Guangzhou Case Number

[cat_lovers 0]

Who among you here got approved on 19th August, under CSC and still waiting for the case number? It's been about 5 weeks. I am going to go crazy!

[DJ&L 83]

I wish I had some advice for you. Sometimes there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why some happen in a week and some take 5 weeks. It should have hit the NVC by now. Have you called them?

I'm sure you'll have a case number soon. We got our NOA2 on 8/7 and the case was created on 8/21 as a reference.

Then we got our P3 with a letter dated 8/28. So it starts to pick-up as soon as it gets to Guangzhou.

[Darnell 8,479]

you could study the portal timeline for K-1, at

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/k1list.php?cfl=0&op1=5&op2=d&op3=1&op4=1&op5=5,6,8,10,11,13,14,15,16,17,18,20,21,22,25,26,27,28,108,110,111,208,210,211&op6=All&op66=All&op7=China&dfile=No&adv=0

usually click the NOA-2 sort carat, the review each member's individual timeline by CLICKING with a mouse.

[cat_lovers 0]

Darnell. I am little confuse. I have been reading threads about NVC and it seems like people are mentioning things that making me more confused! I thought NVC will just give the case number after the case is assigned right? We don't need to submit some forms or payments to NVC ? Right after the case number is P3 and P4 right?

Thank you for your clarifying this matter.

you could study the portal timeline for K-1, at

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/k1list.php?cfl=0&op1=5&op2=d&op3=1&op4=1&op5=5,6,8,10,11,13,14,15,16,17,18,20,21,22,25,26,27,28,108,110,111,208,210,211&op6=All&op66=All&op7=China&dfile=No&adv=0

usually click the NOA-2 sort carat, the review each member's individual timeline by CLICKING with a mouse.

[DJ&L 83]

The NVC is just a brief stop-over and you don't need to do anything. They will assign a case number and forward the file to Guangzhou.

I'm assuming you've checked directly with the NVC as to the status?

Then, Guangzhou will issue the P3. As soon as you have your case number (GUZXX....) register with ustraveldocs.com. Start preparing your paperwork for the interview. You can find the list on the ustraveldocs website at http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/K1%20Instruction%20GSS%2007102013%20%20with%20new%20address.pdf

Also, pay your visa fee soon after registering.

After you respond to P3, they will issue the P4 at which time you can set an interview appointment.

[Darnell 8,479]

no, there is no doc intake for a K-1 visa chaser at NVC.

None-what-so-ever.

CR-1, IR-1 visa chasers, OTOH, must to do document intake at NVC.

NVC for K-1 visa chasers is a stop-over, from a few days to many weeks, depending ... Still, no doc intake there.

[cat_lovers 0]

Hi, Thank you. This is very informative. I just got our case number. Do I need to register now at ustraveldocs.com? I believe our case number hasn't reached to the consulate of US in Guangzhou yet at this moment but do I have to register now?

Thank you.

The NVC is just a brief stop-over and you don't need to do anything. They will assign a case number and forward the file to Guangzhou.

I'm assuming you've checked directly with the NVC as to the status?

Then, Guangzhou will issue the P3. As soon as you have your case number (GUZXX....) register with ustraveldocs.com. Start preparing your paperwork for the interview. You can find the list on the ustraveldocs website at http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/K1%20Instruction%20GSS%2007102013%20%20with%20new%20address.pdf

Also, pay your visa fee soon after registering.

After you respond to P3, they will issue the P4 at which time you can set an interview appointment.

[Darnell 8,479]

na, i say, not register now.

but do read a bit, there.

also, is best to register about a month from today.

the casefile has to actually get to the IV Unit, and that takes 1 to 3 months.

[DJ&L 83]

na, i say, not register now.

but do read a bit, there.

also, is best to register about a month from today.

the casefile has to actually get to the IV Unit, and that takes 1 to 3 months.

Why do CR-1, IR-1 case files take so much longer than K-1's?

[cat_lovers 0]

Thanks but 1 to 3 months??? Wow! That's another long wait!!!

Why IV? I think K-1 is non-immigrant right?

na, i say, not register now.

but do read a bit, there.

also, is best to register about a month from today.

the casefile has to actually get to the IV Unit, and that takes 1 to 3 months.

[Darnell 8,479]

Why do CR-1, IR-1 case files take so much longer than K-1's?

if doc intake at NVC, well, there's stuff to do there for Packet 3.

If an EP casefile at NVC, P4 is generated at NVC (not GUZ IV)

if all is paper at NVC, well paper casefiles (K-1, IR-1, CR-1 visa types) suffer from mandatory (per treaty) China Customs warehouse holding, 1 to 3 months of wait time, before the casefile ever makes it over to the GUZ IV unit.

EP Casefiles (CR-1,IR-1) don't have this waiting. There's no movement into the China Customs Warehouse, as all was electronic.

K-1 casefiles have this waiting. HOWEVER - there is a fairy godmother at GUZ IV, about half of the casefiles are selected for 'don't wait on the paper casefile' and the SAFEFILE version of the casefile is used, solely, at GUZ IV.

When yer I-129F is at NVC, it's scanned into the SAFEFILE system. That's a computer network used by the DoS for storage and transmission of all casefiles.

It's make more sense for 100 percent of the K-1 files to solely use SAFEFILE, but ..... GUZ IV makes the call on who gets the benefit, and who doesn't.

Ultimately, in the end, when the DoS Hotline reports back 'casefile opened' then it's out of the China Customs Warehouse or GUZ IV has decided to use the SAFEFILE version of the casefile (for a K-1) .

In the old version of the FAQS, over at

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/iv_faqs.htm#11

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/iv_faqs.htm#11

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/iv_faqs.htm#11

this China Customs Warehouse is covered. This link isn't clickable from any top-level menu anymore, but the information is the same.

hth !

Edited October 3, 2013 by Darnell

[RandyW 149]

This is what the Consulate had to say about the 'Customs delay' a few years back (2005) - I expect they'd still say the same thing

Diplomatic mail waiting 1-2 months - http://candleforlove.com/forums/topic/14580-diplomatic-mail-waiting-1-2-months/

This is an issue already addressed, but I'll do it again. It is true that items shipped to a U.S. diplomatic mission under diplomatic seal via diplomatic pouch are not subject to customs inspection. However, cases shipped to us from NVC are not shipped under diplomatic seal and are not shipped via diplomatic pouch, they are shipped via commercial carrier - DHL. Once the boxes arrive in customs quarantine we are notified of that, we then request that the boxes be released and, after some wait, the boxes are released. DHL picks up the boxes and delivers them to the Consulate.

A comment was made earlier that since the boxes were listed as "U.S. Diplomatic Papers" on some DHL tracking list and they were, therefore, immune from Chinese customs handling. Simply because a commercial carrier notes in internal documents an item as "U.S. Diplomatic Papers" that doesn't by any stretch of the imagination mean that the item will be handled in accordance with international accords on diplomatic privileges and immunities. I can take a big red pen and mark "U.S. Diplomatic Papers" on every piece of personal mail that I send out. Does that mean that my personal will be immune from customs inspection? Of course not.

I suspect part of the reason is that your packages go through the regular customs process, our does not. For us, the boxes arrive, we get notified. We notify the embassy, embassy gins up a diplomatic note, sends note to us, we send note to Chinese Customs. They get it, think about it, decide when they want to release the boxes. They release the boxes, DHL picks up boxes, deliver boxes to us. We get the boxes, bust them open, enter the cases into the computer.

Too many people on CFL are really, really trying hard to find shady practices in this issue. You're barking up the wrong tree.

[RandyW 149]

The more official position is on their web site - http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/family-based_visas.html

Note that visa petitions typically take 3-4 months to arrive at the Consulate after being sent by NVC; this is largely due to unavoidable delays in Chinese customs resulting from a bilateral treaty with China limiting the movement of official documents into the country.