28 - The New American
7/11 (yes, the same date as when we left China)
7:20pm We've arrived in the US (7pm PST - 4am China) only to be told to sit in chairs on the far side of Immigration area and wait for them to process Visitors to the US! What's this all about?? Jason Seymour, DOS official who swore us in at Guangzhou US Consulate told us that we should get in Immigrants' line as processing is quicker and we will move thru quickly. Already families are calling their airlines to cancel and rescedule flights because it looks like our wait will be quite long. There is a very large tour group of teenagers from China who are now processing, but they don't have connecting flights since they will stay in LA for 40 days. So, we, citizens with new citizen children, sit and wait. Babies are crying, toddlers are bouncing , and adults are grumbling at the treatment we are receiving. Or rather the "treatment" we are not receiving.
The Consulate swearing in was a very intimate affair of 50+ familes of newly adopted children, siblings, and extended family members :-) Mr. Seymour was a kind, humorous man who explained some issues about our children's Citizenship status. Kate is entering on an IR3 visa which means that both parents saw her prior to her adoption in China. WHEN we are finally processed here in LA, she will automatically be a US Citizen. US does not recognize dual citizenship although China does. For her future travel protection, it is best we get her US passport and use it for all international travel. Should she have legal needs during travel, the DOS (US Embassy or Consulate) can represent her and offer aid. If Kate or Cora travel on their China passports, the US can not offer any aid or assistance, even though both girls are US citizens.
Well, we still wait...where is the service for US citizens??
8pm--Officer Guillen greets us and states that his staff will get to us as soon as the visitor lines are cleared. He doesn't offer an explanation and no one in our group questions him as we want no problems, just the IR3 or IR4 stamp in our children's Chinese passports on the US Visa page.
8:20pm--An immigration officer waves us to his line, apologizes for his supervisor's decision to make us wait until last. He examines Kate's Chinese passport, opens the sealed brown folder I have carried safely from the Consulate swearing in event and then asks to see Kate. He smiles and stamps the coveted IR3 stamp next to her US visa.
Kate Joy Xiyuan B. is now a US Citizen! And we're on our way home--12:25am flight from LAX to Houston, then standby flight from Houston to OKC, hopefully the one arriving in OKC at 9am.
7:20pm We've arrived in the US (7pm PST - 4am China) only to be told to sit in chairs on the far side of Immigration area and wait for them to process Visitors to the US! What's this all about?? Jason Seymour, DOS official who swore us in at Guangzhou US Consulate told us that we should get in Immigrants' line as processing is quicker and we will move thru quickly. Already families are calling their airlines to cancel and rescedule flights because it looks like our wait will be quite long. There is a very large tour group of teenagers from China who are now processing, but they don't have connecting flights since they will stay in LA for 40 days. So, we, citizens with new citizen children, sit and wait. Babies are crying, toddlers are bouncing , and adults are grumbling at the treatment we are receiving. Or rather the "treatment" we are not receiving.
The Consulate swearing in was a very intimate affair of 50+ familes of newly adopted children, siblings, and extended family members :-) Mr. Seymour was a kind, humorous man who explained some issues about our children's Citizenship status. Kate is entering on an IR3 visa which means that both parents saw her prior to her adoption in China. WHEN we are finally processed here in LA, she will automatically be a US Citizen. US does not recognize dual citizenship although China does. For her future travel protection, it is best we get her US passport and use it for all international travel. Should she have legal needs during travel, the DOS (US Embassy or Consulate) can represent her and offer aid. If Kate or Cora travel on their China passports, the US can not offer any aid or assistance, even though both girls are US citizens.
Well, we still wait...where is the service for US citizens??
8pm--Officer Guillen greets us and states that his staff will get to us as soon as the visitor lines are cleared. He doesn't offer an explanation and no one in our group questions him as we want no problems, just the IR3 or IR4 stamp in our children's Chinese passports on the US Visa page.
8:20pm--An immigration officer waves us to his line, apologizes for his supervisor's decision to make us wait until last. He examines Kate's Chinese passport, opens the sealed brown folder I have carried safely from the Consulate swearing in event and then asks to see Kate. He smiles and stamps the coveted IR3 stamp next to her US visa.
Kate Joy Xiyuan B. is now a US Citizen! And we're on our way home--12:25am flight from LAX to Houston, then standby flight from Houston to OKC, hopefully the one arriving in OKC at 9am.
posted by Linda @ 9:39 PM
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