Filing I-130 Direct with consulate (DCF)

[mpqw]

Hello all,

 

We are new members and just beginning on our visa journey! I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the best area, so please let me know if not!

 

First a little background: We met about 2 years while we were both completing our Master's degrees in the UK. We fell in love and after the best year of my life, I proposed. (She said yes )

 

I will be moving to China to begin work in August and we would like to get married in her home province. So for visa purposes, we were considering filing the I-130 directly with the consulate (what seems to be known around here as DCF) instead of filing k-1 or k-3. I've been doing a lot of research over the past few months and spoken with a few lawyers and this seems to be the best way.

 

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a dearth of information on DCF, here or anywhere on the net. I know I have to be a resident for 6 months, and the process seems rather straightforward, but I'm on the lookout for any traps or pitfalls...

 

Does anyone have some recent experience filing the I-130 direct witht he consulate? Any suggestions? Tips? Hints? Stories, good or bad? I'd appreciate anything anyone can give me. This seems like a wonderful community and we look forward to getting to know you all over the next few months/years/lifetime...

 

Thanks in advance

mp&qw

[samsong]

Hello all,

 

We are new members and just beginning on our visa journey! I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the best area, so please let me know if not!

 

First a little background: We met about 2 years while we were both completing our Master's degrees in the UK. We fell in love and after the best year of my life, I proposed. (She said yes )

 

I will be moving to China to begin work in August and we would like to get married in her home province. So for visa purposes, we were considering filing the I-130 directly with the consulate (what seems to be known around here as DCF) instead of filing k-1 or k-3. I've been doing a lot of research over the past few months and spoken with a few lawyers and this seems to be the best way.

 

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a dearth of information on DCF, here or anywhere on the net. I know I have to be a resident for 6 months, and the process seems rather straightforward, but I'm on the lookout for any traps or pitfalls...

 

Does anyone have some recent experience filing the I-130 direct witht he consulate? Any suggestions? Tips? Hints? Stories, good or bad? I'd appreciate anything anyone can give me. This seems like a wonderful community and we look forward to getting to know you all over the next few months/years/lifetime...

 

Thanks in advance

mp&qw

Welcome to Candle.

 

There's a few DCF people here that can offer you some advice once they see your post. You can also search the board here for DCF information. I'm sure there's plenty here. Alot of DCF people have been through here over the years up until recently. Hopefully they'll chime in.

I'm not DCF but it sounds you have some good knowledge on what to do. Yes, file the I-130. That's all the advice I can give...lol. Good Luck!

 

http://www.candleforlove.com/FAQ/Timelines/Ne...Index_New2.html

from the above link go to CFL EZ FAQ. You will then see a DCF link.

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...c=36179&hl=

Edited May 20, 2009 by samsong (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Some have reported not having to wait the six months.

 

Contact your consulate (w/a USCIS office) directly for what their requirements are.

Edited May 20, 2009 by Randy W (see edit history)

[whome?]

Hello all,

 

We are new members and just beginning on our visa journey! I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the best area, so please let me know if not!

 

First a little background: We met about 2 years while we were both completing our Master's degrees in the UK. We fell in love and after the best year of my life, I proposed. (She said yes )

 

I will be moving to China to begin work in August and we would like to get married in her home province. So for visa purposes, we were considering filing the I-130 directly with the consulate (what seems to be known around here as DCF) instead of filing k-1 or k-3. I've been doing a lot of research over the past few months and spoken with a few lawyers and this seems to be the best way.

 

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a dearth of information on DCF, here or anywhere on the net. I know I have to be a resident for 6 months, and the process seems rather straightforward, but I'm on the lookout for any traps or pitfalls...

 

Does anyone have some recent experience filing the I-130 direct witht he consulate? Any suggestions? Tips? Hints? Stories, good or bad? I'd appreciate anything anyone can give me. This seems like a wonderful community and we look forward to getting to know you all over the next few months/years/lifetime...

 

Thanks in advance

mp&qw

 

Depending on what province you will be living in you will either file at Beijing or Guangzhou. If you PM me with your private email address I can send you the packet of information/instructions that Beijing provides on request or you can go to the Beijing/guangzhou DHS webpage and email them a request for information on how to DCF in China. They have a ready prepared package.

[Tom and Ling]

Hello all,

 

We are new members and just beginning on our visa journey! I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the best area, so please let me know if not!

 

First a little background: We met about 2 years while we were both completing our Master's degrees in the UK. We fell in love and after the best year of my life, I proposed. (She said yes )

 

I will be moving to China to begin work in August and we would like to get married in her home province. So for visa purposes, we were considering filing the I-130 directly with the consulate (what seems to be known around here as DCF) instead of filing k-1 or k-3. I've been doing a lot of research over the past few months and spoken with a few lawyers and this seems to be the best way.

 

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a dearth of information on DCF, here or anywhere on the net. I know I have to be a resident for 6 months, and the process seems rather straightforward, but I'm on the lookout for any traps or pitfalls...

 

Does anyone have some recent experience filing the I-130 direct witht he consulate? Any suggestions? Tips? Hints? Stories, good or bad? I'd appreciate anything anyone can give me. This seems like a wonderful community and we look forward to getting to know you all over the next few months/years/lifetime...

 

Thanks in advance

mp&qw

 

 

Hi mpqw,

 

Everyone has given you good advice and I am sure that more DCF's will chime in.

How long are you planning on working in China??

Two things to be aware of is ,,make sure you file a US tax return every year that you work in China,,seems to be a common mistake working abroad and not filing a US Tax return.

and you need to keep a US address or residence in the US or with parents.

I have filed DCF for my 2nd wife but she was Russian and it was allot easier in 2000 but not much has changed and DCF is the way to go if you can do it.

 

Tom and Ling

 

PS Welcome to CFL.......

[Sebastian]

It's still possible to find DCF info here on CFL - but ....

 

you'll need to do a google site search, instead. The built in CFL site search engine chokes on 3 letter words - you won't find much..

 

For a google site search -

 

go to www.google.com

and in the search text box - enter ----

 

site:candleforlove.com DCF

 

You'll get a lot of hits...

 

Welcome to CFL !!

[mpqw]

Hi mpqw,

 

Everyone has given you good advice and I am sure that more DCF's will chime in.

How long are you planning on working in China??

Two things to be aware of is ,,make sure you file a US tax return every year that you work in China,,seems to be a common mistake working abroad and not filing a US Tax return.

and you need to keep a US address or residence in the US or with parents.

I have filed DCF for my 2nd wife but she was Russian and it was allot easier in 2000 but not much has changed and DCF is the way to go if you can do it.

 

Tom and Ling

 

PS Welcome to CFL.......

 

I'll be in China for at least a year...or however long it takes to get the visa processed

 

Thanks for the note on the taxes. I'd read about that, but its good to hear my info is right so far. Can't wait to go...August can't come soon enough!

 

mp

[mpqw]

It's still possible to find DCF info here on CFL - but ....

 

you'll need to do a google site search, instead. The built in CFL site search engine chokes on 3 letter words - you won't find much..

 

For a google site search -

 

go to www.google.com

and in the search text box - enter ----

 

site:candleforlove.com DCF

 

You'll get a lot of hits...

 

Welcome to CFL !!

 

 

Sebastian,

 

Thank you! I've been wondering what was going on with the search. I knew "DCF" existed in posts (especially since I had just posted one) but it wasn't coming back on any of the searches I tried! Lots more info now

 

mp

[david_dawei]

there is an entire CFL FAQ devoted to DCF... some of it may be a bit dated but you'll see alot of comments, interviews, timelines, etc.

 

Don't waste time googling... just be specific here with your questions and some of us can answer them.

 

DCF (aka, Direct Consular Filing) is not an offiical term it is more a street term. When talking to the consulate always refer to it as filing a I-130 to the overseas USCIS office in the country you are living/working in.

[Sebastian]

It's still possible to find DCF info here on CFL - but ....

 

you'll need to do a google site search, instead. The built in CFL site search engine chokes on 3 letter words - you won't find much..

 

For a google site search -

 

go to www.google.com

and in the search text box - enter ----

 

site:candleforlove.com DCF

 

You'll get a lot of hits...

 

Welcome to CFL !!

 

 

 

Sebastian,

 

Thank you! I've been wondering what was going on with the search. I knew "DCF" existed in posts (especially since I had just posted one) but it wasn't coming back on any of the searches I tried! Lots more info now

 

mp

 

Hey - yer welcome !

 

Google Site Search for candleforlove.com saved my bacon MANY TIMES, as there are MULTIPLE topics with 3 letter word and/or acronyms... The CFL search engine always chokes with it.

 

Standard stuff you need, yes? I-129f, I-130, AOS, GUZ, I-864, I-134, those won't show up on a CFL search, but work well with the Google Site Search.

 

The thing I like about using a site search, is that it's specific to the site url that you enter...

 

When supplying 'candleforlove.com' as the site url, well, you only get hits on candleforlove.com .

Edited May 21, 2009 by Sebastian (see edit history)

[potato]

I DCFed in Beijing back in December. Any specific questions you have? I have basically gone through everything except the interview now.

 

Some general random tips:

 

-While you're living in China together, try to get records of your living together. Paperwork stuff in China is sometimes very unofficial. I just had to get our landlord to write both of our names on the lease and sign it. We also got our lease translated at some translation company. You supposedly need it notified and signed by the translator, but ours wasn't and it went through ok. We got the translation company to put their seal on each page of the translation.

 

-If you're not already in China, do whatever you can before you leave to ensure you'll be ok with the "domicile" thing. You're supposed to prove that you've kept "domicile" in America, meaning you have been intending to go back there all along. You basically have to have stuff connecting you to your "permanent address" in America. I just used my parents address. You're supposed to have stuff like a drivers license, bank statements, letters addressed to you at that address, bills addressed to you at that address, bank cards/credit cards linked to your name at that address, etc.. Before you leave America, make sure your relevant forms/IDs are not going to expire while you're over in China. My drivers license expired while I was over here, and I wasn't able to renew it online, so that's one less piece of evidence for me. Make sure your passport will be valid for at least 8 months after the date you plan to go back to America as well.

 

-Here's the checklist I used for the first part, with a few added notes for you:

 

I-130 Petition

 

In order to file a I-130 petition ( Petition for Alien Relative) at DHS-USCIS- Guangzhou,

 

you need to submit the following documents:

 

1. One I-130

-filled it out on the computer (pdf) and printed it out.

 

2. One G-325A for Benificiary

-also done on computer (except for parts where you need to write chinese)

2. One G-325A for Petitioner

-ditto

 

3. Petitioner's U.S. Passport and/or U.S. birth certificate, and Valid Chinese Public

 

Security Bureau issued Permanent Resident Permit.

-make copies to give them with package, take originals to show them when you hand in.

 

5. Beneficiary's Notarial Birth Certificate.

-Get this from the local notary office. It's a white a4 sized booklet like the

marriage certificate.

 

6. Notarial Marriage Certificate (this is the white booklet, a4 sized)

-I got like 5 of these when we first got it, just in case, so I gave them one.

 

7. Original Marriage Certificate (these are the red books, should have 2)

-I included copies of these in the package I handed in, and brought the originals

with me to show them

 

8. Beneficiary's Chinese Passport.

-copy included, brought original.

 

9. 2 photos for each Petitioner and each Beneficiary.

-U.S. visa standard size/measurements

 

10. Other documents mentioned in the instruction statement of the I-130.

-Letters of affadavit affirming our relationship

-Lease with both our names on it, plus translation into English

 

12. Fee ( Must be in U.S. Dollars or RMB only)

 

13. Address in China should be written in English and Chinese Character.

-I actually attached some attachments specifying my mailing address and residence

address and telling them to make sure to send mail to mailing address. It seems obvious,

but I was worried they would try to send it to my residence address by accident, and it

would not arrive properly. Lots of apartments in China have problems getting mail

apparently. Most people receive mail at their work, which is what I did. I even put a

note on the cover letter specifying this, and told the guy a few times while handing in

the stuff just to be safe.

 

 

That should be enough to get you started!

Edited May 26, 2009 by potato (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

It's still possible to find DCF info here on CFL - but ....

 

you'll need to do a google site search, instead. The built in CFL site search engine chokes on 3 letter words - you won't find much..

 

For a google site search -

 

go to www.google.com

and in the search text box - enter ----

 

site:candleforlove.com DCF

 

You'll get a lot of hits...

 

Welcome to CFL !!

Sebastian,

 

Thank you! I've been wondering what was going on with the search. I knew "DCF" existed in posts (especially since I had just posted one) but it wasn't coming back on any of the searches I tried! Lots more info now

 

mp

Hey - yer welcome !

 

Google Site Search for candleforlove.com saved my bacon MANY TIMES, as there are MULTIPLE topics with 3 letter word and/or acronyms... The CFL search engine always chokes with it.

 

Standard stuff you need, yes? I-129f, I-130, AOS, GUZ, I-864, I-134, those won't show up on a CFL search, but work well with the Google Site Search.

 

The thing I like about using a site search, is that it's specific to the site url that you enter...

 

When supplying 'candleforlove.com' as the site url, well, you only get hits on candleforlove.com .

NOTE: DCF does NOT use I-129F, or I-134.

 

DCF uses:

 

I-130, and G-325A (One from petitioner and one from benificiary)

 

For DCF interview:

 

I-864 (REQUIRED from petitioner, this has the US Domicile and IRS returns pitfall)

DS-230

(And other forms sent out by the interviewing consulate (Guangzhou))

Edited May 26, 2009 by dnoblett (see edit history)

[cguo7]

Hi, we live in the Jiangxi province, so we were required to file our DCF in Beijing. Over there, they only required a 3 month residency(rather than the 6 month). It was really difficult to get ahold of their office and when we finally got through, they would give different answers to the same questions. Here are the Beijing Consulate numbers we called: (from within China) 8531 3726/4576 If you are with the Beijing Consulate, the process is easy once you make the appointment, because payment and application drop-off are now right next to each other. Good luck!

 

Hello all,

 

We are new members and just beginning on our visa journey! I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the best area, so please let me know if not!

 

First a little background: We met about 2 years while we were both completing our Master's degrees in the UK. We fell in love and after the best year of my life, I proposed. (She said yes )

 

I will be moving to China to begin work in August and we would like to get married in her home province. So for visa purposes, we were considering filing the I-130 directly with the consulate (what seems to be known around here as DCF) instead of filing k-1 or k-3. I've been doing a lot of research over the past few months and spoken with a few lawyers and this seems to be the best way.

 

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a dearth of information on DCF, here or anywhere on the net. I know I have to be a resident for 6 months, and the process seems rather straightforward, but I'm on the lookout for any traps or pitfalls...

 

Does anyone have some recent experience filing the I-130 direct witht he consulate? Any suggestions? Tips? Hints? Stories, good or bad? I'd appreciate anything anyone can give me. This seems like a wonderful community and we look forward to getting to know you all over the next few months/years/lifetime...

 

Thanks in advance

mp&qw