US Visa Policy Maker to Visit Beijing

[tex99]

Maura Harty, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, will be in Beijing at a public event on March 3rd, 2005 (details below). She is the person who can authorize funds for more staff at the Guangzhou consulate. This is the only way visas will get processed faster.

 

Register for this event. Get your friends to register. Spend the 200 RMB , go to this event, and tell Ms. Harty that Guangzhou is dramatically understaffed. If you have statistics for processing times here vs. other countries, use that info. If you know that new immigrants come to the U.S. from China with a very negative first impression of the government, let her know that. If you know that treatment of Chinese immigrants is not equal to the treatment of immigrants from other countries, let her know about that. Unequal treatment is un-American and a loss of face for China. This is your opportunity to be heard by someone who can do something. Go for it.

 

Some of the other attendees will be talking about Business and Tourist Visas in Beijing, so you will have to speak up to be heard about Guangzhou and F-1 visas.

 

Details Below.

 

 

---------

U.S. Visas Policy in China

A Breakfast with Maura Harty,

Asst. Secretary of State for Consular Affairs

 

Maura Harty, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, will speak to AmCham members on current issues and future direction of U.S. visa policy in China. Join us for this unique opportunity to meet a key decision maker on U.S. visa policy.

 

Date: Thursday, March 3rd, 2005

Time: 8:00 am to 8:30 am Registration

8:30 am to 9:30 am Breakfast / Speech / Q&A

Place: The Kerry Center, Grand Ballroom I, Tel: 6561 8833

Cost: 150 RMB for AmCham members (cardholders only)

200 RMB for non-members

 

* Please note that membership rates are given only to those to whom the membership card was issued.

** Please note that a 25RMB walk-in fee will be assessed to event rates.

 

 

Please confirm your attendance by email at amchamevent@amcham-china.org.cn or fax (8519-1910). The registration deadline for this event is 12:00 PM, Wednesday, March 2nd. In accordance with AmCham-China policy, those who do not cancel, either by fax or email, at least one full business day prior to the event will be billed in full.

 

 

Check one: ___Member __Non-Member

 

 

Company: ___________________________________________________________________

 

Name: _____________________________ E-mail: __________________________________

 

Tel: _______________________________ Fax: _____________________________________

[Robert S.]

OMG what we would have given for this opportunity a couple of years ago.

[njbernie]

rrylee,

 

Thanks for the info. Unfortunatley, I don't think many of us can go. But I think people can write her.

 

Her address:

2201 C Street NW

 

Room 6811

Washington DC 20520

202-647-9576

 

 

This lady has been on the job since Nov. 21, 2002. We pay her $134K a year. You would think maybe she will listen some of us...

[cosmiclobster]

DANG, our interview is on the 3rd!!!

[lele]

Ours is on the second.

 

However, her aunt and uncle could both attend (and both are fluent in English). Not as good as *my* attending, but at least it can be someone... Or is it pointless for non US Citizens to attend?

 

Can USC's who live in the area attend?

[beijingjenny]

Are you going Ryan? I will go if noone else is, but I'm not very good at this kind of thing - I'm shy in a group and don't make points eloquently. But it definitely should be brought up. Though I would guess she's very aware of understaffing problems. But might not realize how this affects so many people. Mailing her figures on visa timelines is prob a good idea anyway.

[Chinese Wife!!!]

Bumped this up to see if it *maybe* correlates with the "Got a gripe with GZ" thread I posted. Richard

[giddyup888]

my two tokens

 

As china economy is growing at lighting speed in the world, as well as overwhelmingly increased role in the world community and recent years of growing personal/business exchanges between two countries. I would think that Visa waivers between China and US would be the best solution to solve the past and current visa problems and benefits both countries as a whole. Visa waiver would increase more communtications among business communities, visa waiver between the two countries can also serve as a better role for US to influence and direct China into a more open and more democratic society as US always wanted China to move to, and also eliminateing unwanted illegal immigrants happened recently from China. USA, always complains and blames on China's undemocratic system and unequal human rights, but at the same time, USA is tightening up some of the basic communications between the two countries, adding more rules and blocks for people of these two great countries to communicate and exchange themself and visiting each other and learn each other's good and bad. This is simply not a way to help and assist a country to become a democratic society. if US wants China to change politically and become more democratic country, US should open up its door to China and let Chinese people see for themself how free US people are and how freely people can express themself and voice themself to their goverment. This is the Right way to help China becoming more open and more democratic. Don't you agree?

 

"Support the VISA waiver between US and China..."

 

this is just my opinion, hopefully someone could help me pass this voice to the US Visiting Consulate office

 

thanks

Felix

[pingme]

rrylee,

 

Thanks for the info.  Unfortunatley, I don't think many of us can go.  But I think people can write her. 

 

Her address:

2201 C Street NW

 

Room 6811

Washington DC 20520

202-647-9576

 

 

This lady has been on the job since Nov. 21, 2002. We pay her $134K a year. You would think maybe she will listen some of us...

where did you get this address and phone number for her? Is there also a fax number.

 

I would be willing to write/fax her office to let our plight be noticed.

 

thanks

[Carl]

rrylee,

 

Thanks for the info.  Unfortunatley, I don't think many of us can go.  But I think people can write her.  

 

Her address:

2201 C Street NW

 

Room 6811

Washington DC 20520

202-647-9576

 

 

This lady has been on the job since Nov. 21, 2002.   We pay her $134K a year. You would think maybe she will listen some of us...

where did you get this address and phone number for her? Is there also a fax number.

 

I would be willing to write/fax her office to let our plight be noticed.

 

thanks

Anybody have her e-mail address? It might be possible to flood her office with enough messages that she may finally realize there is a problem with the consulate in Guangzhou.

[pingme]

i was thinking of the same thing.

 

she may not check her email before the 3rd, but at least if we could fax her office, and indicate to them that there is a serious, serious problem with the embassy in Guangzhou, maybe they will get in contact with her before the 3rd.

 

at least then she will be aware of the issue when it is raised during the press conference or interiview (whatever the event is in beijing on the 3rd)

 

here is information about her, but not a fax or email:

http://www.progressivegovernment.org/appoi...ffairs%20-%20ST

 

 

this site lists an email address:

http://boards.immigrationportal.com/showth...577#post1065577

 

maura harty : hartyma@state.gov

[Carl]

i was thinking of the same thing.

 

she may not check her email before the 3rd, but at least if we could fax her office, and indicate to them that there is a serious, serious problem with the embassy in Guangzhou, maybe they will get in contact with her before the 3rd.

 

at least then she will be aware of the issue when it is raised during the press conference or interiview (whatever the event is in beijing on the 3rd)

 

here is information about her, but not a fax or email:

http://www.progressivegovernment.org/appoi...ffairs%20-%20ST

 

 

this site lists an email address:

http://boards.immigrationportal.com/showth...577#post1065577

 

maura harty : hartyma@state.gov

Later is better than never. Even if she was made aware before the 3rd, she probably could not effect any changes until she returned to the states. I feel that as long as she is made aware, by any method, a problem exists, she could possibly rectify the problems in Guangzhou.

[pingme]

i just sent her an email. I would encourage others to do the same.

 

maura harty : hartyma@state.gov

 

still searching for a fax number to her office, in case she does not have a chance to check email.

[Carl]

I too sent her an e-mail which was a modified letter for congressmen and senators from another thread. I also sent the same letter to my congressman and both senators, one of which sits on the Senate Subcommitee for Immigration. Hell, I even sent a copy to President Bush.

 

I hope it works.

[hank]

I totally agree that we should all write to Mrs. Harty, especially those who feel that they have received blue slips unfairly. She cannot find a resolution to the problems at GUZ if she does not know about the problem. It would be a shame if she only hears from people who are interested in temporary business, tourist, and student visas; because those cases are already getting top priority over us... and probably at our expense.

 

In addition, those who have received your white slips, a simple email from you could really help your CFL brothers and sisters. Remember that we do not have to request monumental changes... just better customer service at GUZ and better transparency in the process.

 

Maura harty : hartyma@state.gov