Total time spent together in person - how much does it matter??

[scienceworks 64]

if you haven't cleared the history in Skype, you should have all the call logs and chats when you click that person's name in Skpe. Then take screenshots showing the actual skype window. I would prefer that than excel sheets whic offers less credibility. Show the screen shots at reasonable frequency.

[rylforever 18]

Hi all,

As my wife and I get ready to submit our I-130, one question popped into my head that I hope someone can answer for me.

My job only allots me 3.5 weeks of vacation per year and I have only been able to go and visit my wife for 10 day to 2 week blocks at a time, two times per year. And she's been unemployed throughout most of our relationship and hasn't been able to get a visa to come see me. So all of the face to face contact we've spent has been me going to see her, rather than the other way around. In total, we've been with each other in person for about 6 weeks and our relationship has primarily unfolded over thousands and thousands of pages of emails and chats, hundreds of hours of skype video sessions and multiple hand written letters and packages to each other.

So, my questions are: how important is the total amount of time spent together face to face when submitting the petition? And will the fact we've been with each other a total of 6 weeks hurt our chances? Because we've haven't been able to spend a lot of face to face time should we send dozens more pages of skype chats and emails? Or no? I guess I'm getting pretty worried the USCIS will have a problem with our 6 weeks of close contact and think it's bad or something. Any and all advice and input is much appreciated. Thank you very much!

Rysiu

I think you will be fine. i only get to see my husband for about a week at a time when i fly out to see him, and i can olnly fly out once every six months. so we dont see each other face to face that often but we talk on the phone, text, skype, etc all of the time and i sent all of that and our i-130 was approved. good luck

[NikLR 13,227]

if you haven't cleared the history in Skype, you should have all the call logs and chats when you click that person's name in Skpe. Then take screenshots showing the actual skype window. I would prefer that than excel sheets whic offers less credibility. Show the screen shots at reasonable frequency.

Yes this is what I mean. Take a screen shot of the actual skype window showing the calls. It's more legit that way IMO but try not to think about if they're thinking if you've doctored everything. Look at photos... they're easy to doctor, even when people used dark rooms! Try to not over think it all. I know it's hard.

[r060106 109]

if you haven't cleared the history in Skype, you should have all the call logs and chats when you click that person's name in Skpe. Then take screenshots showing the actual skype window. I would prefer that than excel sheets whic offers less credibility. Show the screen shots at reasonable frequency.

I haven't cleared the history, but skype only keeps a history for 6 months, if I remember correctly. Our skype chats and video calls go all the way back to January or February of 2012. So I guess I don't understand how I'm going to get screenshots from a year and a half ago. Where should I put the call logs and chats? Just copy and paste into a word document? It doesn't really make sense to me to go find every single call we've had out of the hundreds and make a screenshot of it. Seems way too complicating. What about printing or taking a screenshot of the SkypeCallLog program's output screen? Would that be good?

Yes this is what I mean. Take a screen shot of the actual skype window showing the calls. It's more legit that way IMO but try not to think about if they're thinking if you've doctored everything. Look at photos... they're easy to doctor, even when people used dark rooms! Try to not over think it all. I know it's hard.

It's extremely hard. I find myself overthinking everything and worry a lot because it's hard for me to trust the system. I was just going to print several dozen pages of our skype chats and emails, which I have in another Word document because that makes it easier to print, along with that spreadsheet log, but it looks like I might have to come up with a plan B now. Kind of depressing.

[NikLR 13,227]

To be honest, my husband and I didn't submit any chats or emails. But he was able to add me to his bank account, his vehicle insurance, and we obtained 2 affidavits (which are really the weakest kind of evidence.)

In a low fraud country, it's best not to overthink. Send them a sampling of "hubs called wife... duration xx. wife called hubs... duration xx" from each month that you can. Take the screen shot and paste it into MS Paint. Print from there. I understand it only saves it for 6 months, just keep saving and add more evidence with the IV package at the NVC. You add a few emails printed from the browser. If you've visited each other then you can also add photocopies of boarding passes (we did submit those too, I forgot about that) and passport stamps. Photos (printed on plain paper 2-4 per page, labelled with people and dates) with and without family are good too. See if you can add the beneficiary to your bank account. There is a form called a W8-ben which may be helpful, mention it to a manager. We were able to do all of it over the phone with scanning and email, but we bank with USAA who are used to foreign spouses (it's a military bank.) If not at least the vehicle insurance (normally gives you a better rate too!) Remember you're only recently married, they want evidence of a genuine marriage, so you're offering things that come before the marriage and they understand that people in our kinds of situations don't visit a lot, don't have some of the evidence they're asking for, and likely don't have a lot of evidence period. Don't worry about submitting everything from the beginning of your courtship.

You're not going through NIgeria where I would tell you to put absolutely every shred of evidence you have an ongoing relationship into a folder to send off. It's Poland. You'll be okay I guess I trust the system enough because I'm here in the USA and I started out in Alberta, Canada. From filing to getting my green card it was 9 months. We didn't get an RFE or a checklist.

[nv2012 2]

Hi,

As far as your relationship and marriage is genuine you need not worry at all.

me and my husbadnjust spent a total of 1 days since our Cr1 process started.

He visited India 3 times after we decided to marry. 2days then 8 days and then again 2 days.Thats it.

We had been to many places and people in his 8 days stay and we produced photos of the same which the officer saw and was convinced!!CR1 was approved.

Total time doesn't matter at all.

Please keep strong proofs fro evidence of genuine relationship.

Take evrything that coem s to your mind he may ask.I have also posted the Interview index which I made when I went for the interview.

So good Luck to you.

NV2012

Sorry theres a typo there.

We spent 12 days in total since we decided to marry...

NV2012

[Ning 619]

I haven't cleared the history, but skype only keeps a history for 6 months, if I remember correctly. Our skype chats and video calls go all the way back to January or February of 2012. So I guess I don't understand how I'm going to get screenshots from a year and a half ago. Where should I put the call logs and chats? Just copy and paste into a word document? It doesn't really make sense to me to go find every single call we've had out of the hundreds and make a screenshot of it. Seems way too complicating. What about printing or taking a screenshot of the SkypeCallLog program's output screen? Would that be good?

It's extremely hard. I find myself overthinking everything and worry a lot because it's hard for me to trust the system. I was just going to print several dozen pages of our skype chats and emails, which I have in another Word document because that makes it easier to print, along with that spreadsheet log, but it looks like I might have to come up with a plan B now. Kind of depressing.

Clear the depression by accepting the facts. You are married and she is coming from what several people have described correctly as a low fraud country. That combination is about as good as it gets. Relax. You are going about this like a terrified K 1 case from Nigeria. Take it easy on yourself and just do the background stuff you will need. Learn more about the process to help you remain calm. Don't prepare for a Supreme Court case that isn't going to take place.

This will all be ok as you go thru this journey. You will have what we all want for you and you have worked for. Read again the examples that people indicate here.

[Hollyday 122]

Yes this is what I mean. Take a screen shot of the actual skype window showing the calls. It's more legit that way IMO but try not to think about if they're thinking if you've doctored everything. Look at photos... they're easy to doctor, even when people used dark rooms! Try to not over think it all. I know it's hard.

Heh, well unfortunately a screenshot can be altered just as easily as the photos. I'm not trying to make it harder on the OP, just saying.

Edited July 23, 2013 by Hollyday

[NikLR 13,227]

Heh, well unfortunately a screenshot can be altered just as easily as the photos. I'm not trying to make it harder on the OP, just saying.

That's what I'm trying to say, everything can be altered. The average person DOESN'T alter photos because a) they don't have the knowledge and b) they're not trying to be fraudulent.

Whatever the OP finds easier, they should do.

this photo comes to mind:

[evelyn1140 18]

Hi all,

As my wife and I get ready to submit our I-130, one question popped into my head that I hope someone can answer for me.

My job only allots me 3.5 weeks of vacation per year and I have only been able to go and visit my wife for 10 day to 2 week blocks at a time, two times per year. And she's been unemployed throughout most of our relationship and hasn't been able to get a visa to come see me. So all of the face to face contact we've spent has been me going to see her, rather than the other way around. In total, we've been with each other in person for about 6 weeks and our relationship has primarily unfolded over thousands and thousands of pages of emails and chats, hundreds of hours of skype video sessions and multiple hand written letters and packages to each other.

So, my questions are: how important is the total amount of time spent together face to face when submitting the petition? And will the fact we've been with each other a total of 6 weeks hurt our chances? Because we've haven't been able to spend a lot of face to face time should we send dozens more pages of skype chats and emails? Or no? I guess I'm getting pretty worried the USCIS will have a problem with our 6 weeks of close contact and think it's bad or something. Any and all advice and input is much appreciated. Thank you very much!

Rysiu

This is important. when I applied for my husband visa i went 2 times a year. They did look into it and asked him questions about my trips. I believe this is relevant because they will know it is an ongoing relationship. Dont get me wrong some people don't have the money or the time.

[r060106 109]

To be honest, my husband and I didn't submit any chats or emails. But he was able to add me to his bank account, his vehicle insurance, and we obtained 2 affidavits (which are really the weakest kind of evidence.)

In a low fraud country, it's best not to overthink. Send them a sampling of "hubs called wife... duration xx. wife called hubs... duration xx" from each month that you can. Take the screen shot and paste it into MS Paint. Print from there. I understand it only saves it for 6 months, just keep saving and add more evidence with the IV package at the NVC. You add a few emails printed from the browser. If you've visited each other then you can also add photocopies of boarding passes (we did submit those too, I forgot about that) and passport stamps. Photos (printed on plain paper 2-4 per page, labelled with people and dates) with and without family are good too. See if you can add the beneficiary to your bank account. There is a form called a W8-ben which may be helpful, mention it to a manager. We were able to do all of it over the phone with scanning and email, but we bank with USAA who are used to foreign spouses (it's a military bank.) If not at least the vehicle insurance (normally gives you a better rate too!) Remember you're only recently married, they want evidence of a genuine marriage, so you're offering things that come before the marriage and they understand that people in our kinds of situations don't visit a lot, don't have some of the evidence they're asking for, and likely don't have a lot of evidence period. Don't worry about submitting everything from the beginning of your courtship.

You're not going through NIgeria where I would tell you to put absolutely every shred of evidence you have an ongoing relationship into a folder to send off. It's Poland. You'll be okay I guess I trust the system enough because I'm here in the USA and I started out in Alberta, Canada. From filing to getting my green card it was 9 months. We didn't get an RFE or a checklist.

I'll be adding her to my bank account too, as well as obtain three affidavits. I plan on putting copies of my boarding passes and passport stamps in the package also, and many photos will be included. Thanks a lot for the tips on including the screenshots and emails. It helps! How many photos did you submit?

That's all great to hear and very encouraging. Thanks so much again! I hope ours goes as fast as yours, but the way it looks now is that it's taking 11 months rather than 9. So we'll see.

Clear the depression by accepting the facts. You are married and she is coming from what several people have described correctly as a low fraud country. That combination is about as good as it gets. Relax. You are going about this like a terrified K 1 case from Nigeria. Take it easy on yourself and just do the background stuff you will need. Learn more about the process to help you remain calm. Don't prepare for a Supreme Court case that isn't going to take place.

This will all be ok as you go thru this journey. You will have what we all want for you and you have worked for. Read again the examples that people indicate here.

Thanks a lot. That's great to hear!

Our visits are usually twice a year too. So I think we should be good if you did the same. Thanks for the reply!

[NikLR 13,227]

We submitted, 6 photos? But we didn't have that many. We're not big photo takers (well I TAKE photos but not of me and my husband generally... I take photos like this: http://nikidun.deviantart.com/)

LOL

Anyhow off topic

Edited July 24, 2013 by NLR