Changing Interview Location

[Jen & Tim 0]

I sent in the I130 for my wife and stepson in early May... so now we wait..

My wife is Chinese and holds an Australian passport... When I sent the I130 we thought she would be living in Australia at interview time.. however she will be living in China, since one of her parents is ailing and she wants to be near..

What can we do to have the interview location Changd to Beijing? Will we be able to make this change when the package arrives at NVC? or will it be to late at that point.

[Darnell 8,478]

it'd be changed to Guangzhou.

you can get it changed at NVC, by talking with the NVC Tele-Operators, and filing out some forms (DS-230) with her address in China.

She'll need PCC from Australia AND China plus any other countries she lived over 6 months (past age 16).

The cool thing, really, is that since the casefile is getting re-homed to China, she qualifies for NVC Electronic Processing - have a read?

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Electronic_Processing

There's a ton of 'more stuff' you have to do at NVC, as well, so you have some time to ensure the casefile gets 'rehomed' to GUZ IV unit.

DS-230 - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3190.html

I-864 - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3730.html

General NVC stuff - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1335.html

IMO, though, GUZ IV processing (from interview day to visa arrival) is a pita. (no, not the bread) - she'll actually have a better time of it in Australia then China .

xie xie ni !

Edited July 7, 2010 by Darnell

[Jen & Tim 0]

She will not have lived in Australia for quite while.... Since we left NY in May she decided to stay in Beijing to be with her ailing parent..

She lived in NY prior to returning home.

PCC is?

it'd be changed to Guangzhou.

you can get it changed at NVC, by talking with the NVC Tele-Operators, and filing out some forms (DS-230) with her address in China.

She'll need PCC from Australia AND China plus any other countries she lived over 6 months (past age 16).

The cool thing, really, is that since the casefile is getting re-homed to China, she qualifies for NVC Electronic Processing - have a read?

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Electronic_Processing

There's a ton of 'more stuff' you have to do at NVC, as well, so you have some time to ensure the casefile gets 'rehomed' to GUZ IV unit.

DS-230 - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3190.html

I-864 - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3730.html

General NVC stuff - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1335.html

xie xie ni !

[gina_raluca 14]

it'd be changed to Guangzhou.

you can get it changed at NVC, by talking with the NVC Tele-Operators, and filing out some forms (DS-230) with her address in China.

She'll need PCC from Australia AND China plus any other countries she lived over 6 months (past age 16).

The cool thing, really, is that since the casefile is getting re-homed to China, she qualifies for NVC Electronic Processing - have a read?

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Electronic_Processing

There's a ton of 'more stuff' you have to do at NVC, as well, so you have some time to ensure the casefile gets 'rehomed' to GUZ IV unit.

DS-230 - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3190.html

I-864 - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3730.html

General NVC stuff - http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1335.html

IMO, though, GUZ IV processing (from interview day to visa arrival) is a pita. (no, not the bread) - she'll actually have a better time of it in Australia then China .

xie xie ni !

Police certificates are only required for all countries the applicant has lived in for 12 months. The problem is that some operators know this requirement, some don't. To avoid having an over-zealous person asking for the certificate for living in another country for 6 months, it's best to send all certificates in.

She will not have lived in Australia for quite while.... Since we left NY in May she decided to stay in Beijing to be with her ailing parent..

She lived in NY prior to returning home.

PCC is?

PCC- police clearance certificate

Edited July 7, 2010 by gina_raluca

[Jen & Tim 0]

This sounds like it could be a problem...She lived in the US yet she cant return here to get a PCC?

How would that be dealt with... sounds like catch 22

They require a certificate for every place someone lived for more than 12 months after the age of 16?

Edited July 7, 2010 by Jen & Tim

[kruz_patz 22]

I had same issue with my brother in law's case, and recently we changed embassy at the NVC stage.

What we did is this:

After receiving NVC case number, we immediately call NVC to inquire what is the process to change embassy. They told us that you need to write an email (we used the VJ DS-3032 format for email) and mention the same in it, also attach BENEFICIARY'S passport proof to show that he/she is the citizen of the country where you want your embassy to be changed. So if she is a citizen of china than yes, you need to send her chinese passport's scan copy by email.

In my advise you should call NVC now in order to inquire about this, and ask this as a general query, so you can prepare youself ahead of time. One more thing, you should also call USCIS and talk to an immigration officer (not the first operator), so that you can also change address of her residence in I-130 which is already been filed.

Good luck

K

[Darnell 8,478]

This sounds like it could be a problem...She lived in the US yet she cant return here to get a PCC?

How would that be dealt with... sounds like catch 22

They require a certificate for every place someone lived for more than 12 months after the age of 16?

Whoops - I missed a small bit

PCC not required for any time residing in the USA. The FBI knows all, already - no worries, there.

re: 'every place' - replace with 'every country'.

FWIW, GUZ IV wants PCCs on places more than 6 months, not 12.

I assume she's not given up her hukuo, right ? PCC gotten in China, for China, at the big district police office where her hukuo is registered.

It won't matter 'which' passport she uses, but she needs to be consistent - ie - use the Oz passport for all with I-130/NVC/Interview .

Anyway - I've given you loads of links to read - so you gots some homework (that reading) .

Good Luck !

Edited July 7, 2010 by Darnell

[Darnell 8,478]

Police certificates are only required for all countries the applicant has lived in for 12 months. The problem is that some operators know this requirement, some don't. To avoid having an over-zealous person asking for the certificate for living in another country for 6 months, it's best to send all certificates in.

GUZ IV requires 6 months or more, not 12 months. Sorry.

[Jen & Tim 0]

One more thing, you should also call USCIS and talk to an immigration officer (not the first operator)

How can you get in touch with an immigration officer? The status of my petition is "initial review" so I don't think anyone will be touching it for awhile. Every time I call, I sit through interminable prompts and menus.. then if I am luck talk to a operator robot who is of little or no help..

I assume she's not given up her hukuo, right ?

I'm not sure what a hukou is... Chinese ID card or something? she is an Australian citizen who will be living in Beijing.

Also they don't do the interviews in Beijing? thats a pain..

I have read those links before.. The material for 864 is ready , just waiting on a 2009 tax transcript..

Edited July 7, 2010 by Jen & Tim

[Darnell 8,478]

I'm not sure what a hukou is...

She knows. ask her about it.

Many Overseas Chinese NOT give up their hukuo when they become citizens of other country, as it really messes up any retirement benefit and health care benefit, for later. You should ask her about her hukuo, and ask what city/district she had her last hukuo book registered in - as she'll need to get to 'that city/district' to obtain a PCC. Although a PCC is issued for 'country-wide-scope' - it must be obtained in that city/district.

Edited July 7, 2010 by Darnell

[Jen & Tim 0]

I know she was raised and lived in Hangu until she went to Sydney to go to university.

[Darnell 8,478]

I know she was raised and lived in Hangu until she went to Sydney to go to university.

uhm - I'm telling you about something she knows about. You should inquire with her, really.

[Jen & Tim 0]

I'll ask her later when I call her..

If she gave up the hukuo is it a problem?

[Darnell 8,478]

I'll ask her later when I call her..

If she gave up the hukuo is it a problem?

Usually not, but still must go to that city/district where LAST her hukuo was registered.

In other silliness -

did she come into China on China passport, or Australian passport ?

Do you wish the USA Visa Stamp to be on the China Passport, or the Australian Passport ?

Did you put China, Australia, or both passports in the I-130 / G-325A info blocks about 'passport #' ?

Which will you put on the DS-230 ?

(Don't answer me on this passport stuff - review what you've done so far, think about what you plan to do, going forward, instead) .

I know the 'game' for going to school in Australia, many of my chinese friends hold both passports, use whatever they want, whenever they want - it's a great benefit, except for when yer applying for a USA visa - must to pick one, and stick with it the entire process. They tend to get snobbish with their friends who have New Zealand Passports, as well, is always some silly game of 'which citizenship was better, Oz or EnZed', blah blah blah.

As I've mentioned, she'll have an easier time of it all if she sticks with the interview in Australia. Keep thinking about how you wanna play this out, though.

[Jen & Tim 0]

I don't think she holds a Chinese passports anymore, When I was in China in May, she presented the Aussie passport every where, when we went to the police to register in Hangu, etc..

Basically we have done all applications based on an Aussie passport, and will continue down that path

Things changed with her wanting to stay with her ailing parent

Edited July 7, 2010 by Jen & Tim