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Hello , Everyone. I hope everyone is doing well. I hope everyone had a Good Thanksgiving. Mine was good. I have turkey and hot pot. So I have a question. I am going to stay overnight in Guangzhou. Any suggestions on a decent hotel near or at the airport? Or a hotel that would have a shuttle service to and from the hotel to airport. Years ago I stay at a real nice one at the airport. It might have been the Pullman. It was very nice and it was a good price. The price now is a bit high. Just looking for a place to sleep that is safe, clean and convenient. Any ideas? Thanks in advance. Danb

My wife and I are living in Chengdu. She is Chinese. We will be going to Guangzhou in April to DCF. On Form I-130 on the top it says address. My address is on the left and my wife's address is on the right. Do we type our addresses where we are staying in Chengdu? Also on Form G-325A I have not worked since August 2016 so do I type unemployed on both parts? The full name and address, and occupation. Do I type none on both parts? Thank you Nick and Hua

4/16/2014 - This thread from 2005 is about Guangzhou and Guangdong, NOT the consulate, and is still useful. - RW LOCAL INFORMATION Guangdong Province Area 69,502 Sq miles Population 74.7 million (permanent residents) Capital Guangzhou Language Cantonese (Guangdonghua), Mandarin (Putonghua) Currency Renminbi (RMB, or ?, also known as Yuan, or Kuai $1 = RMB 8 (approx.) Guangzhou Municipality Area 2,868 Sq miles Population 9.9 million PERSONAL SAFETY While Guangzhou is a relatively safe city, as with any large city, it is worthwhile being prudent and taking some simple precautions. As many places are very crowded pick-pockets are common. Particular care should be taken on public transport, especially on the buses and around the train stations. Valuables should be put into a front, rather than back pocket or in a bag out of sight, to avoid giving temptation to thieves. You can generally get taxis late at night but the hotels are often in the middle of tourist zones and the same caution in taking taxis alone late at night should be exercised as in any other major city. HEALTH Hotels almost always have a clinic and doctor on call. You should buy medical insurance before your departure. Any preferred remedies or prescriptions should be brought with you, since they are unlikely to be available. There are Western medical facilities available in Guangzhou (see emergency contact list below). However, fees are quite expensive with an average brief consultation costing approximately RMB100-150. You may want to purchase a medical insurance plan prior to your departure. There are of course traditional Chinese medicine alternatives that you might wish to try. This might be difficult unless you have knowledge of the language or assistance from a local resident. Medical Emergency numbers in GUANGZHOU Local First-aid Emergency Call (24hours) 120 The first two medical centres speak English: Guangzhou Can Am Intl Medical Centre Tel: 8386 6988 Add: 5/F, Garden Tower, Garden Hotel No.368, Huanshi Dong Lu. Guangzhou Time: 9:00-18:00 Mon.-Fri. 9:00-13:00 Sat. Guangdong Concord Medical Centre Tel: 8387 4283 Add: 9/F, Fok Heart Centre No.96, Dongchuan Rd Guangzhou Time: AM 8:00-12:00 PM 2:30-6:00 GD Province Hospital of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Tel: 8735 1238 Add: No.261, Datong Rd. West of Ersha Island Guangzhou Time: 24 hours TRAVELLING IN GUANGZHOU Transportation around Guangzhou: Taxis are the easiest way to get around. Taxis fare should be paid according to the amount shown on the taximeter and the fare starts at RMB7.00 (for the first 2.3 km). You can pick them up outside hotels and in the street at almost any time day or night. It is only when its cold or raining that they are difficult to get. Taxis in Guangzhou are substantially cheaper than one typically finds in U.S. It is rare that any journey across the city will be more than RMB35 (less than $5). Many of the drivers will greet you with the phrase Qu na li??(literally Go where??. Bluffing knowledge of Chinese and the city might avoid protracted detours, but also might invite further questions in Chinese like which route you prefer, or which bridge to take to cross the river. It will be very helpful to have your destination written down in Chinese. Your hotel should be able to give you a card. Avoid taxis without metres and check that the driver uses the metre. It is also a good idea to have small change on hand to pay the fare as some drivers might refuse a RMB100 note, and sometimes even a 50. You are not expected to tip the driver, but it will never be refused. You can bargain with the driver over a price if the distance is quite far, or it is late at night. Again you will need some knowledge of the language or assistance to do this. Travelling by bus is cheap (RMB1 or 2 flat rate for the journey) but can be difficult without knowledge of the language and routes. If you do take the bus you must take the right money as you will not get change. There is no English on buses and visitors may not know the routes so this is not really a recommended option. Guangzhou also has a small underground metro system, currently with two lines. Platform signs are in Chinese and Pinyin (Chinese written with the Roman alphabet) and stations are normally announced in English and Chinese over a loudspeaker system on the train. It is useful to know the end direction of the line you want to travel on. Line 1 runs from Guangzhou Dong Zhan (East Railway Station, which has the KCR to Hong Kong) in the North East to Xi Lang, in the South West of the city. Line 2 runs from San Yuan Li in the North to Pazhou (which is the location of the new Trade Fair Exhibition Centre) in the South. There is only one place to change lines currently, and that is Gong Yuan Qian station (near the middle of both lines, and close to Beijing Lu shopping street). There is a flat fare of RMB2-6 (depending on the distance). There are machines from which you can purchase tokens which take RMB1 coins (which can also be obtained from the attended booth) and also RMB5, 10 and 20 notes (although all change will be in RMB1 coins!). If you plan to use the metro a lot, or are staying for longer you can get a pass card (Yang Cheng Tong) which will hold any amount of credit you place on it and can also be used on the buses, which can save you a lot of time and trouble. Below are the first and last trains: Station of Origin First Train Departs Last Train Departs Last Entry Line 1 GZ East Station 6:17 22:29 22:24 Xi Lang 6:17 22:41 22:36 Line 2 San Yuan Li 6:17 22:41 22:36 Pazhou 6:29 23:18 23:13 An alternative way to see the city is by boat on the Pearl River. This is especially worthwhile at night when the city lights radiate across the river. TRAVELLING TO AND FROM GUANGZHOU There are two train stations. Guangzhou East Station (Guangzhou Dong Zhan) is the one which is used to get to and from Hong Kong, Shenzhen etc. The old train station, more often used for travelling northwards is on the northern end of Line 2 (named: Guangzhou Huo Che Zhan). If you come to Guangzhou on the direct through-train from Hong Kong your passport and visa will be checked at the Hong Kong end, and vice versa when you travel to Hong Kong from Guangzhou. Alternatively there is a bus you can take from the large hotels which is cheaper although it takes longer, and you must get off the bus go through the border crossings and have your documents checked. The new Baiyun International Airport is now in operation and takes about 50 minutes to reach from the city centre by taxi. Depending on where you go from, a taxi will probably cost around RMB100. Some of the major hotels might provide an airport service so it is worth enquiring with them. LANGUAGE Mandarin Chinese is the official language of China (called Putonghua by the Chinese) and even in Guangdong, where Cantonese (Guangdonghua) is widely spoken, most people know some Mandarin. Chinese characters are used for writing, though many signs on roads and in shops now also appear in "pinyin", which is the Romanised version of written Chinese. English is spoken in most hotels, but it may be useful to have a phrase book to hand if you want to venture further. Mandarin, however, is a tonal language (4 tones), so that the same word pronounced in different tones will have completely different meanings. For this reason some Chinese may find it difficult to understand what you are saying in Chinese unless the tone is correct. On the whole, however, people are very patient and a bit of English on their part and some sign language normally gets the message across. Ni hao (nee how) = Hello Xie xie (shi shia) = Thank you Zai jian (dsai jen) = Goodbye (although Bye bye?is probably more common) Wo shi?(wor sher) = I am?(a simple way to introduce yourself) Mai dan (my dan) = Pay the bill (a short phrase used to ask for the bill, literally Buy bill? and understandable in Mandarin and Cantonese) COMMUNICATIONS Time: China runs 8 hours ahead of GMT. Business hours: office hours are generally a standard 9am to 5pm or 6pm (with some individual differences and depending on the industry. Some more local places close for lunch). Shops tend to open from 9 or 10am to about 10pm, and bars and clubs up till about 2am. Post: Airmail letters/parcels to and from US take 4-10 days. Parcels must be sealed at the post office after inspection. International postage rates are expensive but the service is generally reliable. Mobile Phones: There is a very good network in Guangzhou so it is worthwhile activating international roaming with your service provider before you arrive. Another option is to purchase a pay as you go?SIM card when you arrive. This is very cheap at just RMB100 for the SIM card, which will contain around RMB50 credit. RESTAURANTS: Guangzhou is very famous in China and around the world for its cuisine. You can find different styles of cuisine, such as Chinese (from various regions and provinces), Japanese, Korean, Thai, French, Italian amongst others. Some restaurants have English versions of their menu. Prices vary between restaurants, usually from RMB20-100 per person, depending on your choice. Fast food chains such as McDonalds and KFC are open from 7:00am to 11:00pm. Of course, apart from western restaurants, most restaurants only provide chopsticks with knives and forks sometimes available on request. It is common practice for almost all restaurants to serve you with Chinese tea throughout your meal, with frequent refills of the pot. This will not be charged by the cup or pot as often is in other countries, so feel free to linger. Also in many local restaurants you will see people washing their cup, bowl and chopsticks in hot tea. This is for hygiene reasons, and will not be offensive to the restaurant staff. It is also very common to take a packet of tissues with you to a restaurant (especially local ones) as napkins are often not provided, or should be purchased. The tissues will also be useful if you use the toilet as paper is not always supplied. Most Chinese restaurants will have a very different atmosphere to those in the West. They are often crowded and noisy, which is the way local people like them. There are also very few etiquette rules. It is common to see bones spat onto the table or the floor, people talking with their mouth full of food etc. This should not been seen as bad manners, it is just a very different dining culture. Tips are not expected in restaurants, although some of the more Western style establishments, and certainly the hotels over 3 stars, have a service charge included (often around 15%). SHOPPING For those with time and a good guide there are interesting bargains to be found in Guangzhou- everything from jade to the electronics and clothes that are manufactured in the Pearl River Delta. A great location for a massive array of handicrafts, artwork and novelties is the market beside Hai Zhu Guang Chang (on line 2 of the metro). Expect to bargain for the best prices. For those with less time: Friendship Store (Youyi Shangdian) Situated next to the Baiyun Hotel, opposite to the Garden Hotel. It sells a wide range of products, from clothing to food. Prices are more expensive and bargaining is not possible. Team Plaza (Tianhe Cheng) This is Guangzhou's first shopping mall. You can buy a wide range of products. Prices compare well with those elsewhere and bargaining is possible in some shops. Beijing Road Pedestrian Street Mainly clothing, luggage and shoes, though there are some pearl shops. At the more local shops you will be able to bargain, although its not possible with the international brands. Shangxia Jiu Pedestrian Street Also known as a shopping street with houses in traditional style (they are called Xi Guan Feng Qing?. Sells cheap clothing, shoes and other goods. Expect to bargain. WEATHER & CLOTHING The climate of Guangzhou is sub-tropical. The average year-round temperature is 22C. August is the hottest month, with an average temperature of 28C, but with a high of up to 38C in the day and 28C at night. January is the coldest month, with an average of 13C, although it can drop to around 0C. The weather is generally quite humid (often around 80-90% or more) so the heat can feel more oppressive, and the cold more pervasive. The rainy season falls between April and August. Average annual rainfall is 1,720 mm, and an umbrella is a must. By the month of May it is already hot and humid in Guangzhou, with frequent, and often very heavy, rainstorms. Bring light clothing, but include layers ?light jackets, cardigans etc ?since the air-conditioning in hotels and restaurants can be fierce. It's worth bringing something to shield against the sun which can also be severe at times. Local people often favour using an umbrella for this, but sunglasses and sunscreen will also be fine. Chinese often dress fairly informally. A simple suit or day dress is appropriate for all official visits, meetings and dinners, and in hot weather a short sleeved shirt with no jacket is perfectly acceptable business wear. Trousers are also perfectly acceptable for women. There aren't generally any rules about leisure wear, with almost anything being acceptable. However, for foreigners the more extravagant your outfit the more attention you might attract. Low cut and sleeveless tops, while not objectionable, might prove to be a point of fascination. MONEY The Chinese currency is known as "Renminbi" (or the People's currency?, and is the equivalent term for USD. The term equivalent to dollars is the Yuan? also known colloquially as Kuai?(pronounced "kwai"). At the current exchange rate, 1 USD is approximately equal to 8 Renminbi (RMB), or yuan. Foreign money and travellers?cheques can be changed at international airports, main centres of the Bank of China, the large tourist hotels, the Friendship Stores and some big department stores. The official rate is given everywhere, so there is no need to shop around. Credit cards are accepted in major hotels, restaurants and some supermarkets, although certainly not very widely. You can use international debit and credit cards to withdraw cash in the local currency. These include Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus and Maestro. This service isn't available at all local cash machines, but is most common at Bank of China machines, and HSBC (although there are only two branches of HSBC so far; one at Garden Hotel, the other in Dong Feng Lu). Forgeries of bank notes, as in many countries, are in circulation. ELECTRICITY Electricity supply is usually 220 volts. The local plugs usually have 3 flat pins, the lower pair angled, but other types are also in use. International hotels will have shaver sockets but these may not be available elsewhere. EXPOSURE AND ATTITUDE TO FOREIGNERS In contrast to Beijing and Shanghai the expatriate community in Guangzhou is relatively small and often centred around the major centres of commerce. If you do venture to more traditional places don't be surprised that some people take an interest, as exposure to foreigners is not very common. You should not take staring and people talking about you as rude, it really is more surprise and interest. It is also not uncommon to have people say Hello?to you in the streets. LOCAL UNIQUENESS AND DAILY LIFE As you experience life in Guangzhou you are sure to see differences from the West and even from other cities in China. Many of the traditions and practices are unique to Guangzhou which makes this city a very interesting place to visit or live for any foreigner. In the public parks and open spaces it's common to see people practising Tai Chi and doing exercises, especially early in the morning. Another common morning activity is going for Yum Cha?(literally Drink tea? where people gather to breakfast on local delicacies (known as Dim Sum) and read the newspaper. This is available in many local restaurants and some of the major hotels and is well worth experiencing. There are also afternoon and night tea sessions, and all are very reasonably priced. Hope you find the above helpful.

My husband received both a white and pink slip after his April 3 interview. The white slip, which was stamped with the date as April 2 (is this going to cause us any headaches?) states that the immigrant visa has been preliminarily approved, but additional documents are needed before the visa can be issued. The additional documents (listed on the pink slip) needed are related to my residency or the domicile issue. I should add that in fact I did have a letter to prove domicile with a student loan as well as a bank statement attached, however the letter did not provide substantial details about my future employment. In addition, he was explicitly told that they needed a more specific work plan from the petitioner (me). I am submitting my most recent bank and credit card statements, a copy of my driver's license, student loan statements, a letter explaining in detail my intentions for work and the like. Is this enough? Is this a formality or is this the same as administrative processing? Do denials happen after receiving a letter like this? When you submit any documents via CITIC bank, US Travel Docs instructs you not to seal the envelope...can anyone confirm this? I am asking because the hubby's passport will also have to be sent. Are there any fees you must pay to CITIC bank? I plan on taking care of this on Monday, April 7 as we are still on our Guangzhou/Shenzhen trip. I will also do a detailed write-up of my husband's interview once we return to Xi'an. Thanks, Marissa

My wife and I had our appointment on October 23rd in Guangzhou for the immigration interview. We had everything we were supposed to have all organized nicely. At the interview I had to wait outside with our bags because you aren't allowed to take any bags in and I forgot to give her my bank card to pay for the interview fee and the interviewer informed us that we would have to book an appointment for another date and come back to Guangzhou from Tianjin again because of this very simple-to-solve problem. I was quite upset by this and felt they were very unreasonable because we have a baby on the way and we will probably not be able to immigrate to the US before the baby is born now. So, we are now planning to have the baby here in Tianjin instead and then immigrate with the baby after is it born. But since we already had one appointment that didn't work out as planned we would now like to book an appointment for another interview at a later date but the only dates that are available for us to book are within the next 3 weeks. We are hesitant to schedule an interview during that time for two reasons. First, we feel that if we get the visa now it doesn't leave us enough time to get to the US before the baby is born and would rather just have the baby here. Second, we have booked and paid for a vacation in the Philippines starting November 18th and are worried that she wouldn't her her passport back in time. (The first reason is much more significant than the second) What I'd like to do is either be able to delay the interview to allow time for us to have the baby here or get some kind of extension. But, like I said previously, the only dates that are available for this interview are within the next few weeks and that just doesn't work. This is probably because they already accepted her health exam papers and opened the case. I'm not sure who to contact regarding this and I don't know what my next step should be. I'd really appreciate some advice! Thank you, Darren S. Small

Hi everyone, I have already married once and gone through this whole process, back in 2010 (through DCF in Guangzhou). I since divorced and am now marrying my Fiancee soon. It is my understanding that sometime within the past 90 days or so the Guangzhou Consulate changed location and added the CITIC bank process. I have a few questions. 1: I remember reading somewhere that Guangzhou used to be the slowest and most difficult places in the world to get the marriage visa processed, then some ambassador went to Guangzhou directly somewhere around 2009 and things really sped up, does anyone know anything about this? I have two friends who in 2011/2012 both got through in under 3 months. and now it seems to be down to 6 weeks?! are there any charts, or graphs, that show trends through out processing times through different consulates over the years? 2: Why did they add the CITIC bank process? Where does CITIC bank send the documents they receive, surely they don't pass them back on to the Guangzhou Consulate, that would slow things down, not speed them up right(just adding a middle man)? 3: to me it seems like they have revamped the process recently as per this post on CFL, it seems that now the whole thing could be done in about 6 weeks?! 4. Can I translate my old divorce document (which is in Japanese), and my marriage book all by myself? will that be fine for the entire process (certifying marriage ability, and for submitting to CITIC bank)? or do I have to have them officially translated? and lastly, a kind of side note: 5. Has anyone ever included pictures of themselves and their wife having sex? it seems like that would be strong evidence to support a bona fide relationship Thanks a lot.

Howdy folks, So my wife passed her IR1 visa interview today! The whole consulate process took just over an hour for document collection and interview... very impressive!! For those who don't know, the new consulate is located three subway stops south of the old location at Zhujiang New Town station (珠江新城站) on Line 3, so a lot of information about stuff around the old location is still somewhat applicable to the new one, especially in terms of accommodation, as the area around Guangzhou East Train Station, just north of the old consulate, is extremely convenient and full of cheap hotels. We are staying in the Shanshui Shishang Jiudian 山水时尚酒店 just above the train station (the entrance to the hotel is actually "inside" the station, just outside the I exit of the subway and Gate 3 of the train station), and for about US $40 a night for a decent room with a queen size bed, we are very happy with this place. Coming in from the airport we took the subway to Guangzhou East Station (on Line 3, same as airport, didn't even have to change trains) and didn't even have to leave the station, which is great because it was pissing down rain outside. This morning it only took about 15 minutes to get from our hotel to the consulate by subway. And the area around the consulate looked pretty posh and I didn't see any hotels nearby (I'm sure there are some), so there may be far fewer budget options (or any options) in the near vicinity of the consulate. As for places to wait on your spouse nearby the consulate, I found a small Starbucks in the back left side of the lobby of the office building directly across the street from the consulate. If you don't mind trekking just a bit further (and are confident that your spouse can find it after a grueling interview), you can take a right on Huali Road when you come out of Exit B1 of Zhujiang New Town station (the consulate will be right in front of you) and go down about two blocks to the first stoplight, where you will find a full-size Starbucks on one side of the intersection and a full-size Costa Coffee on the other side of the intersection (always good to have a choice between American and British coffee I suppose). There are also several convenience stores, Western restaurants, and banks (China Construction Bank is in the 1F of the building right next to B1 subway exit) along Huali Road and at "coffee intersection". More importantly for you folks who love to do things last-minute, I spotted a large printing store in the "alley" between the first and second building on the right side of Huali Road (there is a Lanzhou Lamian restaurant at the end of the alley, and the print shop is just next to it I think, about 3 or 4 stores deep into the alley). As for the experience at the new consulate, for my wife things went VERY smoothly. Our appointment was for 10:30AM. We arrived at exactly 10:30, and there was NOBODY in the immigration visa line (at the far end of the consulate from the B1 subway exit). They let her in immediately, and I feared it would be many long hours of waiting before she would emerge again. I chose to wait at the small Starbucks across the street from the consulate (which was quite busy, and will most likely be packed in coming months as more and more people waiting for people in the new consulate discover it), and expected to be there for several hours. At about 11:45 (only a little over an hour after my wife entered the consulate!), my wife walked up and sat down across from me at the table with a glum expression on her face. "Oh crap" I thought as my heart skipped a beat, but before I could even open my mouth to ask, my wife began to laugh and told me the good news. She thinks she's really funny when she does that. And she should, because she learned it from me. =0) I just want to add that I think the consulate's new visa system through CGI Stanley is working GREAT. We submitted our I-130 to start the process off through DCF in Beijing in mid-May, and have already had the interview and been approved in less than 2 1/2 months, which seems to be almost twice as fast as the average wait time for the old system when applying through DCF. And in fact, when we signed up for our interview in late June, a July 1st interview date was actually available, which wasn't feasible given how much documentation we still had to collect (as well as getting my wife's medical examination), but had we taken that date it would have come only a month and a half after initially applying! And one more thing to note here as a warning. I had failed to look up more info about the visa application fee that is listed as the last item of the "Immigration Visa Instructions", and since it said you could pay in RMB or US dollars I assumed it would be ok to pay with a Chinese bank card. I was going to send my US credit card in with my wife also (which is what I paid the initial I-130 fee with in Beijing), but realized this morning as we were getting everything ready that I didn't bring it to Guangzhou with me. So I sent my wife in armed with only two Chinese bank cards and very little cash. After she submitted her documents and before her interview, she was asked to go pay the visa fee. She tried to pay with her Chinese bank card, only to be told that only cash or credit/bank cards with the Visa logo are accepted. She asked if she could leave the consulate to get cash and come back in, and was told that if she left she would have to schedule a whole new appointment. She pleaded with the lady for other options, but with no luck. Finally she asked if she could borrow the money from another applicant, and the lady laughingly told her she could try but obviously didn't think she would have any luck. Sure enough, the first person she asked only had enough cash for herself. The lady behind her had overheard my wife's plight though and stepped forward with 1400rmb and plopped it down in her hand (my wife handed over her ID card and bank card in return and told the lady she would wait outside the consulate for her with cash in hand). Don't take a chance that your spouse might be so lucky, and please send her in with enough cash or a Visa credit/bank card (just make sure you take the credit card back as soon as she gets out of the consulate... you know the damage women can do with those things, hehe). Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this site and made it such a great resource for all of us barely staying above water in the immigration boat. I hope this small post of mine can help at least a few of you out there just as so many posts from others helped me. Good luck, and good times to all once you finally get your loved one back to the US!

Does anyone have any information on the Guangzhou interview dates? I have been checking for over 2 weeks and haven't seen one interview date pop up....I know they're moving locations so that might have something to do with it. I just want to know a ETA on this...:S

Guangzhou moves to abolish rural hukouBy ZHENG CAIXIONG in Guangzhou ( China Daily) Well, it's a start and in one of China's largest cities.

Hi everyone, This is my first post. I'm hoping that I can get a little clarity on my situation, since I've been pulling my hair out over it for the past month or so. I have been in China since the summer of 2005. My wife and I met in 2007 when I was living and working in Changsha (her hometown & hukou). We've been living together ever since and registered for marriage in July 2011. We had our official wedding ceremonies earlier this year (Yay!). We recently decided that we would like to move to the US to figure out if we should settle down there or in China (my wife, a Chinese national, has never lived in the US before). I'm currently working on the I-130 petition in Changsha, where we just moved so that we can be closer to her family during the visa process. While living here, I've lived in a lot of different cities/provinces/consular districts and have had a number of jobs, all of which have been legal and under a Z-visa+residence permits, until now. See below: 2005-2008: Changsha, Hunan (Z-visa, Residence Permit)2008-2011: Shanghai (Z-Visa, Residence Permit)2011-2012.07: Beijing (Z-Visa, Residence Permit - through my company in Shanghai)2012.07 - present: 6-month, multiple entry spouse visa (categorized as "L", issued by Changsha PSB: I was told that this visa is a prerequisite for the spouse residence permit, because I have never applied for this type of residence permit before)My question is: can I still file DCF? I have been living in Hunan now for less than a month, but I lived here for 3 years from 2005-2008. Does this help me qualify for the 6 month requirement for residency in the consular district of Guangzhou?How much do they look at work/non-work related visas, residence permits? If they don't accept my spouse visa, should I consider getting a job here in Changsha for the z-visa just so that I can file DCF?Also, neither the USCIS websites for Guangzhou nor Beijing claim Hunan province (or Chongqing). Do I file through Guangzhou? I've read from other posts that GZ has jurisdiction over Hunan, but I just want to make sure.I admittedly made the mistake of starting this paperwork late in the game. I should have started working on this while I still had a valid residence permit & Z visa. Unfortunately, here I am and I need some help. Any advice is very much appreciated!

I just went and filed my i-130 in Guangzhou (that is, DCF) last week. Here is my description of the process, with pictures. (Since there are too many pictures here, some have been converted into links, which you can click on to see the pictures.) I stayed at Yang's, for more information on which you can also see these posts: http://candleforlove...sulate-complex/ http://candleforlove...y-in-guangzhou/ Thursday (4/26/2012) -- Arriving, locating Yang's and consulate I arrive in Guangzhou airport (domestic arrivals). Exit baggage claim and turn right, go to the escalator by door B6£¨6ºÅÃÅ£©(may have to exit and re-enter the building) and go downstairs. Follow the signs for the 'metro' (µØÌú). (Finding the metro inside the airport) To go to the consulate (or to Yang's), buy a token to Linhexi (ÁÖºÍÎ÷) -- which is on Line 3, the same one that leaves from the airport -- for 7 yuan, enter by swiping the token, and board the train (toward Tiyu Xilu ÌåÓýÎ÷·). Get off at Linhexi (ÁÖºÍÎ÷). Deposit the token to exit. (Linhexi metro station Exit C) The most straightforward way to get to the consulate (and to Yang's) is to go out Exit C from the metro station, turn right coming out of the exit (onto Tianhe Beilu ÌìºÓ±±Â·), pass Citic Plaza, and take the first left, onto Linhe Zhonglu (ÁÖºÍÖз). (Going past Citic Plaza on Tianhe Beilu) (The Linhe Zhonglu intersection, where you turn left.) Go up Linhe Zhonglu ÁÖºÍÖз for a couple blocks, crossing Linle (ÁÖÀÖ) Street and going by the Westin hotel; the embassy is not marked in any way except for the address number (136), but it's on the right, just before the IKEA. (Going past the Westin hotel on Linhe Zhonglu) (The intersection with the IKEA, which is where you turn right if you're going to Yang's, and means you've just passed the Consulate (if you're coming from the Linhexi station like me).) Yang's is just around the corner (turn right in front of the IKEA). I just called Yang's wife when I arrived at that street corner, since I hadn't had the forethought to figure out the address more specifically before arriving, but she came right out and met me, and took me in. She speaks decent English; I don't think her husband does, or at least he spoke to me in Chinese. (Yang's: 140 Linhe Zhonglu) (The street names are kind of ridiculous, by the way, in that you go up Linhe Zhonglu, and turn right, and you're still on Linhe Zhonglu, but the address numbers continue to increase accordingly. The metro Line 3 is also a bit weird in that it splits in two at Tiyu Xilu (ÌåÓýÎ÷·) so if you're going through that stop you may have to switch trains there to stay on the same line, or to make sure you're on the correct branch of the fork.) (The metro plan.) It's just an apartment building. Their address is 140 Linhe Zhonglu, apartment 2903£¨ÁÖºÍÖз140ºÅ2903·¿), which is (as you would expect) on the 29th floor, so you could probably just go straight there for check-in, or if you need to talk to them for anything else. But I didn't actually go there (until the next day), because, like I said, she came outside and met me. So then we just went to the room that I was renting; she took me up to the right floor and showed me into the room and gave me the keys. It's basically just one of these shared £¨ºÏ×â) Chinese apartments, I just had a very small private bedroom (with lock); the bathroom (and a small common area with little couches) was shared with the other four people staying in the unit. Which I wasn't expecting, but turned out to be an advantage rather than a disadvantage. (Yang's apartment: 2903) The place itself was alright; kinda dingy; about what you'd expect by Chinese standards (although maybe for half the price if it wasn't right in the same complex as the consulate). I did see several little cockroaches, but the little ones aren't so bad, right? By the way, I paid 180 RMB for a very small, closet-like room; the other people sharing the flat that I talked to had paid 188 for a slightly larger room, or 200 for a two-bed room. There was no wi-fi in the apartment I was in. (I get the impression that they have access to a variety of apartments around there, and put people wherever they can, depending on how many people there are.) There are other places to stay very nearby, which advertise cheaper rates, but may not speak English or know anything about the visa process, or whatever. I heard lots of people asking them questions and getting knowledgeable answers. Yang also helped me put money on my phone, which I needed. (Yang at his desk) So the good thing about staying here, and even about sharing a little apartment like this, is being able to talk to other people who are also staying here because they're applying for visas and stuff, and to be able to head to the consulate together, etc. Which takes us to... Friday (4/27/2012) -- DCF We arrived at the consulate at about 7:30 AM. It's just around the corner from Yang's, maybe a one or two minute walk. The entrance to the consulate's building is at 136 Linhe Zhonglu (ÁÖºÍÖз136ºÅ). (The entrance to the building the consulate is in) When I got there, there were huge lines of people waiting outside the doors, and they had just started letting them in at 7:30. They seemed to be mostly people applying for non-immigrant visas, and they were lined up according to the time of their appointment. The door, however, is open, and you can just waltz right in. Those other people have to wait outside to get their appointment ticket, without which they won't be able to be seen. But since I'm not going to the same section, and in any case I don't have an appointment (and indeed can't make one; they only see people from 8:30 to 10:30 AM on Fridays), I don't need to wait in these lines outside here, and you don't either. (The consulate's address number: 136) So anyway, you can just walk straight into the building. The consulate itself is on the 5th floor, so go up the escalators on the left after you walk in the door. The first floor is the lobby you enter in; the second floor is a balcony overlooking the lobby; the third floor is just another opportunity to go up another escalator. When you get to the fourth floor, there are two lines of people waiting to be let through (although it may be hard to tell, since the space is small and it kind of just looks like a huge crowded mass). Most of the mass is the line on the right, which is made up of the same Chinese people who were just waiting downstairs outside the building; they make a huge long line, at times snaking down the hall and around the corner (but it moves quickly once they start letting people through). In any case, you don't need to wait with them. The other line, which is the one on the left, is the one you want, and it won't start letting anybody through until 8:30 (Waiting on the fourth floor to be let through.) Like I said, I got there at a little after 7:30. To be honest, there's probably little reason to go so early, at least with the security trick I'll tell you in a minute. You can go line up, but they won't start letting through in until 8:30 (in contrast to the hordes of Chinese people going to the consulate for visa interviews, who began at 7:30). When I first found my way up to the third floor waiting area, there were about 7-8 people in line already. I went out and walked around and surveyed the premises, and didn't actually come back and get in line until about 8:00, at which time there were 15 people ahead of me. After another 20 minutes, there were another 7-8 people behind me, and at 8:30 when they opened the gate to start letting us in, there were a total of about 25 people in line. It's not really a huge number, but we're all waiting for just two workers to see us all when the time comes, and of course they supposedly close at 10:30 -- although I assume as long as you get in before that time, they would still see you sometime during the day (but that's just a complete guess on my part, and better safe than sorry, you might as well go early.) After they start letting people through at 8:30, they just check your passport (and in at least some cases ask you what your business is; I said file an i-130 at USCIS) and let you go upstairs to the fifth floor itself, where you then have to wait in line to go through security. Except you don't. The officer who let me through on the fourth floor (and who I told I was going to see CIS) told me when I got upstairs I should turn right. All the signage also says for USCIS you should turn right at the top of the stairs. (Signage indicating you should turn right.) Here's the security trick: Don't turn right. That would put you in the same security line as all the Chinese people, and it'd be a long wait, maybe over half an hour depending on how many people there are at that time. But if you turn left at the top of the stairs instead, you can go through the security checkpoint for the US citizen services area (for people who are adding pages to their passport, getting something notarized, getting a marriageability affidavit, etc., I think) -- and here's the thing, there was literally zero line at that one. And the waiting area is all connected on the other side of security, so it doesn't really make any difference whatsoever. (Here's the secret way through security so you don't have to wait in line.) Even though there were fifteen people in front of me in line on the fourth floor, there was only one other guy that knew about this security trick, and so I ended up second in line at USCIS. (And actually, he figured out he might be in the wrong place, so he actually let me go ahead of him, and I got in first.) So a huge thank you to the friend who tipped me off about this little shortcut. Going through security, they will collect your phone and camera and stuff, and you can pick it up when you leave. After you get through, you'll see a bunch of numbered windows; the numbers increase from left to right. You want to go all the way to the left, all the way past window number 1; there, there are two doors marked A and B, and a sign indicating that this is the USCIS area, which is what we want. There are also two rows of about ten chairs each there, which are the actual lines you wait in. I first sat in the line for B, but the guard moved me to A, and as I was sitting and waiting for a while, it looked like A was mostly for Americans and B was mostly for Chinese. There was also a sign on Door A that said that was the place for I-130. (So to summarize, on the fourth floor, wait in the line on the left. When you get up to the fifth floor, go through security by turning left. After going through security, go all the way to the left.) Now, they didn't actually open the door until 9:00. Maybe they're used to everybody waiting in the security line for half an hour first. In any case, they opened at 9:00. I was the first one they let in, and she apologized for making me wait, so I don't know if that means they usually actually open at 8:30 or if she was just being polite, but anyway that's when I got in. The officer herself was very friendly. She first asked to see my originals -- passports (mine and wife's) and marriage certificates -- then she accepted the huge stack of papers I had, all together, just as I had had it. She was very impressed by how organized it was. Her review of it was pretty cursory, just flipped through the stack for a few seconds to make sure the forms were all there and signed and filled out completely, and pictures were attached, and that's about it. Then she gave me a payment ticket and told me to go to window 16 to pay, which I did. The cost is 420 USD, which I paid as 2688 RMB, cash. Get the receipt, take it back to the officer (don't wait in line again; I just stepped to the front of the line, waited for the person who was currently in the room to come out, and then hopped in and gave her my receipt). The receipt gets attached to the top of the stack of papers I just gave her (and you get to keep a copy for yourself). Don't forget to pick up your valuables from security, and that's it; you're done. She told me USCIS should be done with their role in two weeks, and then they give everything over to the state department, but she couldn't tell me how long that would take or anything. I was done and through and out by 9:15. At that point, I hung around the exit for a while, waiting for the girl who I had walked over with this morning from Yang's to finish her interview, and I saw the guy who had been first in line by rights on the fourth floor but who didn't know about the security trick. He came out at 9:40. And FWIW this is the same place everybody exits, so if you accompany your wife (e.g.) to the interview, this is also where you would wait for her to come out. There's a little cafe and stuff. (The exit and waiting area)

My Fiance's interview is on the 7th. I just booked a room with XiaJianXin, cause I saw some good reviews on a different forum. I ran across his self-advertisement page on CFL and I'm wondering if it's legit. If the room conditions are bad, we can just switch later so thats not the issue. I'm more curious whether it's actually safe since I can't accompany my fiance to Guangzhou. Can anyone advise?