Too Much "Stuff" for Interview

[JoBri 548]

I am getting all the stuff together for interview. I have a copy each of I-129F and I-130 in seperate 3-ring binders. I have a photo album I made, documenting our life together. I have a large binder with 1,000,000 words of most all our text messaging. I have a binder with our emails in it. I have a binder with all the phone bills for last 2 years and the times I called her highlighted in yellow. I got the proof... I dont want to leave anything out. Will they let her take a small suitcase on wheels into the embassy, to haul all our stuff? Am just wondering about that, how she will get it all there.

Brian in Tennessee

[Chuck and Grace 0]

I am getting all the stuff together for interview. I have a copy each of I-129F and I-130 in seperate 3-ring binders. I have a photo album I made, documenting our life together. I have a large binder with 1,000,000 words of most all our text messaging. I have a binder with our emails in it. I have a binder with all the phone bills for last 2 years and the times I called her highlighted in yellow. I got the proof... I dont want to leave anything out. Will they let her take a small suitcase on wheels into the embassy, to haul all our stuff? Am just wondering about that, how she will get it all there.

Brian in Tennessee

Honestly, I dont think all that is necessary. Did you send in that much stuff when you applied for NOA1?

All you need to prove is ON-GOING relationship from the time of Application until now.

A few pages of texts, emails, or whatever. Any evidence that you have saw her since then - especially plane tickets, hotel receipts, etc. and a few pictures. They just need to make sure the relationship is real, not know your life story. I dont think they will look at all that anyway.

So my suggestion is: The I-129 and I-130 binders, a few recent photos (if you dont have recent ones since filing, a few older ones), Reduce the texts and phone bills to just since you applied and even only select a few pages of texts from various times. But I would add other evidence (like copy of your passport with stamp for visit), Hotel receipts, something to prove you were there.

I think Main proof of having a relationship is already done for approval process. You just now need to show proof of on-going relationship.

[Y's_habibitk 2]

Im glad Im not the only one who is a lil obsessive about getting proof together

i have manila folders with acco clips and all, cover sheets to tell what is where. oh my

good luck on her interview!!

[pushbrk 13,124]

Somebody familiar with interviews in Manila can confirm but generally binders are not adviseable, since they cannot be passed through the available space. Generally, I recommend examples of communication evidence spread over the duration of the relationship. If you've got more than a three inch stack of papers with you, I'd cut it down and use folders or envelopes to organize it instead of binders.

[Y's_habibitk 2]

Good point about the 3 ring binders...

[rebeccajo 14]

I thought they made three ring binders in thicknesses as little as one-inch.

[Y's_habibitk 2]

I thought they made three ring binders in thicknesses as little as one-inch.

they do, but I think folders would be better since they are "bendable"

[rebeccajo 14]

I thought they made three ring binders in thicknesses as little as one-inch.

they do, but I think folders would be better since they are "bendable"

*shrugs*

Well, I think what really matters is you are organized and have enough ammunition.

This is one reason I think anecdotal experience is valuable to newer readers. This process is hard and it's pretty easy to get worked up over. It's also pretty easy to imagine that the people who will make the decisions about our lives (US Government employees) are a bunch of hardball players whose goal is to turn us down. I think it's important for those of us who have 'gone before' the rest of you to try and assure you your 'nightmares' are manageable.

I rolled a wheelie-case into the London consulate. It went through the same security checks as luggage. It contained several three ring binders of various evidence - each document was in plastic sleeves. Anything the CO asked for we had at the ready. Our officer commented on our organization and said he appreciated it.

BTW - we used the same wheelie case when we went to adjustment of status. Different evidence that time but organized similarly. After the AOS interview, we did 'downsize' our evidence stash. We shredded duplicate copies of petitions, etc. We do still keep a file box in the basement of all our petitions, etc. In our firebox, we keep a one-inch ring binder of every official document issued along the way of our process - NOA's, appointment letters with the government, etc. All these are in plastic sleeves for preservation. Our birth certificates and passports are also stored in that notebook.

[pushbrk 13,124]

I thought they made three ring binders in thicknesses as little as one-inch.

they do, but I think folders would be better since they are "bendable"

Many Consulates are set up like sucure banks in the interview areas. Bending is the key to those setups.

[himher 634]

We did what you are doing for the interview - sent in the minimum for the I130/I129F package and brought tons of stuff to the interview. Everything we had was organized in folders. My wife carried a big bag with an organizer holding all of the labelled folders. As was pointed out you want to be able to pull anything out and slip the applicable folder under the slot at the interview window - so arrange it so it can be passed through a small space.

Good luck to you!

I am getting all the stuff together for interview. I have a copy each of I-129F and I-130 in seperate 3-ring binders. I have a photo album I made, documenting our life together. I have a large binder with 1,000,000 words of most all our text messaging. I have a binder with our emails in it. I have a binder with all the phone bills for last 2 years and the times I called her highlighted in yellow. I got the proof... I dont want to leave anything out. Will they let her take a small suitcase on wheels into the embassy, to haul all our stuff? Am just wondering about that, how she will get it all there.

Brian in Tennessee

[SunDrop 59]

So separate your evidence into categories and then put each category into a plastic wallet, that you keep in the ring binder...

That way, they ask for your proof of income, unclip the plastic wallet with that and slide it through. Photos? Hey presto!

Also worth having a sample folder and a back up more proof folder. And when you hand it over, tell them "here's a sample, but I have more with me if you would like to see it."

[rebeccajo 14]

So separate your evidence into categories and then put each category into a plastic wallet, that you keep in the ring binder...

That way, they ask for your proof of income, unclip the plastic wallet with that and slide it through. Photos? Hey presto!

Also worth having a sample folder and a back up more proof folder. And when you hand it over, tell them "here's a sample, but I have more with me if you would like to see it."

More than one way to kill a cat, as they say.

[himher 634]

You better not let LaL and company hear you talk like that, this will turn into

So separate your evidence into categories and then put each category into a plastic wallet, that you keep in the ring binder...

That way, they ask for your proof of income, unclip the plastic wallet with that and slide it through. Photos? Hey presto!

Also worth having a sample folder and a back up more proof folder. And when you hand it over, tell them "here's a sample, but I have more with me if you would like to see it."

More than one way to kill a cat, as they say.

[rebeccajo 14]

You better not let LaL and company hear you talk like that, this will turn into

So separate your evidence into categories and then put each category into a plastic wallet, that you keep in the ring binder...

That way, they ask for your proof of income, unclip the plastic wallet with that and slide it through. Photos? Hey presto!

Also worth having a sample folder and a back up more proof folder. And when you hand it over, tell them "here's a sample, but I have more with me if you would like to see it."

More than one way to kill a cat, as they say.

Awwwwwwwwww.

LaL and company are presently on a road trip.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Kito.

[TBoneTX 46,166]

BTW - we used the same wheelie case when we went to adjustment of status. Different evidence that time but organized similarly. After the AOS interview, we did 'downsize' our evidence stash. We shredded duplicate copies of petitions, etc. We do still keep a file box in the basement of all our petitions, etc. In our firebox, we keep a one-inch ring binder of every official document issued along the way of our process - NOA's, appointment letters with the government, etc. All these are in plastic sleeves for preservation. Our birth certificates and passports are also stored in that notebook.

These are very good ideas.

It's also pretty easy to imagine that the people who will make the decisions about our lives (US Government employees) are a bunch of hardball players whose goal is to turn us down.

True, and at least in the high-volume embassies (where the best consular personnel are assigned) and in other well-run consulates, this worry will largely be a straw dog. As a glaring exception -- and I say this from personal experience, first-hand observation of the experience of others, and continuous & intense counseling of others both on & off VJ for 8 months now -- the consulate in Guayaquil, Ecuador does have the goal of turning people down. I would stand before anyone in the world and say this. Everyone going through there should beware. If you haven't yet filed your I-129F or I-130 with USCIS, front-load your application with nearly every shred of "evidence of relationship" that you can muster, whether your case harbors potential red flags or not. And, even if you are on your deathbed, you must attend your fiance/e's first interview, regardless of what anyone or the consulate itself may say. There are no exceptions.

Otherwise, I hope and trust for everyone's sake that RJ's stated perspective is accurate, and I believe that it is.