Help!? Filing the i-129f - Checklist and Questions

[LeeWanner 2]

Hi all,

This is my first time visiting/posting on VisaJourney. The i-129f process actually seems pretty simple; but I'm nervous, as I would hate to wait 4-6 months only to be declined or to get requests for more evidence. I am the petitioner and my fiancee (the beneficiary) is from Indonesia. I'll offer a checklist below to let you know what I have completed and prepared to offer the U.S. Department of Homeland Security:

* I've purchased a very slim binder of clear sleeves to send all my forms, check, and evidence. Inside this binder I will include the following...
* Payment in the amount of $525
* The G-1145 form
* i-129f form

* Proof of U.S. Citizenship - Photocopies of my birth certificate, as well as every page from my passport
* Passport style photo of myself and my fiancee
* Proof of having met in person within the last two years (Here I have written statements from both myself and my fiancee, with many pictures to correspond with everything from the written statement)
* Proof of travel (Here I have plane ticket stubs and itinerary/receipt)

Here are some of my main questions and concerns:
1. Do I need to include a copy of my fiancee's birth certificate as well?
2. I am not including the G-325A - as I understand that form is no longer necessary... right?
3. Probably my biggest concern: What exactly does my fiancee need to sign? The instructions says to print names on the back of passport style photos... because this is not seeking a signature, is it ok if I print her photo here where I'l get my passport style photo and I write our names on the back of our photos? She had her passport style photo taken yesterday, and I'm very nervous about having her photo and anything else she needs to sign being snail-mails from me - because when I send a gift or letter to her it usually takes a month, and the instructions requires the photo be taken within 30 days of filing the i-129f.

Anyway, that's about it. I've very excited to marry my fiancee and get this bright future started; but I'm very nervous about the rigamarole leading up to it. I think/hope I'm almost finished with the first step (the i-129f) and taking the time to join a couple groups/forums to see if anyone has any advice.

Thank you very much for your help and time,
Lee Wanner

 

[geowrian 22,338]

You're missing:

1) Cover letter (not required but highly suggested to list out what is included in your package and act as a checklist)

2) Signed letters of intent to marry: 1 from the petitioner and 1 from the beneficiary.

 

NOTE: While they will accept a binder with clear sleeves and it won't affect your petition's adjudication, the former IT document imaging experiences I have been through with setting up large capture processes makes me cringe inside if you put the documents in the sleeves. Those poor near-minimum wage workers that need to remove each paper from the sleeves to scan it...

 

Just now, LeeWanner said:

* Proof of having met in person within the last two years (Here I have written statements from both myself and my fiancee, with many pictures to correspond with everything from the written statement)
* Proof of travel (Here I have plane ticket stubs and itinerary/receipt)

I'll just note that the second item here is really part of the first item. Written statements can help with a timeline, and photos are secondary evidence of meeting in person within the past 2 years, but USCIS requires hard evidence of the meeting (not statements) and putting a date to a photo is quite difficult unless supported with other documentation (i.e. receipts, boarding passes, passport stamps, etc.).

 

Anyway, no change needed...just pointing out that the second item is really addressing the first item.

 

3 minutes ago, LeeWanner said:

1. Do I need to include a copy of my fiancee's birth certificate as well?
2. I am not including the G-325A - as I understand that form is no longer necessary... right?
3. Probably my biggest concern: What exactly does my fiancee need to sign? The instructions says to print names on the back of passport style photos... because this is not seeking a signature, is it ok if I print her photo here where I'l get my passport style photo and I write our names on the back of our photos? She had her passport style photo taken yesterday, and I'm very nervous about having her photo and anything else she needs to sign being snail-mails from me - because when I send a gift or letter to her it usually takes a month, and the instructions requires the photo be taken within 30 days of filing the i-129f.

1) No. They will need it for the embassy/consulate later, though.

2) Correct.

3) The beneficiary only needs to sign the letter of intent to marry. This can be printed, signed, scanned, emailed, and printed again. "Wet" signatures haven't been required for this for years now. The passport photos don't need to be signed...just labeled.

[Moon&Stars 172]

Congratulations on your engagement! You're right, it's relatively straight-forward, yet long, process if you don't need to file any waivers. I would encourage you to check out the K1 guide here on VJ and it's example forms. You can also use the search function if you have any specific questions.

 

It looks like you are missing the signed intent to marry. You each need to write a letter basically stating that you intend to marry the other person within 90 day of their arrival to the USA. There is a suggested letter on the K1 visa guide. You don't need written statements from you and your fiance about meeting in the past two years. You would just need to adequately answer the question about it in the I-129f form. I believe it's question 54.

 

By any chance did you happen to meet online? If so, to avoid an RFE later in the process, it would be wise to print the website's terms of service to prove that it isn't an International Marriage Broker.

 

1. No, at this stage you don't need to include your fiance's birth certificate. She will need to have it at the interview stage.

2. Correct

3. She would need to sign the letter of intent to marry. Yes, that is perfectly acceptable to print the photo here and write her name on the back.

 

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Best of luck on your journey!

[Loren Y 2,756]

As a note, you don't need her birth certificate now, but you are going to need it translated into English and have it certified, and any other forms she might have that are in her language such as previous marriage and divorce certificates, name changes, etc. Just gives you something to work on while you wait for the embassy stage.

[Lebanese23 303]

I hope it was a typo but the fee is $535. Not $525. You will not get NOA1 if you don’t pay the right amount. Automatic denial and you’ll have to submit all over again

[EandH0904 1,184]

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

 

USCIS does NOT want binders or plastic sleeves just fyi

[LeeWanner 2]

@geowrian - Oh yeah, I forgot to include that I have the intent to marry statements already sorted. I am GREATLY relieved to learn that she can sign it, scan it, and I can print it and give them the copy. Man, what a relief. Thanks a million for the thorough feedback.

@Loren Y - Neither of us have every been married... do we still need some kind of "certificate of no marriage" for the i-129f? Or is that taken for granted when I fill out the i-129f form and answer that we have never been married in the relevant sections? Thank you for your help as well.

@Joulie & Victor - Yes! That was a typo! If I can figure out if I can edit my initial post, I'll do so. Thanks for catching that XD.

[Loren Y 2,756]

17 minutes ago, LeeWanner said:

@geowrian - Oh yeah, I forgot to include that I have the intent to marry statements already sorted. I am GREATLY relieved to learn that she can sign it, scan it, and I can print it and give them the copy. Man, what a relief. Thanks a million for the thorough feedback.

@Loren Y - Neither of us have every been married... do we still need some kind of "certificate of no marriage" for the i-129f? Or is that taken for granted when I fill out the i-129f form and answer that we have never been married in the relevant sections? Thank you for your help as well.

@Joulie & Victor - Yes! That was a typo! If I can figure out if I can edit my initial post, I'll do so. Thanks for catching that XD.

If you have never been married, no worries. Just worry about her birth certificate translation. You can get it done online pretty cheap. Or your fiancee can probably find a place in Indonesia that will do it Cheaply. And I don't think you need proof of not being married. Your covered like you said by answers on the form. And you say so in your intent to marry letters that you are both free to marry.

Edited August 21, 2018 by Loren Y

[Diane and Chris 651]

4 hours ago, Joulie & Victor said:

I hope it was a typo but the fee is $535. Not $525. You will not get NOA1 if you don’t pay the right amount. Automatic denial and you’ll have to submit all over again

Good catch!