Proves we have met

[SabrinaFrance 8]

Hi, my American fiancé and I are starting the whole K1 process. We have been living together in France the last 2 years, as a result we have plenty of documentation (health insurance cards, joint bank account, apartement insurance contract...) where both of our names are mentionned. The only "problem" is that all those documents are in French, so we are wondering if we need to translate such documents or if a quick explanation of what they are is sufficient? (to send with I-129)

Is anybody in the same situation? what did you do?

Question about pictures of us now. We met back in 2005 so we have PLENTY of pictures of the both of us. I thought about sending 2 pics per year we were together, so about 10 total. My fiancé thinks we should send more. Then i read on the Guideline to send 2 to 5 pictures. What is your personal experience. The more the better? or it could actually be a bad thing to send too much with the 1st package?

Thanks in advance

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hi, my American fiancé and I are starting the whole K1 process. We have been living together in France the last 2 years, as a result we have plenty of documentation (health insurance cards, joint bank account, apartement insurance contract...) where both of our names are mentionned. The only "problem" is that all those documents are in French, so we are wondering if we need to translate such documents or if a quick explanation of what they are is sufficient? (to send with I-129)

Is anybody in the same situation? what did you do?

Question about pictures of us now. We met back in 2005 so we have PLENTY of pictures of the both of us. I thought about sending 2 pics per year we were together, so about 10 total. My fiancé thinks we should send more. Then i read on the Guideline to send 2 to 5 pictures. What is your personal experience. The more the better? or it could actually be a bad thing to send too much with the 1st package?

Thanks in advance

For the petition you need to prove you have met in person at least one time in the last two years before filing. This is no problem for you. I sent exactly ONE photo to prove we had met in person. Photos are NOT primary evidence and are worthless without other evidence. I used copies of boarding passes and passport stamps to prove I was where I said I was when I said we met. You could provide a copy of a lease, insurance papers, etc.

A couple of recent photos and evidence your fiance is in France will suffice. Any documets submitted to USCIS must be in English or have a translation. You can do the translation yourself, you must "certify" it is true and correct and that you are competent in both languages. You do this by attaching a statement that your are competent in both languages and that it is a true and correct translation, signing this statement and providing your name, address and phone number. Your fiancee, while it is OK to be living in France, must list a permanent US address on the petition (can be a relative, etc.) and must include a US mailing address. This address should be one where you can be sure the mail will be collected and relayed to your fiance.

If your fiance has been in France for (minimum) 6 months and you will be there together a while lonmger, consider instead the Direct Consulate Filing. DCF. Get married in France and do the DCF (much faster AND you get a green card right away). Read about it in the DCF forum or in the guides. If you rfiance has been in France for 4 months (for example), get married and waiut 2 more months to file the DCF, it will still be faster.

Bonne Chance!

[SabrinaFrance 8]

thank for your response. Unfortunately my fiancé is back in the States. We should have looked into this whole visa thing a couple months ago it would have saved us a lot of energy and time apart!

As he still has a permit to be in France till the end of December do you think we could get married here in France apply for me through the consulate in Paris for a DCF right away? or are they going to think we only got married to "move" me to the States?

Besides, does he need to stay in France for the whole process, or can he go back to the States after applying?

Last question, in case we choose this option and we are approved, how long can I wait after receiving the visa, and entering the USA?

[payxibka 10,045]

Hi, my American fiancé and I are starting the whole K1 process. We have been living together in France the last 2 years, as a result we have plenty of documentation (health insurance cards, joint bank account, apartement insurance contract...) where both of our names are mentionned. The only "problem" is that all those documents are in French, so we are wondering if we need to translate such documents or if a quick explanation of what they are is sufficient? (to send with I-129)

Is anybody in the same situation? what did you do?

Question about pictures of us now. We met back in 2005 so we have PLENTY of pictures of the both of us. I thought about sending 2 pics per year we were together, so about 10 total. My fiancé thinks we should send more. Then i read on the Guideline to send 2 to 5 pictures. What is your personal experience. The more the better? or it could actually be a bad thing to send too much with the 1st package?

Thanks in advance

Any evidence submitted to the USCIS that is in a language other than English needs to be accompanied by a translation. If it is not the evidence is or will be ignored

[SabrinaFrance 8]

How do I translate an health insurance card? Because it is basically a bunch of different ID numbers with our names and our birthdate. It just says I am the subscriber and he is the beneficiary.

When translating documents, should we reproduce the format of the original doc or just write a translation paragraph?

Sorry i am pretty confused and stressed about that.

[payxibka 10,045]

How do I translate an health insurance card? Because it is basically a bunch of different ID numbers with our names and our birthdate. It just says I am the subscriber and he is the beneficiary.

When translating documents, should we reproduce the format of the original doc or just write a translation paragraph?

Sorry i am pretty confused and stressed about that.

How does insurance cards prove you have met in person? All it proves is you have insurance together....

[SabrinaFrance 8]

Well from my point of you all the insurances (health and appartment) paper work proved that we lived together as it shows the same address for the both of us. Dont you think it is primarely evidence?

We also intend to send the boarding passes from this summer when we travelled to the States (+ stamps from passports + one picture)

We also have a sales contract of a trip we took to Tunisia together in 2008 (+stamps from passports + one picture).

Paperwork from his school in Paris + commencement invitation to his graduation + one picture of us at his graduation.

Banking info from our joint account in France

Banking info from our joint account in the States

I understand that bank accoun info isnt necessary proof that we met within the last 2 years. But all the other evidences stated above should make it, dont you think?

It is crazy, we have been living together for 2 years but there is no way for the officer to be 100% sure.

We are considering sending more pictures (printed by Kodak so with the date stamped in the back), up to how many should we send?

[EasternDE 35]

Paris Ambassy doesn't allow students to make a DCF.

http://france.usembassy.gov/iv-filingparis.html

Dang.

Welcome

[SabrinaFrance 8]

Paris Ambassy doesn't allow students to make a DCF.

http://france.usembassy.gov/iv-filingparis.html

Dang.

Welcome

I've answered your MP, but here we go we have our answer! so no regret for not getting married in France Looks like we will be going through the K1 adventure!

[Jauque 1]

I didn't include any pictures with my I-129f (except for the passport pictures) and we got approved without a hitch. Think long and hard about what your sending and what you're translating. Pick a few pictures (ie. 2 or 3) and then pick only the really convincing supporting documents more specifically...

Flight itineraries

Boarding Passes

Passport Stamps

Phone Bills (Especially if you both had phones registered to you in France at the same time, that would be dynomite imo)

E-Mails

Transcripts showing you attended the same school at the same time

It doesn't need to be 3 lbs to make a point.

Best of luck!

Edit : He can visit you in the US if he has a Visitor's Visa and can establish ties to home.

Edited July 20, 2009 by Jauque

[rachbel 2]

I didn't include any pictures with my I-129f (except for the passport pictures) and we got approved without a hitch. Think long and hard about what your sending and what you're translating. Pick a few pictures (ie. 2 or 3) and then pick only the really convincing supporting documents more specifically...

Flight itineraries

Boarding Passes

Passport Stamps

Phone Bills (Especially if you both had phones registered to you in France at the same time, that would be dynomite imo)

E-Mails

Transcripts showing you attended the same school at the same time

It doesn't need to be 3 lbs to make a point.

Best of luck!

Edit : He can visit you in the US if he has a Visitor's Visa and can establish ties to home.

Hi,

you do not need to translate Insurance card or rental receipt or things like that which proves you liv together, the USCIS want translation for your birthcertifcate and your police recors that is all they need from you besides any previous divorce decree. Bonne chance et soyez la bienvenue au USA.

[rachbel 2]

How do I translate an health insurance card? Because it is basically a bunch of different ID numbers with our names and our birthdate. It just says I am the subscriber and he is the beneficiary.

When translating documents, should we reproduce the format of the original doc or just write a translation paragraph?

Sorry i am pretty confused and stressed about that.

DO NOT STRESS I THINK PEAPLE ARE CONFUSED, uscis never ask for insurance card translation or any other proof of your bonafides, the USCIS ASK FOR birthcertificate, police and judicial records translation and previous divorce translation, That`s all , this was my worry too but my fiancee caleed the immigration officer and he explained her this issue.Take it easy, Bonne chance, je veux voir le Louvre bientot.

[brlukath 1]

PLEASE translate anything that is not in English that is provided with the I-129F petition. The directions and USCIS policy state CLEARLY that all foreign documents must be translated. Anyone who says otherwise is just wrong. (Read the form and you will be able to confirm.)

Now, you are not required to provide things like insurance cards etc. However, if you do, TRANSLATE them. You should explore this site more for people's opinions on how much (i.e. 3 lbs) or how little (i.e. bare min.) evidence should be provided with the I-129F petition.

Note: I imagine that, at the stage of applying for the K-1 visa (i.e. after the I-129F petition is approved), the relevant consulate in France will accept documents either in French or English. You should check their website to confirm. At the I-129F stage, however, you have no way of knowing whether the particular officer reviewing your SO's I-129F will speak/read French. Moreoever, you may annoy him/her if you fail to follow the clear instructions stating that all non-English documentation should be translated.

[AminM 0]

Hi, my American fiancé and I are starting the whole K1 process. We have been living together in France the last 2 years, as a result we have plenty of documentation (health insurance cards, joint bank account, apartement insurance contract...) where both of our names are mentionned. The only "problem" is that all those documents are in French, so we are wondering if we need to translate such documents or if a quick explanation of what they are is sufficient? (to send with I-129)

Is anybody in the same situation? what did you do?

Question about pictures of us now. We met back in 2005 so we have PLENTY of pictures of the both of us. I thought about sending 2 pics per year we were together, so about 10 total. My fiancé thinks we should send more. Then i read on the Guideline to send 2 to 5 pictures. What is your personal experience. The more the better? or it could actually be a bad thing to send too much with the 1st package?

Thanks in advance

Hi Sabrina,

Are you a French citizen? If you have a French passport, then you don't have a visa problem. When you move to U.S. just get married and apply for change of status on your visa. That way you can skip all this K1 process.

Unless the law changed since last year. My friend married a German citizen here and she just changed her tourist visa to permenant resident.

Good luck,