Greetings From a Newbie

[Tina_&_Jarrod]

Hello everyone,

 

I would like to thank everyone for sharing their wealth of information regarding the immigration process. I would not have been able to navigate through this maze of paper and precedures without the wisdom of Candle members. I have been monitoring this board for a few months now and I feel as though I know a few of you quite well .

 

I am very fortunate to only have to fly from SFO to PVG, a 12 hour flight. I can only imagine the weariness from traveling that some of you must endure to see your loved one (i.e. ATL to LAX to HKG to Nanning)...my hats off to you.

 

I will, very shortly, get on that infamous line to Guangzhou. Just got my Affidavit of Non-Marital Status notarized, certified by the City and County of San Francisco and certified by the Secretary of State of California. I will be submitting, in person, the Affivadit (and copy), the authentication form and copies of all pages of my passport to the Chinese consulate tomorrow.

 

So far so good, I hope anyway. She tells me that she has already prepared her documents to get married. She's knows to check 001 if she has questions on her side. Now I want to make sure I am bringing all the necessary USCIS documents for my future wife to fill out and sign.

 

My checklist of documents for her to fill out as well as other items I will need to bring back with me:

 

I-130

G325A (will have her fill out 4 sets of 4 sheets)

I-129

6 passport style photos of her

Marriage Certificate (I can get it translated back at home)

 

If I am missing something, someone please chime in.

 

Thanks,

Jarrod

[Chinese Wife!!!]

Welcome Jarrod,

Two new members tonight and a lot in common with both of you (Squid is the other). Lurking out there you are probably aware of the best and worst times ride that you are embarking on. Good to see you come out of the shadows and enjoy the full benefits of CFL membership. I do want to fore warn you of XXXXX in the RR though. Welcome aboard, Richard

 

Edit: Off the top you're looking pretty good. I would, based on my experiences take SEVERAL spare copies of everything (Left the spares in the kitchen on the way out). I could not get G-325A's to download in Shanghai off three sites and it sounds trival but American size copy paper could have come in handy. Copies before and/or after filling them out. Also we got 4 Notarized and translated copies of her Birth Cert. and Divorce papers- sent 1 set w/ I-130 (Another set is for I-129F). There were reports of USCIS requesting the Notarial BC at one point. Richard

[tonymasiello]

Welcome Tina and Jarrod! I like your avatar!

[tonado]

Welcome to Candles.

[jkobman]

That's right - take several copies of the documents you will complete in China. I could not find a computer in Nanjing w/ Adobe Acrobat and therefore could not download the dox. I took a bunch of dox and tossed out the ones I did not need.

 

You can get translated dox in China at the Notary. I think it was 1-2 days service in Nanjing. Maybe cheaper in China. The documents passes muster in GZ.

 

We sat at Sarah's table and completed the documents - make time to do it. I was extra careful and it took a few hours to get everything done. I filed 2 days after I arrived home in the US. I sent the dox via registered, but think FedEx would have been better. I mainly wanted a signature showing receipt of the dox. I think FedEx is OK.

 

Make sure you check list os OK. You will be busy (I was out of my mind!) when you are in China. Your checklist will help.

 

I organized my 129F document with a cover letter, a header on all evidence of relationship documents (Joe Blow and Mei Lin - Fiancee Visa Petition - 129F documents), I photocopied everything 4 times, sent one to Govt, one to Sarah, and kept copies. I took all of my copies to GZ as a safety measure. A also tabbed everything and ACCO punched it (like a legal document). Staples, Office Depot, et al have ACCO fasteners.

 

ASk the others about organizing dox. I got the ideas from them. I will try to go back through my 129 packet and list what I put in.

 

YOU GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jkobman]

...and WELCOME!!!!!

[Feathers268]

Welcome Jarrod,

It's great to see another from around CA. I also was on that flight to Shanghai around the time of your first trip. Have you made it outside of Shanghai? Although my MM returned to her home in Fushun, Shanghai and Kunshan is where our memories were made. Welcome to the true world wide wait. I recently waited more than 5 months for USCIS in So Cal. Be prepared to be frustrated, you think California DMV is slow? These guys really know how to take thier time. Good luck.

Jim

[beijingjenny]

Welcome! And I'm curious, she's from Shanghai but you're planning a Beijing wedding? Also, I wonder if you've double checked if you can get married as a tourist in China. I got married in Beijing too, where I live (our "$1 China meets Las Vegas wedding"), and what I read on the US Embassy website is you might be required to produce a Chinese residence permit. Maybe that law has changed however, but your fiancee can double check at the marriage office if she didn't already.

 

http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn/us-citiz...en/mrginfo.html

 

Congrats anyway! Good luck on the whole process.

[cosmiclobster]

Hi Jarrod. Welcome to Candle For Love

 

Do bring extra copies of blank forms! Right after we filled out her G235, she spilled tea all over it!

 

It doesn't say it on the instruction sheet for the I129F, but when you send it in, write "Original Application" and I129F on the outside of the package. There is a place on the USCIS website that has general instructions for filling out forms. We neglected to do this, having found that page 3 days after I mailed the papers, but they got approved with no problem.

 

When you are there, take a ton of pictures of the two of you together. Take some of you/her and her family together. I've heard many interviewers look at the pictures and pass up many other things.

 

Save all your airline ticket stubs, hotel receipts, credit card charges in China.

 

Depending on what time you get into PVG, there is a bullet train from the airport to the Metro. Looks like it does about 140MPH. We took a bus,but it did by coincidence, stop right in front of my hotel.

 

Lets see, list of sightseeing: Yu Yuan temple, Nanjing Road, The Bund and the Jin Tao building in Pu Dong.

 

There's probably more, but you're well on your way

 

Cosmic Freakin Lobster

[frank1538]

Ah, fresh fish. Welcome Jarrod. Good luck during what will surely be an interesting and sometimes frustrating journey to K-3 heaven. (I say K-3 because I notice that you're filing an I-130).

[Tina_&_Jarrod]

I truly thank you all for the warm welcome. I feel right at home in our little community.

 

Richard:

I wasn't always a well mannered professional I am today so I should fit right in in the Rumpus Room. I have all the USCIS .pdf forms downloaded on my home PC, my flash drives as well as my company issued laptop. And the laptop already has Adobe Acrobat installed so I can save the edited .pdf forms midway through completion. Tina's father in Beijing has an HP multi copier/fax/printer so printing shouldn't be a problem. And thanks for the heads up about bringing 8.5 x 11 paper and obtaining extra notarized copies of her birth certificate.

 

Tony:

Boo Boo is our puppy on my avatar. He's very cute, but can be naughty at times. Boo Boo was a birthday present for Tina back in January. On my last trip in April, I brought 1 suitcase completely full of puppy food, snacks, toys and even 1 of those snooze sofas packed next to a Sharper Image air purifier .

 

jkobman

Thanks for reminding me about how to index my applications. If anything, neatness will gain brownie points .

 

Jim:

On my 1st trip, we went to Beijing to visit her family. Had the coolest 2 floor suite at the Anhui Hotel for RMB398 (US$49.00)...2 bathrooms and a shower where the water can fall from directly above, way cool. I went to all the prime tourist spots: Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, The Great Wall, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, etc. Then we went back to Shanghai with a final 2 day excursion to Hangzhou. For those who have not visited Westlake in Hangzhou, you are really missing out.

 

On my 2nd trip, we just went to Beijing to spend Spring Festival (I still call it Chinese New Year because my family origins are from Guangdong and Hong Kong) with her family and friends. Then back to Shanghai.

 

On my 3rd trip, we spent 2 days in Nanjing via Shanghai. I found Nanjing to be the busiest city I have every visited in China. When we arrived in Nanjing, we enlisted the help of a taxi driver to locate a hotel. He said he knew of a nearby 5 star hotel that was inexpensive. I couldn't believe my eyes when he promptly stopped in front of a Howard Johnson's. I said to myself, "This is a 5 star hotel?!". But I was to tired to look for another hotel so in we went. I don't recall the price but it was something like RMB700 (US$85.00). She used her credit card so I have to check my bills.

 

Jenny:

Tina's residency card is in Beijing. But she has been working in Shanghai for a little more than 3 years now. A few days after my arrival in Shanghai, we will pack and ship all her belongings back to Beijing, where she will remain until she receives her K3. Better yet, her CR1. She finally agreed that going to school and improving her English (which is pretty good now) would be a better investment for our future than working while waiting for the visa. I kept insisting that her future earning potential, with improved English, would more than offset the lost income she would have earn during that 1 year in Beijing. As for being able to get married in China, I believe I can. According to previous posts and the Chinese Consulate's website in San Francisco, all I need is an Affidavit of Non-Marital Status, notarized, certified by the county clerk of the county where the Notary Public has authority, certified by the Secretary of State, then authenticated by the Chinese consulate of my jurisdiction (San Francisco). If I'm missing something, someone PLEASE tell me. I will be leaving for Shanghai in exactly 3 weeks! One other thing, if you would like me to bring something from the states for you, just let me know. Maybe a box of Godiva chocolate ?

 

Mr. Lobster:

Thanks for the tidbit about writing "Original I-129F Application" on the package. I would have never thought about that. We have an enormous amount of photos of us and her family taken from both an SLR and digital camera. We also have hours of video which I took the liberty of converting to DVD, VCD as well as VHS for PAL. She and I have kept practically every piece of paper that could be construed as evidence of our relationship. I will also, at a later time, provide her with notorized copies of our joint credit card bills that I pay on her behalf. Yes, I did hit all the hot spots in Shanghai: Nanjing Road, Huaihai Road, brunch at the Pearl Ocean TV Tower, coffee at Starbucks in Xujiahui, the Bund. One place I absolutely must visit is the buiding that broadcast the Bund and Pudong online via a webcam. I have 1 of my PCs at work constantly on that website so I can peer at Shanghai and imagine I am there with my Lao Po. This time, I will argue tooth and nail with Tina before we leave PVG on my next trip that the Bullet train doesn't only run on weekends! This is 1 ride I don't want to miss.

 

Frank:

Ah, Frank...I have truly enjoyed reading your posts, though you have not been posting as frequently as of late. I have always found your posts to be humorous as well as insightful. A welcome from you is especially appreciated.

 

Enough of my rambling, but it sure felt good. Thanks for listening. One final note, I have an 8 CD set of "Beginning to Learn Mandarin". For someone, at that time, that couldn't speak more than 10 words in Mandarin, I have learned alot since then. I would be more than happy to burn a copy for anyone interest. Just let me know.

 

Peace and expeditious process to all,

Tina & Jarrod

[Guest tina0779]

Silly!!!!