Question about notarizing the timeline for interview

[Tyrobe 1]

For those that already went through the process, how did you notarize your timeline sheets, provided it's more than one page? Just the front page, last page or get the notarized stamp into each page? I'm going on a vacation to see my wife soon, and I'm planning to give her much of the documents in preparation for the interview this summer. Thanks in advance!

[PeterFB 0]

For those that already went through the process, how did you notarize your timeline sheets, provided it's more than one page? Just the front page, last page or get the notarized stamp into each page? I'm going on a vacation to see my wife soon, and I'm planning to give her much of the documents in preparation for the interview this summer. Thanks in advance!

Tyrobe

The timelines I submitted weren't notarized and they didn't ask us to. I did notarized the I-134 per the instructions. The notary I used only notarized the I-134 (not the tax transcripts or other supporting docs in the I-134). He himself has gone thru this process and said he has done it many times for others going thru this process. The only thing he can notarize is your signature, not that the information is correct so once is enough per document according to him. (BTW I live in California so notary laws might differ from state to state).

I would think you would sign the timeline in front of a notary at the end of the timeline and if that was 3 pages long, for example, he would place his stamp on the third page next to your signature.

Peter and Thi

I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26

I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11

I-129F RFE(s) :

RFE Reply(s) :

I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26

Touched: 2007-11-02

NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16

Consulate recieved ??????

Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11

Packet 3 received 2007-12-24

Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28

Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14

Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23

Interview Date 2008-2-27

Passed Interview 2008-02-27

Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05

Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier)

POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles

Wedding 2008-4-26

Edited May 9, 2008 by PeterFB

[Tyrobe 1]

In that case, I'll just print our timeline without notarization. I'm currently organizing my stuff for the interview and I'll post it for comments soon. Thanks!

[STL_HCMC 0]

I don't believe that we notarized timelines either.

STL_HCMC

[Melrose Plant 1]

There has been a lot of talk lately about do you notarize the timeline or not? Some say you MUST have it notarized, some say not. They didn't even look at ours. The best I can come up with is, if you are in VN in person for the interview, you don't need to have the timeline notarized. If you are not, then it needs to be notarized. But none of this stuff makes any logical sense to me anyway.

[PeterFB 0]

I think it's more of the Consulate Officer you get and whether or not they believe or understand your relationship developement. If I remember correctly, several people had to submit notarized timelines because the Consulate asked for a timeline (even in cases where they had already submitted a timeline) so there isn't any logic or standard rules, just how the Consulate feels about your case.

Peter and Thi

I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26

I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11

I-129F RFE(s) :

RFE Reply(s) :

I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26

Touched: 2007-11-02

NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16

Consulate recieved ??????

Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11

Packet 3 received 2007-12-24

Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28

Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14

Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23

Interview Date 2008-2-27

Passed Interview 2008-02-27

Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05

Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier)

POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles

Wedding 2008-4-26

[Rodney n. 0]

as far as your time line what did you have? on mine i have things like airplane tickets and any evidence that i traveled to vn. we put copy of visa and a copy of the flight schedule from the travel agency. any other things to add?

rodney

[Dau_Que 0]

I can't tell you what to put on your Timeline, nor a standard formula to do it correctly. But I can tell you what I put on mine (after my wife got the Blue slip in her first interview and was requested to submit a Timeline by the CO).

I put everything in chronological order, from oldest, when we first knew each other, to the newest, my last trip to Vietnam being with my wife. I write about four paragraphs, each about a major event such as first time meeting each other in person, the Engagement Ceremony, and I emphasized on the Engagement event.

At the end of the Timeline, I detailed every single day of my trips to VN. Example: May 01, 2007 - I went to XYZ with my wife........Feb 31, 2007, The Engagement Ceremony. You get the picture.

Last but not least, don't forget to have your Timeline notarized!

Regardless you've submitted your Timeline with your I-129F, they'll ask you to resubmit it. So be prepared and have it ready for your loved one over there. Otherwise, FedEx will smile at your pocket!

[chuckandkim 0]

For folks who think they need to notarize everything, do you understand the purpose of public notary and the extend power of it?

Why do you believe you must notarize your "timeline"? What purpose does it serve? How would it help your case?

If you try to answer these questions, the conclusion would probably be: no use!

Public Notary serves only one purpose no matter how you try to twist it: "I, XYZ, see with my own eyes the person whose signature here did sign the piece of paper, and I verify his ID to make sure it matches his name" Done! nothing more!

[Teacher Mark 53]

For folks who think they need to notarize everything, do you understand the purpose of public notary and the extend power of it?

Why do you believe you must notarize your "timeline"? What purpose does it serve? How would it help your case?

If you try to answer these questions, the conclusion would probably be: no use!

Public Notary serves only one purpose no matter how you try to twist it: "I, XYZ, see with my own eyes the person whose signature here did sign the piece of paper, and I verify his ID to make sure it matches his name" Done! nothing more!

My question is do the C.O's or the employees at HCMC know? 50 percent of this process makes no sense, so why would it surprise you that people think they need everything notarized? As sure as you don't do it they will ask for it (or something else) to be. Then the response is typically "They can't do that". Well evidently they can, because they just did. Better safe than sorry in my opinion.

[PeterFB 0]

My question is do the C.O's or the employees at HCMC know? 50 percent of this process makes no sense, so why would it surprise you that people think they need everything notarized? As sure as you don't do it they will ask for it (or something else) to be. Then the response is typically "They can't do that". Well evidently they can, because they just did. Better safe than sorry in my opinion.

While it does seem they make it up as the go along. It appears that if you are required to submit additional evidence because you got a blue slip, then the Consulate may require the documents to be notarized. The reason for this, I think, is that HCMC has a lot of faud cases so they want to make sure the signature is the petitioner's and was done by the petitioner. If you submit the your case properly, you only have to notarize your I-134 form, nothing else (in the case of K1 visas, I don't know about others). In my case as many of the other VJs who have gotten pinks on the first try, there wasn't any need to notarize a timeline or other documents.

Also I think it's most important that what you submit to USCIS is as airtight and perfect according to the instructions and guidelines here and at other visa sites. Most blue slips seem to be caused by not following or understanding the instructions and the HCMC Consulate mindset. Many people are afraid to ask the Consulate questions, don't be, as US Residents/Citizens they are working for us. They will answer your questions (even if it sometimes takes a few tries......) and if you use email, you will have a paper trail to use at the interview, if needed. In my emails with them, they have told me to keep all copies of emails in case they are needed so they do try to be fair and senseable....

Peter and Thi

I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26

I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11

I-129F RFE(s) :

RFE Reply(s) :

I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26

Touched: 2007-11-02

NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16

Consulate recieved ??????

Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11

Packet 3 received 2007-12-24

Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28

Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14

Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23

Interview Date 2008-2-27

Passed Interview 2008-02-27

Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05

Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier)

POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles

Wedding 2008-4-26

[Dau_Que 0]

For folks who think they need to notarize everything, do you understand the purpose of public notary and the extend power of it?

Why do you believe you must notarize your "timeline"? What purpose does it serve? How would it help your case?

If you try to answer these questions, the conclusion would probably be: no use!

Public Notary serves only one purpose no matter how you try to twist it: "I, XYZ, see with my own eyes the person whose signature here did sign the piece of paper, and I verify his ID to make sure it matches his name" Done! nothing more!

In my last answer, I was referring to my specific case, in which my wife was asked in the Blue slip to submit a "notarized" Timeline. It was NOT my idea nor creative thinking. It is a "MUST" do. I simply wanna save you the hassle to spend at least $40 to Fedex your new "notarized" Timeline, in the event one is requested by the US CO in SG.

PS. My bank provides free notary service. So for me, why not?

[Tyrobe 1]

For folks who think they need to notarize everything, do you understand the purpose of public notary and the extend power of it?

Why do you believe you must notarize your "timeline"? What purpose does it serve? How would it help your case?

If you try to answer these questions, the conclusion would probably be: no use!

Public Notary serves only one purpose no matter how you try to twist it: "I, XYZ, see with my own eyes the person whose signature here did sign the piece of paper, and I verify his ID to make sure it matches his name" Done! nothing more!

In my last answer, I was referring to my specific case, in which my wife was asked in the Blue slip to submit a "notarized" Timeline. It was NOT my idea nor creative thinking. It is a "MUST" do. I simply wanna save you the hassle to spend at least $40 to Fedex your new "notarized" Timeline, in the event one is requested by the US CO in SG.

PS. My bank provides free notary service. So for me, why not?

Thanks Phong for the info. It seems that the Blue slip requests the timeline to have a notarized signature of the author. Otherwise it's just optional. Anyway, I might get a notarization on the first page to make it easy if I need to edit the timeline later on.