How much evidence is too much?

[AndyAlina 0]

Hi all,

What a great board!!!! Long time lurker, first time poster...

I'm finally putting together my K-1 packet for Alina and I after almost two years of acquaintance and 4 trips within the last year and a half.

I know one of the conditions for being approved for the visa is to have actually met in person within the last two years. Well, I've visited Alina 4 times (as mentioned above) within that stipulated time period. Now here's the big question:

How many of these trips should I show documentation for (photos, passport pages, airline boarding stubs, itineraries, hotel receipts, train tickets, etc)? It almost seems like overkill to send in all of this stuff for all of these trips. Can I just get away with sending in the evidence for the first trip, and then mention in my I-129F supplement that we've met 3 other times and then list the dates of those trips?

Honestly, it would take an adjudicator a year to go through all of the documentation I have on this relationship, and I've actually heard that too much evidence can work against you.

So which is it, and what should I do???

Thanks!

[Karel 0]

Hi all,

What a great board!!!! Long time lurker, first time poster...

I'm finally putting together my K-1 packet for Alina and I after almost two years of acquaintance and 4 trips within the last year and a half.

I know one of the conditions for being approved for the visa is to have actually met in person within the last two years. Well, I've visited Alina 4 times (as mentioned above) within that stipulated time period. Now here's the big question:

How many of these trips should I show documentation for (photos, passport pages, airline boarding stubs, itineraries, hotel receipts, train tickets, etc)? It almost seems like overkill to send in all of this stuff for all of these trips. Can I just get away with sending in the evidence for the first trip, and then mention in my I-129F supplement that we've met 3 other times and then list the dates of those trips?

Honestly, it would take an adjudicator a year to go through all of the documentation I have on this relationship, and I've actually heard that too much evidence can work against you.

So which is it, and what should I do???

Thanks!

How about few BUT important evidence of each trip? I met my fiance 3x before I filed the K1 & I included evidence for each trip. You really don't need to put everything that you have for each trip, maybe just those that would weigh the most. I think there are examples in the guide of primary & secondary evidence if Im not mistaken.

Goodluck!

Karel

[lquin 0]

Hi all,

What a great board!!!! Long time lurker, first time poster...

I'm finally putting together my K-1 packet for Alina and I after almost two years of acquaintance and 4 trips within the last year and a half.

I know one of the conditions for being approved for the visa is to have actually met in person within the last two years. Well, I've visited Alina 4 times (as mentioned above) within that stipulated time period. Now here's the big question:

How many of these trips should I show documentation for (photos, passport pages, airline boarding stubs, itineraries, hotel receipts, train tickets, etc)? It almost seems like overkill to send in all of this stuff for all of these trips. Can I just get away with sending in the evidence for the first trip, and then mention in my I-129F supplement that we've met 3 other times and then list the dates of those trips?

Honestly, it would take an adjudicator a year to go through all of the documentation I have on this relationship, and I've actually heard that too much evidence can work against you.

So which is it, and what should I do???

Thanks!

Personally I would send evidence of each trip, ticket stubs (if you have them), photos, etc.... better to send too much then not enough!!..

They may only view a sample of what you show them, but at least they have all the information there in front of them if they need it and it saves them requesting more evidence from you.

[jezebelseven 0]

I included 6-7 pages from the 6 trips we've had in the last 2 years.

I narrowed it down to about a page of the strongest relevant info from each trip (for me, that ended up being boarding passes (or iteneraries when I didn't have the boarding passes), and a photo from 5 of them (basically one from each trip).

It ended up being, basically, a copy of the correct passport page, surrounded by two boarding passes, and in one case, a train ticket on the same page. I then highlighted the relevant dates on each page in different colors (So for our June trip, all june dates were orange; for December, all December dates were blue-- I thought this just might make it easier to see why they were on the same page).

I figured it was better to show proof from all the visits so that it shows it's been an ongoing relationship when it gets further, to the embassy stages and whatnot.

[Kelli 0]

I put pretty much everything in the package that was relevent, as I was dreading getting a RFE. I only went on ane trip to the US, so I put in:

all my boarding passes, itinery etc in there

3 photos of us together

copies of letters and the mail bags they were sent in

copies of bankcard statements and phone bills

IMO it is better to put too much in than not enough. Good luck on your journey!

[limubai2000 0]

I am thinking there is no too much.

I copied all my boarding passes and passport stamps. 2 full Yahoo chats, about 2 months worth of email (only 5 pages, short emails), about 3 pages of text messages from my Yahoo to her cell, 3 months worth of my cell/long distance bills, and finally 8 pages of pictures from a Word doc with captions on them. I thought that was enough.

I had 1 friend who has been through this tell me not too send too much but he's also schizo on the US Gov so I didn't pay much attention.

[Caladan 19]

There probably is a 'too much evidence', but you don't sound like you're anywhere near that with proof of three meetings.

The VJ Guide is excellent advice on this. Rule of thumb: make a picture in the adjudicator's head that says 'this couple is for real', but don't overwhelm them with paperwork. All you have to do here is prove that you've met.

I sent in primary evidence of five meetings -- just passport stamps and boarding passes & itineraries. Added four photographs and three pages of phone records. We had ten meetings all told, but I only had primary documentation on half of them and only had good primary documentation on three of them.

So I'd recommend putting in all the primary evidence you have and not overwhelming them with chat logs (which don't show you met) or photographs.

[I'm Gone 60]

If it takes two people to lift it. LOL

[mozplay 29]

I agree that you can definitely send TOO MUCH evidence. If you have really good primary evidence, and you do, then there is no need to fluff it. For sure I would send proof of all 4 trips, but all the info you have does not have to be sent. The passport stamps, boarding passes and photos should be fine. If you want to send 1 or 2 of the hotel receipts that should be great too - as it puts you in the same region as your fiancee, not just the same country and the photos also back this up.

I have to say that I LOVE jezebelseven's idea of using different coloured highlighters to highlight the dates and names etc for each trip! I know, I know... not necessary but love the clarity all the same!

Mo

[TucsonBill 0]

I read a couple of posts recently, one case from China and one case from India where the visa was denied at the interview because of lack of evidence of a relationship. Details seemed a bit sketchy, and it seems odd that they would be denied at the interview after the evidence was accepted by USCIS.

On the other hand, I have never heard of anyone being denied because they sent too much. I think its better to send too much than to not send enough.

Just my two cents.

Bill

PS this is the link:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=33762

Bill

Edited September 25, 2006 by TucsonBill

[I'm Gone 60]

I read a couple of posts recently, one case from China and one case from India where the visa was denied at the interview because of lack of evidence of a relationship. Details seemed a bit sketchy, and it seems odd that they would be denied at the interview after the evidence was accepted by USCIS.

On the other hand, I have never heard of anyone being denied because they sent too much. I think its better to send too much than to not send enough.

Just my two cents.

Bill

PS this is the link:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=33762

The level of proof to approve the petition is much lower that what is needed to issue the visa. To approve the petition you basically only need to prove you met within the last two year and both are free to marry and intend to marry after arriving here.

If your petition packet is over an inch thick, you have too much. The visa interview is when you throw everything at them

[no name 1]

I agree that you can definitely send TOO MUCH evidence. If you have really good primary evidence, and you do, then there is no need to fluff it. For sure I would send proof of all 4 trips, but all the info you have does not have to be sent. The passport stamps, boarding passes and photos should be fine. If you want to send 1 or 2 of the hotel receipts that should be great too - as it puts you in the same region as your fiancee, not just the same country and the photos also back this up.

I agree, too much is not good. (It has been said over & over on here.)

What moz said is good advice!

[AndyAlina 0]

Thank you all for your insightful responses and help!!!!

One quick question in regards to the passport copies:

Can I just photocopy the picture page (first page) and then include all of the pages with just the visas and stamps? Or do I need to make copies of the entire passport?

The reason I ask is because I have two passports spanning the 4 meetings (one which expired immediately following our first meeting, and then my current passport which is one of those supersized 48 pagers). If I was to copy all pages of both passports, that would be something like 36 sheets of paper. I'm just trying to save time, paper, and possible adjudicator headaches.

Thanks again!

[TucsonBill 0]

I agree that you can definitely send TOO MUCH evidence. If you have really good primary evidence, and you do, then there is no need to fluff it. For sure I would send proof of all 4 trips, but all the info you have does not have to be sent. The passport stamps, boarding passes and photos should be fine. If you want to send 1 or 2 of the hotel receipts that should be great too - as it puts you in the same region as your fiancee, not just the same country and the photos also back this up.

I agree, too much is not good. (It has been said over & over on here.)

What moz said is good advice!

I think it depends on the person doing the interview. I've only been studying the Bangkok reports, but as far as I can tell there is one 'difficult' window there, but the vast majority go for their interview and asnwer 3 or 4 questions and are approved.

Regardless of what is 'said here' about not sending too much, I rely on the actual experiences of those who were told they did not have enough. I've not seen a single post where USCIS or the consulate rejected or delayed any application because too much evidence was supplied.

I wish I'd found this site before I sent in my application, and I would have sent in more just to be 'sure' I'd sent enough.

Until I see someone who says their appication was delayed or denied because they sent in too much evidence, I still say too much is way better than not enough. Err on the side of caution IMHO.

Bill

Edited September 25, 2006 by TucsonBill

[Teachers 12]

This is interesting. I ran my application by an immigration lawyer. He said the consensus among immigration lawyers is to bury them - send EVERYTHING.

I sent copies of boarding pass copies, passport/visa copies, receipts of currency conversion, etc. for 5 visits. I also included copies of over 400 emails and IM sessions, and copies of phone cards showing several hundred hours of calls over the last year. It took a Priority Mail BOX to send it all.

After reading here, I was doubting the wisdom of this. But we got our NOA2 right on track with others with similar dates. My fiance will have duplicate copies of all of this when she walks into the interview.

I feel for the two people who got turned away because of lack of evidence of a relationship. I wonder if the consulate officials had their minds made up before the interview started, and thus were not as interested in additional evidence presented at the "last minute".

I am NOT saying that the board consensus is wrong. But the answer may not be as clear or one-sided as some think.

Tom