oceanshark

I used to come here a few years back. I asked a Gazillion questions. But I come here today to let you know that my beautiful wife is here and her 15 yo daughter arrived 3 weeks ago!:-)

I am writing to let you know there IS a light at the end of the tunnel.It was torture waitng for each decision and notification.But we perservered.We are living our dream!:-)

A few words of advice.1) be patient and support each other. Be very THOROUGH with every scrap of paper work. It does matter. 2) ask any and all questions here. This group was a life line for us.3)Use yahoo video. It was much better than Skype.4)Both of you go over the paper work at least 3 times.4)Always try to be positive.Keep your eye on the end and listen to each other.)Be romantic, laugh and love, send funny ecards! Keeping the love alive is important because there will be lots of tension with the process.Theres more but I am tired now:-)

So, stay positive. Support each other. Take a deep breath.Then, take a few more.Do NOT give up. Perseverence is the key to success:-)...Good luck everyone:-).........todd

It's probably best to discuss your stepdaughter's case in a single thread to form a more complete picture. Starting different threads to deal with the same case will result in people wasting their time answering the same questions in two different places. Additionally, facts omitted in one thread because you mentioned it earlier in another thread is going to lead to the wrong answers.

A moderator should combine your two different but related threads.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/360537-14-yo-chinese-daughter-to-usa/page__p__5263694#entry5263694

Curious, two days ago she was 14. Today, she is 15. Did she have a birthday today or yesterday?

I could not remember which forum I originally posted, so I posted it again in a formum I was most accustomed to. orry. Todd

OceanShark- here's a fella that handled a K-2 FTJ case at GUZ IV about a year ago -

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/312029-8-yr-old-step-son-application-to-come-to-us/

His situation was a bit different (had filed an I-130 not knowing the K-2 ftj was available)

but

Jim and I walked him through the process. He did some bone-headed stuff (email into USCIS in China) but in the end, the K-2 FTJ case was approved.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU:-)...TODD

To 'wake up' GUZ IV about this case? the OF-169 needs to be sent in with the docs asked for.

The forms collection is available for download in the link I've provided.

Is best/faster if the packet is sent off via EMS inside of China... You'll probably need someone close by the son to assist with the paperwork..

Good Luck !

Turns out the OP asked the exact same question about a 14yro daughter on April 1st as well and never returned to respond to any answers posted.

Today I finally have time to answer some responses. Thanks..Todd

First, and I assume you know this, your wife cannot leave until she does her AOS and has received her AP. Secondly, based on your post it seems that you did not file any paperwork for her daughter. As others have said, you need to start a new application for a K2. And she will have to go to an interview like everyone else. It will be almost impossible to co-ordinate any travel plans at this time. When you are further down the road ( an interview has been scheduled) only then should you make plans.A K2 is usually approved without too much hassle, because most everything was depended upon the mother, but you never know what can crop up.

We put her daughters information on the I-134 for K1 visa.Thanks...Todd

My wife and I married on Dec 19, 2011. She has a 15 yo daughter we want to bring over

ater school gets out at end of June.

Here are some questions>

1] Is there a link specifically for this issue?

2}How to coordinate my wife going back and escort

Yuxian to her interview?

3] When should she fly out of USA and when to book return flight?

Help please!:-)..........Todd

First off, everyone here, stay positive and dont give up! My beautiful Hanhua and I married on December 19!:-)

I thought it was never going to happen!

So, here is my question.

Hanhua's daughter is soon to be 15 in May. What do we need to bring her here?

Is there a link?

Can my wife do as much as she can in terms of paper work before she leaves for China?

How do we co-ordinate the dates of her departure from the USA and her return with Yuxian?

HELP!:-).....todd

Yes! We did it! We had a civil cremony in the court house. A few friends and a few family.

Today, we accomplished a lot wiht applying for Social Security card. foud out about vaccinations and added her

to my health insurance at work. Not bad for a days work:-)...todd

ps: It is the greatest thing ever!Keep positive and strong as your days will come. and pray, pray, pray:-).,,,,todd

Thanks everyone for all the nice words.It would appear that the most logical and less complicated thing for me to do is to have her go by her own name here./

Many of her married Chinese friends have said the same.

Right now, while she sleeps, Mr NOT handy is trying to put together a pressure cooker for her! Sounds simple, right?:-)

I have a whole part I do not even know where it goes!!!!!....Todd

We will be getting our marriage license today:-) She says if she puts my American name on marriage license, it will make her life very difficult when she has to change properties over to new name in China? She also says if her passport says her last name but her new name is my last name, it could be a major hassle with plane reservations and travleing documents?

What do most Chinese women do when they get married here?I want her USA name to be my last name, for SS card, drivers license, etc?

Help!!!!:-).....todd

Congratulations Todd. She's here !

What you decide for getting married in 2011 ?

We are going with her original documents in alittle while to a great tranlator. So, if all goes according to plan, we will marry in the court house, with my family and firends present, on December 27! Then have a church wedding in February or March:-)..........:-)...todd

:-):-):-):-)

Yes. It is true.Hanhua has arrived safe and sound!:-) Happy does not even describe how great it feels!

Of course, I was insanely early awaitng her arrival. But,it sure was worth it. People started coming down the escalators and all of a sudden, I see her:-) She is looking around. She does not see me yet, so I snap a picture. Then she sees me and her smile fills the room with light:-=) We hug and kiss. I sit her down and just hold her and ask her 5,000 times if she is ok. I tell her how much I love her and how proud I am of her for so many things. Her radiance and beauty overwhelm me. I realize the most beautiful woman in the world loves me and we are really, actually, face to face:-) I have not seen her in 8 months!I cant even put into words what it is like to finally have her by my side.My love, my soul mate, my Hanhua.

Much more to follow..................................love....todd....ps....I presented her with a dozen roses and a beautiful card:-)

Thanks so much for the nice responses:-) I am still numb with the good news.

Now, I am about to under take phase 3 of the cleaning! And phase one

of cleaning out my truck!:-)Then down to Cape Cod and my families preperation

for Hanhuas first Christmas with us:-0) We are truly Blessed by the Lord.todd

Thanks everyone! I am about to start the second round of cleaning!

I have been in a man cave for decades!:-)todd

My beautiful Hanhua will be arriving. Monday Dec 19 at 11pm!

I am so excited I do not think I will be able to sleep!:-)

Everyone, stay positive and work hard and pray. It will work out. We were

insanely thorough with everything. We double checked each others work.

We believe God has led us on this path and we are forever thankful and continue to seek his guidance.

Hang in there eveyrone on this journey! Good luck and God speed:-)......todd

My Hanhua will be arriving on Deember 19th!!!:-) We are still having some difficult wiht the county clerk about certifgied birth certificate, as well as having her documetns one week to translate.So, we will be cutting it very close to get married by the first of the year!

However, she keeps asking me about vaccinations. Doesnt she need vaccinations doen in China prior to coming> If yes, what will she need done and where can she get them done? Thanks so much....................todd

sooooooooooooooooooo

What's the Word ?

The county clerk is saying copies of divorce decree not ok. Need originals. Also, they need a "raised seal" on the documents stating the are "certified", not Notarized! In China, the documents say Certified and then are Notarized, which is the highest standard in China. But my county clerk says it needs to be Certified with a "raised seal".

Then, Hanhua does not have a birth certificate. She does have a notarized document stating something, but I dont have it in front of me.

They also will not accept the translated English because it is written by the Notary. They want to see a seal from a bone fide English translator. And guess what? They will accept the translation document from one of the comapnies they say to use for translation!!!!! Welcome to America Hanhua!

I tried to explain how strict the US government was with the legalities of our documents and that they DID accept them. Why so difficult to get one small town to accept them as well>?

More good news is I wrote out my tale of Hanhau and got my own coverage of nurses, and I got a total of 8 days off!:-) I even attached a picture of her daughter Yuxian, myslef and Hanhua:-) It worked because i got off the week before Christmas to get married:-)/...thanks all....todd

I would Personal message Jim, darnell or pushbrk about this.

Thaanks. I emailed the second person you mentioned....todd

Hello all. I am engaged to a Chinese woman named Hanhua. She was going to be coming here in about 3 weeks, so we can marry before January 1, 2012.

Well, to mmarry in my town in Rhode Island, they need "certified" copies of her Birth Certificate and Divorce decree. She has and used Notarized copies for the 129f and her Visa. How does she get these documents certified????Please help, because if we cant figure this out, she will come in late January! Thanks in advance.....todd

And he says there will defintly be more taxes with held and should be significatly greater that taxes were for just me:-)I

This is a troublesome answer, depending on who is speaking (you, the employer, or an IRS agent).

In essence, there are less 'taxes with held' for the NEXT tax season, as you are filling out a new W-4 in 2012.

But for THIS TAX year, 2011,the refund will be larger when you file in 2012, as you had taxes with held for just yerself (one person) and then when you FILE, you will file for TWO PEOPLE - so the amount that 'was with held' within this tax year - your tax liability is lessened by the marriage in 2011. In essence, that's almost one year of taxes with held at the 'single rate' but on the tax return the amount of tax owed will be computed at the 'married filing jointly' rate - which is less tax to be paid (hence a largish refund) .

It's a nice side benefit of the first year o marriage, really.

Good Luck with the forms !

Thanks Darnell. I appreciate it.When I was talking wiht the county clerk, I did not specifically ask if she needs a social security number to marry. But I clearly explained the situation to her and she said it would easily be done. The emphasis of the conversation was on the documents that need to be Certified and translated. So, do you think thisis true and she wont need SS number for wedding>...thanks...todd

[sorry, to be more clear]

IF she needs a SSN to get married, the EARLIEST she can get a SSN is on the 3rd week past her POE date.

Ya know, that packet she dropped off at the POE, that's her entire casefile - and

the CBP folk mark her entry into the computer - and

it takes up to two full weeks to for HER to show up in the SAVE database system - and

the SSA clerk will review her record in the SAVE database as the application is being processed, in real time.

No SAVE record? No SSN.

--

Ideally, to save even more time, go back to the SSA office the day after the application was successfully submitted, the SSA clerk will have the SSN number available to give to HER.

--

Good Luck ! Time and Timing is important, here..

Ok. I just got off the phone with the IRS. After 2 hours and 4 people, I finally got the answer:-)

They say to marry, file married jointly. Then attach a letter starting. "Hanhu L is a non resident alien Choosing to be treated as a resident alien." This gives her alien staus because it is an exemption. And he says there will defintly be more taxes with held and should be significatly greater that taxes were for just me:-)I always claim 0 exemptions so they hold more money back. So, it is looking good for a December wedding:-)......WHat do you all think?..thanks...Todd

I am not sure if this is the place to ask this question, but here it goes.

My Hanhua says if we marry before January 1, 2011, we can file married status on taxes and get a Huge refund?

Is this true? I live in Rhode Island. Can we get married by a Justice of the Peace befor January 1? thanks so much:-)

I am pretty sure Hanhuas visa to USA is good fro 6 months? But I have seen little to no information on a child under the age of 16?

Her daughter, Yuxian, is 14. Her name was on our application for K1 visa. We are going to have her come in July, to let her complete one more year of school in China. Does she have to have her own interview in GUZ? Please advise.thanks...todd

Congratulations, Todd ! When you have a moment, please write up something in the Embassy Reviews Section.

Yay!!

Darnell. As soon as I get to have a long conversation or email from Hanhua, I will write up about GUZ> One report I did get was one of the consulars was VERY rude to a young lady about a document missing,. When she explained it was being delivered that afternoon, he shut the window and walked away leaving the woman standing there in tears.

Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! She did it! She passed and her Visa will arrive in 5-10 days!

She is now on the long train ride home to Shiyan. Unbelieveable. Good luck to all of you. Hang in there. It is defintely

worth the hard work and wait:-0....todd