momonster

ok - red flag list for quasi-current issues at GUZ - this is off the top of my head, specific to K-1 (Not CR-1 or IR-1) but from reading on VJ and 2 China Specific Sites:
1. dates between divorce and filing petition . usually, divorce decrees are presented on interview day, so suggest letter for each divorce decree, explaining in ONE page, things such as dates, basic reasons for incompatibilites, etc.. but NOT a novel, nothing for PentHouse Forum, either.
2. evolution of relationship letter - if you go to GUZ - the big trick is to have it notarized at GUZ during ACS appointment. The ConOff that handles that for you, is big chance is the same ConOff that will be interviewing yer lass. When at ACS, talk a bit about the petition, but usually questions are handled at ACH, not ACS. Then - give yer lass your passport, with the EOR letter folded longways inside of it , then she gives the passport to him/her, on top of the I-134 set, during the interview ...
3. photos of you with her and her family. that slide glass window thingie can handle about 3/4 to 1 inch of passthrough - so get a vinyl portfolio with letter sized clear sleeves, then paste yer photos to a piece of paper, front and back, slide the paper INTO each sleeve. The one I use is 20 pages, so is 40 viewable pages. Glue stick the photos to the paper Lets see - mine was 10 viewable pages of the wedding photos, then 30 viewable pages of photos with us and her family members, at various places, doing stuff together.
4. communication ability between you two . GUZ has been dinging the ####### outta people with NOID/white slips about this, in the form of 'Not a Bonafide Relationship', these last 6 months, so must have some viable way to show that the two of you can easily communicate. LOTS of variances on this - she speaks english, you speak mandarin, documented use of translators, but... mention it in the EOR letter as to HOW you two communicate.
5. age gap. i've not not heard of anyone getting dinged about this in some time, maybe 3 years? biggest age gap I knew about was 32 years.
6. Are they really her children? Include photo sets of the mother and child, over various ages of the child. Sometimes impossible to get. If ConOff not satisfied at interview, MIGHT issue blue slip with DNA test instructions (which is a fookin pain in the #### ). Set up the photos in another vinyl portfolio, similar to what I mentioned earlier. Don't forget the birth certificate , sometimes a copy of the hukuo book (with translation) is useful, also - but is not primary stuff - but can be used to match up the school records (that she brings) with the address on the hukuo book.
7. number of visits to meet her. This varies, but even that one trip is useful, if carefully documented. MANY PEOPLE do not have issues with just 1 visit, but have other documentation to show an ongoing , evolving relationship. BUT. If the ConOff finds the casefile scant, might decide to USE the concept of 'just one trip' to DING HER for 'Not a BonaFide Relationship' .
8. Scant Casefile. Uhm... What the heck did you file with the initial submittal on the petition? Was it just the minimal bits? Or did you include other stuff, supporting evidence? If the casefile is scant, well, ####### - that's gonna suck - because the only thing the ConOff knows about yer lass is WHATS IN THE CASEFILE, and it's reviewed prior to interview day (with them looking for red flags). (they do know a bit more, based on the namechecks done on the two of you ) - but - which would you prefer, really? The casefile having stuff that covers your possible red flags on initial submittal, or a ConOff badgering yer lass on Interview Day, even though she has a stack o stuff in her carry bag that covers all the red flags?
9. your income, ability to document it. Show 3 years o stuff (even though the instructions mention 1 year). Some folk not have taxable income, but have income, a lot of it - need (IMO) a Certified, Audited Income Statement from a CPA (is about 2 hours o CPA time, stateside ) . Trumps all the silliness at GUZ for 'taxable income', IMO.
10. Something missing? Something untoward? ConOff Smell Something , because of missing or scant? Usually, they will try to shift to the 'hard-#### questions' to trip her up, so they can declare 'Not a Bonafide relationship', instead of asking for a missing document. Now, this has shifted a lot, over the past year, so that the ConOff actually asks for anything missing, but even with that, if she has it in her carry bag, she MUST be able to tell him - I HAVE WHAT YOU NEED - Please not 'blue-slip' me about it - here it is ! - otherwise - she'll get a blue slip or a call-in letter. Either delays the visa issuance.
That's it, for now.. My brain hurts
Warmest Regards...