Is it really necessary to make copies of the I-129F Package?

[~Alessa~ 26]

I am reading here http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guidethat: IMPORTANT!

Make TWO copies of the entire package before you send it in. This includes the money orders too. You want to have a perfect replica of the package you are sending in. All Forms that you submit must be originals with original signatures. Supporting Evidence that you submit may be photocopies. Retain ALL original supporting Evidence since the USCIS has the right to check them by issuing an RFE (Request For Evidence). If you receive an RFE, follow the direction exactly, and make two copies of what you sent back. During any future interviews the USCIS may also want to examine the original supporting evidence.

Can someone explain why copies are important?

Like I understand at interview I don't need to bring I-129f and g-325a.The rest of the documents like evidence of meeting, I have scans from petitioner and can print out if necessary. So why copies are needed?

Here http://www.uscis.gov/forms-filing-tips is nothing about copies of the package...

Also, we have 3 years skype chatting history, and we made 46 screenshots, but how many of them to attach? we made for each month we talk.

Edited December 15, 2015 by ~Alessa~

[naire37 53]

Hi Alessa!

What I've done is I've scanned the entire package right before filing, to have a good record of everything we've sent, not 2 copies, just 1 huge PDF that I later printed to have a hard copy in case of rapid computer failure.

But basically, the copies are just for you yourself to remember what you put down.

For example, g-325a is also used later when filing for AOS.The transliteration of parents' first & last names can be one of those things you'd want to look up to make sure whatever you file for AOS matches. Or their places of birth. Or, you know, the last 5 years worth of places of work.

It also helps you to figure out if an RFE comes to see what you've already sent and what can be added.

(we've sent 5 skype screenshots & 3 photos. this is secondary evidence either way, not that important. What matters are the airplane tickets / stamps in passport showing that one of you visited the other one in the last 2 years).

[~Alessa~ 26]

Hi Alessa!

What I've done is I've scanned the entire package right before filing, to have a good record of everything we've sent, not 2 copies, just 1 huge PDF that I later printed to have a hard copy in case of rapid computer failure.

But basically, the copies are just for you yourself to remember what you put down.

For example, g-325a is also used later when filing for AOS.The transliteration of parents' first & last names can be one of those things you'd want to look up to make sure whatever you file for AOS matches. Or their places of birth. Or, you know, the last 5 years worth of places of work.

It also helps you to figure out if an RFE comes to see what you've already sent and what can be added.

(we've sent 5 skype screenshots & 3 photos. this is secondary evidence either way, not that important. What matters are the airplane tickets / stamps in passport showing that one of you visited the other one in the last 2 years).

Hello! Thanks a lot for the answer!

Well I have all the forms we filled out and scans of the evidence of meeting (including air plane boarding passes/stamps) on my computer. And I saved it on the flash card also. So that's why I was confused about making copy cuz we were filling out everything on the computer.

And I also little confused about transliteration, I filled out my parents name using "russian" style transliteration, but when I will make an AOS and make professional translator to translate my birth certificate I guess that US department style of transliteration is going to used?

for example Elena (is russian style) and Yelena (is US style).

But since in embassy they don't ask for a translation of birth certificate I don't know what to expect in US.

Edited December 15, 2015 by ~Alessa~

[~Alessa~ 26]

Hi Alessa!

What I've done is I've scanned the entire package right before filing, to have a good record of everything we've sent, not 2 copies, just 1 huge PDF that I later printed to have a hard copy in case of rapid computer failure.

But basically, the copies are just for you yourself to remember what you put down.

For example, g-325a is also used later when filing for AOS.The transliteration of parents' first & last names can be one of those things you'd want to look up to make sure whatever you file for AOS matches. Or their places of birth. Or, you know, the last 5 years worth of places of work.

It also helps you to figure out if an RFE comes to see what you've already sent and what can be added.

(we've sent 5 skype screenshots & 3 photos. this is secondary evidence either way, not that important. What matters are the airplane tickets / stamps in passport showing that one of you visited the other one in the last 2 years).

Excuse me, I am little confused)) Are you sure that G-325A form for K-1 visa should match with AOS G-325A?

I thought it's two completely different processes...

[Pennycat 880]

I am reading here http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guidethat: IMPORTANT!

Make TWO copies of the entire package before you send it in. This includes the money orders too. You want to have a perfect replica of the package you are sending in. All Forms that you submit must be originals with original signatures. Supporting Evidence that you submit may be photocopies. Retain ALL original supporting Evidence since the USCIS has the right to check them by issuing an RFE (Request For Evidence). If you receive an RFE, follow the direction exactly, and make two copies of what you sent back. During any future interviews the USCIS may also want to examine the original supporting evidence.

Can someone explain why copies are important?

Like I understand at interview I don't need to bring I-129f and g-325a.The rest of the documents like evidence of meeting, I have scans from petitioner and can print out if necessary. So why copies are needed?

Here http://www.uscis.gov/forms-filing-tips is nothing about copies of the package...

Also, we have 3 years skype chatting history, and we made 46 screenshots, but how many of them to attach? we made for each month we talk.

It was helpful for us, because at the embassy they gave him a sheet to fill out that asked for the past 10 years of living and working (basically the G-325a plus 5 years). That 325a was the worst part of the process for us-- he's moved around a lot and changed jobs frequently, it was an utter nightmare pinning down the timeframes the first time, so I'm really glad we had a copy with us at the interview to copy from (and thankfully the previous 5 years he was a teenager at at home PHEW).

[naire37 53]

Well I have all the forms we filled out and scans of the evidence of meeting (including air plane boarding passes/stamps) on my computer. And I saved it on the flash card also. So that's why I was confused about making copy cuz we were filling out everything on the computer.

Ah, then you should be all set. The whole point of "make a copy" is so that you have your own records, they may come to be useful at some point or another. Or not.

And I also little confused about transliteration, I filled out my parents name using "russian" style transliteration, but when I will make an AOS and make professional translator to translate my birth certificate I guess that US department style of transliteration is going to used?

for example Elena (is russian style) and Yelena (is US style).

But since in embassy they don't ask for a translation of birth certificate I don't know what to expect in US.

My feeling is that you want the transliteration to agree on both elements. It should not matter much (my Russian Foreign Passport had different last name spelling than all US documents, and nobody ever cared), but just to be extra sure you can use

http://moscow.usembassy.gov/transliteration_e.html- this is the official transliteration system that you should use. Russian style used to follow the french transliteration at some point ("ш" was spelled as "ch", not "sh"), but since you're applying to US, you should just use the US style. E can be either "e" or "ye" when needed, but I think you can spell Elena as is, "ye" is more for words where "e" would have been read differently by itself.

Excuse me, I am little confused)) Are you sure that G-325A form for K-1 visa should match with AOS G-325A?

Well, with certain exceptions Current living place's gonna change, status will change to married, and the person will be out of work when applying for AOS. However, "historical" data like parents names, birth date & place, or previous jobs should not change. If the spelling issue is fairly minor, chances are, it won't affect anything, but if you were to change a birthplace, that would sure raise eyebrows. Also, it is much easier to copy data from existing form and not have to figure out the full address of that place you used to work at 5 years ago.

Edited December 15, 2015 by naire37

[~Alessa~ 26]

Well I have all the forms we filled out and scans of the evidence of meeting (including air plane boarding passes/stamps) on my computer. And I saved it on the flash card also. So that's why I was confused about making copy cuz we were filling out everything on the computer.

Ah, then you should be all set. The whole point of "make a copy" is so that you have your own records, they may come to be useful at some point or another. Or not.

And I also little confused about transliteration, I filled out my parents name using "russian" style transliteration, but when I will make an AOS and make professional translator to translate my birth certificate I guess that US department style of transliteration is going to used?

for example Elena (is russian style) and Yelena (is US style).

But since in embassy they don't ask for a translation of birth certificate I don't know what to expect in US.

My feeling is that you want the transliteration to agree on both elements. It should not matter much (my Russian Foreign Passport had different last name spelling than all US documents, and nobody ever cared), but just to be extra sure you can use

http://moscow.usembassy.gov/transliteration_e.html- this is the official transliteration system that you should use. Russian style used to follow the french transliteration at some point ("ш" was spelled as "ch", not "sh"), but since you're applying to US, you should just use the US style. E can be either "e" or "ye" when needed, but I think you can spell Elena as is, "ye" is more for words where "e" would have been read differently by itself.

Excuse me, I am little confused)) Are you sure that G-325A form for K-1 visa should match with AOS G-325A?

Well, with certain exceptions Current living place's gonna change, status will change to married, and the person will be out of work when applying for AOS. However, "historical" data like parents names, birth date & place, or previous jobs should not change. If the spelling issue is fairly minor, chances are, it won't affect anything, but if you were to change a birthplace, that would sure raise eyebrows. Also, it is much easier to copy data from existing form and not have to figure out the full address of that place you used to work at 5 years ago.

Got it. Thanks a lot for reply!

Edited December 15, 2015 by ~Alessa~

[Alaska2012 462]

It's really good to have a copy of everything because files gets lost and documents goes missing! It happens more often than you think!

[~Alessa~ 26]

It's really good to have a copy of everything because files gets lost and documents goes missing! It happens more often than you think!

Thanks for reply! Yeah, I have scans of everything but signed forms, because they need originals anyway, so if they lose a form I will just sign the new form and send them. I just don't think that printing out the whole petition second time will worth it. I think keeping scans is enough