mlspyl Posted October 29, 2005 Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 (edited) I will be traveling to China in November for my wife's interview. I have a few questions; hundreds actually, but I will limit them !!!. I know many have been asked before, but please help me. 1. We are CR1, so the P3 was completed at the NVC. We had to put her Case Number on all submitted documents. With all the copies (passport bio pages, Notorial Certificates, etc.) that need to be supplied at the consulate during the interview, are we required to place the Case Number on these also ??? 2. I know many members have used used clear plastic containers to carry the evidence to the interview. We have the clear binders. But where do you purchase the clear accordion folders and clear plastic bag (to carry all the stuff in) ??? I cannot find them anywhere. 3. I have purchased plane tickets for both of us to return to the USA. My wife's is one-way from Hong Kong to Newark, NJ. The tickets are etickets and not "paper" tickets. We will receive the actual tickets at Hong Kong airport on day of departure (This is the process I always do). Her name and assigned seating is on her eticket. a. We will crossing the Chinese - Hong Kong border by bus/van at Shenzhen and must pass through customs at both points. I have done this many times myself. Will my wife with her passport, America visa, and eticket be permitted to cross (i.e. will the eticket be sufficient) ??? b. Regardless of of a. above, how early can she travel to Hong Kong without a Hong Kong tourist/travel visa (I not sure if this is the proper term) for her ??? We want to spend a day or two in Hong Kong before our flight to the USA. So, the earliest we would leave China is two days before the flight. 4. Any experience with clearing immigration/customs at Newark, NJ (EWR) ??? I might have an addtional question or two and will add these to this topic. Thanks allMark Edited October 29, 2005 by mlspyl (see edit history) Link to comment
david_dawei Posted October 29, 2005 Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 Glad to hear you can go to the interview ! 1. We did not put the case number on anything... 2. I would not worry about the accordian file or carry bag... Our carry bag was not clear, just the folders holding the paperwork... best to you two Mark Link to comment
mercator Posted October 30, 2005 Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 Glad to hear you can go to the interview ! 1. We did not put the case number on anything... 2. I would not worry about the accordian file or carry bag... Our carry bag was not clear, just the folders holding the paperwork... best to you two Mark 164345[/snapback]Glad to hear you can go to the interview ! 1. We did not put the case number on anything... 2. I would not worry about the accordian file or carry bag... Our carry bag was not clear, just the folders holding the paperwork... best to you two Mark 164345[/snapback]I'm pretty sure she will need a Hong Kong visa since, regardless of final destination, she is still travelling under a Chinese passport. The accordion files are in China, at any of the little shops with office supplies. I would entrust your SO to track one down, though it isn't necessary, just convenient. They xray stuff the same way as they do in the airport. Finally, if you are entering via Hong Kong and then departing via Hong Kong of course you will still need a Chinese visa. Going from HK - Shenzen counts, so if you cross, you won't be able to cross again. When I was in GZ, I wanted to go to HK, but if I had I would have been denied reentry into China and GZ because my visa was single entry. For travel purposes, HK is another country. I definitely would have your case number(s) with you, even if they arent on any of the documents. Merc Link to comment
HanLi Posted October 30, 2005 Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 Everything up to and including the P-3 submittal should have had the GUZ number on it in the top right hand corner... I haven't seen the P-4 yet, so I'm not sure what is required... The visa stuff is tricky, you can only enter china once on single entry visas, so if you travel to HK, you may not get back into china... you should check with the chinese immigration police to determine your SO's ability to cross into HK. Good luck Link to comment
bubbafred10 Posted October 30, 2005 Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 (edited) I will be traveling to China in November for my wife's interview. I have a few questions; hundreds actually, but I will limit them !!!. I know many have been asked before, but please help me. 1. We are CR1, so the P3 was completed at the NVC. We had to put her Case Number on all submitted documents. With all the copies (passport bio pages, Notorial Certificates, etc.) that need to be supplied at the consulate during the interview, are we required to place the Case Number on these also ??? 2. I know many members have used used clear plastic containers to carry the evidence to the interview. We have the clear binders. But where do you purchase the clear accordion folders and clear plastic bag (to carry all the stuff in) ??? I cannot find them anywhere. 3. I have purchased plane tickets for both of us to return to the USA. My wife's is one-way from Hong Kong to Newark, NJ. The tickets are etickets and not "paper" tickets. We will receive the actual tickets at Hong Kong airport on day of departure (This is the process I always do). Her name and assigned seating is on her eticket. a. We will crossing the Chinese - Hong Kong border by bus/van at Shenzhen and must pass through customs at both points. I have done this many times myself. Will my wife with her passport, America visa, and eticket be permitted to cross (i.e. will the eticket be sufficient) ??? b. Regardless of of a. above, how early can she travel to Hong Kong without a Hong Kong tourist/travel visa (I not sure if this is the proper term) for her ??? We want to spend a day or two in Hong Kong before our flight to the USA. So, the earliest we would leave China is two days before the flight. 4. Any experience with clearing immigration/customs at Newark, NJ (EWR) ??? I might have an addtional question or two and will add these to this topic. Thanks allMark164320[/snapback] Just as important is for your wife to know the biographical and financial information/data that you submitted. When my laopo was interviewed, she noted one lady in an adjacent booth who did not get a red slip because she did not know one specific data about her husband (previous marriage or about the husband's father). Particularly for CR1 visa, where both should know the other's immediate families real well and about divorces. On your questions: 1. My laopo wrote the GUZ case number on the upper right corner of each page of P4, except the ones to be filled out by medical exam. Actually it's not needed because the name is written. However, if it's a very common name such as "Jane Smith", then it would be a good idea to write the GUZ case number. 2. My laopo put documents in clear plastic envelopes, so she can easily find the P4 documents that will be submitted prior to the interview and the supporting docs (photos, emails, phone calls, etc) that VO will ask to look. 3. Mainlanders need a HK visa to go to HK. I think it is easier to get the HK visa once she gets the US visa, and she will be entering HK only for a few days before going to US. Without the US visa and your presence, it would be more difficult to get HK visa. 4. Newark is an international hub, just one step below Dulles, JFK, SFO, LAX, and LaGuardia. So it should be easy and painless. It's not like Minneapolis or other small airport with country bumpkin' hicks running around wearing US Customs uniforms. The reason for HK visa: HK don't like mainlanders to enter HK and get HK's welfare benefits. The maids in HK are mostly from Indonesia and Phillipines. There is hardly any maids from mainland. Any Chinese mainland who live in HK for 3 (or maybe 5) years, they then become entitled to HK's social welfare program which included medical care which is much better than what's provided in mainland. Also the low income public assistance housing which is much better than what's provided in the mainland. HK welfare system is more socialistic than that in mainland. It's more "dog eat dog" world in mainland. It used to be the opposite. Topsy turvy world! He he he! Edited October 30, 2005 by bubbafred10 (see edit history) Link to comment
Timeline Posted October 30, 2005 Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 Thanks for all the input !!! I do have one clarification. On question 3, I meant will my wife have a problem traveling from Shenzhen to Hong Kong when we leave China ?? I have a multi-entry Chinese visa. More importantly, my wife is not from Guangdong Province and it would be difficult to return to her Home Province to receive a Hong Kong visa. We will depart soon after her interview. I thought on previous posts (I cannot find them now) that the Chinese citizen was permited to transit from China through Hong Kong to fly to the United States without the Hong Kong visa for her ??? Anyone remember this ??? I am a little worried now, I thought this was a no brainer for us !!! Also, is it possible for my wife to receive a Hong Kong visa in Shenzhen or Guangzhou even if she is not a resident of Guangdong Province ??? My wife does not think so and believes she would have to return to her Home Province for this. Any help would be greatly appreciated. ThanksMark Link to comment
Jason+Joanna Posted October 30, 2005 Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 We took office from HK to LA in September. She did not need a HK visa. The USA visa + Airticket is sufficient. We crossed the border on a Bus as well. There was absolutely no problem at all. She handed my passport to the customs offical at each port of entry / exit -- this may have "greased the wheel". As for the clear binder to hold our stuff -- tray Staples, I bought an accordain style one there for a few $. I don't know about #1. Link to comment
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