The Irreverend

Hmmm...I didn't know that my situation played into anything. Thanks for the encouragement. I have been always been convinced that our situation would pass the "reasonable man" test. If it was possible for a case worker to visit us and get to know us then they would see what was happening and issue a permanent pass. Especially considering that Lucia is amazingly charming and speaks excellent English. (Since I can't help but gush over her I will pass along that she graduated at the top of her high school class in Rizhao, graduated from BFSU with a degree in Economics and then graduated with a masters in business from Sun Yat Sen university in Guangzhou). I have always been confused whether I could be present for any of the visa interviews. I know that if they would talk to the two of us together the story would be clear. Again, as far as assets go there just aren't any, but I have evidence that she can get people to give her money, and could get anyone from the garbage man to President Hu to vouch for her. Finally, I am not casting any aspersions on anyone who went the citizenship route. I am fiercely proud of my country, but I honestly hadn't seen any advantage in citizenship until I realized that US citizens travel around the globe with less restrictions than anyone else. My point was really that most Americans are so arrogant that they assume everyone wants to be us. Even Chinese people have constantly asked my wife why we haven't moved back there yet. Don, thanks for hanging in with me. You are the reason that I am proud of my country: We have the some truly special people (like you).

Don, thanks for taking the time to lay it out. After reading what you wrote last night I just shut off my computer feeling once again defeated. I came back today planning to reply and was somehow heartened by seeing so many other replies. It appears that we are not the only ones in our situation. Before I begin I want to thank honeybun for the compliment. I assume that most of you recognize my avatar as the official marriage photo. The picture of me is pretty good, but Lucia is far more beautiful in person. She is an amazing person who works as a freelance author, Buddhist teacher, and western astrologer. Her micro blog is followed by over 20,000 people. I am constantly amazed that she shares her life with me. Well, just look for yourself... http://churchoftheporch.org/Dev/DUMPER.NSF/0/5e8bbdecd3bd085f48257979002f7af5/$FILE/7%20Cropped%204%20Small%202.jpg Back to Don. I looked into the B-2 long before we got married. We married to resolve issues with my own visa here in China and to relieve local cultural and family pressure. But it doesn't matter, since I don't think she would qualify then or now. She is by no means rich, owns no property, and as I mentioned above she does not a job in the conventional sense. Also, she has steadfastly refused to bend our truth in the slightest. This is partially due to the fact that she has little interest in visiting the US and absolutely no interest in living there. And forget changing citizenship, she is proud to be Han race Chinese. I respect that. I am sure that this attitude would surprise most of the arrogant bureaucrats running the country today. It also has surprised all of my friends who was sure she was just a green digger. I assume that's why there is no easy option for people in our situation. How could you not want to be an American?

My wife and I are in an interesting, and what from I can tell possibly unique situation. We live together in Beijing and have been married for eight months. We have known each other for a couple of years and I pretty well understand the visa process. I have avoided plunging into it because based on reports I have likened it to having simultaneous root canal, colonoscopy and IRS audit. The good news for us is that we are in absolutely no hurry to visit the US and currently have no specific plan to do so. We're thinking maybe (just maybe) we will go sometime next year. If we do it would just be a visit; we will not be returning to live. My wife is interested in attending a professional conference, but that's just talk right now. Since we were in no hurry I figured I would go the I-130 route, but no matter what route I investigate they seem to assume a specific plan to immigrate to the US. In my dream I was just thinking why not get the paperwork out of the way, get her a green card and then we would use it later (like getting a driver's license without owning a car). How should I approach this whole thing? (If you are reading this then it means that I have finally at least taken the step to post to this forum rather than just once again throwing my hands in the air and walking away realizing that it's just not worth it.)