Hi,

My wife (American Petitioner) and I (English Alien) live in England, have been married ten years and now wish to move to New Hampshire.

Filling in i-130 we're having a few issues that I want to be certain on that I haven't seen anywhere else on the forum, I wouldn't want the application being refused on a technicality. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The forms are in pdf format and so allow for filling out with the keyboard. This is great for clarity but they don't always give you enough room. I've found Americans use 'England' far more than 'UK' so I would always like to put 'England' on any forms. On i-130 i've had to use 'UK' in several places where i've put 'England' in others. Is this okay or should i just stick with 'UK' throughout?

For questions where there is no appropriate answer to put, I have put 'none' or n/a. However when it asks for my US social security number, i don't have one, it won't allow anything in the box apart from a number. This leaves every other box accounted for but nothing here. Is that okay?

There is another place where I want to put 'n/a' but it won't allow the forward slash in that box. Is 'na' okay?

On question 21 where it asks the last address we lived together and dates. I take it, as we are living together that the 'to' is the date that the form is signed and dated. Is that correct?

for E where it asks for the signature of the petitioner it asks for the phone number. It only allows for a three digit area code where in England ours has five. You can still get the whole number on there but it looks wrong.

I know these points sound a bit picky but I would really like to get it right first time so I would be thankful of any advice.

I used "UK" throughout. "England" is not, yet, a separate sovereign state, and I'd assume USCIS are interested in which actual independent country you're from, for statistical purposes if nothing else. Also the first time I ever flew to the US on the VWP, the cabin crew did a long spiel that we should only ever put "UK" on the old I-94W forms and that nothing else was acceptable. I've used "UK" ever since on American forms and never had any issues.

Yes

I'd try and see if it lets you put in "n.a." But if not, I don't see why not.

If you can't enter "Present" or "Current" I'd leave the end date blank.

Presumably you're filing through the USCIS field office in London in which case they'll probably be able to figure it out. Having said that, I've never heard of anyone being called by telephone (or emailled) by USCIS or anyone else for immigration purposes. If they need any more information they write.

Given you can't submit the form electronically, you always have the option to write in any modifications you need after you print the form off.

Umm... it's perfectly okay to fill in the form electronically as best you can and then print it out and fill in the rest in pen.


You should never put N/A (even if the form says you can). Regardless of the answer, you don't get to decide which questions are applicable or not. If the answer is "none" say so (as you've done)... if the question isn't relevant, then a couple of dashes through the response is better.


You should complete every question. See above.


No... see above.


Yes.


Print the form... see above!

Ian

Thank You for the responses rpjs & ian-mstm.

I think it sums up the problem I've been wrestling with in that you both have opposing answers.

Great advice rpjs, I will go with UK throughout.

But some questions are simply not applicable ian-mstm, I don't see it as me disregarding the officials by deciding to answer what I choose, it's actually giving them information by saying the class of person to which you refer is not me.

Question 14 states 'If your relative is currently in the US...', I'm not and I won't be. Is it not better to say n/a than to leave blank or put dashes. Did you put dashes on your form and was that okay?

Did you both enter information in pen after the form was printed. It's good to see that this is an option.

Still confused about the date 'to' that we've been living together. It seems on the whole that it's better to put something than leave blank so I will probably go with the date the form is signed.

From both your answers it seems that there are more ways than one to fill the form in correctly. I will just have to go with my gut feeling on some of these things.

Many thanks

I know you see it that way, but you should not try to get inside the head of the person reviewing the responses. Here's my 3 rules for form filling. If you follow them, you'll never have a problem. If you disregard any of them, you will:

1) take each question at face value;
2) do not ascribe meaning to the question beyond what is plainly written; and
3) do not try to alter the question to fit your circumstances.

You're attempting to do #2 and #3, by trying to interpret what is being asked for.


No. It's better to put dashes. Why? Because the question is relevant (since the form is used in a variety of situations) and it specifically says "if". Again, you're trying to interpret the question to fit your situation. Don't provide an answer that doesn't address the actual question.


On all the forms, yes. It was never an issue.


In my day, PDF forms weren't available... so everything was done by hand. Manually completing the forms has always been an option.


Correct... as I said. I believe rpjs is incorrect on this one!


Follow the above rules. Your gut, with respect, should be kept out of things!

Ian

When my wife did the I-130 we were both living in London, and put N/A to that question, as it was not applicable to our application. Wasn't a problem it was approved without any issue. You are over thinking it all.

I would print it out and handwrite "present" where it says "to".

Rene

Think you are probably right Lansbury but you hear the stories about officials!

Appreciate your advice Ian. I will put the current date for 'to'.

Thanks Noorah, I will print it out and fill in the bits I can't do adequately on the pdf.

Many thanks