Post a picture of your I-129 packet!

[raldetta 0]

When I was preparing our K1 petition packet, I looked everywhere for photos of how people put their applications together, and I couldn't find much. What I did find looked like overkill: fancy pink binders with stickers and sleeves for photos and tabs all over the place.

It was hard to visualize how to organize the application in a simple, straightforward way until I went through the process myself. So I thought now that we've sent ours in, I'd post a photo and hopefully help others.

To attach everything, we used binder clips (we didn't have easy access to the recommended ACCO punch when we were ready to mail the packet) and paper clips for the passport photos. The evidence of meeting photos are attached to the side of the other documents with a mini binder clip-- that's what we had on hand, and it seemed more secure than a paper clip. (And by the way, that's a picture of us at his brother's wedding, not our wedding!)

I had a table of contents on the cover letter, and another more descriptive table of contents on the "proof of meeting in the last two years" and "proof of ongoing relationship" sections.

I am the beneficiary, but I have been doing the research and we put the packet together while I was visiting the US.

Edited January 17, 2011 by raldetta

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Here's the guide: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=72a927c382f39110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD called "Tips for Filing petitions". It actually states to NOT use Acco fasteners.

We didn't do anything special except put everything in the order that it was mentioned in the paperwork and bulldog clip it together (those are bulldog clips in your pic).

Edited January 17, 2011 by Vanessa&Tony

[raldetta 0]

(those are bulldog clips in your pic).

Ahem. According to Wikipedia: A binder clip, or a banker's clip or foldback clip, is a simple device for binding sheets of paper together. The term bulldog clip is used in the United Kingdom to describe both this invention and an older device with the same function, which is stronger and has rigid rather than folding handles.

(To make things even more confusing, the wikipedia entry has a photo of a binder/bulldog clip with the letters ACCO on the side. Perhaps ACCO is just a manufacturer?)

Anyway. Fasteners. Fascinating. I must be anxious!

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Ahem. According to Wikipedia: A binder clip, or a banker's clip or foldback clip, is a simple device for binding sheets of paper together. The term bulldog clip is used in the United Kingdom to describe both this invention and an older device with the same function, which is stronger and has rigid rather than folding handles.

(To make things even more confusing, the wikipedia entry has a photo of a binder/bulldog clip with the letters ACCO on the side. Perhaps ACCO is just a manufacturer?)

Anyway. Fasteners. Fascinating. I must be anxious!

I wasn't correcting you, I was explaining me In Australia we go by UK english for most things, including "bulldog clips"

I actually find stationery very cool. I'm a bit of a nut about it. Acco is a brand by my understanding... but who cares really, stationery is cool Especially the pink post-up post-its I had at an old job. I was the only one with pink post-its so you know which files were mine

Edited January 17, 2011 by Vanessa&Tony

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Here's the guide: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=72a927c382f39110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD called "Tips for Filing petitions". It actually states to NOT use Acco fasteners.

We didn't do anything special except put everything in the order that it was mentioned in the paperwork and bulldog clip it together (those are bulldog clips in your pic).

Ahem, again. Not to be a nitpicker, but hey... that's what I do!

That link is for petitions sent to the National Benefits Center, so it's good advice for an AOS petition (for example), but not so much for an I-129F petition.

This link contains the guidelines for assembling applications such as I-129F petitions. If you go to the I-129F form page there will be a link to these instructions in the right panel.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=ff053d146a7ee010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

It does recommend using ACCO style fasteners or heavy clips - no staples.

And yes, ACCO is a company - ACCO Brands. The name was originally American Clipper Company, and they manufactured paper clips. I don't know anyone other than USCIS who thinks that an "ACCO fastener" automatically refers to a two-hole prong fastener. As far as I know, ACCO didn't even invent them.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Ahem, again. Not to be a nitpicker, but hey... that's what I do!

That link is for petitions sent to the National Benefits Center, so it's good advice for an AOS petition (for example), but not so much for an I-129F petition.

This link contains the guidelines for assembling applications such as I-129F petitions. If you go to the I-129F form page there will be a link to these instructions in the right panel.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=ff053d146a7ee010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

It does recommend using ACCO style fasteners or heavy clips - no staples.

And yes, ACCO is a company - ACCO Brands. The name was originally American Clipper Company, and they manufactured paper clips. I don't know anyone other than USCIS who thinks that an "ACCO fastener" automatically refers to a two-hole prong fastener. As far as I know, ACCO didn't even invent them.

Lol. I knew there was another one that said Acco is fine! but I couldn't find it in my list. Thanks Bookmarked Mine says "petitions" on it so I just assumed (and you know what they say about that) that i'd picked the right one.

Oh well. I prefer bulldog clips anyway

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Lol. I knew there was another one that said Acco is fine! but I couldn't find it in my list. Thanks Bookmarked Mine says "petitions" on it so I just assumed (and you know what they say about that) that i'd picked the right one.

Oh well. I prefer bulldog clips anyway

Trivia item of the day #2: BULLDOG is a registered trademark Setten IXL Limited, the UK stationary company that manufactures clips and other office products bearing the BULLDOG brand. The most popular manufacturer of that particular variety of binder clip in the US is (no surprise) ACCO, which is why the name BULLDOG never really caught on as a generic term in the US.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Trivia item of the day #2: BULLDOG is a registered trademark Setten IXL Limited, the UK stationary company that manufactures clips and other office products bearing the BULLDOG brand. The most popular manufacturer of that particular variety of binder clip in the US is (no surprise) ACCO, which is why the name BULLDOG never really caught on as a generic term in the US.

Huh.. well now I know Damn US.. if I had a dollar for every time someone laughs at my "funny words" I wouldn't need to get a job... now I know the "proper word" I won't have people laughing at me. Ketchup had me for quite a while

[And<3Jhe 0]

When I was preparing our K1 petition packet, I looked everywhere for photos of how people put their applications together, and I couldn't find much. What I did find looked like overkill: fancy pink binders with stickers and sleeves for photos and tabs all over the place.

It was hard to visualize how to organize the application in a simple, straightforward way until I went through the process myself. So I thought now that we've sent ours in, I'd post a photo and hopefully help others.

To attach everything, we used binder clips (we didn't have easy access to the recommended ACCO punch when we were ready to mail the packet) and paper clips for the passport photos. The evidence of meeting photos are attached to the side of the other documents with a mini binder clip-- that's what we had on hand, and it seemed more secure than a paper clip. (And by the way, that's a picture of us at his brother's wedding, not our wedding!)

I had a table of contents on the cover letter, and another more descriptive table of contents on the "proof of meeting in the last two years" and "proof of ongoing relationship" sections.

I am the beneficiary, but I have been doing the research and we put the packet together while I was visiting the US.

Hi,

We going to send our I-129f this month...its help a lot coz you attached a picture here how looks like your package...by the way,you will use brown envelope when you send to USCIS?thanks again

[On the Road Again 2]

Here's the guide: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=72a927c382f39110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=fe529c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD called "Tips for Filing petitions". It actually states to NOT use Acco fasteners.

We didn't do anything special except put everything in the order that it was mentioned in the paperwork and bulldog clip it together (those are bulldog clips in your pic).

That must have changed recently because their website indicated at one time to use 2 hole punching on top of the submission and that was "appreciated" and that if you were securing the document use ARCO fasteners . Things change from day to day with the USICS.

Edited January 17, 2011 by On the Road Again

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

That must have changed recently because their website indicated at one time to use 2 hole punching on top of the submission and that was "appreciated" and that if you were securing the document use ARCO fasteners . Things change from day to day with the USICS.

Please read the rest of the thread. Things do change with USCIS, but this particular aspect of preparing an I-129F packet has not changed.

[Rito 28]

Ok.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Oh my goodness. I think my package was about 10 pages.

[James And Oksana 19]

My packet was about 200 pages. It used paper clips to hold like documents together and then a larger binder clip to put everything together. I put photos of our time together in a plastic bag that was attached via binder clip to other evidence of our time together. Same thing for the passport photos of us. I annotated the back of each picture telling them when, where and what we were doing (for example engagement on new years my photos showed the ring which I included copies of receipts for and Christmas decorations in the background). I made sure to include pictures with backgrounds that placed us together at certain times of the year, with Christmas trees, Santas in the background, places that had obvious Russian stores by signs, and even one of them accidentally had a calendar in the background that was hung on the wall turned to January 2011.

My packet was likely overkill as I also included the I-134 with it and supporting financial documents and letter from my employer as to my job there. I did not want any reason for an RFE, so I included anything I could think of that would hold up the process. It took me the better part of 3 days to pull everything together, and I was very organized going into my trip to Russia. So anyone that has not already did this, I would advise much preparation in advance of the trip. Make sure many pictures that way really good ones that can't be denied as to when and where you were together. And of course sending in pictures of all the emails and such does not hurt either. I did this to show how much communication we have, but not show them every email and explode my package to 500 pages or more.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

I can't imagine possibly needing 200 pages just for the petition. After all, with the initial petition, there isn't much to prove. US citizenship, able to marry, proof of having met once in the last two years. That's it. Even if it was a high fraud country, 200 seems excessive.

Edited January 17, 2011 by Coconuts