Treading water

[hypoclear]

Hi all,

 

Is it just me or are most of the P4 waiting group at a complete stand still?

 

Seems it has been a long time since any good news for anyone? A letter , an email, a call, an interview scheduled?

 

I guess now might be a time for a good old WTF??? with our old friends and pallies at GZ and their, best buddies in the NVC, BSIT, FBI, FUC,VSC, UPY'S, and the "I just don't give a d**n" coz I work for the Gov and get paid either way crowd.

 

Well this is the summer break and you know what that means..

 

Mark and Bea

[turtle]

I am going crazy here too. The last batch of p4s was very disappointing, and I have a feeling things won't get back to "normal" until September...

 

I am now debating with my fiance whether to come for a visit now, or wait until we get our interview date. I never imagined that I wouldn't be with her for the interview, but now it's been 6 months since we've seen each other, and I can't bear the thought of waiting another 2, 3, or who knows how many more months it will take to get our interview...

 

The most frustrating part is that we get just nothing from the consulate. No consideration at all. When, as citizens, we should be first in line to bring over our wives and fiances, in fact we are consistently shoved to the back of the line, and told to wait until they can clear up their backlog of 4500 or however many interviews they claim to have waiting!

[Jeikun]

Yeah, things have been going really smooth for Jun and I and it's a pain to know that soon we're going to smack into that P-4 brick wall.

[oregonknl]

Yeah, Mark, Turtle,

 

 

We are right in there with you, same sort of timeline.....

 

Keep trying to put it to the side of my brain that I don't have to confront daily...

 

But it was very good to be with My Fei last week for 8 or 9 days... even though it was hectic with travel ~~ SO SWEET!

 

Turtle, it really does re-charge your batteries, even though it is an expensive time to travel rith now --- maybe a plan 6 weeks out and you can get some reasonable rates..

 

--Kim

[jkobman]

I hate to spend the $$, but I am going over tomorrow, 7/6. I will eat a plate od jiaozi for everyone (mnan, that's a lot of jiaozi!). I keep hearing "manpower shortages" , "we are currently updating the computers" and "Yes, we do respond to the EMails that are sent" from GZ. I know they are busy, but what about the concept of "let's get the work done"? That's how we do things at my school.

 

Anyways..................

 

Best wishes to all. I leave Dulles Tue 7/6. We plan to walk along the Bund on Wed night after I arrive at Shanghai Pudong.

 

[oregonknl]

Have a great trip, Jeff,

 

The Bund, at night, so romantic!

 

---Kim

[jkobman]

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!

[turtle]

When I hear everyone talking about China now it makes me want to go so badly... We had been planning a nice 10-day trip which would start with her interview, and end with a (hopefully) celebratory 5-6 days in Hong Kong. I have a limited amount of vacation time, so if I go now, there's really no way I can make it back for the interview. Even though on Candle we have something like a 95% success rate, I can't help thinking what if we get a vo having a bad day, or what if some document gets forgotten, misplaced, etc... I also really don't like the idea of my fiance having to go to that consulate alone, get in that long line without me nearby. I never considered not being there for the interview, but now I am really feeling the strain after another 6 months of separation. We've been dating for 4 years now, and January was probably the third time I've told her "we'll never be separated for this long again..." Well, here we are 6 months later... I am so angry, I don't feel I can ever forgive our government for what they've put us through. The whole thing is just ridiculous!

[Alex]

Hi Turtle and all-

 

I am feeling twitchy, depressed and I am missing my Ping. I am going to Guangzhou on July 14...expensive as heck, but I've got to see my sweetheart.

 

I will take advantage of my visit and get some things done...for example, I am going to make a "video" and suggest all of you do the same, especially if you can't be there for the interview. I got my camera and tripod ready to go!

 

It may be July 4 weekend, but I sure don't feel we are being treated with any kind of good old American respect. It seems the Consulate operates on its own time, in it's own time....I was told the fiance visa took 6 months....there';s a load for ya!!!!

[hypoclear]

Thanks Ray;

 

Yes it is a comedy of errors and just plain abuse.

 

oh yeah I too heard the 6 to 9 months for fiancee visa and just about the same for married line from a rep in my congressman's office.

 

And with that wonderful knowledge in hand I moved to China. To say I am not pleased, wouldn't begin to cover it.

 

Now that Bea is pregnant and seeing the response we have recieved so far concerning the expidited visa we are even more pissed. Bea just messaged me from work today after looking at GZ's info regarding a birth in China etc etc. She is upset and on me to make sure it goes well should it come to that. She doesn't want to get screwed over again on this.

 

As I told her not much I can do now, no sense in emailing them, etc etc. Just deal with it if it comes to it. My only advantage is that I will be able to do this in a face to face way... hmmm perhaps I can persuade them to be nice..?

 

Mark and Bea

[hypoclear]

Well it's 4:30 AM here, up with indigestion, sigh but the pasta, with homemade, tomatoes, onions, olive oil, hamburger, pork and spices, sauce was great!

 

Checked my email and got a reply from my congressman, the clearence check was completed on june 17th and they will contact consulate about appointment. WOW WEE WOW!

 

We don't know when this appointment will be but they did say shortly. You don't know how great this feels, hearing that the check is done is wonderful, having someone cut thru the red tape and give you real info is a dream after all this time...

 

We will definately write them a letter of thanks and make a personal visit to their office when we are in the states.

 

Now if I could just calm my stomach down heheh I'd get back to bed.

I'll let Bea sleep a few more hours and tell her when she wakes up..

 

Mark and Bea

[Jim - Portland, USA]

Awesome news Mark!! You and Bea really really deserve this great news, and more. Maybe this is a sign that your own personal logjam is starting to break loose?

[se_lang]

the clearence check was completed on june 17th

I am confused your timeline says started on18th is NVC so fast they are in the future now?

[hypoclear]

Se Lang;

 

Good catch, hmm it could either be I wrote the wrong date for that call. I believe I started this time line days after that or ???

I was going to say I called early that morning Eastern time and maybe it wasn't in their computers yet. or??

 

This Is the complete email, short and to the point.

 

"Consulate received clearance on June 17, 2004. You should be receiving interview notice shortly. will notify consulate directly regarding clearance and request for expedited interview."

 

Thanks Jim I woke Bea up early anyway, she wasn't too upset.

So here is hoping we will finally get this P4 packet soon.

 

Mark and Bea

[se_lang]

Se Lang;

 

Good catch, hmm it could either be I wrote the wrong date for that call. I believe I started this time line days after that or ???

I was going to say I called early that morning Eastern time and maybe it wasn't in their computers yet. or??

 

This Is the complete email, short and to the point.

 

"Consulate received clearance on June 17, 2004.  You should be receiving interview notice shortly.  will notify consulate directly regarding clearance and request for expedited interview."

 

Thanks Jim I woke Bea up early anyway, she wasn't too upset.

So here is hoping we will finally get this P4 packet soon.

 

Mark and Bea

Well either way you slice it, it is good news.