Help in Filling out I-129F Paperwork for Iraqi Fiance

[aroosah110 0]

Hi,

I just called the INS hotline today and they really couldn't answer a lot of my questions. Apologies in advance if these issues have been addressed in another thread.

I am an American citizen engaged to an Iraqi living in Syria.

I am wondering what name to put on his biographical data form (G325A) and on the I 129F itself. In Iraq, they put your grandfather's name on your passport as your last name, but his family name is obviously not his grandfather's first name. Should I put his actual family name in the family name box and then put the name that is on his passport (and maybe other official documents, I don't know) in the other names used box? Also, what about his mother and father? The names he gave me are the Arab way of doing it as stated above - first name, father's name as middle name, grandfather's name as last name...but his parents are cousins so they have the same family name...so I'm confused about what to put!

He is basically a self-employed craftsman but he gets work from various business owners, street vendors and tourists so I'm not sure what do put down for his employer. Maybe his largest customers?

As far as using the passport to prove my citizenship, do I need to make copies of every page - including blank pages and the pages with writing on them that are issued with the passport?

Do I need a specific approved translator for his documents or can I use my Arabic teacher and give proof of her credentials? Would it be better for me to just tell him what to say and for him to write in English? Of course, this could backfire at the interview stage when they say, wait a minute, what happened to your English skills? hhhhh.

I have a one year gap in my employment, but I was a student at the time. Do I just put none or student at such and such college?

Regarding the letter stating how we met, etc. what needs to be in this letter? Also, isn't there a letter of intent to marry that we both need to write? What should be in this letter?

As for evidence of meeting, I have a dated passport stamp for Syria, two pictures of us together (though I made paper copies on my printer, I think it's better to have a real photo so I'm going to try to make photos from the CD I have), an e-mail from my mother and one from my friend with both asking me about Syria and expressing excitment that I met my fiance, and the letter as mentioned above.

Do I also have to prove evidence of relationship? How?

One of the only questions I got answered is that he can't fax his documents but has to mail them to me. This would delay our application a while but I guess there is no way around it.

I was told that I cannot go to the field office in person and submit my paperwork. Is this true? Does it work any faster to submit an online application? Would this possibly curtail the possible long wait time from receiving mail from Syria?

Also which of his official documents do we need in the future...for the interview, for daily life and school...here in America?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hi,

I just called the INS hotline today and they really couldn't answer a lot of my questions. Apologies in advance if these issues have been addressed in another thread.

I am an American citizen engaged to an Iraqi living in Syria.

I am wondering what name to put on his biographical data form (G325A) and on the I 129F itself. In Iraq, they put your grandfather's name on your passport as your last name, but his family name is obviously not his grandfather's first name. Should I put his actual family name in the family name box and then put the name that is on his passport (and maybe other official documents, I don't know) in the other names used box? Also, what about his mother and father? The names he gave me are the Arab way of doing it as stated above - first name, father's name as middle name, grandfather's name as last name...but his parents are cousins so they have the same family name...so I'm confused about what to put!

He is basically a self-employed craftsman but he gets work from various business owners, street vendors and tourists so I'm not sure what do put down for his employer. Maybe his largest customers?

As far as using the passport to prove my citizenship, do I need to make copies of every page - including blank pages and the pages with writing on them that are issued with the passport?

Do I need a specific approved translator for his documents or can I use my Arabic teacher and give proof of her credentials? Would it be better for me to just tell him what to say and for him to write in English? Of course, this could backfire at the interview stage when they say, wait a minute, what happened to your English skills? hhhhh.

I have a one year gap in my employment, but I was a student at the time. Do I just put none or student at such and such college?

Regarding the letter stating how we met, etc. what needs to be in this letter? Also, isn't there a letter of intent to marry that we both need to write? What should be in this letter?

As for evidence of meeting, I have a dated passport stamp for Syria, two pictures of us together (though I made paper copies on my printer, I think it's better to have a real photo so I'm going to try to make photos from the CD I have), an e-mail from my mother and one from my friend with both asking me about Syria and expressing excitment that I met my fiance, and the letter as mentioned above.

Do I also have to prove evidence of relationship? How?

One of the only questions I got answered is that he can't fax his documents but has to mail them to me. This would delay our application a while but I guess there is no way around it.

I was told that I cannot go to the field office in person and submit my paperwork. Is this true? Does it work any faster to submit an online application? Would this possibly curtail the possible long wait time from receiving mail from Syria?

Also which of his official documents do we need in the future...for the interview, for daily life and school...here in America?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance!

Most all of your questions are answered in the guides above. rather than try to paraphrase them or cut and paste them for you...read them. They were carefully prepared and are better than anything I can do to answer your questions.

In general...read carefully, interpret literally. There really are no tricks. If it says ALL pages of your passport, it MEANS all pages. No tricks. Blank pages? Yes, ALL pages. Birth certificate front and back, even if the back is blank...means exactly that. Post your name question in the MENA forum where you will get more pertinent answers.

there are no online petitions and no way to "take them" to the VSC or CSC where petitions are filed. You do not file petitions at local offices. There is no need to Fedex this. This process, in the consulates you are dealing with, is going to take MANY months, probably more than year (again the MENA forum can give better estimates) and cutting a few days in mail time will make no difference in the long run.

the "INS hotline" commonly referred to as the "misinformation line" is staffed by contract phone answerers that have a menu of answers. You ask a question, they choose the answer most closely matching. It is rather useless. If you stop calling them, you will be less frustrated and maybe congress will close it down and save our tax dollars. USCIS does not do business by telephone. Just saying, you will have enough frustration in this process, don't add more to it, even though it is a free call.

[CassandraHaydar 0]

If you look at the guides and still have outstanding questions, I'd be happy to help.