A Visit to GZ Consulate

[Maui & China]

Mark,

 

I'll try to answer your questions.

 

1. No registration required, as an American Citizen you are welcome to

attend.

 

2. Sorry, you can not bring in Pei Yun. The session is restricted to US

Citizens only. Ironically, during my session, over half the people

attending could not speak any English. Ling waited outside for me,

along with dozens of others. Have Pei Yun bring something to eat and

drink and an umbrella because it was pretty warm and sunny out there.

 

3. I brought in a notebook, pen, passport and wallet only. Ling held my

camera and pack outside. Not sure if you can bring in a mobile phone.

If you can't take it in I believe they will hold it for you at the security

checkpoint until you depart the Consulate.

 

4. The Consulate apparently breaks for lunch and they wouldn't let me

stand in line until about 1:15pm. You will see a mass of people in front

of a guard trying to get into the Consulate grounds for various

purposes, just sort of work your way up to the front showing your US

passport and they will let you in before the others.

 

5. Registering is done on the second floor of the Consulate at the American

Consular Services Desk. You register your presence in China and give

them an address and phone # to contact you at if there is any kind of

problem in China. It is also another piece of evidence proving you really

have been to China to prove you have a valid relationship. I picked-up

this piece of info from another CFL member, I think it was BLSqueaky if

I'm not mistaken.

 

Ling and I went to GZ just for the day. She lives in Shenzhen, so it was only a 1-hour train ride. Then took the GZ subway from the train station to the Huang Sha subway station. Only 5RMB/person each way. About a 40-minute subway ride. Exit the station from the "D" exit and its a short walk across the bridge to Shamian Island and the US Consulate.

 

Good luck and enjoy the time with your wife.

 

Jon

[Guest blsqueaky]

Yes Jon, it was me. I am glad that you remembered. I really do think that it helps to register in person, whether a person is travelling to Beijiing, Shanghai, or any other place that there is a US Consulate. It must of been the Deputy Vice, because if it was the vice, you would have remembered her. Elizabeth Mader, very nice lady, and very helpfull when you register over there.

 

Very good post and thanks for helping some of the other memembers here.

[John & Hai Yan]

*From NVC to GZ will take approximately 2 months.

*For GZ to exam documents and screen will take another 2 months.

*Wait in line for interview will be an additional 4 months.  But the second

  name check must be completed before you are put into this wait line.

*The second name check "usually" takes 2 months but can take longer.

*As of 10/28 they are scheduling interviews for applications that were

 completed with name checks/screening/examination on June 20th.

Jon,

 

First let me thank you for sharing all of this good information.

 

My first question? What do you mean when you say "before you are put into this wait line" or "as of 10/28 they are scheduling interviews." Does this refer to when GZ sends out P4 or to the actual interview date.

 

If this is referring to the actual interview date then....

 

It sounds like you are saying that it will take a MINIMUM of 6 months from the time GZ receives a petition from NVC until the date of the interview.

 

If you are referring to the Date GZ sends out P4 then it will be a MINIMUM of 7 months from the time GZ receives a petition from NVC until the date of the interview. (The interview is often 1 month or more after P4 is received.)

 

 

It will even be longer if the name check takes more than the "USUAL" 2 months time. Do you know when GZ begins the namecheck process? Do they begin the namecheck, when they receive the documents from NVC or after they "exam documents and screen?"

 

From everything that you have stated, we may be better able to predict an interview date by knowing the date the name check was completed. It seems previously we always measured everything from the date the P3 was returned to GZ. But now that method of predicting the interview date seems to be in error. Would you agree?

[Maui & China]

John,

 

The 4 month waiting period is GZ estimate on when the interview will take place. So you are correct in that 6 months is a minimum once GZ gets the application from NVC. This assumes you return your P3 back to GZ promptly and GZ does all their screening and the second name check comes back within that 2 months. Of course if you are like me and I think a few others the second name check drags out, then the wait will be longer.

 

I believe the second name check begins once GZ enters the P3 into their system and requests whoever is in charge of the name check in DC to begin. I was not able to ask that specific question because they cut off my questioning. Perhaps another CFL member who is attending a later session can follow-up for everyone? It sounded to me that the second name check is done concurrently with GZ screening processes.

 

I agree with you assessment that a better indicator of time to interview would be from when the second name check is completed, not when P3 is returned. At one time that may have been a good estimator, but I believe GZ now needs a postive yes or no clearance on the second name check. In the recent pass I thought I had read that if GZ did not receive a response in a certain time period regarding the name check they assumed it was OK. No longer the case.

 

Supposedly if your name check takes longer than 120 days, then there is a number and agency you can fax your info to and try to nudge the governement wheels. If I can get that number I'll let you know.

 

jon

[mlspyl]

I sent an e-mail to ACS in Guangzhou on 11/29/04 in regards to visiting the Consulate. I ask very specific questions in a list format (i.e. question 1a, 1b, 2, 3 ). Basically the same questions that Jon answered for me in this post previously.

 

I received a reply to my e-mail on 12/30/04 from a gentleman from the American Citizen Service Unit. First, the reply to my questions was very professional, well laid-out, and answered my specific questions.

 

He took each question by listing (i.e. question 1b), repeated the question and immediately answered it. He used a different color for the response as well as listing the ACS person who actually answered the question.

 

This is not earth-shattering information, but I appreciate the professional and courteous response that I received.

 

 

A couple of pieces of information:

 

The US Citizen Inquiry Hour will not be held in December due to increased interview scheduling. This program will be resumed in January, but will take place every Friday at a time to be announced later.

 

I ask if my wife (who is a Chinese citizen) could attend the Citizen Inquiry Hour session with me. Probably not due to space limitations. I think the answer is no (but his response was not a definite no), so I will ask again when I visit China next year. I had planned to visit the Consulate next month but will not since the Citizen Hour will not be held in December.

 

 

 

On a completely different matter:

 

I want to congratulate all the members who have recently received interview dates for their spouse/fiancée. Also, for all members whose spouse/fiancée have recently received their visa, congratulations for a job well done !!!! All this is great news !!!!

 

 

Mark