Our interview results

[daveblax]

Our interview was scheduled for 8:50. My wife was not able to go inside until 9:10ish, and I waited outside.

Inside, they took her police, marraige, and birth certificates. They also took the I-864 I filled out and my 2013 and 2012 tax return copies. Everything else we brought, including all my domicile information and evidence of relationship documents were not looked at.

My wife was asked around 7 questions, about half English, half Chinese. Some questions included:

Where/how did you meet?
What language do you speak at home?
What's your job?
Where will you work in America?
Where will your husband work?


My wife was preliminarily approved. She received a white and pink form. What they need is our co-sponsor's husband to fill out an I-864A and they need proof of US residency of our co-sponsor.

Since our co-sponsor is not family, I hate asking them for all of this. They already helped us so much. Do you guys think it would be OK to find a new co-sponsor at this point, and send a whole new I-864 instead?
Let me know what you think.

[daveblax]

Also, after we send these documents, along with my wife's passport, to the consulate through CITIC bank,how long do you think we will have to wait for out the actual visa? We want to leave sometime in July, or August the latest.

[Randy W]

Also, after we send these documents, along with my wife's passport, to the consulate through CITIC bank,how long do you think we will have to wait for out the actual visa? We want to leave sometime in July, or August the latest.

 

Unfortunately, they keep the passport WAY to long in my view - but it should only be around 4 to 10 days, sometimes a little longer.

 

Switching sponsors I would expect would be okay.

 

Congratulations.

[daveblax]

Thanks Randy

 

Our co-sponsor needs to send us additional information to support their I-864. They don't feel comfortable sending this personal information to China, which is why their original I-864 form was sent directly to the consulate in Guangzhou.

 

They can't send this additional information directly to Guangzhou because we need to send these documents, along with my wife's passport, to Guangzhou using the CITIC bank document delivery service.

 

What is the safest way for our co-sponsor to send these documents to us? They would feel more comfortable sending the documents to a major post office, where we can pick them up. Is it possible to set up a PO box at one of these post offices in China? How can they send us these documents in the safest and fastest way possible?

[daveblax]

Is it possible for us to open our own PO Box in China somewhere?

[Randy W]

I don't think so - why not just use EMS with signature required? At the U.S. end, it's known as Priority Mail Express International

[credzba]

I don't know the answer to your po box question, but I have an idea that might work as an alternative.

 

I presume they need to mail the forms instead of fax because guz wants real signatures ?

If not have them faxed to one of your work while you stand at the machine.

 

Okay, assuming you need/want live signatures how about this:

1) They sign the I-864 document blank, and mail it

2) After you receive it in China, you call them on the phone, and fill it out.

 

That keeps their information private, and gives you a piece of paper with their data and a live signature.

[daveblax]

Thanks guys! I think faxing some of these documents over might be easier for my co-sponsor.

 

I have another question about my preliminary acceptance.

 

On the white preliminary acceptance letter, it says they need an I-864A form from my co-sponsor's husband.

 

On the pink paper, it says "The consulate has insufficient information about the residency of the following people marked with X."

 

The box, or the person, they marked with the X is the petitioner, which would be me.

 

But when my wife asked them about this, they said that they need this information, including bank statements, utility bills, mortgage statements, and driver's license from our co-sponsor, not me.

 

So why did they mark the petitioner box? Well, there is no box for co-sponsor on the form. Shouldn't they have written this in?

 

My wife had and offered up my domicile information, including my bank statements and drivers license, but they didn't need it or look at it.

 

Should I submit my domicile information as well, just to be safe? Since I am pretty sure they made a mistake, I don't want any more delays because of this discrepancy.

 

 

[Randy W]

Your call there, but it sure seems like you'd want to play it safe on that. Do you see a downside to submitting your own information?

[daveblax]

The possible downside I see is, I don't have all of this residency evidence. I don't have lease/ mortgage statements, or utility bills from the US.

 

I also have very little money in my American bank account. My wife offered to show my American bank statement before, but they didn't even look at it.

 

My wife specifically asked who they were referring to when she received this pink notice, and they said our co-sponsor. She even went back to double check when I asked her to. I don't understand why they wouldn't write co-sponsor on the form instead of checking the petitioner box.

[Randy W]

The possible downside I see is, I don't have all of this residency evidence. I don't have lease/ mortgage statements, or utility bills from the US.

 

I also have very little money in my American bank account. My wife offered to show my American bank statement before, but they didn't even look at it.

 

My wife specifically asked who they were referring to when she received this pink notice, and they said our co-sponsor. She even went back to double check when I asked her to. I don't understand why they wouldn't write co-sponsor on the form instead of checking the petitioner box.

 

 

Evidence is what you DO have, not what you don't have. The pink slip simply SUGGESTS various things to submit. I still don't see a downside to submitting what she had with her at the interview, ESPECIALLY based on what you're saying here. They MAY be looking for YOUR domicile evidence.

 

But, of course, you're there and I'm not - your call.

[daveblax]

I think you are right that it is better for me to send them what I have.

 

I think they made a mistake, but I can't be 100% sure

 

Thanks again

[daveblax]

Hey guys, my co-sponsor wants to know, when we submit all of the documents they requested and their personal information, what will the embassy do with it when they are down checking it? Send it back to us? Keep it for their records? Throw it out?

[Randy W]

Hey guys, my co-sponsor wants to know, when we submit all of the documents they requested and their personal information, what will the embassy do with it when they are down checking it? Send it back to us? Keep it for their records? Throw it out?

 

 

She will hand carry her entire file in a sealed brown envelope when she first uses the visa. It will be kept in her file at USCIS. There is no way to have it removed. The I-864 is a binding document.

[daveblax]

Thanks Randy.

 

We have all of our documents in order and will send everything to Guangzhou tomorrow.

 

I really hope they will process everything quickly. I have already registered for my graduate classes, starting in late August. Do you think I have anything to be worried about?

 

Also, my residence permit ends July 31st. Does anyone know if I can get a tourist visa here in China? Do I need to make a Hong Kong run if I want to stay in China in August?