Need info on Traveling to Beijing

[SingleDad318]

Hello All.
I am totally new to this and need some advice and direction.
I have met a wonderful lady in Beijing and we have been e-mailing and snail-mailing for a few months now.
I plan on traveling there for a couple weeks to be with her and I have never been out of the US.
What is required for me to do/complete/have before I go?
Do I need travel tickets (airline) before I do any paperwork for date of travel purposes. I understand it is not as easy as booking a flight and going.
All I am doing is traveling there and back, which brings up 2 more points.
1)How do I or what do I need to do to bring my lady back to the US?
2)Being she has a 5 year old son, what special things do I need to do for this?
She is divorced and her ex has no contact with her son. Are there any details I need to consider to bring him here with her?

I have checked out a few websites about the paper work issues but I am still in a fog and don't want to overlook something that is required.

Any idea on the turnaround time to get all the documents in place for my travel there?

Any pointers or direction would be much appreciated.

Jody

[Jeff S]

... in response to Need info on Traveling to Beijing, posted by SingleDad318 on May 26, 2002

Welcome to the board. The answers to all your questions are here and in the archives. Please take a few hours and read the threads back as far as you can stomach.

First of all, what you need is a K1 to bring your sweetie to the USA for 90 days. They're called "fiance visas" and basically it's a one time visa for those INTENDING to get married (not a test drive). After that you have 90 days to either marry her and do an AOS (adjustment of status) to make her your wife or to send her home. Getting a K1 takes somewhere between 4 and 7 months, but you must first prove you two have met and that you have the wherewithall to take care of her. This is not so hard, but what the INS is looking for is cheaters, people promising to get married only to bring someone here for the green card (permanent resident alien status in the US) Keep this in mind when you're going through the sometimes convoluted and mystreious gyrations the INS makes you go through, and it will clarify the exercise.

Traveling to China is not difficult. I don't know if you need a visa or not these days, but any airline or travel agent will be able to fill you in on the needs. You WILL need a passport obtailable at most main post offices, but taking 6 or 8 weeks to get via mail (you can get one faster but its often a PITA.) Everyoine should have a current passport in my opinion, I've had a current one since my early 20s and would feel weird (like my insurance had been cancelled or something) without one - but then I've been travelling extensively internationally for over 30 years. DO NOT tell anyone (in the traveling or government world) of your plans, whether it's business or not, whether you plan on meeting anyone or not or anything. If anyone asks, just tell them you want to take a vacation to China and you've always wanted to see the great wall.

Also don't discuss this with your friends or family. Most will tell you you're nuts and ask why would you want to do such a dasterdly thing. Some (see Bony Wenches by the Walker below) will accuse you of being a neanderthal a-hole only interested in getting a compliant sex slave to service you. Well take a look at these faces:

http://www.geocities.com/jeffsatpl/

See any slave drivers or sex slaves? Not me - all I see are happy couples living the good life and shaking their heads when they hear the horror stories their friends tell about their modern American married lives.

Anyway, pay some heed to Outwest's comments about taking it slow and easy. You've explained that you're not planning a picture bride romance and marriage, but his comments bear some meditation. Here's some things I wrote a while back on that very same subject:

http://www.planet-love.com/wwwboard/show.php?asian/archive00052/messages/19227.txt

Again, welcome, hang around and join in the fun here. You'll find us like family, and the advice pretty pragmatic and based on our personal experiences - both good and bad.

-- Jeff S.

[outwest77]

... in response to Need info on Traveling to Beijing, posted by SingleDad318 on May 26, 2002

You have never even met her in person and you are already
asking about bringing her to the usa.
Why not wait until you meet her and see how it goes.
I see too many guys go to asia for 2 wks and get engaged,
to me its ridiculous. Slow down, get to know her , dont be in such a hurry. This is not like picking a girl off a shelf and magically bringing her to the usa. Sory if that sounded harsh, but this is real life, a major decision,
take your time get to know her, why all the rush.

[SingleDad318]

... in response to whoa!!, posted by outwest77 on May 26, 2002

We have both agreed not to rush this whole thing. We both want to take our time and get to know each other better. My question about bringing her here was merely meant to get an idea of the processes and timeline.
I know the whole process, from what I have been told, can take up to 2 years. I just like to be well prepared and informed way beforehand. She is not one of these "run of the mill" greencard hunters.
She has a very good job with a science research company and is also a part-time student. I have taken the liberty to verify her employment and scholastic ventures. She is completely straight up.
I learned these lessons of what to ask, how to ask, when to ask and ques to look for in internet correspondance. I have been doing this for 2 years and have been burned in the past.
I am not totally green at this, just green in the traveling requirements field.

Besides, being a single mother, I seriously doubt she would want to jeopardize her sons future and want to make decent decisions, I to am a single father with custody of a 2 1/2 year old so I know the importance of time taking.

Thanks for your comments.

Best Regards, Jody

[outwest77]

... in response to Re: whoa!!, posted by SingleDad318 on May 26, 2002

Tim in texas, i think he married a girl from china
maybe it was hong kong, and he is familiar with the immigration for that country

I know for the u.s.a from the Phils it usually takes 6 months for a fiancee visa,

The visa process may be changing since 9/11 to the more strict, i know the tourist visas to the u.s.a from the phils used to be 6 months. and were only recently changed
to ..........one month, ........i think this applies to all countries visitiing the u.s.a if im not mistaken.

[Stephen]

... in response to there is a  guy, posted by outwest77 on May 26, 2002

I agree.....Tim would be a great source of information about his needs.

He should john Tim's yahoo group about chinese ladies.

Stephen

[NW Jim]

... in response to there is a  guy, posted by outwest77 on May 26, 2002

Link to the discussion board Tim runs for Chinese/American couples.

http://groups(dot)yahoo(dot)com/group/China-USA-Couples