New IV Unit Chief in Place in Guangzhou

The new Immigrant Visa Unit Chief is also in position and some changes in policy are already clear to those in the building. Will follow with more later....

New Consul General in Guangzhou

On July 24, 2009, Brian L. Goldbeck, a career foreign service officer, assumed the duties of U.S. Consul General in Guangzhou, China. See GUZ web site announcement.

Huntsman Vote Delayed a Week

The Salt Lake Tribune reported yesterday that Ambassador-Designee John Huntsman Jr.'s confirmation as U.S. Ambassador to China has been delayed for a week by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The reason cited in the Tribune article is that "the paperwork is still being compiled".

Hunstman Expected to Move to Beijing by mid-August

7/23/09 - The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Governor Huntsman hopes to move to Beijing by mid August.

Ambassador Designee Huntsman Appears Before Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., President Obama's nominee to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Beijing, China, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday as part of his confirmation process (see his statement). He is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate next week.

We are ardently hoping that all the grand talk about "human rights" will extend to U.S. citizens with Chinese wives, fiancees, and relatives. I am continuing to press this issue with the future Ambassador.

John Roth's Guangzhou Memo #1 Article on ILW.COM for June

Guangzhou U.S. Consulate Non-Compliance With State Department Rules For Processing Marriage Based Visa Applications by John Roth was the #1 most accessed article/link on ILW.com for June 2009.

See Top Links on ILW.com June 2009.

K-3 Visa Approved in Guangzhou After K-1 Sent Back for Revocation

We got some great news yesterday. One of the cases I cite in my Guangzhou complaint memo - a K-1 case where the beneficiary had very poor English skills - was just approved as a K-3 visa. The case was interviewed as a K-1 in mid-August 2009. On my advice, the client went back to China in October '09 and married his fiancee. The I-130 petition was submitted on 2/24/09. The K-3 petition was submitted on 3/10/09. The K-3 interview occurred on 7/16/09. It was approved at the end of the interview. The wife and her daughter will soon arrive in the U.S.