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Hello again community. I'm asking this because I want to know if it's common for administrative incompetence to get in the way of getting the visa for the spouse to go to America. My husband had his green card interview and everything seemed to go okay. According to my husband, he asked his interviewer if she needed the translations of all his police certificates and if everything was correct. She said she didn't need the translations, everything was correct, and the final words she said to him were "You're all set." Sounds like everything is good to go for the visa right? Well now, we get a letter saying he is unable to get the visa now because they need: -two new visa photos taken within the past 6 months -a notarized birth certificate -a notarized marriage certificate -a notarized police certificate (it is not specific whether this means a Chinese police certificate, even though we did all that needs to be done to get the white book and everything with it) -notarized English translations of marriage certificate and police certificates from both the Netherlands and Spain My husband brought all this stuff (and much much more) to the interview. His interviewer blew it off and acted like it was unnecessary, now we are here. We will try to call the embassy Monday to see what is going on. Would arguing this situation help and result in a "Sorry, just send what you have to us," or would it be better to just tediously gather up all these documents once more? I've read about administrative incompetence causing couples to not get the visa, but I would have never thought it would happen to us...

Hello All, It has been a while since I have come around. I guess with things going so well - I have not had much of a need to come here for help. But I am now in a position where I desperately need some help. Let me explain... My step-son has been scheduled for his interview in GUZ. And this is where I need some help please. Although I started out saying how things were going well for me - that is not exactly true. I had heart surgery a little over a year ago. But more importantly - I don't know if it is just growing old or perhaps early signs of alzheimer's - But I am having serious problems with sorting out all of the visa processes (mostly paperwork) and be help my step-son prepare for the interview and gather the documents he will need. My wife does not read English - so there is little she can do to help here. I am seriously considering hiring an attorney to help me complete (finish) this process - which bothers me a great deal as I hate to waste money - especially since I have done everything up to this point. However, I was thinking that perhaps there was someone here on Candle that may be able to help me finish this thing. I would certainly be happy to pay for someone just to help me with getting lists of the necessary documents, etc so he will have all that he needs at the interview. To give an example - I cannot even remember IF or WHAT I have already supplied with his application. I don't even remember sending it in so I certainly don't remember what I did actually send in - I assume the same as every other applicant. So since I can't remember what I have given them already - it is impossible for me to know what he needs to take with him to the interview. Are there any good lists IN ENGLISH that simply tell one what is normally already been submitted and then what needs to be brought to the interview? I said in English - but for my wife's sake - it would be nice to have such a list in Chinese as well. I would appreciate any help any of you can provide. Thanks, m-coon (Scott)

I just read this! We are not DCF but went from NVC and all cause when we filed last June we were not residing in China. Now we are back. ANyways, Notarization/translation of the beneficiary's hukou???? I did NOT see that on the interveiw instruction!!!! We are interviewing on Tuesday mroning!!! Can someone help tell me if this is a must???

I have received the NOA for my wife and I'm waiting for the NOA for my step-daughter. What documents do I do need to file next? I am currently working on my I-864. Do they mail the P3 packets or do you download the forms. If you down load the forms what forms do I need to download? Bubba

My wife received her NOA and Packet 3 from Guangzhou last week. We are preparing the required documents and filling out the OF-169 and DS-230 form. Here are the documents that are listed on the OF-169 form and what we're planning on doing about them: MAILING ADDRESS LABEL: Pretty self-explanatory here. Get a return address label so that Guangzhou can send Packet 4 to us. Status: Check marked. PASSPORTS: Wife's passport is valid for a couple more years and she has no expired or cancelled passports, which from OS-169 asks for if they exist; good to go here. Status: Check marked. SIX PHOTOGRAPHS: Six 2x2 unmounted full-face colored photographs with white background and glossy paper. Status: Check marked. TRANSLATIONS: Documents we'll be getting translated: marriage certificates, birth certificate (see below for details on this - my wife wasn't issued one at birth), police report Status: Check marked (but with caveats - we have not had my wife's birth certificate or police report generated yet.) BIRTH CERTIFICATE: As stated above my wife was not issued a birth certificate at birth - however her family's household registry (hukou) is available and accurate. We will be taking that to the notarial office in my wife's home city, along with her mom as a witness, to have a certified document prepared. In addition we will be having my wife's parents provide an affidavit which we will have translated and notarized. Status: See TRANSLATIONS and BIRTH CERTIFICATE sections (but check marked so we can get on with the program) POLICE CERTIFICATES: Same deal here. My wife has called the police offices in her home city and made sure that she will be able to procure one of these. It'll be translated and certified at the notary office at the same time as the birth certificate and affidavit her parents are making about her birth information. Status: Check marked COURTS AND PRISON RECORDS: Left unchecked - my wife has never been involved in litigation of any kind, convicted of a crime, or spent time in a correctional facility. MILITARY RECORDS: Left unchecked. My wife has never been in the Chinese military. EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT: A couple questions here: we have a co-sponsor who has already filled out the I-864 form and sent photocopies of her tax transcripts. At the interview how many I-864 forms are we submitting? One that I fill out as the petitioner, the one our co-sponsor has filled out, and...does my wife need to fill one out too? At any rate - Status: Check marked MARITAL STATUS DOCUMENTS: We will have our marriage licences translated by the notary office (again) in preparation for the interview. Status: Check marked ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS: It looks like they're asking for more evidence of our relationship here? In that case we'll come with our son's birth certificate, passport, and photos of our relationship including of our wedding, her time spent in the USA with my family and I and...anything else that would be beneficial? Am I understanding this section correctly? Status: Check marked CUSTODY DOCUMENTS: Not applicable. Status: Left unchecked RESUMES: The OF-169 form indicates that if my wife's profession requires a large and complex array of skill and/or education then to include a resume. My wife has a bachelor's degree in English and was a teacher when we met (currently a homemaker). We'll include one anyway. Status: Check marked VISA EXTENSION NOTICE: Not applicable here Status: Left unchecked OK - I am sorry for the length of this post but it helped to get everything written out. It helps for me to organize things - sorry to have to subject you to it! If there is anything I have left out or that you think would be beneficial to know please do chime in - I'm hoping that the above is good enough. The only issue that I can see is that we don't actually have the birth certificate/affidavit thing sorted out or the police check completed. Our plan is to get the Packet 4 and interview date and then head to my wife's home city to have it done. Then from there just go to Guangzhou. Is that wise?

Hi all, FF (still FF, not FH yet) from China. We got notice our 129-F was approved at CSC on Oct 14th. Now we are looking ahead to the P3, which I would guess we'll receive in a couple of months. I downloaded donahso's wonderful P3 sample packet, and on the OS-169, it contains the following statement: PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY Third: As soon as you have obtained all of the documents that apply to your case, carefully read the statement at the bottom of this form, sign and date it, and send the form to the consular office processing your case, you will not be scheduled for an appointment until you sign and return this checklist. The documents they are referring to include the I-134, the Birth Certificate, and the Police Certificate. Question #1 is: when people say "sent P3 to Guangzhou" in their signatures, are you giving the time you return the DS-230 part 1, or the time you send in the OS-169, or both? Question #2 is: it seems like it usually takes 4 & 1/2 months to get an interview from the time Guangzhou receives "the P3." Does the clock start ticking after they receive the DS-230? Or does it not start ticking until they have received both the DS-230 and the signed OS-169? Some people here have said that you don't have to get police and birth certificates until around P4 time, but... according to what it says on the OS-169, it doesn't seem like it should be possible to get a P4 until you have gotten the certificates and sent them the OS-169. The reason I ask these questions is, Fiona is still nervous about asking her work unit for the certificates. She'd like to wait until she passes her probationary period in March, and establishes better relationships with everyone at work. We're thinking we might get the P3 in January. If she waits two months to send in a signed OS-169, will that delay us a couple of months? Incidentally, we still have a couple of days to decide whether or not to abandon the I-129F and get married. These issue are related. Every time she thinks about going into work and asking for certificates, she thinks she would like to be married first. I hate to abandon an APPROVED I-129F (!) but I understand her point of view. If she has to wait a couple of months to feel "safe" enough to get the certificates from her work unit, maybe there is no advantage in continuing with the I-129F anyway. I'll be in Beijing until Saturday, so any and all opinions would be gratefully received. - FF ps. We looked on 001.com.cn to try to find a way to get the certificates without going through Fiona's work unit at the Ministry of Finance. It doesn't look good. The person at 001 in a position closest to Fiona's used forgeries! We don't want to do that.