Finalizing our IR-130 package - a few questions

[zatarra 1]

My wife and I are almost ready to submit our IR-130 package. I have just a few questions.

1.

I have an attachment I typed up in MS Word because some info did not fit on the IR-130 form. It's labeled "IR-130 Attachment" Do I just paperclip this to the IR-130 form?

2.

I read this on the guide page:

"Cover Letter. Should include a description of what your are petitioning for (I-130), a table of contents (list everything in the packet). If you need additional room to explain your case, attach a separate sheet (list the attachment on the cover sheet). Make sure to sign and date the cover sheet."

I'm confused. Is there a difference between "Cover Letter" and "cover sheet"?

3.

For "Evidence of Bonafide Marriage" we have a bank statement with my name and my wife's name, a translation of a document from the local city hall that shows my wife and I are living together (It' called Jyumin Hyo in Japan), a translated family register from my wife's hometown's city hall which has my name on it, and we have a bunch of pictures of us with each other's families and some letters we wrote to each other. Will this suffice?

4.

On the translated documents I just put this bit "I , certify that I am fluent (conversant) in the English and..." at the bottom and had a friend look over the translation and sign it. That should be fine, right? I'm only asking because the end of that bit says "is an accurate translation of the document attached entitled..." In my case it's not attached. The statement is printed directly on the translation.

That's it! I think we got everything else sorted out. I just hope we filled out all the forms correctly.

[Ryan H 3,812]

Answers:

1. Yes
2. No difference
3. IMO, your list is there; just don't forget a photocopy of your marriage certificate (keep the original)
4. Good to go

[Blueberry Pancake 311]

4.

On the translated documents I just put this bit "I , certify that I am fluent (conversant) in the English and..." at the bottom and had a friend look over the translation and sign it. That should be fine, right? I'm only asking because the end of that bit says "is an accurate translation of the document attached entitled..." In my case it's not attached. The statement is printed directly on the translation.

That's it! I think we got everything else sorted out. I just hope we filled out all the forms correctly.

This means that translation with this statement is attached to a photocopy of the original document.

So you're fine. Just don't forget to attach the photocopy of the doc as well.

[zatarra 1]

Ok, sounds good. Some more questions came up as I was preparing.

1. I read on one guide that my last name should be in all caps and the middle and first name should be normal. Is that right?
2. Some sections ask for city and country of birth. If I just put city and country, it will not be clear exactly what city because I think there is more than one city with my hometown's name in the US. So I put my city, state and country. Is that ok?
3. Similiar situation, some sections ask for State/Country. Does this mean I write, for example, "Wisconsin/USA"? And then for my wife, who is from Japan, would write the prefecture and Japan. I thought maybe state meant just another word for country, which would mean I just write USA for myself, and Japan for my wife.
4. I need a photocopy of the FRONT AND BACK of my birth certificate. Well, the back of my birth certificate is blank. I photocopied it anyway but it's hard to tell the difference between a photocopy of the back of my birth certificate and a blank sheet of paper. Is that going to be a problem? I suppose I should put a note on it that says it's a photocopy of the back of my birth certificate.
5. Lastly, I realized that I'm not really sending any original documents with the IR-130 package. Is that right? Everything is a photocopy except for the applications themselves.

That's it. Thanks for your responses so far. If any of you can respond soon I can fix everything and print it while I'm at work

[NikLR 13,227]

1. doesn't matter

2. sure

3. yes

4. we only sent in a photocopy of the front because the back was completely blank, no watermark etc... it was fine.

5. correct, everything is a photocopy.

[zatarra 1]

Great. I got everything ready. Last question I forgot to ask, how do I do a credit card payment? Somehow I couldn't find anything when I searched this on google.

[B & G 200]

Great. I got everything ready. Last question I forgot to ask, how do I do a credit card payment? Somehow I couldn't find anything when I searched this on google.

You can't use a credit card to make the I-130 form payment. It has to be either a money order or cheque drawn from a bank on US soil.

[zatarra 1]

Darn. Well, my wife and I are in Japan. I have some checks at my parents' house back in the states. I guess there's no quick way to do this. I'm going to have to wait another week to send this out. I'll have my parents mail the checks to me. Unless there's a quicker way to do this??? Can't think of anything

[Ryan H 3,812]

Unless there's a quicker way to do this??? Can't think of anything

Send the package to your parents, have them write the check and send off the package.

[zatarra 1]

Ya, why didn't I think of that??

Some more questions:

1. How do you separate the difference papers? Do you paperclip things together? Do you bind it all together like a booklet?
2. The pictures we have are not 2x2 inches. They look like the standard passport size to me. We took the pictures at a little photobooth here in Japan which has a "passport size" setting. It's 45mmx35mm.
3. It's ok that the payment will come from a check with my mom's name on it?

[Ryan H 3,812]

Ya, why didn't I think of that??

Some more questions:

1. How do you separate the difference papers? Do you paperclip things together? Do you bind it all together like a booklet?
2. The pictures we have are not 2x2 inches. They look like the standard passport size to me. We took the pictures at a little photobooth here in Japan which has a "passport size" setting. It's 45mmx35mm.
3. It's ok that the payment will come from a check with my mom's name on it?

Some more answers :

1. Use paperclips, do not bind anything.
2. Will not work, the dimensions would have needed to be 50mmx50mm
3. Yes

[zatarra 1]

If I have a copy of my birth certificate, then I don't need a copy of my passport, right? If I do need my passport, I need "all pages," meaning all the blank pages in my passport too?

I'm glad I asked about the pictures. I thought they were fine. We'll have to get some new ones somehow. I think the size we got is the standard "pasport" size in Japan.

Thank you!

Edited December 4, 2013 by zatarra

[NikLR 13,227]

yes if you use the birth certificate you do not need the passport. The passport must be the ENTIRE passport if used. (such a PITA to photocopy every single page! )