Ready to send off packet - would like a review

[Dbe4L 1]

Hey everyone, just wanted to say thanks to all the helpful posts here and the relatively easy search feature.  It's helped  a lot as I've been putting together my packet for my fiance and I.

I am completing the initial stage of the i129f and other documents and would just like to lay out what i have so far to make sure there are no glaring errors.   For reference, I am the US citizen and my fiance is the beneficiary.  

 

She is from Australia, we've known each other since 12/2016, have met 6 separate times so far, and there's no children, no previous marriages, no convictions, etc.  So I am hoping this should be a relatively easy case to process.

 

Here is what i have in my packet in order:

 

 

1. Check for $535.00 - signed, dated, made to US dept homeland security

2. G-1145 - with contact info, no hand signature

3. Cover letter briefly outlining all the documents and evidence provided.  1 page, hand signed.

4. i129f form, 13 pages, plus two additional copies of page 13.  Form signed and each copy of page 13 signed.  I put N/A in most blank where applicable.  

Pretty confident in triple checking this one that dates are right, and all info has been addressed.  Unless there's anything major that is commonly missed?

5. Timeline of relationship, 1 page typed, hand signed and dated.  By the facts timeline of how we initially met, the exact dates we were together, where we visited, and when we became engaged.

6. Letter of intent to marry form beneficiary, hand signed

7. Letter of intent to marry form me, hand signed

8. Copies of passport style photos, 1 of me and 1 of her.  I put each in a separate snack-size Ziploc bag and taped the top to a signed piece of paper.  they are labeled and dated on back.

My understanding is everything just gets scanned in, right?  so someone will have to take them out of the bag to do so.  This is just the best way to make sure they don't get lost?

8. Copy of all pages of my passport showing citizenship.  each set of pages, including cover, is on a separate sheet, all color photocopied on regular printer paper.  I signed the first page to show its mine, but none of the others.

One question - I don't have any stamps despite 3 visits to Australia.  they don' seem to stamp passports i guess, since its electronic.  Should i make a note of this or just assume its a common thing they are aware of?

9. Cover sheet of evidence of meeting.  1 page typed, hand signed.  providing dates we were together for reference and then listing evidence provided

 

Evidence Section

1. photocopies of boarding passes from each trip, as best i could find them.  I had most of mine, she sent just a couple of hers she had kept.  I put them in chronological order and put return passes as well.  

Best evidence i feel is two passes from when we took a domestic trip to gather in Australia and have adjacent seats on the same flight.  

2. Color photographs on photo paper.  10 total, 2 from each trip.  Back of each has our names, date of picture,. location.  Photos are also date stamped from my phone.  All put in Ziploc bag and taped to a signed piece of paper.

3. A few emails of itineraries.  I know these are not necessary considering i scanned the boarding passes, but i figured i would put it in there, plus it covers the few flights she didn't have her original boarding passes for.

4. A couple hotel receipt email confirmations (no original receipts form hotel itself though showing we checked in - best i could find)

5. Tickets form concert we went to in Sydney.  Only has my name on them, but I put it in there.  

6. An email for my Australian transit authority - the electronic visa that let me travel.  Doesn't show i went, but best i could do in absence of passport stamps.  I was unable to find anything equivalent to an I94 for my travels out there. 

My ETA is already expired since it was only good for a year, so i cant seem to access anything on it...

7. My fiances I94 showing total travels to US and most recent entry.  She is not currently in US so i didn't fill out that block on the i129f but thought i would add this in as extra evidence.  

8. Copy of her old passport and US VIsa and only pages with stamps.   Copy of just cover page of her new passport which is only a few weeks old right now, so has nothing in it.

9. Credit card account summaries for 3 separate occasions i was out there showing international purchases.   Would it be helpful to highlight anything on here?   Or is it just best to leave everything unaltered?

10. A few scans of original receipts i had kept from purchases and restaurants.  I scanned the ones that show the last 4 of my credit card.  Again, Highlight?

11. 1 months copies of each of our phone records showing regular calls.  

12. Copy of engagement Ring receipt

13. printout of engagement anouncement on Facebook

14. 2 letters of support from family/friend who were with us during the last 2 years.  

 

All held together with a large paper clip and a large rubberband.  does check need to be stapled?

 

Things i did not include: cards we sent each other, whatsapp and skype logs, etc.  I understand main focus at thsi point is to just prove we were together in last 2 years and are both able to marry.  The "bona fide relationship" part can come later near interview.  

 

 

Hoping i covered everything hear.  Anything i may have missed or that i should leave out?  Highlight more?  Sign every single page?

 

Thanks!

[Crazy Cat 41,998]

Have you considered a CR-1 instead of the K-1?

 K-1

    More expensive than CR-1

    Requires Adjustment of Status after marriage (expensive and requires a lot of paperwork)

    Spouse can not leave the US until she receives approved Advance Parole (approx 3-6 months)

    Spouse can not work until she receives EAD (approx 3-6 months)

    some people have had problems with driver licenses, Social Security cards, leases, bank account during this period .

    Spouse will not receive Green Card for many months after Adjustment of Status is filed.

CR-1

    Less expensive than K-1

    No AOS required.

    Spouse can immediately travel outside the US

    Spouse can start work if desired

    Spouse receives Social Security Card and Green Card withing 2 or 3 weeks after entering the US

    Spouse  has legal permanent Resident status IMMEDIATELY upon entry to US.

 

The processing time is only a couple months different on average.  All-in-all, the CR-1 is superior to the K-1 imo.

Edited July 17, 2018 by missileman

[Dbe4L 1]

Good points.  I guess i had only been looking at the K3 and not the CR1.  I do agree some things are easier, while some of those issues wont apply to us.  Primarily the difference i see is save about $1000 in filing fees (not the biggest issue in the world) and then its the choice between waiting an extra 6 months (it will be a few months before we are even together again plus extra filing time) or her not being able to work while here for the first 6 months or so.  At this time, while i would like to have the extra income support while she is here, I will be able to support her in my income alone for that time.  Shes already having a hard enough time having to wait 9+ months for the K1 when we send it off this week (originally hoped it would only be 4-6 before i told her times had increased in the last year).  I dont think she would be able to handle another 6 months on top of that.  And while the financial side is important, her happiness is more so  

[MeghanK 629]

Your packet looks good on first glance. Here are some form filing tips that might help if you want to do a little extra to how it's packaged. For the CC statements it might be useful to make little check marks or something that indicates your international purchases but don't use highlighter per the directions on there. Congrats on having your packet compiled!

 

https://www.uscis.gov/forms-filing-tips

[Crazy Cat 41,998]

17 hours ago, Dbe4L said:

Good points.  I guess i had only been looking at the K3 and not the CR1.  I do agree some things are easier, while some of those issues wont apply to us.  Primarily the difference i see is save about $1000 in filing fees (not the biggest issue in the world) and then its the choice between waiting an extra 6 months (it will be a few months before we are even together again plus extra filing time) or her not being able to work while here for the first 6 months or so.  At this time, while i would like to have the extra income support while she is here, I will be able to support her in my income alone for that time.  Shes already having a hard enough time having to wait 9+ months for the K1 when we send it off this week (originally hoped it would only be 4-6 before i told her times had increased in the last year).  I dont think she would be able to handle another 6 months on top of that.  And while the financial side is important, her happiness is more so  

To each his own...you'll learn  that is a lot more to consider....like the limbo between marriage and actually getting the Green Card....which will take a year after you file for adjustment of status.......good luck.....when she files for AOS, make sure she files for her EAD and Advance Parole......this is extremely important!!