Broken Visa Package Envelop - Urgent

[josephsli]

Hi,

 

IV issued (thank God) but now with a pressing administrative issue.

 

My wife's immigrant visa was issued in late Dec and I went to pick it up a few days ago at the local CITIC. Both the bank staff and I immediately noticed that the 'visa packet yellow envelop' was badly broken (one long side was completely ripped most likely during transit - our document submission to the USCIS was 800 pages thick, and the consulate apparently used a large (but not large enough) paper envelop to bag it but unfortunately it was broken before I saw them.

 

I have decided not to sign for/pick up any of the family's passports and packages, and wrote a statement in Chinese and English and had the bank staff provide their corporate chop to verify that I did not temper with the package. Now I'm very torn - I know the safest way is to send it back to GUZ for repackaging, but we do have a confirmed ticket to leave for the US in less than 15 days as I have a series of scheduled business meetings there. Checked with both the consulate and CITIC and it usually takes 2-3 weeks for the package to travel to GUZ, be repackaged and shipped back from GUZ to my home city.

 

I called one of the CBP customer service hotline stating the situation and they said they would normally send us to Secondary Processing for review but it is not a major issue. Our US immi attorneys said the same thing. However, the consular Chinese staff with utter certainty told me that we will be denied entry with a broken envelop. GUZ is also not allowing us to personally carry the packages back to GUZ for repackaging (this way we would have better control over lead time in transit).

 

Any similar experience? Any advice?

 

thanks!

Joe

[Randy W]

A nice little major disaster there, courtesy of a consular staff that doesn't care to use tear-resistant packaging

 

Hopefully, one of these expedited CITIC locations can help you - http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-loc-documentdropoff.asp

 

With the right level of insistence, you might be able to get personal service. Remember that as an American citizen you are allowed into the consulate at any time upon presentation of your passport.

Expedited Document Delivery

Please note that there are CITIC Bank branches in Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenyang that offer expedited delivery of supplemental documents to the Embassy and Consulates General. To use this service, you must select one of the locations below.

 

[dnoblett]

Yes this does happen, I use to be in past the packet was picked up at a post office not far from consulate, would simply revisit consulate and have them inspect and repackage. In your case you probably will need it returned to consulate for repackaging.

 

800 pages, what you do send a phone book?

 

You could contact consulate via email and ask how to get it repackaged.

 

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/mobile/immigrant-visa-unit-question.html

[josephsli]

Thanks both for your response.

I did not make it clearer - I'm not a US citizen and we are on EB-5 (greencard by investment) program, IR5 immigrant visa. The 800 page or so are mostly our filing to USCIS.

 

Randy - I checked with CITIC expedited service staff in Shanghai (in fact I went upstairs to their back office to find how documents and packages are handled). While they say one way transit to GUZ is about 2-3 days, they don't know how soon the consular staff can handle my request as this package will be mixed with the pool of other 'normal' immigrant AND non-immigrant visa applications. When the GUZ Chinese staff called me, he said he cannot give an estimate at how soon they could handle my repackaging precisely for that reason. It took them from Dec 24 (date of visa issuance at GUZ) to Jan 5 (arrival notice at CITIC Shanghai) one way for about 10 days. And we're 11 calendar days away from our departure.

 

I asked the GUZ guy if I could take the package to GUZ in person for repacking, the answer is NO!

 

My attorney as well as the airport Customs and Border Protection Officer I spoke to both said it should not cause a major issue if we enter the US as-is - they will just interview us and examine docs at Secondary Processing (the 'little room') and most likely let us in.

 

Now my question is - have you experienced/heard of similar cases where people have been turned back by airport CBP just because of a broken envelop? Inconvenience in the form of a few hours is not an issue for us, but the potential risk of being denied entry is.

 

thanks!

Joe

[dnoblett]

I have heard of a couple times where POE fails to take the packet at airport and having to take packet to a CBP office.

 

But it would be a pain if you run into a problem at the POE over the damaged packet, or they would simply accept explanation and do a secondary inspection and clear you into the country.

[Randy W]

Thanks both for your response.

I did not make it clearer - I'm not a US citizen and we are on EB-5 (greencard by investment) program, IR5 immigrant visa. The 800 page or so are mostly our filing to USCIS.

 

Randy - I checked with CITIC expedited service staff in Shanghai (in fact I went upstairs to their back office to find how documents and packages are handled). While they say one way transit to GUZ is about 2-3 days, they don't know how soon the consular staff can handle my request as this package will be mixed with the pool of other 'normal' immigrant AND non-immigrant visa applications. When the GUZ Chinese staff called me, he said he cannot give an estimate at how soon they could handle my repackaging precisely for that reason. It took them from Dec 24 (date of visa issuance at GUZ) to Jan 5 (arrival notice at CITIC Shanghai) one way for about 10 days. And we're 11 calendar days away from our departure.

 

I asked the GUZ guy if I could take the package to GUZ in person for repacking, the answer is NO!

 

My attorney as well as the airport Customs and Border Protection Officer I spoke to both said it should not cause a major issue if we enter the US as-is - they will just interview us and examine docs at Secondary Processing (the 'little room') and most likely let us in.

 

Now my question is - have you experienced/heard of similar cases where people have been turned back by airport CBP just because of a broken envelop? Inconvenience in the form of a few hours is not an issue for us, but the potential risk of being denied entry is.

 

thanks!

Joe

 

 

"this package will be mixed with the pool of other 'normal' immigrant AND non-immigrant visa applications. When the GUZ Chinese staff called me, he said he cannot give an estimate at how soon they could handle my repackaging precisely for that reason."

 

I find THIS hard to believe - that they could not give you same day service AT THE CONSULATE. However, it would depend on how much they require in the way of INSPECTING the contents before they re-package.

 

So it looks like you have two choices:

 

1) Show up at the consulate and find out what they can do for you in person. Insist on talking to an American consular officer. You may need an appointment with American Citizen Services (yes, you qualify for this) to get in - and they may very well be the appropriate people to talk to.

 

2) Let the chips fall where they may at the POE in the US.

 

# 2 may be a reasonable choice, especially since you have the issue well documented.