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K1 - Hong Kong citizen living in Shanghai


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Hi everyone, newbie here!

My fiance and I just got engaged and filed for the K1 visa - so exciting!

 

I am a citizen of Hong Kong working in Shanghai, so we just put Shanghai as the embassy of choice. But now I am reading that Guangzhou is the only embassy that issues K1 visa? I am panicking now (esp when i read about to the possible delay in receiving the packages because of Chinese custom here) and wonder if we have chosen the wrong place to apply for the visa.

 

I travel to Hong Kong for work often and have addresses in both cities - is it possible/do you guys advise us to call and try to switch it to Hong Kong?

 

Thank you so much - this is an incredibly stressful process, I am grateful forums like this to get us all moving and staying positive!

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First question, why did you not marry there and simply file the I-130 Spouse visa petition to USCIS office located in Beijing? The processing time on this would be 4 - 6 months and results in a green-card upon entry to the USA allowing the immigrant the option to immediately take a job if they wish. Since you indicate being a worker and citizen of Hong Kong, I assume you are the immigrant and your fiancee is the US Citizen, and I suspect you would not want to sit around for several months after arriving in the states waiting to first marry and then file and wait for work authorization in order to take a job, this is one of the issues with the K-1 route.

 

Anyway, USCIS and NVC will direct the K-1 case to the consulate based on residence, probably Guangzhou based on the picking of a consulate in China, calling USCIS tends to not get you anywhere, you might get help from NVC if you call them shortly after USCIS approves the I-129F in any case Guangzhou is not far from Hong Kong.

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First question, why did you not marry there and simply file the I-130 Spouse visa petition to USCIS office located in Beijing? The processing time on this would be 4 - 6 months and results in a green-card upon entry to the USA allowing the immigrant the option to immediately take a job if they wish. Since you indicate being a worker and citizen of Hong Kong, I assume you are the immigrant and your fiancee is the US Citizen, and I suspect you would not want to sit around for several months after arriving in the states waiting to first marry and then file and wait for work authorization in order to take a job, this is one of the issues with the K-1 route.

 

Anyway, USCIS and NVC will direct the K-1 case to the consulate based on residence, probably Guangzhou based on the picking of a consulate in China, calling USCIS tends to not get you anywhere, you might get help from NVC if you call them shortly after USCIS approves the I-129F in any case Guangzhou is not far from Hong Kong.

 

 

But they are VERY different consulates. Most recently (but several years ago), we have heard that Hong Kong was taking a dim view of cases of Chinese citizens sent to their consulate. Prior to that, they had been viewed as more friendly and easier to work with. You may not find any advantage to moving your case there, IF you are eligible (it's unclear from your post if it is you or your wife who will apply for the visa).

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hey sorry - let me clarify - I am the beneficiary (soon to be wife :) and my fiance works in the US. we met in college and I moved to Shanghai for work (we considered the I-130 route before but since my fiance has to be in the US for work we decided to go with K1)

 

he actually called the USCIS yesterday and the lady told him he can write them a letter to switch the consulate back to Hong Kong (where I am from). Since they havent even look at our case yet.

 

I wonder if that would be a smart move? if so, will i also need to change my mailing address to Hong Kong instead of Shanghai? Just concern about if these would tag on more processing time. Thank you everyone!

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hey sorry - let me clarify - I am the beneficiary (soon to be wife :) and my fiance works in the US. we met in college and I moved to Shanghai for work (we considered the I-130 route before but since my fiance has to be in the US for work we decided to go with K1)

 

he actually called the USCIS yesterday and the lady told him he can write them a letter to switch the consulate back to Hong Kong (where I am from). Since they havent even look at our case yet.

 

I wonder if that would be a smart move? if so, will i also need to change my mailing address to Hong Kong instead of Shanghai? Just concern about if these would tag on more processing time. Thank you everyone!

 

 

It's hard to say what would be best to do at this point. K-1 is sometimes risky. I see that you've posted the question on VJ. Perhaps someone there will have recent experience.

 

For several years, Hong Kong was considered an 'easier' consulate to go through. An applicant could interview there for a K-3 simply by getting married in Hong Kong.

 

Nowadays, though, there is more suspicion of some K-1 applications - see K-1 Considerations

 

This is from VJ. You can coose K-1 and China, but choosing Hong Kong doesn't seem to work

 

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/k1list.php?cfl=1&op3=5&op5=&op6=All

Edited by Randy W (see edit history)
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