Here we go

[resp]

Congratulations to you both, wonderful

ending to this immigration saga .

resp

[Maui & China]

Great news. I'd be willing to help pay for a new printer if that's the only thing holding things up. Congratulations and best wishes for a joyous future.

[bobmal99]

Way to go, now go out and buy that new printer, just in case!!!

[sylinchinastill]

We are finally back from Guangzhou- we went back yesterday and got the whole thing for real- we were almost the last name called but finally they did and we were so thankful but we had been so nervous it took a while for it to sink in. There was another couple there and they had been in March and had her interview and everything but then her name was the same as someone else's name who was unable to apply for a visa- banned I guess- and so they had to do more checks and then they came back and were told the same thing as we were went they went to pick the visa up- well- that man was very angry and on Friday morning he went and yelled at the people upstairs (the people who interview and the people citizens can complain to are American but the people who actually hand out the visa and do the paperwork downstairs are Chinese) so they called downstairs and assured him he would get it that afternoon- so I was worried we wouldn't get it because they were the first people called and they had complained so I thought we might not get it because we didn't- but we did and it's all good now.

My fiance says the interview itself went very well- the guy looked at our pics- asked about his education and career and mine- didn't even look at our I-134 stuff- then Hengli was talking about our relationship, etc. and he told him to please stop talking and just answer the questions- I guess he was talking too much.

Stories- While I was waiting outside I met a man who was also there waiting for his fiancee- he was pretty nice and helped me pass the time. His fiancee had her interview and it went fine although her English was pretty rough- I talked to her in Chinese instead- she said they only asked her about how they communicate and looked at the file- her emails- the guy had forgotten to give her his tax returns and the phone bills (he had them outside) but she got it anyway- easily- she even asked for a translator but was refused- they told her she needed to speak English- she had the same man as Hengli- tall- slightly balding- perhaps Jewish- if it is the same guy as I think it is and who gave the talk for the US citizens he was an immigrant himself and even brought his wife over as an immigrant- pretty nice guy.

Then I met another couple who is married and they were denied- the man even lives in Hong Kong and goes to see her in Shenzhen often but... they were denied because the Consulate officer did not think there was enough evidence of a relationship. Her husband went in to fight with them about it but I never found what came of that. Her English was also a bit rough and I spoke Chinese with her as well.

When I went to the informational session I was the only caucasian. Most of the people were there because they had been refused a visa in the past. The man did talk about the delay- he said the same thing I have heard before though about the P-3s taking a while because they have to go through Chinese customs- he did not say anything about the delay between P-3 and P-4 or whether they were off in the month of June- I couldn't ask either because it got pretty crazy in there and people were talking without raising their hands, etc.

He did talk about the lack of evidence of an established relationship or a means to communicate- he said that it is not up to the consulate to decide whether the relationship is real- that the burden of proof is placed on the applicant- he said that the two people should have a common language or means of communicating somehow- because he didn't understand how two people could make a marriage work without it- but that the consulate did not feel this way just because they want everyone to have a good relationship- that is not there concern- but that the concern is of how a relationship was able to be formed without a common language- and that it brings into question the reason for the visa application. He also said that if you get denied for financial reasons- it is a true denial- but that if you get denied for lack of evidence you are free to present more evidence- every day from 9-10- for as long as you like (as long as it is in a period of one year) until you get the visa. One thing he said that I thought was important was that you should write a letter- not just explaining your relationship- but explaining how the evidence comes together- he said a few plane tickets and some phone cards are not as helpful as saying in a letter when you met- when you called- when you came- where the pictures were taken- what you were doing, etc. There was even someone in the meeting whose petition had been denied because the petitioner had been accused of smuggling aliens into the US- the officer saw that paper and got this funny look and said "this is a very serious crime- people get smuggled into the US and then are forced to work as servants or prostitutes and in this case the only thing you can do is appeal the decision and maybe get a waiver- but I highly doubt you can do that." There was also a guy in the meeting- a US citizen- who was around 30 years old- he had immigrated to the US when he was 11- then when he was 28 he went back and married a girl from his hometown and had only been to China for the wedding and then went back and he was denieda visa for lack of evidence but he told me that he couldn't afford to come back and, etc. There was another girl whose marriage visa was denied 4 times- even after more and more evidence. She cried and said that she didn't have time or money to continue appealing but the officer said, "If you don't have the time to do the things you need to do to get this- it is unfortunate but there is nothing we can do about it- these are our regulations and there isn't another way." But I told Hengli and he thinks that if she was denied 4 times maybe she was brought in on a fiance visa herself or something- because in that case it is impossible to get a visa (and her English was pretty bad so I don't think she was born in the US). Also- one other thing- the guy whose fiancee did get it- had done this process before for a girl from Poland and it didn't work out so he sent her back before their marriage- but that previous application didn't affect this one at all. I hope this is informative for everyone- Feel free to ask any more questions.

[hypoclear]

That's just a 'little' burp and much better than being told they decided to do an additional check.

 

Not to worry you, but when the Black Hole began 2 years ago, the visa printing machine was GZ's excuse for about a week. Oh, the memories.

Donasho;

 

about the black hole days.. how long were the waits? think I read 17 months if so we will be close or just touching on that.. so could would we call this new situation the touch ... days???

 

just a thought..

 

Mark and Bea

[sylinchinastill]

I'm bumping this- because I think the meeting I went to might be of help to some people

[dmaddox74]

The married couple that was turned down because he didn't have enough money to visit his wife...did he come to the interview? Do you have any more information on that story?

[mari]

It's funny that Hengli got so involved into telling the VO about your love story. I can imagine him thinking: "ok, ok, I got the picture, visa approved..." he, he.

[keelec]

Maybe living through that (although I was technically NOT one of the BHers) makes the current burp seem like a burp. GZ's processing time does cycle and it has not been uncommon for P-4s to go missing for a couple of months. The same has been true about P-3s; sometimes they really slow down and then a bunch are reported. Just watch Candle for six months and you will see these cycles in real life.

 

As far as naming the current shortage of P-4s, I'd call it a burp. It won't take long and you'll feel better after its over. 

Don,

 

Let's hope this is just a burp as you put it....

 

The problem is that it is impossible to predict how long the situation will last.

 

As I understand it, when the Black Hole first opened and started swallowing up unfortunate souls, people were promised a speedy resolution to the delays. Perhaps a few days, or a couple of weeks..... Yet, many of them had to wait a half a year to get their visas.

 

Thank God GZ is still issuing visas (unlike the Black Hole when they cut everyone off cold turkey). But, by issuing visas, it gets the spotlight off of GZ for the moment.

 

The scary thing is that they seem to be lying about why the P4 packets have apparently been slowed down. They say they are busy, but apparently not with K1-K4 and CR1/IR1 visa interviews. They tell people that they are ready for an interview to be scheduled, but apparently they are doing additional security checks.

 

I have no doubt that by this fall, all these issues will be resolved and interviews will be scheduled again, but in the meantime, hundreds, or perhaps over a thousand couples will be hurt. And, the backlog will take months to unravel.

 

----- Clifford -----

[sylinchinastill]

About the married couple I saw- the guy had gone to the first interview and waited outside- then the next day they came back (that's when I saw them) to find out what had gone wrong- she had a request for more evidence but really I think the problem was her english. I think they are harder on that- I'm not saying I think it's fair but from what I saw in the meeting and in who had problems that is what I saw. I never know what happened with their case but I was there for visa pick-up on the 20th and 21st and didn't see them again...

[dmaddox74]

Thanks for responding to my question! I was living in China when I met my wife and then I came back to America to get a job and build a life for us here. Because of my finances and training for my job most likely I'll only visit her once before her interview or just go for her interview. HOwever, my wife does speak English well.

[sylinchinastill]

I really think your wife's English level will be a boost- also- if you can wait and go for the interview that might be helpful. One thing they said about the letter is that if you have any circumstances that prevent you from seeing her often, etc.- just explain that in the letter with all the info. and that can be taken into consideration and shouldn't be held against you.

[dmaddox74]

When do we bring that letter? To the interview or send it in the packet?

[jkobman]

Thanks for all of the info about your interview!!

 

AND...CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sylinchinastill]

Bring that letter to the interview- I would suggest a folder- like one of those clear folder book things- so they can clearly look at all evidence together- and then have that letter on the first page of the book- we had a book like that (but we didn't know about the letter then) and I also did tabs on the I-134 form to make it easier for them to look through it- my theory is- the eaiser you make it on them the easier they will make it on you- but they didn't look at our I-134 or that book- only our photo album- but...