newbie needing help I-130 Proof of Realationship

[englishsun 4]

Hello all. Thanks for taking a moment to read this post. New to the site and trying to get some assistance. I've recently married my Love back in April in his home country of Algeria. Now our process of applying has started. I'm trying to gather the evidence to back up our relationship. So far I have the basics phone records, text records, pictures, we'll have affidavits from both sides of family/friends, Facebook posts and chats. I guess my concern is do I send it all? I mean that's a lot of paper and over 150 pics of us and family together. Detailed phone bill pin pointing calls and text made between us is over 50 pages. I've seen some say I sent 10 pics other said 80. So trying to get a better understand of what and how much to send. I'd rather send it all so I'm told you have "lack of proof". Any help is much appreciated. Thanks again

[GurkenSalat 48]

When we sent in the AOS package, we sent a selection of evidence. A few photos (11) - well, we're not keen on pictures, we didn't have thousands of them. A joint account letter from the bank, petitioner's life insurance showing the beneficiary's name as a... well, beneficiary. That sort of stuff. I realize that you might not have the financial stuff yet, but just send a selection of what you do have. In my case, I thought that if the package is so big/thick that it looks like a novel I'd be afraid to pick up, then it's too much

We also have hundreds of pages of text messages and chat logs (actually, those might go into the thousands of pages!), but we didn't send any of that with the initial package. I just plan to bring it to the interview when the time comes.

[englishsun 4]

Well thank you ? for the info. I felt the same way I didn't want to send a novel either but read so many posts how they lacked evidence.

[taivn 0]

All I had were two letters signed by coworkers and friends as evidence. Save the photos and other stuff for the interview.

[englishsun 4]

So at the interview we'll need to present the same/more evidence? It all seems so repetitive.

[Ryan H 3,812]

***Moved from Progress Reports to Process & Procedures.***

**Moderator hat off**

So at the interview we'll need to present the same/more evidence? It all seems so repetitive.

I don't agree with the posters who say "save it for the interview" because the CO may not ask to see it and if you try to pass it through the window unsolicited, the CO may immediately pass it back without so much as a glance. With that being said, such items should be brought to the interview.

When you assemble the file, think of quality over quantity (you don't need submit a novel or a phone book). Select a sample of Facebook posts, chats, etc. that cover the course of your relationship that you feel would make the most compelling case; same with the pictures, select a few that you feel make the most compelling case. For phone/text records, select a few that show ongoing communication (doesn't have to be the whole thing).

Just a word on the affidavits, they carry little to zero weight in the overall picture to begin with; submit them if you wish but your primary focus should be evidence of time spent together in person.

The second poster in this thread is going through a different process than you are and the advice they gave you is more relevant to their process than it is to yours. Each process is different and procedures and how to's are not interchangeable.

Anything you submit with the initial petition becomes part of the file that may be reviewed by a CO before the interview takes place. If you want to increase the odds that it will be looked at, submit it with the initial petition, don't assume a CO will ask for it.

[englishsun 4]

Thank you Ryan. I don't want to fall into the assumption either that it will be available for viewing at an interview later.

[Sparkles2013 9]

when we submitted out I-130 package we included:

12 photographs of the two of us together/ with family and friends (i wrote the names of the people, the location, and the date below the picture)

Airline tickets froma trip we took together

Key cards from a cruise we took together

copies of holiday cards/ wedding invites addressed to both of us

Skype conversations (i went back and found ones that showed the date.. one/ month for 4 years)

MSN conversations (again showing the date)

Messenger convos (Again, date was shown. I tried to get about 1/ month)

Our petition was approved with no RFE.

Some things that I was unable to gather but that were recommedned for us:

If you have made any purchases together where both of your names appear on the bill (things like furnature)

Any gift recepits that you have for each other (flowers, ebay, amazon when one of you is the sender and the other shows as the shipping address)

money orders

letters from family and friends

if your passport was stamped when you visited each other

if you had a wedding reception/ceremony you can send invitations (I was married at city hall, so i didnt have this)

if you are on eachothers insurance policies/ wills

good luck with your journey!

[englishsun 4]

Thank you Sparkles. I find when I went back and copied our conversations they were time stamped so I'm happy that part won't be a challenge.

[Ovvo 0]

we send only 9 photo , my wife she get Skype record by call the company , and we send Viber record too and MSN,

[englishsun 4]

Thank you for the information. I see your I-130 was approved. Congrats! Best of Luck