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| Guangzhou, China |  Review on July 11, 2012: |
Big Baby
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Here is my fiancee Li's GUZ rating of 3/19 & 3/20 intake/interview:
3/19 - Arrived prior to line-up at 12:30pm. Left 2 hours later. Number plates issued similar to airport lines. Waited for number to be called up to window for fingerprinting. Officials took DS-156 pg1/2, DS-156K, DS-157, physical exam, & 4 visa photos. Submitted additional job/educational resume but official handed it back. Staff very polite. Only 1 question asked: fiance's name.
3/20 - Arrived before 7:30am line-up. Received no. 32. Left at 10am.
Attitude of visa officer (a woman) was very good.
Ten (10) questions asked:
1. Name of your fiance.
2. How did you come to know fiance.
3. Status of my marriage to former wife? widow
4. How wife died: cancer
5. Status of her marriage to former husband? divorce. When? 2008 Why? ...
6. Do you intend to work in the United States? Maybe, first study English more
7. Have you been abroad? Yes, only once for 2 weeks to Singapore/Malaysia
8. Have you applied for US Visa before? Yes, tourist visa, 4 yrs ago (denied)
9. When are you going to US? After you approve, go to US to marry in 90 days
10. Why do you like him?
-Questions asked in English
-No strange or difficult questions asked
-Rating: 4 stars.
Outcome: Informed interview was approved. Given approval notice (white slip). Filled out EMS Waybill, asked for passport, rqstd to pick up visa at Guangzhou post office around the corner, was told normal wait was 2 to 7 days.
7 days later: no visa despite going to post office daily. Calls to Consulate phone listed answered by Shanghai operator, rudely, told must use website only.
day 8 & 9: I messaged Embassy via website.
day 11: Embassy finally responded via e-mail. Told me to tell Li to go home. She will get a "blue slip" after all.
day 12: Arrived back home in Chengdu after nearly 2 weeks of hotel fees, food, taxi rides, touring sites (very expensive).
One week later: 221g blue slip arrives via snail mail.
Apr 10-20 - Cancelled plane tickets, wedding, and flew back to Chengdu to give Li moral support & follow up on AP reply. Embassy first said they never received reply back. Sent them time/date stamped documents. Next, Embassy admitted they received documents, but would not say how long AP would take or what problem was. Li did not understand why 221g asked for job resume/educational history which she submitted at intake & they gave back.
June 27 - after many messages & 2 Senator follow-ups later: AP ended.
July 3 - called by GUZ Chun post office; told Li she would not get her letter of notification unless she flew there and picked it up in person.
July 4 - several hundred $$ round trip flight same day for notification.
Notification said to repeat background check because it expired during long AP.
Also said to submit passport for visa stamp and complete new EMS Waybill.
July 5 - paperwork obtained.
July 6 - purse with paperwork, passport, driver's license, cell phone, $$ stolen while in line at Chengdu post office.
July 9 - applied for expedited passport. As notification letter said it must be included for visa issuance, also requested another notification letter. One week later, Embassy responded and said they would send another.
Hoping to receive passport/letter by 7/20, receipt by GUZ by 7/30, & visa issuance by 8/10. We'll see! Application process started last July.
Post GUZ interview experience: 2 stars. Positive: staff polite but not very informative. Negative: poor communication (1) given white slip first, then mailed blue slip after $2,000 in travel costs. (2) would not say why AP wait necessary or how long to expect it would take. (3) mailed letter of notification of AP end to wrong address...don't know if this was done on purpose due to irritation with petitioner e-mails, or due to administrative error or indifference. Overall: 4 (fiancee) + 2 (fiance) / 2 = 3 stars
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #9981