maybe it's a rumor

[whoever]

I heard, from my mom's co-worker. There is a way to get your visa who is still waiting for name check, at an expensive price.

 

Someone could actually, walk in GuangZhou Consulate, and somehow get the Visa for you, as long as your Visa is waiting for name clearance. Each Visa cost $1000 U.S. Dollars!

 

My mom's co-worker claimed that her relative got their Visa this way.

 

Now, have you guys tried this, or ever heard of this thing?

 

My brother has been waiting for his name check for over 9 months.

[AZwolfman]

BE CAREFUL!! I have heard of such scams, both on this forum and in the news media. Check out thoroughly before you act.

[robhon]

As well, if it's illegal and you get caught, your spouse/fiance will never be able to come into the U.S. ever again. Thousand bucks ain't nuthin' compared to that price.

 

I'd wait five years over risking a definitive "never."

[SBS]

well it sounds cheaper than ask lawyer for help. It will cost $3000 to ask lawyer to just make phone call to CA.

[robhon]

well it sounds cheaper than ask lawyer for help. It will cost $3000 to ask lawyer to just make phone call to CA.

 

What???

 

Who's your lawyer? Johnny Cockran?

[AZwolfman]

Most likely, the lawyer will just be put on hold or told 'case still pending'

[finenn]

My lawyer strongly suggested against any attempts at bribery. Because that's all it is. If someone walks in the Consulate with a 1000 bucks, and your visa is there processing, then it's a someone knows someone deal, or a flat bribe. There was a guy on another board who insisted that by sending money, (as for example, a contribution to an important cause), to Washington DC along with a pleading letter, would speed up INS/BCIS wait times. I wouldn't do it.

 

On one of my Guangzhou visits, we were approached, right near the Consulate, by a very nice woman who invited us to her office, which had about 5 or so office workers, who for a fee, could ensure and expedite her visa. But the fee turned out to be twice what I would pay for an attorney here in the US. And it just didn't feel right anyways.

 

The streets of Guangzhou and other cities in China I've been feel safe really, but there are a lot of scams waiting, just like anywhere else.

 

Which brings to mind another scary scam, some hotels in China will suspect or claim prostitution, when an obvious white foreigner checks in with a chinese lady. So what happens is, they'll send the police to the room at 2 or 3 am, and since you cannot prove you are married, they may write a report anyways, even though they may agree you are not committing a crime. The point is, this has not happened to us, and I pretty much stay with her in her apartment instead of a hotel, but last time we ventured off deep in the mainland to visit her parents, and stayed in a hotel. Thank god no one messed with us. Well back to the point, a police may write a report anyhow, and the Consulate may just see that report, and therefore could make her look real bad, possibly denying the visa. Solution? Pay off the cop and/or hotel worker(s), so I have heard.

 

AZwolfman says: BE CAREFUL!!

[robhon]

Solution? Pay off the cop and/or hotel worker(s), so I have heard.

 

You can't be serious.

[Mick]

Be very very careful with this sort of thing. I could backfire.

[chinadave2001]

This sounds like a good way to lose 1000 dollars. Don't do it.

dave

[whoever]

No, I rejected this idea rightaway when my mom was anxious about getting my brother the visa.

 

I just would like to hear from others, who might have heard about this.

[owenkrout]

There are definately what I would have to classify as rumours, just becasue I have never managed to verify it, floating around in the Chinese community that a visa can be bought at GZ for $1,000 US. Varies slightly, but the story is always basically that you pay the person out front who is either good friends with or is related to one of the visa officers, and your visa magically is processed immediately.

 

Personally, I have my doubts it is real given the current name check process, but a few months back there was a thread here with a verified case of visa fraud at the Beijing Embassy. Visas for sale and the system worked just like the rumour now says about GZ. The officer involved was only transfered. The investigators did a throughly amatur job of the investigation to the point of appearing to be more interested in sweeping the case under the carpet than in getting tot he bottom of anything.

 

The kicker is that if the government catches some officer at visa fraud it is the people who visas where issued to that they really go after, not the crooked officer. There have been cases of people who apparently thought that it was a legitimate process who were being deported for visa fraud while the officer who issued the visas continued on his career.

[chinadave2001]

 

The kicker is that if the government catches some officer at visa fraud it is the people who visas where issued to that they really go after, not the crooked officer.  There have been cases of people who apparently thought that it was a legitimate process who were being deported for visa fraud while the officer who issued the visas continued on his career.

Exactly right., There was story earlier this year about VISA fraud in Mexico and the INS went and arrested a bunch of folks, some of whom had been living, working and paying taxes in the USA for several years, and deported them. Of course they were stunned as they believed that heir visas were legit.

[owenkrout]

Solution? Pay off the cop and/or hotel worker(s), so I have heard.

 

You can't be serious.

Your not properly prepared for China, or for that matter most of the developing world, if this shocks you. That is exactly what you would be expected to do. The cops would probably helpfully tell you how much it would cost to take care of the problem. You may or may not get deported still, but at least you wouldn't sit in a Chinese jail, which you really don't want to do.

 

The PSB used to be very concerned about "foreigners" being too friendly with local women. It was actually a major part of the foreign affairs branches job. Now days in the big cities, nobody seems to care. If you get out into the hinterlands however, you may still have problems.

 

Hotels are supposed to verify that you are married to the gal you are staying with, whether you are Chinese or not, but many don't really care and given the way people have been avoiding staying in hotels, they are more likely to look the other way, especially to get that laowei room rate.

[king]

Any suggestion that you can buy a visa or someone will guarantee visa issuance for a fee is propsing to you to commit a crime under American law. From my experience in Guangzhou there is no way at this time to "buy" a visa, altho some of that may have happened in the distant past.

 

If you are concerned about traveling with a Chinese fiancee in China and staying at hotels, just get two rooms. You can use one in the early hours and two for real sleep. I have done it, not really convenient, but it works.