Can we highlight the pertinent information in yellow?

[changbaihou 125]

I saw some people said they made the pertinent information highlighted in yellow.

But I remember USCIS doesn't want people mark any color on the documents. USCIS said they will scan all the paper in black and white.

So highlinghting on the paper is a good idea or not? 🙄

Thanks!

[Alabamak1 688]

no highlighting at all. you have answered the question in your own post

[debbiedoo 2,339]

dont highlight anything on copies of official forms or documents. 

 

i highlighted phone calls on the copies of phone records i sent (which in and of itself is unnecessary). even on a scan it comes through, though not in yellow of course.  but as i said, sending those was totally unnecessary to begin with, but i already had them printed out so not a big deal to include them for us (and demonstrates the insane amount of time we spend on the phone, should they care. which they dont. lol)

[changbaihou 125]

Thank you guys reply...

Imagine you are the officer, highlighting on the important information really helps when you facing the huge number of materials, as long as they review the original documents we submit.

Even myself spent a lot of time to search the real meaningful information through the documents.

Sometime the USCIS rule doesn't make sense.😁

[mrskent 11]

I personally highlighted the scanned documents provided in very light pastel yellow, especially when it's just a wall of text to look through. I did the same on my prior applications, no issues. 

 

It's light enough that they could go over it with a traditional yellow highlighter and it wouldn't get muddled with the previously highlighted items. 

[changbaihou 125]

6 hours ago, mrskent said:

I personally highlighted the scanned documents provided in very light pastel yellow, especially when it's just a wall of text to look through. I did the same on my prior applications, no issues. 

 

It's light enough that they could go over it with a traditional yellow highlighter and it wouldn't get muddled with the previously highlighted items. 

Thanks, I saw a lot of people said they highlighted their documents in their cover letter.

I'm about to do the same thing if their petitions were not returned by USCIS. 😉

[mrskent 11]

2 minutes ago, changbaihou said:

Thanks, I saw a lot of people said they highlighted their documents in their cover letter.

I'm about to do the same thing if their petitions were not returned by USCIS. 😉

Has anyone had them returned for that reason that you've seen? I can 100% understand if they highlight original documents like affidavits. 

[Name O Boy 511]

I have highlighted some of the relevant information of the photocopies since the beginning of my immigration process. It is just a personal choice. I used the PDF highlighting text a lot as well as the Pen highlighter for the evidence I sent to USCIS. To be more specific I used the highlighter for names, date, address, bank transactions etc. 

[changbaihou 125]

Think it twice. USCIS said they will deny the application directly if they don't like after 9/11. Not sure highlighting breaks their rules, although it will help them a lot.

[xillini 71]

Like anything else in the United States, I think it depends. Some officers like to get highlighted, but others don't. So it is up to your choice and depends on whose hand will be given to in the service center per USCIS officer's personal taste, which we have no way to figure it out. 

 

Some officers who dont like the highlighted think when the evidences are highlighted, they tend to show only favorable material facts to the officers' attention while unfavorable evidences are getting hard to catch. 

 

Yeah of course, when you are submitting I 751, it is assumed that you are seeking for immigration benefits. Of course, you would only be interested in provide the most favorable information because that is why you are submitting I 751. 

However, officers job is not just to give approval, but would need to go thru each material facts and verify if the story matches with documentation, during which the highlighted content (or favorable to applicant's perspective) only hampers the objective understanding of evidences, and therefore officers start to suspect that you would only highlight contents to blind their eyes and wonder if you would hide some facts and ask what the intent was. 

 

So it is up to you. like anything else, everything in the United States, there is no answers, and it all depends. Ultimately, it is also your choice as well! 

[changbaihou 125]

5 hours ago, xillini said:

Like anything else in the United States, I think it depends. Some officers like to get highlighted, but others don't. So it is up to your choice and depends on whose hand will be given to in the service center per USCIS officer's personal taste, which we have no way to figure it out. 

 

Some officers who dont like the highlighted think when the evidences are highlighted, they tend to show only favorable material facts to the officers' attention while unfavorable evidences are getting hard to catch. 

 

Yeah of course, when you are submitting I 751, it is assumed that you are seeking for immigration benefits. Of course, you would only be interested in provide the most favorable information because that is why you are submitting I 751. 

However, officers job is not just to give approval, but would need to go thru each material facts and verify if the story matches with documentation, during which the highlighted content (or favorable to applicant's perspective) only hampers the objective understanding of evidences, and therefore officers start to suspect that you would only highlight contents to blind their eyes and wonder if you would hide some facts and ask what the intent was. 

 

So it is up to you. like anything else, everything in the United States, there is no answers, and it all depends. Ultimately, it is also your choice as well! 

Thanks a lot for your analysis。 I won't take the risk, I won't highlight the materials that I will submit.