Interview

[meelo 4]

Hello all, my girlfriend just called from Guangzhou, and said her visa was denied because of the typical ( NOT A BONA FIDE RELATIONSHIP) and it was the black lady officer that i heard about from other people that she likes to deny many people, hope she can sleep good tonight, me, NOT !!!

I am sorry to hear this! This is becoming very common for Guangzhou.

[Hell0W0rld 10]

Hello all, my girlfriend just called from Guangzhou, and said her visa was denied because of the typical ( NOT A BONA FIDE RELATIONSHIP) and it was the black lady officer that i heard about from other people that she likes to deny many people, hope she can sleep good tonight, me, NOT !!!

I am sorry to hear this! This is becoming very common for Guangzhou.

[pushbrk 13,882]

Hello all, my girlfriend just called from Guangzhou, and said her visa was denied because of the typical ( NOT A BONA FIDE RELATIONSHIP) and it was the black lady officer that i heard about from other people that she likes to deny many people, hope she can sleep good tonight, me, NOT !!!

I am sorry to hear this! This is becoming very common for Guangzhou.

These concerns are valid, frustrating and stressful. However, what is most important is to actually HAVE a bona fide relationship and CONDUCT the relationship in such a way that when a reasonable person views the evidence, they will see a bona fide relationship too. What may be even more basic and important is to conduct the relationship in such a way, you actually know it's bona fide in both directions.

The Guangzhou Consulate recently posted the following scam warning.

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/scam_warning081014.html

Scam Warning

The Embassy has received some reports of fraud committed against U.S. citizens by Internet correspondents from China professing romantic interest. In many of these cases, the Chinese national has hired a company to communicate with the American citizen for him/her, meaning that s/he has not actually written any of the e-mails that were sent to the American. Likewise, the American citizen may unwittingly carry on telephone conversations with a paid consultant posing as the romantic interest. The business models of many of these companies are reliant on the American citizen ultimately paying extremely high “consulting” fees—often the Chinese national will tell the American that s/he needs tuition for English study, but actually uses this money to pay the relationship consultant. In some cases, when the American visits China to meet his/her Internet friend in person, a visa consultant accompanies the Chinese friend and presents the American with a demand for payment of thousands of dollars in fees. At times, when the American citizen has refused to pay, s/he has been threatened with physical violence or unlawful detention. The Embassy has also received reports of Internet relationship scams seeking money, rather than visas. For instance, the Chinese person will claim they or a close family member has been kidnapped or had a large sum of money stolen and asks the American to wire them money.

While many Chinese citizens are sincere in their desire to marry and live with Americans they meet over the Internet, some are not. It is important to remember that immigrant visas to the United States are viewed by many Chinese as having a great deal of value, and it is not uncommon for people to enter into relationships for the sole purpose of obtaining a visa.

Unfortunately, the Embassy is unable to carry out investigations of relationships of this sort, but all Americans are urged to approach such Internet relationships with caution, and to be wary of situations which appear similar to that described above.

For further information, see http://travel.state.gov/pdf/international_...ms_brochure.pdf.

Additionally, my experience is that many of the same characteristics described above are common in "bona fide" relationships. It is quite common for initial communication to be through a "consultant". In my own case and many others I know, initial emails were exchanged without input from the Chinese prospective mate, including one where I was the "consultant" during early email exchanges between a USC and my sister in-law.

In many cases (like the ones I'm most intimately familiar with) the principal parties meet via webcam and are able to chat with or without assistance, early in the relationship. In many other cases where the Chinese person has limited access to the internet and webcam, the "consultant" is the primary author of nearly all communication up to the time the in-person meeting takes place.

I've seen numerous reports where actual bona fide relationships were fostered but big fees were owed to "consultants". Sometimes the Chinese person borrowed the money from family and needs assistance paying it back. Sometimes they agredd to pay later. Some of consultants involved in bona fide relationships are scam artists even though the relationship itself is bona fide.

I'm familiar with at least five couples now living happily in the US whose meeting was facilitated by the same "consultant" my wife used and one that's not particularly happy but they've been together five years anyway.

With all this in mind, it is incumbent upon the USC petitioner to do their due diligence with regard to both the relationship itself and to the need to present the relationship through convincing enough evidence for a reasonable person to conclude it is for more than an immigration benefit.

As I mentioned early in this thread, in my experience, when a blue or white slip is issued at interview, one or both of the parties usually has a pretty good clue as to why. Unfortunately too often it is one and that one is the beneficiary. Petitioners are wise to do whatever it takes to be certain the relationship is bona fide in both directions. This is often not easy to do.

[ramin 0]

Hello all, my girlfriend just called from Guangzhou, and said her visa was denied because of the typical ( NOT A BONA FIDE RELATIONSHIP) and it was the black lady officer that i heard about from other people that she likes to deny many people, hope she can sleep good tonight, me, NOT !!!

Hi,

I believe this is important information for anyone who gets a denial. I am pinning and closing this to keep it from getting cluttered. If anyone has any other links to pertinent articles.

http://www.ilw.com/articles/2006,0323-ellis.shtm

[KimandRuss 0]

OP.. i'm very sorry about your situation. Take pushbrk's advice, as he is the resident 'expert' on China, and find out exactly what the paper they gave her says then go from there. This is a very common scenario at the Embassy in GUZ.

You have only to visit the Regional Thread here on VJ or www.candleforlove.com for proof of that.

It's imperative you do your best to try and keep your petition at the Consulate and not let it be returned to the US.

Filing another I-129f to 'try again' will do you no good.

To the other mods/organizers...

I've left this post here for the time being so that more people going through this Embassy will find the relavent information.

Please leave it for now.

[YanTerry 0]

OP.. i'm very sorry about your situation. Take pushbrk's advice, as he is the resident 'expert' on China, and find out exactly what the paper they gave her says then go from there. This is a very common scenario at the Embassy in GUZ.

You have only to visit the Regional Thread here on VJ or www.candleforlove.com for proof of that.

It's imperative you do your best to try and keep your petition at the Consulate and not let it be returned to the US.

Filing another I-129f to 'try again' will do you no good.

To the other mods/organizers...

I've left this post here for the time being so that more people going through this Embassy will find the relavent information.

Please leave it for now.

Maybe I should just move to China US seems to be falling apart ! I wonder if Capital Hill will give me (bailout) money for the plane ticket ?

[KimandRuss 0]

...well you can always ask!

Unfortunately, I don't think the US is to blame. As we've learned here and as pushbrk showed us in this thread, China is quite a high fraud Consualte and many USC are 'conned' (for lack of a better word) into bringing over their Chinese 'fiance'. It really does hurt the couples that are truly in love and that's too bad ...but that's just how it is. I suppose the CO's see you as guilty until proven innocent. China is not the only Consulate like this.

[pushbrk 13,882]

To the other mods/organizers...

I've left this post here for the time being so that more people going through this Embassy will find the relavent information.

Please leave it for now.

Thanks. Most of what is being discussed here applies to any high fraud station and some to any station. Guangzhou is a "Consulate". The Embassy in Beijing doesn't issue family based visas. GUZ does all family visas for China.

[KimandRuss 0]

Yes, you are correct. I really should know better by now to double check my terminology when you're around!

In all honesty, it is very important to get the terminology correct, especially when it comes to this process. I'm working on it!

thank you

[YanTerry 0]

Yes, you are correct. I really should know better by now to double check my terminology when you're around!

In all honesty, it is very important to get the terminology correct, especially when it comes to this process. I'm working on it!

thank you

Thank God we all have pushbrk here for his superior knowlege, a very valuable asset no doubt !

[KimandRuss 0]

Oh dont tell him that!

[Kevin&Leilei 1]

Maybe I should just move to China US seems to be falling apart ! I wonder if Capital Hill will give me (bailout) money for the plane ticket ?

I'm starting to seriously consider moving to China if my fiancee's visa is denied.

[pushbrk 13,882]

Maybe I should just move to China US seems to be falling apart ! I wonder if Capital Hill will give me (bailout) money for the plane ticket ?

I'm starting to seriously consider moving to China if my fiancee's visa is denied.

It would be difficult for any reasonable person to conclude your relationship isn't bona fide when you've made four trips to visit her in China.

[Kevin&Leilei 1]

It would be difficult for any reasonable person to conclude your relationship isn't bona fide when you've made four trips to visit her in China.

I've yet to hear anyone accuse Guangzhou of being reasonable.

[KimandRuss 0]

good point

Do try to stay positive...there are many good stories that come from these higher fraud posts as well.