Guangzhou - My experience

[SVH]

Hi all. My first post here, but have learned a lot browsing the forums, so thought I'd share my experience submitting our I-130 in Guangzhou.

 

A little background on us. I've been here in China 7 years, married for 6. After completing my current employment contract, my wife and I decided to go through the process and move to the USA.

 

Here goes:

 

Because I’m in Hangzhou, I decided to take the sleeper train to Guangzhou. I arrived at 7:30am and quickly jumped in a taxi to the USCIS, which only took about 20 minutes and cost 30rmb. There was a couple long lines outside the building for VISA services. I asked a guard where the USCIS was, and bypassed that line and took the escalators up to the 3^rd floor only to find yet another line. Asked about it and was told to continue on up to the 4^th floor. Got in a much shorter line there. The USCIS is indeed on the 4^th floor, while the website says 5^th.

 

After waiting about 30 minutes, I made it through the security checkpoint and looked for where to go. I found that things weren’t labeled or signed, so I had to again ask. To the left in the office there are 3 rows of chairs against the wall. That’s the line.

 

To my dismay, there were about 30 people already waiting, most older Chinese, and about half a dozen foreigners.

At 8:30 the first person was called into the “interview room”. It took a LONG time for that person and I started to worry that I wouldn’t be able to put the app in. Most of the business the Chinese people had only took a couple minutes, so the line started moving. I was finally next person at 10:20.

 

I was well prepared and had 2 plastic document holders ready to go. In the first was my entire I-130 application packet, and in the 2^nd all of the supporting “original” documents. I put the application in the tray, and after she took it, put both of our passports and marriage books (red books) in the tray.

 

The girl working there was very impressed with how organized everything was and commented to that effect about 10 times. She mentioned that many bring an envelope with loose documents, and it takes a long time to sort through everything. She started looking at my passport copies and I knew what she was looking for. I told her to look at the next item in the packet which was additional copies of my current and previous residence permits. Again she commented on how organized my packet was and mentioned she wished they were all as such. Haha.

 

I was done in less than 10 minutes and sent to pay. I paid with cash (RMB), but they also except USD or credit cards. Once I paid, I went back and handed her the receipt (you just walk into the interview room without waiting), she stamped my copy and I was on my way.

 

My advice:

1. Be PREPARED and organized. It took 10 mins for me while others up to 30mins.

2. Get there early. I was told that they continue to accept apps for those INSIDE the office before 10:30...but I wouldn't risk it.

3. Research everything you need so that you are PREPARED. Haha. I did see 2 applicants turned away. One didn't even have passport photos ready for the g325 forms.

[SVH]

This is from my cover letter. When I put the package together, I stapled each as an individual "item" and hand wrote the "ITEM 1, 2, 3, etc" at the top of each (with the exception of obvious forms). It was really fast and easy for her to find things she was looking for by referencing the cover letter.

 

Contents of the package includes:

1. Cover Letter.

 

2. Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative

 

3. Copy of all pages of the Petitioner’s US passport.

-Yes, I copied ALL pages including blank pages

 

4. Copy of petitioner's current and previous Chinese residence permits (from passport).

-Even though I already had copies of this for the passport copy, I made additional copies for this item. I have a LOT of visas in my passport, and this makes current residence permits super easy to find

 

5. Form G-325A Completed and signed by Petitioner.

- Photograph of Petioner.

-I attached a blank piece of paper to the 325 form, and to that attached a small plastic envelope containing the photos. The girl taking the application loved this!

 

6. Form G-325A Completed and signed by Beneficiary.

- Photograph of Beneficiary.

 

7. Copy of the Beneficiary’s birth certificate.

 

8. Copy of the Beneficiary’s Passport information page.

-Even though it is supposedly not needed, I added it anyway

 

9. Copy of Marriage Certificate.

 

10. Copy of Beneficiary’s Divorce documents.

 

11. Evidence of Bonafide Marriage:

a. Photographs

-For the photos, I created a word doc with 2 pics per page and labeled each pic with location and year. We submitted 12 pics

 

b. Copies of Apartment Rental Contract, Police Registrations, and Petitioner and Beneficiary’s Driver’s Licenses indicating joint tenancy.

-Pretty straight forward. It was mentioned that the driver's licenses with same address are useful

 

c. Copy of joint credit card statement.

 

d. Copy of receipt for joint purchase of automobile.

 

e. Copy of various emails between Beneficiary and Petitioner’s Mother.

 

f. Copies of receipts of gifts purchased for Beneficiary.

[tsap seui]

Way to go. Good luck with the interview.

[dan1984]

Thanks for the great write-up! Marked for future reference.

 

Please continue to update us along the way of your progress. Best of luck!

[mrk]

This helps me a lot.

I am planning to do a DCF @ GZ this week or next.

 

I got a few questions:

1. Copy of Marriage Certificate, do I need to make copies of both and translate both? There are two marriage certificates, one for me and one for my wife.

2. Do we need two sets of everything, one for turn in for I-130, and one for the interview? Or will we get it back from the mail?

3. Translations, any place will do? The reason I asked is because when I was having passport translated to Chinese, my translation was not accepted, and I had to pay for another copy at the location. I know this time is translating from Chinese to English, but I am just wondering if there is any places that the embassy would recognize or places that you guys used before.

[dnoblett]

1) Yes will need English Translations of each.

2) No you will not get this back in the mail, and according to OF-169 sent out by the interviewing unit at the consulate, you will need to provide them with another copy.

3) The Chinese documents needed (Birth Cert, Marriage Cert, Police Cert, etc...) should be translated at the Notary office where you get these documents. (Birth Cert, and Police Cert are interview time documents, not needed when filing the petition.)

[mrk]

Thanks, that was helpful. Will try to get the documents translated at the Notary office.

 

1) Yes will need English Translations of each.

2) No you will not get this back in the mail, and according to OF-169 sent out by the interviewing unit at the consulate, you will need to provide them with another copy.

3) The Chinese documents needed (Birth Cert, Marriage Cert, Police Cert, etc...) should be translated at the Notary office where you get these documents. (Birth Cert, and Police Cert are interview time documents, not needed when filing the petition.)

[david_dawei]

Nice info. I will move this to the appropriate forum. Thanks for sharing.