Those Wonderful Forms

[aries52 0]

Hello All,

I’m heading out for China within the next 2 weeks to get married and then start the K-3 process. Man, this is going to be a Holiday that we will never forget! I am more nervous about the forms than anything else. I have read and checked the forms and sample ones. I am going to go over what I believe is the process and also ask a lot of questions so here goes (I will start my time line when I get back):

1. For the interviews and the issuing of the visa, it will be in Guangzhou China.

2. After reading all of the information on the forms, I have the impression that I can file the following forms together to save a little time.

A. I-130 and fee of $355

B. I-129F and the fee of $455 with the G-325A.

C. Were does the I-134 (Affidavit of Support) fit in?

3. If I can file these together:

A. Does copy of the I-130 need to accompany the I-129F?

B. Does one need to submit separate sets of proof for the I-130 and I-129F

C. When sent together, must the 2 forms be physically separate with required proof(s)?

3. I read that since I live in Oregon, I send the I-130 to the Nebraska Service Center.

I then read that once this is processed and I am informed, I send the I-129F with the G-325A, with a copy of the I-130 to the California Service Center.

I also read that if I send both forms together I send it all to the Nebraska Center. Is this correct?

4. Miscellaneous information:

A. The Wife’s phone number: The number if called there or if it was called from USA? The wife’s cell or home phone?

B. Native alphabet in other words Chinese characters or written in English (Roman letters).

C. My day time phone number: Work or home?

D. Must you provide the full copy of the divorce or just the pages showing the termination?

E. Is it best to fully fill out everything even though it is said you do not have to (as with the I-129F)?

F. Last address we lived at: Hotel or here home address.

G. What evidence must I show that bona fides the marriage. Would a marriage certificate do?

I do thank all of you who can calm my nervous brain down. I have not been sleeping much the last few months.

Regards to All!

Aries52

[JenAlex 0]

Welcome Aries! I just got married in July and I live in Salem. I don't have a lot of answers for you because I only did the I-130. I do believe that USCIS is requiring that all I-129's and I-130 applications be sent to the Chicago Lockbox address as of December 3. You can check their site for updates. If you pay for the I-130 you do not have to pay a seperate fee for the I-129. You do need proof that you sent the I-130 when you send the I-129. A lot of people have just sent in a copy of the return receipt from USPS (or however you mail the application). It's taking a really long time to get a NOA1 right now, my application is about to turn 100 days old and check has not been cashed and no NOA yet.

When we did my hubby's bio, he put his phone number if he was being called from the states. We included the country code. Daytime would be where you can be reached at during 8-5. I put my cell phone. I always have it with me. As for bonafide marriage I included a copy of our marriage certificate and an affadvit from parents and his sister. So three affadavits in total.

Good Luck!

[ColombianoGringo 0]

Read the link in my signature and you can see how I sent the I-130 and I-129F together. I received NOA1 for both within a month. Jusr keep in mind that the fees have changed since I sent my petitions.

Edited December 7, 2007 by ColombianoGringo

[pushbrk 12,822]

Hello All,

I’m heading out for China within the next 2 weeks to get married and then start the K-3 process. Man, this is going to be a Holiday that we will never forget! I am more nervous about the forms than anything else. I have read and checked the forms and sample ones. I am going to go over what I believe is the process and also ask a lot of questions so here goes (I will start my time line when I get back):

1. For the interviews and the issuing of the visa, it will be in Guangzhou China.

2. After reading all of the information on the forms, I have the impression that I can file the following forms together to save a little time.

A. I-130 and fee of $355

B. I-129F and the fee of $455 with the G-325A.

C. Were does the I-134 (Affidavit of Support) fit in?

3. If I can file these together:

A. Does copy of the I-130 need to accompany the I-129F?

B. Does one need to submit separate sets of proof for the I-130 and I-129F

C. When sent together, must the 2 forms be physically separate with required proof(s)?

3. I read that since I live in Oregon, I send the I-130 to the Nebraska Service Center.

I then read that once this is processed and I am informed, I send the I-129F with the G-325A, with a copy of the I-130 to the California Service Center.

I also read that if I send both forms together I send it all to the Nebraska Center. Is this correct?

4. Miscellaneous information:

A. The Wife’s phone number: The number if called there or if it was called from USA? The wife’s cell or home phone?

B. Native alphabet in other words Chinese characters or written in English (Roman letters).

C. My day time phone number: Work or home?

D. Must you provide the full copy of the divorce or just the pages showing the termination?

E. Is it best to fully fill out everything even though it is said you do not have to (as with the I-129F)?

F. Last address we lived at: Hotel or here home address.

G. What evidence must I show that bona fides the marriage. Would a marriage certificate do?

I do thank all of you who can calm my nervous brain down. I have not been sleeping much the last few months.

Regards to All!

Aries52

Oh, where to start?

When filing an I-129F for spouse (K3) there is no fee.

I-134 comes much later, after petition approval.

If you file two petitions together you need to treat them as separate and then put them in the same envelope once each package is complete. Each petition requires separate G325a forms for each of you in quadruplicate, so you'll have a total of 4 in all, 16 pages.

The answer to your 3, a,b and c are in the paragraph above. Together means together, so together has no after or separate service centers. Send the package to California.

As of Dec 3 there are new instructions for filing "stand alone" I-130 forms. Together is not stand alone.

Native alphabet if other than Roman, means (for Chinese) Chinese characters.

Use any phone number you want. I'd use cell phone.

A certified copy of a divorce decree is generally a page with a seal and the vital statistics. You'll need this to get married in China, translated. Extra pages means extra translation fees.

Fill out everything.

They are asking where you resided together. The answer is probably that you didn't. Spending time in a hotel is not living (residing) together. Your residence is in the USA and hers is in China.

It is my opinion that newlyweds who have never lived in the same country need only provide a (China) Notarial translation of their marriage certificate. Get this at the nearest Gong Zheng Chu office. She'll get Notarial Birth Certificates etc. at the same place if not already.

[aries52 0]

Welcome Aries! I just got married in July and I live in Salem. I don't have a lot of answers for you because I only did the I-130. I do believe that USCIS is requiring that all I-129's and I-130 applications be sent to the Chicago Lockbox address as of December 3. You can check their site for updates. If you pay for the I-130 you do not have to pay a seperate fee for the I-129. You do need proof that you sent the I-130 when you send the I-129. A lot of people have just sent in a copy of the return receipt from USPS (or however you mail the application). It's taking a really long time to get a NOA1 right now, my application is about to turn 100 days old and check has not been cashed and no NOA yet.

When we did my hubby's bio, he put his phone number if he was being called from the states. We included the country code. Daytime would be where you can be reached at during 8-5. I put my cell phone. I always have it with me. As for bonafide marriage I included a copy of our marriage certificate and an affadvit from parents and his sister. So three affadavits in total.

Good Luck!

Hi JenAlex

Thanks for the information. I am just up the road from you in Tigard! Sounds like the cell phone is the best bet. I guess I missed something about the fee not having to be paid for the I-129. Is it the I-129 or the I-129F? I have some more reading to do. Since you are in Oregon, Did you send your I-130 to the California Center or Nebraska?

Thanks!

Aries52

[aries52 0]

Read the link in my signature and you can see how I sent the I-130 and I-129F together. I received NOA1 for both within a month. Jusr keep in mind that the fees have changed since I sent my petitions.

Hi ColombianoGringo,

Thanks for the link! This looks like it will be good help for setting things up. I wish the two of you the best!

Thanks,

Aries52

[aries52 0]

Hello All,

I’m heading out for China within the next 2 weeks to get married and then start the K-3 process. Man, this is going to be a Holiday that we will never forget! I am more nervous about the forms than anything else. I have read and checked the forms and sample ones. I am going to go over what I believe is the process and also ask a lot of questions so here goes (I will start my time line when I get back):

1. For the interviews and the issuing of the visa, it will be in Guangzhou China.

2. After reading all of the information on the forms, I have the impression that I can file the following forms together to save a little time.

A. I-130 and fee of $355

B. I-129F and the fee of $455 with the G-325A.

C. Were does the I-134 (Affidavit of Support) fit in?

3. If I can file these together:

A. Does copy of the I-130 need to accompany the I-129F?

B. Does one need to submit separate sets of proof for the I-130 and I-129F

C. When sent together, must the 2 forms be physically separate with required proof(s)?

3. I read that since I live in Oregon, I send the I-130 to the Nebraska Service Center.

I then read that once this is processed and I am informed, I send the I-129F with the G-325A, with a copy of the I-130 to the California Service Center.

I also read that if I send both forms together I send it all to the Nebraska Center. Is this correct?

4. Miscellaneous information:

A. The Wife’s phone number: The number if called there or if it was called from USA? The wife’s cell or home phone?

B. Native alphabet in other words Chinese characters or written in English (Roman letters).

C. My day time phone number: Work or home?

D. Must you provide the full copy of the divorce or just the pages showing the termination?

E. Is it best to fully fill out everything even though it is said you do not have to (as with the I-129F)?

F. Last address we lived at: Hotel or here home address.

G. What evidence must I show that bona fides the marriage. Would a marriage certificate do?

I do thank all of you who can calm my nervous brain down. I have not been sleeping much the last few months.

Regards to All!

Aries52

Oh, where to start?

When filing an I-129F for spouse (K3) there is no fee.

I-134 comes much later, after petition approval.

If you file two petitions together you need to treat them as separate and then put them in the same envelope once each package is complete. Each petition requires separate G325a forms for each of you in quadruplicate, so you'll have a total of 4 in all, 16 pages.

The answer to your 3, a,b and c are in the paragraph above. Together means together, so together has no after or separate service centers. Send the package to California.

As of Dec 3 there are new instructions for filing "stand alone" I-130 forms. Together is not stand alone.

Native alphabet if other than Roman, means (for Chinese) Chinese characters.

Use any phone number you want. I'd use cell phone.

A certified copy of a divorce decree is generally a page with a seal and the vital statistics. You'll need this to get married in China, translated. Extra pages means extra translation fees.

Fill out everything.

They are asking where you resided together. The answer is probably that you didn't. Spending time in a hotel is not living (residing) together. Your residence is in the USA and hers is in China.

It is my opinion that newlyweds who have never lived in the same country need only provide a (China) Notarial translation of their marriage certificate. Get this at the nearest Gong Zheng Chu office. She'll get Notarial Birth Certificates etc. at the same place if not already.

Hi Pushbrk,

Thanks for the advise!

As for the fee on the I-129F, I have to do some more reading. I thought I came across this a while back but it did not click.

Into the unknown for me: So I will be getting more requests from the Service Center as in the I-134, are there other forms I will be getting and when does this happen?

I now understand each packet, even if sent together, are to be treated as seperate. As for each petition requiring separate G325A forms, I thought only the I-129F requires the set of two copies: mine and hers. I didn't know the I-130 requires this. I better check the new stand alone I-130 forms that are now in effect.

Or am I reading something different in this such as that I must send in two packets of each of the forms.

I read that one can use sticky labels such that she can write on these and I can apply them to the forms. This so?

Thanks to you I got the offical singles paper from the Chinese Consulate with the approriate seal proving I am single! A little expensive but well worth it. Do I still have to have the divorce decree translated (those pages with the vital statistics) to get married? If so, is this rather fast?

The service center, being here in Oregon means the California center. Interesting that it is not the Nebraska one as the forms said so. Thanks on this one!

Thank you again on pointing the direction. Maybe the Service Centers should hire you with the results of a lot of us being very happy and improved service. The hat is off to you!

Aries52

[James and Rachel 0]

Get also her passport type photos taken while you are there. Will save some time if you don't have to wait for them to be snail mailed. Most everything else you might need can be e-mail to you. My wife also did her NBI check early so I could submit the document with our petition.

Also take plenty of pictures together. We had a photographer and videographer do our wedding.

Jim

[pushbrk 12,822]

Hello All,

I’m heading out for China within the next 2 weeks to get married and then start the K-3 process. Man, this is going to be a Holiday that we will never forget! I am more nervous about the forms than anything else. I have read and checked the forms and sample ones. I am going to go over what I believe is the process and also ask a lot of questions so here goes (I will start my time line when I get back):

1. For the interviews and the issuing of the visa, it will be in Guangzhou China.

2. After reading all of the information on the forms, I have the impression that I can file the following forms together to save a little time.

A. I-130 and fee of $355

B. I-129F and the fee of $455 with the G-325A.

C. Were does the I-134 (Affidavit of Support) fit in?

3. If I can file these together:

A. Does copy of the I-130 need to accompany the I-129F?

B. Does one need to submit separate sets of proof for the I-130 and I-129F

C. When sent together, must the 2 forms be physically separate with required proof(s)?

3. I read that since I live in Oregon, I send the I-130 to the Nebraska Service Center.

I then read that once this is processed and I am informed, I send the I-129F with the G-325A, with a copy of the I-130 to the California Service Center.

I also read that if I send both forms together I send it all to the Nebraska Center. Is this correct?

4. Miscellaneous information:

A. The Wife’s phone number: The number if called there or if it was called from USA? The wife’s cell or home phone?

B. Native alphabet in other words Chinese characters or written in English (Roman letters).

C. My day time phone number: Work or home?

D. Must you provide the full copy of the divorce or just the pages showing the termination?

E. Is it best to fully fill out everything even though it is said you do not have to (as with the I-129F)?

F. Last address we lived at: Hotel or here home address.

G. What evidence must I show that bona fides the marriage. Would a marriage certificate do?

I do thank all of you who can calm my nervous brain down. I have not been sleeping much the last few months.

Regards to All!

Aries52

Oh, where to start?

When filing an I-129F for spouse (K3) there is no fee.

I-134 comes much later, after petition approval.

If you file two petitions together you need to treat them as separate and then put them in the same envelope once each package is complete. Each petition requires separate G325a forms for each of you in quadruplicate, so you'll have a total of 4 in all, 16 pages.

The answer to your 3, a,b and c are in the paragraph above. Together means together, so together has no after or separate service centers. Send the package to California.

As of Dec 3 there are new instructions for filing "stand alone" I-130 forms. Together is not stand alone.

Native alphabet if other than Roman, means (for Chinese) Chinese characters.

Use any phone number you want. I'd use cell phone.

A certified copy of a divorce decree is generally a page with a seal and the vital statistics. You'll need this to get married in China, translated. Extra pages means extra translation fees.

Fill out everything.

They are asking where you resided together. The answer is probably that you didn't. Spending time in a hotel is not living (residing) together. Your residence is in the USA and hers is in China.

It is my opinion that newlyweds who have never lived in the same country need only provide a (China) Notarial translation of their marriage certificate. Get this at the nearest Gong Zheng Chu office. She'll get Notarial Birth Certificates etc. at the same place if not already.

Hi Pushbrk,

Thanks for the advise!

As for the fee on the I-129F, I have to do some more reading. I thought I came across this a while back but it did not click.

Into the unknown for me: So I will be getting more requests from the Service Center as in the I-134, are there other forms I will be getting and when does this happen?

I now understand each packet, even if sent together, are to be treated as seperate. As for each petition requiring separate G325A forms, I thought only the I-129F requires the set of two copies: mine and hers. I didn't know the I-130 requires this. I better check the new stand alone I-130 forms that are now in effect.

Or am I reading something different in this such as that I must send in two packets of each of the forms.

I read that one can use sticky labels such that she can write on these and I can apply them to the forms. This so?

Thanks to you I got the offical singles paper from the Chinese Consulate with the approriate seal proving I am single! A little expensive but well worth it. Do I still have to have the divorce decree translated (those pages with the vital statistics) to get married? If so, is this rather fast?

The service center, being here in Oregon means the California center. Interesting that it is not the Nebraska one as the forms said so. Thanks on this one!

Thank you again on pointing the direction. Maybe the Service Centers should hire you with the results of a lot of us being very happy and improved service. The hat is off to you!

Aries52

You'll only get requests from the service center if you fail to include something. The I-134 is carried to the interview by the beneficiary.

G325a's for both petitoner and beneficiary are clearly listed as required forms in the I-130 instructions. Remember the G325a is a quadruplicate form. Downloaded forms will self fill the other 3 pages when the first is completed. This is the only form your wife signs. They will be virtually duplicate for each petition except your answer to the purpose the form is being submitted. Check "other" for both and write "I-130 for spouse" and "I-129F for spouse" respectively.

You send one complete I-130 petition with all supporting documentation and one complete I-129F with all supporting documentation. Treat them as if they were separate and then put them in the same envelope with a cover, cover letter indicating your proof of filing the I-130 is the I-130 itself in the same envelope.

The new I-130 is not available as of today but if I read "stand alone" correctly, it does not apply to you.

I used the stick labels on the G325a's for signatures but a better solution is to fill the forms online and get original signatures while you're there.

The form's instructions have not been updated but the policy changed in July and we have evidence filing directly with either California or Vermont will work very nicely.

The service centers couldn't afford me but thank you anyway.

[JenAlex 0]

Hi,

I mailed my I-130 to Nebraska. I didn't know they then forwarded those petitions to Cali. However, the USCIS has changed the mailing instructions so I would check their site for the latest information on address. Sending to the wrong place will just add some extra waiting time, which no one wants.

Congrats on the wedding! Try and remember to take in as much as you can on that day. It goes by so fast. I'm so glad I had a videographer and photographer there. I bawled through most of the ceremony so now I have that memory forever. haha