Names on Evidence of Visits / Relationship

[MentalVoid 191]

I just have a quick question about the importance of the name used on the relationship / visit evidence. I use my step-father's last name on most of my informal stuff (email address, facebook account, etc.) because my birth father hasn't been in my life since I was 1. I wasn't ever officially adopted though, so my legal last name is my birth fathers (what I use for all the official paperwork).

 

My question is, does it matter that my last name is different for some of the supplement stuff I'm submitting? For example, I'm showing pictures from our aquarium trip (where we got engaged <3) and a ticket from the aquarium, sent to my email. And facebook statuses about us being together in these places, with my facebook being under my step-fathers name. Should I just write a letter stating why the last names are different and sign it? Has anyone else had a problem with this before?

Thank you!

[Unshakable Faith 493]

54 minutes ago, CeaselessRaine said:

I just have a quick question about the importance of the name used on the relationship / visit evidence. I use my step-father's last name on most of my informal stuff (email address, facebook account, etc.) because my birth father hasn't been in my life since I was 1. I wasn't ever officially adopted though, so my legal last name is my birth fathers (what I use for all the official paperwork).

 

My question is, does it matter that my last name is different for some of the supplement stuff I'm submitting? For example, I'm showing pictures from our aquarium trip (where we got engaged <3) and a ticket from the aquarium, sent to my email. And facebook statuses about us being together in these places, with my facebook being under my step-fathers name. Should I just write a letter stating why the last names are different and sign it? Has anyone else had a problem with this before?

Thank you!

I would leave out the Facebook statuses, because that is not evidence.  Anyone can make a fb status saying that they are doing something but it doesn't show proof that it was done.  Submit copies of the tickets if you'd like and pictures of the two of you together.

 

The most important piece of evidence that you need is that you've met face to face within the past two years before submission of the petition.   That can be proven with pictures of the two of you, copies of airline tickets,  etc.

 

I believe there's a section on the petition where it asks for other names that you've been known by.   You could add your unofficial name there. 

 

Either way, people that are familiar with fb know that not everyone uses their real names so I don't think it would cause any major issues.

 

Keep in mind that all of this secondary evidence is not used when approving your petition.  VJ suggests you front-load because USCIS will forward all of your information to the embassy after approval and it will allow the embassy time to look over your case before your interview.  Your I-129f petition will be approved if (1) It was filled out correctly and included necessary forms, (2) Your background checks clear,  (3) You've met within the past two years before filling, and (4) You are both legally free to marry.

Edited March 19, 2017 by FN&KO
.

[Unshakable Faith 493]

10 minutes ago, Dee elle said:

Part 2 10 a,b,c on  the I 129 asks for other names used by the beneficiary.... hoping that your other names were listed there...if yes , then no further explanation should be needed as it has already been delcared that you use both forms of the name..... if it was not declared on the I 129... mmmm    may be an issue... 

She may not be the beneficiary, I assumed she is the petitioner because the petitioner is the only one who fills out the I-129f.

[visaqueries 111]

If you update your name on Facebook to your legal name, does it change the names on the posts too?  That way, if you print off your evidence, it might match your legal name.  

[MentalVoid 191]

30 minutes ago, FN&KO said:

I would leave out the Facebook statuses, because that is not evidence.  Anyone can make a fb status saying that they are doing something but it doesn't show proof that it was done.  Submit copies of the tickets if you'd like and pictures of the two of you together.

 

The most important piece of evidence that you need is that you've met face to face within the past two years before submission of the petition.   That can be proven with pictures of the two of you, copies of airline tickets,  etc.

 

I believe there's a section on the petition where it asks for other names that you've been known by.   You could add your unofficial name there. 

 

Either way, people that are familiar with fb know that not everyone uses their real names so I don't think it would cause any major issues.

 

Keep in mind that all of this secondary evidence is not used when approving your petition.  VJ suggests you front-load because USCIS will forward all of your information to the embassy after approval and it will allow the embassy time to look over your case before your interview.  Your I-129f petition will be approved if (1) It was filled out correctly and included necessary forms, (2) Your background checks clear,  (3) You've met within the past two years before filling, and (4) You are both legally free to marry.

Okay! I'm just sort of nervous and wanted to include as much as I could, but I'll leave those out. I do have tickets, plus boarding passes and an itinerary from his travel agent (in addition to the pictures we took when he was here). I hadn't added my unofficial name to the petition because it was never used in a legal capacity, and from what I've read that's what they're looking for. 

 

And yes, I'm the petitioner and not the beneficiary. 

Edited March 19, 2017 by CeaselessRaine

[Unshakable Faith 493]

7 minutes ago, CeaselessRaine said:

Okay! I'm just sort of nervous and wanted to include as much as I could, but I'll leave those out. I do have tickets, plus boarding passes and an itinerary from his travel agent (in addition to the pictures we took when he was here). I hadn't added my unofficial name to the petition because it was never used in a legal capacity, and from what I've read that's what they're looking for. 

 

And yes, I'm the petitioner and not the beneficiary. 

I remember those days!  Just take a breath and don't look too much into things.   Make sure you include everything asked for (check out the K1 guide if you haven't already) and rest easy! 

[KozmicBlues 592]

On 3/19/2017 at 10:56 AM, visaqueries said:

If you update your name on Facebook to your legal name, does it change the names on the posts too?  That way, if you print off your evidence, it might match your legal name.  

This is what I did. I have always just used my middle name as my last name on FB and wanted to print a few check-ins and posts to use as additional support but was worried about my name showing differently. I updated my name to my real last name and it was immediate with all of the past posts now showing my name correctly. Only thing is you can't change your name again on FB for 30 days (I think) so if OP's issue is having his/her real last name for a long period that may not be a good option. My fiance/beneficiary also has his first name spelled different by one letter on FB but it's just the English translation of his name so I wasn't concerned about that being an issue. Plus the FB posts should not be the main source of evidence as per my understanding. 

Edited March 21, 2017 by Traceratops

[KozmicBlues 592]

On 3/19/2017 at 11:27 AM, Dee elle said:

Whether petitiomer or beneficary.. the I 129 asks the same question regarding other names used..... , so as long as it was answered correctly on the form, it should be already in the system. 

Would you list nicknames as other names used though? I took it as only if a name would show up as a different name in legal documents/official papers or anything. On my chat logs and phone logs my fiance's first name is just his nickname which everyone calls him (basically just initials of first/middle name) and his name on FB is off by one letter from his legal name since he put the English translation as his FB name. We didn't list either of those as other names since they will not appear anywhere on his ID's or legal docs.

[MentalVoid 191]

25 minutes ago, Traceratops said:

This is what I did. I have always just used my middle name as my last name on FB and wanted to print a few check-ins and posts to use as additional support but was worried about my name showing differently. I updated my name to my real last name and it was immediate with all of the past posts now showing my name correctly. Only thing is you can't change your name again on FB for 30 days (I think) so if OP's issue is having his/her real last name for a long period that may not be a good option. My fiance/beneficiary also has his first name spelled different by one letter on FB but it's just the English translation of his name so I wasn't concerned about that being an issue. Plus the FB posts should not be the main source of evidence as per my understanding. 

Oh it's nice to know that works! I'll probably change it for the proof on ongoing relationship in a few months, and not worry about it too much. I had a lot of evidence from this trip so I wasn't worried about excluding a few Facebook statuses. 

[KozmicBlues 592]

15 minutes ago, Dee elle said:

I really dont know..... it doesnt say other legal names.....  or really give any clear instructions one way or another....  sorry 

No worries. I think we will just list them as it doesn't specify and I can't imagine it would hurt since it does show his name as that in all of my evidence for ongoing relationship. Thanks for responding.

[KozmicBlues 592]

17 minutes ago, MentalVoid said:

Oh it's nice to know that works! I'll probably change it for the proof on ongoing relationship in a few months, and not worry about it too much. I had a lot of evidence from this trip so I wasn't worried about excluding a few Facebook statuses. 

Yeah that was my thinking also! But I've read a lot about "front loading" our application so I figured the more I can add as support the better. Good luck!!