Leanne Grant

Hi Everyone!

My fiance and I have a phone-date tomorrow morning to fill out the paperwork together
to begin the whole fiance-visa process. I've been reading this newsgroup for quite
awhile and I must say... you're all so helpful! I'm so pleased to have happened upon
you all. I was hoping that you could provide me with a bit of re-assurance that I
have things right in terms of what all my fiance needs to send off. He is the USC, I
am from Manitoba, Canada. We will be filing through the Nebraska Service Centre
(ugggh :P) and then my interview will most likely be in Montreal.

Anyways, to the best of my recollection:

- the I129-F form

- G325A forms, 1 for each of us (2 in total, filled out 4 times... we're going to use
the fillable forms from the internet so hopefully that will be easy)

- a cover letter explaining what all is included

- photographs of each of us - these are ADIT style, correct? How many do we need?
I'm sure the form specifies how many we need to send with this package (and I'm
sorry, I can't recall it at this precise moment), but should we just get that
number made or should we get extras made? Does anyone know if a place like Walmart
can do these accurately? I had them do my passport photos (they were the
cheapest!) and on their wall-sign it said they do immigration photos as well so I
assume they can? I didn't think to ask at the time, but maybe someone has had them
done there and can confirm?

- my fiance's (he is the USC) birth certificate

- do we need a copy of my birth certificate? I just have short-form ones. I know I'll
need to get a long form one for the interview, but for now, should we toss in a
photocopy of mine as well?

- evidence that we have met. We have plane ticket stubs, photographs... We have
receipts from our engagement ring/wedding rings (we bought them all at once because
it's a set and we wanted them to match and be the same ). We also have phonebills
dating back to when we first met each other online and began talking on the phone.
What about emails that we've exchanged? Do we need those? Also, I have emails that
I've exchanged with his family... does that add any "weight" to the case?

- I think I read somewhere that someone was recommending including photocopies of the
USC's driver's license? Is that something to do? Is it a good idea or a bad idea?
We have to use the Nebraska Service Centre so I'm all for anything that will help
them out and make them less likely to think they need more information, seeing as
they're so slow as it is.

- $110

Neither of us have any previous marriages or children from previous relationships so
we don't have to worry about any of that stuff at all.

Is there anything else that I'm missing? I want to get this right the first time! If
anyone could share any tips on the very best way to put this all together, I would
appreciate it.

And, what is the best method of mail to send things to Nebraska? Something that they
have to sign for, I assume? I doubt that will make them hurry in processing it, but
at least we would know that it got there safe and sound.

I think that's all... I'm hoping I'm not forgetting anything. I'm sure I'll double
and triple check everything before we send it off but it would be great if someone
could correct me if I've got something wrong now.

Thank you so much!

Leanne

Billp

"Leanne Grant" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
    > Hi Everyone!
    > My fiance and I have a phone-date tomorrow morning to fill out the paperwork
    > together to begin the whole fiance-visa process. I've been reading this newsgroup
    > for quite awhile and I must say... you're all so helpful! I'm so pleased to have
    > happened upon you all. I was hoping that you could provide me with a bit of
    > re-assurance that I have things right in terms of what all my fiance needs to send
    > off. He is the USC, I am from Manitoba, Canada. We will be filing through the
    > Nebraska Service Centre (ugggh :P) and then my interview will most likely be in
    > Montreal.
    > Anyways, to the best of my recollection:
    > - the I129-F form
    > - G325A forms, 1 for each of us (2 in total, filled out 4 times... we're going to
    > use the fillable forms from the internet so hopefully that will be easy)
    > - a cover letter explaining what all is included
    > - photographs of each of us - these are ADIT style, correct? How many do we need?
    > I'm sure the form specifies how many we need to send with this package (and I'm
    > sorry, I can't recall it at this precise moment), but should we just get that
    > number made or should we get extras made? Does anyone know if a place like
    > Walmart can do these accurately? I had them do my passport photos (they were the
    > cheapest!) and on their wall-sign it said they do immigration photos as well so I
    > assume they can? I didn't think to ask at the time, but maybe someone has had
    > them done there and can confirm?
    > - my fiance's (he is the USC) birth certificate
    > - do we need a copy of my birth certificate? I just have short-form ones. I know
    > I'll need to get a long form one for the interview, but for now, should we toss
    > in a photocopy of mine as well?
    > - evidence that we have met. We have plane ticket stubs, photographs... We have
    > receipts from our engagement ring/wedding rings (we bought them all at once
    > because it's a set and we wanted them to match and be the same ). We also have
    > phonebills dating back to when we first met each other online and began talking
    > on the phone. What about emails that we've exchanged? Do we need those? Also, I
    > have emails that I've exchanged with his family... does that add any "weight" to
    > the case?
    > - I think I read somewhere that someone was recommending including photocopies of
    > the USC's driver's license? Is that something to do? Is it a good idea or a bad
    > idea? We have to use the Nebraska Service Centre so I'm all for anything that
    > will help them out and make them less likely to think they need more information,
    > seeing as they're so slow as it is.
    > - $110
    > Neither of us have any previous marriages or children from previous relationships
    > so we don't have to worry about any of that stuff at all.
    > Is there anything else that I'm missing? I want to get this right the first time!
    > If anyone could share any tips on the very best way to put this all together, I
    > would appreciate it.
    > And, what is the best method of mail to send things to Nebraska? Something that
    > they have to sign for, I assume? I doubt that will make them hurry in processing
    > it, but at least we would know that it got there safe and sound.
    > I think that's all... I'm hoping I'm not forgetting anything. I'm sure I'll double
    > and triple check everything before we send it off but it would be great if someone
    > could correct me if I've got something wrong now.
    > Thank you so much!
    > Leanne


Leanne,

First, Congratualtions!!!!!!! About photographs...ADIT.....they only require
one, but I would send 2. Walmart can do these, make sure they are right though.
No shadows, and make sure your hair is behind your right ear. The I-129F
Form....Leave no stone unturned. On your form where it says "A" number write
none, on your future husbands, he should write "US Citizen" in this box. Leave
no blanks. Under previous marriages write "None". Spouses name write "None".
Use None and Not Applicable freely. Leave no blanks. Paper clip your $110
check to the front. On the G-325A's, I make a sugesstion, if you are using a
typewriter, do 2 pages at a time, if you downloaded them from the internet. Use
carbon paper between the copies. You need to send a photocopy of your birth
certificate to show you are legally old enough to marry. Your USC can include a
copy of his drivers license, but it is not necessary. I would also include a
copy of pages 1 and 2 of your passport as proof of identity.

I would also recommend the following"

Form FC-029 (?) this little short form says that all photocopies are true unretouched
copies of the originals. Originals are available upon request.

Your USC Fiancee also needs to include a letter that states how you met, your meeting
in Canada, your intent to marry. I made this into a sworn statement, took it to my
local bank and had it notarized. I also made another sworn statement that the copies
of pages 1 and 2, and of the pages with the entry exit stamps on it to the foreign
country, were true copies of my passport and it was available for inspection by the
INS. Now as far as letters and e-mails.....I would include what ever you feel
comfortable including. I will tell you, I included everything. I did an overkill.
My petition and supproting documentation was 370+ pages. I thought if they would not
accept one document then there was another document that was even more compellling.

Now, it is also important "How" you arrainge all of this. If you were an INS
officer, would you rather grab a nice neat book, all indexed with a table of contents
in the front, or would you rather grab a folder with papers falling out every where?
Tell him to go to Office Depot, or Staples or somewhere like that and invest in a 2
hole punch, and a binder. Buy a few indexes to go in. WARNING!!!! All documents
must be 2 hole punched at the top of the sheet. The binders are usually in the
computer section, I bought regular file folders, cut them down so that the Tabs would
be at the bottom of the sheets, and got some labels to put on them. I had 8 Indexed
sections to my book. Tab 1 - Index (list what each tabbed setion contains) Tab 2 -
letter of Establishment of Relationship and Intent to Marry. Tab 3 - INS
Forms-FC-029, I-129F, both G-325A's. Put an envelope on the bottom of the G-325A's
to put your ADIT photographs in...staples okay, but don't staple through photographs.
Tab 4 - Personal Data for him...Birth Certificate, Drivers License, etc. Tab 5 -
Personal Data You Tab 6
- Letters from him to you, Tab 7 - letters from you to him, Tab 8 - Proof you met,
Tab 9 - Additional Proof of meeting or establishment of relationship.

On the front of the book write or print on a piece of paper and attach it to
the front:

ORIGINAL FILE Petition for Alien Fiancee His Name Your Name FORM I-129F

Make three copies of all, The original goes to the INS, one copy to keep in case they
lose the first copy, and one copy goes to you. You may need it at the interview.

Box it up...Write on the front of the box "ORIGINAL FILE I-129F". Send it to Nebraska
registerd mail with a return receipt requested. Go to the INS website and make sure
you send this to the right Post Office Box...there is a special one for I-129Fs.

You do not need to include an I-134 (Affadavit of Support) included with the
petition, but he will need to send it to you for your interview....you must have this
notarized document and all paperwork associated with it...or no visa.

I can only tell you 2 things. I read where a lawyer said "A Fiancee Visa Petition
can be approved with very little documentation if they are the right
documents".....okay what are the right documents? and
2) I must have did something right, I mailed my Fiancees paperwork to Nebraska on
March 1, 2002, and had it approved on April 9, 2002......39 days!!!!!

While your waiting for approval..... Now for some fun.....Download another set of
G-325A's, I-485, the EAD, Advance Parole. For name....type in your new last name
when you will be married. Leave the date of entry, the date of marriage, and the
POE questions blank. It will bring a smile to your face typing in your new last
name. On the G-325A's leave your A number blank...you'll get one when the petition
is approved. Type in your new last name again and smile. Again, leave the date
of marriage etc blank.....make several copies of the partially filled out G-325A.
Under Spouses name...put your new hubbies name. You'll need them for Adjustment
of Status, Removal of Conditions, etc. Also download you a application for a
social security card...... Good
Luck...... Bill

Bill Hutson

"Leanne Grant" >
    > -
    > Is there anything else that I'm missing? I want to get this right the first time!
    > If anyone could share any tips on the very best way to put this all together, I
    > would appreciate it.
    > LeAnne,
You need to do a little more research. Follow some of the recommended links to
the K-1 sites. I'm not an expert, but you might want to consider including a
letter of intent from both of you. Something to the effect that you wish to
marry within the 90 days allowed under the visa. I did not see you mention the
I-134 - the affidavit of support. There are also support documents to support
the affidavit of support. I know that sounds ridiculous, but you've stepped down
the rabbit hole of your own volition.[Documents like: a letter from your
employer stating salary, length of employment and whether you are permanent.
Perhaps a letter from your bank. I included my last year's 1040 when I filed. A
nice way might be to buy TWO of those thick folders-the ones with the acco two
prong metal foldovers at the top. Two hole punch and mount: I-129F
proofs of meeting statements of intent USC
birth certificate G-325A G-325A I-134 "
" support documents on the right inside cover. Mount an index of the documents
on the left side. A loose cover letter in the middle. (They probably will throw
it away.) Clip the check to the front of the I-129F. Get a small ziplock, place
pictures inside and clip to I-129F. Now, do the same thing over again and send
the duplicate to your fiancee to study for the interview. Now, do the same thing
over again and file for yourself in case the first mailing is lost. Check some
of the links (for someone who really knows what they are talking about)and
determine if requesting a cabling of the embassy will do you any good. If so,
you need to informally request it now with the filing. I sent mine FedEx. They
have a fun website where you may track the shipment until it enters the INS
black hole.

Good luck. Bill

Morkai Kurst

"Bill Hutson" <[email protected]> wrote in message [url="news:d3550047.020825024-
[email protected]"]news:[email protected] om[-
/url]... I did not see you mention the I-134 - the
    > affidavit of support.

The affidavit is not required with the I-129F petition. It needs to be sent to the
foreign fiance(e) to take to their interview.

I have seen some people send a copy just in case but it isn't a requested document
for inclusion with the petition. Our petition was approved in 4 weeks from TSC and we
didn't include it.

I figured that they have enough to look through with the evidence etc and there was
no point putting in what they didn't ask for. It most likely only ends up in the
shredder anyhow.

Just my 2 cents/pennies

Morkai

Leanne Grant

"Bill Hutson" <[email protected]> wrote in message

    > You need to do a little more research. Follow some of the recommended links to
    > the K-1 sites. I'm not an expert, but you might want to consider including a
    > letter of intent from both of you.

For some reason I thought that I had included that in my list, but yes, that will
more likely be included as part of the "how we met" information. Someone else
indicated that including my birth cert to prove that I'm old enough to marry is smart
so I'll do that. It's no problem to add these things... I have them. I'd just hate to
forget to send them so I'm glad to have people point them out to me. Thank you!

    > I did not see you mention the I-134 - the affidavit of support. There are also
    > support documents to support the affidavit of support. I know that sounds
    > ridiculous, but you've stepped down the rabbit hole of your own volition.

Nope, I think you're wrong there. I don't need the affidavit of support until I'm
going to the interview. Some websites (docsteen, I believe) said that you could, if
you wanted to, send it, but it's not required at this stage and then I'd have to go
to the trouble of getting it done all over again when it comes time for the
interview. So, I think I'll skip that here, thanks.

    > A nice way might be to buy TWO of those thick folders-the ones with the acco
    > two prong metal foldovers at the top. Two hole punch and mount:

I'll do you better... we're getting *3*. :P One to go to the INS, one for my USC
fiance to keep in case the original gets lost for some reason and we have to re-file,
and one for me to take with me to my interview. 3 seems to be the magic number.

    > Now, do the same thing over again and send the duplicate to your fiancee to study
    > for the interview.

Just to clarify, *I* am the person going to the interview. My fiance is the US
citizen. I don't feel like I'll need to study for the interview.... I know better
than him what's going in that package. I have a lot of it which I will be sending to
him. (Pictures, plane ticket stubs, etc)

(But you can bet that I'll look it over religiously to be sure that I know exactly
where things are if they asked me to point to something!)

Thanks for your help and especially for pointing out the letter of intent to marry.
Like I said, I think I knew it, but I'm glad to know for sure.

Leanne

Jonathan_atc

Don't, don't, purchase those folders with the two-hole prong fasteners. They need to
easily be able to pull out sheets and reorganize the file. They have a trash can full
of these folders. Bad idea. Clip the pages together with an ACCO Binder Clip. If
you need help on what that is, try here: http://www.weslow.net/users/alixtcat/acco.htm

Check out the rest of the site as well, all your questions will be answered.

--
Jonathan_ATC "Morkai Kurst" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:1030278676.18913.0.nnrp--[/q1]
[email protected]...
    > "Bill Hutson" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]
    > com    ... I did not see you mention the I-134 - the
    > > affidavit of support.
    > The affidavit is not required with the I-129F petition. It needs to be
sent
    > to the foreign fiance(e) to take to their interview.
    > I have seen some people send a copy just in case but it isn't a requested document
    > for inclusion with the petition. Our petition was approved in 4 weeks from TSC and
    > we didn't include it.
    > I figured that they have enough to look through with the evidence etc and there was
    > no point putting in what they didn't ask for. It most likely
only
    > ends up in the shredder anyhow.
    > Just my 2 cents/pennies
    > Morkai

Margaret

[email protected] (Bill Hutson) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]. com>...
    > "Leanne Grant" >
    > > -
    > >
    > > Is there anything else that I'm missing? I want to get this right the first time!
    > > If anyone could share any tips on the very best way to put this all together, I
    > > would appreciate it.
    > >
    > > LeAnne,
    > You need to do a little more research. Follow some of the recommended links to
    > the K-1 sites. I'm not an expert, but you might want to consider including a
    > letter of intent from both of you. Something to the effect that you wish to
    > marry within the 90 days allowed under the visa. I did not see you mention the
    > I-134 - the affidavit of support. There are also support documents to support
    > the affidavit of support. I know that sounds ridiculous, but you've stepped
    > down the rabbit hole of your own volition.[Documents like: a letter from your
    > employer stating salary, length of employment and whether you are permanent.
    > Perhaps a letter from your bank. I included my last year's 1040 when I filed.
    > A nice way might be to buy TWO of those thick folders-the ones with the acco
    > two prong metal foldovers at the top. Two hole punch and mount:
    > I-129F proofs of meeting statements of
    > intent USC birth certificate G-325A G-325A
    > I-134 " " support documents on the right inside cover. Mount an
    > index of the documents on the left side. A loose cover letter in the middle.
    > (They probably will throw it away.) Clip the check to the front of the
    > I-129F. Get a small ziplock, place pictures inside and clip to I-129F. Now, do
    > the same thing over again and send the duplicate to your fiancee to study for
    > the interview. Now, do the same thing over again and file for yourself in case
    > the first mailing is lost. Check some of the links (for someone who really
    > knows what they are talking about)and determine if requesting a cabling of the
    > embassy will do you any good. If so, you need to informally request it now
    > with the filing. I sent mine FedEx. They have a fun website where you may
    > track the shipment until it enters the INS black hole.


Leanne:

First of all good luck on your adventure to the K-1 Visa. My fiance and I went
through the Nebraska INS (he living in Idaho) and I had my interview with the
Montreal Consulate (me being from Ontario).

Just wanted to share my experience with you. We filed our petition with Nebraska
December 18, 2001 and our approval was given February 26, 2002. I had my interview
with Montreal on June 19, 2002 and was given my Visa. I panicked about my fiance not
sending in photos of the two of us to Nebraska as proof; he only sent in a letter
from his boss stating how the boss had met my son and I in person in November 2001,
however despite only having this, Nebraska didn't seem to concerned as we were
approved. Everyone has their own way on how they want to proceed with their
petitions.

When my son (11 years old) and I went to Montreal, I brought tons of proof of our
relationship. The officer did not ask to see any of it. She simply asked what my
fiance's full name was, what he did for a living, when we first met and how many
times after that did we see each other in person (total of 3 times). She then asked
my son if he liked Idaho (he said it was o.k.) then asked me when I planned to marry
(July 1). The other lady who originally took our documents asked when we planned to
enter the U.S. (June 24). The interview must have been all of 5 minutes. It was
very painless and the officer was great. After that she said she was approving our
visas and wished us luck.

You will be fine also, don't stress too much. Good luck!

Margaret