Daviation

Prior to the pre-olympics clamp down, you could get same day turn around at the China Travel Services (CTS) kiosk near the north end of the arrivals terminal after exiting customs. Last time I was through there (10/08) I asked if/when this service would again be available... they said "soon". I know that the following week is when some of the restrictions were lifted. When available, applications turned in by 8:30am are usally returned by 2:30pm the same afternoon. If it is not possible there, you could try the following (I haven't tried this, but have spoken with expats living in HK who have gotten visas this way with same day turn): PRC Visa Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 7th Floor, Lower Block, China Resources Building 26 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Phone 752-3413-2424 Hours M-F 9am-12pm and 2pm-5pm

We traveled with AP a few months ago. Many have done it with no issues. Personally... I wouldn't do it again (we have green card now). We had issues getting out of China as the immigration officer (and his boss) at departures did NOT understand AP. They only understand a green card and kept asking for my wife's green card and pointing out that her K1 visa was expired. They were very reluctant to let my wife leave. In the end, they only let her go becuase she had a valid Canada visa and we were flying into Vancouver.

Congrats... but don't get too discouraged if the green card doesn't come right away. Maybe it will... maybe it won't... seems random. We had a very similar interview situation... only took about 4 minutes... APPROVED (at least that is what they said)... 2 months later still not even a welcome letter. I learned later that there are still further reviews of the file AFTER the interview... and in fact they are not really supposed to advise pass/fail status in the interview. Finally, the welcome letter came, followed by the green card, more than 2 months later. Anyway... CONGRATS!!!

Regarding return from China with AP... we actually did have a bit of trouble returning from Nanning a few weeks ago with AP. The official at Nanning airport did NOT understand the AP. He called his supervisor who also did not understand. I tried explaining it in English with my SO translating for them, and it still was NOT getting through. They did not want to let her leave. Fortunately, in our case, we had a backup plan. As we were flying to Vancouver, BC, and then driving to Seattle, we had obtained a standard Canada tourist visa for my SO. In the end, China let her out on account of having a valid tourist visa for Canada, and we had tickets showing that was our final destination (at least final by air).

Bob is correct in that usually one can't get a visa longer than 30 days unless they've previously had China visas for business. Between myself and co-workers, I know many who have been up against the 30 day limit. It IS possible to extend in China, but it is not easy, and it takes about 7 business days. During this time, your passport will be ge gone, and you are virtually stuck in place with no passport. If you had to make some kind of emergency travel out of China during this time, you would not have the option. This is not a desirable situation. Most I know have found it far more desirable to make the hope to HK for a few hours and re-enter to start the 30 day clock ticking again (assuming you have multiple entery visa). I also know some who have stayed in excess of 30 days and paid a 500 RMB per day fine upon leaving. They said it was an uncomfortable experience upon leaving and they were quite frowned on by the officials with some question as to whether or not there would be further implications (future visa denial, etc.). Personally, this option is not one I would choose. FYI - My wife and I just returned last week from a couple weeks in Nanning and HK. I flew round trip from HK to Nanning for about $110 one way. I found better rates through local agent in Nanning than I could get in HK. Best of luck.

The on-line case status is a joke. Our's has rarely changed (for I485, I765 and I131) even when we receive notices in the mail. We have AOS interview this week for 2 year GC, yet on-line case status has not changed in 6 months and still only reflects they have received the application. You can only count on what you receive via snail mail. Also, you can't count on the email updates. I've been signed up for those since original I129F and it was never reliable. The only email I ever received was that my I129F had been approved. And this I recieved AFTER my SO was already here on K1 and we were already married! Go figure...

As noted above, it is correct your Chinese SO will not need a HK visa if you have onward travel tickets from HK to US within 7 days. We have done this many times... leaving China by train from Shenzhen to HK, by boat to HK and by air from other mainland cities to HK. Never a problem. That said, my SO had many HK visas to visit me while working in HK prior to getting her K1 visa. I don't have all the details of how she got them, but if you truly wish a HK visa for your SO I can get the details from her and post them for you. The HK visa for Chinese citizens is good for 2 entries of up to 7 days each. They are quite easy to get, but the processing time can take about 2 weeks if I remember correctly.

It is true, most of the visa requirements are back to the pre-Olympics process. I was in Shenzhen last week. I'm in HK now, then on to Nanning tomorrow. You can now get visas in the HK airport again... turn in your passport to CTS in the morning, getting it back in the afternoon. Pretty much back to the previous status quo.

Or maybe a small electric cooler like these could be plugged in onboard the flight? That would work if I flew first class... Cathay now has power ports available on most of their long haul flights... even in economy class. On some aircraft it is only in the first six rows of economy, so maybe ask to be seated in those rows.

Most do... but in aero-geek speak they are called galley chillers. You mean dry ice compartments. I don't consider the a refrigerator... because when we land, it isn't cold anymore. No... I mean actively cooled "galley chillers". They consume quite alot of power. For this reason, many domestic airlines are removing them since they don't serve much in the way of meals anymore. But most all long haul flights still have actively cooled chillers (aka refrigerators).

Most do... but in aero-geek speak they are called galley chillers.

Ditto what Richard says. Have flown Cathay more times than I can begin to remember (all classes). They would always be my first choice if available. On the other hand, if you're near Seattle, maybe try Hainan - based on this article: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/busi...6_hainan10.html In the above article, Hainan's chief made the following quote... which resulted in a few good laughs up here in the NW. "Hainan is Singapore Air and Lufthansa in China," he said, breaking into English, "and not American, United and Northwest." The flight attendants on Hainan would be "very young, very beautiful and very nice smell," he added.

Neither of us are Canana residents either. What the box 8 says is "... status... in country where applying" Since we are applying at the Canadian consulate in Seattle, I believe this question is intended to mean - What is applicant's status in US? Otherwise, if the appicant already had status in Canada, then there would be no reason to apply for Canada visa. So... is "Temporary Resident" the appropriate terminology for the limbo status after applying for AOS but before actually receiving green card. Note - we want to apply for the full tourist visa (not just airport transfer) as we want to drive to Canada and fly out of Vancouver. So, I'm not sure the "Other - transit" option would work. Thanks again.

For those of you who have obtained Canada Visas (either tourist or transit), can you please advise how you filled in block 8 (Immigration status of applicant in country where applying? The options are: Citizen Permanent Resident Temporary Resident Worker Student Other For our applicable status, see my opening post on this thread. Is the box for "Worker" applicable since we have EAD card? Or do I check "Other" and try to explain? Problem is there is not enough room for that stage of limbo in which many of our SO's reside. There is room for about 3 words. How do you say the following: "No Green Card... K1 visa expired, but I'm in US legally... I-485 submitted, EAD Work Card in hand, Advance Parole from I-131 approved and in hand... waiting for AOS interview scheduled sometime in the future" That won't all fit on the form... How does one simply explain this status? And what amount of explanation is necessary for Canada to recognize this status and issue a Canada Visa? And advice? Thanks very much.

Thanks for the input so far. I used to live on Whidby Island too - Freeland. And thanks for the links... though I'm still confused by the web sites and the recorded messages at Seattle Consulate. I'm looking specifically for what others have called a Transit Visa. I gather this is somewhat less than a true Tourist Visa as it only allows transit through and airport. Presumeably this comes with the advantage of faster processing times. However, I can only find information about the standard Tourist Visa... nothing on the Transit Visa. And Seattle Consulate now claims they are so busy they will not take phone calls... yippee.

I've followed several posts regarding transit visa for Chinese SO's through Canada to/from US. Our situation: - spouse is K1 (AOS submitted and still waiting) - has Advance Parole (AP) from I-131 in hand - has EAD in hand (worthless for travel, but nice to have as gov ID) - we live north of Seattle, WA and wish to consider flying to/from China via Vancouver Questions: 1/ Where does one find application for Canada transit visa? I seem to only find commercial sites seeking to make money from being in the middle. Anyone have a direct link to Canada Immigration? 2/ Where does the application get submitted and how long does it take to process? 3/ If we fly through Vancouver on the way over and on the way back do we need 2 transit visas? 4/ Will the transit visa allow driving across the border to fly out of Vancouver, or is it only good for transit through the airport? Same question would apply for return. If anyone has experience with such questions, I'd really appreciate your thoughts. Thanks very much, David

We took the train from Chengdu to Lhasa about this time last year... beautiful trip! I'm on a business trip right now... home in a couple of days and will check which hotel we stayed. If you need it sooner I can check with my wife and get the info sooner. We did join a tour and I think that was the only way for foreigners. More later...

Sorry... previously posted in the wrong category (Twisted Candle - what a knucklehead!)... posting again in the right place now. The answer may be buried somewhere, but I couldn't find it. Also, since I-765 just changed revisions last month, I want to verify the correct address before I mail my SO's AOS package. So... for a K1 (I-765 eligibility category ©(9)), when filing I-485 and I-765 concurrently - where do I mail the package? The instructions with I-485 do not have any special instructions for mailing address when applying concurrently. It just says mail to USCIS Lockbox at: USCIS PO Box 805887 Chicago, IL 60680-4120 But, the instructions for I-765 (Rev 4/8/08) say that when filing I-485 and I-765 concurrently then mail to the Nebraska Service Center at: USCIS Nebraska Service Center PO Box 87485 Lincoln, NE 68501-7485 While we are taking advantage of filing concurrently, we are more concerned about efficient processing of the I-485 than the I-765, so I'm a bit reluctant to file based on the instructions in I-765 that seem to differ from I-485. Anyone know which address to use? Thanks Much, Davd

The answer may be buried somewhere, but I couldn't find it. Also, since I-765 just changed revisions last month, I want to verify the correct address before I mail my SO's AOS package. So... for a K1 (I-765 eligibility category ©(9)), when filing I-485 and I-765 concurrently - where do I mail the package? The instructions with I-485 do not have any special instructions for mailing address when applying concurrently. It just says mail to USCIS Lockbox at: USCIS PO Box 805887 Chicago, IL 60680-4120 But, the instructions for I-765 (Rev 4/8/08) say that when filing I-485 and I-765 concurrently then mail to the Nebraska Service Center at: USCIS Nebraska Service Center PO Box 87485 Lincoln, NE 68501-7485 While we are taking advantage of filing concurrently, we are more concerned about efficient processing of the I-485 than the I-765, so I'm a bit reluctant to file based on the instructions in I-765 that seem to differ from I-485. Anyone know which address to use? Thanks Much, Davd

Ah yes... love the Chinglish... though still pondering how I will buckle before I rooster next time? Hilarious! Now I... ... drive in the Couple's Line (carpool lane) with my SO ... get my shirts flattened after washing ... packet my pocket before taking a trip ... visit Arizona to see the Grand Onion, etc. Often I find, with the exception of the Grand Onion (and now the Rooster thing) that Chinglish makes much more practical sense.

We filed the petition in March, interview in Dec, she landed US 12/17 and yes... we got married 12/21. We spent ALOT of time together in China last year.

My wife entered as K1 on 12/17... married 12/21. We are getting ready to submit all AOS forms. However, we are moving locally in 6 weeks. This leads to a few questions... 1/ Should we wait until moved, then file Change of Address (COA) before filing AOS forms? If so, do we wait for confirmation from USICS on the address change before filing AOS? Does USICS send some kind of receipt for COA? 2/ We have personal mail box close to our new location. Any issues with filing COA now to the mail box, or must it be physical living address? 3/ Has anyone filed COA concurrent with AOS? 4/ Are Forms I-865 (for me) and AR-11 (for her) the correct COA forms? Thank You, David

Maybe the following questions have been answered before, but I'm struggling with a few specifics and wondering if anyone can help. Thanks in advace! David I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status 1/ This form does not even ask if/when we got married. As application is contingent on marriage, where does this get documented? After everything we¡¯ve been required to provide, I find it very odd that we are not asked to provide a certified copy of marriage license. Further, they don¡¯t even ask ¡°when¡± we were married? This makes no sense... 2/ Do we use new married name on this form? 3/ If we wish to travel back to China in future, and she wishes to use here Chinese passport with her maiden name, is there any issue with her US AOS in married name? 4/ We know that we¡¯ll be moving in about 6 weeks. Is it important to file Change of Address before or after filing I-485? If we change address, does COA need submitted and acknowledged first? 5/ Anyone know why does I-864 Affidavit of Support have to be submitted with I-485? This is probably a dumb question on my part, but given that we filed the more elaborate version I-134 Affidavit of Support at time of GZ interview, why is it necessary to file another one now? I know, I know¡­ we are dealing with USICS¡­ and I should quit trying to make sense out of this - right? 6/ Do we have to re-file new G-325A forms with I-485, though we already filed in GZ? I-765 Application for Employment Authorization 1/ Block 16 ¨C what do we list here for K-1 Visa holder who is now married to petitioner? The instructions make no sense and numbers do not line up with the section referred to in the instructions. I think the answer is either ©(9) or (a)(6), but the instructions for this block have to be the most obtuse I¡¯ve seen on any of the forms! I-864 Affidavit of Support 1/ Block 1 ¨C do we check the first box given that immigrant entered on K-1 Visa yet we are now married?

During the process of getting to pink in our 12/07 interview, I was often convinced that USICS was doing a lousy job of keeping records. Now I am convinced. We've been home for one month and are now married. Best month of my life!! But now I'm just a bit confused. Yesterday I received email from USICS that my I-129F was approved on 1/16/2008!!! HUH!!! Are they expecting me to go back for another one? I'm quite sure I couldn't handle two of these... happy with one... thank you very much USICS!!!!!!!!

So I have followed a number of the posts on obtaining SSN and the discussions on whether to use married name or not (we had decided to use Given Name, Family, Married Name). However, upon beginning to fill out the application for my wife, I was not prepared for the portion of instructions saying that for "Legal Aliens Not Allowed to Work" or "Other", then one must provide a "... document from... a government agency that explains why you need SSN... and that you meet the requirements for the US Government benefit." Huh? Can anyone advise what this means? And what must we have to satisfy this requirement? Is the I-94 in passport and marriage license sufficient to meet this requirement? Thanks in advance for any advice. David