sincere.peter

What is meant by "just prior to interview"? Thanks.

hmm, obviously i don't know how to format even simple messages on this forum, not even paragraph breaks.

dnoblett and randy w: could you answer my really dumb question? Two years ago, my shanghainese wife and i married here after use (two visits to US) and expiration of her first and only visitor's visa. Say that she were to apply for a new 10-year visitor's visa. >>> how would/could our consulate's visa interviewer even know she is married to me and deny it on that ground? <<< her parents are aging and could potentially need her to make multiple, extended trips back to china, thereby gravely interfering with uscis regulations concerning maintenance of permanent US residency/duration of absence from US (outlined on various uscis webpages). Wife has convincing evidence of "intent to return to china" (very stable employment, family ties, co-ownership with her parents of the apartment in which we live) ... were we to deem this newly-announced 10-year route an acceptable alternative to formal immigration for the near future. of course, under this type of visa, her permitted length-of-stay at entry into the US would be severely restricted as well. (what is it? 90 days at a time? 180 days?) ps/note: we haven't begun immigration process for her (zero) nor yet even applied for US citizenship for our year-old daughter.

Hi all, We live and work in Shanghai and will celebrate our first anniversary on December 12 – which, coincidentally, is the expected due date of our first child :-) 1 For DCF, can we initially submit the I-130 form (and all related documents) but then delay subsequent steps in the immigration process? If so, what steps are delay-able and for how long may we delay them? 2 Regarding IR-1 (10-year residency permit) vs CR-1 (2-year residency permit) visa – at what step/point in the immigration process is 2 years of marriage determined/measured? 3 Regarding demonstrating a true/valid marriage, would several knowledgeable folks please weigh/chime in on the importance of developing a “relationship history” document to be submitted with the I-130? 4 And many pictures (with burned-in dates?) spread over time? 5 We cannot at this point demonstrate co-mingling of finances – neither an apartment (because we simply moved into an apartment that she and her parents co-own) nor a shared bank account. How critical are these criteria? 6 Is a complete file of all documents we initially submit to USCIS-Beijing along with I-130 thereafter forwarded to Guangzhou consulate? Specifically, what does Guangzhou receive from Beijing? 7 On the I-130, are US citizen children exempt from listing? After all, IR-2/CR-2 visas wouldn't be needed for US children, right? Other questions to follow, I'm sure! Thanks in advance for your answers to these.

Hi all, Thanks to whomever and all for a great and very needed website. This is my first post. 1 My wife, Zhenyun, and I were married December 2012 in Shanghai, where we reside and I teach English. In part because we already have a child on the way, we plan to stay here awhile, at least until our second anniversary. Apparently the US immigration process (or some stage of it) is made easier by demonstrating two years of marriage? Realizing that that's still a ways off, I hope someone will comment on this as well as pointing us to your best, favorite -- that is, straightforward & simple -- posts for a "step 1, step 2, step 3, 4, 5, 6, 7..." roadmap toward immigration for her. What should we start doing in the meantime? What documents can we have translated & certified/notarized (I realize this terminology needs to be used precisely) and by whom/where in Shanghai in preparation for the entire process? Two notes: Her hukou is in Shanghai, and DCF sounds easiest -- I'll begin following the DCF posts. 2 An early step may be applying for an ITIN. I filed my 2012 tax return as "married, filing separately," filling in her SSN box as "NRA." According to the IRS's 2012 Publ 17, page 22, we have time (up to 3 years) to amend my filing status to "married, filing jointly." If and when file jointly, I'd like to supply an ITIN for her. Why? I'm guessing that "greasing the wheels" by paying taxes on our joint income is what the federal government is looking for as quid pro quo for eventually considering/granting her US citizenship. Am I close to the truth? Please comment. Question: the W-7 form states that the identifying document (eg, passport) copy must be certified by the issuing agency, which would all be Chinese in my wife's case. But are earlier posts in this thread correct in suggesting that a trip to the US consulate in Shanghai would be adequate for the purpose? Ie, a consulate notarized copy of her passport would suffice as the certified copy required by form W-7 instructions? Also, as an aside, would her receiving an ITIN necessarily require her to file & pay US taxes (via, in our case, a "married, filing jointly" return)? Many future posts to come from me, I'm sure! Peter