How to Bring your New Wife/Potential Wife back to the US
Like I have said before in a seperate post, you will want to bring your Chinese wife back to either the US or anywhere else in the world of your preference. Living with her in China, while okay for a little while is NOT something that I personally recommend doing for these reasons:
1) You can NEVER, EVER, EVERRRR become a Chinese Citizen!!! Nor will anyone treat you like one even if you could.
2) Jealous local men will not like you taking one of their women. They will give you that, "Like a Boss" Mean Mug look. Especially if you got one of their "easily obtainable ones" (4-6 looking women with a kind heart and low demands) If you take a bad-as-f**k 9 or 10 that walks like a diva with a nice ring on, they will ignore both of you. 8) LOL!
3) The likelihood of getting into trouble at getting deported while your wife is left to stay there.
4) Do not get stuck being outside the US too long, without tax records, etc. because if something goes wrong, you stuck like chuck.
Now you have basically 2 ways to bring one back to the US:
The K1/K2 Visa and the K3/K4 Visa. I am doing a K1. The journey was long and quite painful at times if I can be honest. I would not recommend waiting far from the love of your life, unless you are not easily swayed by any p***y and ass walking around you. In some ways, being around AW while you wait, makes you remember why you went abroad to find your wife. Also none of them are worth touching unless you want to catch a case (harassment, rape, assault, etc.) and p4p is usually an undercover cop. I would say visit China often or the few times you go, make extended stays, and just spend time together. Traveling around China is fun too, we did that too. If you work outside the US, that can help alot too.
I also recommend hiring an immigration lawyer. 1500-3000 is the typical rates. You can do it yourselves, but you may not want to do that unless you and your lady are both super smart as f**k and she has great English. As well as free time to do all the needful. Also choose law firms that have Mandarin speaking staff that can help your lady do her parts.
Bookmark these websites for great information (especially the first one):
http://www.visajourney.com/http://candleforlove.com/forums/http://usa.bbs.net/bbs/01/802625.html/ (Unless you speak/write Chinese alot give this website to your fiance. She can find lots of support and information from others doing the same thing)
Here is a flowchart of how a K1 works:
http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flowK1 Process Flowchart - General Overview
Disclaimer: The flowchart below is designed to illustrate a typical K-1 Visa application process and should be used for reference only. This flowchart can not take in to consideration a great number of variables and/or events that may alter this flowchart for a particular case such as a Request for Evidence (RFE). Please read the Terms and Conditions for more information.
Please begin by reading the Step-by-Step Guide to the K-1 process (for the US Citizen). You should also refer to the K-FAQ's for more information. The timeline below will help you visualize the entire process. Please note that the details of the process are not included below, they can be found in the links mentioned previously.
BEGIN:
Timeline (approx) Step Information Notes
Varies 1.
U.S. Petitioner gathers various documents
U.S. Petitioner gathers various documents (birth certificate etc) to send with I-129F
* Start ASAP
N/A 2.
I-129f Package sent
U.S. Petitioner sends compiled I-129F package to the USCIS Dallas Lockbox which will forward the package for processing.
* Triple check everything. Double check all forms with examples available online. Send postage with an return receipt requiring signature when it is delivered (not necessary but highly advisable for peace of mind). Make a complete copy of the entire package.
2-3 Weeks 3.
1st Notice of Action (NOA)
U.S. Petitioner Receives first Notice of Action (NOA) acknowledging K-1 petition has been opened
*Typical wait time is 2-3 weeks after the Service Center receives the I-129F.
See Processing Times 4.
2nd Notice of Action (NOA)
U.S. Petitioner Receives second Notice of Action (NOA) acknowledging K-1 petition has been approved
* Start gathering documents needed by beneficiary (Fiance(e)) - See K-1 Guide.
*Beneficiary can research and prepare forms required by embassy.
2 Weeks 5.
Case Forwarded by your Service Center to the National Visa Center (NVC)
Case Forwarded by your Service Center to the National Visa Center
*Two weeks after you receive the NOA2 you can contact the NVC to see if they have received your approved I-129F. You can contact them at 603 334-0700 . Their homepage is here. Welcome to the US Department of State! Things move much faster now :).
1-4 Weeks 6.
Case Forwarded by NVC to U.S. Embassy in your fiance(e)'s country
Case Forwarded to U.S. Embassy as specified in the I-129F.
*NVC uses DHL to send the package, which typically delivers a package worldwide within 3-5 business days.
1 week 7.
Case received by Embassy from NVC
Embassy receives package and processes it. They will then prepare a letter to be sent to the foreign fiance(e).
*5-7 business days after the NVC sends the package to the embassy, you can begin contacting the embassy to see if they have received it.
1 week 8.
Forms and Checklist sent to Beneficiary
Forms and Checklist sent to foreign Beneficiary (Fiance/e).
*This will be sent out within a week (typically less) from when the embassy processes the received petition. This package will include a checklist of items and paperwork that must be collected. Some will be sent back asap, and others will be sent back later or brought to the interview.
Varies 9.
Foreign Beneficiary compiles required forms
Beneficiary fills in Forms and assembles various documents
*The downloads section for K-1 Visa's has a list of some forms the fiance(e) will need. You can practice with these forms.
N/A 10.
Completed Forms sent to Consulate
Beneficiary sends completed Forms to U.S. Embassy
N/A 11.
Fiance(e) must attend medical interview prior to interview
Attend medical appointment.
*Some embassies require the medical the same day as the interview. Most require the interview to be done ahead of time and have the results sent to the embassy directly from the doctor.
*This may occur after an interview date is given.
1 week to issue date 12.
U.S. Embassy issues Beneficiary with Interview date
U.S. Embassy issues Beneficiary with Interview date
*This may occur before your have your medical. You will need to get the medical done before the interview as instructed by the embassy.
1 Month to interview 13.
Beneficiary has Interview at U.S. Embassy
Beneficiary has interview at U.S. Embassy for K-1 visa. All being well case is approved.
*K-1 visa will be issued either the same day or within the next week depending on the embassy with some exceptions.
N/A 14.
Beneficiary travels to and enters the U.S.
Beneficiary travels from their country to be with the U.S. Petitioner (Fiance(e)) in the US.
*Must enter the US within (typically) 6 months of the K-1 being issued.
5-20 minutes 15.
Point of Entry (POE) in U.S.
Beneficiary arrives at Point of Entry (POE) in U.S. and shows K-1 to the immigration officer.
1 hour (early morning) 16.
Apply for Social Security Number
Apply for Social Security Number (SSN)
*See the SSN step-by-step guide for more info. This will allow you to open a bank account and do other things (many states require this for a drivers licence, etc).
1 hour 17.
Apply for marriage certificate
Apply for marriage certificate. Must marry within 90 days of entering the U.S. on a K-1 visa.
VARIES! 18.
Get married
Get married. and give each other a pat on the back. You've both earned it!
1 hour (early morning) 19.
Change name on SSN
Go back to the SSA office and bring your SSN Card and marriage certificate. Change your name.
Varies! 20.
Complete I-693
Complete I-693 per the K1/K3 AOS Guide. This is required so that your vaccinations can be documented properly on the I-693 as part of your completed AOS package.
You can complete this step at any time after entering the US.
N/A
(File as soon as possible once you marry) 21.
Apply for Adjustment of Status (AOS), EAD, AP
Apply for Adjustment of Status (AOS). You should file as soon as possible. If you have not filed for AOS and your K-1 expires, you will be considered out-of-status until you file. Make all attempts to file before you become out-of-status. You may also file for your EAD and AP at this time.
*EAD allows your to work (will need to reapply every year until your AOS application is approved). AP allows you to leave the country on a vacation / trip while your AOS application is being processed. Please read this regarding when to file for AOS and not becoming out-of-status.
See Processing Times 22.
Receive EAD / AP
Receive your EAD and AP via US Mail. You will have a biometrics appointment prior to being issued the EAD.
See Processing Times 23.
Interview for AOS (I-485 approval)
Interview appointment for AOS. When approved you will receive an I-551 stamp in your passport indicating you have been approved for AOS and will also receive your green card in the mail later.
*If your interview (and specifically the approval) occurs within 2 years of your marriage you will be granted a conditional permanent residency (2 year validity). If this happens you will have to apply to lift conditions 90 days prior to your 2 year green card expiring. If you are 'adjusted' greater than 2 years after you were married you should receive a normal 10 year green card.
Last Thoughts
There may be some other things I have left out like Chinese Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival stuff, Chinese Wedding stuff, but meh….you can have fun learning that on your own. :D
As far as dealing with Chinese women and parents is that you MUST get your approvals and agreements upfront. Sometimes the man spends all the money and/or pays the parents for the girl. Sometimes the girl's family pays for everything. It depends mostly upon leverage, that immediate family's culture, if they have a son in their family, who is rich and who is not, and many many other factors. If you are richer, that does not mean you will be demanded to pay for everything. They may even want you to pay them, because you are poorer!!! Some family's do not do dowry at all! It really really depends. Anyone that tells you that it is always 100% something (X) does not know what the f**k they are talking about.
Remember to ask any potential future wife candidate UPFRONT and EARLY about if they can leave China and if their parents will accept a laowai for a son-in-law. The Chinese have a saying, "It is easy to win the heart of a Chinese woman, it is difficult to win the heart of the parents." I would not say I was lucky, because many others had no fights with that. A while back I once had a serious Chinese girlfriend that went to her parents house to ask them if she could marry me, and they said no. When I asked her what she thought about that, she said she could not marry me too. That was my hint to move on, you should too. There are just too many good ones out there, and better too.
Rural vs City means little too for most things, except In Shanghai and Hong Kong's cases. There are awesome people with great values and jackasses to deal with in both.
Lastly Send me a PM if you have a question. No question is too dumb or stupid, small or big. The only dumb question is the one you do not ask. I don't care about deeply personal questions or penis size questions and issues, if I can help you, I will and I will keep it to myself. Posting it on the thread, may not get an answer in the months or years to come, I do not know when I will hang up HA posting for good. But I will always answer a PM. Maybe someone can write a supplemental guide someday and when China starts changing alot, maybe some large parts of this guide will become irrelevant, and I will update or overhaul it as best as I can, but I will be an older married man, who has not been single in a long time, so many things I won't be able to speak on any longer.
Peace.
I cannot comment much on HK women, never been there. Their faces are flatter and they have a different skin color to me. They look the same as Canbeautiful lady😍🥰ese in South China too. the hottest women.