Hello from Florida! Help me out!!!

[dan1984]

I would strongly encourage you to be very direct with your attorney. Make sure he or she fully understands that dealing with Guangzhou is different than dealing with other countries. Perhaps it shouldn't be that way, but my friend, that's the way it is. Over my near ten years on this board I have seen repeated examples of attorney errors screwing people up. Ask your attorney how many cases he or she has taken through the process in Guangzhou. Don't be timid here - you need someone who knows what they are doing. Good luck and welcome to Candle!

 

In going through this thread just now, Mick said the two cents that I was about to add! Why use an attorney when the resources here at Candle are more in the know (perhaps not the best way of wording it, but, I also think accurate), and less of a burden on the wallet!

[Bparks777]

I am just terrified that if an attorney couldn't properly prepare this, what chance do I have making sure EVERYTHING is perfect..... Please bare with me, I am still very very scared about this process, I really do love this girl, and it would destroy me if something went wrong.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Bparks777 (see edit history)

[Bparks777]

I keep hearing absolute horror stories about how the consulates in Guangzhou are monsters that find joy in denying visas... Is this true? Should I be super worried? Do you guys think I have honest, pretty safe case?

 

I also see shreds of comfort where people with a decent amount of relationship proof, pictures, daily contacts, chats, proof of marriage intent, so on. Proof of decent financial support, where the beneficiary enters the room, the interviewer asks 4 questions then says, Congratulations! I hope you two have a great life together!

 

Is it that the Guangzhou consulates are really horror monsters, or just like any other consulates? I know Guangzhou deals with frequent fraud. The question is if its organized, and legit do I really have to worry to death? Am I running into the horror stories because after approval many people fall out of the loop? I cannot find any real stats on approvals in Guangzhou....

 

I have checked what causes red flags, we don't fit any of them. My financial support is good, we have a ton of relationship proof, and daily contact!

 

What do you guys really think? Am I going to get crushed in 12 or so months? Or do you think this will work out?

Edited February 19, 2012 by Bparks777 (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

I tried MulitQuoting, but the code was having errors as to the opening closing quote coding. Didn't mean to clutter this thread up!

Probably not an error, forum settings are for a max of 3 quote blocks, to reduce on runaway nested quotes..

[Bparks777]

I tried MulitQuoting, but the code was having errors as to the opening closing quote coding. Didn't mean to clutter this thread up!

Probably not an error, forum settings are for a max of 3 quote blocks, to reduce on runaway nested quotes..

 

Noted for future posts, thank you.

[bergamot]

I agree completely with dnoblett(what a fancy name ), Relax , you will get that visa without spending money on lawyer, if you prepare the paperwork with full attention and with the help from here and VJ and

001-- usa.bbs.net/bbs/01/802625.html (a chinese website, your girlfriend can join it ,it is a very a helpful website for american visa in chinese).I prepared my K1 visa paperwork myself with help from my husband (fiance then) and these websites. Good luck!

P.S. like all others said here, age won't be a problem.

 

 

She speaks english better than I do, its pretty embarrassing actually. She corrects, my grammar all day long in texts, and speech haha.... I grew up in the South! (I am not a farm boy, not that there is anything wrong with that).

 

She has been studying English from a very young age, and while most Chinese youth are excellent at writing, and reading english, most suffer in the conversational aspect. She excels in both. She speaks very proper british english, her accent is one of my favorite aspects. She taught herself most conversational skill sets by watching TONS of british TV.

She speaks beautifully. She can read, write, and can spell phonetically as well if not better than the average American.

your girlfriend.s English is really impressive,but one of the most important reasons I recommend the Chinese website 001 and these 2 webistes ,is they are far more professional and helpful than a lot of ,if not the most paid lawyers .

The focus for your visa process ,in my opinion ,is on how to convince American immigration office both in paperwork and in the interview that your relationship is bona fide, it is very important to frontload the evidences of your relationship when applying for it.

[bergamot]

I keep hearing absolute horror stories about how the consulates in Guangzhou are monsters that find joy in denying visas... Is this true? Should I be super worried? Do you guys think I have honest, pretty safe case?

 

I also see shreds of comfort where people with a decent amount of relationship proof, pictures, daily contacts, chats, proof of marriage intent, so on. Proof of decent financial support, where the beneficiary enters the room, the interviewer asks 4 questions then says, Congratulations! I hope you two have a great life together!

 

Is it that the Guangzhou consulates are really horror monsters, or just like any other consulates? I know Guangzhou deals with frequent fraud. The question is if its organized, and legit do I really have to worry to death? Am I running into the horror stories because after approval many people fall out of the loop? I cannot find any real stats on approvals in Guangzhou....

 

I have checked what causes red flags, we don't fit any of them. My financial support is good, we have a ton of relationship proof, and daily contact!

 

What do you guys really think? Am I going to get crushed in 12 or so months? Or do you think this will work out?

I think it is a very efficient office,people are nice there, I have the impression that visa officers are professional ,and know their job very well , they ask right questions.

Here is my post on my interview. http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?/topic/43494-my-interview/

[Amaro]

I would strongly encourage you to be very direct with your attorney. Make sure he or she fully understands that dealing with Guangzhou is different than dealing with other countries. Perhaps it shouldn't be that way, but my friend, that's the way it is. Over my near ten years on this board I have seen repeated examples of attorney errors screwing people up. Ask your attorney how many cases he or she has taken through the process in Guangzhou. Don't be timid here - you need someone who knows what they are doing. Good luck and welcome to Candle!

 

In going through this thread just now, Mick said the two cents that I was about to add! Why use an attorney when the resources here at Candle are more in the know (perhaps not the best way of wording it, but, I also think accurate), and less of a burden on the wallet!

 

Well whatever guys, if he wants to blow the money on that, oh well. Not much we can do, my feelings aren't hurt if he chooses a lawyer and said such lawyer screws him over because they don't know what they are doing and he had the full trust and confidentiality of that lawyer. Of course if he finds someone knowledgeable then easy sailing, the K-1 is a pretty straightforward visa.

[honeybun]

Hi Bparks777,

 

I hope this doesn't come across too "soap-boxy", but... I would also strongly recommend against using a lawyer. My reasons are:

 

1. Despite what they say, very few lawyers actually have any understanding of the consulate in Guangzhou. For the petition and interview, Dnoblett would blow just about any of them away with what he knows and how up-to-date he is on the trends. Many others here are also fountains of knowledge about the specifics of Guangzhou. Even the average user here, I would wager, is more familiar with the special case of China than is the average "Immigration attorney." (i.e., form filler)

 

2. A lawyer will typically not speculate about anything. They will repeat the same jargon you already know and have read yourself on government websites. Some of the information may even be inapplicable (for example, Guangzhou requires 3 years of tax transcripts or other income documentation, not 1).

 

3. Lawyers can and do mess up your paperwork. On CFL we have even seen a case where the lawyer sent in papers from the wrong case as part of someone's paperwork. If you need someone to proofread your forms, ask your brothers or sister. Telling information to a lawyer and having him or her write it down is like kids playing the game "telephone" where "pig" becomes "peg." If you have a "good" lawyer, he or she will recognize this and send the paperwork to you for proofreading, anyway. His or her secretary is not going to know if your address, SS#, her parents' names, blah blah blah were taken down correctly. How would they know?

 

4. If something were to happen and your case was denied (and by this I mean "white slipped", i.e., sent back to the States for revocation), a regular immigration lawyer is not going to be able to do anything. You would have to get a tried and trusted lawyer who specializes in getting people out of the mire of Guangzhou once denied (like Marc Ellis). The knowledge, experience, and actions that this requires does not even resemble what the typical "immigration attorney" does.

 

5. The final reason you do not need an immigration attorney is that, to answer your question: no, you probably aren't going to be getting crushed in 12 months or so. You will have a solid case: financial bases will be covered, language issues will be nullified by her English (your Chinese study won't hurt either, as it shows commitment and a desire for greater understanding), and your relationship will be firmly established and documented via all the wonderful information you've described (many trips, years of daily contact, relationship with her family).

 

What else would a lawyer do? $1300 -- even $100 -- is too much to pay someone to fill out 3 or 4 forms. You and your fiancee are going to be doing the legwork either way -- getting the financials in order, documenting your relationship, getting certificates from her place of hukou, etc. When you need an educated opinion on something, or instructions on how to properly do something that a lawyer wouldn't know anyway (like where to get her police/marriagability/birth certificates), just log onto CFL and make use of this wonderful resource you have at your disposal. Sometimes what they say is true and the best things in life really are free.

[dnoblett]

I will add, truly interview the lawyer, and you double check everything before sending the petition in, perhaps even ask mor questions here.

 

Here is an example of WORSE case Lawyer Nightmare...

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?/topic/43281-help-if-you-cansorry-to-ask/

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?/topic/43331-starting-aos-overbummer/

 

Seems lawyer did OK getting the K-1/K-2 visas, however totally screwed it up after marriage and adjusting status.

• Did not understand a K-1 can adjust status based on their Approved I-129F visa petition.
  
• Did not understand a K-1 or K-2 cannot leave the country until having AP doc or green-card in hand from adjustment of status, K-1 leaving is bad would need to start over with spouse petition, K-2 that is over age 18 at time of marriage is very bad, this results in a 10+ year wait to get a new visa to immigrate.
  

[knloregon]

Slow down! "Unfortunately, I have been trying to uncover some evidence of us talking 3 years ago, alas it seems both of our myspace accounts, are long gone. I will keep on trying to find something

, again thanks for your help and tips"

 

Here's a tip-----as evidence goes this doesn't help you at all----------you deleted her, when you deleted your social networking site. ----hard to see how the VO (interviewing her) is going to see that as a positive: "So he broke contact with you, deleted your early correspondence but you still pursued him?"

[knloregon]

"...As far as being in other countries, my passport is pretty stacked. Although China is my first expedition to Asia, in the last 4 years I have been to.


England, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Turkey, and Vatican City, I am pretty lucky to have had opportunity to travel, and network around the world. I will be landing in Tokyo, Japan on the way back to the united states, Im sure I could get a stamp just to show!
Think that would suffice as traveled applicant? "

 

----none of this is worth a: "tinkers damn" at the Guangzhou consulate. In fact, if you try to present this as evidence, your SO---in the interview--- looks like she's trying to "shine on" the VO ------their only interest is in establishing a valid relationship between the two of you ----so (duh)---the only evidence in your passport that counts is travel not only to China---but to visit HER. (established with corroborating evidence).

 

You need to slow down, step back, and consider what you are doing here------- I'm beginning to think you do need a lawyer---not to fill out the forms----but to have a better perspective of the real issues going forward to the interview.

[Randy W]

To add to what Kim is saying, I'm going to comment on your video as well. I hate to be critical (and don't intend this as criticism), but the video is fluff as far as your visa application is concerned. It may be a nice love story, but I don't see any relationship evidence in it.

 

Not that you WOULD submit the video as evidence, but my advice is to avoid the fluff and try to stick to the real evidence. It's nice to have a thick pile, but not if it simply makes them hunt for the relevant stuff.

[knloregon]

Unfortunately, I'm with Randy on this---looking from the cynical perspective of a VO (which is their role at the State Department) --- this could have been put together in one afternoon---to portray a loving relationship which is, actually, nonexistent, for the purpose of visa fraud.

[Bparks777]

Slow down! "Unfortunately, I have been trying to uncover some evidence of us talking 3 years ago, alas it seems both of our myspace accounts, are long gone. I will keep on trying to find something

, again thanks for your help and tips"

 

Here's a tip-----as evidence goes this doesn't help you at all----------you deleted her, when you deleted your social networking site. ----hard to see how the VO (interviewing her) is going to see that as a positive: "So he broke contact with you, deleted your early correspondence but you still pursued him?"

"...As far as being in other countries, my passport is pretty stacked. Although China is my first expedition to Asia, in the last 4 years I have been to.


England, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Turkey, and Vatican City, I am pretty lucky to have had opportunity to travel, and network around the world. I will be landing in Tokyo, Japan on the way back to the united states, Im sure I could get a stamp just to show!
Think that would suffice as traveled applicant? "

 

----none of this is worth a: "tinkers damn" at the Guangzhou consulate. In fact, if you try to present this as evidence, your SO---in the interview--- looks like she's trying to "shine on" the VO ------their only interest is in establishing a valid relationship between the two of you ----so (duh)---the only evidence in your passport that counts is travel not only to China---but to visit HER. (established with corroborating evidence).

 

You need to slow down, step back, and consider what you are doing here------- I'm beginning to think you do need a lawyer---not to fill out the forms----but to have a better perspective of the real issues going forward to the interview.

 

 

First, the only reason I mentioned the passport having other countries in it, was because Amero proposed that my passport ONLY having China in it might present some concern, as to this might be some kind of connection to fraud

 

Second none of this will be even started until at soonest may, but more likely August. Im not rushing into anything here, its been thought through more than you can begin to know, and there is still time. I Don't see what the problem is trying to harvest as much information about this project before jumping in. Wouldn't that be the proper thing to do?

 

 

To add to what Kim is saying, I'm going to comment on your video as well. I hate to be critical (and don't intend this as criticism), but the video is fluff as far as your visa application is concerned. It may be a nice love story, but I don't see any relationship evidence in it.

 

Not that you WOULD submit the video as evidence, but my advice is to avoid the fluff and try to stick to the real evidence. It's nice to have a thick pile, but not if it simply makes them hunt for the relevant stuff.

 

I never mentioned that I wanted to submit the video as evidence, I couldn't as electronic possessions have to be left outside....? The only reason I put it up was just for entertainment purposes period.

Edited February 20, 2012 by Bparks777 (see edit history)