Are photos enough proof?

[ventoux 0]

I've got everything together and have a few questions about the "Proof of having met in the last 2 years" as well as proof of an ongoing relationship.

We've actually spent almost every day together for the past 6 years living together in Europe, so I'd be downright embarrassed if I got RFE for this...

Here's what I've got:

- Photo of us in her country in front of a "45th Annual Film Festival" from 11 months ago. (easy to place geographically and chronologically)

- Photo of us at a European landmark (from 4 years ago, we may look slightly younger)

- Photo of us in the US at a landmark in Vermont where anyone working at VSC would recognize (from 3 years ago).

- Photo of us on the day of proposal (2 weeks ago)

- Photo of the ring (close up, but same location)

- EGL report for the ring. Appraisal dated in early May, 2011.

- Results from a sporting competition I competed in the next day, plus a photo of me at the start.

- Photo of us a few days later at a recognizable European landmark (I happen to have the same shirt and sunglasses)

- Hotel reservation confirmation email from that weekend.

That's everything I've included so far. Not enough? To much? A lot of people seem to like using bording passes from flights or passport stamps. We haven't included any passport info or tickets of that nature.

Should I include a photo of us together both holding the packet at the post office before we send it in? This can get ridiculous...

Edited June 6, 2011 by ventoux

[Inky 1,110]

Photos are generally secondary evidence because anyone can " create " a photo.

They want things like lease statements, rental agreements etc showing both names, airline tickets and itinerarys showing trips together or to see each other. Passport stamps are another big proof.

[gigi_a 0]

What is considered primary evidence is proof of financial commingling. You would need leases on both names, utility bills on both names, insurance on both names, bank accounts on both names, any titles to property - personal(cars,etc), and real(house, land) that you own together.Also, if you have a life insurance policy she is beneficiary to. I also sent the medical power of attorney my hubby gave me in case of emergency. You can include phone bills showing conversations between you, pictures, boarding passes that you have visited each other or gone on vacations together, affidavits of friends and coworkers that you are a real couple,receipts of gifts you have given each other through the years,etc. However,these are not considered primary evidence and if you have lived together for so long you would have the more compelling evidence I listed above.

I can't answer if this is enough or too much because I included everything on my list above. I guess every case is different. But like you said, I did not want a RFE.

Good luck! :}

Edited June 6, 2011 by gigi_a

[1HappyGuy 45]

Photos are good, but with photo shop, anything can be changed. The verifiable type of proof is airline tickets during the time of your visit, passport stamps within the timeline, hotel receipts, credit card records showing costs incurred in the foreign country visit and stuff like that. You want to provide them with a body of evidence that the two of you have met within the past two years.

If you have proof of your SO visit here, then provide that also. You just don't want to give them any reason to question it!

[faust-yusov 103]

Photos are necessary but you need some kind of documented, (virtually) unfalsifiable evidence of being in the same country/location.

Something like a hotel reservation confirmation e-mail, while not discounted entirely, is generally viewed as weak as there is nothing to say that you actually went ahead and stayed at the hotel - just that you booked it.

An invoice would be preferable, just as a boarding pass stub/passport stamp (for a flight to her country) would be preferable to a travel itinerary.

Edited June 6, 2011 by faust-yusov

[cchhat01 14]

I would say anything that doesn't physically show the two of you in photos is *NOT* proof.

For example, close up picture of the ring, doesn't make it proof of meeting, unless your fiancee's and your face is visible in them. As earlier described, that ring can be on anyone's finger.

Infact, you two need to be together in my opinion to show proof of meeting. If not, you must show that you are with an immediate relative (in the picture) and describe in writing behind the pics.

I can only advise on these things.

Chigs

[ventoux 0]

I did mention the hotel confirmation from a recent weekend...

and the EGL report for the ring... (you all read the list of items I'm including right!?)

Also, the photo of the ring was 1 of 5 photos from the weekend. The "story" is highlighted in Question #18, and also indicated on the back of each photo.

Owning houses and such are nice, but that often occurs after marriage (as in our case). We rent. It's in her name. I pay it in cash. Most bills are in her name since she is a citizen (trust me, it's much easier that way).

I think it's been more than 2 years since she was in the US but she certainly has some passport stamps. I have some as well.

So if include a photocopy of 1 page out of both our passports that will be enough?

But isn't faking a photocopy of a ticket or passport is just as easy as faking a photo?

Edited June 6, 2011 by ventoux

[TRanger 2]

That's everything I've included so far. Not enough? To much? A lot of people seem to like using bording passes from flights or passport stamps. We haven't included any passport info or tickets of that nature.

No, photos are definitely not enough no matter how many you have - they are only secondary evidence. Boarding passes and passport stamps are primary evidence. People don't use them because they prefer to use them - they are required. You only need to prove that you met once in the two years prior to your filing of the I-129f. More evidence is not required. I provided passport stamp info, a boarding pass and about 5 pictures.

Good luck

[Inky 1,110]

All pages of passport including bio page and stamped pages.

[faust-yusov 103]

I did mention the hotel confirmation from a recent weekend...

and the EGL report for the ring... (you all read the list of items I'm including right!?)

Owning houses and such are nice, but that often occurs after marriage (as in our case). We rent. It's in her name. I pay it in cash. Most bills are in her name since she is a citizen (trust me, it's much easier that way).

I think it's been more than 2 years since she was in the US but she certainly has some passport stamps. I have some as well.

So if include a photocopy of 1 page out of both our passports that will be enough?

But isn't faking a photocopy of a ticket or passport is just as easy as faking a photo?

I think this thread might be useful in outlining the specifics of primary/secondary evidence (note in particular Jim's first post).

It's less a case of what can conceivably be forged than of providing evidence in tandem. A strong piece of evidence demonstrating that you were in the same place at the same time, and a photograph of the two of you together at that place and time is truly all you are required to submit.

A little extra for peace of mind can be worth including, but that's really about the gist of it.

Edited June 6, 2011 by faust-yusov

[ventoux 0]

I think too many people are answering the post solely on the topic title, sorry for not being more clear. There are a few other documents (ring certification, hotel confirmation, race results that match my name, age, hometown, on the day after proposal that coincides the hotel confirmation with my name for 2, both of us at a landmark) that support everything and they all connected and chosen because they go together.

I guess I just wasted my time with all that. A passport might show that we might be in the same country at the same time... but if that's what they want...

[faust-yusov 103]

I think too many people are answering the post solely on the topic title, sorry for not being more clear. There are a few other documents (ring certification, hotel confirmation, race results that match my name, age, hometown, on the day after proposal that coincides the hotel confirmation with my name for 2, both of us at a landmark) that support everything and they all connected and chosen because they go together.

Something like a hotel reservation confirmation e-mail, while not discounted entirely, is generally viewed as weak as there is nothing to say that you actually went ahead and stayed at the hotel - just that you booked it.

An invoice would be preferable, just as a boarding pass stub/passport stamp (for a flight to her country) would be preferable to a travel itinerary.

[ventoux 0]

Ok, I added both of our passports, full copies. I didn't include mine before (for verification of identity) because it expires in 2015 (less than 5 years away).

Mine has 30 stamps in it, but I had 89 border crossings 2009, 119 border crossings in 2010, and 4 thus far in 2011 where I did not receive a stamp (due to Schengen Zone that includes just about all of Europe since 2008)

Hers has a few from the US and Canada.

Most stamps are older than 2 years (again, due to the Schegen Zone). Hope it'll be enough.

Maybe I should include the receipt for all those *&*@ photocopies

Edited June 6, 2011 by ventoux

[faust-yusov 103]

Sounds like a good plan

I would definitely include a note indicating the relevant page(s) and stamp(s) on each of your passports that you intend to submit for primary evidence, drawing attention also to the photos that go along with them.

Edited June 6, 2011 by faust-yusov

[sofaraway 2]

we sent 10 pictures(different dates and locations, with friends and family members) of me and my fiance together, passport stamps,boarding passes, hotel receipts with both of our names on it..and we didn't get any RFE when we filed our K1...the CO at the embassy didn't even ask for any evidences of our relp..its purely question and answer..i was the one who asked the CO if she wants to see our pictures though( i put it in a photo album and showed her one by one) Just send anything you know that may help your petition...with Prayers..as we did..and we got it! gonna see my fiance 1st week of july!