.com/2mruqv6.jpg Congratulations !! http://i1.tinypic.com/3ygwmdz.gif I would like to thank everyone, especially you, Randy, for giving me the courage and valuable information about the consulate. I had to use all that information to pull through! Please see my post: http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?/topic/43676-down-to-the-wire-guangzhou-k-1-approval-experience/

I hope our unusual experience will help others in the future when faced with similar situation. I learnt that we need to think on our feet, be proactive, don¡¯t be afraid to contact the consulate in times of doubt and trouble. Have faith and persist till the end. Even without medical report, one can proceed to turn in documents and go for interview. Saturday, July 16th Arrived Guangzhou at about 12:30pm, checked in to the Jianguo Hotel, then rushed to the Guangzhou United Family Clinic at 2:30pm. There were 6 or 7 people in front of us at the time. Everything went well until the doctor told my fianc¨¦e her blood work came back positive with the possibility of a sexually transmitted disease. He went on to say that they have to send the blood work to another lab for further analysis because they only do basic screening at the clinic. Since the other lab is closed on weekends, it could be 2 to 3 days before we hear anything. We were advised not to go to our interview until we get the results. That was a double whammy!! My fianc¨¦e was very upset because she had no idea how she could have contracted such a disease, and secondly, it just looked like that¡¯s the end of our k-1 journey. It was torturous to say the least. When asked, the friendly but busy receptionist said the blood work result could be caused by a number of factors, in some cases due to menstrual period, stress and fatigue due to insufficient rest, etc. Well, my fianc¨¦e didn¡¯t sleep much the night before we flew from Shanghai to Guangzhou and went for her medical that same afternoon on top of having her period start a day before her travel. Those didn¡¯t matter at all because the report must come from the blood work result. I had to comfort my devastated fianc¨¦e that everything will be OK, that we will do everything we can to get our visa. Poor girl, she just could not rest, and I don¡¯t blame her at all. The way the doctor pronounced to her the result was like a life sentence. It was an otherwise pleasant experience at the clinic. Sunday, July 17th We went to paid the visa fee at Citic Bank, while still wondering what to do. My fianc¨¦e called the Guangzhou United Family Clinic to plea for expedite but was told they can¡¯t do anything on the weekend. We had to wait till 10am on Monday morning to hear anything. Once again, the clinic told my fianc¨¦e their doctor had already emailed the consulate about our case, and the consulate¡¯s reply was that we can¡¯t go to document intake until we get the medical report. Later, we found that this was either a lie or misinformation. It was a grueling Sunday for my fianc¨¦e. She just could not believe that she has the disease. I kept telling her if there is no reason for her to have caught the disease then just relax and everything will be ok. Her head was swimming in all kinds of fear, including the treatment if the other lab comes back with positive. Well, the fact or dilemma is she does not have any kind of symptom of any disease. We spent our Sunday Goggling sexually transmitted diseases and treatments. I sent the consulate an online form-email asking if we could turn in documents without a medical report. Till this day, I did not get a reply. Not sure if I gave the wrong email address or incorrect subject matter or what. Monday, July 18th Hours before document intake: we had breakfast, and my fianc¨¦e was still restless. She called Guangzhou United Family Clinic at 8:30am and was told we have to wait till 10am to hear anything. She called at 10am, and they told her the other lab had not done anything to her blood work yet because they just got it. Once again, my fianc¨¦e was told she can¡¯t turn in her documents at the consulate and we would have to reschedule with the consulate. Worse yet, if she tests positive, she would have to undergo treatment before getting her visa. What a nightmare!! When asked, Guangzhou United Family Clinic told my fianc¨¦e once we start the process at Guangzhou United Family Clinic it is against US consulate¡¯s instructions if we went to another facility for medical report. My fianc¨¦e called the Health Care Center of Guangzhou International Travel anyway. This facility was willing to corporate, but they have to get a release from Guangzhou United Family Clinic. Guangzhou United Family Clinic was not willing. The Health Care Center of Guangzhou International Travel told my fianc¨¦e they could produce a conclusive blood work report in a few hours, while Guangzhou United Family Clinic¡¯s 30-minute blood work is only an initial screening, therefore the slightest trace of antibody-like element will be flagged. The Health Care Center of Guangzhou International Travel further advised my fianc¨¦e that she should not listen to Guangzhou United Family Clinic, that we should contact the consulate ourselves. My fianc¨¦e pleaded with me to go to the consulate and ask an immigration officer whether we can still turn in our documents. So we packed her documents and hoped we would be allowed to turn in her documents without a medical report. She waited on the 4th floor while I showed my US passport to the guard. Believe me; I had butterflies in my stomach. I got there 20 minutes before the American Citizen Services (ACS) closes for lunch. Later I found that US Citizens can go to the ACS anytime between 8:30am and 11:30am, then 1:30pm to 3:30pm. The ACS is next to the immigrant visa hall, and people can move around freely. To my surprise, I had no trouble getting to the ACS. It took me a few minutes to know that I had to take a number to be called. I was called. I told a Chinese lady consulate staff member that I need to speak to an immigration officer because I am having problems with a medical facility. I gave the lady my passport, a copy of my fianc¨¦e¡¯s interview appointment letter, and the original receipt from Guangzhou United Family Clinic showing we paid 800 Yuan for the medical exam. There were 6 Americans in front of me at the ACS. I was called at about 11:30am by an immigration officer. Before he called me, I could see him asking the Chinese staff what my request was all about perhaps he couldn¡¯t figure out why someone gave him a receipt from the clinic. After greeting him, I told him the clinic could not give us a medical report, and ask if we could still turn in documents in an hour¡¯s time. He said ¡°I don¡¯t see why not¡±, and he turned to ask his colleague to confirm. Then he came back to tell me we just won¡¯t get the visa until we turn in the medical report, but we can turned in the report that afternoon. So I came down to the 4th floor to convey the good news to my fianc¨¦e. She was happy that we can proceed. We paid 98 Yuan for two bottled water and waited at the expensive coffee shop till about 12:15pm. We stood in line in the steamy Guangzhou whether for 10 minutes until the line started moving. Anyway, my fianc¨¦e turned in her documents to a male staffer whom she said was nice but spoke very little. She showed the gentleman her Guangzhou United Family Clinic receipt and told him they could not produce the medical report in time for her document intake, and he proceeded to take in her Packet 4 and I-134 documents. He took in almost everything she gave him, including our family member¡¯s letter. So she was quite pleased. He didn¡¯t even ask if she was CCP member. Tuesday, July 19th Mentally prepared to get at least a blue slip without the medical report, my fianc¨¦e came up with the idea the night before that she will proceed to the interview while I go back to Guangzhou United Family Clinic to hopefully be able to get her medical report. After parting with her on the 4th floor that morning at about 8am, I took a taxi to the Guangzhou United Family Clinic. The friendly receptionist was busy with a couple of applicants, and I found a time to ask her about our report. She politely told me the other lab opens at 8:30am. 8:35am, more beneficiaries showed up at the clinic. I went and ask her if I can speak to her supervisor. She pointed me to the supervisor. The supervisor told me the lab opens at 9:00am, and they are aware of our case. 9:05am, I went to the supervisor who was busy with a crowd of beneficiaries by that time. She said she already called the lab, and the person is not at the office yet. 9:15am, I went to the supervisor again saying I need to have a report, whether positive or negative because I need to deliver it to the consulate that morning. Still the answer was, ¡°I understand your concern, we have already put in an expedite request¡±. 9:30am, the supervisor came out and said they got the blood work report, everything looks normal, but please be seated because she needs some time to wrap it up. OK, so I thought it shouldn¡¯t take but 5 minutes to put everything in an envelope and seal it up. Wrong!! After about 15 minutes, I just couldn¡¯t wait any longer. I went up to the supervisor, and she told me a nurse needed to check and then sign the documents. 5 minutes later she managed to get a nurse in between checkups and got her to look at the documents and signed off. Another 10 minutes went by for the ¡°wrap up¡±. I finally got the report and a nice ¡°sorry about the wait¡±. I rushed out of the clinic, saw a taxi just letting off people, ran to it and off I went back to the consulate. Armed with what I know about the consulate, I went up to the 4th floor, had to cut in front of a long line of applicants/beneficiaries. Showed my passport to the guard and was let in. I hurried to the security checkpoint, and then I went into the immigrant section of the consulate to find my fianc¨¦e. She saw me and waved. I told her everything was ok and handed her my passport and the medical report. Less than a minute later, her number was called. Her interview probably lasted 10 to 15 minutes. I wasn¡¯t looking at my watch. Just looking from afar when she was interviewed by a friendly middle aged VO, according to her. My fianc¨¦e said what bothered her most was the VO kept marking and writing on a blue piece of paper, as if preparing the dreaded blue slip. My fianc¨¦e also handed her my passport and the medical report explaining why she did not turn it in yesterday. The VO looked a little surprised, but took it anyway. At the end, my fianc¨¦e was relieved when she heard the VO said to her ¡°you passed¡± in Chinese. All that time, she was interviewed in English. After her interview, we went out through different security checkpoints, got our cell phones, and then proceeded to fill out the EMS label for visa and passport delivery. We will be picking up her visa at the designated Guangzhou post office. My fianc¨¦e was happy beyond words. She felt that we were proactive and worked together to pull this off. She also said she felt like ¡°someone¡± was holding her interview time until my arrival with the medical report. Yes, it was a miracle. As far as she could tell, there was no particular order when people were called. A k-1 beneficiary who was sitting next to her was called about 10 minutes before my fianc¨¦e was called, but the lady turned in her documents after my fianc¨¦e the day before. Now we wait for her visa and passport. Wishing you all the best and hoping no one else have to go through what we went through with an unexpected false alarm. Once again, a big THANK YOU to Randy W for giving me the courage and valuable information about the consulate. I had to use all that information to pull through!

My fiancee passed her interview today!! I went up to the 5th floor a few times this week for a good but stressful reason More to come!!

Anna, As far as I know, the only fee you'll be paying is between 20 yuan and 80 yuan for the consulate to mail the visa.

For your sake, I hope you can pick up your wife's visa and passport and leave Guangzhou before I get there Please keep us posted so we can estimate and hope for ours. I'll try to get up to the 5th floor myself on Monday if my fiancee doesn't stop me from carrying out my crazy idea

tsap seui, Good to hear from you! It was your post about standing in line with your wife to pay for her EMS that prompted my "crazy idea" of going up to the 5th floor of the consulate to be with my fiancee during her document intake and interview. It stirred up quite a discussion in the July Discussion Group When are you leaving Guangzhou? I'll be there on Saturday.

Andy, I'm glad you found our data helpful. It's perfectly alright to call DOS and email the consulate. A gentlemen at VJ waited a long time for his fiancee's P3 because DOS didn't have the correct information for him. I encouaged him to email the consulate, and the consulate replied and told him they sent P3 to his fiancee and got returned because of incorrect address. Their P3 got sent back to the consulate, and the consulate forwarded it to him. Obviously he hasn't gotten it, but he wasted 6 weeks before finding out. Hope you hear from the consulate soon!

Great!! Thank you.

Randy, Looks like you were hard at work while I was sound asleep Thank you for the detailed drawings of the consulate and pictures. I'm looking forward to seeing all that myself. Can't wait!! I much prefer slow days. It's good to know they don't conduct interviews on Mondays, so if I get up early enough on Monday, I'll venture into the building and see how far up I can go. Come rescue me if I get stuck

Apparently this door is fairly wide - others have reported doing the same thing I did - even accessing the consulate through a "back door". OK, but I can at least go stand in line with my fiancee while she waits to pay for her EMS? That's what tsap seui did I guess the only way to find out is to go try it if I feel up to it that day Just hope I won't get myself into trouble. Thanks for all your replies

Andy, To date, mine is among 8 k-1 petitions with July interview dates according to VJ timeline. These 8 petitions' "P3 to interview dates" range from 28 days to 48 days. I suggest you email the consulate about 10 days after you sent your P3. That's what I did, and they responded very quickly. I emailed them on their Friday morning, and they replied on their Monday morning with an interview date That gave me enough time to make travel arrangements. My "P3-sent to P4-received" was 21 days, and my "P3-sent to interview date" was 37 days. So go ahead and send the consulate an email at http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn//immigrant-visa-unit-question.html and you'll be glad you did

Randy, What a revelation! If that's the case, why were American Citizens sitting in the coffee shop instead of being on the 5th floor? Was it because there's no place to sit, no coffee or restroom on the 5th floor? Besides getting frowned upon by the guards, what prevented American citizens from being on the 5th floor? All I heard so far was the infamous high-dollar coffee shop on the 4th floor. I've heard "no American citizens allowed at the interview", so I for one took it as, "no one without interview invitation allowed on the 5th floor". My fiancee's interview is on a Tuesday. Does the consulate conduct interviews on Mondays? If so, I might go take a peek on Monday armed with my U.S. passport. If my U.S. passport can get me to the 5th floor, I would be really tempted to go into the interview waiting room and save my fiancee a seat while she makes her way through the line and IV security checkpoint Am I being too bold or too stupid to have such a thought? Your reply opened up something I never thought possible. You've unraveled the mystery of the "sacred 5th floor" for me. THANK YOU!!

Wow!! Thanks for sharing your experience!! So please tell me if I understood correctly: on the morning of my fiancee's interview, I can stand in line with her until she gets up to the 4th floor. Then she goes to the escalator that takes her to the 5th floor while I go wait at the coffee shop. After her interview, she comes to the 4th floor coffee shop and gives me my passport, then the both of us proceed to the base of the escalator, show the guard her interview letter, her ID and my passport, then we go back up to the 5th floor to pay for our EMS? I used to think that the "sacred" 5th floor is off limits without an appointment for official business, and only the person(s) named on the interview letter are allowed If my fiancee has to wait in a long line to pay for her EMS, I would prefer to wait with her instead of waiting in the coffee shop.

Randy, thanks for sharing this wonderful news! Congratulations to tsap seui!! Is it possible to stand in line with you SO while she fills out the EMS label for visa delivery? If so, I'd like to do that too in about 11 days

Great write-up and great advice!! Thanks!!

Welcome to the July party! Is July 19th your document intake day or interview day? My fiancee's interview is on the 19th Good luck to you!!

tsap seui, Thanks for the heads-up I hope the crowd would have thinned down by the time we get there in the afternoon. Good luck to your wife's Friday interview too!! Bobby