Two Quick Questions for I-129F Assembly

[amaraimee 109]

Hello all.

I am almost ready to send in my petition, but I am having trouble with the exact way to assemble it all together.

The way I'm thinking to do it is to paper-clip the multiples I have. For example, I scanned all of the pages in my passport, I would paper clip these together with a post-it note saying "Scans of every page in my passport". I think that is right, but where do I put the passport type photos and other photos? I'm thinking I put the two passport photos of my fiance and I in a zip loc bag and label it with "Passport type photos of...." and put it behind our G325A's. I have read these forms are no longer required, but I am going to send them as a precautionary measure.

 

And my other question- Do the scans of my passport have to be in color? I met my fiance in Dublin, and the stamp is green. When I scan it in color, it is very hard, almost impossible to read. In black and white, it is fine. 

I know i'm thinking too far into every single aspect, but I want this to be approved and looked through as easily and as quickly as possible.

Thank you for any help!

Aimee

[OutOfThisWorld 87]

Think about it, your application is going through a scanner. A sheet-feed scanner I imagine. Post-it notes can fall off, jam, shift, cover some important information, etc.

 

If you want to title/mark pages, do that on the page itself at the bottom, or at the top but low enough so the title remains visible after the pages are double-punched at the top and bound with Acco prong fasteners.

 

I personally put each marked on the back passport photo and the payment check into individual push-lock baggies (three labeled baggies total) in front of all the other paperwork, double-punched the whole thing at the top, and put an Acco prong fastener on; so the whole package is held together out of the envelope, and it takes only one fastener to take it apart.

 

All other photos (relationship proof supplements),--- it is better to have them printed on standard letter pages, rather than have assorted sizes that are a pain to scan.

 

Said all that, I am sure, whoever receives and sorts these petitions have seen it all, it is their job, and they are really good at it. So, do not stress the details too much.

 

Passport scans can be color or black-and-white---does not matter. If it is important for some passport stamps to be clearly visible, it may be a good idea to convert to black-and-white yourself to verify they still look good in black-and-white.

 

Good luck.

Edited July 18, 2017 by OutOfThisWorld

[KULtoATL 1,551]

Paperclips are fine. Post-it notes are fine, others have used them without an issue.

 

When I assembled our package, I personally used PDF Pro to insert text labels at the bottom of each page EXCEPT the USCIS forms. 

 

Scans can be black and white. Color printing or scans are not necessary.

 

G-325A is really not needed anymore No need for precautionary submission.

 

Make sure required documents and evidence are in your stack, G-1145 so you'll get email and text notifications as well as the fee of $535.

[amaraimee 109]

10 minutes ago, KULtoATL said:

Paperclips are fine. Post-it notes are fine, others have used them without an issue.

 

When I assembled our package, I personally used PDF Pro to insert text labels at the bottom of each page EXCEPT the USCIS forms. 

 

Scans can be black and white. Color printing or scans are not necessary.

 

G-325A is really not needed anymore No need for precautionary submission.

 

Make sure required documents and evidence are in your stack, G-1145 so you'll get email and text notifications as well as the fee of $535.

Ok, awesome!!! Thank you SO much! I will take the G-325A forms out of my packet, but keep them on hand just in case! Is it ok if I list everything that I have compiled so far and you can tell me if thats good or not? I'm very nervous and a perfectionist so this is terrible  

[KULtoATL 1,551]

Sure, put it up so everyone can review and comment

 

Btw, passport photos are still needed though the G-325A is not required.

[amaraimee 109]

41 minutes ago, KULtoATL said:

Sure, put it up so everyone can review and comment

 

Btw, passport photos are still needed though the G-325A is not required.

Yes! I have those!

Ok

(does the G-1145 go before the cover letter, right under the check?)

1. Check with fee payment of $535

2. Cover letter

3. I-129F Form in full 

4. I-129F Supplement: Part 2 Question 54, explanation of meeting in person (I typed a one page story and signed/dated the bottom)

5. Passport style photos of Petitioner (myself) and Beneficiary. Both are labeled on back and in separate zip-loc bags (also labeled "Passport type photo of ...." , attached to a blank sheet of paper with a paper clip

6. copy of my birth certificate (I had it copied at an office supply store to make sure it would be of great quality, it is a colored copy) and scans of every page in my passport. It is still valid for another 9.5 years

7. Letter certifying intent to marry from both my fiance and me (one from each) Signed and dated

8. Proof of having met in person in the past two years (I have boarding passes, passport stamps, luggage tags, 10 photos of us together(I know this is PLENTY), one sheet of scans of multiple train tickets from my time visiting my fiance, a reciept from the AirBNB I stayed in.

9. Proof of engagement (I have a scan of an engagement ring receipt as well as a receipt from the dinner he proposed to me at), Photos of us on the night of our engagement, photo of my ring, and a photo of our family together the night he proposed.

10. Proof of on-going relationship. (I have one sheet of various skype call logs, especially the long ones lasting 10+ hours, two sheets of text messages, IM's, etc. exchanged over the span of our relationship, letters he's sent me in the mail, and some scans of reciepts of dinners/shopping we've done.

 

Any tips on what else I should include or anything I should remove?

[KULtoATL 1,551]

7 minutes ago, aimeelancaster said:

Yes! I have those!

Ok

(does the G-1145 go before the cover letter, right under the check?)

1. Check with fee payment of $535

2. Cover letter

3. I-129F Form in full 

4. I-129F Supplement: Part 2 Question 54, explanation of meeting in person (I typed a one page story and signed/dated the bottom)

5. Passport style photos of Petitioner (myself) and Beneficiary. Both are labeled on back and in separate zip-loc bags (also labeled "Passport type photo of ...." , attached to a blank sheet of paper with a paper clip

6. copy of my birth certificate (I had it copied at an office supply store to make sure it would be of great quality, it is a colored copy) and scans of every page in my passport. It is still valid for another 9.5 years

7. Letter certifying intent to marry from both my fiance and me (one from each) Signed and dated

8. Proof of having met in person in the past two years (I have boarding passes, passport stamps, luggage tags, 10 photos of us together(I know this is PLENTY), one sheet of scans of multiple train tickets from my time visiting my fiance, a reciept from the AirBNB I stayed in.

9. Proof of engagement (I have a scan of an engagement ring receipt as well as a receipt from the dinner he proposed to me at), Photos of us on the night of our engagement, photo of my ring, and a photo of our family together the night he proposed.

10. Proof of on-going relationship. (I have one sheet of various skype call logs, especially the long ones lasting 10+ hours, two sheets of text messages, IM's, etc. exchanged over the span of our relationship, letters he's sent me in the mail, and some scans of reciepts of dinners/shopping we've done.

 

Any tips on what else I should include or anything I should remove?

Looks good to me! A few things:

1. Place the check and the G-1145 right at the top of the pile  Then the rest of the stack can be under the G-1145. That way the contractor who scans your petition sees them first!!
2. If you have the time, add a table of content to list the stuff you've submitted with the petition. Not a requirement but not bad to have one either. 
3. Not requirement but maybe a bit safer to stick the zip lock bags to a sheet of paper with double sided tabs. Don't want the bags to come off since you're currently using a paper clip.
4. This is just-in-case check - Either of you had formal name change or divorced or annulment etc? Supporting documents are required for these if they apply

Edited July 18, 2017 by KULtoATL

[KULtoATL 1,551]

@aimeelancaster Here's the official USCIS form filing tips: https://www.uscis.gov/forms-filing-tips  Definitely have the check and G-1145 at the top. Awesome!

[amaraimee 109]

3 minutes ago, KULtoATL said:

Looks good to me! A few things:

1. Place the check and the G-1145 right at the top of the pile  Then the rest of the stack can be under the G-1145. That way the contractor who scans your petition sees them first!!
2. If you have the time, add a table of content to list the stuff you've submitted with the petition. Not a requirement but not bad to have one either. 
3. Not requirement but maybe a bit safer to stick the zip lock bags to a sheet of paper with double sided tabs. Don't want the bags to come off since you're currently using a paper clip.
4. This is just-in-case check - Either of you had formal name change or divorced or annulment etc? Supporting documents are required for these if they apply

The order is Check and then G-1145, so that's perfect! I have a table of contents included in my cover letter, the list is numbered and I have a label for each section on the cover letter. And for no. 4, neither of us  Thank you!

[amaraimee 109]

Does everything else look okay? I think I finally did it!! What do I put on the envelope when mailing it? I know the Dallas LockBox address but what else do I need? Also, do I have to write anything in the memo line on the check?

[KULtoATL 1,551]

Just now, aimeelancaster said:

The order is Check and then G-1145, so that's perfect! I have a table of contents included in my cover letter, the list is numbered and I have a label for each section on the cover letter. And for no. 4, neither of us  Thank you!

Labels and identifiers are good  So it's easier for them to figure out what's what. I am so excited for you. Good luck and I hope you get your NOA1 quickly. Thereafter, you'll be waiting for at least 3 months, could be more depending on CSC backlogs, speed of the adjudicator etc.

 

Just now, aimeelancaster said:

Does everything else look okay? I think I finally did it!! What do I put on the envelope when mailing it? I know the Dallas LockBox address but what else do I need? Also, do I have to write anything in the memo line on the check?

According to the link that I gave you:

• Mark the envelope and the cover letter with the form number. For example, I-129, I-130, I-690 or I-698.

 

Dallas lockbox if you are using non-signature required mail services. Lewisville address if you use something like courier services or signature is required.

 

Check's memo line, you can put something like 'Fee payment for I-129F petition by [your name]'. If the check comes off, they will still be able to match back with your petition submission  Please write USCIS full name on the payable line.