NicolaNSam

Thanks for your help! Can you believe we have a great lawyer that charged me a ton of money and didn't even say I needed the DS-156, 157. What would I do without Candle

Hey Guys, As some of you have read in a previous post. My mother is dying of brian cancer. She has less than two years to live and although she knows she has cancer she doesn't know its terminal. I would like to invite her sister and best friend to visit from Iran but was wondering if the forms to fill out will be the same as China. Is it the forms DS-156 and DS-157? Anyone have a link for this in reference to inviting someone from Iran. Thanks for everyone's constant support and advice!

I know its VERY HARD but do not sleep during the day even if your entire body feels like a 1000 pounds. If you only sleep at night and force yourself up all day your going to adjust to the time change in 3 days. The first day is the hardest to fall asleep. I'm saying all this and i'm up at 3:00 AM in fear of the time change for our trip November 28th! Its tough either way. I went a whole month and hardly adjusted to the time but once I forced myself awake during the day time I can adjust in 3 days or so. A full week to recover 100% of course. Good luck and enjoy yourself this the the day you waited for all your life....Enjoy!

I really think Earliest March latest June. Don't plan for January your going to torcher yourself every single second that passes your personal expected interview date. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. I was K1 also. Good luck

I am also a convicted felon having had cloned a $20 bill and passed 7 of them off! I actually filed bankruptcy during the wait for my I-129F to be approved. Sometimes I think all the waiting may be because I had sinned! Be straight forward and truthfull, believe that love is more powerful than all your past happenings. Our United States of America will do as much as they can for you. The only thing we can't really control is the waiting inbetween. Email me at mrbill2449@hotmail.com. I'll give you more specifics that may be helpful! Oh...We are now waiting for the P4! 236198[/snapback] Is that Mr. Bill like $20 bill? HAHA couldn't resisit

Your all going to love this one. All my life I dreaded getting married to someone that is going to spend all my money while i'm working my butt off. I'm your everyday proud cheapie. Well I get married to Nicola and she works her butt off with me and tells me I spend too much money! I'm the first to tell you our 10 year old 180,000 mile 4-runner can go another 4 years and another 120,000 miles. But God! Can't we get seperate Cokes at a fast food resturant! Beware what you wish for.

Wow you really have no idea how happy I am for you. I hope this gives confidence to more people to try! WAY TO GOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Prepare them to make several attempts and organize all their assets on one frontpage so the VO can take a 10 second look cause that's all they do. Make sure they are both coming back to something in China like a job waiting for their return and dress for success (In my opinion). Good luck!

Both Nicola's grandparents passed their interview after their third attempt. If you are there during the interview then it helps to bring your passport inside with them. Also, try to make a frontpage that links all your documents together. She doesn't have assets or money but it is only one of several reasons why she would return. List every single family memeber that she is leaving behind and will go back to. List her job salary (Nicola's grandparents made $80 or $100 a month but because they had a job and will want to come back for their job it helped). Finally, Try try try try try. I gave the same evidence each time and the third time helped but I was there and they gave my passport to the V.O. Good luck

Hey I just got an E-mail from the visa department. They got approved for their 6 month extention. Thanks for everyone's help!

Thanks for your well wishes.

Kim, Your baby is adorable!! How old is he? Our girl is 16 months old (almost 17). Thanks for keeping us in mind. Let us know next time you guys are in New Orleans.

Thanks for your kind words. My closest friend died in the hurricane. He stayed during everything and went outside to try to rig a pump to keep his house from flooding. A gigantic oak tree fell right on top of him. His brother was feet away from him and couldn't do anything. Years earlier my friend's brother died in yet another hurricane. Its the worse feeling in world and nothing we have lost or will lose will get him back. Besides this tragic loss, I think most people will benefit from this hurricane. Everyone's home value went up. Every single house we enter has new everything. Insurance is really doing people better than related in the news. I checked the status our extension and they say it will take 120 to 200 days to give us an answer. Isn't that just typical of the government. It might take them longer to answer us than the extention amount! Good luck everyone.

I'm sure the visa you're talking about was granted based on the totality of the circumstances and case that was presented. Do you have any tidbits of knowledge to add that would enhance the value of having stated this single isolated fact? 215687[/snapback] We also wrote that we would pay the travel expenses of both Nicola's parents and Grandparents. They were all granted visas with her grandparents visiting first then going back and having her parents visit next. Our immigration lawyer also suggested saying we would pay their expenses. She said it would show that they are our guest and that they won't have to worry about them coming here and not having enough money to visit and leave. I'm sure it's really different for everyone. They leave the decision up to one person to say yes or no during a two minute interview. Its just not reasonable for any of us to guess what that one person is looking for. In my opinion, its better to keep trying. Even if it takes 8 or 10 times. Nicola's grandparents passed after their third attempt with the same information just a bit more organized. Good luck

Nicola and I finished in 8 months. She lives in Zhongshan near Guanzhou. We were K1. Its possible but I would prepare myself for a year and a half. It just makes things less painful. Good luck!

CARL!!! HOW YA BEEN BUDDY! HAHA

I'm sure there is no problem with asking for an extension. Our lawyer said if they get the extension then they would have to stay in China for a year before asking to visit us again. Besides, when Nicola is a citizen she can petition them to live with us and this won't hurt us. I found the answer in case anyone else wants to reference this in the future https://egov.immigration.gov/cris/caseStatu...id=a998Fx4Rn1z7 You just put your case number in and they will show the status. Also, I will try to set up a account and they will E-mail the results. Good luck to everyone in the visa process.

I can tell you from experience that they have a great chance if you are serious about wanting them to come. It might take a lot of organization and a few attempts (some attempts with you waiting outside giving them your passport to bring in.) Nicola was here for less than a year and we tried having both of her granparents visit. They make a combined income of $200 a month. Both got rejected twice and people sarted telling me that we should try for one person only but I researched it better. The way I did it was to have them fill their form out in chinese and then I went online and filled it out in english and printed it out so the english forms had a barcode they can scan and get all their information fast (consulate website said they will put a prefrence for anyone filling the forms out online) then I made a one page letter head for them, tying all their assets together including labeling them as attachment 1 and so forth. Assets could include something as simple as family list everyone, any buildings even apartments list the size. I listed their income and they both had jobs (that's very important.) Both grandparents passed their third interview. A few months later Nicola's parents tried and I did all the same things including a frontpage for quick reference, the downloaded english form, and us being at the interview and them showing my passport. They passed on their first attempt. You can say we're just lucky but isn't it funny how the more effort you put into something the luckier you are? Good luck and don't quit.

Hey everyone, Well its been a long time since we have posted. Although we had minor damage compared to other people getting hit with Hurricane Katrina really sucked! Nicola's parents came for 6 months to visit and pretty much the entire time we have been busy fixing our old store, fixing our house, and have started remodeling our new store. We haven't had any chance to take them out and travel America like we did with her grandparents so we asked them to File for form I-539 for a 6 month extension. Does anyone know where we can look online or any number we can call because it makes us nervous that a denial only gives us 10 days to prepare their departure. Thanks everyone for your help. We need to post pictures of our fat Iranian/Chinese 15 month old daughter as soon as I get a chance HAHA Hope everyone is well! Thanks in advance

Not an expert on this but I think they would get 6 months on a visitor visa. They would have to make a appointment at least one month to six weeks in advance and would have to show strong ties to China (Reasons why they would come back) Including family, money, assets. My suggestion would be to call the shanghai appointment center now and if they fail just reapply the next day. That way you have about 2 or 3 appointments and interviews. Good luck

That's not practical. Mainland Chinese need a visa to enter HK. 173296[/snapback] Yeah but pretty much anyone who applies for the visa gets it! Nicola and I went a few times with no problems. I'm sure its the same for everyone else's SO. I agree some cases could be moved so it takes Hong Kong about 6 months instead of 4 and then saves time from everyone else.

Thanks Randy, Do you know if you have to be a legal resident or being a visitor is okay? Also, did his father have to live in Houston to take the test?

Okay about 6 years ago I had a furniture factory boss visit me and he drove to our store. It was his first trip to America and I asked him how in the world did he get his license on a visitor visa and pass without knowing english well enough. He said while visiting a customer in Houston they suggested he go take the test in Chinese and that its perfectly legal to get a driver's license while visiting the U.S. It just doesn't seem like we can just drive my wife's dad to Houston and have him take the test when he comes here for a visitor's visa. Anyone heard of this? It would be perfect for us because while they are here for their two or so month visit he can at least have a car to drive to our store and house which are only 5 mins away from each other. That way they won't get so bored and they technically could try to drive around New Orleans once they got used to the area after a few weeks. Thanks in advance.

Uh, Sammy, you didn't say beer was on you,. you said DRINKS are on you. I have it on good authority that Frank drinks very expensive Scotch--and so do I!!!!! congrats!!! 162936[/snapback] Epensive Scotch! I almost fell off my seat! Thanks for everyone's well wishes now go refresh with a clean glass of TAP WATER

Thanks everyone, They got a visitor visa. Last time her grandparents visa said (Remmomend 2 months stay) then when they arrived they gave them a six month time limit. Don the secret is to get thrown out the door and climb back in the window! HAHAHA We were really prepared to fail as much as two or three times a year and keep trying. They said the guy didn't look at any documents just asked those few questions. We got really lucky. Frank! About that beer offer........who said beer on me again? HAHA I wish everyone as much luck. We really are happy about this