United States Department of Homeland Security for cover letter address?

[baron555 934]

Yeah and what's more silly if you read the OP's first posting, it lists the same address.

One has DHS and USCIS and the other has USCIS.

USCIS is a department of DHS ......

......so you could put "Santa Claus" before the address and your petition would still be delivered to that address.

And there ARE issues that are not addressed in the guide (notably, how to handle Latin style surnames and what to do if street/mailing addresses do not exist in the country you are petitioning for).

That's what the Regional Forums are for.

[TBoneTX 45,291]

There's a surprising amount of information in the regional forums. Yours (ours) is the Mexico, Latin & South America forum.

[AirConditioner515 15]

Yeah and what's more silly if you read the OP's first posting, it lists the same address.

One has DHS and USCIS and the other has USCIS.

USCIS is a department of DHS ......

......so you could put "Santa Claus" before the address and your petition would still be delivered to that address.

And there ARE issues that are not addressed in the guide (notably, how to handle Latin style surnames and what to do if street/mailing addresses do not exist in the country you are petitioning for).

That's what the Regional Forums are for.

I understand it's the same address, but that wasn't my point.

In my original post, I was asking if it makes a difference that the 'recipient's name' had to be USCIS or DHS, USCIS.

As the other poster mentioned, for us 'newbs' this is all a bit overwhelming as we try to complete these documents for our first time.

We have 'silly' questions because we've been trained to interpret these documents literally due to all these talks of RFE's over minor things.

Spending countless hours and scouring these forums, I've seen a laundry list of 'silly' things that people mention will cause an RFE.

-Using blue instead of black ink will cause RFE.

-Writing 'N/A' or 'None' instead of leaving the space blank will cause RFE on the newer forms.

-Writing with ink instead of pencil on back of passport photo will cause issues even though some people say it doesn't matter.

These are the type of things that cause us 'newbs' to freak out. Hence, why we've tried to take things literally on these documents.

For the veterans, I understand our freakouts might seem a bit silly. But for us beginners, this is a stressful period in our life as we try to make sure our petitions are 100% spot on with absolutely no chance of an RFE.

We've come to these forums to ask you veterans, the experts who've already been through this process, with our silly questions. I understand our questions can be extremely silly sometimes but, as mentioned, it's a critical time in our lives and we've come here, seeking your experienced help because you've been through this process already.

Edited February 12, 2015 by AirConditioner515

[Pennycat 880]

There's a surprising amount of information in the regional forums. Yours (ours) is the Mexico, Latin & South America forum.

Thank you, yes, I did find some help there, but not much as the regional boards are a lot slower than these. It still doesn't change the fact that, when asking questions here (which are the main forums and by far the most active and where other people ask questions that don't necessarily apply to every single K-1 application) and having the response be "read the guides" and the issue isn't addressed in the guides (or the issue was caused by confusion with the guides, as the OP mentions below) just is beyond grating, and treats you as if you're stupid or lazy and didn't do your homework first.

Sorry. Sometimes you can do the required reading and still have questions in class. Maybe that does make some of us stupid, I don't know, but as the OP again mentions below, this is a nightmare process and the boards here make it seem like you can get an RFE for licking the envelope from right to left rather than left to right, and other silly reasons that don't really seem to come from a lack of "common sense" reasons (like the stupid N/A or "None" thing, which, by the way, the examples in the guides specifically tell you to do).

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Then maybe it shouldn't be included in the example letter found in the guides, which is where anyone with a "stupid question that has already been answered by the guides" is *constantly* referred when they dare ask a question that arises from being confused by the guides.

The examples are just that, examples of what you could submit. They are templates. The examples use a formal letter format. Addresses are included in formal letters. However, the cover letter is not a requirement at all for filing the petition. It is just something helpful to outline to the person that receives your file to see what you have included at a glance. They take apart the petitions and place them in the order they want them in their own folders. I have no idea if they even truly use the cover letter outlines.

The letter of intent is called that here on VJ, basically because the example used was written in a formal letter format. The I-129F instructions simply mention a statement. No addresses or letter format required.

I never said the questions were silly or stupid. I pointed out that there was no need to worry over what addresses were on the cover letters or letters of intent because addresses are not required to be on them. That is just a fact.

For the intent to marry, these samples work perfectly >

(Date Here)

To Whom It May Concern,

I, (USC petitioner’s name), do hereby state that I am legally able and willing to marry (foreign fiance(e)’s name), and intend to so within 90 days of (his/her) entrance into the US by way of a K-1 visa.

(Sign Here)

(Print Name Here)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Date Here)

To Whom It May Concern,

I, (foreign fiance(e)’s name), do hereby state that I am legally able and willing to marry (USC petitioner’s name), and intend to so within 90 days of my entrance into the US by way of a K-1 visa.

(Sign Here)

(Print Name Here)

[Pennycat 880]

The examples are just that, examples of what you could submit. They are templates. The examples use a formal letter format. Addresses are included in formal letters. However, the cover letter is not a requirement at all for filing the petition. It is just something helpful to outline to the person that receives your file to see what you have included at a glance. They take apart the petitions and place them in the order they want them in their own folders. I have no idea if they even truly use the cover letter outlines.

The letter of intent is called that here on VJ, basically because the example used was written in a formal letter format. The I-129F instructions simply mention a statement. No addresses or letter format required.

I never said the questions were silly or stupid. I pointed out that there was no need to worry over what addresses were on the cover letters or letters of intent because addresses are not required to be on them. That is just a fact.

For the intent to marry, these samples work perfectly >

(Date Here)

To Whom It May Concern,

I, (USC petitioner’s name), do hereby state that I am legally able and willing to marry (foreign fiance(e)’s name), and intend to so within 90 days of (his/her) entrance into the US by way of a K-1 visa.

(Sign Here)

(Print Name Here)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Date Here)

To Whom It May Concern,

I, (foreign fiance(e)’s name), do hereby state that I am legally able and willing to marry (USC petitioner’s name), and intend to so within 90 days of my entrance into the US by way of a K-1 visa.

(Sign Here)

(Print Name Here)

This is also understood, except as mentioned above (1) the examples of how you "could" do it, now go directly against the new directions for the I-129f and many or may not result in an RFE (putting "None" or "N/A" when the directions say to leave it blank) and (2) because we see that these sorts of RFEs happen, how are we, the newbies, to know that leaving out an address as part of a letter, or using the wrong address as part of a letter will be just fine, when other, seemingly stupidly minor things are NOT just fine. There IS no way to just know, and sometimes it's impossible to trust your gut or just go with common sense especially if you're a bit prone to getting wound up about things and common sense goes out the window.

So you ask, and then are summarily dismissed (usually by someone who is safely through this process) back to the guides which, in this case, created your problem in the first place. And to me, and obviously others, the constant "read the guides!" thing just implies that you're lazy or stupid and didn't do it or didn't understand them. The guides are great, don't get me wrong, and they've been really helpful but they are not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing, do contain some outdated or contradictory advise and on top of it.....the whole purpose of a forum is to talk, and ask questions.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

This is also understood, except as mentioned above (1) the examples of how you "could" do it, now go directly against the new directions for the I-129f and many or may not result in an RFE (putting "None" or "N/A" when the directions say to leave it blank) and (2) because we see that these sorts of RFEs happen, how are we, the newbies, to know that leaving out an address as part of a letter, or using the wrong address as part of a letter will be just fine, when other, seemingly stupidly minor things are NOT just fine. There IS no way to just know, and sometimes it's impossible to trust your gut or just go with common sense especially if you're a bit prone to getting wound up about things and common sense goes out the window.

So you ask, and then are summarily dismissed (usually by someone who is safely through this process) back to the guides which, in this case, created your problem in the first place. And to me, and obviously others, the constant "read the guides!" thing just implies that you're lazy or stupid and didn't do it or didn't understand them. The guides are great, don't get me wrong, and they've been really helpful but they are not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing, do contain some outdated or contradictory advise and on top of it.....the whole purpose of a forum is to talk, and ask questions.

I personally did not answer this question with 'go read the guides', as I did not feel that was the proper answer to the question.

The examples are there as guides and helpful tools to use as you read the instructions for the forms and then begin filling them out. They can answer a lot of questions that come up. That is why people are told to read the guides and see the example forms. If you have specific questions after that, then by all means, please do ask and people will helpfully answer. However, there is no doubt sometimes that the person asking has not read the guides or form instructions when they ask things like, 'What are the fees?", "What do I send with it?", and "Where do I mail it?"

When the new form editions came out with the new instructions, the example forms were indeed updated. The I-129F example here does leave the answers that would be N/A or None blank. Where are these nitpicky RFEs for blanks when the instructions state to leave them blank? Where are these RFEs for not putting N/A or None if it did not tell you to state none like some questions on the G-325A? I have not seen people get RFEs for these things.

When people search and find old information without checking the dates of the threads they are reading, then it can cause confusion because things change. It is always important to use the current forms from the USCIS site and read the form instructions found there as well. The example letters were created back when you mailed your petitions directly to one of the service centers and not to the Dallas Lockbox intake facility.

People ask about the addresses all the time. The discussion has been brought up before to change the examples to leave out the addresses because this is confusing to so many. The site admin has chosen not to update those examples, so all we can do each time it is asked about is to answer that the addresses are not required, so don't stress over that issue.

I also have an issue with the search function of this site. It used to work much better. Now it pulls up really old posts as the first results, and I can never find anything using the advanced search as I used to be able to do so easily before. I think this is also why people ask the same things over and over. Telling them to search doesn't help too much anymore because it won't yield them the precise answers they seek.

If someone is stuck, they should ask. Read through the answers and choose the best ones, and simply gloss over and ignore the unhelpful ones.

[Pennycat 880]

I personally did not answer this question with 'go read the guides', as I did not feel that was the proper answer to the question.

The examples are there as guides and helpful tools to use as you read the instructions for the forms and then begin filling them out. They can answer a lot of questions that come up. That is why people are told to read the guides and see the example forms. If you have specific questions after that, then by all means, please do ask and people will helpfully answer. However, there is no doubt sometimes that the person asking has not read the guides or form instructions when they ask things like, 'What are the fees?", "What do I send with it?", and "Where do I mail it?"

When the new form editions came out with the new instructions, the example forms were indeed updated. The I-129F example here does leave the answers that would be N/A or None blank. Where are these nitpicky RFEs for blanks when the instructions state to leave them blank? Where are these RFEs for not putting N/A or None if it did not tell you to state none like some questions on the G-325A? I have not seen people get RFEs for these things.

When people search and find old information without checking the dates of the threads they are reading, then it can cause confusion because things change. It is always important to use the current forms from the USCIS site and read the form instructions found there as well. The example letters were created back when you mailed your petitions directly to one of the service centers and not to the Dallas Lockbox intake facility.

People ask about the addresses all the time. The discussion has been brought up before to change the examples to leave out the addresses because this is confusing to so many. The site admin has chosen not to update those examples, so all we can do each time it is asked about is to answer that the addresses are not required, so don't stress over that issue.

I also have an issue with the search function of this site. It used to work much better. Now it pulls up really old posts as the first results, and I can never find anything using the advanced search as I used to be able to do so easily before. I think this is also why people ask the same things over and over. Telling them to search doesn't help too much anymore because it won't yield them the precise answers they seek.

If someone is stuck, they should ask. Read through the answers and choose the best ones, and simply gloss over and ignore the unhelpful ones.

Yep, I know it wasn't you, it's just that the snipers (my term for people who come into a thread, get things stirred up or are rude and leave) came in either (a) before you did (one, the very next post after I agreed with the OP and asked "please, no 'read the guides' because this problem is coming FROM the guides"....literally the next sentence from a sniper is "please read the guides" or (b) jumped into the back and forth you and I are having basically telling calling me stupid, lacking common sense and to shut up. So that's how I feel the need to stand up for myself, the OP and other newbies by explaining how, seriously, sorry for asking stupid questions but we've got nowhere else to go and the resources here are great, but also can be confusing and plus, this is a SUPER stressful situation and if we can't ask questions to clarify things that are confusing us, what is the point of a forum?

[baron555 934]

Most questions are answered, eventually.

What newbies fail to understand, that if they had done just a bit more research around these threads, say look back a few pages in the K-1, you'd find that most "stupid" questions were asked just a few days or weeks ago.

Then maybe you'll understand some of the frustrations others have when they have to answer the same question over and over and over again.

Yes the Example Forms may need updating; I can't do that.

Yes maybe the Guides could be updated also; many aspects are country-specific, so General Guides are not the place for that.

And I stand guilty, yes I do not wade through posting after posting of a thread before I respond, as best I can.

The process is only as stressful as you make it. Everyone should have a decent understanding of what it will take and how long...so deal with it.

As I can attest to, we all were and will be or are in your shoes. Eventually you will get through this.....and yes all this will be a distant memory.

Trust me.