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First, I'm just going to say thank you to all the members on the board for explaining so many things so well. I've read a few other topics on this, which have been really helpful, but we've a (seemingly) insurpassable wall here.

 

My wife was born in 1992, and where she lives in Qingdao they didn't produce birth certificates until 1994. I know what document we need for the interview and exactly what it looks like, the 顣When we went to the notorial office, they said we couldn't get a unless we had a birth certificate (even though we had her parents' ID cards, wedding certificate, and the hukouben). They told us to go the to get that. We went to two of them, one being her hukou, the other in the city. However at both of those we were told that her ڱ and all of her other documents were enough to prove her birth, and we couldn't get any kind of birth certification. We've made many calls to /notary offices and different paichusuo, and they say we can't possibly get the documentation we need in order to get that notarized document. Any body else with similar problems, and what did you do to get past them? I have a feeling this is just bureaucracy in China, but I'm worried if we can't get this if it will be an issue come time for my wife's interview and the final issuance of her visa.

 

I also have a few other questions that I hope can be answered. In terms of notorized documents, I need (I don't know the English names, but I can explain them):

1) notorial certificate of birth

2) notorial certificate of criminal background check

3) notorial certificate of wedding certificate (hers)

4) notorial certificate of wedding certificate (mine)

 

Am I missing anything there?

 

Also, do I need to go in person to the. Guangzhou consulate to submit my application, and how do I set up that appointment? Do I need to have lived in China for 6 months to do DCF still? I heard you didn't. Becauese it's convenient for me to go at my 5 months and 20 plus days mark of being in China. On my travel visa I'm required to leave every 60 days, so I go to Hong Kong, spend the night, then fly back the next morning. Are my visa stamps enough proof for 6 months, if it is still needed? Thank you very much!

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To add a bit to my post, further investigation has shown that on a tourist visa I can't dcf, so I'm going to go with my wife to change that, so that answers one of my questions.

 

And sorry that my first post had some weird characters added. I typed in Chinese, copy and pasted my whole post,and they changed.

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The white books are covered here, in a pinned topic -

Chinese Essential Documents - White Books

 

The topic includes sample documents, and explanations of the Chinese terminology used in the documents.

 

The Notarial Certificate of Birth is NOT a Chinese document - it is generated by the notarial office for use overseas. Like you've been told, the hukou book and ID's are used for birth certification in China, including at the Gong Zheng Chu, or 公证处֤֤֤.

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First, I'm just going to say thank you to all the members on the board for explaining so many things so well. I've read a few other topics on this, which have been really helpful, but we've a (seemingly) insurpassable wall here.

 

My wife was born in 1992, and where she lives in Qingdao they didn't produce birth certificates until 1994. I know what document we need for the interview and exactly what it looks like, the 顣When we went to the notorial office, they said we couldn't get a unless we had a birth certificate (even though we had her parents' ID cards, wedding certificate, and the hukouben). They told us to go the to get that. We went to two of them, one being her hukou, the other in the city. However at both of those we were told that her ڱ and all of her other documents were enough to prove her birth, and we couldn't get any kind of birth certification. We've made many calls to /notary offices and different paichusuo, and they say we can't possibly get the documentation we need in order to get that notarized document. Any body else with similar problems, and what did you do to get past them? I have a feeling this is just bureaucracy in China, but I'm worried if we can't get this if it will be an issue come time for my wife's interview and the final issuance of her visa.

 

I also have a few other questions that I hope can be answered. In terms of notorized documents, I need (I don't know the English names, but I can explain them):

1) notorial certificate of birth

2) notorial certificate of criminal background check

3) notorial certificate of wedding certificate (hers)

4) notorial certificate of wedding certificate (mine)

 

Am I missing anything there?

 

Also, do I need to go in person to the. Guangzhou consulate to submit my application, and how do I set up that appointment? Do I need to have lived in China for 6 months to do DCF still? I heard you didn't. Becauese it's convenient for me to go at my 5 months and 20 plus days mark of being in China. On my travel visa I'm required to leave every 60 days, so I go to Hong Kong, spend the night, then fly back the next morning. Are my visa stamps enough proof for 6 months, if it is still needed? Thank you very much!

 

 

After reading this again, it looks like you DID go to the notarial office, or Gong Zheng Chu, or 公证处, with the hukou and ID's - is that correct?

 

If so, then someone there is giving you the run-around. You do NOT need a Chinese birth certificate - they produce the notarial certificate of birth from the hukou information.

 

Others have reported being able to get the notarial certificate of birth at a different Gong Zheng Chu - you might try this, or simply talking to a different person at the SAME Gong Zheng Chu. The Gong Zheng Chu IS the correct place to go for this.

 

As far as a DCF, you MAY be able to file at the Consulate, if you don't mind taking a trip there to find out. The requirement is only that you RESIDE within the (USCIS) consular district (either Beijing or Guangzhou - these two districts cover ALL of China). Take whatever evidence you have, including the passport with entry/exit stamps, and any lease, photographs, or anything else you may have to make your case. The clerk will either accept your application or reject it on the spot and return your evidence. I can't say that it WILL be accepted, but you may or may not consider it worth a trip to find out.

 

The six month requirement was DROPPED from their web page several years ago - the travel visa may or may not be a show-stopper. It may help to get a NEW visa or residence permit from the PSB Entry/Exit bureau.

Edited by Randy W (see edit history)
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I am looming into getting a residence permit right now. I hope that whatever I can provide will work.

 

We've been all over and called all of the ֤ here, and they are all trying to make us get a Its kind of ridiculous. We went to the hospital my wife was born at over 20 years ago and got someone to go through all the files. We finally found the files from her mother's stay, that details everything about the stay and the birth. However, because it doesn't include my wife's name they won't take it. We have that, the hukou, her parents' IDs and marriage certificate, and my wife's ID. But they still won't take it. My in-laws are getting less and less in favor of my wife coming to America now....

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I am looming into getting a residence permit right now. I hope that whatever I can provide will work.

 

We've been all over and called all of the ֤ here, and they are all trying to make us get a Its kind of ridiculous. We went to the hospital my wife was born at over 20 years ago and got someone to go through all the files. We finally found the files from her mother's stay, that details everything about the stay and the birth. However, because it doesn't include my wife's name they won't take it. We have that, the hukou, her parents' IDs and marriage certificate, and my wife's ID. But they still won't take it. My in-laws are getting less and less in favor of my wife coming to America now....

 

 

That is VERY bizarre - what I've highlighted here (the hukou, her parents' IDs and marriage certificate, and my wife's ID) has ALWAYS been enough. You don't NEED or WANT a Birth Certificate - just the Notarial Certification of Birth.

 

Have you tried going to a different notarial office (Gong Zheng Chu)?

 

You might also ask at the PSB Entry/Exit Office. They may be able to tell you what to do, although I'm sure they couldn't generate anything themselves.

 

Be sure to document what you do - the names and positions of people you talk to, and what their response is. If ANY document is unobtainable, you should submit a statement of WHY it is unobtainable, and what effort you made to obtain it.

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I will start documenting things. As bizzare as it sounds, that is the way it is. I KNOW it's not miscommunication, my Chinese is fluent and they know what we want, they just won't give it. You mention going to a different ֤. Is there a chance one out of the province on the other side of the country work?

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Different gongzhengchu. Is there a secret to typing in Chinese on this? Posting from my phone is not working

 

 

You need a Chinese IME - if you have a Chinese cell phone sold for the Chinese market, you more than likely have one.

 

On my Samsung, when typing on the on-screen keyboard, there's a box labeled 中/En to switch between Chinese (Pinyin which converts to Chinese characters) or English input.

 

Or you can enter Chinese (handwritten) characters - my wife is a holy terror at this.

 

In Windows, you need to install a Chinese IME (of your choice) and select it through the language bar.

 

Your wife has a hukou, a Chinese ID, her parents' ID's, and a marriage certificate - she is THOROUGHLY DOCUMENTED. Someone is FEEDING YOU A LINE. It's up to you and/or her to figure out WHO - my guess is that it's the Gong Zheng Chu.

 

Yes, going to a DIFFERENT one, whether in the same or a different province, may cut through the red tape.

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Different gongzhengchu. Is there a secret to typing in Chinese on this? Posting from my phone is not working

 

Probably producing an odd code that the mobile website does not work with.

 

Some info about the USCIS field office can be found here, you can either walk into file on fridays, or schedule an infopass appointment to file on other times.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/international-offices/china-uscis-guangzhou-field-office

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I have the Chinese keyboard, it just must be the mobile code changing it after I type it in. I'll just stick to submitting replies using pinyin for now.

 

I'm going to try one more time at two different gongzhengchu tomorrow. If that doesn't work I'm going to have to beg my in laws to let me take their family's most important documentation with me all the way across the country. I'm hoping the first option works.

 

The link to the uscis office page is great. Gave me the answers I needed to know on changing my visa, 6 months rule, and how to schedule. Thanks again everyone.

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I seriously doubt you will have any problems for the 6 month issue and travel visa, but if you are really worried, you guys are married already. You can go to your local PSB and get a family based residence permit instead of using the travel visa, and that takes care of that.

Also, with the residence permit, you won't need to make trips to Hong Kong every 60 days.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I'm responding rather late, not with questions but just to say I got all the white books. If anyone runs into the same issues as us, try going to the PSB and getting a stamped document there that just restated what is in the hukou. (Chinese beneficiary name and id) was born (date). Parents are (names and id). Some may not give you a document like that (the first PSB we went to wouldn't) and I have no idea why the lady at the notarization office wanted it, but we finally got her to accept it.

 

In terms of 6 month rule and visa, this is an email I got back from the USCIS.

 

"The petitioner must have a residence permit in China in order to file an I-130 with the Guangzhou Field Office. In lieu of a residence permit, the Guangzhou Field Office may accept other proof of residence, such as a lease agreement, job contract, etc. However, this evidence is evaluated on a case-by-case basis."

 

So no need for 6 months now, and I need a permit, unless I'm lucky and they accept my other evidence. Since I don't live where my wife is from, I can't easily get a residence permit. I'm just going to risk it and go once and see. If they say no, then I'll have to go with her to her hometown, across China, and change it. I have a 6 month contract to be here living in a home teaching English to a family while they provide room and board, temporary drivers licenses, a rental agreement for me and my wife that the family can write up for me, and 7 months of travel visa stamps. Any ideas on other things I could get to prove residence? I know none of you are the people processing my application, but it would help to hear others' ideas. Thanks!

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Yes, sounds like a VERY persnickety Gong Zheng Chu. Usually only a visit to THAT office is required, although sometimes you just have to play it by ear, as you found out. Perhaps you simply called her hand on refusing to issue the document in the first place. Good job!

 

Your evidence will either be accepted or not on the spot - if it is NOT, then the next option is to file stateside by mailing to the lockbox address in the directions. My guess is that you have more than enough as is.

 

It's good to hear that they HAVE explicitly stated that "In lieu of a residence permit, the Guangzhou Field Office may accept other proof of residence . . ."

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