VIDEO TAPE PROOF

[Alex]

My fiance has a friend who just received her visa today. I spoke to the future groom. He said the Guangzhou Consulate has earned its awful reputation. He says that many of the interviewers are unfriendly Chinese, and that he saw only 2 American looking people.

 

The VO glanced briefly at their paperwork, then asked for a videotape.....it seems the videotape is an absolute must these days at the Guangzhou Consulate. The videotape must be shot one of these ways:

 

1>) The petitioner speaking 5 minutes of Chinese in front of a camera

 

2>) The couple having a 5 minute discussion...basically a "set up the camera and let it roll " thing. No one has to be fluent. the tape only has to clearly demonstrate there is understanding and communication. You can gesture, use your translator, etc......heres another fun catch... the submitted tape must be a VHS format tape. If you have an 8mm like many do you can have the video dubbed onto VHS at the "Computer City" stores. Take a blank VHS with you when you do to China for the dubbing.

 

The future groom also told me that it is typical that all petitioners get turned down at least once. he described it as the abusive bureaucratic challenge....the consulate will often ask you to re-produce forms and pictures you've already presented......it seems they are looking for any reason to cause grief....sounds like bullshit to me!

 

Anyway, make sure your fiance drsesses nicely for the interview, and don't lose your temper. This is a scenario that occured less than 24 hours ago...the good thing...they are conducting interviews...the bad thing...they're a sorry bunch of sadists

[Jeikun]

sounds like bullshit to me!

 

yep.

[Jeikun]

Ok, but seriously

 

One could just as easily use the story from the "SCORE!!" post (which hapened on the same day as the person who you quote) to say something like: "Wow, the consulate's reputation is totally undeserved! Their "toughest" VO only asked 4 yes/no questions and didn't even look at the paperwork. Apparently the I-134 isn't even considered much of the time, so don't sweat the documentation so much."

There are horror stories, and "wow, that was too easy" stories. Nearly everyone has slightly different experiences. Yes, quite a few petitions have been turned down. Yes, several people have been asked for tapes. Maybe there is no method to it, maybe some VOs are just very strict if they think the fiance's English isn't up to par. I doubt sadism is involved. callousness perhaps. They see so many cases every day, they begin to forget the hearts affected, and only see applications.

I've seen most of your posts, and I can see that you, like me are pretty anxious about this whole process. We both hired lawyers, and we're both searching for answers to many questions in advance here. I worry about every little thing that could go wrong to an extent, and I think you do too... hell, I bet everyone does.

A little advice to a fellow newbie though. Forums like this can be a double-edged sword if not taken with a grain of salt. There is a lot of support here, a lot of great advice too. BUT... many people who come to web forums are here either because they are worried about potential problems, or they have experienced problems. This means you will be likely to hear a lot more bad expriences, than may be an accurate cross section of the public at large.

I'm not saying put on the blinders and trust the process to handle itself... not at all. However, we both have a long time to wait. It's a good idea to take a breath, step back a little, and don't panic. Look at the advice, look at the bad stories to prepare for possible bumps, look at the good ones for something to hope for, but don't get caught up in expecting absolutes or ringing the doom bell everyttime something goes bad for someone. It's bad sometimes, but not as bad as you think.

Relax a little, you'll be fine.

[Trigg]

Having successfully gone through the process and getting the dreaded window seven guy with no problems, let me say this. I think it is good to be paranoid and over-prepared. But, after reading many posts and knowing many people who have gone through this, I think most get the visa with no problem, I am pretty sure that we cannot say the majority are denied the first time. Yes, even on CFL we have had one who recently had to make the tape. Yes, he was very prepared and yes it was unfair. There doesn't seem to be any real rhyme or reason why GZ does like they do but most are successful on their first interview. Some have suggested that 30 percent are denied pending further evidence. I think it is closer to ten percent.

[warpedbored]

When I was just in China at the consulate the overcome line was as long as the interview line. I think candle members have a higher success rate than the norm. Possibly due to better preparation how ever I don't think that applies in Bing's and my case. We were very well prepared. I still think the decision is made before hand. As just pure speculation I wonder if a certain percentage aren't just denied as policy just to see if they come back to appeal. Kind of like manufacturers rebates, they are betting a certain percentage will give up and go home.

[Guest jesquire]

decided beforehand? that is interesting, yet scary. I wonder what they could base this "pre-decision" on? There is little in the file indicative of English fluency, so I wonder what gets consular attention?

[frank1538]

I'm with Carl on this one. Jingwen had the same experience as Trigg. The VO only asked about four or five yes/no questions - in Chinese because Jingwen's English is less than fluent. The VO did not look at any paperwork either.

 

I have nothing on which to base this, but I also think that a tentative decision had already been made when Jingwen went to the interview. Maybe it's the paper trail that we all leave during the long wait. I was in constant contact with GZ via e-mail. Jingwen's applications were prepared jointly and had definite clues about my involvement with helping her with the preparation. She had my passport with her. She carried 20% of her body weight with supporting documents. My thinking is that if the applicant looks like she is on her/his own during the process, chances are better that she/he will be scrutinized more.

[keelec]

First and foremost, I am still hoping to get AN INTERVIEW SCHEDULED FOR IRINA

 

Second, I would like to be with her for the interview. By the time the interview is scheduled, it will be nearly a year since I've seen her, and it is just time for me to go back there to be with her.

 

I think the request for a video is relatively rare. Perhaps 1 in 50. It only occurs if your fiancee's/spouses's English is considered to be marginal.

 

However, if you are planning to take a single trip to see your loved one in China before applying, and not returning until after the process is complete, then it might be reasonable to make a video tape while you are there. Once you get back to the USA, there will be plenty of opportunities to get it converted into the correct format, VHS, PAL or NTFS???? And, of course, with the video, you will have more memories to help the wait go easier.

 

Ok, now here is the tricky part.

Have your fiancee keep the video in the hotel, and NOT tell the VO that it exists.

 

If a bluseslip is given, the fiancee can go back to the hotel, chug a few beers (or a few bottles of Vodka if she is Russian), then bring the video back the next day and hopefully get the visa.

 

What happened in Carl and Bing's case is that they had an internet video which may or may not have been acceptable. However, since she was told that it was not acceptable as evidence by the interviewing VO, she was unable to bring it back the next day.

 

----- Clifford -----

[se_lang]

I would suggest anyone bring an entire copy of packet from 129 to P4 also bring all evidence and a video all neatly organized and sorted multiple trips to visit is also good, be involved, be prepared if you don't think of every possible problem the one you forget will haunt you this is where CFL is so wonderful you have many heads pulling for you I believe this is why we have such a high success rate from here.

[Guest jesquire]

let's see if we can flesh this out a little. let us assume there is some "pre-decision". what do we speculate that it is based on, specifically? Improper grammar in the paperwork? Some education or work info on the 325?

if we assume that it is preordained that some couples have a more difficult time, it would be helpful to discuss what causes it.

Any thoughts about what GZ looks for to pick those who go through the wringer?

[se_lang]

I would say we should start a file on who gets white slips an blue slips but CFL seems to have such a high success rate it would not be real data. Now if we could have somebody outside GZ taking surveys that would be interesting.

[JerryL]

I have nothing on which to base this, but I also think that a tentative decision had already been made when Jingwen went to the interview.  Maybe it's the paper trail that we all leave during the long wait.  I was in constant contact with GZ via e-mail.  Jingwen's applications were prepared jointly and had definite clues about my involvement with helping her with the preparation. She had my passport with her.  She carried 20% of her body weight with supporting documents.  My thinking is that if the applicant looks like she is on her/his own during the process, chances are better that she/he will be scrutinized more.

I wondered about the same thing with Penny's case. Like you we too had a long paper trail with the consulate from that three month wait for a P3. At her interview she was basically asked two or three questions and that was it. You remember how fast she came out, Frank. (She's finally here by the way. Yea!) They didn't even look at any of the docs I made her drag in there.

[keelec]

Youc can't go by just the paper trail to GZ.

 

I have always found Moscow to be extremely unhelpful, so I try not to bother them too much. Of course, over a 9 month period since our app was sent to Moscow, even rare contacts start acding up.

 

I have called DOS several times, both the public numer, and a private number. I also have called and sent faxes to the FBI.

 

I've discussed my case with 2 congressmen and 2 senators.

 

Will GZ or Moscow actually have the entire case history at their fingertips?

 

---- Clifford -----

[Jim - Portland, USA]

Crap, it happened again! What's up with this "flood control" feature of this posting system? Uhm, ignore this post

[Jim - Portland, USA]

let's see if we can flesh this out a little.  let us assume there is some "pre-decision".  what do we speculate that it is based on, specifically?  Improper grammar in the paperwork?  Some education or work info on the 325?

if we assume that it is preordained that some couples have a more difficult time, it would be helpful to discuss what causes it.

Any thoughts about what GZ looks for to pick those who go through the wringer?

You asked for a ventured guess, so I'll offer one, but by no means do I agree with or condone what I think GZ makes their "pre-decision" on ...

 

I think they base it on age difference. The have the birthdates of both people before the interview, so they know what the age difference is. And if I recall, it seems to me that couples with a "wider than average" age difference get hassled the most at GZ. And so when they see a couple with a large age difference, they automatically put up a big red flag and assume the relationship is suspect, until proven otherwise.

 

Otherwise, if the age difference is deemed "appropriate", then the VO says "Okay, whatever, here's your visa".

 

Again, this is just my theory ... I don't agree with this or anything like that, so don't anyone fling poo at me for saying this, it's just my theory