Down-to-the-Wire Guangzhou K-1 Approval Experience

[bobbyA]

I hope our unusual experience will help others in the future when faced with similar situation.

 

I learnt that we need to think on our feet, be proactive, don¡¯t be afraid to contact the consulate in times of doubt and trouble. Have faith and persist till the end. Even without medical report, one can proceed to turn in documents and go for interview.

 

Saturday, July 16th

Arrived Guangzhou at about 12:30pm, checked in to the Jianguo Hotel, then rushed to the Guangzhou United Family Clinic at 2:30pm.

 

There were 6 or 7 people in front of us at the time. Everything went well until the doctor told my fianc¨¦e her blood work came back positive with the possibility of a sexually transmitted disease. He went on to say that they have to send the blood work to another lab for further analysis because they only do basic screening at the clinic. Since the other lab is closed on weekends, it could be 2 to 3 days before we hear anything.

 

We were advised not to go to our interview until we get the results. That was a double whammy!! My fianc¨¦e was very upset because she had no idea how she could have contracted such a disease, and secondly, it just looked like that¡¯s the end of our k-1 journey. It was torturous to say the least.

 

When asked, the friendly but busy receptionist said the blood work result could be caused by a number of factors, in some cases due to menstrual period, stress and fatigue due to insufficient rest, etc. Well, my fianc¨¦e didn¡¯t sleep much the night before we flew from Shanghai to Guangzhou and went for her medical that same afternoon on top of having her period start a day before her travel. Those didn¡¯t matter at all because the report must come from the blood work result.

 

I had to comfort my devastated fianc¨¦e that everything will be OK, that we will do everything we can to get our visa. Poor girl, she just could not rest, and I don¡¯t blame her at all.

 

The way the doctor pronounced to her the result was like a life sentence. It was an otherwise pleasant experience at the clinic.

 

Sunday, July 17th

We went to paid the visa fee at Citic Bank, while still wondering what to do. My fianc¨¦e called the Guangzhou United Family Clinic to plea for expedite but was told they can¡¯t do anything on the weekend. We had to wait till 10am on Monday morning to hear anything. Once again, the clinic told my fianc¨¦e their doctor had already emailed the consulate about our case, and the consulate¡¯s reply was that we can¡¯t go to document intake until we get the medical report. Later, we found that this was either a lie or misinformation.

 

It was a grueling Sunday for my fianc¨¦e. She just could not believe that she has the disease. I kept telling her if there is no reason for her to have caught the disease then just relax and everything will be ok. Her head was swimming in all kinds of fear, including the treatment if the other lab comes back with positive. Well, the fact or dilemma is she does not have any kind of symptom of any disease.

 

We spent our Sunday Goggling sexually transmitted diseases and treatments.

 

I sent the consulate an online form-email asking if we could turn in documents without a medical report. Till this day, I did not get a reply. Not sure if I gave the wrong email address or incorrect subject matter or what.

 

Monday, July 18th

Hours before document intake: we had breakfast, and my fianc¨¦e was still restless. She called Guangzhou United Family Clinic at 8:30am and was told we have to wait till 10am to hear anything. She called at 10am, and they told her the other lab had not done anything to her blood work yet because they just got it. Once again, my fianc¨¦e was told she can¡¯t turn in her documents at the consulate and we would have to reschedule with the consulate. Worse yet, if she tests positive, she would have to undergo treatment before getting her visa. What a nightmare!!

 

When asked, Guangzhou United Family Clinic told my fianc¨¦e once we start the process at Guangzhou United Family Clinic it is against US consulate¡¯s instructions if we went to another facility for medical report.

 

My fianc¨¦e called the Health Care Center of Guangzhou International Travel anyway. This facility was willing to corporate, but they have to get a release from Guangzhou United Family Clinic. Guangzhou United Family Clinic was not willing. The Health Care Center of Guangzhou International Travel told my fianc¨¦e they could produce a conclusive blood work report in a few hours, while Guangzhou United Family Clinic¡¯s 30-minute blood work is only an initial screening, therefore the slightest trace of antibody-like element will be flagged.

 

The Health Care Center of Guangzhou International Travel further advised my fianc¨¦e that she should not listen to Guangzhou United Family Clinic, that we should contact the consulate ourselves.

 

My fianc¨¦e pleaded with me to go to the consulate and ask an immigration officer whether we can still turn in our documents. So we packed her documents and hoped we would be allowed to turn in her documents without a medical report.

 

She waited on the 4th floor while I showed my US passport to the guard. Believe me; I had butterflies in my stomach. I got there 20 minutes before the American Citizen Services (ACS) closes for lunch. Later I found that US Citizens can go to the ACS anytime between 8:30am and 11:30am, then 1:30pm to 3:30pm. The ACS is next to the immigrant visa hall, and people can move around freely.

 

To my surprise, I had no trouble getting to the ACS. It took me a few minutes to know that I had to take a number to be called. I was called. I told a Chinese lady consulate staff member that I need to speak to an immigration officer because I am having problems with a medical facility.

 

I gave the lady my passport, a copy of my fianc¨¦e¡¯s interview appointment letter, and the original receipt from Guangzhou United Family Clinic showing we paid 800 Yuan for the medical exam.

 

There were 6 Americans in front of me at the ACS. I was called at about 11:30am by an immigration officer. Before he called me, I could see him asking the Chinese staff what my request was all about perhaps he couldn¡¯t figure out why someone gave him a receipt from the clinic. After greeting him, I told him the clinic could not give us a medical report, and ask if we could still turn in documents in an hour¡¯s time. He said ¡°I don¡¯t see why not¡±, and he turned to ask his colleague to confirm. Then he came back to tell me we just won¡¯t get the visa until we turn in the medical report, but we can turned in the report that afternoon.

 

So I came down to the 4th floor to convey the good news to my fianc¨¦e. She was happy that we can proceed. We paid 98 Yuan for two bottled water and waited at the expensive coffee shop till about 12:15pm. We stood in line in the steamy Guangzhou whether for 10 minutes until the line started moving.

 

Anyway, my fianc¨¦e turned in her documents to a male staffer whom she said was nice but spoke very little. She showed the gentleman her Guangzhou United Family Clinic receipt and told him they could not produce the medical report in time for her document intake, and he proceeded to take in her Packet 4 and I-134 documents. He took in almost everything she gave him, including our family member¡¯s letter. So she was quite pleased. He didn¡¯t even ask if she was CCP member.

 

Tuesday, July 19th

Mentally prepared to get at least a blue slip without the medical report, my fianc¨¦e came up with the idea the night before that she will proceed to the interview while I go back to Guangzhou United Family Clinic to hopefully be able to get her medical report.

 

After parting with her on the 4th floor that morning at about 8am, I took a taxi to the Guangzhou United Family Clinic. The friendly receptionist was busy with a couple of applicants, and I found a time to ask her about our report. She politely told me the other lab opens at 8:30am.

 

8:35am, more beneficiaries showed up at the clinic. I went and ask her if I can speak to her supervisor. She pointed me to the supervisor. The supervisor told me the lab opens at 9:00am, and they are aware of our case.

 

9:05am, I went to the supervisor who was busy with a crowd of beneficiaries by that time. She said she already called the lab, and the person is not at the office yet.

 

9:15am, I went to the supervisor again saying I need to have a report, whether positive or negative because I need to deliver it to the consulate that morning. Still the answer was, ¡°I understand your concern, we have already put in an expedite request¡±.

 

9:30am, the supervisor came out and said they got the blood work report, everything looks normal, but please be seated because she needs some time to wrap it up. OK, so I thought it shouldn¡¯t take but 5 minutes to put everything in an envelope and seal it up. Wrong!!

 

After about 15 minutes, I just couldn¡¯t wait any longer. I went up to the supervisor, and she told me a nurse needed to check and then sign the documents. 5 minutes later she managed to get a nurse in between checkups and got her to look at the documents and signed off.

 

Another 10 minutes went by for the ¡°wrap up¡±. I finally got the report and a nice ¡°sorry about the wait¡±.

 

I rushed out of the clinic, saw a taxi just letting off people, ran to it and off I went back to the consulate.

 

Armed with what I know about the consulate, I went up to the 4th floor, had to cut in front of a long line of applicants/beneficiaries. Showed my passport to the guard and was let in. I hurried to the security checkpoint, and then I went into the immigrant section of the consulate to find my fianc¨¦e. She saw me and waved. I told her everything was ok and handed her my passport and the medical report. Less than a minute later, her number was called.

 

Her interview probably lasted 10 to 15 minutes. I wasn¡¯t looking at my watch. Just looking from afar when she was interviewed by a friendly middle aged VO, according to her. My fianc¨¦e said what bothered her most was the VO kept marking and writing on a blue piece of paper, as if preparing the dreaded blue slip.

 

My fianc¨¦e also handed her my passport and the medical report explaining why she did not turn it in yesterday. The VO looked a little surprised, but took it anyway.

 

At the end, my fianc¨¦e was relieved when she heard the VO said to her ¡°you passed¡± in Chinese. All that time, she was interviewed in English.

 

After her interview, we went out through different security checkpoints, got our cell phones, and then proceeded to fill out the EMS label for visa and passport delivery. We will be picking up her visa at the designated Guangzhou post office.

 

My fianc¨¦e was happy beyond words. She felt that we were proactive and worked together to pull this off. She also said she felt like ¡°someone¡± was holding her interview time until my arrival with the medical report. Yes, it was a miracle. As far as she could tell, there was no particular order when people were called. A k-1 beneficiary who was sitting next to her was called about 10 minutes before my fianc¨¦e was called, but the lady turned in her documents after my fianc¨¦e the day before.

 

Now we wait for her visa and passport.

 

Wishing you all the best and hoping no one else have to go through what we went through with an unexpected false alarm.

 

Once again, a big THANK YOU to Randy W for giving me the courage and valuable information about the consulate. I had to use all that information to pull through!

[Randy W]

 

. . .

 

I told her everything was ok and handed her my passport and the medical report. Less than a minute later, her number was called.

 

 

. . .

 

Once again, a big THANK YOU to Randy W for giving me the courage and valuable information about the consulate. I had to use all that information to pull through!

 

 

You did it all! EXTREMELY excellent work! Congratulations!

[warpedbored]

Great story. Right down to the wire is right.

[smokiessky]

Congratulations! It is a good thing that you went to support her for her interview.

[tsap seui]

Ya done damn good Bobby. I'm proud of ya.

 

tsap seui

[bullmastiff]

Thanks for sharing the story .

I am so glad that you have good faith in your partner considering this is China. That itself shows a bonafide relationship. a lot of women stray in order to make extra money.

 

About United Family , they are good clinic but when they are small ; I m not sure how up to date they are with assays and test kits.

I peaked around when I was there. It seems that their lab is very small. They don't have the big lab that major Chinese hospitals in Guangzhou has . Once in a while , a shock like this may happen, unfortunately , but, after retest , it was concluded to be a false positive.

Your woman is not the first one with this experience and won't be the last , unfortunately. But, your persistence and faith really deserve special praise ! Again, a BIG congrat !

Edited July 20, 2011 by bullmastiff (see edit history)

[Lee VD]

Wow.... one question: are you fluent in Chinese? How were you able to talk to everyone and navigate this?

 

Of course, if you live in a city where you can do the medical ahead of time, always a good idea, even if it costs more I think... or travel to such a city. I am glad we were able to just get this out of the way ahead of time.

[ifearyeti]

That's what I thought too. I don't know if I could have found my way back to the health clinic by myself.

 

Our dramatic moment seems so trivial now besides yours. Fang forgot her passport on document turn in day, so we had to head back to the The President hotel to get it. Of course none of the taxis would stop for us. And then it began to rain. I think we finally got in the 20th taxi to pass by. We got back 40 minutes late, but I don't think it mattered. The next morning as we walked out of the hotel with plenty of time to walk to the consulate, about four empty taxis nearly ran us over trying to get us into their cab, the bastards.

 

We were at the same clinic earlier that morning; 930. Fang was their only customer then. She went from one waiting nurse to the next. I had to endure some really bad american movie on the TV.

 

I'm glad that you got the visa and your fiance is ok.

Edited July 21, 2011 by ifearyeti (see edit history)

[bobbyA]

Wow.... one question: are you fluent in Chinese? How were you able to talk to everyone and navigate this?

 

Of course, if you live in a city where you can do the medical ahead of time, always a good idea, even if it costs more I think... or travel to such a city. I am glad we were able to just get this out of the way ahead of time.

 

I'm sort of a perfectionist, so I had Google maps printed out before I left America. I showed the cap drivers maps and directions, etc. I was with my fiancee at the medical, my finacee asked enough questions while at the center (after being read the "death sentence") so they know us well. And my fiancee called the clinic enough times over the 4 days that everyone at the clinic knew our case well. Once I showed up at the clinic on the interview day, they knew what I came for.

 

The medical was the least of our worries, so we thought. Everything we read were about bona fide relationship etc. So we were not prepared for this shocked, but I read way enough, and for some odd reason I asked about accessing the consulate before I came to Guangzhou in the July Interview thread. Randy W was helpful to offer information about the consulate, and no Chinese language is required to access the consulate.

 

Some of the gaurds actually spoke very good English.

 

Anyway, I'm glad to be able to share my experience so others may learn something from it. Before my own experience, I thought the consulate (5th floor) was a mysterious place off limits to everyone except people with appointment letters. Now I'm glad to clear that myth. I want people to know that no gaurd will give you any hard time if you go to the consulate during American Citizen Services hours of 8:30am to 11:30am, and 1:30pm and 3:30pm.

[bobbyA]

 

I'm glad that you got the visa and your fiance is ok.

 

Thanks, I'm glad you did ok too.