Question for all Lagos I-129F

[TJandJR 69]

Hi all. And blessings to everyone going through this process. I have a question(s). The one I'm most curious about is Question 1. I am gathering everything to put in with my I-129F and I wanted to ask everyone how many pages of stuff did everyone send in with theirs? My phone records alone are quite a pile of pages. Then there are emails, chats, pics,copies of travel iteneary, etc. Question 2. What do you think of this... I want to put it all in a binder with tabs. Like a tab saying emails, one that says phone records, one for photos, my trip itenerary and stamp to Nigeria, etc.

Quesion 3. I received a certified copy of my divorce certificate but its not a certificate. It's a few pages stapled that say Judgement and Decree of Dissolution of Marriage. It has a raised seal. Is this what a divorce certificate looks like?

[bob.sansmal 14]

In answer to question #3 - I suspect that divorce decrees look different depending on the jurisdiction. One thing I ran into, was I got a RFE asking for a divorce decree signed by the clerk of court to indicate that not only had the decree been signed, but it had also been entered into public record.

[reese1 68]

Is the divorce decree from the US? If so it should be signed by the judge that granted the divorce. I don't know if it differs from state to state but normally there is no raised seal it is just signed by the judge and that is it. Well that is how mine looks anyway. As for how much stuff to send you don't have to send everything just enough pages of each to show an ongoing relationship and that you have met within the past 2 years. The tabs will be just fine I did that with mine as well. Best of luck to you.

[dwheels76 5,476]

Hi all. And blessings to everyone going through this process. I have a question(s). The one I'm most curious about is Question 1. I am gathering everything to put in with my I-129F and I wanted to ask everyone how many pages of stuff did everyone send in with theirs? My phone records alone are quite a pile of pages. Then there are emails, chats, pics,copies of travel iteneary, etc. Question 2. What do you think of this... I want to put it all in a binder with tabs. Like a tab saying emails, one that says phone records, one for photos, my trip itenerary and stamp to Nigeria, etc.

Quesion 3. I received a certified copy of my divorce certificate but its not a certificate. It's a few pages stapled that say Judgement and Decree of Dissolution of Marriage. It has a raised seal. Is this what a divorce certificate looks like?

Question 1.Well this is Lagos. Aside from the required intent letters proof of ongoing relationship, is good. Not every conversation but a sampling like a few a month. But for Lagos th emost important hing is face time when you saw each other how long receipts when you were together stamps from passport. And phone logs on company lette head

Question 2. Forget the binder soon as it gets to USCIS all papers are disassembled and put in arco folders and put in the order they want. But do put in nice order you can put tabs on your papers

Question 3.certified copy will work. Be sure to make a copy for your records.

Most embassies you just have to bring all your proofs to interview but for high fraud countries which we are Front-loading is very important. Everything you submit is what the CO will look over to prepare and decide by the time of your interview so you want the best stuff that shows a genuine relationship. Tell your love story.

0

• 

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

Hi all. And blessings to everyone going through this process. I have a question(s). The one I'm most curious about is Question 1. I am gathering everything to put in with my I-129F and I wanted to ask everyone how many pages of stuff did everyone send in with theirs? My phone records alone are quite a pile of pages. Then there are emails, chats, pics,copies of travel iteneary, etc. Question 2. What do you think of this... I want to put it all in a binder with tabs. Like a tab saying emails, one that says phone records, one for photos, my trip itenerary and stamp to Nigeria, etc.

Quesion 3. I received a certified copy of my divorce certificate but its not a certificate. It's a few pages stapled that say Judgement and Decree of Dissolution of Marriage. It has a raised seal. Is this what a divorce certificate looks like?

Allegedly, and I followed it, Lagos embassy is a tough embassy to get a visa from. So it requires a preponderance of evidence, useful evidence not just nonsensical volumes.. I personally have about 300 to 500 pages of evidence including the petition package and visa package. I don't expect any CO to go through it but as I read on a thread from a CO (see my sig) thus particular CO prefers to have too much evidence than not enough. So he can leaf though the evidence to find what he needs.

Another allegation is that most of the times the CO has made up his mind to either approve or deny the visa before the beneficiary steps up to his window. So for tough embassies what you do is send a lot of documentation in the petition stage so that the CO has a lot fo information to saunter through at his convenience. The evidence I submitted at the visa stage are just newer documentation such as post petition phone bills, emails, correspondences as well as the visa forms which of course now includes my I-134 and supporting documents such as bank, tax (I sent IRS tax account for four years so he can see a continued pattern of income, as an example instead off just the one they required), job letter, etc.

Did I send too much documents for say London Embassy or Toronto? Most likely, I think all they require there is for the beneficiary to have a pulse. But for Lagos Embassy I think I did quite well and went well beyond the requirement.

One more thing I did and recommend is to catalogue the information is useful project management style so that the CO can easily follow along. Also, do not get confused between the IR1/CR1 folks as they are quite different from K1 folks.

Good luck.

PS: One more thing and I apologize in advance, at the end of the day, you will read a lo tof opinions and conjectures but the final act is for you to do what you feel is proper. Don't take any one persons word for it, not even mine. What I did was specifically search out posts from successful Lagos applicants. Once I identified them I then back tracked and started reading their posts from the beginning to see their path.

[TJandJR 69]

300 to 500 pages. Good. I agree. Too much is better than not enough. Lagos is... well, Lagos. Just need them to see that we communicate on a regular basis in multiple ways and have been for over two years. In regards to the cell bill, emails, etc. I think I will provide a very generous sampling of every month and send my fiance the total of it all so he can say "I have more if you would like to see them" if he's asked.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Supposedly the only reason that a CO can deny a visa from an approved petition is the discovery of a "new" fact not in the petition. So in theory if the petition contained the total history of both your lives they could never deny. ( In theory) They sometimes will use overpreparation against you in the most evil of ways by asking overly detailed questions based on data in the package , hoping that the interviewee will flub the answer and they can toss the ever loved " no bonefide relationship" out based on " interviewee's inability to answer questions about facts of the relationship.

So cover every red flag you can in the petition, DO not include things so much that you provide with ammo for the "lack of bonefide" call. I provided an index to the pounds of paper I sent. That way they had some idea of what I had in the mess even if they tossed in the air in a game of INS 52 petition pickup.

[TJandJR 69]

Gowon, (I hope I spelled that correctly. Now I don' see it anywhere to check it .) I wrote my "how we met" and I want someone to read it. It's not long. I read many of your post/replies and I would respect your opinion of it. However, I see you don't have a "send me a message" button. I'm just not sure if I gave enough info, or too much, or if it sounds mushy or not mushy enough.

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

Gowon, (I hope I spelled that correctly. Now I don' see it anywhere to check it .) I wrote my "how we met" and I want someone to read it. It's not long. I read many of your post/replies and I would respect your opinion of it. However, I see you don't have a "send me a message" button. I'm just not sure if I gave enough info, or too much, or if it sounds mushy or not mushy enough.

Sorry but I turned in early last night.

Regarding the how we met section, I did not write a letter but merely wrote briefly that I "met my Fiancee at her place of employment during a trip to visit my Mum in Nigeria". I also wrote that after that initial 2 weeks that we spent together when I first met her that "I went back for a second visit some 7 months later, asked her Mum for permision to marry her and then proposed to her". Easy peasy.

I am not very emotional so I tend to do things as a matter of fact. I think your letter needs to reflect who you are but without being too mushy.

PS: As an example (I wil ltry to find the post) there was a letter recently submitted for critique by a member and the concensus on here was that it was too mushy and over the board.

Edited October 10, 2012 by Gowon

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

Sorry but I turned in early last night.

Regarding the how we met section, I did not write a letter but merely wrote briefly that I "met my Fiancee at her place of employment during a trip to visit my Mum in Nigeria". I also wrote that after that initial 2 weeks that we spent together when I first met her that "I went back for a second visit some 7 months later, asked her Mum for permision to marry her and then proposed to her". Easy peasy.

I am not very emotional so I tend to do things as a matter of fact. I think your letter needs to reflect who you are but without being too mushy.

PS: As an example (I wil ltry to find the post) there was a letter recently submitted for critique by a member and the concensus on here was that it was too mushy and over the board.

Sorry I needed to add that I did include the specific dates that I met her to prove the met in two years.

[More+Muyi 2]

After reading this thread, I am worried because I did not front load my petition to USCIS. I only followed the instructions on VJ, which requires the basic evidence need to meet the requirements for K1 visas. I have read (numerous times) that Lagos embassy COs already decide whether to approve your visa based on the petition package they receive from NVC. Is it possible to send additional evidence to the embassy before the interview date so the CO may consider those evidence in conjunction with the petition package before my fiancé's interview? This has been bugging me for weeks, and I have posted a similar post before but no one replied me.

I greatly appreciate your responses.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

I am not aware of anyone trying to submit evidence pre interview at the embassy level. I seriously doubt if it would get reviewed or accepted. It might even be a bad idea if it gives them "fact not originally disclosed" that they can twist into a negative towards the couple. A lot of the pain you can expect at the embassy had to deal with your red flags and a lot has to do with the CO who interviews you.

[More+Muyi 2]

@Nigeriaorbust - Thank you for your response, I guess we will just compile as much evidence as we can for the interview.

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

You can add documents at NVC, BUT K1 packages spend so little time there it may not match up. Here's a CR1/IR1 that recently successfully did this.

YMMV.

[More+Muyi 2]

You can add documents at NVC, BUT K1 packages spend so little time there it may not match up. Here's a CR1/IR1 that recently successfully did this.

YMMV.

Yea I saw that post. I just wasn't sure if K1 applicants/petitioners are allowed to do the same thing. I will send in more evidence though...hopefully it will match up.