P3 Mailing to Guangzhou

[samnrong 52]

Hi All. We just received the P3 via EMS and are preparing to return the documents to the consulate in Guangzhou. We have completed the DS-160 and paid all the necessary fees through CGI. The P3 states to mail the forms back to the consulate in Guangzhou. However, while browsing the USTraveldocs website that handles all the logistics for the embassy, I noticed that under the "prepare documents" section (http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-iv-preparedocuments.asp) they have a "cover letter" for IV pre-interview document submission (http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/20170817 IV Pre-interview Document Submission Cover Letter for Drop Off.pdf). This section also states not to seal any envelopes as sealed envelopes will be rejected.

 

I am a bit confused since the P3 form states to mail the documents and does not mention anything regarding this "cover letter" and submission through the courier service at CITIC bank. I called the service line and they seemed to indicate that the consulate does not accept mail and everything must be sent through CITIC bank courier service.

 

Can anyone confirm the process and what they have done in mailing back the P3? Also, if you can indicate how long it took to receive the P4 that would be great as well.

 

Thanks in advance!!!

 

 

[Pitaya 2,577]

Suggest that you contact the GUZ IV unit to help answer your question:

Guangzhou Immigrant Visa Unit at http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn/guangzhou/iv/email.html.

 

Post back what you find out.

 

Good luck on your immigration journey.

[samnrong 52]

I was hoping someone who has gone through the process recently could respond with the method they took.

 

I’ll post if I hear further from consulate.

[Pitaya 2,577]

On 5/31/2019 at 2:48 AM, samnrong said:

I was hoping someone who has gone through the process recently could respond with the method they took.

 

I’ll post if I hear further from consulate.

Sorry, we had our GUZ time 7 years ago at the old consulate location.

[nosleep 130]

On 5/31/2019 at 5:48 AM, samnrong said:

I was hoping someone who has gone through the process recently could respond with the method they took.

 

I’ll post if I hear further from consulate.

 

Please do post any info you learn about this.  We are hopefully not too far behind you.  Thanks.

 

 

[samnrong 52]

On 6/1/2019 at 12:25 PM, nosleep said:

 

Please do post any info you learn about this.  We are hopefully not too far behind you.  Thanks.

 

 

We received a response from the consulate instructing us to use their courier serivce. We had submitted the P3 packet and all required documents (i.e., DS-160 confirmation, 2 photos, and P3 letter) at the courier service at CITIC bank (see my original link above).

 

We received the P4 email today, so I can confirm that using the courier service at CITIC bank to delvier the documents appears to be the correct way to deliver the documents.

 

Good luck!

[Peggy & Meng 0]

On 6/6/2019 at 8:07 AM, samnrong said:

We received a response from the consulate instructing us to use their courier serivce. We had submitted the P3 packet and all required documents (i.e., DS-160 confirmation, 2 photos, and P3 letter) at the courier service at CITIC bank (see my original link above).

 

We received the P4 email today, so I can confirm that using the courier service at CITIC bank to delvier the documents appears to be the correct way to deliver the documents.

 

Good luck!

We didn’t receive any info from consulate mentioning Mailing back P3 with CITIC bank. We don’t even have CITIC bank in our city. It did not mention how to pay either. There are many people saying that we Pay after we receive  P4. So confused??

[samnrong 52]

8 hours ago, Peggy & Meng said:

We didn’t receive any info from consulate mentioning Mailing back P3 with CITIC bank. We don’t even have CITIC bank in our city. It did not mention how to pay either. There are many people saying that we Pay after we receive  P4. So confused??

Look at the website and the links that I have provided. Many of these questions are linked therein.

 

The P3 doesn't explicitly state to mail through CITIC Bank, this is information that I have gained by emailing the consulate and calling the customer service line. If you don't have CITIC Bank in your city, I suggest emailing the consulate and asking how to proceed.

[visafrompa 9]

To clarify the 'sealed envelope' statement.

 

The courier's envelope will be sealed, but all the documents you submit should NOT be in a sealed envelope.  If you have to use an envelope, put the document inside the envelope, DO NOT SEAL IT, place the unsealed envelope into the couriers mailing envelope.  If you DO HAVE a sealed envelope (like a police letter) DO NOT MAIL IT, hand carry it, SEALED, to the interview.  There is a note on the web site that covers this:

 

http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-iv-preparedocuments.asp

 

"However, if your police certificate is from another country and is in a sealed envelope, do NOT open the envelope or scan the document.  Please bring it to your visa interview. "

 

Does that make sense??

Edited July 3, 2019 by visafrompa

[Hemutian 68]

On 5/30/2019 at 3:11 PM, samnrong said:

Hi All. We just received the P3 via EMS and are preparing to return the documents to the consulate in Guangzhou. We have completed the DS-160 and paid all the necessary fees through CGI. The P3 states to mail the forms back to the consulate in Guangzhou. However, while browsing the USTraveldocs website that handles all the logistics for the embassy, I noticed that under the "prepare documents" section (http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-iv-preparedocuments.asp) they have a "cover letter" for IV pre-interview document submission (http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/20170817 IV Pre-interview Document Submission Cover Letter for Drop Off.pdf). This section also states not to seal any envelopes as sealed envelopes will be rejected.

 

I am a bit confused since the P3 form states to mail the documents and does not mention anything regarding this "cover letter" and submission through the courier service at CITIC bank. I called the service line and they seemed to indicate that the consulate does not accept mail and everything must be sent through CITIC bank courier service.

 

Can anyone confirm the process and what they have done in mailing back the P3? Also, if you can indicate how long it took to receive the P4 that would be great as well.

 

Thanks in advance!!!

 

 

Hi, 

I'm confused by something you said. 

You said you paid your fees through CGI after receiving the P3.

But when I study the P3, I don't see anything about paying fees. I thought the payment of fees doesn't happen until after the P4.

Can you or anyone confirm what the correct order is for paying the fees through CGI? After P3, or after P4?

Thank you

[samnrong 52]

4 minutes ago, Hemutian said:

Hi, 

I'm confused by something you said. 

You said you paid your fees through CGI after receiving the P3.

But when I study the P3, I don't see anything about paying fees. I thought the payment of fees doesn't happen until after the P4.

Can you or anyone confirm what the correct order is for paying the fees through CGI? After P3, or after P4?

Thank you

Pay the fee after completing DS-160 and before you send back the P3. Guangzhou won’t send the P4 until they see the fee has been paid.

 

Also, CITIC bank will ask for payment receipt before sending the P3 back to the embassy.

[Hemutian 68]

1 minute ago, samnrong said:

Pay the fee after completing DS-160 and before you send back the P3. Guangzhou won’t send the P4 until they see the fee has been paid.

 

Also, CITIC bank will ask for payment receipt before sending the P3 back to the embassy.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but is the place where you pay the Visa fee the same as the place where you fill out the DS-160, or different?

We've filled out the DS-160 but just haven't hit the "complete" button yet because we're still waiting for the P3. Once you hit the "complete" button, does it automatically transfer you to the payment page? Or do you have to go to the payment page separately on your own?

[samnrong 52]

4 minutes ago, Hemutian said:

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but is the place where you pay the Visa fee the same as the place where you fill out the DS-160, or different?

We've filled out the DS-160 but just haven't hit the "complete" button yet because we're still waiting for the P3. Once you hit the "complete" button, does it automatically transfer you to the payment page? Or do you have to go to the payment page separately on your own?

The DS-160 is through the CEAC website of the US government. The fee is paid through CGI website (ustraveldocs) that you use to schedule interview.

 

When you hit complete the DS-160 just gets uploaded to the US government servers. It takes you to a confirmation page with a barcode. Print 2 versions of this confirmation page (English and Chinese). The English version you need for consulate interview and to send back with P3 and the Chinese version you will need to schedule the medical exam. 

 

You can hit “complete” on DS-160 before you receive P3. It will just sit in the system until you complete P3 and schedule interview.

[Hemutian 68]

16 minutes ago, samnrong said:

The DS-160 is through the CEAC website of the US government. The fee is paid through CGI website (ustraveldocs) that you use to schedule interview.

 

When you hit complete the DS-160 just gets uploaded to the US government servers. It takes you to a confirmation page with a barcode. Print 2 versions of this confirmation page (English and Chinese). The English version you need for consulate interview and to send back with P3 and the Chinese version you will need to schedule the medical exam. 

 

You can hit “complete” on DS-160 before you receive P3. It will just sit in the system until you complete P3 and schedule interview.

So just to be clear,

There are two separate times when we need to visit the CGI website to complete tasks.

Time 1: After P3, to pay the visa fee.

Time 2: After P4, to schedule the interview

Is that correct?

[samnrong 52]

4 minutes ago, Hemutian said:

So just to be clear,

There are two separate times when we need to visit the CGI website to complete tasks.

Time 1: After P3, to pay the visa fee.

Time 2: After P4, to schedule the interview

Is that correct?

Yup. All communication with the consulate will flow through CGI website. You will also use this website to select the location for pickup of your passport (if you decide to have delivered via EMS for an additional charge or delivered to a CITIC bank location through the consulates courier service) and to track your passport once you’ve been approved subsequent to your interview.