May I Use a long Hypothetical 'Fairy-Tale" Example, here?

[UrbanOptimist 0]

This story might be fictional but the obstacles are real. Having read many people's stories on here, I have come across so many parallels that many of us all share. Of course it is human nature to take more of an interest in reading those threads that connect with our own situation (tug hard at our heart-strings?) in some way, just like we prefer certain movies more than others.

My aim in posting this very long, hypothetical case example (using "dramatic license" does not make this insincere) is to realistically present THREE-COMMON REASONS FOR A VISA DENIAL (using composite characters) while asking for suggestions on how this fictional couple's journey (Lucky and Lucy?) can be overcome with limited resources.

[Obviously, we all wish that endless money and lawyers were plentiful, viable and accessible options to travel back and forth and live with our significant other whenever we want for as long as is needed were at our beckon disposal. NOT EVERYONE IS BLESSED WITH THESE IDEAL OPTIONS!]

This is why I am hopeful, some sincere ideas and/or feedback will be bantered instead of just the standard perfunctory, "hire a lawyer," or, "move in with her for a few months," reply. Also, when everything might appear hopeless on paper, sometimes speaking the absolute truth (no matter how far-fetched) seems the way to go. I have read many useful gems on here, but something that appears to be overlooked for many is: THE POWER OF THE NARRATIVE. In the initial K-3 and or CR-1 interview, maybe, it would not get read, but when rebutting the reasons for denial in a NOIR (Notice of Intent to Revoke) the narrative can serve as a great tool to make ones point.

Despite my recently being told that I sound "full of excuses" (perhaps the person was well-intentioned and playing "Devil's Advocate" to paint a 'worst case scenario' to prepare me well?) in my own journey, I know in my heart and soul that my options are not as plentiful as others who might be more financially blessed and fortunate (abundant with available resources) to pursue the more recommended and ideal options. The size of ones bank account really does not have have bearing on the depth of ones love.

What one person chalks off as just "another excuse," to another person, sadly, it might just be the 100% truthful, painful reality of their status-quo.

Okay... here is my HYPOTHETICAL example using factual demographic data, actual geographical locales, intertwined with valid reasons for visa denial. I have my reasons for fictionalizing (protecting others privacy, using dramatic license to emphasize the yin and the yang of various consular guideline criteria, etc...) this account and writing in third person. No, it is NOT MY STORY, but it does incorporate several different potential obstacles that myself and others have faced into one classic sample case study; Lucky & Lucy.

Once there was a man named Lucky who lived in El Centro California. El Centro has the nation's highest unemployment rate (25%) and 22.8% of the residents live below the poverty level. Lucky was 47 years old, single, never married. Lucky lived his life operating solely from intuition while priding himself on not caving into popular trends like fast-food, cell-phones, mayonnaise, ice-cream, Walmart, Starbucks, chocolate and Facebook. Even when he was in kindergarten (way before the advent of the Internet) he had a recurring dream that his best friend and playmate lived on the other side of the world and he communicated with her on a TV screen. No one ever knew this "kindergarten dream" could one day become a reality.

He made it a point to never commit to long-term relationships with any of the local girls, as he knew that none of the ladies in El Centro shared anything in common with him such as organic gardening (the townsfolk preferred Monsanto chemicals and thought that composting was a weirdo green thing to do) Kung Pao Tofu, Jack Kerouac, Alan Watts, Lin Yutang books, Feng Shui, pedicabs, water color painting, homemade wine and computer graphics. The local gals didn't even care about NCAA basketball (March Madness) or Jethro Tull music! They just liked what they liked; Bud-Light, McDonalds, KFC, Marlboro, Nascar, Garth Brooks and ABC Soap Operas which happened to be the anti-thesis of everything that Lucky was all about.

Thanks to the advent of the Internet, Lucky became a student of various international cultures and he did extensive sociological homework and had many romantic prospects and friends alike that he had met online. He compiled over 17,000 pages of Instant Message chat transcripts (for a magazine article he planned to write some day) including several from over half a dozen Asian countries and Australia too.

He knew the "perfect woman" was "out there," across the great Pacific and one day he would use his meager life savings and have his "trip of a lifetime." His job as a farmhand helping out the elderly neighbor, Luther Pike, who was ailing in health and was like a father figure to him paid a meager wage, but Lucky knew that he was lucky to have a job that paid the bills as his humble farmhouse was paid for. In El Centro, any job was a good job.

Lucky decided on China for his ONCE-in-a-lifetime dream vacation. He lived it up and took buses, trains and airplanes from Dongguan to Hangzhou and everywhere in between. He met his many pen pals and dined with his many lady friends all of whom were attractive, sweet, soulful and hospitable. His only regret that he made a snap decision after a few too many beers (at an Internet Cafe near Hooters in Hangzhou) and booked a spontaneous flight to visit Shenyang over Zhengzhou for the following morning. He had believed the free choice either creates, alters or coincides with destiny. He quickly became engulfed with the gnawing sense that by choosing Shenyang over Zhengzhou, he somehow altered his destiny.

Something in him (his growing intuition?) let him know he had made a mistake. After landing in Shenyang, he quickly booked a train to Beijing and began reading, napping and dreaming about the great unknown; the last leg of his trip. After a wild and exhilarating weekend in Beijing, he took the train to Zhengzhou and then took a taxi to see the great Yellow River he had read so much about; esp., the flood of 1938 during the early stage of second Sino-Japanese War. in the While walking on the shore of the muddy river, he met a girl; a girl that caught him off-guard as the intensity of the moment literally knocked him off-balance as her humble, organic beauty permeated his immediate companion-starved consciousness while igniting his romanticist-driven imagination..

SHE THE ONE! Her English was not so great but thanks to a hand-held translator, he found out that her name was Lucy and she was into water color paintings, video editing and Feng Shui and she was from Xingyang. Lucy had the great sense of humor that his soul pined for. Better yet, she had never even heard of Bud-Light and she loathed cigarettes too. She knew about KFC but had never eaten there. He learned she liked Steve Nash, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts as he did too. Lucky looked up at the sky as if a powerful Universal force had somehow threaded him to that spot at that moment. He had sense that this all omnipotent force was smiling at him catching a glimpse of his obvious lucky destiny.

He had so many questions such as how such an original and soulful mid-30s woman was unmarried and living with her parents. Lucy's sister and nephew, who had went on a walk came and joined them a short time later. They invited Lucky back to their home in Xingyang, a small town that was a mere fifteen kilometers from Zhengzhou. Once at Lucy's home, her family welcomed him and made his favorite staple; Kung Pao Tofu and they even offered him a glass of homemade yang mei wine! He met her father in the back room where he was was recuperating from an appendectomy but he was well enough to smile, shake Lucky's hand and show him his many tattered books on the ancient art of Feng Shui. In his youth, Mr. Huang had learned Feng Shui first-hand from an elderly friend of the family..

Lucky had just three days left. He knew with every cell in his being, Lucy (Lu Xi) was THE ONE! His all-encompassing intuition reaffirmed that his certainty was unyielding; he had nary a doubt. After listening to his fluttering heart, he asked her to marry him the next day. The idea of such a quick marriage shocked her friends and family but they all believed in romance and destiny too. Lucky and Lucy got married on his penultimate day in China before her closest friends and family. As they helped him board the train at Zhengzhou to head back to Shanghai, both of them had tears flowing down their cheeks as they finally unlocked their final lover's embrace.

Once back in California, Luther Pike had fallen ill. He had a few falls and and two trips to ER. He found out that Luther's son, an alcoholic ogre and junk food addict was partially responsible for the rapid decline of Luther's health by bringing him high-sodium, high-fat junk food, as a result, Luther suffered a minor stroke complicated by high-blood pressure, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Lucky promised to help his dear friend and neighbor make a full recovery by preparing meals including a tofu scramble with carrots, cabbage and nuts. As Luther regained his health, his dependency on Lucky's kindness and nutritional help also increased. Lucky later discovered that Luther's son, Jeb, a stone mason who worked in the city had also developed a dependence on pain-killers and while Lucky was in China, he mishandled Luther's medications and began pilfering Luther's medication.

Under Lucky's care, Luther lost weight and made miraculous strides. Luther thought of Lucky as more of his son that his own son, Jeb. There were several instances when Luther called Lucky late at night to help him get up from a fall. However, as Luther improved, his need for Lucky's assistance also lessened.

While Lucky had did his homework on cultures, women, food and more, he neglected to look into the arduous process of bringing a foreign spouse back home. He had no idea what the process and legalese entailed. In subsequent months, they chatted on MSN webcam for many hours everyday. He got to know her family and they learned everything about each other. They spoke on the phone several times a day too. They grew closer and closer despite being oceans apart. They learned things about each other that reaffirmed their undeniable soulmate connection.

His dream of having children had a deadline as his new 37 year old wife feared that childbirth after 41 was dangerous. He didn't know that on paper, he had a plethora of red flags that would be held against him. In Lucy's first K-3 Interview at Guangzhou, she was denied. The 221 g was given as the reason why. After a lengthy waiting period and thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, Lucky found out that their case, on paper, was full of "red flags," that of course he felt were unjustified. Also, Lucky and Lucy never thought of saving their MSN webcam chats, something he would do in the future. The three main reasons Lucy was denied her K-3 Visa were:

THE PETITIONER MARRIED ON HIS FIRST TRIP TO CHINA. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY MET.

[He did not have a choice. He met the love of his life. He knew it. Love at first sight does happen. He knew his trip of a lifetime was over. Destiny stared at him in the face, he seized the moment. He knew that going abroad again was an absolute impossibility.]

THE PETITIONER HAD WAGES THAT DID MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

[He wondered why not paying a rent or mortgage couldn't be factored in. Wasn't he better off than a man who made $100.00 more a month who had to pay a mortgage?]

THE PETITIONER HAD NOT BEEN BACK TO CHINA AFTER HIS MARRIAGE

[Going back to visit was never an option. If he leaves, Luther, his I-864 sponsor, would never survive as he became dependent on Lucky's voluntary assistance.. If Lucky quit his job, his ability to support a new immigrant would be questionable. Getting a job in the nation's number #1 unemployment city would be unlikely.]

ASSUMING LUCKY WRITES A NARRATIVE FROM THE HEART (EXPLAINING EVERYTHING) AND SOMEHOW GETS A REAFFIRMATION OF APPROVAL, WHAT ARE THEIR CHANCES OF LUCY PASSING THE INTERVIEW THE SECOND TIME ?

WHAT CAN LUCKY AND LUCY DO TO HAVE A BETTER RESULT? WHAT ARE HIS OPTIONS? IN HIS HEART, LETTING LUTHER DIE FEELS SO WRONG AND HEARTLESS. IF HE COULD MAKE IT BACK TO CHINA, IT MIGHT ONLY BE FOR A WEEK, WOULD A ONE-WEEK VISIT REALLY A THE DIFFERENCE?

[Done--Really 331]

A little too post-hippie-tree-hugger for me , but darn it, I like a good love story--so who will write the next chapter ??

[UrbanOptimist 0]

A little too post-hippie-tree-hugger for me , but darn it, I like a good love story--so who will write the next chapter ??

Heh-heh, actually part of the point and what made me write about a "different couple" in third person was to illuminate just how much power a Consular Officer really has.

Even if the perfect fairy-tale were happening (as I wrote it or a variation of it) right now, the HAPPY ENDING that human beings generally hope for could be swatted down like a mosquito by someone in a position of power.

Lastly, it appears that so many have abundant resources (the financially independent can hire top notch lawyers and relocate for months at a time) but others do NOT.

In my opinion, the "others" are also worthy of fair treatment, but sometimes, ON PAPER, admittedly, a certain case might look really bad even though it is bona fide (made in good faith) in every way.

What if the things that "Lucky and Lucy" share are so unique? In my example, there is no way they could have been planned?

i.e., the yang mei wine, the father into feng shui, etc...

But their job is not to try and believe WHAT IS POSSIBLE but rather quickly make a decison what fits or does not fit their standard guidelines of bona fide or not.

I have had people disagree with me THAT THINGS SOMETIMES DO NOT APPEAR THE WAY THEY APPEAR (the individual element is rarely factored in) and sadly, looking at each case in detail is probably too time-consuming, at least for the first interview. Sad yet true... but is understandble (given the caseload) as well.

[Ning 619]

This story might be fictional but the obstacles are real. Having read many people's stories on here, I have come across so many parallels that many of us all share. Of course it is human nature to take more of an interest in reading those threads that connect with our own situation (tug hard at our heart-strings?) in some way, just like we prefer certain movies more than others.

My aim in posting this very long, hypothetical case example (using "dramatic license" does not make this insincere) is to realistically present THREE-COMMON REASONS FOR A VISA DENIAL (using composite characters) while asking for suggestions on how this fictional couple's journey (Lucky and Lucy?) can be overcome with limited resources.

[Obviously, we all wish that endless money and lawyers were plentiful, viable and accessible options to travel back and forth and live with our significant other whenever we want for as long as is needed were at our beckon disposal. NOT EVERYONE IS BLESSED WITH THESE IDEAL OPTIONS!]

This is why I am hopeful, some sincere ideas and/or feedback will be bantered instead of just the standard perfunctory, "hire a lawyer," or, "move in with her for a few months," reply. Also, when everything might appear hopeless on paper, sometimes speaking the absolute truth (no matter how far-fetched) seems the way to go. I have read many useful gems on here, but something that appears to be overlooked for many is: THE POWER OF THE NARRATIVE. In the initial K-3 and or CR-1 interview, maybe, it would not get read, but when rebutting the reasons for denial in a NOIR (Notice of Intent to Revoke) the narrative can serve as a great tool to make ones point.

Despite my recently being told that I sound "full of excuses" (perhaps the person was well-intentioned and playing "Devil's Advocate" to paint a 'worst case scenario' to prepare me well?) in my own journey, I know in my heart and soul that my options are not as plentiful as others who might be more financially blessed and fortunate (abundant with available resources) to pursue the more recommended and ideal options. The size of ones bank account really does not have have bearing on the depth of ones love.

What one person chalks off as just "another excuse," to another person, sadly, it might just be the 100% truthful, painful reality of their status-quo.

Okay... here is my HYPOTHETICAL example using factual demographic data, actual geographical locales, intertwined with valid reasons for visa denial. I have my reasons for fictionalizing (protecting others privacy, using dramatic license to emphasize the yin and the yang of various consular guideline criteria, etc...) this account and writing in third person. No, it is NOT MY STORY, but it does incorporate several different potential obstacles that myself and others have faced into one classic sample case study; Lucky & Lucy.

Once there was a man named Lucky who lived in El Centro California. El Centro has the nation's highest unemployment rate (25%) and 22.8% of the residents live below the poverty level. Lucky was 47 years old, single, never married. Lucky lived his life operating solely from intuition while priding himself on not caving into popular trends like fast-food, cell-phones, mayonnaise, ice-cream, Walmart, Starbucks, chocolate and Facebook. Even when he was in kindergarten (way before the advent of the Internet) he had a recurring dream that his best friend and playmate lived on the other side of the world and he communicated with her on a TV screen. No one ever knew this "kindergarten dream" could one day become a reality.

He made it a point to never commit to long-term relationships with any of the local girls, as he knew that none of the ladies in El Centro shared anything in common with him such as organic gardening (the townsfolk preferred Monsanto chemicals and thought that composting was a weirdo green thing to do) Kung Pao Tofu, Jack Kerouac, Alan Watts, Lin Yutang books, Feng Shui, pedicabs, water color painting, homemade wine and computer graphics. The local gals didn't even care about NCAA basketball (March Madness) or Jethro Tull music! They just liked what they liked; Bud-Light, McDonalds, KFC, Marlboro, Nascar, Garth Brooks and ABC Soap Operas which happened to be the anti-thesis of everything that Lucky was all about.

Thanks to the advent of the Internet, Lucky became a student of various international cultures and he did extensive sociological homework and had many romantic prospects and friends alike that he had met online. He compiled over 17,000 pages of Instant Message chat transcripts (for a magazine article he planned to write some day) including several from over half a dozen Asian countries and Australia too.

He knew the "perfect woman" was "out there," across the great Pacific and one day he would use his meager life savings and have his "trip of a lifetime." His job as a farmhand helping out the elderly neighbor, Luther Pike, who was ailing in health and was like a father figure to him paid a meager wage, but Lucky knew that he was lucky to have a job that paid the bills as his humble farmhouse was paid for. In El Centro, any job was a good job.

Lucky decided on China for his ONCE-in-a-lifetime dream vacation. He lived it up and took buses, trains and airplanes from Dongguan to Hangzhou and everywhere in between. He met his many pen pals and dined with his many lady friends all of whom were attractive, sweet, soulful and hospitable. His only regret that he made a snap decision after a few too many beers (at an Internet Cafe near Hooters in Hangzhou) and booked a spontaneous flight to visit Shenyang over Zhengzhou for the following morning. He had believed the free choice either creates, alters or coincides with destiny. He quickly became engulfed with the gnawing sense that by choosing Shenyang over Zhengzhou, he somehow altered his destiny.

Something in him (his growing intuition?) let him know he had made a mistake. After landing in Shenyang, he quickly booked a train to Beijing and began reading, napping and dreaming about the great unknown; the last leg of his trip. After a wild and exhilarating weekend in Beijing, he took the train to Zhengzhou and then took a taxi to see the great Yellow River he had read so much about; esp., the flood of 1938 during the early stage of second Sino-Japanese War. in the While walking on the shore of the muddy river, he met a girl; a girl that caught him off-guard as the intensity of the moment literally knocked him off-balance as her humble, organic beauty permeated his immediate companion-starved consciousness while igniting his romanticist-driven imagination..

SHE THE ONE! Her English was not so great but thanks to a hand-held translator, he found out that her name was Lucy and she was into water color paintings, video editing and Feng Shui and she was from Xingyang. Lucy had the great sense of humor that his soul pined for. Better yet, she had never even heard of Bud-Light and she loathed cigarettes too. She knew about KFC but had never eaten there. He learned she liked Steve Nash, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts as he did too. Lucky looked up at the sky as if a powerful Universal force had somehow threaded him to that spot at that moment. He had sense that this all omnipotent force was smiling at him catching a glimpse of his obvious lucky destiny.

He had so many questions such as how such an original and soulful mid-30s woman was unmarried and living with her parents. Lucy's sister and nephew, who had went on a walk came and joined them a short time later. They invited Lucky back to their home in Xingyang, a small town that was a mere fifteen kilometers from Zhengzhou. Once at Lucy's home, her family welcomed him and made his favorite staple; Kung Pao Tofu and they even offered him a glass of homemade yang mei wine! He met her father in the back room where he was was recuperating from an appendectomy but he was well enough to smile, shake Lucky's hand and show him his many tattered books on the ancient art of Feng Shui. In his youth, Mr. Huang had learned Feng Shui first-hand from an elderly friend of the family..

Lucky had just three days left. He knew with every cell in his being, Lucy (Lu Xi) was THE ONE! His all-encompassing intuition reaffirmed that his certainty was unyielding; he had nary a doubt. After listening to his fluttering heart, he asked her to marry him the next day. The idea of such a quick marriage shocked her friends and family but they all believed in romance and destiny too. Lucky and Lucy got married on his penultimate day in China before her closest friends and family. As they helped him board the train at Zhengzhou to head back to Shanghai, both of them had tears flowing down their cheeks as they finally unlocked their final lover's embrace.

Once back in California, Luther Pike had fallen ill. He had a few falls and and two trips to ER. He found out that Luther's son, an alcoholic ogre and junk food addict was partially responsible for the rapid decline of Luther's health by bringing him high-sodium, high-fat junk food, as a result, Luther suffered a minor stroke complicated by high-blood pressure, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Lucky promised to help his dear friend and neighbor make a full recovery by preparing meals including a tofu scramble with carrots, cabbage and nuts. As Luther regained his health, his dependency on Lucky's kindness and nutritional help also increased. Lucky later discovered that Luther's son, Jeb, a stone mason who worked in the city had also developed a dependence on pain-killers and while Lucky was in China, he mishandled Luther's medications and began pilfering Luther's medication.

Under Lucky's care, Luther lost weight and made miraculous strides. Luther thought of Lucky as more of his son that his own son, Jeb. There were several instances when Luther called Lucky late at night to help him get up from a fall. However, as Luther improved, his need for Lucky's assistance also lessened.

While Lucky had did his homework on cultures, women, food and more, he neglected to look into the arduous process of bringing a foreign spouse back home. He had no idea what the process and legalese entailed. In subsequent months, they chatted on MSN webcam for many hours everyday. He got to know her family and they learned everything about each other. They spoke on the phone several times a day too. They grew closer and closer despite being oceans apart. They learned things about each other that reaffirmed their undeniable soulmate connection.

His dream of having children had a deadline as his new 37 year old wife feared that childbirth after 41 was dangerous. He didn't know that on paper, he had a plethora of red flags that would be held against him. In Lucy's first K-3 Interview at Guangzhou, she was denied. The 221 g was given as the reason why. After a lengthy waiting period and thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, Lucky found out that their case, on paper, was full of "red flags," that of course he felt were unjustified. Also, Lucky and Lucy never thought of saving their MSN webcam chats, something he would do in the future. The three main reasons Lucy was denied her K-3 Visa were:

THE PETITIONER MARRIED ON HIS FIRST TRIP TO CHINA. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY MET.

[He did not have a choice. He met the love of his life. He knew it. Love at first sight does happen. He knew his trip of a lifetime was over. Destiny stared at him in the face, he seized the moment. He knew that going abroad again was an absolute impossibility.]

THE PETITIONER HAD WAGES THAT DID MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

[He wondered why not paying a rent or mortgage couldn't be factored in. Wasn't he better off than a man who made $100.00 more a month who had to pay a mortgage?]

THE PETITIONER HAD NOT BEEN BACK TO CHINA AFTER HIS MARRIAGE

[Going back to visit was never an option. If he leaves, Luther, his I-864 sponsor, would never survive as he became dependent on Lucky's voluntary assistance.. If Lucky quit his job, his ability to support a new immigrant would be questionable. Getting a job in the nation's number #1 unemployment city would be unlikely.]

ASSUMING LUCKY WRITES A NARRATIVE FROM THE HEART (EXPLAINING EVERYTHING) AND SOMEHOW GETS A REAFFIRMATION OF APPROVAL, WHAT ARE THEIR CHANCES OF LUCY PASSING THE INTERVIEW THE SECOND TIME ?

WHAT CAN LUCKY AND LUCY DO TO HAVE A BETTER RESULT? WHAT ARE HIS OPTIONS? IN HIS HEART, LETTING LUTHER DIE FEELS SO WRONG AND HEARTLESS. IF HE COULD MAKE IT BACK TO CHINA, IT MIGHT ONLY BE FOR A WEEK, WOULD A ONE-WEEK VISIT REALLY A THE DIFFERENCE?

Lucy will have to be twice lucky. One if anyone has time to read this novella. The other will be if Lucky lives long enough to go thru all of this! Luther better stay away from churches with written notes about changing the system & just work on the dream speech.

[Rictodd 0]

A little too post-hippie-tree-hugger for me , but darn it, I like a good love story--so who will write the next chapter ??

We can probably all can add a chapter (I've been writing a story about my own joureny for 3 1/2 years so far), but more intriguing to me is the lawyer versus non-lawyer and how much it may or may not matter. We hear plenty of times the message "Do the VOs actually realize they are afffecting peoples lives?"

[UrbanOptimist 0]

We can probably all can add a chapter (I've been writing a story about my own joureny for 3 1/2 years so far), but more intriguing to me is the lawyer versus non-lawyer and how much it may or may not matter. We hear plenty of times the message "Do the VOs actually realize they are afffecting peoples lives?"

This is such powerful question when you really look at it.

I wish there were data "out there" that showed conclusively how many times they get it right?

Catch the Green Card Marriage Scammers and allow bona fide soul mates.

VS

How many times they get it wrong; Getting fooled by unscupulous scammers and denying married couples in love.

Anyway, in my real case, I put together nearly 600 pages in my NOIR rebuttal in less than three-weeks. Emotions buzzed through my spiritual core, my heart raced as the clock moved as if in fast motion. I wrote with a stream-of-consciounesness passion like surviving a forefather who is about to save his town from getting bulldozed.

Kind of like the folks here in Arizona trying to prevent a Canadian mining company from razzing the last beautiful mountain utopia and great scenic playground. A very big issue here only because there is not enough water and the jobs are only temporary and area that might get obliterated is a scenic forest area that many families have fond memories of. Oops... there goes the "tree-hugger again, wanting to resurface.

When someone has their lives hanging by other's decisons, we can only fight with every cell is our being... like that spider who refuses to get flushed down the toilet.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

What better day than April fool's day to submit such a story.

"How well written it is!", says the man who writes for a living. The solution is easy: Lucky, the farmhand from Laguna Niguel, where multi-million dollar dwellings are the standard, a man with so much compassion and appreciation for the simple things in life, things that are much more common in traditional China than in the imperialist America, moves to the People's Republic where he writes for National Geographic and other publications. With a decent income, Lucky and Lucy have the opportunity to bond much better, make little Chinese babies, and a couple of years later they go the IR-1 route via DCF.

The solution entails a reunion, an adventure, and a happy ending. What more can you ask for on a California evening, a day with 82 degree temperatures, blue skies, and a sun set of unspeakable beauty that words cannot convey.

[Darnell 8,479]

GUZ IV is one hard sumb|tch. rather - a collection of hard sumb|tches. Fraud is rampant for beneficiaries, GUZ IV sniffs out FRAUD often.

The casefile is read prior to interview day, so if something smells in the casefile, expect a 'different' interview.

If, because of __your__ particular situation, your casefile fits into the 'fraud' peg, well, you've a fairly comprehensive idea of what to do, what's going on.

I'm not suggesting that yer lass is a fraud - rather - the totality of the casefile smells of fraud, hits the 'fraud meters' at GUZ IV.

Do what you can, prior to interview day, to lessen the fraud aspect of yer casefile, and go forth.

Edited April 2, 2011 by Darnell

[Not me 1]

What was the point of the story? Are you asking why the government doesn't take "love" and "sincerity" into account when deciding cases?

I don't mean to be heartless but a 47 year old bachelor without a degree, house and money wouldn't fill me with confidence either.

I remember law makers had complained that the majority of the people filing immigration visas were far below the poverty line, and the main reason they got married was to improve their standard of living. There were attempts to stop the policy of allowing co-sponsors except in rare cases with young couples or students.

I can't comment on the reasons for guys wanting to find online wives, or have really short courtships before marriage. Its a free country, and they have the right to live how they want.

All I know is that 70% of all fraud cases in China comes from middle aged lower middle class guys and long distant relationships. So if your cases even has a little whiff of fraud to it they are going to give you the third degree. And its not just China and the US. Canada has a tax if a Canadian citizen marries a foreign spouse and they divorce within the first few years of getting a green card.

Sorry to say it but being in love does not overcome really bad judgment.

[garfield529 47]

The most difficult hurdle to overcome by this "fictional" couple is the number of visits and the lack of evidence of knowing each other prior to marriage on the first visit. It is extremely ODD in Chinese culture to meet a man and get married so quickly unless fraud is the undercurrent. Also, being taken to her parent's home so quickly?? This is also very uncommon at the beginning stages of the relationship. The embassy would see this as a potential fraud case by the girl and possibly include her parents (money funnel). Outside of making additional well-documented trips, I don't see Lucky and Lucy ever being together in the US. As for the unemployment issue...get out of the current city. One job not enough? Get two. If the petitioner is a single man, with no ties, then there is no reason he can not work 80 hours per week.