CR1 visa married in China

[yanji 0]

I was married in China Feb 15, 2011. Wife stayed in China. Filed DEC 2012 in the USA for the CR1 Immigrant Visa for spouse of US Citizen. Interview given Feb 01, 2013. Blue Form given. Wife passed interview but rejected the visa because of missing paperwork (a few original copies). We mailed back these copies Feb 21, 2013.

The special situation is that my wife is 4 months pregnant. The Guangzhou consulate is well aware of the fact that my wife is pregnant and needs to get to the USA quickly for medical care.

1) I would like some advice on how long I would probably have to wait for her CALL-IN LETTER, then how long would we usually wait for the visa assuming all the paperwork is correct? Can we assume that because she is 4 months pregnant her paperwork would be done a little more quickly?

2) Someone told me that since Nov or December 2012 the paperwork has been slowing down and the post-inteview paperwork for the visa takes a little longer. Can anyone add some insight on this?

3) Is the CR1 mean a visa for married less than 2 years. If we married on Feb 15, 2011 does the fact that we are married more than 2 years speed up the process in anyway?

It is difficult to decide to wait in Guangzhou at a hotel or fly back to Yanji in Jilin Province thousands of miles away.

Thanks

[Cathi 5,771]

there is no expedite for pregancy

[gingin603 0]

True. I had a friend who tried cause his wife is already pregnant. Well, she only passed the interview after the baby is already 10 months old.

[dan_ling 6]

Since you have been married 2 years you should get an IR1 Visa and not the CR1, if the Visa is not IR1 and your wife is checked at POE then she needs to let them know that you have been married 2 years. She would receive a 10yr greencard instead of the 2yr. As for the how long the paperwork will take, sorry I can't help you there.

Good luck!

[yanji 0]

Thanks everyone!

[Darnell 8,478]

2) paperwork processing slows down a bit during holiday time. there was a holiday in november, two in december, another that just finished last week. so it's possible to glean a slow-down, but it's simply because the workers are not there.

For the call in letter - strongly suggest you start emailing the IV Unit and ask them if they have received the documents. Usually, they are good on replying for this type of thing.

I think she'll get lucky, and not need the call in letter, and instead - her visa packet can be sent out to her home address (if she chose that on the ems weighbill)

usually, the call in letter is used to submit stuff via hand carry, and not to pick up the visa packet.

if the address on the weighbill is that address in guangzhou for the special ems postal center - well - you'll have to bide your time and hers. Instead of staying at a hotel, she could find somewhere much cheaper with basic services or go home. Whilst you're biding your time - call in daily to the DoS Hotline (# in my profile, left panel) and ask for casefile status. When the DoS Hotline tells you 'visa packet sent' then start tracking the EMS shipment online. When (finally) the EMS tracking shows that it's awaiting pickup, that's the time to fly her back to Guangzhou and get the visa packet. EMS will keep her packet at the special EMS post office till she shows up, but don't wait longer than 3 weeks, aye?

3) if you want to chase down the change to IR-1 designation, you can email the GUZ IV unit and ask them to change it there OR she can ask the CBP human at the POE at the airport in the USA to change her type to IR-1 designation. Sometimes it's difficult to remember to ask for this change at the POE, coming off a grueling international flight - but a good way to remind her is to paperclip a handwritten note into the first page of the passport, reminding her to ask for the designation of IR-1 based on marriage date. IMO, it's worth the hassle, as you don't have to chase down the 10 year card with more fees 2 years down the road.

HTH!

Edited February 27, 2013 by Darnell

[yanji 0]

Thanks Darnell...and the others

It seems like I have to wait in a hotel in Guangzhou at this point. Since, (1) My wife is 4 months pregnant and the trip back and forth is grueling, No direct flights, I came here by train and 2 flights, (2) Expense of going back and forth, and (3) No quality medical care options in her area of Jilin Province.

I am interested if anyone knows the average time frame for waiting (assuming all paperwork is correct?

INTERVIEW: FEB 01, 2013

MAILED IN BLUE FORM WITH REQUESTED DOCUMENTS: FEB 21, 2013

I heard that it takes an average of 2 to 3 weeks to get the clear to send your passport in and another 2 to 3 weeks to get the passport back.

Can I assume on average to get the Passport back END OF MARCH, BEGINNING OF APRIL ???

I requested the EMS packages to go to a local address here in Guangzhou, not a post office.

Thanks again

[yanji 0]

Dos HOTLINE NUMBER

Sorry, I do not see the DoS Hotlibe number to check on the EMS pack being sent, What is the number?

Thanks very much!

[yanji 0]

HOLDING PASSPORT TIME

Does anyone have some experience on how long the Consulate will hold your passport when attaching the VISA. I have been waiting 2 weeks already and no word on when passport is coming back.

Thanks

[Darnell 8,478]

are you still living in Guangzhou , the USCitizen? IF SO -

you should go into the IV Unit and inquire, face to face...

You'll need an appointment, see https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=GUZ&appcode=1

and choose any reason to go in. It won't matter, the reason.

When yer there, ask about the casefile ...

[yanji 0]

Darnell, thanks again. I will call DoS tonight China time and check. Also as a last resort will try to visit the IV Unit.

By the way, do you have any rough estimate on how long each of those 5 or 6 QUEUES take?

For example, it seem to take 1 1/2 days from when I mailed the passport until they signed receipt within the EMS system.

How about the other Queues? Like how long would the passport spend at each station? I hope not 10 days per step?

Why would it take 10 days max for the VISA SENT STATUS ?

I would love to get more insight on how long each of the processes take.

So far, I never get this insight from any Visa office or Consulate. They just say be patient and wait.

- Yanji

[yanji 0]

Received notice that Visa package arrived at EMS yesterday, so should be delivered today. I wanted some help confirming the following process once I receive the visa today:

BEFORE LEAVING FOR USA

1) Pay $165 visa fee online and print receipt

AT AIRPORT

2) Carry these things to the USA and show immigration / customs official:

- Passport

- Visa letter / unopened package (??? Not sure what this is, just the visa in writing)

- X-ray record (a VCD)

- Innoculation Book (A yellow cover small thin book)

- Paper hard copy receipt of the $165 payment online

AFTER ENTERING THE USA

3) After entering USA, A green card will be mailed to the home address of the petitioner on file.

Can anyone confirm this seems correct?

Thank you very much,

Yanji

[Darnell 8,478]

this smells right.