Wisdom of a CR1

[hopelives]

My Yanzi does not want to come to America unmarried. For me, I will do anything I can to support her decision. Now for those of you who tread cautiously, I am convinced she is not a "green card scammer" we were introduced by a mutual friend a prominent CPA in my city. She has never advertised on websites for foreign man, and she has told me many times; that six months ago the thought of a foreign husband would have been unthinkable. Like that counting crow¡¯s song she reluctantly fell in love.

 

Here are the facts:

 

My income level is well above the poverty line

 

Own my own house

 

I have never been married

 

She owns her apartment

 

Modest income

 

Sells insurance

 

She is from a city that as far as I know is not notorious for green card scammers (Liuzhou)

 

Divorced with daughter

 

Father has custody

 

He is moderately successful business man

 

Language gap, at this point significant but she is taking night classes and her teacher has publically announced her as the best student in the class, but given the quality of instruction in China. I know high competency in English will not occur until she arrives

 

Plan is for marriage on my next visit which will be my second

 

Third or fourth visit will be for interview

 

Age difference; 10 years my favor

 

Steps to help prove legitimacy of relationship

 

1, Shared bank account in China

 

2, If possible add her to utility bills here in America (saw that suggestion on this site)

 

3, File a joint return for 2008, which given the length of this process will apply before interview

 

4, Affidavits from her relatives

 

5, Plenty of pictures, emails, chat etc

 

Now why are we moving so fast, both of us are not getting younger but both of us are still young enough to start our own family. Yanzi is 34, as some on this site know all to well, a women¡¯s ability to conceive decreases dramatically past the age of 35. I am reaching an age where my ability to produce offspring begins to decline.

 

We are great together both of us are goofballs who share an innate ability to make the other laugh. She is the kindest, warmest person I have ever known and what a beauty. When I first arrived, we had a translator for 2 days then we had dueling electronic translators (go with besta they kick everyone else¡¯s ass) for the remaining three weeks.

 

I know that a short courtship is a huge red flag for GUZ, but I am hoping my middle class income, home ownership, and fanatical preparation, with this sites help, gives us a fighting chance for what statistically is the hardest visa: the CR1. I have read the statue that applies to our case, and the standards for rejecting our application is suppose to be very high once we get NSC approval, but we all know that we are at the mercy of GUZ.

 

I will attempt to change her mind if I am compelled, by my research, to conclude that pursuing a CR1 is foolhardy and change direction to a K1. In my heart, I want to grant her this wish

 

That is why I appeal to the wise old hands involved in this family of CVPL to point me in the direction of the light.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Jim

[jim_julian]

My Yanzi does not want to come to America unmarried.

 

This worries me ... but you know her best.

[Corbin]

My Yanzi does not want to come to America unmarried. For me, I will do anything I can to support her decision. Now for those of you who tread cautiously, I am convinced she is not a "green card scammer" we were introduced by a mutual friend a prominent CPA in my city. She has never advertised on websites for foreign man, and she has told me many times; that six months ago the thought of a foreign husband would have been unthinkable. Like that counting crow’s song she reluctantly fell in love.

 

Here are the facts:

 

My income level is well above the poverty line

 

Own my own house

 

I have never been married

 

She owns her apartment

 

Modest income

 

Sells insurance

 

She is from a city that as far as I know is not notorious for green card scammers (Liuzhou)

 

Divorced with daughter

 

Father has custody

 

He is moderately successful business man

 

Language gap, at this point significant but she is taking night classes and her teacher has publically announced her as the best student in the class, but given the quality of instruction in China. I know high competency in English will not occur until she arrives

 

Plan is for marriage on my next visit which will be my second

 

Third or fourth visit will be for interview

 

Age difference; 10 years my favor

 

Steps to help prove legitimacy of relationship

 

1, Shared bank account in China

 

2, If possible add her to utility bills here in America (saw that suggestion on this site)

 

3, File a joint return for 2008, which given the length of this process will apply before interview

 

4, Affidavits from her relatives

 

5, Plenty of pictures, emails, chat etc

 

Now why are we moving so fast, both of us are not getting younger but both of us are still young enough to start our own family. Yanzi is 34, as some on this site know all to well, a women’s ability to conceive decreases dramatically past the age of 35. I am reaching an age where my ability to produce offspring begins to decline.

 

We are great together both of us are goofballs who share an innate ability to make the other laugh. She is the kindest, warmest person I have ever known and what a beauty. When I first arrived, we had a translator for 2 days then we had dueling electronic translators (go with besta they kick everyone else’s ass) for the remaining three weeks.

 

I know that a short courtship is a huge red flag for GUZ, but I am hoping my middle class income, home ownership, and fanatical preparation, with this sites help, gives us a fighting chance for what statistically is the hardest visa: the CR1. I have read the statue that applies to our case, and the standards for rejecting our application is suppose to be very high once we get NSC approval, but we all know that we are at the mercy of GUZ.

 

I will attempt to change her mind if I am compelled, by my research, to conclude that pursuing a CR1 is foolhardy and change direction to a K1. In my heart, I want to grant her this wish

 

That is why I appeal to the wise old hands involved in this family of CVPL to point me in the direction of the light.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Jim

Jim,

 

In my opinion you are going in the right direction and I don't think that you have a whole lot to worry about. What you want to do is declare everything that you think might cause a problem down the road so GUZ has less of a chance of pulling something out of the hat later to try and cause you heart ache.

 

My Yanzi does not want to come to America unmarried.

 

This worries me ... but you know her best.

Why does this worry you...............

Edited March 18, 2008 by Corbin (see edit history)

[jim_julian]

 

My Yanzi does not want to come to America unmarried.

 

This worries me ... but you know her best.

Why does this worry you...............

 

Short term view point. Self centered. Not showing the qualities I most admire in Chinese women.

[hopelives]

Jim,

 

Understand your point, but it is family that wants this- mother primarily. Look I know never say never, but I am highly confident she is not a scammer. The driving force for early marriage is me. She is hesitant, but unserstands the baby part.

 

jim

[Smitty]

As I have seen mentioned elsewhere around here, the length of the relationship is not a concern, or at least a major concern, for GUZ. There is a thread where some people here were comparing the shortness of the relationship before filing and I seem to recall that one was under twenty days.

[shyaushu]

I think we all know people who have everything right ~ all their ducks in a row, and then get a blue or white slip. We also know some who have several potential "issues" and they sail though. In many ways (it's very sad to say) getting an immigration visa to the US ~ the most powerful, richest country on earth ~ is a crap shoot. There often seems very little objective about the process. It all boils down to one guy's opinion and if he or she is having a bad day or "doesn't like" someone.

 

Some friends of mine have been in "Administrative Review" for 6 or 8 months now, and they had everything going for them, including the VO saying they were "extremely well-prepared" and had everything organized extremely well for the interview. Did that raise a reg flag in itself? Too prepared? Might a paranoid VO (they all are, apparently) suspect they were up to no good because they were being so careful . . . ?

 

Everything you have said sounds exactly like what hundreds of successful folks have said. And many unsuccessful ones.

 

Whichever visa you decide pursue just do your best and hope for the best. If it turns out to be the CR-1, the Immigration law as written appears to say that a CR-1 Visa should be given to someone if the two people have met; they are legally married; they have completed and sent in all required paperwork; they have paid all required fees; had the appropriate physical exam and there is no evidence of fraud.

 

So many people have been denied visas with all of these things completed. So, it's sort of a Kafkaesque situation and I believe we all have no choice but to send it all in, prepare the best we can, and keep our fingers crossed.

[Corbin]

As I have seen mentioned elsewhere around here, the length of the relationship is not a concern, or at least a major concern, for GUZ. There is a thread where some people here were comparing the shortness of the relationship before filing and I seem to recall that one was under twenty days.

I'm thinking that was for the K1 visa..........

[chilton747]

I think we all know people who have everything right ~ all their ducks in a row, and then get a blue or white slip. We also know some who have several potential "issues" and they sail though. In many ways (it's very sad to say) getting an immigration visa to the US ~ the most powerful, richest country on earth ~ is a crap shoot. There often seems very little objective about the process. It all boils down to one guy's opinion and if he or she is having a bad day or "doesn't like" someone.

 

Some friends of mine have been in "Administrative Review" for 6 or 8 months now, and they had everything going for them, including the VO saying they were "extremely well-prepared" and had everything organized extremely well for the interview. Did that raise a reg flag in itself? Too prepared? Might a paranoid VO (they all are, apparently) suspect they were up to no good because they were being so careful . . . ?

 

Everything you have said sounds exactly like what hundreds of successful folks have said. And many unsuccessful ones.

 

Whichever visa you decide pursue just do your best and hope for the best. If it turns out to be the CR-1, the Immigration law as written appears to say that a CR-1 Visa should be given to someone if the two people have met; they are legally married; they have completed and sent in all required paperwork; they have paid all required fees; had the appropriate physical exam and there is no evidence of fraud.

 

So many people have been denied visas with all of these things completed. So, it's sort of a Kafkaesque situation and I believe we all have no choice but to send it all in, prepare the best we can, and keep our fingers crossed.

 

This is indeed the truth in all cases. Do what you think is best, learn as much as you can, and prepare for the worst but be optimistic. Only GUZ knows for sure.

[warpedbored]

 

This worries me ... but you know her best.

Short term view point. Self centered. Not showing the qualities I most admire in Chinese women.

I doubt very seriously Jim that you have anywhere near enough information to make such an assessment

Edited March 18, 2008 by warpedbored (see edit history)

[credzba]

Jim, go for it and enjoy your life together.

 

My wife and I are very similar to your situation.

My wife is 9 years younger than me.

We both have been married once before.

We married on my second visit to China.

We are applying for CR/1 visa.

I KNOW my wife is not a scammer.

 

 

You will not have a problem.

If there is anything I can help you with don't hesitate to pm me.

[rogerinca]

You sound like a thoughtful and mature thinking individual. I am sure you will do just fine, like most others here do.

 

Also, don¡¯t forget about the K-3 visa !! Although not as advanced upon arrival of the beneficiary in the US, it will most likely get her here a couple to few months faster than the CR type visa, especially once the backlog at the CSC is cleared out. Anecdotal information of late, indicates this is already happening for late 2007 filers.

 

As I have stated in previous posts on this subject, the extra 1K in AOS fees is a small amount to pay, to have her here sooner. And with the K-3, unlike the K-1, she can immediately travel back and forth to China without the advanced parole issues.

 

Marriage in China was a mutual decision for me and my wife. I would not change one thing in that regard.

 

 

One last thing. I would use the CPA friend of yours, who introduced you to her, as another of the persons submitting an affidavit of bona fides of relationship, if you file the I-130.

[Yuanyang]

K1 vs CR1 is a personal choice.

 

We went with the CR1(/CR2) and have been very happy together. The decision to marry first was ours, the reasons were our own and we knew that the timeline would be longer. If you choose to go CR1 you can shorten that time be filing a K3 petition after the NOA1 is received from the CR1 application. Should you option the K3 it is my understanding that she will have to return to GUZ for the interview after she arrives in the USA. (Please investigate that part further.)

[Zhen's Tiger]

Should you option the K3 it is my understanding that she will have to return to GUZ for the interview after she arrives in the USA. (Please investigate that part further.)

She would have the option to return to Interview if she so chose, but could also do AOS here if they went K3.

[jim_julian]

 

This worries me ... but you know her best.

Short term view point. Self centered. Not showing the qualities I most admire in Chinese women.

I doubt very seriously Jim that you have anywhere near enough information to make such an assessment

Thank you very much Carl. I would note that I was responding to a direct question from Corbin, which you edited out. The OP, another jim, didn't seem to have a problem with my post, which was hardly an assessment, and subsequently clarified that he believed that the mother was the primary motivator here.