Stuck in a weird situation

[darren.s.small]

My wife and I had our appointment on October 23rd in Guangzhou for the immigration interview. We had everything we were supposed to have all organized nicely. At the interview I had to wait outside with our bags because you aren't allowed to take any bags in and I forgot to give her my bank card to pay for the interview fee and the interviewer informed us that we would have to book an appointment for another date and come back to Guangzhou from Tianjin again because of this very simple-to-solve problem. I was quite upset by this and felt they were very unreasonable because we have a baby on the way and we will probably not be able to immigrate to the US before the baby is born now. So, we are now planning to have the baby here in Tianjin instead and then immigrate with the baby after is it born. But since we already had one appointment that didn't work out as planned we would now like to book an appointment for another interview at a later date but the only dates that are available for us to book are within the next 3 weeks. We are hesitant to schedule an interview during that time for two reasons. First, we feel that if we get the visa now it doesn't leave us enough time to get to the US before the baby is born and would rather just have the baby here. Second, we have booked and paid for a vacation in the Philippines starting November 18th and are worried that she wouldn't her her passport back in time. (The first reason is much more significant than the second) What I'd like to do is either be able to delay the interview to allow time for us to have the baby here or get some kind of extension. But, like I said previously, the only dates that are available for this interview are within the next few weeks and that just doesn't work. This is probably because they already accepted her health exam papers and opened the case. I'm not sure who to contact regarding this and I don't know what my next step should be.

I'd really appreciate some advice!

Thank you,

Darren S. Small

[Mick]

It has been a very long time since we had our visa wars, but as I recall, the visa had a six-month lifespan. In other words, we could wait up to six months before going to the States. That has been 11 years ago, so I am uncertain as to what the rules are now. When is the baby due?

[Randy W]

Simply wait for the dates in December to be opened up. That should happen soon. Just keep your eye on the appointment calendar until they do.

 

Just a couple of months ago, people were having to watch every day (and organize groups to watch around the clock) after the new consulate opened up. So, believe it or not, this represents an actual improvement in the level of service.

 

Sorry you had to get such a jerk - they've been less than communicative about how to pay the fees, also. Hang in there.

 

The guideline they seem to be following these days for the visa expiration is to set it for 6 months after the date of the medical. If need be, you can buy yourself some time by taking another medical exam.

Edited October 29, 2013 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Be aware, if you're not already, that you will need to get an American passport and a Chinese exit visa (which is actually a separate passport-like booklet) for the baby.

[darren.s.small]

Mick, yeah, I've heard from a friend who did it just a couple years ago that it was 6 months then as well so I'm assuming that it still is. The baby is due in May so theoretically it might be possible to get everything done first, and that was our plan initially. But I've realized it would take a lot of pressure off if we just have it here first.

 

Randy, that's great to hear! I'm glad that the calendar isn't just limited due to our situation. That's quite a relief. So, we should be able to wait to book our appointment until about 6 months or so before when we'd like to go to the US. Thanks!

[darren.s.small]

Be aware, if you're not already, that you will need to get an American passport and a Chinese exit visa (which is actually a separate passport-like booklet) for the baby.

Oh, yeah, thanks. I'm aware of this, actually. I have a good friend who just when through that process. Fortunately, it looked much simpler that the immigration visa process for my wife as been so far.

[dnoblett]

You said had debit card to pay fee? You did not do this beforehand at a CITIC bank branch and record this on CGI Stanley website, typically before scheduling the interview. (This is when you file an I-130 petition DCF in country in Guangzhou or Beijing, or for K-1 visas) otherwise you pay this fee to NVC in the USA while they process the petition after USCIS Stateside approves it.

 

Only fee pay after interview is immigrant fee to USCIS on their website so that they produce and mail to your USA address the green card.

[Randy W]

Are you CERTAIN that you don't need to pay the fees in advance at the CITIC bank? What's unusual here is that she wasn't allowed to interview anyway.

[darren.s.small]

I'm not certain. But since they asked for payment before the interview they must be able to accept payment on the spot. I was surprised that it was the first thing that they asked for because when I had my interview in Beijing when I filed the I-130 petition payment was the last thing they asked for. I'd like to pay for it beforehand but I wasn't able to figure out how to do it. When I look at my Dashboard it just shows "fee payment" as $0 so when I click on it it takes me to this page for more information about fee payments and at the bottom of the page it does say something about Immigrant Visa Interview appointments in Guangzhou but it makes no mention of how to make the payment. Can it be made at the CITIC bank that I have listed as my document delivery point?

[Randy W]

I'm not certain. But since they asked for payment before the interview they must be able to accept payment on the spot. I was surprised that it was the first thing that they asked for because when I had my interview in Beijing when I filed the I-130 petition payment was the last thing they asked for. I'd like to pay for it beforehand but I wasn't able to figure out how to do it. When I look at my Dashboard it just shows "fee payment" as $0 so when I click on it it takes me to this page for more information about fee payments and at the bottom of the page it does say something about Immigrant Visa Interview appointments in Guangzhou but it makes no mention of how to make the payment. Can it be made at the CITIC bank that I have listed as my document delivery point?

 

The fee on that page is the USCIS Immigrant Processing fee for her green card. You may pay this at any time AFTER the interview.

 

The fee that needs to be paid before the interview is the visa application (DS-260) fee. Immigrant visa fees are listed here - http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1263.html#perm

 

$230 MUST be paid at the CITIC Bank (any CITIC Bank that accepts US Visa fees) prior to the interview.

[dnoblett]

I'm not certain. But since they asked for payment before the interview they must be able to accept payment on the spot. I was surprised that it was the first thing that they asked for because when I had my interview in Beijing when I filed the I-130 petition payment was the last thing they asked for. I'd like to pay for it beforehand but I wasn't able to figure out how to do it. When I look at my Dashboard it just shows "fee payment" as $0 so when I click on it it takes me to this page for more information about fee payments and at the bottom of the page it does say something about Immigrant Visa Interview appointments in Guangzhou but it makes no mention of how to make the payment. Can it be made at the CITIC bank that I have listed as my document delivery point?

Note there are several times when a fee is paid.

 

• First to USCIS when filing a petition (I-130) to process it. (Attached to I-130 if petition is mailed to USCIS in the states, or paid to USCIS at the consulate if petition filed in China, DCF) ($420) http://www.uscis.gov/i-130
• Second to Department of State, visa application fee;
  • If petition is filed in the USA this fee is paid to NVC ($230 + $88 (I-864 fee)) http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1263.html#perm
  • OR, If petition was filed in China to USCIS in Beijing or Guangzhou the visa application fee is paid to CITIC Bank. ($230) No fee for the I-864. http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-iv-immigrantkvisa.asp
• Third fee is the immigration fee paid after interview in order to get green-card generated ($165) http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3a2bb75e8109b310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

[Randy W]

 

I'm not certain. But since they asked for payment before the interview they must be able to accept payment on the spot. I was surprised that it was the first thing that they asked for because when I had my interview in Beijing when I filed the I-130 petition payment was the last thing they asked for. I'd like to pay for it beforehand but I wasn't able to figure out how to do it. When I look at my Dashboard it just shows "fee payment" as $0 so when I click on it it takes me to this page for more information about fee payments and at the bottom of the page it does say something about Immigrant Visa Interview appointments in Guangzhou but it makes no mention of how to make the payment. Can it be made at the CITIC bank that I have listed as my document delivery point?

Note there are several times when a fee is paid.

 

• First to USCIS when filing a petition (I-130) to process it. (Attached to I-130 if petition is mailed to USCIS in the states, or paid to USCIS at the consulate if petition filed in China, DCF) ($420) http://www.uscis.gov/i-130
• Second to Department of State, visa application fee;
  • If petition is filed in the USA this fee is paid to NVC ($230 + $88 (I-864 fee)) http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1263.html#perm
  • OR, If petition was filed in China to USCIS in Beijing or Guangzhou the visa application fee is paid to CITIC Bank. ($230) No fee for the I-864. http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-iv-immigrantkvisa.asp
• Third fee is the immigration fee paid after interview in order to get green-card generated ($165) http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3a2bb75e8109b310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

 

 

 

But the link to the actual visa application fee is hidden under the "More Information" header at that link - "Click here for more information about immigrant visa fees." - and no information is provided about how to pay the fee.

Edited October 29, 2013 by Randy W (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

But the link to the actual visa application fee is hidden under the "More Information" header at that link - "Click here for more information about immigrant visa fees." - and no information is provided about how to pay the fee.

Don't you just love CGI Stanley? The Same company CGI built the ACA market place site that is under fire for being a mess.

 

Just a week or so ago my wife was trying to set up a visit visa fee payment on that sit for her mother to visit, we went round and round on the site filling in all the info, and then could not find the CGI number that is needed to pay the fee at the bank. There was a link at the bottom of last step "Click here for payment options" which was similar to the instructions at the beginning only that link would then provide the needed number. Was not very intuitive, should have been step 9 payment...

 

This is what I got from CGI when I pointed out this confusion.

 

"My mother in law is trying to pay $160 non-immigrant visa fee in China at CITIC bank and they seem to be stuck on a 12 digit CGI number, we cannot find any 12 digit number when applying to pay fee and schedule interview, on the CGI website."

 

Dear Applicant,

 

Thank you for writing US Visa Service Desk.

 

Please log back in to the applicant's profile through this link, https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/?language=English&country=China

You have to go through each steps.On step 8,please click the "CLICK HERE FOR ALL PAYMENT OPTIONS". Please select which mode of payment are you going to use in paying your MRV visa application fee and the page will open for MRV Fee Payment with CGI reference number. Please print this page.This will serve as your deposit slip with the CGI number. Please refer to this link for the next step, http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-niv-visaapply.asp

 

Thanks,

US Visa Service Desk

[Andelu]

When my husband made his interview appointment online on 10/24 (with me watching over his shoulder) there was no option to pay on the CGI website nor a direction to pay via CITIC bank. He had his visa interview on Nov 4th and was required to pay by cash or an American credit card at the Consulate the visa fee. Chinese credit cards are not accepted - at least they would not take his China Merchants Visa Card for payment on 11/4. The fee was $230USD, paid by a US-issued American Express card at the Consulate the day of the interview.

 

The link several have posted about the fees now says: "All Immigrant Visa fees are payable in U.S. dollars or Chinese Renminbi (RMB) at the Consulate's exchange rate on the day of the applicant's interview."

 

The site is not clear that Chinese cards are not accepted as it states: "..."logoed" credit/debit card: Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover." There are Chinese credit cards with each of these logos except Discover...

[lhp]

My wife used her China Merchant's Bank credit card at Guangzhou in June to pay the fee. It's a dual currency card (easy to get set up, just call customer service); she was charged in USD and paid the bill in CNY. Sorry to hear they've again complicated things.