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StephanieM

stapled documents acceptable?

By StephanieM in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

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StephanieM Proficient

StephanieM   60

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Dominican Republic
 Timeline
Posted

I will be sending I-130 in a couple weeks. I heard somewhere that you should not staple any documents, is this true? Can someone give me some tips on the best way to assemble everything. I also heard the passport pictures should be in plastic baggies... Tips/suggestions? :)

01/01/2008 - Met
04/27/2010 - Engaged
08/23/2011 - Married
USCIS
10/03/2011 - I-130 Sent (USPS priority w/ delivery confirmation)
10/05/2011 - Package arrived at chicago lockbox
10/06/2011 - NOA1
11/09/2011 - NOA2 (no RFE's)
NVC
11/14/2011 - Petition received by NVC/ Received NOA2 by mail
11/21/2011 - NVC case # received by email/ Got AOS fee by email/ Called NVC to provide beneficiary email
11/27/2011 - Choice of agent (DS-3023) sent to NVC by email
.....took a break from process to delay interview....
01/26/2012 - Payed IV fee
01/27/2012 - IV fee status shown as PAID
02/07/2012 - Payed AOS fee
02/08/2012 - AOS fee status shown as PAID
02/09/ 2012 - DS-230 package sent to NVC (priority mail)
03/06/2012 - AOS package sent to NVC (priority mail)
03/12/2012 - Called NVC and found out about checklist. Sent revision to NVC that same day.
03/16/2012 - CASE COMPLETE!
04/11/2012 - Informed of interview via phone by DOS/ Got P4 email from NVC a few hours later that same day (May 4th)
SANTO DOMINGO CONSULATE
04/19/2012 - Medical
05/04/2012 - Interview (APPROVED)
05/10/2012 - Visa ready and picked up at domex
05/15/2012 - POE in Boston (together)
U. S. A
05/29/2012 - Went to SS office to apply for SS card
06/01/2012 - Welcome letter arrived (Received about 3 of these)
06/05/2012 - Green card arrived
06/15/2012- Back to SS office with green card to reapply and inquire about delay
06/18/2012 - Picked up SSN at SSA office
06/22/2012 - SS card arrived by mail

04/24/14 - Sent I-751 to remove conditions

06/09/14 - Biometrics

11/2014 - RFE from USCIS requesting more evidence before approval

Late Jan - Sent further evidence of marriage

03/05/2015 - Got letter of approval for removal of conditions

03/15/2015 - Permanent 10 yr green card received via mail

maviboran Apprentice

maviboran   0

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Turkey
 Timeline
Posted

I will be sending I-130 in a couple weeks. I heard somewhere that you should not staple any documents, is this true? Can someone give me some tips on the best way to assemble everything. I also heard the passport pictures should be in plastic baggies... Tips/suggestions? :)

Using paper clips is the best way to go. I suggest you stay away from staples all the time. About the passport photos I used those little bags but not sure it's a requirement. You just gotta make sure everything is neat and easy to go through for the person going through those files.

06/19/11 Married in Istanbul, Turkey

USCIS -

07/12/11 Sent I-130

07/18/11 NOA1

08/10/11 NOA2 in the mail ~ Approval Date 8/5/11

NVC -

08/09/11 NVC received the petition

09/07/11 Case number assigned

09/09/11 Emailed DS3032 & paid AOS fee.

09/12/11 AOS Fee status PAID & DS-3032 Accepted

09/13/11 Received & paid IV Bill

09/14/11 Mailed AOS Packet & IV Bill status PAID

09/15/11 NVC received AOS Packet

09/21/11 Mailed IV Packet

09/22/11 NVC received IV Packet

09/26/11 Case complete

10/03/11 Interview scheduled

CONSULATE -

11/19/11 Medical

11/29/11 Interview ~ approved!!!

POE

01/12/12 Boston, MA

01/19/12 Received Social Security Card in the mail.

02/20/12 Received Green Card in the mail.

bigdog Veteran

bigdog   377

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
 Timeline
Posted

No staples, make is organized logical and neat. Photos marked as requested, in small plastic baggie attached to a paper. The easier you make it the better it will go. Do not forget a cover sheet.

In Arizona its hot hot hot.

http://www.uscis.gov/dateCalculator.html

ghepardo Contributor

ghepardo   8

Posted
Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Italy
 Timeline
Posted

I used small black binder clips for the over-all package, but I stapled together forms requiring translations, and any supplemental pages that we added to the I-130. On VJ you will hear people go back and forth about to use staples, or not. I do know that the NVC on their immigrant visa package page (a later stage for you, but you will get there eventually) requests that relevant forms be stapled, which we did and there wasn't complaints or problems. Just carefully review the PDF I-130 instructions, line for line, and the USCIS I-130 download page which has special notes. Those instructions will tell you any recent updated changes.

Cover letters are helpful. Keep it simple, and on the cover letter list numerically the order of the documents. I think there are some wiki pages with cover letter outlines. An important note about cover letters is that while they may help a review locate documents, they are probably more helpful to you so you know what's in the document.

Just be sure to sign all appropriate forms...sounds obvious, but people forget to

good luck!

Samantha78 Proficient

Samantha78   117

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Dominican Republic
 Timeline
Posted

I will be sending I-130 in a couple weeks. I heard somewhere that you should not staple any documents, is this true? Can someone give me some tips on the best way to assemble everything. I also heard the passport pictures should be in plastic baggies... Tips/suggestions? :)

True. I didn't staple anything, just in case it ripped in the removal of staples. I used paper clips and I put the passport pics in small baggies. I made sure everything was in some type of order and I put them in a folder to ensure they didn't get wrinkled, etc....

Married: 6/17/11

I-130 Sent: 7/9/11

NOA1 : 7/14/11

I-129F Sent: 7/21/11

NOA1: 7/21/11

NOA2: 8/22/11

NVC Received: 8/24/11

NVC Left: 8/26/11

Consulate Received: 9/5/11

Packet 4 Received: 10/4/11

Medical Done: 11/7/11

Interview: 11/23/11

Approved: 11/23/11

Changed to CR1: 12/16/11

Medical Re-Done: 1/5/12

Waiting for Issuance of Visa.........

Navyk Experienced

Navyk   78

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: India
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

I will be sending I-130 in a couple weeks. I heard somewhere that you should not staple any documents, is this true? Can someone give me some tips on the best way to assemble everything. I also heard the passport pictures should be in plastic baggies... Tips/suggestions? :)

There is nothing wrong in stapling (in fact the instructions ask us to staple) - by not stapling we are making things easy for NVC. I sent mine using a big clip that hold the papers tight and NVC can easily rearrange the order in which they scan the documents into their system.

I used a small ziplock bag (available at Walmart or Hobby Lobby) - I stappled it to a thick sheet and then placed the photos inside the bag. I did the same for I-130 photos (used a bigger bag for marraige phtos). People do differently - do what is convinient to you based on these inputs.

Edited by NavyK

USA

01/08/13 - Approved and GC is order for production on 1/8/14

09/12/13 - Case transferred to CSC. NOA2 received on 09/18/13

08/30/13 - Biometrics Done - No walk ins allowed at this LSC (received on 8/16/13).

08/05/13 - NOA1 (received on 08/10/13)

08/01/13 - Mailed I-751 (received on 8/2/13 - check cashed on 8/5/13)

12/28/11 - Received SSN (applied on 12/20/11, as we didn't get based on DS-230 options)
11/28/11 - Received Green Card (Expires on 10/30/13) - Welcome Letter on 11/17/11
10/30/11 - POE - Houston, TX

Chennai Consulate (40 days)
10/28/11 - Received Visa papers and Passport at VFS
10/25/11 - Interview Cleared Successfully (Spouse was not allowed in)

NVC: (90 days from NOA2 to Consulate)
08/31/11 - Case Completed (Interview 10/25/11) - Received at Chennai on 09/19/11
07/22/11 - NVC Case Number

USCIS: (92 days)

6/21/11 - NOA2 (NOA1 on 3/25/11) - took a month to get to NVC
3/21/11 - I-130 sent to USCIS Lockbox, Chicago.

Done--Really Proficient

Done--Really   331

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Mexico
 Timeline
Posted

We have to differentiate between USCIS and NVC. USCIS scans everything, and reassembles in the order they like, so if you staple, you are just making it more difficult for them. NVC on the other hand asks that things be stapled--they are not scanning at this point--so different instructions for each organization.

Navyk Experienced

Navyk   78

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: India
 Timeline
Posted

We have to differentiate between USCIS and NVC. USCIS scans everything, and reassembles in the order they like, so if you staple, you are just making it more difficult for them. NVC on the other hand asks that things be stapled--they are not scanning at this point--so different instructions for each organization.

Based on Magical's clarification, stapple the AOS packets (instruction states so) - I would recommend this for IV packet (as it contains original documents). Thanks Magical for tyhe clarification.

USA

01/08/13 - Approved and GC is order for production on 1/8/14

09/12/13 - Case transferred to CSC. NOA2 received on 09/18/13

08/30/13 - Biometrics Done - No walk ins allowed at this LSC (received on 8/16/13).

08/05/13 - NOA1 (received on 08/10/13)

08/01/13 - Mailed I-751 (received on 8/2/13 - check cashed on 8/5/13)

12/28/11 - Received SSN (applied on 12/20/11, as we didn't get based on DS-230 options)
11/28/11 - Received Green Card (Expires on 10/30/13) - Welcome Letter on 11/17/11
10/30/11 - POE - Houston, TX

Chennai Consulate (40 days)
10/28/11 - Received Visa papers and Passport at VFS
10/25/11 - Interview Cleared Successfully (Spouse was not allowed in)

NVC: (90 days from NOA2 to Consulate)
08/31/11 - Case Completed (Interview 10/25/11) - Received at Chennai on 09/19/11
07/22/11 - NVC Case Number

USCIS: (92 days)

6/21/11 - NOA2 (NOA1 on 3/25/11) - took a month to get to NVC
3/21/11 - I-130 sent to USCIS Lockbox, Chicago.

Love2O11 Enthusiast

Love2O11   1

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Dominican Republic
 Timeline
Posted

Everything I have send in all had staples I didn't use any clips.

When I send to USCIS our passport size photos they were in a small bag which look like an envelope.

For the photos I will advised you to put them inside of something dont just use clips they can easily fall out.

Sent I-130 *January 24, 2011*
Check Cashed *February 18, 2011*
NOA1 Receive *February 22, 2011*
NOA2 Receive *June 23, 2011*
Case Number/SDO# Receive *June 24, 2011*
NVC Email Receive *June 28, 2011*
IV & AOS payments made *June 29, 2011*
AOS & IV Payment show as PAID *June 30, 2011*
AOS & D-230 package SENT *July 08, 2011*
Packages receive @ *NVC - I got my return certify mail slip* *July 11, 2011*
Called NVC auto-machine missing documents *July 21, 2011*
E-mail from NVC "CheckList" -missing documents *July 26, 2011*
Missing Documents sent to NVC *July 27, 2011*
NVC Receive missing documents - I got my return certify mail slip* *July 29, 2011*
Case Complete smile.png *August 5, 2011*
Interview Date *September 21, 2011*

I-751 form - *August 2012*

 
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