How long to keep paperwork?

[dnlljns 0]

Hi, my husband and I are planning a cross country move so I'm trying to slim down my papers and files. I am wondering if it is necessary to keep old packets of the K1, 134, 485, since each time, new supporting documents are requested? Most of the financial info has to be current and can be obtained online. Seems the only proof of relationship I would need is current proof such as pix, bills, taxes showing we live together. I planned to keep government documents & applications (maybe) only and shred supporting documents.

Any input?

[aaron2020 11,651]

Keep them forever. Scan them into your computer.

There has been the occasional horror stories where someone needed info from an old petition and didn't have it.

[MouadsWife 161]

I plan on keeping ours until my husband gets his citizenship.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I still have all of mine. After I got my citizenship in 2009 I went back through the files and culled the various petitions and applications of anything I felt was extraneous but I still kept a full copy of each petition and its attachments along with all correspondence to and from USCIS. Interestingly enough, I have had to use tax transcripts from 2004 to 2009 and some other financial documents twice for totally non-immigration related purposes - an IRS audit, and for a legal matter in 2012. We wouldn't have had them available if I hadn't kept them in my immigration file. So, cull out the 'extras' but keep the actual files.

Edited April 2, 2015 by Kathryn41