CUBA K1 - Evidence Questions

[TatiyPablo 32]

Hello!

I have a few questions about evidence for the I-129F/K-1 and whether it is better to front load or sample. This is specifically for people who have filed or are filing in Cuba. I've read a number of forums that suggest front loading lots of evidence for petition filed for Cuba is preferable but wanted to gather a general consensus on this. As always, I greatly appreciate any help and thank you for taking the time to read this! :-) x

1. I-129F, 34.a. Supplement: Can these exceed one-page, or should they be limited to one-page? And is it alright if they are narrative and descriptive in tone, or is it preferable to provide a short, concise summary of the relationship? Naturally I write a lot, so I fear I am editorializing too much.

2. Relationship Timeline: I included a one-page "brief" narrative timeline, breaking down the progression of me and my fiancé's relationship from the time we met to the time we filed (or will file) the petition. This includes dates with short descriptions. Is this excessive, especially in relation to the I-129F, 34.a. Supplement page? My fiancé suggested I am maybe being too specific, too over-explanatory where I don't need to be. Again, with Cuba, what is preferred, a "more-is-more" or "less-is-more" approach?

3. Photos: Currently, I have a little over 60 photos (stamped with time & date) ready to print and submit along with my I-129F. I plan on putting them in plastic bags and fixing them to paper (any preferred methods?). The paper also contains a jpeg of the printed photo with a short caption listed beneath, which I also handwrite in the back of the photo. I've gathered a sampling of photos with my fiancé and us with his family and friends, spread out over the course of our relationship. Am I going overboard - is this way too many photos? Help!

4. Rebtel and Boss Revolution: Due to an excruciatingly high phone bill (yikes) I switched from calling my fiancé by my Verizon plan to calling him through international calling services like Rebtel and Boss Revolution, which I have as apps on my phone. Any one else do this? And for your evidence, did you submit call logs + receipts? I have hundreds of pages of these so I don't know if I should submit them all or a sampling. I'm also submitting my Verizon phone records and my fiancé's ETECSA records to cross reference. Again, is this way too much information?

5. Dual Citizenship: I have dual citizenship, US and Australia, and on my second visit to see my fiancé I traveled NY-Toronto on my US passport and Toronto-Havana on my Australian passport (very silly, I know). When submitting flight itineraries/boarding passes/exit and entry stamps for this trip, should I include scans of both my passports? Would this raise any flags? Alternatively, should I just include the Toronto-Havana leg of my trip, instead of the NY-Toronto first leg?

Thanks again in advance for your time and for your advice.

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from K1 Process to Caribbean Regional Forum~

~Inquiry is country-specific~

[forena99 74]

Hi TatiyPablo,

I'll tell you what I did, based on advice I have read here on VJ and with friends that have gone through a K-1 experience in Cuba (though it was 6 years ago for her). I believe it is better to front load a bit for Cuba, but not overload. Keep it pertinent, organized and specific to the requirements needed to get your NOA2 approved.

Hello!

I have a few questions about evidence for the I-129F/K-1 and whether it is better to front load or sample. This is specifically for people who have filed or are filing in Cuba. I've read a number of forums that suggest front loading lots of evidence for petition filed for Cuba is preferable but wanted to gather a general consensus on this. As always, I greatly appreciate any help and thank you for taking the time to read this! :-) x

1. I-129F, 34.a. Supplement: Can these exceed one-page, or should they be limited to one-page? And is it alright if they are narrative and descriptive in tone, or is it preferable to provide a short, concise summary of the relationship? Naturally I write a lot, so I fear I am editorializing too much.

1. I kept mine to one page. It was very difficult for me to do this, but I think of it as a resume. Past one page and it becomes more than they need to know, IMO. If you have some special case, like you met on line or you never met in person, that's different. Remember, the question is HOW YOU MET, not how did you fall in love. I explained a little more on mine on how I went back and when we decided this was a serious relationship, because I only met my fiancée for a very short period the first time we met (we're talking a few hours). So, for me there was a special circumstance to explain that up front. Do you have any special case you think that you need to explain?

2. Relationship Timeline: I included a one-page "brief" narrative timeline, breaking down the progression of me and my fiancé's relationship from the time we met to the time we filed (or will file) the petition. This includes dates with short descriptions. Is this excessive, especially in relation to the I-129F, 34.a. Supplement page? My fiancé suggested I am maybe being too specific, too over-explanatory where I don't need to be. Again, with Cuba, what is preferred, a "more-is-more" or "less-is-more" approach?

2. I don't think the timeline is even required, but it could be helpful. If you do include one, I wouldn't think it needs to be more than half a page or a few lines. Something very simple, unless again there is a special circumstance. I'm still in the beginning process of this so I'm not sure what it's going to be like on the day of interview etc., but again I think with Cuba, it's not that "more-is-more" but that they really require all your paperwork to be in order (more than any other country?, not sure...). All together my packet was about 115 pages double sided when I turned it in. I really had to shrink it down from the emails/chats mainly. I can always pull out more if they need, I'll bring hard copies to the interview, but for the sake of the Consulate Officer and getting my NOA2 approved, I think they just need a reasonable amount of proof that you are having an ongoing relationship.

3. Photos: Currently, I have a little over 60 photos (stamped with time & date) ready to print and submit along with my I-129F. I plan on putting them in plastic bags and fixing them to paper (any preferred methods?). The paper also contains a jpeg of the printed photo with a short caption listed beneath, which I also handwrite in the back of the photo. I've gathered a sampling of photos with my fiancé and us with his family and friends, spread out over the course of our relationship. Am I going overboard - is this way too many photos? Help!

3. Photos with family members are important, as well as photos with you two together. 60 seems like too much for me, but I don't know how long you've been together. I would say between 10-20 is more than enough if it captures the two of you together in different places and ones with you two and your families (wherever possible). I had digital only, so I organized them in a Word Doc and wrote 1 sentence captions, "Me and E with his dad in May 2016.", etc. I'm also bringing copies of the photos with me.

4. Rebtel and Boss Revolution: Due to an excruciatingly high phone bill (yikes) I switched from calling my fiancé by my Verizon plan to calling him through international calling services like Rebtel and Boss Revolution, which I have as apps on my phone. Any one else do this? And for your evidence, did you submit call logs + receipts? I have hundreds of pages of these so I don't know if I should submit them all or a sampling. I'm also submitting my Verizon phone records and my fiancé's ETECSA records to cross reference. Again, is this way too much information?

4. I use Rebtel too but I didn't send in call logs, (how would you get these, from online?). I did send in my credit card statements showing before we met I had no call charges to DING and REBTEL. After we met, there were more and more Rebtel charges. When we bought his phone, there were then DING charges, all on the same credit card. I also sent in my Verizon bill to show 1. how much we were calling each other on the phone and 2. to show my data overage charges due to me connecting through my data connection instead of using Wi-Fi. By approaching it from different angles (phone logs, credit card charges, data charges), I can represent a good case that we have continued communicating almost on a daily basis. This shows beyond a reasonable doubt that there is an ongoing relationship. You don't want to over do, but you do want to build a good case. How long have you been in a relationship? I've only known Eliécer for 1 year in December, so it was easy for me to show all 10 months or so of statements. As for emails/chat logs, I did excerpts. It's just too much.

5. Dual Citizenship: I have dual citizenship, US and Australia, and on my second visit to see my fiancé I traveled NY-Toronto on my US passport and Toronto-Havana on my Australian passport (very silly, I know). When submitting flight itineraries/boarding passes/exit and entry stamps for this trip, should I include scans of both my passports? Would this raise any flags? Alternatively, should I just include the Toronto-Havana leg of my trip, instead of the NY-Toronto first leg?

5. I'm not saying I have all the answers, but if you have Dual Citizenship, I would be honest and upfront about that from the start. I would submit both passports and as many boarding pass tickets/cadeca receipts. They will check the stamps on the passports to see if they match the boarding passes. I would imagine it is very important that that checks out.

Thanks again in advance for your time and for your advice.

Other notes: I put a cover page for each section, explaining what that section should represent and what to look for. For example, for the phone statements, I highlighted my data charges in blue, my incoming calls from him in yellow and my outgoing calls to him in pink. I know you read that we weren't supposed to highlight, but at the time, the book I was reading said it was ok to do and I thought the comment on the website referred to the forms and not the supplemental documentation. Anyway, anyone looking at the originals would very quickly be able to tell that we were calling each other almost daily. I explained that even though I live in LA, my phone number is from Northern California and so the 'local' Rebtel number is going to say from a norCal area code. I explained that there were times when I called on my landline, which are not represented on the phone bills I submitted. There are times that I was connected on WiFi and these minutes don't contribute to my data overage charges, especially as I became more savvy at avoiding charges, that it shouldn't mean that we were talking any less, etc.

I think/hope that explaining a little what each section is supposed to show will help divide the petition into manageable digestable pieces. It helps them see my case and why I decided to submit that piece of evidence as proof of ongoing relationship or proof that we have met.

I also on every single page that I submitted (except for the statements themselves), put at the top what section it was for (e.g. "Proof of Ongoing Relationship: Verizon Phone Bills") and below I put "Submitted by petitioner's name on behalf of beneficiary's name". I did this just in case a paper got out of order or fell out, they could always find what name it should be under. This and the cover pages for each section probably took the most time, but I feel it was worth it to organize my case and present it in a professional manner. I want to make it as easy for them as possible without bringing up doubts or confusion.

Again for the interview I plan on bringing more information, extra back up plus all the other stuff we are supposed to bring, but this is just to get your petition approved. Front loading is better, but at some point you have to ask what value the additional information has past the requirements they are asking for.

Hope that helps!

Forena99

[TatiyPablo 32]

Forena99 - you are an angel. Thank you for taking the time to read my questions and leave such detailed responses!

To your comments/questions -

1. We don't have a particularly special case, I met him when I went to Havana with a graduate seminar on the Havana Biennial and he organized our tour (ha!). We fell for each other right away and just moved a little fast. We've been together for 8 months, I've traveled back quite a lot and spent the summer with him and his family. I think I can definitely shorten it to a page.

2. Thank you! Yes, the timeline is extra, and I have a lot of the same kind of proof you do it seems. Definitely can cut it down in the emails and chats sections, haha.

3. Thanks for your advice on the photos. We've got tons with friends and family, plus my mom is coming with me to meet him when I go back next week - so hopefully I can cut down on the number of photos I submit.

4. You can download your call and purchase history from the Rebtel website! It's great, go to your activity section and you'll see everything.Like I said, we've been together only 8 months so I can also compile everything. My only concern with my verizon bill is that it says my father's name, because my number is registered under his family plan. Think this would be an issue? I'm also submitting Pablo's ETECSA records and some Rebtel/Boss Revolution records for cross reference.

In regards to highlighting, I don't think it is a huge deal. As I mentioned, I was halfway through highlighting all my docs when I read the Lockbox Filing Tips. I had a lawyer review my draft petition and he said highlighting wouldn't be an issue. So let's see but I wouldn't worry in your case.

I've done the same thing with the cover page! One at the start and corresponding ones for each individual section, and also wrote something like "RE I-129F, Petition...for X" on the bottom of each page.

Thanks again, it's extremely helpful to hear your comments and advice. Hopefully we can continue to provide support to one another since we are on a similar timeline! Thank you! x

[TatiyPablo 32]

Sent in our petition last week, on 12/20! Waiting for our NOA 1! Hope the holidays won't cause too much delay. :\

[eruiz3 24]

Hey @TatiyPablo! I am about to start my K1 process for my fiance who also lives in Cuba. Have you heard anything back?

 

I am so worried, although it's a bonafide relationship and we have TONS of proof (calls, emails, imo, facebook chats, cubamessenger, photos) I met him in person in September. We have been dating for a year now & got engaged the first time I went (September). Someone posted on my intial post that he got approved because he was dating his fiance for 11 years and had 200 page of proof. I can easily have more than 200 pages, but any ways he kind of rained on my parade haha. Good luck! 

[TatiyPablo 32]

Hey @eruiz3 ☺️ I received my NOA1 on January 2 and they cashed my filing fee the day after I mailed it on December 21, which I sent express. I wouldn't be worried for that, the fiancé visa is typically for couples who have met within two years. My fiancé and I have been together one year as well. Have you visited much? 

 

I will say I submitted a crazy amount of information, I went a little overboard. I'm not sure how necessary it was but oh well!  Definitely it's best to send a sample of all different forms of communication, flight tickets, passport stamps, photos, etc. 

[eruiz3 24]

@TatiyPablo Congrats on getting you NOA1! Well I have gone a couple times and have my itinerary for my next trip, which I included in my packet. It was about 212 pages of evidence that I sent today! I had copy of his hand written letters, imo logs, emails, cubamessenger chats, proof that we were Facebook friends for 2 years, western union receipts, bank statements, call receipts, cell phone recharge receipts, tons of photos with him and his family, boarding passes and my passport stamps . Hopefully I receive my NOA1 soon!

 

[TatiyPablo 32]

@eruiz3 I was the same! My packet was super long haha. Hopefully you've received your NOA1, now it's just waiting for the NOA2 and staying on top of everything! ahhhh

[CubaAndChill 389]

Are we able to send in Western Union receipts? I'm on the fence about sending mine in since we can't officially send western union transfers to "fiance's" through the online portal..  I always put I was sending it to my "husband." Darn rules! lol

[eruiz3 24]

@CubaAndChill That is true, that is the "rule" but I included it because I read about other couples including them in their packet lol

[CubaAndChill 389]

1 hour ago, eruiz3 said:

@CubaAndChill That is true, that is the "rule" but I included it because I read about other couples including them in their packet lol

Okay, thank you!!

[forena99 74]

On 11/24/2016 at 9:11 AM, TatiyPablo said:

Forena99 - you are an angel. Thank you for taking the time to read my questions and leave such detailed responses!

To your comments/questions -

1. We don't have a particularly special case, I met him when I went to Havana with a graduate seminar on the Havana Biennial and he organized our tour (ha!). We fell for each other right away and just moved a little fast. We've been together for 8 months, I've traveled back quite a lot and spent the summer with him and his family. I think I can definitely shorten it to a page.

2. Thank you! Yes, the timeline is extra, and I have a lot of the same kind of proof you do it seems. Definitely can cut it down in the emails and chats sections, haha.

3. Thanks for your advice on the photos. We've got tons with friends and family, plus my mom is coming with me to meet him when I go back next week - so hopefully I can cut down on the number of photos I submit.

4. You can download your call and purchase history from the Rebtel website! It's great, go to your activity section and you'll see everything.Like I said, we've been together only 8 months so I can also compile everything. My only concern with my verizon bill is that it says my father's name, because my number is registered under his family plan. Think this would be an issue? I'm also submitting Pablo's ETECSA records and some Rebtel/Boss Revolution records for cross reference.

In regards to highlighting, I don't think it is a huge deal. As I mentioned, I was halfway through highlighting all my docs when I read the Lockbox Filing Tips. I had a lawyer review my draft petition and he said highlighting wouldn't be an issue. So let's see but I wouldn't worry in your case.

I've done the same thing with the cover page! One at the start and corresponding ones for each individual section, and also wrote something like "RE I-129F, Petition...for X" on the bottom of each page.

Thanks again, it's extremely helpful to hear your comments and advice. Hopefully we can continue to provide support to one another since we are on a similar timeline! Thank you! x

Hey, sorry, just now reading your post!  Not sure how I missed it.  Hope it was helpful.  I don't think your dad's name on the bill is an issue, as long as your name is on your phone number?  Is it?  Or you can just put it in the cover sheet that your number is ###-####.   Hope it is going well for you!

Forena

[forena99 74]

On 12/27/2016 at 0:41 PM, TatiyPablo said:

Sent in our petition last week, on 12/20! Waiting for our NOA 1! Hope the holidays won't cause too much delay. :\

@TatiyPablo,

So excited for you!  I waited 87 days for my NOA2.  THings are picking up now, but seems like they are still processing November files...fingers crossed!

Forena

[forena99 74]

@TatiyPablo,

BTW, I love your "how you met" story.  So sweet!  My relationship is moving very fast too.  We met 1 yr ago in December 2015.  I've been back 3 x's now, so 4 x's all together.  I'm debating whether to go back and visit before the interview, but I'm waiting to get the date first.  I would like to wait to save money obviously but I also want to spend more time with him.  It's so hard to like get to know someone when they are not near you.  But we talk everyday too (pretty much).  Thank god for imo!

 

I've decided I'm going to take screenshots of weekly or monthly conversations on imo to submit at the interview.  I don't know any other way of downloading imo activity.  Basically now that is the only way we communicate.  Good luck to everyone!

Forena