Packet 3 questions: proving domicile, military records, and actually sending it

[Saturnalia 11]

Hi guys, 

I think I'll be getting my packet 3 letter in the mail tomorrow (case was updated April 26th, then May 3rd, then May 4th - so I assume those dates are when NVC sent it out, the consulate in Montreal received it, and when the consulate sent out the letter), so I have some questions about the contents of the packet as well as actually sending it. 

 

Firstly, when I send the packet, I send it through email right? Do I have to send everything on the checklist (ie, scan the police certificate, birth certificate, etc) or just the biographical page of my passport, the page with the barcode on it, and the filled out checklist and email all of those as a pdf? 

 

For proving the petitioners domicile, he still lives at home with his parents but we have an (empty) apartment that we've signed a lease for. On all the forms, though, my fiancé has put his parents' address since we didn't have the apartment when we first did the i-129f and he doesn't live at the apartment yet anyway. How do we prove his domicile at his parents house? Does his address on his W2s suffice? Should I bring the apartment lease to the interview? Whenever a form asks where I'll be residing in the US, I always put the apartment address. 

 

Lastly, I was in the military for 4 months. It was a high school army co-op and I left after basic training. Do I really need to go through the process of getting military records for this? CAF's website says it can take up to 30 days to ANSWER an inquiry, so if I have to scan and send all the contents of packet 3 this will severely affect that. If I just have to bring them in to the interview, I can try to get the records before then but I'm not sure if I'll get them in time. 

 

Thank you so much in advance to anyone who tackles any of these questions!! 

[Leafsfan 54]

I don't have any direct answers for you, so I apologize. I would think that the address of domicile and where you plan on living together should be the same, and should be the apartment. This is where all your documents will get mailed, and it's your duty to inform the USCIS of any changes in address your whole time as a permanent resident. Any inconsistencies in address probably will not be a good thing.

 

As far as your military records go, you will need them, so go about acquiring them immediately. These are required for everyone; if you only attended basic, you were a reservist who never deployed, or if you are a combat vet.

[Saturnalia 11]

Thank you for your answer!!

So far, we haven't had any problems with the address; he still lives at the address we put down for him and no one lives at the apartment. I think they may figure that we'll move once I go down. 

 

As for the records, that's what I thought. Thank you. Hopefully I won't need to send a scan of them when I send packet 3 in and will only have to bring them to the interview.

[NikLR 13,227]

You could have already downloaded the P3 from Montreal after your case status says "ready" on CEAC.

 

For k1 you don't actually send anything, except the checklist and the DS-160 confirmation page.  You bring all those items to interview.  Domicile should be easy to prove with a couple paystubs and his driver's license regardless of address on it.  You may need the military record. 

[Saturnalia 11]

2 hours ago, NikLR said:

You could have already downloaded the P3 from Montreal after your case status says "ready" on CEAC.

 

For k1 you don't actually send anything, except the checklist and the DS-160 confirmation page.  You bring all those items to interview.  Domicile should be easy to prove with a couple paystubs and his driver's license regardless of address on it.  You may need the military record. 

Ahhh, no way! I could have sent it out way earlier this week then. Thank you for that... I just sent it and hopefully I'll hear back this coming week (some people have said the next day?). I'm going to call the military office tomorrow and see if I can just drop by somewhere and get the records quickly. Thank you for your answer!!

[NikLR 13,227]

Normally the records have to come from Ottawa.  I remember a lady who immigrated when I did, and had a heck of a time with her military records but she was in until retirement, not 4 months. 

[namchou 8]

Interesting, as I received my K1 less than a month ago, and they could not care less about my military record. I had everything.....12 years worth of leave pass, memo for this and that, express/force test results, PERs and security clearance paperwork.....they did not ask for any of it. They obviously knew I was military as I met my fiance during a 4 years posting to WA. So as always I would say better be safe than sorry, but I would not be overly concerned. keep in mid every case is different.

[MapleLeaf29 247]

On May 7, 2017 at 0:00 PM, Saturnalia said:

Hi guys, 

I think I'll be getting my packet 3 letter in the mail tomorrow (case was updated April 26th, then May 3rd, then May 4th - so I assume those dates are when NVC sent it out, the consulate in Montreal received it, and when the consulate sent out the letter), so I have some questions about the contents of the packet as well as actually sending it. 

 

Firstly, when I send the packet, I send it through email right? Do I have to send everything on the checklist (ie, scan the police certificate, birth certificate, etc) or just the biographical page of my passport, the page with the barcode on it, and the filled out checklist and email all of those as a pdf? 

 

For proving the petitioners domicile, he still lives at home with his parents but we have an (empty) apartment that we've signed a lease for. On all the forms, though, my fiancé has put his parents' address since we didn't have the apartment when we first did the i-129f and he doesn't live at the apartment yet anyway. How do we prove his domicile at his parents house? Does his address on his W2s suffice? Should I bring the apartment lease to the interview? Whenever a form asks where I'll be residing in the US, I always put the apartment address. 

 

Lastly, I was in the military for 4 months. It was a high school army co-op and I left after basic training. Do I really need to go through the process of getting military records for this? CAF's website says it can take up to 30 days to ANSWER an inquiry, so if I have to scan and send all the contents of packet 3 this will severely affect that. If I just have to bring them in to the interview, I can try to get the records before then but I'm not sure if I'll get them in time. 

 

Thank you so much in advance to anyone who tackles any of these questions!! 

My fiancé was in the military during university.  We both kind of forgot about it until I was reading the Packet 3 checklist to him.  He said, "Military. . . wait, do I need those?" We tried three different ways of getting them (I can't remember all three).  As his interview approached, he ended up calling the office in Ottawa directly.  They said, "There are still 38 requests ahead of yours."  He explained how urgent it was and the amazing employee sent them off to him the next day.  If you live close enough to Ottawa, you can apparently also go and request them in person.  You need to fill out some paperwork online beforehand, which my fiancé did just in case he had to go to Ottawa.

[NikLR 13,227]

On 5/9/2017 at 7:58 AM, namchou said:

Interesting, as I received my K1 less than a month ago, and they could not care less about my military record. I had everything.....12 years worth of leave pass, memo for this and that, express/force test results, PERs and security clearance paperwork.....they did not ask for any of it. They obviously knew I was military as I met my fiance during a 4 years posting to WA. So as always I would say better be safe than sorry, but I would not be overly concerned. keep in mid every case is different.

Ive seen people get held up because of lack of official military documentation.  Normally for CR1/IR1 though due to the NVC.  Your case is an anomally for their lack of "care" even for a k1. 

[namchou 8]

Like I said it might be due to the fact that I was posted for 4 years in the US, DOD and State department did a background check on me so I could get my security clearance in the US, maybe it show somewhere in the system.  But I was ready regardless, better be safe than sorry

[Saturnalia 11]

Well, I've still yet to receive an acknowledgement about receiving my records, but I emailed the consulate and got a reply. They said to just bring whatever documents I have that I need for the interview, and if the officer conducting the interview does believe that I should provide the records, I'd be able to mail them in once receiving them.