How to plan for a Guangzhou K-1 interview without a lawyer

[whosesoap 5]

Our second case is at the NVC and we have been given a Case Number. Soon it will be shipped to the Guangzhou Consulate(GUZ). We had an awful lawyer and we had the law firm removed at this stage. We now need to plan for the K-1 interview and wanted to get another lawyer , who is based in Beijing to prepare my fiance for the interview. These are the questions we are seeking answers to:

1. My fiance mentioned he had a girlfriend at a tourist visa(he was denied) to visit the U.S.A. during our first K-1 visa application(this application was allowed to expired because the GUZ returned it to the NVC for clariifcation with the USCIS). His parents wanted him to marry a girl to fulfill a Chinese custom of family.

How can he explain this "girlfriend" at the interview stage--will explaining this with a letter stating what his parents wanted him to do this be all right?

2. His second tourist visa application was denied, too. The second K-1 was pending at this time.

3. He knows about my criminal background and all have been cleared up and expunged. This caused the GUZ to return the first petition because it was sealed(none of the offenses were invalid per USCIS/DOS regulations) back to the USCIS--this caused it to expired(our lawyer miscalcuated many things and this was one of them.) My fiancehas all documents.

4. Any idea how much a lawyer may ask to prepare for the interview since most of the filing and work and documentation is completed?

5. We are a mixed race same sex couple. Any has information about the GUZ professionalism possibly to us? They treat straight people horribly, I heard.

We thank everyone who responded respecfully and helpfully.

[Pitaya 2,576]

~Moved from K1 Process to China Regional Forum~

~Inquiry is consulate-specific~

[Operator 1,925]

Our second case is at the NVC and we have been given a Case Number. Soon it will be shipped to the Guangzhou Consulate(GUZ). We had an awful lawyer and we had the law firm removed at this stage. We now need to plan for the K-1 interview and wanted to get another lawyer , who is based in Beijing to prepare my fiance for the interview. These are the questions we are seeking answers to:

1. My fiance mentioned he had a girlfriend at a tourist visa(he was denied) to visit the U.S.A. during our first K-1 visa application(this application was allowed to expired because the GUZ returned it to the NVC for clariifcation with the USCIS). His parents wanted him to marry a girl to fulfill a Chinese custom of family.

How can he explain this "girlfriend" at the interview stage--will explaining this with a letter stating what his parents wanted him to do this be all right?

You should assume that there are records of his previous interview, but it's not clear from your post why his tourist visa was denied. Is it because he failed to show strong ties or because he claimed to have a girlfriend at the same time he was the beneficiary in a pending K-1 petition? The GUZ IV unit are well aware of Chinese customs so I wouldn't bother putting anything in writing about the "girlfriend" at this point. Was he claiming he had a GF in the US or in CN?

2. His second tourist visa application was denied, too. The second K-1 was pending at this time.

Again, why was it denied? Normally tourist visa denials won't have much impact on the K-1 decision and luckily you were the petitioner both times.

3. He knows about my criminal background and all have been cleared up and expunged. This caused the GUZ to return the first petition because it was sealed(none of the offenses were invalid per USCIS/DOS regulations) back to the USCIS--this caused it to expired(our lawyer miscalcuated many things and this was one of them.) My fiancehas all documents.

4. Any idea how much a lawyer may ask to prepare for the interview since most of the filing and work and documentation is completed?

Marc Ellis

I don't have any idea what his rates are but from what I understand he is very experienced with GUZ. He is the guy I would call if I had an issue.

5. We are a mixed race same sex couple. Any has information about the GUZ professionalism possibly to us? They treat straight people horribly, I heard.

I don't think they treat people horribly. They have a very difficult job to do and a very short time to do it in. I think that people go in there with high emotion and expect to be treated a certain way because it is such an important day for them when for the CO it is just one of the 1000's of interviews they do in a month. I can't imagine that being mixed race would be an issue, i guess that 98% of the K-1 and IR/CR-1 visa couples are mixed race. As for prejudice against you being a same sex couple that's going to be dependent on the CO not the embassy policy.

We thank everyone who responded respecfully and helpfully.

Good luck!

[whosesoap 5]

Thank you very much. We will use your information carefully.

He was denied because his ties were "not strong enough". Believe me, with an overbearing family and a job for five years)but no house and no wife and no kids--I get the Chinese culture) he had ties. So, we reapplied.

We will look into Marc Ellis as a possible lawyer

You are so kind to have replied. Thank you for this very good information.

[whosesoap 5]

He was told to return when his "status has changed." Also, the "girlfriend" was in China. He thought that the CO would look favorably on this.

[Darnell 8,478]

I echo Marc Ellis' inclusion on this 'attempt'.

Go Get Em, and Good Luck !

[whosesoap 5]

We wanted to use Gary Chodorow in Beijing--he is licensed in my home state of California, too. Any thoughts?

Plus our petition has left the NVC on 26May2015...any ideas when it may I arrive at the Guangzhou Consulate and they will send packet 3 to him?

Thank you.