I-130 form question

[Birzun 0]

Me: US citizen (petitioner)

Wife: Canadian citizen, lives in Toronto (beneficiary)

 

" The beneficiary will not apply for adjustment of status in the United States, but he or she will apply for an immigrant visa abroad at the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate in: "

 

It then asks for city, province, and country. The other option is about applying for adjustment of status in the US, which I assume does not apply to us. Assuming I'm on the right track, where do I get the info about the US embassy/consulate? Is it listed somewhere through the USCIS site, or can I just look it up online? The instructions that came with the form aren't exactly helpful.

 

Thanks! FYI, I'm filling this out for the first time so I may reply with more questions as I go along. : )

[Birzun 0]

Another couple questions:

 

Part 4, item # 21-25. #21 asks for the beneficiary's spouse information (me), then #25 asks for "information about the beneficiary's spouse and children." Do I need to enter my info in #25 also or is #21 sufficient? I can take a screenshot if that makes it easier.

 

Part 2, item # 12. It asks for address history and physical address (after already entering mailing address). I only lived at one place other than where I live now. I assume I still have to include that under item #14 (#12 is blanked out and not editable).

Edited May 28, 2018 by Birzun

[geowrian 22,338]

1 hour ago, Dee elle said:

It’s on the website somewhere.. not easily found.. but the only consulate in Canada for immigrant visas interviews is Montréal 

For reference:

https://ca.usembassy.gov/visas/family-immigration/petition/

"In Canada, immigrant visas are processed at the U.S. Consulate General in Montreal. "

 

Also for reference for a K-1:

https://ca.usembassy.gov/visas/fiancee/

"Effective April 1, 2016, U.S. Consulate General Vancouver is no longer processing new fiancé(e) (K) visa applications. U.S. Consulate General Montreal will be the interview location for all fiancé(e) visas in Canada."

[Birzun 0]

Nice, thanks! For what it's worth, we're doing an IR-1. I don't think that changes anything though.

[Birzun 0]

1 hour ago, Birzun said:

Another couple questions:

 

Part 4, item # 21-25. #21 asks for the beneficiary's spouse information (me), then #25 asks for "information about the beneficiary's spouse and children." Do I need to enter my info in #25 also or is #21 sufficient? I can take a screenshot if that makes it easier.

 

Part 2, item # 12. It asks for address history and physical address (after already entering mailing address). I only lived at one place other than where I live now. I assume I still have to include that under item #14 (#12 is blanked out and not editable).

Thanks for the quick help guys. Any advice on the above?

[Birzun 0]

That makes sense, I'm sure it doesn't hurt to repeat information.

 

So, in terms of evidence of a bona fide marriage... I have dozens if not at least a hundred bus receipts from us taking a coach bus back and forth to see each other over the past 8 years. Are they really going to want to see every single one? Or should I just include 2 or 3 from each year?

 

EDIT: For what it's worth, we don't have a LOT of other evidence. We don't take many pictures, don't have joint bank accounts, phone records would be difficult to retrieve, etc. We do have our marriage certificate and the birth certificates for our children though.

Edited May 28, 2018 by Birzun

[Birzun 0]

57 minutes ago, Dee elle said:

A sample covering the period of time   simple to look at and get the sense of a strong stable relationship

18 trip receipts over the past 8 years should be sufficient I think. You might have missed this edit in my last post: "For what it's worth, we don't have a LOT of other evidence. We don't take many pictures, don't have joint bank accounts, phone records would be difficult to retrieve, etc. We do have our marriage certificate and the birth certificates for our children though. "

 

Also, do copies of documents have to be in color? For example, my birth certificate.

[Birzun 0]

1 minute ago, Dee elle said:

Do you have wills where each other is the beneficiary.. retirement accounts  with beneficiaries , life insurance etc.., 

Black and white photocopies, though if you are scanning and saving as pdf,  do so in colour not black and white.. 

No will. I have a retirement account and tried to add her as a beneficiary but it didn't seem to let me add a citizen of another country. I can try again though. Any other suggestions for evidence? Most money I've given her was in person with cash, so that's kind of difficult to prove. There are a few paypal transfers that I can include. They'll be able to tell during our interview that we're a genuine happy couple, I just don't want to get rejected prior to the interview.

[Teemo 252]

5 hours ago, Birzun said:

That makes sense, I'm sure it doesn't hurt to repeat information.

 

So, in terms of evidence of a bona fide marriage... I have dozens if not at least a hundred bus receipts from us taking a coach bus back and forth to see each other over the past 8 years. Are they really going to want to see every single one? Or should I just include 2 or 3 from each year?

 

EDIT: For what it's worth, we don't have a LOT of other evidence. We don't take many pictures, don't have joint bank accounts, phone records would be difficult to retrieve, etc. We do have our marriage certificate and the birth certificates for our children though.

Lots of bus receipts are good. The fact you have children together is compelling evidence. But the lack of pictures is a concern. They like to see pictures of you on vacation, with family and friends etc. You can't track down at least a handful? What about pictures your friends or family may have? Hopefully at least a few at your wedding? Honeymoon? 

[Birzun 0]

22 minutes ago, Teemo said:

Lots of bus receipts are good. The fact you have children together is compelling evidence. But the lack of pictures is a concern. They like to see pictures of you on vacation, with family and friends etc. You can't track down at least a handful? What about pictures your friends or family may have? Hopefully at least a few at your wedding? Honeymoon? 

We have pictures, just not very many. We haven't taken a "real" vacation because every time we have time off from work, we want to just spend it by relaxing with one another. I've always been camera-shy so at the few events we did go to, we collected very few pictures of us together. We also did not go on a formal honeymoon. I'll make sure to include any key pictures we have together, however. It'll probably be between 5-10, so let me know if you think that's sufficient. I can always add a note (or mention during the interview) about how I don't like having my picture taken, which is the reason for the lack of photos.

[Teemo 252]

8 minutes ago, Birzun said:

We have pictures, just not very many. We haven't taken a "real" vacation because every time we have time off from work, we want to just spend it by relaxing with one another. I've always been camera-shy so at the few events we did go to, we collected very few pictures of us together. We also did not go on a formal honeymoon. I'll make sure to include any key pictures we have together, however. It'll probably be between 5-10, so let me know if you think that's sufficient. I can always add a note (or mention during the interview) about how I don't like having my picture taken, which is the reason for the lack of photos.

I'd say at least 20 photos to avoid even the seeds of doubt. Others might say a lot more. Your note about how you don't like your picture taken is useless, their job is to evaluate the bona fides and that is not a legitimate explanation, otherwise every sham marriage would say the same thing. Remember that their default position is that this a sham marriage and the burden is on you to prove otherwise. Sorry, but US immigration law in general is "inconvenient" and knowing you had this interview coming up you could have snapped 20+ pictures on your phone over the years that you kept to yourselves until the interview. What about posts on social media? Pictures with your kids? with your respective families?

Edited May 29, 2018 by Teemo

[Birzun 0]

Just now, Teemo said:

I'd say at least 20 photos to avoid even the seeds of doubt. Others might say a lot more. Your note about how you don't like your picture taken is useless, their job is to evaluate the bona fides and that is not a legitimate explanation, otherwise every sham marriage would say the same thing. Sorry, but US immigration law in general is "inconvenient" and knowing you had this interview coming up you could have snapped 30 pictures on your phone over the years that you kept to yourselves until the interview. What about posts on social media? Pictures with your kids? with your respective families?

I don't do social media. Our twins died shortly after being born. I was never close with my family. I'm closer with her family, but usually when I go there to visit we go off on our own for some privacy (so no pictures). I can come up with 20 pictures, but they're not going to be very ideal, and it's really just going to be her and I in it rather than group photos.

 

I'm not trying to come off like a jerk, and I appreciate you trying to help me. I'm just trying to help our chances here based on our circumstances.

[Teemo 252]

1 minute ago, Birzun said:

I don't do social media. Our twins died shortly after being born. I was never close with my family. I'm closer with her family, but usually when I go there to visit we go off on our own for some privacy (so no pictures). I can come up with 20 pictures, but they're not going to be very ideal, and it's really just going to be her and I in it rather than group photos.

 

I'm not trying to come off like a jerk, and I appreciate you trying to help me. I'm just trying to help our chances here based on our circumstances.

I understand. Having kids together is a big bona fide. But it's just one and they are going to need something else. Bus receipts also good. But lack of pics is a big fat red flag. Giving it to you straight. You may get a CO that overlooks it easily, you may (probably) won't. Do what you can to get 20+. Do what you can to get some photos of both of you with family & friends between now and the interview. Any vacation or anywhere outside your city you go together, have a photo there too. Also you should get witness affidavits that speak to your relationship, and you should get them notarized and include photocopies of the IDs of those who wrote them so USCIS knows they are real people.

 

So sorry to hear about your twins...sorry to ask this but what about medical bills or death certificates, would they have both your names? You don't have to answer that but if you do you can provide that. 

[Ivy. 113]

Pulling phone records should not be too hard. I took me about three clicks after logging in to see all of my call history. If you can retrieve some of that, that would be good. 

Alternatively, look for emails or chat logs from messaging apps. You do not need to print the content of the emails (some people do), but just printing different pages that show emails being exchanged thought the years would be very nice. 

I have also seen people submit credit cards showing they used their cards in the city of the other person/at the same place. I have not done it, but perhaps that's an idea.

The CO should understand that you do not have joint bank accounts or are not beneficiaries on each other's insurance since you live in different countries. My husband could not add me, either, until I moved here.

 

To be honest, I have no experience with Canada, but since it is not a high risk country, I do not feel you need to provide more than 20 photos. Let's say you get one or two per year, that puts you at 10-15 which seems quite enough to me. Consider at least 2-3 of those could be the wedding.

 

I am very sorry for the loss of your children. Good luck with the process.

[JFH 12,191]

Don't worry.... you're going through the Montreal embassy, not an African one (where every case is dissected, put under the microscope, torn apart and often rejected). I totally understand about no pictures, it's not my thing either. And pictures are secondary evidence. I visited my husband over 40 times before I moved. We are not selfie-addicts either (too old for that) and when I visited we just wanted to be together doing things we liked to do together - art, spending time by the water, just the two of us. We have been married 3.5 years and I have been living here with him since December 2016 and there are still some family members from each side we haven't met. My mother met my husband for the first time 3 weeks ago. We didn't even have any family at our wedding. My siblings have never met him. I think we have 3 photos of our wedding day. 

 

We were approved without even an RFE. 

Edited May 29, 2018 by JFH