"Frontloading" Your I-129F/K-1 Petition. Opinions/experiences?

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

I front loaded my I-129F = 90 days approval, I also front loaded my I-130 = 49 days or so approval.

I don't think that front loading led to my quick approvals, at least directly, but it appeared to remove any chance of an RFE which can be argued to indirectly reduce the total processing time. Yes?

Oh BTW our K1 was denied but it was not due to any lack of documentation as we front loaded. Oh they said lack of bona fide relationship but thats just silly talk.

Good luck to all that are waiting.

[Redicent 14]

I front loaded my I-129F = 90 days approval, I also front loaded my I-130 = 49 days or so approval.

I don't think that front loading led to my quick approvals, at least directly, but it appeared to remove any chance of an RFE which can be argued to indirectly reduce the total processing time. Yes?

Oh BTW our K1 was denied but it was not due to any lack of documentation as we front loaded. Oh they said lack of bona fide relationship but thats just silly talk.

Good luck to all that are waiting.

Right on, never give up...

[JAYANN & JAY 11]

Hi. I sort of front loaded when I sent my I-129F to USCIS. Here are the stuff I had included:

All boarding passes, tickets, receipts, bus tickets, hotel confirmation, passport stamps, facebook check-ins and about 25 photos for evidence of meeting in person. I sent 2 years worth of letter I received from my fiance, 2 years worth of skype logs, facebook messages, text messages, phone cards & about 6 phone bills for on-going relationship. I received no RFE and got approval exactly 4 months. I will be sending my fiance everything when he goes for his interview.

[KayDeeCee 4,896]

Processing times are not slowed or sped up by whether or not you front-load your petition. I front-loaded and the petition was approved in 23 days. They obviously were not slowed down by the extra paperwork in my file. That being said, I do not think anyone needs to send in hundreds of pages of chat and call logs. A sampling of a variety of different communication/relationship evidence spanning the entire time of your relationship will do. Then take more of those evidences plus new documentation acquired between sending in the petition and your interview with you to the consulate.

For Juarez you have no chance to send in evidence beforehand. CDJ sends no packets, only a simple letter. You mail nothing back to the consulate. All forms are taken with you and presented there on the day you interview. Juarez will ask for and look at evidence at the interview. The CO asked for more photos even though I front-loaded and sent more photos than were needed to begin with. The CO did not allow him to present a notarized letter from me I had sent with him. I had read other reviews of people saying the CO just told them NO when they tried to give them evidence documents, and some that were approved without ever being asked for any evidence. So, I think it depends on a case by case situation as well as varying from CO to CO.

Before starting the long immigration journey, I think everyone should research and learn as much as they can about how the consulate they will interview at tends to work. If the reviews and advice from people going through the exact same consulate state that it is important to provide some evidence of relationship up front with the petition, then you should front-load. If it is an easier consulate that does not tend to care about relationship evidence, then you can safely skip front-loading and send in only the bare minimum requirements for the I-129F.

[Cathi 5,795]

I front loaded, but just a little. I sent a sampling of things that spanned our relationship, boarding passes, 5 pictures, about a dozen emails and about the same amount of various chats. Petition approved in about 90 days with no rfe., interview 7 months after NOA1, visa in hand 10 months later, including 10 weeks of AP. Amman is 100% electronic consulate and does not accept mail, but they do allow evidence at the interview. I attended the interview with my husband, the CO did not ask to see our evidence, but we were prepared in case they did.

[Bugs 455]

Some say to "frontload" your petition with extra "ongoing relationship" evidence, beyond what is need for I-129F appoval, at the start, so you have an easier time at the embassy interview.

Some say otherwise. Whats the real story?

Does frontloading really help when it gets to the embassy?

Does frontloading slow down the approval process at USCIS?

Why give USCIS stuff to confuse them or cause more questions?

Can the extra evidence just be sent to the embassy once an embassy case number is assigned, before the interview?

Those who frontloaded, how long was your NOA1 to NOA2 time? RFEs?

Those who did not frontload, how long was your NOA1 to NOA2 time? RFEs?

Embassy experiences regarding frontloading?

Actual experiences would be more helpful, rather than assumptions.

I ask these questions fully knowing that one must first satisfy USCIS. Some evidence of ongoing relationship may help with that. And of course different embassies have different standards to overcome. These are given concepts. My interest is in whether frontloading is truly effective. And is there recent experience to show which is best.

It's consulate specific, but, generally, a good idea for high fraud consulates and if your case has any red flags. Being there with your fiance for the interview is also beneficial for those reasons.

[Glenn & Anne 16]

Did not frontload. 93 days to NOA2 from Vermont. I think where your petition falls in the pile maybe has something to do with it. Haha

[Cathi 5,795]

I front loaded, but just a little. I sent a sampling of things that spanned our relationship, boarding passes, 5 pictures, about a dozen emails and about the same amount of various chats. Petition approved in about 90 days with no rfe., interview 7 months after NOA1, visa in hand 10 months later, including 10 weeks of AP. Amman is 100% electronic consulate and does not accept mail, but they do allow evidence at the interview. I attended the interview with my husband, the CO did not ask to see our evidence, but we were prepared in case they did.

I meant to say visa in hand 10 months after NOA1. Our entire process was exactly 10 months from start to finish, including 10 weeks of AP after the interview.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Some say to "frontload" your petition with extra "ongoing relationship" evidence, beyond what is need for I-129F appoval, at the start, so you have an easier time at the embassy interview.

Some say otherwise. Whats the real story?

Does frontloading really help when it gets to the embassy?

Does frontloading slow down the approval process at USCIS?

Why give USCIS stuff to confuse them or cause more questions?

Can the extra evidence just be sent to the embassy once an embassy case number is assigned, before the interview?

Those who frontloaded, how long was your NOA1 to NOA2 time? RFEs?

Those who did not frontload, how long was your NOA1 to NOA2 time? RFEs?

Embassy experiences regarding frontloading?

Actual experiences would be more helpful, rather than assumptions.

I ask these questions fully knowing that one must first satisfy USCIS. Some evidence of ongoing relationship may help with that. And of course different embassies have different standards to overcome. These are given concepts. My interest is in whether frontloading is truly effective. And is there recent experience to show which is best.

This is so embassy specific that asking members about their different embassies will not help you to prepare for your own interview.

I would ask in your regional forum, post a poll and read the interview reviews in the embassy feedback.

Do what others before you advice from YOUR consulate to be fully prepared. My experience will not help you. Theirs will.

Having said that, often the CO will not accept any more evidence you want to submit on "certain" consulates (Nigeria for one). That's it. Your ship left the harbor.

The CO made up his mind before the beneficiary ever stepped into the interview and based on what he has seen will refuse or deny.

I have no clue about your consulate's quirks.

Just because the Jerusalem embassy lists a physical address does not mean you can send a package there. You may and you may not.

With all the security issues I doubt it.

Why not contact your consulate and ask if you can mail it instead of linking a consulate you are not even interviewing at ?

[Redicent 14]

This is so embassy specific that asking members about their different embassies will not help you to prepare for your own interview.

I would ask in your regional forum, post a poll and read the interview reviews in the embassy feedback.

Do what others before you advice from YOUR consulate to be fully prepared. My experience will not help you. Theirs will.

Having said that, often the CO will not accept any more evidence you want to submit on "certain" consulates (Nigeria for one). That's it. Your ship left the harbor.

The CO made up his mind before the beneficiary ever stepped into the interview and based on what he has seen will refuse or deny.

I have no clue about your consulate's quirks.

Just because the Jerusalem embassy lists a physical address does not mean you can send a package there. You may and you may not.

With all the security issues I doubt it.

Why not contact your consulate and ask if you can mail it instead of linking a consulate you are not even interviewing at ?

Im asking to find a general consensus or a trend, not for my own case. My case is happily on the way.

I want to know about VJ folks experience and factual knowledge about various embassies/consulates regarding frontloading. This is information which can help others.

As for mailing Jerusalem, that was response to a specific commenter who said embassies/consulates dont accept mail. His/her comment refered to "package". The Jerusalem consulate lists a mailing address in addition to a physical address. If you follow the link I provided, you will see that it is a post office box, for mail. Im asking about frontloading, not how many stamps to put on a letter.

Thanks for your input. Can you tell us whether you frontloaded? How many days between NOA1 and NOA2? Did you have RFEs?

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Thank you all for the great input so far. Its interesting to see the results. I hope more will share.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Redicent

[Dipikant 2]

Have you all frontloaded at the I130 stage or at NVC stage also? I mean did you send your evidence of relationship to NVC along with your original civil documents? I have sent some evidence to USCIS but just wondering if I should send some more evidence at the NVC stage as well along with my IV packet. Any idea if USCIS sends all the documets submitted by us to NVC or only the I130 approval letter? Please help with your suggetions.

[baron555 934]

Some say to "frontload" your petition with extra "ongoing relationship" evidence, beyond what is need for I-129F appoval, at the start, so you have an easier time at the embassy interview.

Some say otherwise. Whats the real story?

Since your meeting in person will most likely come between the beginning of your relationship and the present, the meeting evidence also serves as relationsihp evidence.

Does frontloading really help when it gets to the embassy?

For some Embassies it seems to.

Does frontloading slow down the approval process at USCIS?

No, unless you send them too too much and cause the adjucator to hurt their back trying to lift your package.

Why give USCIS stuff to confuse them or cause more questions?

Exaclty

Can the extra evidence just be sent to the embassy once an embassy case number is assigned, before the interview?

No

Those who frontloaded, how long was your NOA1 to NOA2 time? RFEs?

Regular time frame at the time. No RFEs because I followed the Guides and Example Forms to the tee.

Those who did not frontload, how long was your NOA1 to NOA2 time? RFEs?

Embassy experiences regarding frontloading?

For Moscow, it was acknowledged.

Actual experiences would be more helpful, rather than assumptions.

[lbounds 16]

I front loaded on every submission from initial K1 to ROC for 10 years. The time for our 10 year ROC was I think months faster than others at the same submission time but I think we may have gotten randomly selected. It was a good thing because I was in process of moving out of state.

[Lux44 15]

I didn't frontload the petition and when I last spoke with a tier 2 officer, I asked her about it and she said it isn't necessary. If you have quality basic information that they ask for you should be good.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I didn't frontload the petition and when I last spoke with a tier 2 officer, I asked her about it and she said it isn't necessary. If you have quality basic information that they ask for you should be good.

You are obviously not familiar with the concept. Read up on it; it is vital for certain consulates. USCIS couldn't care less, but you are trying to get the embassy to see it. That's the "front" part...