received EMS

[gongfuman]

I found out a week ago (from Congressman's office) that my wife was finally cleared. I'm in Shanghai right now visiting my wife, and we were so surprised today to find her EMS waiting in the mail! We can't believe this ordeal is finally coming to a close.

 

I have one question about my wife's EMS. Her EMS says,

 

"You may return in person with this original and the envelope any Monday through Thursday between the hours of 9:00 and 10:00 am to continue processing your immigrant visa application. In addition, please bring the following documents:

 

passport and new police certificate"

 

I'm assuming that this means we'll either get the visa on the afternoon of the same day, or sometime on the following day. Has anyone else received the same EMS, and if so what was their experience?

[Guest R2D2]

The police certificate is only good for one year. If it has expired, you will need to bring a new one in exchange for a visa. Congratulations. Another threaded through the eye of the needle.

[Joy & gongfuman]

Please advice what the EMS means:

 

"You may return in person with this original and the envelope any Monday through Thursday between the hours of 9:00 and 10:00 am to continue processing your immigrant visa application. In addition, please bring the following documents: passport and new police certificate"

 

From the EMS, they said "continue processing" your visa instead of "picking up" your visa which shows before. I am worried GZ is doing new processing or interview again? After my case put on hold for half a year, I am very cautious of these things.

 

Can anyone kindly advice if seen the EMS before? Thanks!

 

Joy & gongfuman

(CR1- Nov.6 interview,2002)

[Mick]

Don't worry. Ours had the exact same language. "Continue processing" really means just pick up the visa. Most likely, she will enter the Consulate in the morning, hand in the passport and new police certificate. They will give her a piece of paper with instructions to come back around 4PM and pick up the visa. No sweat. You are over the hump now. Relax and enjoy it!

[Joy & gongfuman]

Mick and donahso,

 

Thanks for your quick reply, now i feel better, thanks god! After the Hold case, I just can't believe them that easy, you know.

 

Anyway, thanks, and hope everyone gets visa soon!

 

Joy and gongfuman (in Shanghai now)

[christy]

Hi, Joy & Gongfuman,

 

Congratulations! It is so good to know another white slip holder is set to free! I hope mine will come soon as well.

 

Christy

[tunger88]

A big CONGRATS for you and your wife.

[AngryTexan]

Gongfuman,

Mick is absolutely right. We received the same letter, and my wife picked up her visa the same afternoon as Mick's wife, and several others on this board. Your situation is very similar to ours, in that my wife received the EMS the same day I arrived in China for what I had assumed would be yet another trip at the end of which I would be once again returning home without her. Congrats, and savor the moment!!!!!!!!

[hope]

My husband got the same kind of EMS, because his police certificate was expire. and I sent email to Guangzhou, got reply that he will get the visa two days after he submitted the documents. I think the EMS called call-in lettter which means that the visa is not printed out yet until they see the documents, while the "pick up letter" will be "pick up your visa at 11:00am on Mon-Fri" which means the visa was already print out because no documents needed except the passport.

so expect to get your visa two days later after you submit the documents.

[Joy & gongfuman]

Hope and Mick,

 

Hope said we should expect to get visa in two days after we turn in the new police certificate since we got the "call-in" letter instead of "pick up" letter. Mick said his wife got her visa the same day. Was the police certificate of Mick's wife expired? if Mick's wife's EMS is the excate same as mine, I think GZ issue visa depends on individual case.

 

Am I right? how should I book our airplane ticket, I am worried again. (I have already booked the ticket in the way we planned to get visa the same day.)

 

Hope and Mick, which one is correct? please advice. I am worried.

[Mick]

We picked up our visa the same day, as did the AngryTexan's wife. In our case, the police certificate was not expired. I am not sure about the Texans. Maybe it takes longer if the certificate is expired, but, as I recall, several of the girls who were there the day we were had expired certificates but still got their visa the same day. My advice is to give yourself a little leeway when dealing with GZ. They are not at all consistent in the way they do things. I would never plan to fly out the same day. There can always be a last minute glitch for some reason.

 

The day we picked up our visa, there were 10 girls there, many from this board. Some of them had expired certificates, some did not. With one exception, all got their visa the same day. The one who did not had to go back the next day because there was an error on her visa.

[Joy & gongfuman]

Thanks Mick,

 

Since I haven't completed quit my job, so I am trying to figure it out: when GZ really issue the visa to me. And also since Hope mentioned the difference between call-in letter and pick-up letter, so I am wondering if GZ really wants us to spend two nights waiting in GZ to get the visa.

 

Sigh. why GZ always does this kind of thing. I might have to rebook the airplane ticket.

 

Joy & gongfuman

[owenkrout]

Everyone should take Mick's advice on this. I would never advise anyone to book a ticket for the next day when dealing with GZ. There were a few ladies awhile back that had to wait for several days because the printer broke down. People have been delayed because they were asked for more paperwork. Normally you get the visa the same day or the next, but not always and there is no way to definately predict it. It is just a part of the process that you have to plan for, you may have to spend several days in GZ at the time you pick up your visa.

[hope]

This is the email I got last week.

 

Dear Ms. xxx

 

Thanks for writing to us again. Please note that according to the U.S.

Immigration Law, a valid Police Certificate is required before a visa can be

issued to the immigrant visa applicant whoever is 16 or over. It makes no

difference what category of visa you are applying for. In addition, due to

our visa operating regulations, a call-in letter holder gets a visa two days

after he/she submits the required document(s). This differs from the visa

pick-up letter holders, who can get their visas the same day.

 

A careful review of your husband's file also indicates that his medical

report, which is also good for one year, will expire on July 30, 2003. Mr.

xxx will be kindly asked to have a medical check conducted again if his

visa is to be issued after that day.

 

Your understanding and cooperation will be greatly appreciated!

 

The Immigrant Visa Unit

[Joy & gongfuman]

Hope,

 

Thanks for posting the letter, I emailed GZ, they never reply to me. So I called GZ to ask, and he told us: "If you bring a new police certificate, and if your visa category is CR1, you have to use 3 days to get the visa in GZ, because we have to print some documents."

 

So, Hope, have you gotten visa yet, are you CR1, too?