Interview Result...

[Zachary And Lychee]

The interview lasted about 20-25 minutes. Lychee was asked so many questions. The VO seemed to have a hard time with our short relationship before engagement. This may be short for American standards but very common in chinese culture around Fujian. She was probed about our relationship.. first meetings... time together in china... my job... and was asked again about our short time in a relationship before deciding to marry. He then asked for our pictures. Lychee gave them to him and explain them. She gave him our chat conversations and e-mail. Next he asked for my I-134 and tax information. She gave him my tax information, with my affidavit of support, my letter from my bank showing amount deposited since it was opened, my letter from my employer showing my employment status and salary, and every pay stub since I started working there. In the end he decided to give her a blue slip and stated she must hand him in-person my bank statements since I opened my account. Lychee was devistated. She felt he was trying to "play father" and make us wait longer because he feels things are too fast. Regardless I am mailing out the required documents tomorrow and we'll just have to wait until GZ finally decides to reschedule us for another interview. This time it'll have come congressional power behind it compliments of my good buddy Goodlatte.

 

 

Edit: Also they want a letter stating my trips to china and who arranged everything and what we did. The thing is... Lychee ALREADY gave my letter to the VO with that EXACT information in it...

Edited September 10, 2007 by Zachary And Lychee (see edit history)

[Yuanyang]

Sorry that things are delayed... but remember it is only a delay. Give them exactly what they asked for.

Good Luck on the next round!

[Zachary And Lychee]

My question is... since they're asking for things in person... does that mean that, assuming we meet their demands, we'll get the visa in a couple days? Or could they possibly make us go all the way over to there and then say "Wait for us to contact you. If you don't hear back from us in 90 days pay to talk to us on the phone for 12 minute intervals..."? Because I've gotta plan it out and if she's gonna get the visa then, I'll be there to bring her back... but if it's just a 12 hour trip to drop off some papers they already were given just to make them happy... I'm gonna save $3000 and wait.

[jim_julian]

Other's may have more detailed information but I believe you should get a decision within about three days after submission of the overcome. You probably know that Fujian ladies are often subject to extra scrutiny because of the visa fraud that comes from that province.

 

I'm certain you will prevail in the end.

 

Best of luck!

[Zachary And Lychee]

Other's may have more detailed information but I believe you should get a decision within about three days after submission of the overcome. You probably know that Fujian ladies are often subject to extra scrutiny because of the visa fraud that comes from that province.

 

I'm certain you will prevail in the end.

 

Best of luck!

 

Thanks bud... I know all to well about it. 19/20 chinese people I meet here in VA are Fujianese... and about 9/10 of them are illegal.

 

Anyone else have experience with blue and overcome in person?

Edited September 10, 2007 by Zachary And Lychee (see edit history)

[tsap seui]

Very sorry to hear of the blue slip. At least they are asking you for more information...some that you already had. I know this doesn't help lift you spirits much as the shock of the blue slip is only hours old for you but we would have given anything for a blue slip that asked us for more information. Our blue slip doesn't ask us for anything, just to wait for GUZ to "either ask my girlfriend to bring her passport in, or for more evidence."

 

If I may ask, how did Lychee get an overcome date so quickly?

 

Hang in there, the visa will get handed over soon. Good luck, we well know the slap in the face and emotional shock a blue slip gives someone. We are at 6 plus weeks of waiting for who knows what, after our blue slip.

 

tsap seui

[IllinoisDave]

Very sorry to hear about the blue slip Zachary.

 

Your getting good advice here. Hopefully it is just a case of them wanting to make you wait a little longer. It sounds like it. All you can do is give them what they ask for.

 

Our time between meeting and engagement was short as well so I hope that doesn't hurt us. Like you and Lychee we know our relationship is real and forever. The problem is convincing someone else who's only looked at a bunch of papers.

 

Bestt of luck.

[trumpetwasher]

The interview lasted about 20-25 minutes. Lychee was asked so many questions. The VO seemed to have a hard time with our short relationship before engagement. This may be short for American standards but very common in chinese culture around Fujian. She was probed about our relationship.. first meetings... time together in china... my job... and was asked again about our short time in a relationship before deciding to marry. He then asked for our pictures. Lychee gave them to him and explain them. She gave him our chat conversations and e-mail. Next he asked for my I-134 and tax information. She gave him my tax information, with my affidavit of support, my letter from my bank showing amount deposited since it was opened, my letter from my employer showing my employment status and salary, and every pay stub since I started working there. In the end he decided to give her a blue slip and stated she must hand him in-person my bank statements since I opened my account. Lychee was devistated. She felt he was trying to "play father" and make us wait longer because he feels things are too fast. Regardless I am mailing out the required documents tomorrow and we'll just have to wait until GZ finally decides to reschedule us for another interview. This time it'll have come congressional power behind it compliments of my good buddy Goodlatte.

 

 

Edit: Also they want a letter stating my trips to china and who arranged everything and what we did. The thing is... Lychee ALREADY gave my letter to the VO with that EXACT information in it...

This justifies my tactic of getting Congressmen and Senators involved at the first hiccup. GZ says it doesn't help-anecdotal evidence says otherwise.

[Zachary And Lychee]

Thanks people. Maybe they were jealous of my record time and said "woah woah woah how'd this guy slip through so fast?"

If I may ask, how did Lychee get an overcome date so quickly?

The same way I got to the first interview so quickly... Chocolates. Godiva Chocolates. Just kidding. Anyways, immediately after hearing she was denied I called up the non-free visa line and after two attempts in 12 minute intervals I was able to provide the necessary information to schedule the overcome interview for Lychee. I spoke with a guy named Rocky on the phone who was a kewl guy. He asked for the following information about Lychee:

 

Birthdate,

National Identification Number,

Passport Number,

Case Number,

Phone number,

First and Last Name

 

Make sure you have this handy or else you'll have to buy another pin and call back and start from the beginning with the information. My cell phone actually dropped the call mid-conversation once and I called back, all three times I got the same guy. He said the first available time was Oct 22 at 2 PM. He'll then give you an appointment number. I recommend the petitioner do this himself. Don't let the SO in China do it. Lychee never had success before trying to use this service in China. She would wait forever until time ran out. I've always had immediate response and success doing it myself in English.

 

Steve I understand you're point, but the main reason behind our failing is because of the short timespan between meeting and getting engaged. I am afraid that if I don't go to China it will hurt our follow-up... however the follow-up is scheduled for 2:00PM this time... what does that mean? Does it mean she'll just drop off the information and leave? Will she be interviewed again? How do you guys handle the plane tickets when you go for the interviews? Do you buy 2 round trip tickets? And if so, if she gets denied do you get a refund on your tickets or just eat a $1000 loss? Remember I'm a young guy right out of college and even though I'm doing well with my job now, if I planned anything for this follow-up and things fell through, it would take me a while to save up enough money again for both of use to come home together.

 

Edit:

The Guangzhou consulate website states on FAQ about "My visa application was denied. Where, when and how do I submit additional required documents?":

 

You may come to the consulate to submit them. We will provide you a decision on your application the next afternoon. ......

http://guangzhou.usconsulate.gov/kvfaq.html

 

If this is the case, that's giving us a 50/50 chance again and makes the idea of going back to China a little more palatable. Is this a question we can "Ask Guangzhou" about? Will the answer be given the next afternoon as they stated?

Edited September 10, 2007 by Zachary And Lychee (see edit history)

[jim_julian]

... however the follow-up is scheduled for 2:00PM this time... what does that mean? Does it mean she'll just drop off the information and leave?

 

It should be just a drop off.

 

How do you guys handle the plane tickets when you go for the interviews? Do you buy 2 round trip tickets? And if so, if she gets denied do you get a refund on your tickets or just eat a $1000 loss?

 

I bought a one-way ticket to CAN and then we bought two one-way tickets in China to take us both home.

 

The Guangzhou consulate website states on FAQ about "My visa application was denied. Where, when and how do I submit additional required documents?":

 

You may come to the consulate to submit them. We will provide you a decision on your application the next afternoon. ......

 

I don't think that's current practice, it takes 2-3 days ... others will have direct experience.

 

Did the overcome tell her to bring her passport?

[Zachary And Lychee]

... however the follow-up is scheduled for 2:00PM this time... what does that mean? Does it mean she'll just drop off the information and leave?

 

It should be just a drop off.

 

How do you guys handle the plane tickets when you go for the interviews? Do you buy 2 round trip tickets? And if so, if she gets denied do you get a refund on your tickets or just eat a $1000 loss?

 

I bought a one-way ticket to CAN and then we bought two one-way tickets in China to take us both home.

 

The Guangzhou consulate website states on FAQ about "My visa application was denied. Where, when and how do I submit additional required documents?":

 

You may come to the consulate to submit them. We will provide you a decision on your application the next afternoon. ......

 

I don't think that's current practice, it takes 2-3 days ... others will have direct experience.

 

Did the overcome tell her to bring her passport?

 

A one-way ticket costs the same amount as the round-trip... ~$1100. Doing it that way costs an extra $1000+. If she passes the $1000+ becomes a very moot loss, however if she is denied again and I must return to America alone... I've just been set back over $2200 and I'll have to come up with it again when the next overcome rolls around. I'm very careful about budgeting my money, as I'm looking into buying my first house and beginning to pay off my student loans, plus I'll have to pay the new AoS fees ($1010 ) and plan our wedding. I would give everything in the world to be there with my darling each time, but I've gotta be level-headed about my spending especially since it's a big issue about supporting your spouse in the USA so she/he does not become a welfare-dependent. Suggestions are welcomed.

[I love Sunshine]

Hi Zachary,

 

Sorry to hear about the blue. I know how it feels to be zooming along in the fast lane, only to be pulled over for driving too fast!

 

Were/are you there with your SO during the interview? Also, how many visits did you make? Your timeline didn't reflect this.

[tsap seui]

Thanks for the answer Zachary. Unfortunately we can't call anyone to hook-up a date for overcome evidence. We were told to do nothing but wait 3 months and if we don't hear anything e-mail them. That's why I say, if you have to get a blue slip, consider yourself lucky if the blue slip asks you for specific overcome evidence. My VO at ACH said they may send my girlfriend a letter asking her to return to GUZ with her passport, or to return with specific overcome evidence. They will tell us the date....oh how I wish I could call for an overcome date.

 

The way it will work for Lychee's overcome evidence is she will go at 2:00pm on Monday (which happens to be ACH and very crowded), meet with a VO to turn in her evidence and be told to wait, like Jim said, for two or three days to return for their answer. If you guys are lucky you will be in GUZ for about 5 or 6 days: as, if they give her a pink slip you will wait another couple of days for the visa.

 

Good luck to you guys. By the way, having been there done that, I well understand your concern with one way tickets and such...it's just the way it is when you aren't certain about the outcome of an interview, or overcome appointment. My advice is worth about 2 yuan, but I'd say, don't buy the homeward bound tickets until she gets the visa in her passport. It will suck bad enough if they ask for more evidence, and it will REALLY SUCK if you've spent/lost $1,100 or so on a ticket for her.

 

What part of Virginia are you in? I grew up in Montgomery County, Maryland and having run a business for 18 years there, well know the Washington/Northern Virginia parking lot...er...ah...metro area.

 

tsap seui

[shaffej7070]

Sorry about the minor setback. Good luck.

[david_dawei]

sorry to hear about the denial...

 

this is not a VO 'father issue'...

 

IMO, Both requests are strong signs of the VO wanting to see if any fraud is present:

1) Bank account - to see if you deposited a large sum of money (ie; paid for the relationship)

2) Trip info - to see who paid for them (ie: can you show this came from your funds).

 

The short relationship is common and they know this.. but the VO is linking it to the two issues...

 

good luck...