Is there such a thing as Too Much Information?

[Sockmonkey 0]

Kind member Morocco4ever just mentioned in another thread that there are certain "red flags" that might complicate the process, including meeting the SO on the internet or if "sponsor knows family of applicant".

Hmmm. Well, I did meet my husband on the internet. But to help prove it's the real deal, we have letters from both families detailing our meeting(s), photos of us with each other's families, and proof that we got married in my parents' home. We also have correspondence between he and my mother, and me and his mother and sister-in-law.

And jeez ... "sponsor knows family of applicant" ? I would hope they would want me to know his family if I legitimately married the guy!

Are you better off if you include more information/documents than they need, or does it bog down your file and slow the processing? I would be more likely to give them too much information than not enough, but I am curious to know when that works for me and when it works against.

[Jersey Girl 2]

Before you get bogged down in details, you need to look at the big picture and decide which visa you want, and when you can submit your petition. That would be once he returns to the U.K.

If you go for K3, there's a new form that asks if you met through a marriage broker. Many Web sites that charge fees to meet people fall under this category.

You need to fill out the forms precisely and provide the documentation they require, nothing more, nothing less. If you don't have your ducks in a row exactly the way they want them, you might get an RFE (Request for Evidence) that will slow you down.

[hafiz 1]

welcome back jersey girl lol

[raymaga 25]

The fact that you met on the internet is totally a "non issue". The day of my K-1 Visa interview, every single couple that was there for their interviews had met on the internet. It is so common these days, especially at Immigration, that they don't even question it.

As far as the sponsor is concerned, of course you would know the person. What stranger would sponsor an immigrant? Don't worry at all as about it as long as your sponsor meets the poverty guidelines.

Good luck.

[ohiobuck 0]

Kind member Morocco4ever just mentioned in another thread that there are certain "red flags" that might complicate the process, including meeting the SO on the internet or if "sponsor knows family of applicant".

Hmmm. Well, I did meet my husband on the internet. But to help prove it's the real deal, we have letters from both families detailing our meeting(s), photos of us with each other's families, and proof that we got married in my parents' home. We also have correspondence between he and my mother, and me and his mother and sister-in-law.

And jeez ... "sponsor knows family of applicant" ? I would hope they would want me to know his family if I legitimately married the guy!

Are you better off if you include more information/documents than they need, or does it bog down your file and slow the processing? I would be more likely to give them too much information than not enough, but I am curious to know when that works for me and when it works against.

Don't worry you are processing through the UK and it's not a high fraud country I believe. The main thing she was trying to speak about is in high fraud countries like Morocco where her case was processed. In those cases they pay very close attention to those types of red flags and more. And the CO (Consular Officer) doesn't always let you show your evidence. But my advice on that to everyone is when they ask your fiancee/husbands how did you meet, how did you communicate, how did... pull out any relating evidence such as e-mails/letters/cards/photos/tickets and etc. To make this easy get some binders and have everything organized and have your fiancee/spouse know where it is so they can grab it and present in mega seconds. If you have a CO that is controlling, they are less likely to refuse evidence when they are asking a question and this is a form of answering the question. Some CO will not let you give evidence after they have covered these questions, they must think you had your chance and they don't have to come right out and say I want to see this or that kind of evidence. Hope I have made sense and have been of some help. But if I was you I wouldn't worry too much since you are processing through the UK. Just do your research and know the process and you should be fine.

I wish you the best of luck,

Paula

[Reba 2]

read the instructions for both the I-130 and the I-129F for K3 petioners/applicants. There is No need to send "proof of relationship" with the petition packages. The only "proof of relationship" needed for the petition for a spouse visa is the marriage certificate. Any other proof is only required at the beneficiary's interview much later. Don't confuse the instructions for the fiance visa with the spouse visa.

At the interview they may ask for photographs, passport stamps, travel receipts, etc etc etc...find out from others who have interviewed at the same consulate what they needed and were asked for at their interviews.

Meeting on the internet is no longer a "red flag" to most adjudicators. It happens more often than not these days. However, if either you or your spouse have never met each other's families, this could be a red flag. If you've only met each other once or twice before you got married, this could be a red flag, but not always, it depends on the culture.

[Yodrak 7]

JenM,

Information that does not address the issues at hand, and that contains information not asked for and detrimental to the case, is too much information and may work against you.

The type of information that you mention in your post can be good and valuable information, but I do not know the detailed contents of the letters. Review them from a 3rd-person point of view, as if they were for someone else's case who you know nothing about. If you find anything in a letter that could be taken as a negative by an uninformed 3rd party then you should consider not using that letter.

Yodrak

Kind member Morocco4ever just mentioned in another thread that there are certain "red flags" that might complicate the process, including meeting the SO on the internet or if "sponsor knows family of applicant".

Hmmm. Well, I did meet my husband on the internet. But to help prove it's the real deal, we have letters from both families detailing our meeting(s), photos of us with each other's families, and proof that we got married in my parents' home. We also have correspondence between he and my mother, and me and his mother and sister-in-law.

And jeez ... "sponsor knows family of applicant" ? I would hope they would want me to know his family if I legitimately married the guy!

Are you better off if you include more information/documents than they need, or does it bog down your file and slow the processing? I would be more likely to give them too much information than not enough, but I am curious to know when that works for me and when it works against.

[henry34florida 0]

I too wonder if it is possible to give too much information. When my wife had her interview at the US Embassy in Lima, I sent her many documents to bring and a letter from myself explaining how we met, fell in love, and got married in Peru. The reward for all of this information was her being denied the visa with instructions that I needed to fly to Peru to be at the interview. Once I attended the interview with my wife the visa was approved. So the information did not help. And I have to wonder if it made it worse?

[Sockmonkey 0]

read the instructions for both the I-130 and the I-129F for K3 petioners/applicants. There is No need to send "proof of relationship" with the petition packages. The only "proof of relationship" needed for the petition for a spouse visa is the marriage certificate. Any other proof is only required at the beneficiary's interview much later. Don't confuse the instructions for the fiance visa with the spouse visa.

At the interview they may ask for photographs, passport stamps, travel receipts, etc etc etc...find out from others who have interviewed at the same consulate what they needed and were asked for at their interviews.

Meeting on the internet is no longer a "red flag" to most adjudicators. It happens more often than not these days. However, if either you or your spouse have never met each other's families, this could be a red flag. If you've only met each other once or twice before you got married, this could be a red flag, but not always, it depends on the culture.

A-ha! This is very helpful stuff. Okay, so we don't need "proof of relationship" until the interview. Great! We have at least two visits before then, and on one of them I will be staying first with his parents, and then with his brother and sister-in-law. So that's more mingle/photo time with his family, and we've got lots of wedding photos to show we were married at my parents' house in the presence of my family. There's been lots of correspondence between each of us and the other's family as well. No sweat.

And thank God I just compulsively keep receipts ... .

[Rob and Melinda 0]

welcome back jersey girl lol

Hey got a question for you.

It looks like your I-130 will be approved before your I-129f, is that true, and if so what will you do and how do you complete the I-130? From your time line where are you in getting the final approval

thanks,

Rob

[Artegal 1]

The fact that you met on the internet is totally a "non issue". The day of my K-1 Visa interview, every single couple that was there for their interviews had met on the internet. It is so common these days, especially at Immigration, that they don't even question it.

I have to disaggree with this statement. I think how you met is always an issue! Otherwise why is it a question on the forms--why is there now a US Law (IMBRA) specifically written about relationship visas originated over the Internet, and why is it that every single recap of a visa interview has the same exact question asked of everyone regardless of country or visa type: K-1, K-3, CR-1 etc. "How did you meet?" Furthermore when we stated that we met on the Internet--then the question was which website? Who messaged who first, and what was it chatroom, IM, or message board type communication. So to just say that its a non issue and that they don't even question it is not really a correct statement. Is it more customary now for couples to meet over the Internet yes it is! But is this form of meeting accepted without any judgements or questioning--no. So be prepared with your story and support. Photos and exit and entry stamps in your passport go a long way to proof the validity of the relationship, even in cases where you are already married. So just showing the marriage certificate is not sufficient either. You need to show the correspondence and visitation etc.

Edited August 6, 2006 by Artegal

[Reba 2]

I think the main issue with any couples who have met on the internet are for couples who have met through a dating or mariage broker website specifically, not for those who met say on a gaming site, or something like movie fan forums. That is the question now on the I-129F forms, "did you meet through a marriage broker". Not, "did you meet on the internet".