To 'N/A' or to Leave Blank?

[adsanctis 1]

When filling out the I-130/I-130A and a question does not apply to you (or you do not need to fill out the whole section) do I:

 

a) Write 'N/A' in the first box of the question's spaces and leave the others blank

b) 'N/A' all the questions spaces that do not apply/ need to answer

c) Leave all that do not apply/need to answer blank

 

 

[ms_bobdog 501]

I have learnt that there is no easy answer to this. Some have left blank and gotten through. Some haven't. Personally, for mine, I just got my husband to write N/A in all the spaces that do not apply. Better safe than sorry  

[Violeta15 22]

I personally left everything blank (c)that didn’t apply to me. My case is now completed and awaiting interview 😁. 

Edited March 4, 2018 by Violeta15

[Jorge V 195]

I think option A makes the most sense. If you're asked to provide an address that doesn't apply and you write N/A on the box for street address, I think they'll understand that "N/A" also applies to City/State/Zip. I chose to write N/A on all lines though, it only took a few minutes and I thought "better safe than sorry".

 

1 hour ago, Violeta15 said:

I personally left everything blank (c)that didn’t apply to me. My case is now completed and awaiting interview 😁. 

 

While I think this is generally OK and most people will probably get approved without issue, I would like to point out that the official I130/I130A instructions state that you should not leave blanks. Here's the excerpt:

Quote

Answer all questions fully and accurately. If a question does not apply to you (for example, if you have never been married and the question asks, “Provide the name of your current spouse”), type or print “N/A,” unless otherwise directed. If your answer to a question which requires a numeric response is zero or none (for example, “How many children do you have” or “How many times have you departed the United States”), type or print “None,” unless otherwise directed.

 

The reasoning is that leaving a blank for certain questions can lead to ambiguity. For example, if asked how many times you have departed the US and you leave it blank, the officer reviewing the application now has to decide if you meant "0" or if you simply made a mistake and forgot to answer that question. This might lead to a RFE requesting clarification, delaying your application. For this reason, I think it makes sense to write "N/A" instead of leaving blanks. It only takes a few minutes and it removes all ambiguity.

Edited March 4, 2018 by Jorge V

[Bethany123 56]

To be on the safe side, I always put in N/A, that way I know that no one else will fill in the blank spaces. Good luck! 

[Abies 1,713]

16 hours ago, adsanctis said:

When filling out the I-130/I-130A and a question does not apply to you (or you do not need to fill out the whole section) do I:

 

a) Write 'N/A' in the first box of the question's spaces and leave the others blank

b) 'N/A' all the questions spaces that do not apply/ need to answer

c) Leave all that do not apply/need to answer blank

 

 

Either of them is fine 

Edited March 5, 2018 by Abies