Four month DHL holdup?

[Stone]

My wife's case was forwarded to Guangzhou on 7/28/05 (NVC automated message). Today I received an email reply message from GZ Consulate:

"We have not received this petition yet. Due to the delay at the custom, it can take up to 120 days to receive a petition."

Can it take 4 month for the package to clear the customs? And another 6 month before the interview? This morning I called DOS and the Visa Specialist told me that my wife's case is not in Guangzhou's computer as yet. Shall my wife appear for an interview around May 2006 or even worse? This is totally unbelievable!!!

Some immigrant veterans here please give me some advice as to when my wife can have an interview. I am so anxious and have to plan my fourth visit to China soon. I miss my wife and son so much. My son is growing up without his father on his side!

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

My wife's case was forwarded to Guangzhou on 7/28/05 (NVC automated message).  Today I received an email reply message from GZ Consulate:

 

"We have not received this petition yet.  Due to the delay at the custom, it can take up to 120 days to receive a petition."

156353[/snapback]

This sort of thing is purely unacceptable. Immigration authorities must be exposed for fudging their system with unacceptable FAT so as to appear to be meeting deadlines!!!!

[tywy_99]

My wife's case was forwarded to Guangzhou on 7/28/05 (NVC automated message).  Today I received an email reply message from GZ Consulate:

 

"We have not received this petition yet.  Due to the delay at the custom, it can take up to 120 days to receive a petition."

 

Can it take 4 month for the package to clear the customs? And another 6 month before the interview?  This morning I called DOS and the Visa Specialist told me that my wife's case is not in Guangzhou's computer as yet.  Shall my wife appear for an interview around May 2006 or even worse?  This is totally unbelievable!!!

 

Some immigrant veterans here please give me some advice as to when my wife can have an interview.  I am so anxious and have to plan my fourth visit to China soon.  I miss my wife and son so much.  My son is growing up without his father on his side!

156353[/snapback]

It took 71 days for our case. Yours hasn't quite reached 60 days yet. And I don't think it will be much longer for you. Give it another week or two before getting too concerned.

 

-good luck

[Randy W]

Anything over a few days is unacceptable - and deliberate on the part of the consulate, in my opinion. They are using "customs delay" as an excuse for their performance. It is difficult to hold them responsible when they handle it this way.

 

However, Ty's point is well taken. It is best to be patient.

 

I hope this doesn't signal a slow-down.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

While some might disagree, I think it important to bring to the attention of the Washington Visa Officials that this methodology is becoming standard protocol. They are using it as a buffer so that they will not be held accountable for falling behind. They are under pressure to meet deadlines and become more efficient. Putting petitions in limbo fails to meet this criteria and exposing it may well prevent it from continuing to happen

[Randy W]

While some might disagree, I think it important to bring to the attention of the Washington Visa Officials that this methodology is becoming standard protocol. They are using it as a buffer so that they will not be held accountable for falling behind. They are under pressure to meet deadlines and become more efficient. Putting petitions in limbo fails to meet this criteria and exposing it may well prevent it from continuing to happen

156369[/snapback]

 

 

And the Swan Hotel and "customs delay" limbos are perfectly acceptable delays to the Washington crowd, since it is supposedly "out of their hands". "Haven't received yet" or "customs delay" deflect attention from their performance, and provide them with a very convenient excuse to extend their deadlines.

[Timeline]

Jiang:

 

Like tywy_99 said, the e-mail from the consulate is canned.

 

After the consulate "enters your wife's case into the computer" at Guangzhou, the average time to interview is 161 days. The is based on the following information:

 

1. CR1 case

2. Past five months of historical data for CR1 cases

3. No "2nd namecheck" delay

 

So, if the consulate takes 10 more days until someone unpacks your wife's case and "enters it into the computer" then the interview would be scheduled about 171 days from today. Remember this is an average, some take more days, some take less days.

 

For my wife's case (CR1), it took 9 weeks (64 days) from the time the NVC "forwarded the case" to the consulate until the consulate "entered it into the computer".

 

On a positive note, if the new consulate building begins to speed up the interviews, then the 161 day average should start to decrease.

 

I would call the DOS once a week until they inform you that your wife's case has been "entered into the computer" (this is what I did). In addition, I did not get the information until weeks after the actual "entered into the computer" date !!!

 

 

Mark

Edited September 23, 2005 by Timeline (see edit history)

[jim_julian]

I didn't see it clearly stated above, although implied, I understand we collectively believe that the consulate just lets these boxes sit at DHL and the "customs delay" is primarily the consulate delaying the delivery until it fits in with their case load processing. Correct?

[Stone]

Thank youThank you very much for everybody who replied my post.

 

I did the DHL tracking early this month, which showed that a package sent from NVC on 7/28/05 arrived in Guangzhou on 7/31/05 (7 lbs) and was delivered on 9/2/05. I called DOS 2-3 weeks ago and a Visa Specialist told me that Guangzhou Consulate had indeed received my wife's package and my wife was going through a name check process. Wow, that was good to know. Another call to DOS a week later also confirmed that Guangzhou Consulate had received the package and a man (Visa Specialist) told me that my wife probably would have her interview early next year.

 

But this morning, when I phoned DOS again, a Visa Specialist, after reading the Guangzhou reply email to me, told me that they recently had some new hires and the other Visa Specialists had apparently given me the wrong information on the phone. And she apologized that they had given me the wrong information.

 

Thank you again, Candle, for those who replied my post! At least I know that my wife's package is not lost somewhere. Guess I have to throw in several thousand dollars more for another visit to China soon. It is so painful to be away from my beloved ones.

[Randy W]

I didn't see it clearly stated above, although implied, I understand we collectively believe that the consulate just lets these boxes sit at DHL and the "customs delay" is primarily the consulate delaying the delivery until it fits in with their case load processing.  Correct?

156375[/snapback]

 

 

I think more people are becoming convinced of that possibility

 

5 week delay that DHL blamed on GUZ

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

I think more people are becoming convinced of that possibility

 

5 week delay that DHL blamed on GUZ

156378[/snapback]

Good link Randy.....

 

I've also heard a story where there were boxes of Visa petitions were locked in a room while part of the building was being remodeled. They went untouched and unnoticed for months.

 

While difficult, tracking these movements can become a very important part of Candle members. Getting clear-cut sixty-minutes type evidence would be good, but one would need an insider with DHL or other mail handling office to film and log the events.

[tywy_99]

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2883&hl=

[frank1538]

This is what I've heard. I have no idea if the information is accurate, but it sounds plausible.

 

Chinese customs officials apparently require certain documentation before they will release packages from customs. What I have heard is that for these types of shipments, DHL won't deliver until the recipient produces the appropriate paperwork. Now here's the rub, if personnel from the consulate don't produce the paperwork, the packages don't get released from customs, hence "customs delays", but if this information is correct, what is the real reason for the delay?

[cosmiclobster]

In the past, GZ has always waited until there is a van full of petitions until they picked them up and started on the next batch. This makes even more sense now with the fiancee visa section at a different location than the rest of the consulate. The current SOP is to deliver everything to the consulate, let the main consulate sort out which petitions go where and when they have a van full of K visa petitions, they will get forwarded to the new location. They could possibly streamline their procedure and send visa packet to the new location. I even believe that they will do this at some point in the future.

But until they work out the kinks in the "system" there will be additional delays for the first batch of visa's that were delivered to the old consulate after the new location was operational.

Make sense?

Remember we are dealing with a government agency that moves at a snails pace on good days!

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

This may be a where there is smoke, there is fire kinda thing. If any truth to it whatsoever it's completely reprehensible. My hat would indeed be off to anyone that could obtain evidence of such shenanigans, as it would fit perfectly on any page of any newpaper in the US and be a national embarrassment