Spencer Chase is a scammer. I wish I had read the recent reviews before paying him. I hired Spencer for assistance for a Chinese Visa application. Similar to other reviewers here, he initially seemed very responsive and knowledgeable, but then the delays and excuses started. Since he has had legitimate experience in this field, his excuses seemed reasonable, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. In the end, they were all lies. Here is an incomplete list of the excuses he used: "Waiting for the pickup notification" "Should be today or tomorrow" "It will definitely be next week" "They are a little backlogged at the Consulate" "Should be any day" "Will contact you soon, at the consulate now" "Should be getting the pickup ticket tomorrow" "They are prioritizing business first, ticket applicants second, and non-ticket applicants like yours third" "This delay is not typical" "Your application was batched with a tourism order last week" "I've been using all methods to try to get this done as soon as possible and it will be completed this week" "I got the pick up date and it's for next Thursday" "I just received one for another case that was submitted shortly before yours so it looks like we're almost there" All of these excuses sounded believable and made the process sound like it was always tantalizingly close to completion, but every one of these updates was a lie. Every. Single. One. I was a fool to have believed him. I hired Spencer in July when he promised it would be done in 2-3 weeks. I had to threaten him with legal action in order to recover my passport in November (4 months later, still with no visa in hand). After getting my passport back, I went to the consulate myself. The whole process took just 40 minutes (mostly waiting in line). It makes my blood boil just thinking about how Spencer strung me along for 4 agonizing months because he couldn't have bothered to go to the consulate for a mere 40 minutes. He exploited my inexperience and took advantage of my patience. My advice for anyone applying for a Chinese visa: do it yourself. The consulate updated their online application process in October 2025 so it's much smoother. If there is anything missing in your application, they'll tell you online exactly what you need. When it's time to submit your passport to the consulate in person, you just need to drop off the passport. The processing is super fast now because they've already reviewed everything online. And you don't have to pay a penny until your actually pick up your passport with the visa. Even worse than wasting your money and time, Spencer will ruin your travel plans and your mental health. He never planned on completing the work. Please don't make the same mistake I did. read more

I paid for preparing documents and my citizenship application, Spencer collected money from me multiple times for same work, and promised to refund the excess amount or I can use it as credits if I need further services. However, with no work completed and no updates, Spencer ghosted me when I called, multiple times. Eventually, I submitted the application by myself in April 2024 and asked for the refund. Spencer agreed to the full amount of $5,025 in May 2024, and promised to pay me gradually, but I have only received 1 payment, in amount of $200 on 5/28/2024. Until today, Bow Joy Services still owes me $4,825. I filed complaint via BBB, the complaint was closed with no answer from the business. I am bringing Bow Joy Services to SF Small Claims Court, but the Sheriff's office couldn't serve the defendant. What kind of person ignores Sheriff's notices or a court order?? Feel free to check for court documents on SF Small Claims Case Calendar: https://webapps.sftc.org/cc/CaseCalendar.dll?=&SessionID=D5E2D70387A13C09417EA608B4977BC76FC4B29C Date: 10/28/2024 1:30 PM Case Number: CSM-24-868867 I have suffered enough with this business, I hope there will be no more victims like me. read more

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Beware of Spencer Chase and Bow Joy Services - Unreliable despite good ratings. I trusted Spencer Chase of Bow Joy Services after finding him on Yelp, where he had positive ratings and reviews. Unfortunately, those reviews could not have been further from my experience. My engagement with him resulted in over six months of delays, broken promises, and, ultimately, a demand for a refund after he failed to deliver any results. In December 2023, I paid Spencer $2500 upfront to assist with a REAL ID and Schengen visa. As a frequent business traveller, I needed these documents handled reliably. Initially, everything seemed professional--he confirmed receipt of payment promptly and outlined the next steps. It quickly became apparent that he had no intention of delivering on his promises. Timeline of Events (Note: This timeline highlights the major events but does not capture the full extent of our communication efforts. Over six months, I sent 47 messages and emails to Spencer, of which he responded to only 12. Most of his responses were vague or unhelpful, delaying the process further.) 29 days after payment (January 25, 2024) - Progress: 0% I shared all the required details for the REAL ID process, including my availability, but Spencer failed to provide updates. There was no clarity on timelines, documents needed, or next steps. The silence was frustrating, especially considering I'd already paid in full. 56 days after payment (February 21, 2024) - Excuse: "Overseas" Spencer claimed he was "overseas" and unavailable to attend a meeting, causing further delays. This marked the start of his repeated excuses and unavailability. Still, there was no progress on the REAL ID or the Schengen visa. 86 days after payment (March 22, 2024) - Vague Promises After persistent follow-ups, Spencer promised updates "by this afternoon/evening" but failed to deliver. He asked for my travel details but took no action after receiving them. It became clear that he was not prioritizing our case. 154 days after payment (May 29, 2024) - Escalation to Management After months of vague responses, I wrote to him again, and we did get a response--now citing reasons like being "out of office." 175 days after payment (June 20, 2024) - Termination I formally terminated Spencer's engagement after nearly six months of no deliverables. He consistently failed to respond to urgent follow-ups and did not initiate either the REAL ID or the Schengen visa process. 192 days after payment (July 5, 2024) - Refund demanded with threat of legal action I emailed Spencer demanding an immediate refund of $2500 for services not rendered. 202 days after payment (July 15, 2024) - Final Reminder A follow-up email reiterated the demand for a refund and warned of stringent legal action if Spencer remained unresponsive. Despite this, he failed to respond or act. A word of advice If you're considering Spencer Chase or Bow Joy Services, I strongly urge you to reconsider. Whether you're an individual traveller or a business looking for reliable documentation services, this is not someone you can trust. Please do your due diligence: Verify recent reviews, ask for references, and avoid making full advance payments unless you are sure of their credibility. Don't be fooled by good ratings: Positive reviews can create a false sense of security, as they did for me. Visa and documentation processes are too critical to leave in the hands of someone who is this unreliable. This was a complete failure of trust and professionalism. Learn from my mistake and choose someone who values your time, money, and trust. Avoid Spencer Chase and Bow Joy Services at all costs. read more

Bow Joy Services - Notaries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We used their mobile notary services last week. Their communication was clear and easy. Texting makes the biggest difference when we are coordinating a time for a multiple people. Payment is made prior to appointment, just tell them what you need. Laura arrived to our meeting spot. She was very friendly and professional. She also speaks Cantonese which is one of our requirements. Will use them again! read more

I would give zero stars if I could. Do not pay any money to Spencer Chase. You will not see your money again, nor will he provide the services he lists on the invoice. I chose this agency based on glowing Yelp reviews and I am very unhappy that I was scammed out of my money. I am pursuing filing complaints with regulatory agencies. The matter that I needed help with was that I discovered that my name had been incorrectly recorded on the title of our house several years ago and needed to correct it. Spencer assured me that he could assist, sent me an invoice, which I paid, and later informed me that the process was trickier than he initially thought, and I paid him additional funds. He initially was responsive, seemed like a trustworthy person, but after 8 months had passed with no results, I asked for my money to be refunded. Spencer assured me he was in the process of filing the paperwork and also assured me that I would be compensated for the delay. This past June (14 months from our first contact), he informed me that he had filed the paperwork. In August, when I called to see why I hadn't received the corrected title as he had promised, he admitted he had not yet filed the paperwork. Again promised he was going to file the paperwork immediately, would compensate me for the delay etc. I contacted him 4 or 5 times after that, with the same response. Apologies for the delay, paperwork will be filed soon, I will be compensated. I have since secured a different agency which charged me $250 (Spencer charged me $2750) and completed the task in one month (Spencer began "working" on this task in March 2023 and to date has not completed it). read more

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Spencer completed our visa needs on time and saved our vacation from complete disaster. Bow Joy Services came through for us! read more

Bow Joy Services handled my visa application with class and professionalism. I was nervous to ship my passport from out of state but their staff was responsive and kept me at ease throughout the process. Highly recommended. read more

Over one year ago, I paid this company to help prepare documents for me to use in China. (I've paid over $15,000 for document services.) I have gotten NONE of the services in return. I never even got an update on the status of my project. I worked with Spencer in 2022. The work was stellar, prompt and efficient. He was so good that it didn't even occur to me that there would be any issue with a larger project. This company has completely ghosted me. I get no responses to my emails, texts, phone calls and voicemails. It's been 4 months since I've had any response at all. I see other reviews dated more recently than my last correspondence, so I know they are still doing business. The last text I got was from Spencer saying that he would update me later that day. He never updated me and now refuses to even answer my texts or calls or emails. This company is suspended by the Franchise Tax Board in California. It is not legally allowed to do business while suspended. This is the CA FTB website: https://webapp.ftb.ca.gov/eletter/Home/Summary?entityID=201808910317 This link is if you would like to search the CA FTB yourself: https://www.ftb.ca.gov/help/business/entity-status-letter.asp This is the BBB (Better Business Bureau) link for this company: https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-francisco/profile/notary-public/bow-joy-services-1116-960736 read more

Spencer is a huge asset to Bow Joy Services! He helped me get documentation services from TECO SF ahead of our scheduled trip. Excellent communications, follow up, and understanding of the process involved. Rarely have I received such personalized service in recent memory. I highly recommend him and trust him to do what he says will be done and when. Thank you! read more

Used their service for translation and notary of documents being sent for my spouses USCIS application. We had several documents that needed this process and they handled everything quickly and efficiently. They were able to also expedite the process slightly as our timeline changed at the last minute and didn't charge us for this which was nice. We already got confirmation that the documents were accepted and approved for the advanced parole documents we needed. read more

My name change authentication with the Chinese Consulate was supposed to be a quick turnaround, according to the Chinese Consulate of San Francisco website, the process should take less than 10 business days since I had already completed County & State authentications on my own. Spencer got the certification to me FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS later!!! Cost was exorbitant, Spencer charged me double the price another agent charged me for a three-level (County/State/Chinese Consulate) authentication that had a three-week turnaround. I had to change travel plans to China multiple times and completely missed the notary deadline there. What a traumatizing experience. Spencer promised to compensate for all the stress, tears, and trouble he had caused, but it was all empty promise. read more

Spencer was very friendly and informative! I initially requested a quote on yelp which was answered super fast and prompted me to call Spencer. He answered all of my questions + concerns and also went above and beyond to update me on every step on the process. In the end, I was able to sort out my problem but not once did Spencer pressure me into going through with any of the services rather he explained each process to narrow down which would be best for me. I really appreciate the calm and positive demeanor and I would most definitely recommend Spencer for your passport needs! Thank you so much ! read more

I was looking for a notary service with a Cantonese speaking representative for my elderly mom(96 yrs). The person who arrived was Maggie and she arrived on time. Spencer w/Bow Joy informed me whom we were meeting. Maggie introduced herself to my mom in Cantonese (who is hard of hearing) & was prompt & orderly . She explained clearly and was patient and kind. A satisfied customer, I am in fact using their services again. Very accommodating. Serene D. read more

Spencer really came through and helped my family with an emergency translation for a life-or-death passport appointment. Given the stressful nature of the situation, we really appreciated Spencer's responsiveness and speed with the translations. He even gave us helpful tips while going through the process. Highly recommended. read more

I found Bow Joy services on Yelp after having to have some documents certified translated from English to Chinese. Located in San Francisco Chinatown on Clay Street it's convenient, just 5 blocks from the Taiwan consulate. After a quick text message exchange I was able to meet Spencer at his office. I really didn't have the time to compare prices for the work I had to have done, but the time constraint was more important. Spencer promised the certified translation in 3 days and delivered on is promise. I'm not sure of what other services that Bow Joy offers but as far as the translation of certified documents they did a great job. read more

Bow Joy translated ~15 important documents for immigration. Spencer clearly explained how he could help and he delivered on time with high quality results. He provided updates almost daily. Service level is amazing. read more

Bow Joy services was fast, professional, and reliable. They were extremely informative and knowledgeable about their services and were able to jump through various hoops to get the job done. Highly recommended read more

My passport had expired, but I needed to fly out as soon as possible for personal matters. I was in need of translation of some paperwork that had to be submitted the next day, so I contacted Bow Joy Services and reached Spencer Chase. It was very short-noticed. Not only was he able to send me a digital copy the same night, he also volunteered to turn hand in the original to passport services the next day as well. I highly recommend him/Bow Joy Services for anyone in need of something similar. I will definitely acquire their services again in the future if I need them. P.S. Spencer Chase is fluent in Cantonese/Mandarin which is definitely a plus! read more

Needed a last minute notary in the area for a simple CA state form. I called and talked to Spencer who accommodated my request to be seen within 20 min. Easy peasy. read more

Did you know you have to have at lease at least 3-6 months left on your passport or you will be denied boarding the day before you leave for your international trip? A tough lesson to learn when you are denied boarding less than 24 hours before you are supposed to fly out. My husband and I ended up cancelling our trip to Greece and decided to rebook in a few months. With all the horror stories on social media about people having to wait 15 weeks before getting their passport, I hired Spencer to help me expedite the passport process prior to rebooking our trip. My anxiety levels were through the roof having just cancelled my trip, but Spencer was calm and helped me to understand all the steps that were involved. I chose the door to door service - he came to my house, picked up the documentation and verified all my paperwork. His communication and follow up are top notch! It cost me a pretty penny, but it was worth it and I have my passport in hand within 2 weeks!! Highly recommend! read more

Great experience, would recommend. They apparently have multiple locations, so worth calling to see if they're close to you! Spencer (answered my initial call and set up the appointment) was polite, helpful, and professional. Able to get me in quickly for a document notarization. Laura is the person who handled the document process itself. She was quick and friendly. read more

Worked with Spencer to get our Chinese Visa. Very professional and would use again. We only had 3 weeks to get our visa and Spence came through. read more

Spencer was great. He sent Maggie Liang over she was fast and efficient. I highly recommend them for notary or Chinese translation for important documents. read more

I worked with Spencer on a legal matter. He was the second person I reached out to via Yelp and I didn't want to look any further - was very impressed by his knowledge and responsiveness. Being new to the process, he explained every step of the way and continued to be very proactive in getting the job successfully done. Would highly recommend! read more

I reached out to Bow Joy Services via Yelp on a SUNDAY to see if they were able to translate a foreign document for my family quickly. Daniel responded to me within a few minutes. He suggested I give Spencer a call who was extremely pleasant on the phone. He explained everything very thoroughly and provided me updates throughout the entire process. Our translated document was hand-delivered to us at home the next afternoon at no extra charge. We could not thank the Bow Joy Services team enough for this seamless experience! read more

Spencer was invaluable in both translating a set of documents requiring a quick turnaround time, and just as importantly, providing helpful context to the nature of the documents themselves. He offered helpful advice and was always available to answer questions. read more

Found this firm on Yelp when I needed assistance with tenant services and Spencer is amazing to work with. He is bilingual which is very helpful considering my family and I don't all speak the same language. He is very thoughtful and calls me directly to summarize hearings that I am unable to attend. He is so kind to schedule prep meetings with all necessary paperwork before hearings to make the whole process a breeze. I highly recommend this firm if you are in the SF and are looking for any kind of legal assistance. They are located in Chinatown but he is able to pickup/drop off documents if you are in the area. Appointments are easy to make even without a lot of notice. read more

My wife and I needed to have a document from China translated for submission to USCIS and I couldn't be more pleased with the personalized service we received from Spencer. The document was professionally translated and notarized and completed a day earlier than the already quick estimated turn-around time. On top of that, Spencer arranged to meet me near my home in San Bruno to deliver the document personally, taking a detour on his way back to their offices in San Francisco. Highly recommended! read more

I have 4 legal documents from court in China to translate. I don't know who can do this job so that I searched and found this place on Yelp. Spencer reached back to me really fast. More than just giving me a solid price, he actually discussed with me about translation work is done in America so that I can make a informed decision. I have other translators who gave me consultations at that moment, but I went with Spencer because he was really honest and straightforward with me. During the whole time, he was very responsive even when he is out of town. After everything was done, he even personally delivered the documents to me. He asked me to read first then if there is any problem I should reach out to him anytime(even it was during Xmas.) If you want to get any translation work done, try this place for sure. They have good attitude. They are professional and patient. Their work is fantastic. I would definitely recommend to my family and friends. read more

full disclosure - I ended up not using Bow Joy for chinese to english translation work needed for a financial institution but am giving them 5+ stars for their superb customer service (by Spencer) and speedy response with a quote. the entire quote process was simple and straightforward and literally took less than 10 mins after i sent my 2 pg doc to Spencer over email (text works too but i had problems attaching the file) will def. look to Bow Joy in the future and strongly recommend them to anyone! read more

I called Bow Joy Services when I needed a really tight turnaround on an English translation of a French certificate in order to get a same-day passport appointment. They were so helpful and friendly: Called their translators during quarantine to find someone who could do it straight away, offered to deliver the document in a few hours, and even advised me that I could save time and money by doing the translation myself and just paying them to certify it. They were a great help during a stressful situation. Thank you! read more

5 stars for bow joy services! We needed authentication services for an urgent Chinese document. We first went to the Chinese Consulate and waited 4 hours there for nothing. All they were telling us was we can't get it done that day and we had to do a 3step authentication. We drove 4 hrs to SF for this and we couldn't get it done there so I started looking through Yelp to seek other options. There I found Bow Joy Services. Called the phone number and Spencer was very patient and thorough with all of the questions I had. He was able to get everything done and mailed it to China for us so we didn't have to drive back to Sf for this. I was very impressed with Spencer's Cantonese, he was very responsive and kept us posted with every step. good customer service! read more

I needed a document notarized within a short time constraint so I called Bow Joy Services. Within 30min, I met with Laura whom swiftly reviewed and notarized my document. The service was so quick I was able to get my document submitted with plenty of time to spare. Thanks Bow Joy Services! read more

Needed help in applying for Chinese visa last minute so a friend referred me to Bow Joy Services. The team is extremely knowledgeable in providing me with advice to ensure my application materials are complete. Their communication is professional yet friendly with prompt updates about the process and status. The team is always available to accommodate my schedule in the material collection process and they would come in person to collect and deliver!! During this difficult time (and cold weather) in applying for Chinese visa, Bow Joy Services just has been incredibly helpful and I would highly recommend the team!! read more

It was a delight working with Spencer. I had never used a notary before, so I wasn't sure how the entire process worked, but Spencer and Bow Joy Services were always very responsive & helpful - no matter how early or late in the day I sent a message, I would always get a reply right away. Spencer was able to travel to me for the notarization, which was very convenient. He walked me through everything we were doing and answered all of my questions thoughtfully. I had some random questions he didn't know the answer to, but I was surprised and appreciative when he called me a few hours after our meeting to follow up on what he found! The notarization process itself was quick and efficient. Definitely recommend and would work with him again. Thanks Spencer! read more

Found out Saturday just before noon that I needed some signatures notarized STAT and was so lucky to find Spencer on yelp! Left him a voicemail and he called me back right away to set up an appointment at a very reasonable cost. Spencer was also extremely flexible on timing. Went from a "No way am I going to be able to find a notary last minute on the weekend!" to "Thank you so much, can't believe this is done!!" within an hour start to finish. Above and beyond, Spencer also printed out the pages I needed to sign (who has a printer at home these days?) and I happened to catch that he speaks fluent Mandarin and Cantonese. read more

Exceptional! I worked with Spencer on a recent transaction and I found him to be experienced, professional, knowledgeable and pleasant to work with. I highly recommend Spencer for all your notary needs. Thanks Spencer! read more

My wife and I needed notarization services for passports and powers of attorney from the Chinese Consulate. We couldn't have been more satisfied with the personalized service we received from Spencer. The document has been professionally notarized and completed. In addition, Spencer met me near my home, arranged a mobile notarization, and picked up the documents. It was so easy and convenient to work with him. It is highly recommended! read more

I called them today and spoke with Spencer, his very courteous , professional and very knowledgeable person. This place deserves more than 5 stars! Spencer thanks for your honesty, you're "one of a kind" Highly recommend!! read more

I spent my morning looking for a paralegal to speak with. And finally found Spencer at Bow Joy! I was so relieved to speak with him and I am very impressed with his willing to speak to me and help me out. I wasn't calling for a legal service, I am a student and was assigned to do an interview with a practicing paralegal. Spencer took the time out of his busy schedule and decided my unique need was important. He spent the time to talk to me about his paralegal role and help me with my project. He explained what he does and was very informed and I can tell that if I ever needed to contact him for legal services he would be excellent in making sure my needs were met. Spencer not only was very kind he was nice to talk to. I am very happy I got to talk to him and look forward to talking to him again. I also would refer anyone looking for legal services to give him a call. Thanks Spencer! read more