Filing today - Couple Last Minute Questions

[Nikkiss08 1]

I am so excited and nervous at the same time! We put our package (I-130 and I-485, etc.) together last night, I'm copying everything this morning, and mailing it out this afternoon!

A couple of quick questions:

(1) Can we redact our bank statements? I.e., remove the full account number and balances? Did anyone do this?

(2) Personal Checks - I'm pretty sure you CAN use them, but it seems as though most everyone else is using certified checks and/or money orders. Thoughts?

(3) I-864 - I've attached our 2011 tax transcript and my 2011 W-2. I make well over the poverty level and have for more than the three years. Do I need to, or should I, also send in pay stubs?

(4) General Organization - We plan to paperclip forms and ancillary docs together (e.g., I-130 with birth certificates, etc.) and use a binder clip to bind the I-130 with the G-325As and Evidence of a Bona Fide Marriage. Is this the best way? I LOVE staples, so not stapling is making me crazy, but I understand why it's not a great idea.

(5) Canadian Long Form Birth Certificate As the name implies, it's a long form on 8.5 x 14" paper. Should I shrink it down to 8.5 x 11"?

I would also like to thank everyone for their help and patience throughout this process. This website helpful in so many ways!

ETA one more question...

Edited June 19, 2012 by Nikkiss08

[ibee 7]

Hi there! Don't be nervous, it will be over soon! I went crazy triple-checking everything .. a few times...

To answer your questions as best I can:

(1) Not sure, we just printed an online statement which shows our names and account balance and explained it in the cover page.

(2) We wrote a personal check, did not have any problems with that. Make sure you make a copy of the check for your records.

(3) We did not send any pay stubs. Just the tax returns, a 1099 and a w-2

(4) We paperclipped individual documents (i.e forms more than one page, all pages of passport together, the tax return set paperclipped together, etc) and then used a giant paperclip (those 3inch ones from walmart) to hold together the i-130 and another to hold i-485, etc... also used sticky notes as tabs to make documents within a packet easy to find. You do not have to do that..

Make sure you have the photos in a plastic bag attached to the G-325a forms !

Probably the most helpful thing we did is set a g-1145 on top OF EACH PACKAGE.. one for i-130, one for i-485, one for i-765... this way you can keep tabs on each case!

I am very thankful for this website as well! We are lucky to have each other.

[Anh map 2,098]

(1) Redacting pertinent information makes the document worthless for the intended purpose. How would an adjudicator confirm (if needed) that the account is actually your without the account number? An adjudicator wants to see how your finances are "comingled." Why risk an RFE and the accompanying delay?

There's plenty of other identifying information in the entire petition package if someone was going to try and appropriate your identity.

(2) No problem with a personal check.

(3) A sponsor needs to substantiate their income claim. A wage/salary earner needs to show proof of current and continuing income. Past years tax returns do not show what a person is making now. For a self employed person the most recent year's tax return is the source document for the income amount to be considered (line 22 of the form 1040).

(4) Paper clips and binders worked well for me from initial petition through Naturalization.

[twonightowls 1]

Good luck ! I am wondering about the same things too.

Just curious, are you sending all copy pages of the passport? or just the biographic information page ??

Thanks!

[ibee 7]

Good luck ! I am wondering about the same things too.

Just curious, are you sending all copy pages of the passport? or just the biographic information page ??

Thanks!

We sent just the biographic info page, and obviously the I-94 page