Long term residence permit REALLY necessary for DCF?

[blue.rock]

I have been a student in China for 9 semesters in a row (4.5 years) but I have recently come back to USA for summer holiday, and I'll be flying back through Guangzhou and would like to stop there and submit my I-130 application without first going back to my school to get my residence permit (I'm entering on a student visa).

 

Is it really 100% necessary to have my residence permit before submitting the I-130? Do they even check?

 

I'm going to be living in the same dorm that I've been in for over 4 years.

It would be annoying and time consuming and costly to have to go back to my school first, get my residence permit and then fly back to Guangzhou.

 

Below is their official wording:

 

If you do not have a long-term Chinese residence permit, you must file a petition at your local USCIS office when you return to the United States.

http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/acs_married.html

[dnoblett]

Yes they do check, USCIS window tends to be a one day thing, GUZ is Friday 8:30am - 10:30am

 

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/uscis---location-and-contact-information.html

 

From USCONGUZ: http://candleforlove.com/forums/topic/24225-residency-requirements-to-file-within-china/

 

Note there are two USCIS field offices one in Guangzhou, the other in Beijing, you file petition at the office having jurisdiction over residency.

[Randy W]

It's a matter of whether they will accept your petition at the window. If you have other proof of residence, you might just give it a try.

 

The residence permit referred to by USCONGUZ would be a visa, affixed to your passport. Requirements have since relaxed, and I'll bet your student visa would suffice, especially if you have previous entries.

[Andelu]

You can make an appointment at the Guangzhou consulate for Tuesdays and Thursdays to file your I-130 if you are filing through Consular Process and the province in which you are studying falls under the Guangzhou consulate area.I would recommend this rather than showing up to take your chances for the window on Friday. I filed our I-130 on Tuesday August 27 and made the appointment the week before - there were only afternoon appointments available for 8/27 when I made mine but on 8/29 there were both morning and afternoon appointments. The website only showed appointments for the next two weeks, there was nothing for the week of 9/9 (this week) so not sure if they only show a few weeks at a time or not.

The consulate employee reviewing my documents did verify that I had a current resident permit (former Z visa) in my passport. I've lived in China legally since 2003 so wasn't too worried about meeting the requirement. I also had my work permit but was not asked to show it.

 

Sounds like your residence permit is a separate book (like my work permit) which is different than Shenzhen/Guangdong province where the residence permit is the visa.

 

Make sure you know you cannot take in your mobile phone, or any electronics, and there is no place to check them at the new GZ consulate.

[Randy W]

You can make an appointment at the Guangzhou consulate for Tuesdays and Thursdays to file your I-130 if you are filing through Consular Process and the province in which you are studying falls under the Guangzhou consulate area.I would recommend this rather than showing up to take your chances for the window on Friday. I filed our I-130 on Tuesday August 27 and made the appointment the week before - there were only afternoon appointments available for 8/27 when I made mine but on 8/29 there were both morning and afternoon appointments. The website only showed appointments for the next two weeks, there was nothing for the week of 9/9 (this week) so not sure if they only show a few weeks at a time or not.

The consulate employee reviewing my documents did verify that I had a current resident permit (former Z visa) in my passport. I've lived in China legally since 2003 so wasn't too worried about meeting the requirement. I also had my work permit but was not asked to show it.

 

Sounds like your residence permit is a separate book (like my work permit) which is different than Shenzhen/Guangdong province where the residence permit is the visa.

 

Make sure you know you cannot take in your mobile phone, or any electronics, and there is no place to check them at the new GZ consulate.

 

 

When you say "the consulate", are you referring to a single building? If so, can you identify which one relative to the streets?

[Andelu]

Yes, referring to a single building. There are two entrances, one for ACS (American Citizen Services) and the other for visa interviews, appointments, etc. Both at the same end of the block along Huaxia Road.

 

Refer to "A" in the map at this link. http://www.lostlaowai.com/news/new-u-s-consulate-in-guangzhou-to-open-soon/

or this map at the conulate page: http://photos.state.gov/libraries/guangzhou/34611/guowz/consular%20customer%20entrance%20map_001.jpg

 

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/guangzhou/34611/guowz/consular%20customer%20entrance%20map_001.jpg

[Randy W]

Yes, referring to a single building. There are two entrances, one for ACS (American Citizen Services) and the other for visa interviews, appointments, etc. Both at the same end of the block along Huaxia Road.

 

Refer to "A" in the map at this link. http://www.lostlaowai.com/news/new-u-s-consulate-in-guangzhou-to-open-soon/

or this map at the conulate page: http://photos.state.gov/libraries/guangzhou/34611/guowz/consular%20customer%20entrance%20map_001.jpg

 

 

The entire consulate compound consists of SEVEN new buildings. It's been VERY difficult to get feedback about which ONE is what we will think of as "the consulate". I'm getting the impression now that it's actually the smaller long building next to Huaxia Road (like you say) - and not the bigger T-shaped building next to it.

 

This also tells me that the entrance is at the SOUTH end of the building, and NOT the end closest to the subway stop.

 

Thanks for your feedback. Appreciated.

[Andelu]

The signage is excellent. While there may be 7 buildings in the compound there is only 1 side of the block with any entrances that anyone attending the Consulate for American Services or Visa Interviews can access and the building is virtually the length of that side of the block and was 4 stories tall I believe. The entrance for non-Americans to enter (for visa interviews, fingerprinting, etc) is the single closest entrance to the subway exit as in the maps above. The ACS entrance (same side of block) is at the opposite end of that block side and about a 3 minute walk.

[ama537621]

Thank-you for the info.

 

Yuan and I have to shlep to GUZ sometime in OCT to file for her SB-1. the map and info will be very useful for us.

 

I hope I can talk to her about taking a flight. But every time I mention something she says there is "bad" air on the plane and it is not safe for the baby. If not I will be in for a 16 hour train trip. Versus 2.5 hour flight.

[Randy W]

The signage is excellent. While there may be 7 buildings in the compound there is only 1 side of the block with any entrances that anyone attending the Consulate for American Services or Visa Interviews can access and the building is virtually the length of that side of the block and was 4 stories tall I believe. The entrance for non-Americans to enter (for visa interviews, fingerprinting, etc) is the single closest entrance to the subway exit as in the maps above. The ACS entrance (same side of block) is at the opposite end of that block side and about a 3 minute walk.

 

 

What I'm thinking now is that the SMALLER building (at the tip of the red arrow) the first one on the right as you walk in at the red arrow is what we have seen referred to as "the consulate".

 

Are you saying that the Chinese visa applicants simply get off the subway at 'B1' in this picture and walk across the street (Huali Street) to the entrance? Or do they have to walk down to point 'A' also?

 

http://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff367/walserrjw/annotatedBingsatellite_zpsff474334.jpg

[Andelu]

Randy - Point A is simply the center of the block, it is not an actual entrance. There are two entrances to the building at the tip of the red arrow both along Huaxia Street. Any one wanting services from the Consulate will only visit this building. The buidling outlined in blue will not be visited by anyone attending a visa interview, submitting a petition, needing American Citizen Services, etc.

 

If someone exits the subway exit, all one has to do is cross the street and they will see crowds along Huaxia lined up for one of the two entrances at the US Consulate. Both entrances are signed as to who belongs in which entrance/line. There are also lots of people willing to point where to go if asked.

 

I parked in the middle of the block on the south side of your picture above and walked the entire wrong way around the block, past the school to point A in 15 mintues. It is impossible to get lost on the block or go to the wrong entrance without being told where to go. There were only 2 other entrances that I recall on the entire block to the entry of the US Consulate, besides the school located at the left corner of your picture. One marked staff only bottom left. One official entrance for official government vistiors clearly marked at the bottom right and if you go in that small security building without an appointment will be clearly told you are in the wrong place.

AMA - Good luck with your travel. I much prefer to take the fast trains these days if one is available rather than flying as flights are delayed out of Shenzhen seems like 90% of the time...

[Randy W]

Okay - thanks again. I figured it's pretty obvious to those who go there, but I'm trying to get the information together to have handy for future visitors.

Edited September 23, 2013 by Randy W (see edit history)

[ama537621]

No luck on a fast train. the line from Shanghai to GUZ is not in service yet. I could jump from one high speed train to another, but it would only shave 4 hours off the trip and with a 4 month old getting on the train here and getting off at GUZ will be much easier.

[blue.rock]

Thanks for all the help Andelu. I'd like to file my I-130 through an appointment made through "infopass" on a tuesday or thursday as opposed to taking my chances on a friday, as per their website it seems tuesday and thursday are much faster and easier: " . I-130 filing appointments may be made Tuesday and Thursday afternoons via our InfoPass website. Alternatively, petitions may be filed on a walk-in basis during our customer service window hours of 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. every Friday. Please be advised that scheduling an InfoPass appointment is the more expeditious method of filing your I-130 as you will be afforded an individualized appointment and wait times will be considerably less than filings made during our general customer service window hours."

 

But as I go to make an appointment on infopass it says "At this time, there are no information appointments available for the office in your area. Please try back again later."

 

I wonder if this is because next week is national holiday week. How far ahead could you see to try to schedule? We are near Guangzhou right now and were considering trying to hang around till the next time we could schedule but we can't make it by Sep 27 friday morning, and it seems like the next info pass date wouldn't be till about October 8 but I can't even confirm that cus infopass says no appointments available. So frustrating.

[Randy W]

I would seriously consider a walk-in, even on a Tuesday or Thursday. They will usually work in the walk-ins along with the regular appointments. Seems like that would be much better than having to make another trip.

 

The consulate will be open on Monday and Friday next week - they do not observe the 'make up' days that the Chinese follow.

 

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/holidays2.html