It is time to bring my wife's 2 children to US

[egolessvegan]

My wife received her K-1 visa on January 7, 2005. She arrived here in US on March 2,2005. We had included her 2 children on our visa. It is my understanding that we have up to one year from the date of K-1 approval to bring the children over.

My question is, what do we need at this point from US Embassy in Guangzhou? I have emailed them stating our intentions. They replied that the children need to be interviewed. They also said that this could take at least a few months to happen.

Best case scenario, we wanted them to be here by September to start the school year. I am still waiting for additional feedback from the embassy. Any suggestions or information that could be helpful in our situation would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken

[John & Hai Yan]

Ken,

 

I am somewhat in the same situation. My wife's son remained in China to finish out the school year. Our intention is to bring him to the states in time to start school in September.

 

When we went through the K1 process we included him on all the forms. We also included a seperate G325A biographic form. As a result he received his own visa. He also has his own passport. He is 9 years old. He attended the interview at Ghongzhou, but was not asked any questions. If you did the same thing, the children's visas may only be good for six months from the date of issue.

 

If the children do not have seperate visas, and are only included on your wife's visa, then I believe she must travel with them. In order to travel back to China, she must have completed the AOS process or have (AP) advance parole.

 

This is all speculation on my part, so hopefully someone else will chime in here.

[egolessvegan]

Thanks John.

We have completed the AOS filing process. However,we did not file for the AP. I am hopeful we can still bring the children over without that document.

The children do not have their own visa, so I am just trying to figure what do we need from Guangzhou at this point. All they have indicated is, that an interview for them is necessary. As usual they are dragging their feet with supplying us with the needed details.

We are still trying to sort out things. More help needed.

Ken

[bubbafred10]

Thanks John.

We have completed the AOS filing process. However,we did not file for the AP. I am hopeful we can still bring the children over without that document.

The children do not have their own visa, so I am just trying to figure what do we need from Guangzhou at this point. All they have indicated is, that an interview for them is necessary. As usual they are dragging their feet with supplying us with the needed details.

We are still trying to sort out things. More help needed.

Ken

If I were in your shoes, I would also check with NVC.

 

Let us know what you find out.

 

NVC and DOS can be very callous, despite our good intentions for our families.

[Martytb]

Ken,

 

If the children did not go to GZ with mom for the interveiw they will need to go later. Were they included in the P3 docs that your SO sent back to GZ?

If so the letter in the P4 would have included the children, and they should have gone with mom at that time.

I would call DOS. They may be eligable for an interview in short order if they were included in the original application.

[Dean Hall]

The options are quite simple:

 

1. The children must each have their own passport

 

2. The passport must contain a K2 visa

 

What Martyb said applies. If they had originally gone with the mother to her interview, they could have come over within the 6 month time frame.

 

An interview will have to take place if they have not done the above.

[egolessvegan]

Thank you Marty and Dean for the info.

Ken

[Martytb]

The options are quite simple:

 

1.  The children must each have their own passport

 

2.  The passport must contain a K2 visa

 

What Martyb said applies.  If they had originally gone with the mother to her interview, they could have come over within the 6 month time frame.

 

An interview will have to take place if they have not done the above.

Hey Dean & Lannie,

 

You haven't been around much lately.

 

Egolessvegan,

I hope everything works out for the kids. Is somebody in China available to take them to GZ?

[Dean Hall]

Hey, Martyb,

 

I've been lurkin about, but quiet.

 

Ken (egolessvegan)

 

But for those reading about bringing a child over at a later date, I've been there and done that.

 

It was not mentioned who would be bringing the children back, but from my experience, here are a couple of tips.

 

Be sure that you have legal written evidence that the mother has complete and full custody of the children. In our case, my wife stayed in the States, and I traveled over for the boy. The Chinese immigration officers can be sticklers on children leaving the country, and rightfully so.

 

In our case, the evidence was in my wifes divorce decree, and I was able to find the exact place in the original and translated documents. Being able to point out the exact location of the pertaining data in a Chinese document turned out to be extremely helpful.

 

Secondly, when my wife entered the country without the child, I asked the US Immigration agent at LAX to write on the back of the I-94 under "Record of Changes" that the son would be following at a later date. I then photocopied both sides of the I-94, and photo copied the mothers passport and visa and carried both with me on the trip to get the child.

 

This move paid off hugely when we arrived back in the states with the child. It was harder getting into the States than leaving China.

I did not have the forsight to copy everything in the mysterious brown envelope that GZ gives you, so all of our original documentation was handed over on my wifes first trip in.

 

However, with the photo copies of the I-94, mothers passport and visa, they were able to do a computer search, and we were done in a few hours.

This all took place in the "special room" that they always have to the side of regular immigration.

 

Those two hours sitting in that room opened my eyes to the real world of visa fraud, and why it takes so long in this process. They are out there, they are playing the system, they do get caught, and we all pay the price.

 

I honestly and sincerely implore you and any parents bringing your children back from China, please, don't expect them to do this on their own. At least one of the parents needs to be with them on this trip. This is a huge culture shock to begin with, and to top it off with a possible side trip to immigrations interigation room full of yelling, crying begging people is just not acceptable.

 

Prepare well, cover yourself in paper, best of luck.

 

My sermon has ended, Dean

[egolessvegan]

Dean, thanks for sharing your experience. I learned a lot.

Ken

:

[bubbafred10]

Dean - Thank you for posting your experience. I memorized your suggestions.