Ready to send I-129f, opinions on evidence please.

[Mark and Mindy 0]

Hi all!

My girlfriend and I have been using this site as an invaluable tool for structure and advice for our K1 application for quite some time. We've almost finished compiling the documents and are about ready to send it all off. I am, however, slightly (read: massively) paranoid about delays and denials during the process so I would really like some opinions on how solid our case sounds and advice if necessary. Skip next paragraph for TL:DR.

First off - I'm Mark, 22, from London England. My girlfriend is Mindy, 33, from Tennessee. We started talking online through the instant messaging service on a Blackberry scrabble game in February 2011. Slowly we talked more and more, eventually going to BBM, Facebook, and Skype after a few months. She visited me in October 2011 for one week - half of the stay at a hotel and the other half at the empty family home (no one knew at this point..). I then stayed at hers for Christmas that year (2 weeks or so), by which time both of our families knew about the relationship. We then had to wait a long time to see each other again. She visited me for an entire month this past July (2012) which included a 5 day trip to visit some of my family in Spain, and just 2 days ago I've returned home after surprising her with a one week visit on her fall break (she's a teacher). We already have tickets for me to go there again this Christmas.

TL:DR. Feb 11, meet online. Oct 11, 1 week in London. Dec 11, 2 weeks in USA. July 12, 1 month in London. Oct 12, 1 week in USA. Dec 13, tickets booked for 3 weeks in USA.

She is a teacher, I am employed but of no profession. She rents on her own and I live with my mother.

For proof we can provide:

• Original boarding passes of SOME, but not all, flights - We can of course find e-mail receipts, are these good enough? Do they carry any weight at all?
  
• Pictures. LOTS of pictures including ones of us with each other's families and around famous landmarks etc. How many do you suggest we send? 5, 10, 40?
  
• Records of hundreds of Skype calls lasting anywhere from 5 minutes to 5 hours, dating back for months and months.
  
• Bank statements of Mindy in London and me in the USA.
  
• My stamped passport. Will I need to photocopy ever single page or just the relevant one? It also has a stamp of a trip to Turkey, are the US officers so paranoid that they'll suspect me of terror training or some nonsense?
  
• Receipts of Valentines Day gifts, proving payment and delivery addresses.
  

To me it seems so easy to prove. We haven't rushed and I imagine the immigration officers see the UK as a fairly low risk country, but I want a real smooth ride. I want to give them so much evidence that nothing can possibly go wrong. I'd rather wait 2 weeks to really polish it off and get it right, than be hit by month long delays.

Thanks so much for your time and patience,

Mark

Edit:

As mentioned I have tickets booked for Christmas, so the paperwork will be mailed by then and the process started. I know to take a letter from my employer assuring the immigration officer of my job and intent to return, but is there anything else that can help?

Edited October 24, 2012 by M&MK1

[Pitaya 2,577]

For the best information, refer to the step-step K-1 guide, easily accessible in the Guides tab, conveniently located at the top of the forum page. There is a lot of good DIY advice there.

[Mark and Mindy 0]

We have been and still are using that, we just wanted some personalised advice specifically regarding our case if possible.

[LeftCoastLady 441]

For proof we can provide:

• 
  
• Original boarding passes of SOME, but not all, flights - We can of course find e-mail receipts, are these good enough? Do they carry any weight at all?
  
• Pictures. LOTS of pictures including ones of us with each other's families and around famous landmarks etc. How many do you suggest we send? 5, 10, 40?
  
• Records of hundreds of Skype calls lasting anywhere from 5 minutes to 5 hours, dating back for months and months.
  
• Bank statements of Mindy in London and me in the USA.
  
• My stamped passport. Will I need to photocopy ever single page or just the relevant one? It also has a stamp of a trip to Turkey, are the US officers so paranoid that they'll suspect me of terror training or some nonsense?
  
• Receipts of Valentines Day gifts, proving payment and delivery addresses.
  

The items in bold -- copies, however, not the originals -- are what you should send with the petition. I'd recommend photocopying the entire passport just show it's clear who traveled. On photos, don't send a ton, just enough to show that yes, you've met in person.

[rehtse 1]

That's good enough.

You can add for your proof:

1. Facebook screenshot

2. Yahoo messages

3. Email are good too, if you have emails between family and relatives

4. Hotel Receipts and Receipts from the tour/places you visited together

if you have lots of pictures, you can collage it ( you can use picasa to do this) and provide names of people in the pictures.

I read somwhere thats you can provide 4-5 of each proof of evidence.

I don't think bank statement of you and Mindy will do anything good on this early stage.

[amykathleen2005 441]

Right now you only really have to prove you have met once in two years. And that you have more then covered.

[EmberEmpress 8]

I think you sending bank statements showing that you were in the USA and she was in London are good proof of your claim you two were together within the past two years. It's hard to fake that.

[SteveKarlaMayer 21]

Hi, don't forget the form G-325A from both of you with signatures affixed on it. http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/g-325a.pdf

Also, the Intent To marry from the both of you again with signatures.

Best of luck!

[amykathleen2005 441]

I think you sending bank statements showing that you were in the USA and she was in London are good proof of your claim you two were together within the past two years. It's hard to fake that.

Or someone stole their credit cards...

[Phil & Alla 26]

All you need at this point is proof that you have met in person within the last 2 years.

For proof we can provide:

Original boarding passes of SOME, but not all, flights - We can of course find e-mail receipts, are these good enough? Do they carry any weight at all? Make copies of the boarding passes, do not send originals. The receipts will also help.

Pictures. LOTS of pictures including ones of us with each other's families and around famous landmarks etc. How many do you suggest we send? 5, 10, 40? I sent 10, make sure to write on the back the date and place they were taken and if you are in photos with each others family include the relationship.

Records of hundreds of Skype calls lasting anywhere from 5 minutes to 5 hours, dating back for months and months. Not needed now, this is proof of an ongoing relationship that will be needed at the interview. For this purpose we included a screen shot of a conversation-one a week for the duration prior to the interview.

Bank statements of Mindy in London and me in the USA. Not needed, just the portions of the statement that shows paying for the airline tickets.

My stamped passport. Will I need to photocopy ever single page or just the relevant one? It also has a stamp of a trip to Turkey, are the US officers so paranoid that they'll suspect me of terror training or some nonsense? Copy every page, the stamps verify your boarding passes.

Receipts of Valentines Day gifts, proving payment and delivery addresses. Not necessary at this point, again ongoing relationship.

Good luck!!

Edited October 24, 2012 by Phil & Alla

[Mark and Mindy 0]

Thank you for all your kind help and information, it's massively appreciated by us both!

Two short questions to finish up:

1. Will sending the superfluous proof hinder us at all?

2. Regarding boarding passes/flight receipts, would you say that we need every one? Or is a couple sufficient for this stage of the process at least? I know for the interview we can be thorough and include everything, but I wonder if at this point they'll just be happy with the proof we already have.

Thanks!

[LeftCoastLady 441]

For the petition, you need to provide evidence of meeting (at least once) within the two years prior to filing. As long as you send solid evidence to support that, it doesn't have to be every single item. If you have multiple boarding passes, make copies and send them on.

London typically doesn't make a big fuss on proof of ongoing relationship, so front-loading with a ton of documentation isn't really needed as it is for petitions for countries considered "high-fraud." You likely will not have to provide additional evidence at the interview stage. (Of course, this is subject to change, but you can read through the London embassy reviews to get an idea of what occurs.)

Thank you for all your kind help and information, it's massively appreciated by us both!

Two short questions to finish up:

1. Will sending the superfluous proof hinder us at all?

2. Regarding boarding passes/flight receipts, would you say that we need every one? Or is a couple sufficient for this stage of the process at least? I know for the interview we can be thorough and include everything, but I wonder if at this point they'll just be happy with the proof we already have.

Thanks!

Edited October 25, 2012 by LeftCoastLady

[Mark and Mindy 0]

Excellent! Thanks so much!