Supporting documents on fiance visa. How much is enough or too much?

[BB&SVW 29]

My boyfriend (US citizen) and I have finally decided to take the next step and close the distance permanently. We have been together for the past 4 years. We met while I was working in the US temporarily. Since then I have been going back and forth between US and the Philippines, my home country, spending more or less 6 months at a time in each country. Since I am the one with a very flexible job, I get to take one for the team and travel/ live between the 2 countries - yes all my stuff in both sides are in boxes (not fun! and those 13 hour flights suck). He has visited my home country twice though during the time that we were together. 

 

We disagreed on the amount of supplemental information and documents on the I-129F. He said we do not need to bombard the USCIS with a ton of information, pictures, screenshots about us (contrary to what I read here) because we have been together for a long time and everything will be self explanatory. To his point, I have gone through all those secondary screenings at the port of entry on almost all my travels and have mentioned to each one that I am coming to the US to be with my boyfriend. 

 

My worry is that this would take longer than usual or worse denied, if he doesn't do this right the first time. Is it possible for me to be the one to provide all the evidence once it reaches the US Embassy in the Philippines? Is it easier for people who have been in relatively longer relationships or those who have essentially lived together to get approved? 

[NovaDC 270]

He still needs to submit at least 5 pictures of you together to the USCIS together with the form I-129F. And you can bring pictures as much as you please during the interview in the embassy in Manila. In your case, you have a great chance to be approved but still your case will have to go through an 8-10 month process just like everyone else.

[JC&BS 75]

Bombard them? How much is he referring to? 10 pages? 200 pages? 

From what I've been reading you have to include something. Maybe see what others in the Philippines are doing in the VJ portal?

[Little_Vixen 1,869]

What they want at the I129F stage is proof that you have met within the last two years. Easiest way to do that is provide airline boarding passes and pictures of the same period.

What they want at the embassy is for you to show your relationship is real. This will be easy for you to prove since you already 'live' with him part of the year. Again. More airline boarding passes. Letters sent back and forth. If you already have bills in both names include those. Don't overdo it on the photo's, 4 or 5 pages is enough. The boarding passes is more important as they prove that you've been there.

 

Personally I would just get married and go for a CR1. You will have a greencard upon arrival and are able to work and travel right away.

[BB&SVW 29]

59 minutes ago, Little_Vixen said:

What they want at the I129F stage is proof that you have met within the last two years. Easiest way to do that is provide airline boarding passes and pictures of the same period.

What they want at the embassy is for you to show your relationship is real. This will be easy for you to prove since you already 'live' with him part of the year. Again. More airline boarding passes. Letters sent back and forth. If you already have bills in both names include those. Don't overdo it on the photo's, 4 or 5 pages is enough. The boarding passes is more important as they prove that you've been there.

 

Personally I would just get married and go for a CR1. You will have a greencard upon arrival and are able to work and travel right away.

To be honest, I am not one to keep boarding passes, plane tickets etc. What I currently have are boarding passes from my trip back to the Philippines in June, because this when we finally decided to do this. Although, I have access to my online I94 - I think this can work too? 

[Little_Vixen 1,869]

6 minutes ago, Haley Scott said:

To be honest, I am not one to keep boarding passes, plane tickets etc. What I currently have are boarding passes from my trip back to the Philippines in June, because this when we finally decided to do this. Although, I have access to my online I94 - I think this can work too? 

Yes, you will need to add your I94 anyway, as it's asked for in the forms. Use the boarding passes that you still have. You can also make a copy of your passport page that has the entry stamps.

 

Its really a matter of layering the evidence. You will have the I94, the boarding pass, the stamp in your passport and the pictures all proving the trip. The more evidence of that trip the more convincing.

[BB&SVW 29]

1 hour ago, Little_Vixen said:

What they want at the I129F stage is proof that you have met within the last two years. Easiest way to do that is provide airline boarding passes and pictures of the same period.

What they want at the embassy is for you to show your relationship is real. This will be easy for you to prove since you already 'live' with him part of the year. Again. More airline boarding passes. Letters sent back and forth. If you already have bills in both names include those. Don't overdo it on the photo's, 4 or 5 pages is enough. The boarding passes is more important as they prove that you've been there.

 

Personally I would just get married and go for a CR1. You will have a greencard upon arrival and are able to work and travel right away.

I have bills in the US that are under my name but not his. We don't send each other letters although his parents like to send me cards to our US home - is that a good thing to add? 

 

It's been a roller coaster 4 years and getting married right now is huge. No need to rush. 

[Little_Vixen 1,869]

Just now, Haley Scott said:

I have bills in the US that are under my name but not his. We don't send each other letters although his parents like to send me cards to our US home - is that a good thing to add? 

 

It's been a roller coaster 4 years and getting married right now is huge. No need to rush. 

Yes, those would be perfect to add. Especially the bills as that proves your presence there (I added a dr bill I had when over there). Are the bills by any chance in his address? That would be perfect as that will prove your presence not only in the states but at his address.

 

I understand not wanting to rush in and get married. Just letting you know that the CR1 is on paper a better visa. The final decision on which visa you want is yours.

[BB&SVW 29]

1 minute ago, Little_Vixen said:

Yes, those would be perfect to add. Especially the bills as that proves your presence there (I added a dr bill I had when over there). Are the bills by any chance in his address? That would be perfect as that will prove your presence not only in the states but at his address.

 

I understand not wanting to rush in and get married. Just letting you know that the CR1 is on paper a better visa. The final decision on which visa you want is yours.

Utility bills are in his home address. I was once sent to urgent care but the address was in my own apartment at that time. 

[Little_Vixen 1,869]

1 minute ago, Haley Scott said:

Utility bills are in his home address. I was once sent to urgent care but the address was in my own apartment at that time. 

I would add the utility bill as its more relevant.

[evapaula 230]

17 hours ago, Haley Scott said:

It's been a roller coaster 4 years and getting married right now is huge. No need to rush. 

I get that the terminology makes a difference on your perception - but getting married now and waiting for the CR1 14 months OR applying for the K1 and waiting 8-12 months, after which you still HAVE TO marry within 90 days - I think the commitment is about the same

[Rocko20 159]

For supporting documents I'd just aim for something simple. 12 pictures with dates and locations, 8 pages of chats, airplane tickets, passports, phone logs, previous visas, etc.

 

It's about quality not quantity. USCIS wants to see what you think a proper petition includes, this is why they refrain from providing specific information

[BB&SVW 29]

7 hours ago, evapaula said:

I get that the terminology makes a difference on your perception - but getting married now and waiting for the CR1 14 months OR applying for the K1 and waiting 8-12 months, after which you still HAVE TO marry within 90 days - I think the commitment is about the same

Thanks... I just want to be able to plan my wedding ahead and not be under the gun to marry now. I think 8-12 months is a reasonable time for wedding preparations. But yes both a lifetime commitment!

[LeesaMarie 206]

On 19/07/2018 at 9:44 AM, Haley Scott said:

My boyfriend (US citizen) and I have finally decided to take the next step and close the distance permanently. We have been together for the past 4 years. We met while I was working in the US temporarily. Since then I have been going back and forth between US and the Philippines, my home country, spending more or less 6 months at a time in each country. Since I am the one with a very flexible job, I get to take one for the team and travel/ live between the 2 countries - yes all my stuff in both sides are in boxes (not fun! and those 13 hour flights suck). He has visited my home country twice though during the time that we were together. 

 

We disagreed on the amount of supplemental information and documents on the I-129F. He said we do not need to bombard the USCIS with a ton of information, pictures, screenshots about us (contrary to what I read here) because we have been together for a long time and everything will be self explanatory. To his point, I have gone through all those secondary screenings at the port of entry on almost all my travels and have mentioned to each one that I am coming to the US to be with my boyfriend. 

 

My worry is that this would take longer than usual or worse denied, if he doesn't do this right the first time. Is it possible for me to be the one to provide all the evidence once it reaches the US Embassy in the Philippines? Is it easier for people who have been in relatively longer relationships or those who have essentially lived together to get approved? 

Let's try and keep this pretty simple. The evidence required is proof that you have met in the last 2 years prior to filing

• Photo's of you together (perhaps also with other people) in different locations (annotated with dates, locations, people's names if needed)
• Boarding passes
• Passport Stamps
• Maybe some tickets or a receipt to support the photo's if you went to an event together

I have no doubt that you have read on here that people have submitted lots and lots of evidence, but you should keep in mind also that some consulates work differently, and are more strict with what they want to see, so you should read about that too. I find that people submit things that often are not required, and not proof of meeting within the last 2 years, but again, check what your consulate in particular tends to look out for.

 

Each persons case is different. The length of time you have been together doesn't make the process faster, or increase your chances of denial. Having a well put together petition with the required documents makes it easier for the adjudicator to assess your petition. USCIS is literally evaluating your petition, and making sure everything adds up before sending it on.

 

A Key thing to remember is that you can't apply for a VISA until your petition has been approved, and you need to submit the evidence to USCIS do this.

 

I compiled everything for the I-129F with the petition, put markers where my fiance needed to sign and where to insert things he needed like his birth certificate and then mailed it to him, for him to then send to USCIS. If you feel you may do a better job, then perhaps you might think about doing this as well.

 

Try not to over think it all  Easier said than done, I know as we have all done it until we get the approval.