Guides and FAQ cleanup

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

Hey everyone-

After some recent conversations with other members we decided that a nice clean sweep of the Guides and FAQ's were needed. If you have some spare time and know a thing or two from experience take a look at some of the sections and if you find anything that is not clear, out of date, etc please post it here and your suggestion on how to make it better. As a team I am betting we can get through most of the stuff pretty quick and make many improvements while we are at it!

Once this is complete I am planning to "refresh" the FAQ's and to a degree the Guides to make them more readable, clearer and easier to find things in. Your feedback is welcome and please feel free to use this thread to list things you have found changes are need for .

Please try and use a format similar to this:

URL (http://www.visajourney.com/guide-name)

Original text as it is written now

Your proposed changes if you know them

I promise to help in any way that I can to get these implemented and spruced up for everyone!

[Niels Bohr 72]

It would be clearer to have a flow chart for each VISA process. If they member is curious as to what VISA to persue, they would click on the link for that VISA to find out what that VISA is for. Flow charts are clearer, and simple to follow.

[no name 1]

It would be clearer to have a flow chart for each VISA process. If they member is curious as to what VISA to persue, they would click on the link for that VISA to find out what that VISA is for. Flow charts are clearer, and simple to follow.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...amp;page=k1flow

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...amp;page=k3flow

Edited March 30, 2007 by devilette

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

We only have flowcharts for the K1 and K3 process. Adding more is an excellent idea .

K1 Flowchart:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...amp;page=k1flow

K3 Flowchart:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...amp;page=k3flow

Oh and the NVC process as well for IR1/CR1 applicants:

http://www.visajourney.com/examples/NVC_Pr...wchart_v1-2.pdf

[mendeleev 68]

In the K3 guide, there are instructions for putting together the I-130:

Assembling the I-130 Package: Checklist

Forms and Documents (follow these assembly instructions. All supporting documents must be in English or be translated as noted here.):

1. Payment as required by USCIS. Use a check so you can track the payment.

2. Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative (see example form)

3. Copy of the Birth certificate for the US Citizen (front and back) or a copy of ALL pages of the US Citizen's passport. This is used to establish citizenship. You may use a copy of your naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship issued by USCIS.

4. A copy of your marriage certificate (If not in English then again get a translation)

5. If either you or your spouse were previously married, submit copies of documents showing that all prior marriages were legally terminated.

6. A copy of a prior spouse's death certificate. (If one or both were married before, and the prior spouse died)

7. G-325A (all four pages) filled out by the US Citizen signed and dated

8. One passport-type photo (see specification) of the US Citizen. Write the full name of the US citizen on the back. Place in a plastic bag and label the bag "Photo of ". Attach the bag to a sheet of paper and place behind the corresponding G-325A.

9. G-325A (all four pages) filled out by the foreign spouse signed and dated

10. One passport-type photo (see specification) of the foreign spouse. Write the full name of the foreign Spouse on the back. Place in a plastic bag and label the bag "Photo of ". Attach the bag to a sheet of paper and place behind the corresponding G-325A.

BUT -- the current I-130 also directs petitioners to include evidence that will be used at the time of AOS to show bona-fides of the relationship, such as -- joint lease, joint bank accounts, etc.

This aspect of the guide should be updated. But what range of evidence will be sufficient for newlyweds who have never lived together is something we don't know about yet ... so just how to update it is not so clear!

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Here are the new poverty guidelines for the mainland for 2007. I haven't seen them posted in the guides here yet. They went into effect March 1, 2007.

2007 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia

Size of family unit Poverty guideline 125%

2 13,690 17,120

3 17,170 21,470

4 20,650 25,820

5 24,130 30,170

6 27,610 34,520

7 31,090 38,870

8 34,570 43,220

For family units with more than 8 members, add $4,350 for each additional member.

I can't clean up the format.

Edited March 30, 2007 by Green-eyed girl

[mendeleev 68]

The guides recommend making two copies of everything -- and it is a very good idea. (I made three.) But the K3 flow chart recommends making just one copy. It would be good to commonize the flow chart recommendations with the guides.

I think both should recommend making two perfect copies of everything in the packet.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Not that kind of flowchart. The ones we used in business projects.

The flowchart that is in the Guide is not very functional. For me, it doesn't really matter, but for new people they maybe a little annoyed at looking at this particular layout.

Business presentations always needs to be easy, and simple to follow. I'd suggest to try to be as redundant as possible with flowcharts. You have numbers there to show the sequence. Include arrows as well too pointing to the next stage.

Edited March 30, 2007 by consolemaster

[JenT 0]

Suggest that people who want to work on them 'claim' their document so people aren't working on the same ones... then they can be submitted for feedback. Capt, can you list all of the docs that reside out there and post the revised list with name assignments as people come forward??

Jen

[Otto 83]

Here are the new poverty guidelines for the mainland for 2007. I haven't seen them posted in the guides here yet. They went into effect March 1, 2007.

2007 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia

Size of family unit Poverty guideline 125%

2 13,690 17,120

3 17,170 21,470

4 20,650 25,820

5 24,130 30,170

6 27,610 34,520

7 31,090 38,870

8 34,570 43,220

For family units with more than 8 members, add $4,350 for each additional member.

I can't clean up the format.

Complete 2007 Poverty Guidelines (100%) If this helps..

Edited March 30, 2007 by Karin und Otto

[Otto 83]

Guides Main Page

TOC (Table of Contents)

Add

1) Would it be helpful to have FAQs (Link) listed?

2) "Begin Here" (I know it has a big arrow and is in red, but) - it goes to a pretty neat page and could definitely use some emphasis..title change to "Which Visa is for Me/You?" or something...

3) Is it possible to move the Ads? or insert a border/shading as a separation? (anyone have ideas/thoughts?) It doesn't bother me now, but I remember them when I first came and at first they seemed like part of the guide/page..if that makes sense..

Change/Update

1) Headings in TOC don't exactly match Headings for its section (i.e., "Spouse or Fiancé Immigration" - matches to - "Immigration Guides for a Spouse or Fiancé." I know it's a simple thing, but easy to change and might help.

2) The "Other Important Things" (Link) is Huge..could those links be added (for example) to "If You're Engaged"..which currently has "Getting a K1 Visa" "K1 Flowchart" and "K1 Visa Tips" but if it also had "General Assembly Instructions" "Affidavit of Support Tips" "Example Forms" and maybe some others (there are more down there) but perhaps Embassy Information (titles certainly can be changed to whatever anyone thinks is best).. But continue on down for "If You're Married".."Family Immigration" etc..even if the links themselves go to the same place..

Kind of a One Stop Shop kind of thing..if that makes sense..

Those are my immediate thoughts... thought I'd throw that out there..To me, the guides have so much value...

Edited March 30, 2007 by Karin und Otto

[m&n 0]

I think there needs to be a section in the guides explaining the implications involved when an I130 is retained......for people who file the I130 & I129 and get surprised and/or confused that their I130 was retained. Perhaps this could also be a FAQ.....What should I do if my I130 is retained and I want to apply for a CR1/IR1 visa?

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

Do you know the answer to that? I will add it to the FAQ right now if so.

I updated the Guides Main page based on some comments. I will make more of the recommended changes later as I have more time .

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

Here are the new poverty guidelines for the mainland for 2007. I haven't seen them posted in the guides here yet. They went into effect March 1, 2007.

2007 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia

Size of family unit Poverty guideline 125%

2 13,690 17,120

3 17,170 21,470

4 20,650 25,820

5 24,130 30,170

6 27,610 34,520

7 31,090 38,870

8 34,570 43,220

For family units with more than 8 members, add $4,350 for each additional member.

I can't clean up the format.

To keep broken links down everytime on the site we reference that we point to this download page:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...;page=immiforms

The above page links to:

I-864P, Poverty Guidelines: This form is used to determine the minimum income requirement needed to complete Form I-864, Affidavit of Support under Section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

[Ladylethal 12]

Although I think the guides and FAQS are great, people are usually too lazy to read them and end up just asking in the forums. If there was any way to make new members read the guides and faqs before they were allowed to post, I think it would of help.

You know, like those customer service pages, where you want to ask a question and it shows like a pop up menu "what is question related to?" "AOS, K1, K3, etc", then depending on the choice of answer they could be lead straight to the correct guide, and at the bottom of the guide could be the famous "has this information helped you?" type thing leading back to posting a message if the guides weren't enough.

Actually, reading this it just sounds like too much trouble, but maybe if used only when posting in the most complicated forums.

One idea that would be nice is to make a little DOS AND DONT'S list for each pertinent forum. Bold letters, not too long, just to avoid confusion or frequent mistakes (i.e. DO ask for a copy of your vaccination sheet when completing the medical examination abroad.). I'm sure the members can think of a bunch of those. It could be a sticky on top of each forum.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k1forms

The DS-156 form listed there is not working

Edited March 30, 2007 by Luis&Laura