Submitting P3 today

[alec_bauserman]

Hey everybody! Im seeking a CR-1 visa for my wife Elf and we did a DCF in November. Today we are returning the complete P3 packet (DS-230 part 1 and the OF-169 checklist). From looking at other people's timelines, it takes about 4 months to get the P4 back and have an interview date set which is usually a month later. I must be back in the US by June 10th to take a teacher's qualification test. I cant take it online, at a later date, etc.

 

Here's my question: in your personal opinion, do you think it is possible for us to get the P4, take the interview and get the visa BEFORE June 10th? Will the embassy take our situation into consideration i.e. can they set an earlier interview date or anything like that? If the interview date is after June 10th, can Elf legally enter the USA by herself? Obviously we desperately want to go home together but I MUST take this test to get the job.

[Guest pushbrk]

Hey everybody! Im seeking a CR-1 visa for my wife Elf and we did a DCF in November. Today we are returning the complete P3 packet (DS-230 part 1 and the OF-169 checklist). From looking at other people's timelines, it takes about 4 months to get the P4 back and have an interview date set which is usually a month later. I must be back in the US by June 10th to take a teacher's qualification test. I cant take it online, at a later date, etc.

 

Here's my question: in your personal opinion, do you think it is possible for us to get the P4, take the interview and get the visa BEFORE June 10th? Will the embassy take our situation into consideration i.e. can they set an earlier interview date or anything like that? If the interview date is after June 10th, can Elf legally enter the USA by herself? Obviously we desperately want to go home together but I MUST take this test to get the job.

184489[/snapback]

Yes, she can do the interview by herself. The DCF timelines tend to be shorter.

[artmill4]

Alec no one can tell you when or if you will receive a visa. Relax.

[mercator]

4.5 months would be within 'average' times for the latest speed up at GUZ. By no means does that guarantee anything. DCF's and CR-1's are really hard to track because only a few report in to CFL (timeline or noneufo).

 

My optimist side is hoping my wife will have her K-3 interview when I am there in late March/early April. We have not received our P3 yet. Like I said, I am an optimist (and also not too patient). I figure my chances are about 25%, but that is only like 2.5 months from P3 to interview. Not unheard of, but ambitious.

[Guest pushbrk]

4.5 months would be within 'average' times for the latest speed up at GUZ.  By no means does that guarantee anything. DCF's and CR-1's are really hard to track because only a few report in to CFL (timeline or noneufo).

 

My optimist side is hoping my wife will have her K-3 interview when I am there in late March/early April.  We have not received our P3 yet.  Like I said, I am an optimist (and also not too patient).  I figure my chances are about 25%, but that is only like 2.5 months from P3 to interview.  Not unheard of, but ambitious.

184624[/snapback]

You also asked if the Consulate would consider your circumstances in scheduling the interview. Count on NO as the answer to that one.

 

Don't sweat it. Your SO can do the interview without you. Most do.

[Orrin]

4.5 months from P3 to visa approval seems reasonable, but whatever you do, don't buy any air tickets, especially non-refundable ones until she has the visa in hand. GUZ doesn't give a flying flip about your individual situation. As far as they are concerned, you're just another paper in the pile in the "in" basket.

[wolf190]

I'm not sure about that me and my SO have been waiting a while.

 

But what I have learned from looking at this site is that each case is different.

[mercator]

A DCF 130 seems to go alot faster than a stateside 130 does, but yeah, I would book a fullfare ticket if you can afford to, or book last minute. Maybe a Chinese ticket broker / travel agency can swing you a pair of cheap tickets.

 

ideally, you'll get it in May, then have a month to get ready to go, but again, its impossible to tell with any accuracy who goes when...

[wpc76180]

Hey everybody! Im seeking a CR-1 visa for my wife Elf and we did a DCF in November. Today we are returning the complete P3 packet (DS-230 part 1 and the OF-169 checklist). From looking at other people's timelines, it takes about 4 months to get the P4 back and have an interview date set which is usually a month later. I must be back in the US by June 10th to take a teacher's qualification test. I cant take it online, at a later date, etc.

 

Here's my question: in your personal opinion, do you think it is possible for us to get the P4, take the interview and get the visa BEFORE June 10th? Will the embassy take our situation into consideration i.e. can they set an earlier interview date or anything like that? If the interview date is after June 10th, can Elf legally enter the USA by herself? Obviously we desperately want to go home together but I MUST take this test to get the job.

184489[/snapback]

Dude,

 

You might get it by June, but if not,

then Elf enters USA alone.

 

It's as simple as that...

because without a job, things are going to get expensive

when Elf comes over

[david_dawei]

you should get your interview date prior to june 10..

[alec_bauserman]

you should get your interview date prior to june 10..

185402[/snapback]

I sure hope so. We have a pretty straightforward case - no previous marriage, no children, no criminal history, no Party affiliation, etc. However anything can go wrong between now and June. Even so, we're cautiously optimistic...

 

Spring Festival is coming up soon so we'll go back to her home town - Meitan, Guizhou. Its really small (by Chinese standards at least! lol) but its in a beautiful area of China. My roommate and I are going to do a little hiking then Ill go on to Elf's house in Meitan. Should be fun...cant be worse than last year *shudder* Try to imagine a father and three uncles, all Chinese versions of Tony Soprano, staring you down with eyes that say "I know what your up to..."

[tigress]

it depends on what kind of visa you are applying for? is is k3 or cr1? they are different. if you are filing for k3, it is quite possible your wife will be interviewed some day before june. but if you are filing for a cr1 visa, and you have just mailed your p3 to the nvc, i am afraid she wont be interviewed before june 1st.

Edited January 25, 2006 by tigress (see edit history)

[shyaushu]

you should get your interview date prior to june 10..

185402[/snapback]

I sure hope so. We have a pretty straightforward case - no previous marriage, no children, no criminal history, no Party affiliation, etc. However anything can go wrong between now and June. Even so, we're cautiously optimistic...

 

Spring Festival is coming up soon so we'll go back to her home town - Meitan, Guizhou. Its really small (by Chinese standards at least! lol) but its in a beautiful area of China. My roommate and I are going to do a little hiking then Ill go on to Elf's house in Meitan. Should be fun...cant be worse than last year *shudder* Try to imagine a father and three uncles, all Chinese versions of Tony Soprano, staring you down with eyes that say "I know what your up to..."

185714[/snapback]

The advice offered here to relax and hope for a rapid interview date is the one you need to follow. These things take their own time and anxiety only makes it all worse. I, too, was all bent out-of-shape, and things only began to work out when I accepted this was a process, and not a "one-night-stand."

 

There is absolutely no reason your wife cannot have her interview without you and then come to the US by herself. My own wife did just a month ago!

 

And having the P-4 and interview letter sent to an erroneous address, while not good, is not exclusionary. Again, the same thing happened to us -- the stuff was sent to essentially a non-existent address in China.

 

I FAXED the Consulate in Guangzhou, explained the situation to them, and gave them my wife's cell phone number. They called her, and arranged for her to come to the Consulate a day early to pick up the stuff. She was able to get her medical exams and such in a couple of hours in Guanzhou by simply giving the medical staff 100 RMB extra!

 

Then, a five-minute interview.

 

Leave all the papers, photos and other documents you think you will need with your wife and go take your certification test in the US if your interview doesn't come up in time. It will all work out fine.