birth certificate translation and pictures for I-129F

[Kürbis&Tannenbaum 21]

Hello,

 

my fiancé (American; petitioner) and I (German; beneficiary) want to file for I-129F and we already did a lot of research on what documents should be provided. However, due to this new regulation in September 2018 we are unsure if certain documents should be provided, although they are technically not required:

 

- should we include not only a copy of the birth certificate of the petitioner, but also a copy + certified translation of my (beneficiary) birth certificate?

We are hesitating to do so, because we don't know if there is a time limit for how old the certified translation can be at the maximum when using it for the interview. If there is for example a time limit that it can't be older than 6 months, then it does not make sense to provide it now and having to pay for the translation twice. Does anyone know if there is a time limit?

 

- how many pictures should we include?

 

Thank you so much for your help! 

[JennaL 151]

1 hour ago, Kürbis&Tannenbaum said:

Hello,

 

my fiancé (American; petitioner) and I (German; beneficiary) want to file for I-129F and we already did a lot of research on what documents should be provided. However, due to this new regulation in September 2018 we are unsure if certain documents should be provided, although they are technically not required:

 

- should we include not only a copy of the birth certificate of the petitioner, but also a copy + certified translation of my (beneficiary) birth certificate?

We are hesitating to do so, because we don't know if there is a time limit for how old the certified translation can be at the maximum when using it for the interview. If there is for example a time limit that it can't be older than 6 months, then it does not make sense to provide it now and having to pay for the translation twice. Does anyone know if there is a time limit?

 

- how many pictures should we include?

 

Thank you so much for your help! 

You won't need to include your German birth certificate in the initial I-129F petition - only the petitioner needs to include this or they can just send a copy of all of the pages of their US passport instead.

 

The only time the beneficiary should need their birth certificate is at the embassy interview. You're right that you'll need a certified translation to go along with it (if it's in a different language than German - if you are attending the interview at a US embassy in Germany, you won't even need a translation), but your interview most likely will not be until several months from now, so I wouldn't worry about an expiration date - you can have it translated now (if it's not in German) or closer to when you expect your approval as you prepare for your interview.

 

You don't need a ton of pictures - maybe just 2 to 5 from every time you've met each other in person.

[Daniela M_______ 410]

1 hour ago, Kürbis&Tannenbaum said:

- should we include not only a copy of the birth certificate of the petitioner, but also a copy + certified translation of my (beneficiary) birth certificate?

BC one of the documents you can add as proof of citizenship, if you are using it, you should include a copy of it for both sides even if the back it's empty.

 

If you are using passport for this purpose then you should include a copy of all pages of it .

 

You can add both if you want to, to front-load your application.

 

1 hour ago, Kürbis&Tannenbaum said:

but also a copy + certified translation of my (beneficiary) birth certificate? 

Not required at this stage. If you decide to include it it's ok but it won't add value I think because they don't ask for it. On a side note, translations doesn't expire but the document itself might, for example police records.

 

Would you attend to the interview on Germany? If so, you don't need a translation UNLESS the consulate ask for it. For example my documents are in spanish and the consulate of Juarez in Mexico accepts them like this.

[Daniela M_______ 410]

1 hour ago, Kürbis&Tannenbaum said:

how many pictures should we include?

Also pictures are not main evidence for meeting in person, you can include 2-3 pictures only and support it with passport stamps, boarding passes, credit card statements from your trip (or his) etc. The picture itself proves you met but you need support for the date.

[Kürbis&Tannenbaum 21]

24 minutes ago, JennaL said:

You won't need to include your German birth certificate in the initial I-129F petition - only the petitioner needs to include this or they can just send a copy of all of the pages of their US passport instead.

 

The only time the beneficiary should need their birth certificate is at the embassy interview. You're right that you'll need a certified translation to go along with it (if it's in a different language than German - if you are attending the interview at a US embassy in Germany, you won't even need a translation), but your interview most likely will not be until several months from now, so I wouldn't worry about an expiration date - you can have it translated now (if it's not in German) or closer to when you expect your approval as you prepare for your interview.

 

You don't need a ton of pictures - maybe just 2 to 5 from every time you've met each other in person.

Thank you so much for your help! It is awesome how qickly your responded. I didn't know that we might not even need a translation for my birth certificate (yes, it is in German), this is good to know. 

[Kürbis&Tannenbaum 21]

20 minutes ago, Daniela M_______ said:

Also pictures are not main evidence for meeting in person, you can include 2-3 pictures only and support it with passport stamps, boarding passes, credit card statements from your trip (or his) etc. The picture itself proves you met but you need support for the date.

Many thanks to your answer; it was really helpful! I will remember the tip of copying also the back of the birth certificate, even though it is blank. I'm learning so much today here.

I have a question about the statement about expenses for the trip: we booked almost everything from my german bank account, so it would not be enough to just put a copy of my bank record with the other documents (boarding pass, etc.) - we would need a translation for it, I guess (since it is in German)? But on the other hand, numbers are internationally understood... hmm

[Daniela M_______ 410]

1 hour ago, Kürbis&Tannenbaum said:

Many thanks to your answer; it was really helpful! I will remember the tip of copying also the back of the birth certificate, even though it is blank. I'm learning so much today here.

I have a question about the statement about expenses for the trip: we booked almost everything from my german bank account, so it would not be enough to just put a copy of my bank record with the other documents (boarding pass, etc.) - we would need a translation for it, I guess (since it is in German)? But on the other hand, numbers are internationally understood... hmm

I don't think you need to translate credit card statements (it would be really expensive). Most important things is boarding passes or passport stamps, the rest is supplementary but only those things will show that one of you boarded a plane in the dates you met lol. I'm still waiting for NOA2 but we included his passport stamps (showing 4 visits), 2 boarding passes (we didn't save the others because we didnt know it was necessary), a credit card statement, hotel reservations, and pictures together with our names,  description, place and date on the back.

 

For interview I've been preparing better and now I have even the tags of the suitcase lol

[Mehappy 28]

3 hours ago, Daniela M_______ said:

I don't think you need to translate credit card statements (it would be really expensive). Most important things is boarding passes or passport stamps, the rest is supplementary but only those things will show that one of you boarded a plane in the dates you met lol. I'm still waiting for NOA2 but we included his passport stamps (showing 4 visits), 2 boarding passes (we didn't save the others because we didnt know it was necessary), a credit card statement, hotel reservations, and pictures together with our names,  description, place and date on the back.

 

For interview I've been preparing better and now I have even the tags of the suitcase lol

Oh, we just sent pictures from all the counties we visited together supplemented by itineraries . i hope it will be enough ;-/

[Kürbis&Tannenbaum 21]

10 hours ago, Daniela M_______ said:

I don't think you need to translate credit card statements (it would be really expensive). Most important things is boarding passes or passport stamps, the rest is supplementary but only those things will show that one of you boarded a plane in the dates you met lol. I'm still waiting for NOA2 but we included his passport stamps (showing 4 visits), 2 boarding passes (we didn't save the others because we didnt know it was necessary), a credit card statement, hotel reservations, and pictures together with our names,  description, place and date on the back.

 

For interview I've been preparing better and now I have even the tags of the suitcase lol

Then, I guess we can pack the bank statements without translation - or would you suggest to not provide them, since they might say "we deny you, because you did not translate every document that was not in English"?
Unfortunately, my fiancé (American) didn't get any passport stamp when he returned to the US from Germany (he was here for 1 year, so he has some German visa statement in his passport which we can provide) - do you know if not having a passport stamp is a lack of evidence of this certain date? I came with him to the US and returned 3 weeks later; I got a stamp. The other thing is that for this flight we did an online check in and printed the boarding passes at home, which is not such a card like you get at the airport, but it is essentially a normal paper size. There is not really anything that says that he actually travelled back to the US, although he did. People could print these boarding passes and then just not board the plane. 

 

Tags of the suitcases? Oh no, I threw out the one from last year a couple of weeks ago... I still have the one from the trip this summer, though.

6 hours ago, Mehappy said:

Oh, we just sent pictures from all the counties we visited together supplemented by itineraries . i hope it will be enough ;-/

did you include your letters of intent to marry within 90 days after the beneficiary enters the US?

[Mehappy 28]

6 hours ago, Kürbis&Tannenbaum said:

Then, I guess we can pack the bank statements without translation - or would you suggest to not provide them, since they might say "we deny you, because you did not translate every document that was not in English"?
Unfortunately, my fiancé (American) didn't get any passport stamp when he returned to the US from Germany (he was here for 1 year, so he has some German visa statement in his passport which we can provide) - do you know if not having a passport stamp is a lack of evidence of this certain date? I came with him to the US and returned 3 weeks later; I got a stamp. The other thing is that for this flight we did an online check in and printed the boarding passes at home, which is not such a card like you get at the airport, but it is essentially a normal paper size. There is not really anything that says that he actually travelled back to the US, although he did. People could print these boarding passes and then just not board the plane. 

 

Tags of the suitcases? Oh no, I threw out the one from last year a couple of weeks ago... I still have the one from the trip this summer, though.

did you include your letters of intent to marry within 90 days after the beneficiary enters the US?

yes we did

 

[Daniela M_______ 410]

10 hours ago, Kürbis&Tannenbaum said:

Then, I guess we can pack the bank statements without translation - or would you suggest to not provide them, since they might say "we deny you, because you did not translate every document that was not in English"?
Unfortunately, my fiancé (American) didn't get any passport stamp when he returned to the US from Germany (he was here for 1 year, so he has some German visa statement in his passport which we can provide) - do you know if not having a passport stamp is a lack of evidence of this certain date? I came with him to the US and returned 3 weeks later; I got a stamp. The other thing is that for this flight we did an online check in and printed the boarding passes at home, which is not such a card like you get at the airport, but it is essentially a normal paper size. There is not really anything that says that he actually travelled back to the US, although he did. People could print these boarding passes and then just not board the plane. 

 

Tags of the suitcases? Oh no, I threw out the one from last year a couple of weeks ago... I still have the one from the trip this summer, though.

did you include your letters of intent to marry within 90 days after the beneficiary enters the US?

You need to have something that proves you were together in the same place other than pictures. If you visited then your passport stamps can work, electronic boarding passes works too. Tag of suitcases are not required but I save them just in case.

 

All of this is proof of meeting. Letter of intent to marry are an important required so you MUST attach them. I suggest you to read the form instructions with the requirements.

[Daniela M_______ 410]

10 hours ago, Kürbis&Tannenbaum said:

we deny you, because you did not translate every document that was not in English"?

They will not deny you for the translation of a credit card statement. I will say only include this document (CCS) if adds value to prove that you did expenses together, most credit card statements don't show the exact detail of the expenses. We did included it because my fiance travel here and you can see the currency in mexican pesos and the coincidence with the dates of the trips and the expenses.