Interview- passport related questions

[talsi]

I am a foreign, non-Chinese, petitioner and therefore I have a few questions related to my passport. Any clarifications would be a lot of help!

a. If I am to leave my passport at the GZ Consulate after the interview, how am I expected to return to Beijing?
b. If all goes well at the interview, can I expect to receive the passport back in Beijing within 1 week, or could it take longer?
c. I realize that at times the interview is concluded with a condition, where the petitioner is required to provide further documents. In these cases is the petitioner still required to leave his/her passport or can he/her send it after providing the additional documents and receiving final approval from the Consulate?
d. If I'm in need of my passport after the interview, is it an option to simply choose to take it with me and send it over to them at a later date or is that not up to the petitioner to decide?

Another question on an entirely different subject- is the petitioner allowed to be in the US during the time span leading up to the interview?

Sorry about all the questions. Anyone that could possibly shed some light, thank you, thank you, thank you!!

[Randy W]

I am a foreign, non-Chinese, petitioner and therefore I have a few questions related to my passport. Any clarifications would be a lot of help!

 

a. If I am to leave my passport at the GZ Consulate after the interview, how am I expected to return to Beijing?

b. If all goes well at the interview, can I expect to receive the passport back in Beijing within 1 week, or could it take longer?

c. I realize that at times the interview is concluded with a condition, where the petitioner is required to provide further documents. In these cases is the petitioner still required to leave his/her passport or can he/her send it after providing the additional documents and receiving final approval from the Consulate?

d. If I'm in need of my passport after the interview, is it an option to simply choose to take it with me and send it over to them at a later date or is that not up to the petitioner to decide?

 

Another question on an entirely different subject- is the petitioner allowed to be in the US during the time span leading up to the interview?

 

Sorry about all the questions. Anyone that could possibly shed some light, thank you, thank you, thank you!!

 

 

The petitioner must be a U.S. citizen or green card holder, and does not need a visa - there is no reason to leave the passport at the consulate. You are talking about yourself as a non-citizen, visa applicant, no? Your husband, an American citizen, filed the I-130 petition for you to be able to apply (as an applicant) for the CR/IR-1 visa.

 

As far as I'm concerned, the consulate has no business keeping your passport longer than overnight. That is a major flaw in their current process. You may need a travel document from the PSB - I'm not sure how that is usually handled, or if a copy of your passport will be good enough. Expect one to 2 weeks for the passport to be returned.

 

They will ask you to leave the passport when they are ready to put the visa in it. I suppose you don't NEED to leave it at that time, but could submit it at a later date.

 

Another question on an entirely different subject- is the petitioner allowed to be in the US during the time span leading up to the interview?

 

The petitioner is free to travel at any time. You, the applicant, will need a visa in order to be able to travel to the U.S. Under very RARE circumstances, the consulate has been known to issue visitor's visas during that period. Most likely, you would NOT qualify.

[talsi]

Hi, excuse my confusion. You're right, I am the applicant. I guess I will have to somehow verify with the Consulate whether I can hold on to the passport after the interview and send it to them through CITIC bank at a later date. Too bad they hardly ever respond to emails.

As for a US tourist visa, I currently have one. Does that mean I am free to travel to the US as I like until the date of the interview?

[Randy W]

Hi, excuse my confusion. You're right, I am the applicant. I guess I will have to somehow verify with the Consulate whether I can hold on to the passport after the interview and send it to them through CITIC bank at a later date. Too bad they hardly ever respond to emails.

As for a US tourist visa, I currently have one. Does that mean I am free to travel to the US as I like until the date of the interview?

 

I hate to say 'Yes' to that, since there's always the possibility that you could be denied entry, but yes, using the visa shouldn't cause you any problems. I believe others have done exactly that.

[talsi]

Yeah, I guess nothing is for sure. Thanks!

[Beachey]

As for a US tourist visa, I currently have one. Does that mean I am free to travel to the US as I like until the date of the interview?

 

 

 

When I was in China, a friend's wife was in a similar situation (though she was Chinese) with a valid visitor's visa which they cancelled when they applied for a IR-1. They likely will attempt to do the same with you unless you can make a compelling argument why you need to keep it. If you can't afford to hang around in Guangzhou, your best option is to ask if you can return to Beijing and send in your passport. Another option would be to return to Beijing by train as I don't remember being asked for my passport when I traveled by train. As long as you had a photo copy, you likely would be OK.

[jonathantwu]

 

Hi, excuse my confusion. You're right, I am the applicant. I guess I will have to somehow verify with the Consulate whether I can hold on to the passport after the interview and send it to them through CITIC bank at a later date. Too bad they hardly ever respond to emails.

As for a US tourist visa, I currently have one. Does that mean I am free to travel to the US as I like until the date of the interview?

I hate to say 'Yes' to that, since there's always the possibility that you could be denied entry, but yes, using the visa shouldn't cause you any problems. I believe others have done exactly that.

 

My wife came visiting several times, no issues. Have your return ticket and leave request from work at hand just in case.

[talsi]

When I was in China, a friend's wife was in a similar situation (though she was Chinese) with a valid visitor's visa which they cancelled when they applied for a IR-1. They likely will attempt to do the same with you unless you can make a compelling argument why you need to keep it. If you can't afford to hang around in Guangzhou, your best option is to ask if you can return to Beijing and send in your passport. Another option would be to return to Beijing by train as I don't remember being asked for my passport when I traveled by train. As long as you had a photo copy, you likely would be OK.

Thanks for the feedback. If I were to go to the US that would be prior to my interview, so I guess they wouldn't have the chance to even cancel my tourist visa.

If I stick around in GZ, do you know how long it takes on average to get the passport back?

 

There's a chance I might need to fly out of China a few days after my interview, that's the other reason I was interested to know whether it would possible to take the passport with me after the interview and send it to them at a later date.

[jonathantwu]

 

When I was in China, a friend's wife was in a similar situation (though she was Chinese) with a valid visitor's visa which they cancelled when they applied for a IR-1. They likely will attempt to do the same with you unless you can make a compelling argument why you need to keep it. If you can't afford to hang around in Guangzhou, your best option is to ask if you can return to Beijing and send in your passport. Another option would be to return to Beijing by train as I don't remember being asked for my passport when I traveled by train. As long as you had a photo copy, you likely would be OK.

Thanks for the feedback. If I were to go to the US that would be prior to my interview, so I guess they wouldn't have the chance to even cancel my tourist visa.If I stick around in GZ, do you know how long it takes on average to get the passport back?There's a chance I might need to fly out of China a few days after my interview, that's the other reason I was interested to know whether it would possible to take the passport with me after the interview and send it to them at a later date.

Yet, the muddy water gets muddier.

 

Are you black op flying In a stealth Blackhawks? If not, then a passport is highly recommended.

Edited March 26, 2014 by jonathantwu (see edit history)

[talsi]

Yet, the muddy water gets muddier.

Are you black op flying In a stealth Blackhawks? If not, then a passport is highly recommended.

Not quite sure I'm following... Recommended for what?

[Randy W]

 

Yet, the muddy water gets muddier.

Are you black op flying In a stealth Blackhawks? If not, then a passport is highly recommended.

Not quite sure I'm following... Recommended for what?

Unless you really ARE a "black op flying In a stealth Blackhawks", he's speaking tongue-in-cheekily (emphasis on the cheekily). Even then, you're unlikely to get away with anything.

 

The rest of us use passports for the regular purposes.

[talsi]

That I understood It's just that I never insinuated my passport wouldn't be needed.

I would just really like to know whether any applicants have ever been allowed to hold on to their passports after the interview granted that they send it over later...

[Randy W]

That I understood It's just that I never insinuated my passport wouldn't be needed.

I would just really like to know whether any applicants have ever been allowed to hold on to their passports after the interview granted that they send it over later...

 

 

That would be delayed issuance of the visa for one reason or another, which, yes, I believe has happened due to unique circumstances. Yours are also unique - you would need to work that out with the consulate. I don't think it would be a problem, but they may have other ideas (such as expedited handling). Let us know what they say.

[talsi]

Great, thanks. Will update later on.