Letters from Family in support of Relationship

[catknit 144]

Here's my latest conundrum - To help shore up our case at the interveiw I'm requesting that each of my immediate family members write a letter showing they are aware/approve of my relationship.

I was thinking something along the lines of:

I, (fam member's name), (relationship) to Milo75, would like to show my support of the K1 visa for Milo75's SO. Milo75 and Milo75's SO have a true and legitimate relationship and will fulfill all terms of the visa once issued.

Signed and notarized....

I don't know - short and to the point seems to make the most sense to me but maybe they should wax away poetic about our relationship? There is no engagement ceremony to list [like a time/date/location]. We're a little unorthodox - no big confab with my family about permission to marry. This seems maybe too barebones??

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[YuAndDan 153]

There are example ones under lifting of conditions located in the example forms, they can be used as templates.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...p;page=examples

I have yet to see someone post the consulate ask for or use this in K-1 cases though.

[Marina-Del 10]

This is solely, solely my opinion so please take it as that! And perhaps others will totally disagree with my opinion but here is my two sense!

Letters from your family are not required of course, but it is not a bad idea to include them anyway. However, you say that you want your immediate family members to write one -how many family members is that? I wouldn't submit more than 5 letters (and even that may be too many)??

I would also suggest that each family member does not sign the same thing. I think that your idea of short and to the point is right, but if everyone is signing the same thing I do not think it will have as big of an impact as if there were different letters from each person. Because if you think about it from the interviewers point of view, these are your family members and they would probably sign whatever you wanted them too! My point in saying that is that perhaps if it is a more personal, individual letter, it will look more like they meant what they are saying?? Maybe???

It is good for the letter to mention their relationship to you but maybe to include 1-2 sentences about how you and your SO seemed really happy together when they saw you or something? Or, your parents might include something about how they have never seen you so happy or some random thing like that. I mean I agree with you in that you probably shouldn't make it too lovey-dovey and soppy, but just a little something to make it more personal.

I applied for a K-1 visa 2 years ago and my SO and I at the time decided to cancel the visa literally days after his visa was approved (crazy situation...). But point is, I did not include any letters from my family and we were approved. I don't think letters from them is a bad idea, but it is definitely not needed.

Again, just my opinion!

Good luck!

Marina

[catknit 144]

After reading about some of things happening at the New Delhi consulate and the fact that we didn't have an engagement ceremony [which is pretty traditional in India] I'm trying to head off all potential problems before hand.

Additionally, we've only met once. Unfortunately I have a somewhat typical job that only affords a little time a year for vacation time and have used it on my first visit. I'm not sure I will be able to be at the interview.

I'd rather not deal with the CO thinking we don't have a bona fide relationship - I have approximately 10 people [family and friends] who are willing to write letters detailing and recogonizing our relationship. If this will save us time and heartache, I'd like to do it.

[pushbrk 12,994]

After reading about some of things happening at the New Delhi consulate and the fact that we didn't have an engagement ceremony [which is pretty traditional in India] I'm trying to head off all potential problems before hand.

Additionally, we've only met once. Unfortunately I have a somewhat typical job that only affords a little time a year for vacation time and have used it on my first visit. I'm not sure I will be able to be at the interview.

I'd rather not deal with the CO thinking we don't have a bona fide relationship - I have approximately 10 people [family and friends] who are willing to write letters detailing and recogonizing our relationship. If this will save us time and heartache, I'd like to do it.

I think 10 is far too many but I tend to agree with your reasoning based on your specific case and Consulate. I'd put a higher priority on letters from any who have actually met her.

[Marina-Del 10]

Yeah, after reading what you said, I think it might be a good idea for you to submit letters. But I also agree with the post above that 10 is far too many...maximum 5 I would say.

But again, I do think especially in this case that putting something more personal for each person in the letters would be helpful, again as said above, especially by those people who have met them and seen both of you together.

Good Luck!

[catknit 144]

Oh if only my life were that simple...no one's met him [well, other than me obviously]. Via chatting/webcam/phone - yes, he's met the parents. But - in the flesh - just me. Not too suprisingly, no one wanted to go to India with me on my first trip. And getting a tourist visa to the US isn't super easy in India. Eventually, we're hoping to convince my parents to go over for a visit.

I'm thinking of using my sister, my dad, and 2 close friends. All know the ins and outs of our relationship.

Should I use the affidavit form like found on the AOS guide or would a notarized letter suffice?

[Marina-Del 10]

I don't know the answer to your question about using the form or writing a letter...but do have your family mention that they have spoken to him on the phone. Even if they haven't met him, showing that your family has a relationship with him as well as you can't hurt!

Good luck!

[pushbrk 12,994]

Oh if only my life were that simple...no one's met him [well, other than me obviously]. Via chatting/webcam/phone - yes, he's met the parents. But - in the flesh - just me. Not too suprisingly, no one wanted to go to India with me on my first trip. And getting a tourist visa to the US isn't super easy in India. Eventually, we're hoping to convince my parents to go over for a visit.

I'm thinking of using my sister, my dad, and 2 close friends. All know the ins and outs of our relationship.

Should I use the affidavit form like found on the AOS guide or would a notarized letter suffice?

I'd take some screen shots of your webcam chats showing your family talking to him and his to you if possible and use them to support the letters. Letters should also mention meeting on the webcam.

[TBoneTX 45,594]

In my circumstances particularly, two former consular officers -- and two attorneys -- considered letters from family and friends "a good idea" or "a very good idea" to supply.

They need not be notarized, but they should absolutely include methods by which to contact the writers (e-mail addresses, phone numbers).

My fiancee had no visa and therefore no way to visit the U.S. and meet any of my family or friends. My people therefore wrote letters (in their own words) to attest to the duration and strength of my relationship with her, in accordance with all of the knowledge that they honestly had. Some knew more details, some not as much. The only information that I provided to the writers was the correct spelling of my fiancee's full name and the date when the relationship began. I ended up with 15 letters.

The attorneys (one of whom used to be a consular officer) said that "several" letters from my (U.S.) people would be sufficient, but to minimize the number of letters from HER people, because too many could lend the impression that the writers were angling for eventual permission to come to the U.S., too. Therefore, my fiancee collected three letters -- two from relatives, one from a friend -- from three of the cities where we were all together in person. These letters were brief and somewhat formal, entitled "Certificado" and with text to the effect of "I attest that T. & C. were together in my presence on X date(s), and that their relationship is serious and genuine."

Technically, NO such letters are REQUIRED to be included in an I-129f submission. I strongly urge that a FEW (two or three good ones) BE included. This is so that the embassy has this information up front, and so that the embassy knows that DHS (USCIS) has seen it. This extra step could very well prevent your loved one from being kicked out of a first interview -- or from being refused a visa outright -- due to consular claims of "lack of proof of valid relationship." I wish to high heaven that I had known and done this -- and so do other VJers.

Even if your embassy has typically handed out visas like popsicles, be acutely aware that consular personnel, conditions, and policies can change OVERNIGHT and WITHOUT WARNING. Except in the rarest of instances, consular decisions are FINAL. Decisions can depend (more than we know!) on what kind of day the officer is having. It therefore behooves us to protect ourselves in advance to the extent possible. Including two or three letters in the I-129f submission is an easy way to do so.

If any of these letters can head off a potential "red flag," so much the better. An example would be to have your boss write a letter to state why your visits to your fiance(e)'s country could last only four or five days -- the reason being that you work in a small office with tight production schedules, or whatever applies. If the consul already has this letter when he/she gets the I-129f package, he/she cannot question this issue or (it's hoped) throw your fiance(e) out of the interview without consideration.

Of course, the great number of these testimonial letters should be taken to the visa interview, with fresher dates on them, for presentation to the consul... if he/she is interested in accepting "proof of valid relationship" at all.

Avoid deciding for yourself how "strong" or "valid" your relationship is without these letters, because your perception means nothing. Only the judgment of the consular officer counts.