Strategies for dealing with a denial in Guangzhou

[maxmilagro]

I'm leaving this Sunday for Jun's February 24 interview in Guangzhou and wondering if anyone's willing to share their strategies and resources for how to deal with the possibility of a denial.

 

I'm confident that she'll do fine and we'll get the visa first try but I want to be prepared to respond to an unexpected blue slip. I've left two weeks available after the 24th as a cushion. Hopefully, we'll be traveling around the country happy as lovebirds. But sh** happens and I need some ideas and resource leads.

 

I'm taking lots of additional letters for further evidence. What resources can we tap into in Guangzhou should we need to? What about the famous "conversation video"? Where do we go for that? Any other ideas? Anybody we can turn to who doesn't cost a fortune?

 

Lowell

[tonado]

Stay positive.

[yave20b]

There were several posts before about this and it was mentioned that one couple had a tape made at a place on the second floor of the Shamian Hotel in Guangzhou. They said the cost was about $50 or $60 for this service. I've never been to Guangzhou and know nothing about the Shamian Hotel but I think its very close to the Consulate. Also, it was mentioned that some smart Chinese side-walk businessman had set up a little business just outside the gate of the Consulate to do this sort of thing. Unless your fiancee doesn't speak any English I think I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[warpedbored]

If there was a sure fire cut and dried way to anticipate all the curves they can throw at you you could make a lot of money selling it to scammers but I'll give it a shot.

Since you are going to be there and you haven't already made one I wouldn't worry about the video until they ask for it. There is places on the island where you can have one made. Email moon carol café he knows where.

 

Write a personal letter to the VO. Something to the effect of " I am here in China to give my loved one the support she needs during this stressful time then take her home. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. I am staying at the xyz hotel the phone number is blah blah blah.

It is good to be positive in these letters but never confrontational.

 

Take a notarized copy of your passport and have your SO keep with her in case she is asked for it. Also send her in with your passport so the VO knows for sure you are there.

 

If she is confident it will help her a lot. Review the questions a VO may ask with her.

 

Have every shred of evidence of relationship with you that you can think of. You never know what they may ask for. Take as many original documents as you can.

 

Have someone back home ready and able to fax you anything you may have missed. Same for her.

 

 

 

I am sure there is something I missed but others will chime in.

 

Good luck

[maxmilagro]

Thanks so much for the suggestions yave20b and Carl. The personal letter to the VO was an idea I hadn't thought of. I can do that!

 

Nobody at home to back me up so I guess I'll just have to go well prepared and supplied. I didn't know there would be people nearby who can make a video for us so that was helpful too.

 

Anybody else have any suggestions or tips?

[Chinese Wife!!!]

My line of thinking BEFOREHAND is:

 

#1. Being there with her: your passport and the visa stamps that show your presence in China. I would also suggest giving her a photocopy (or Notarized copy) in addition to having your original with her. Maybe she can say "My husband/finacee' is right outside but we made copies of his passport if you want them".

 

#2. At the very FRONT of our proof of relationship binder (kinda a photo album type of thing) are copies of ALL my boarding passes and baggage claim stickers imposed over the passes (they are preprinted with my NAME). Next is my Temporary house registration slips/visa extension slips. My online registration form for being in Shanghai W/ the consulate may go in there too.

 

#3. Family Pictures: I have notes with dates on the backing paper "Engagement Dinner", "Applicant", "Petioner", "Mom", "Dad", "sister" ..... and listed their NAMES and so on. "US in apartment @ Christmas" is another.

 

#4. Again pictures: We have made it a point to have our pictures taken in our travels TOGETHER of not only famous landmarks but we SEEK OUT signs. Examples: "Great Wall at Badaling" in the background, "The Humble Administrator's Garden" at Suzhou, City sign of somewhere else. ADDITIONALLY we have many entrance tickets to landmarks that have pictures on them. We take a picture of us with that SAME shot and have married the tickets to the photos in the album. Golly gee! that's the same picture of you as on the ticket. (When nobodies around to take BOTH of your pictures- a shot of each of us at these signs.) (Another hint: somebody once told me we don't travel much. Many business in YOUR and LOCAL cities will have the city name in them- Shanghai Gas or Pudong real estate.) Another one came to mind- somebody claimed they will not accept copies of digital photos since they are so easy to alter (personally I think this is BS- had pictures printed by a Kodak store in Shanghai). He also was trying to convince me that likewise our regular FILM pictures/ negatives can be altered. I will also have 300+ negatives outside GZ with me despite my feelings about this.

 

#5. Trip tickets: Train/bus ticket stubs BUT also for TRAVEL AGENT contracts we always insist that they list BOTH names. PLANE TICKETS W/boarding passes from Qingdao to Shanghai. They have YOUR NAME on them.

 

#6. Neatness: Remember these interviews OFTEN are only a few minutes long. It sounds like a lot that we have above but the VO can glance through this album in seconds and the proof on relationship stuff is all right in one place so that they see a BIG picture of our LIVES TOGETHER! It's only about 1" thick with clear plastic sheets that I mount things to for easy viewing. (Get the binder here too- hard to find there DESPITE being "Made in China".)

 

#7. Almost all the above is an ORIGINAL but we make a copy of it as we add it. "Oh, I've got a copy of that for you" and in the same order.

 

IF you can- try getting a copy of an apartment lease with your name on it.

[johnxiaoying]

Search for copies of the blue slips and red slips which have been posted here previously. I took everything listed that I had. My wife had approx. 15 pounds of documents, emails, photos for her interview which lasted all of two minutes and six questions. Nothing was looked at except the I-134, I was tempted to go into the consulate and demand they look at the crap that I drug 9,000 miles for them, but I decided to leave it alone!

 

It's best to go over prepared, it's kinda tough to go back home for something you forgot once you are there.

 

Good luck!

[maxmilagro]

Great posts, Richard and John. Thanks a lot.

 

I have created a binder (plus a second copy, of course) with everything required enclosed in clear page covers--originals in the binder Jun will take in with her and copies in the second one. Right now I'm working on the "Dear Visa Officer" letter. Don't know why I didn't think of that idea myself. Have to make a notarized copy of my passport page tomorrow.

 

We waited so long for this day and now it's approaching so fast. I leave in four days. We're going to spend all day next Wednesday practicing interview questions for Thursday's interview. My 22 year old son asked me "Are you excited? I would be if I were you." I am excited. Also nervous. I think I can stay calm and positive for Jun.

 

Lowell