Japanese Wife CR-1 Here we go!

[blitz180 0]

Hi all!

 

This is my first post to the forum, and I've done a lot of research and leg work, and everything is coming together to get my I-130 package started. I've done a lot of research and leg work, but there are still some things that aren't clear. So I'll give some background information and then post some questions. I have filled out my timeline as much as I can to this point which isn't a lot.

I'm in Japan, on the island of Kyushu near Fukuoka city. Already wishing I was closer to Tokyo... this could get expensive, lol. I am a born citizen and my wife is a Japanese national.

I met my wife, Shinobu online in 2012 and with some back and forth we decided we really liked each other, and a year later I went to Japan to see her. We hit it off and I got a job in Japan. We lived together unmarried for about 3 years before we got married. I had a work visa, so I didn't really need the wedding visa and I really wanted her to know that she wasn't my meal ticket. We did get married on her birthday on 11/22/2015. I didn't immediately file for my spousal visa, because I still had about 6 months left on my previous work visa, and I'm a frugal person and didn't want to throw away money I had spent on my work visa. We did my Japanese visa ourselves and it was approved in 3 months. I am now living on the 4th year of my Japanese spousal visa. I believe I am really close to permanent residency status here after 7 years.... BUT I think there are better work opportunities in the States and I am the main provider in the household. Teaching jobs are getting thin, and I am actually good with computers so I am studying for my Network + Certification before going off on a Network Security Tract. I have some job leads, so I think we will be ok. I'm currently 36, and I need to get settled in a career with some upward movement. I feel this is the best option for my wife and I. That brings us to here. 

I've got most of the I-130 filled out and the I-130a, as well as the G-1145. I have translated all of our documents, and I am waiting on my friend who is a Japanese English teacher to check and sign the Certification of Translation, because I read on here somewhere that it was better to have someone other than the petitioner or beneficiary sign. A lot of people had suggested doing the leg work and letting a competent acquaintance who wasn't married do a check and sign off. That's the option we went with.

Let me talk about some of the particulars of my case, and tell you what documents and supporting evidence that I have and perhaps you can give me some feedback before I mail everything in. I don't want to get a request for more information, but I don't want to burden the immigration officer, either.

 

Official Documents

______________________________________

 

Dustin M

_______________

Birth Certificate ( Copy ) - My mother has the original in Kentucky

Current Passport

Father's Termination of Parental Rights (copy)

Divorce papers for my mother and father (copy)

Name Change Order (Copy)

 

***I was born Dustin M H, but my parents divorced shortly after my birth and it was a very bitter ordeal, I am told. My father gave up his parental rights and my mother had hers and my name switched back to her maiden name. I had to send all of this in when I got my passport as well, so I told her to send me another set.

 

Shinobu

________________

Current Passport

Koseki Touhon - Family Register ( Japanese Version of a Birth Certificate, but also records our wedding)

 

Joint

_________________

Juminhyo - Residence Record - City government document showing that we are co-residents at the same address and lists our relationship as husband and wife. We also lived together before, so it shows us as living at the previous residence and therefore shows that we have been living together for almost 7 years

 

Jurishoumeishou - Acceptance Certificate - Japanese version of a wedding certificate

 

Shotokushoumeishou - Proof of Earnings Certificate - Shows our income for tax purposes, shared residence, and marital status. It's really hard to show things linking us financially in this country because in Japan they don't have joint accounts on anything.

 

Supporting Documents

____________________________________________

 

Dustin

____________

Previous passport - contains arrival departure stamps from two trips to America that I took with the wife. 

Japanese Residence Card shows my status as a spouse of a Japanese national, and that it was a three year visa.

Two different life insurance documents from the same policy, showing that Shinobu is my wife AND the sole benefactor in the event of my death.

 

Shinobu

_____________

A copy of her approved Esta from the two trips we took together in America

Her current passport also has the arrival departure stamps from the trips we took together, trying to create cross reference data.

2 older passports, one of which has a previous I-94 number for her old F1 visa from 1998-2000

 

Joint

____________

Copy of the school I work for's newsletter with a picture from a wedding party they had for us and congratulating me on my marriage to my wife.

Postmarked letters from her mom congratulating us on our wedding, a few for my birthday, etc.

Postmarked letters and cards from my family and neighbors in America congratulating us on our marriage, some to Shino for her birthday, etc. These all have USPS postmarks, so I thought the government would accept them as an officially dated item.

 

Selected e-mails from when we were first talking online. Unfortunately we met on Myspace and those original messages are long gone. These emails, however are also from 2012.

 

7 of my Instagram posts with both of us spanning quite a few years

15 of her Instagram posts spanning the same time. Often covering the same events from a different perspective.

5 Facebook posts spanning a gap from 2014-2019. Some posts are by her, some are by me, and one is by my mother who recently visited Japan.

***ALL social media posts feature our faces and I added labels naming us, the place, and the date. I placed 2-3 posts on each page to save space, but making sure they were big enough to be read easily.

About 9 pictures, arranged two to 4 on a page, all with name labels, place labels, date labels, and a small description of the activity.

 

2 Internet bills. - In Japan the physical connection and the Internet Service Provider are separate companies and bills. I don't know why, but it is. It's the only bill we are split on, even though it's to two companies. I made a cover letter explaining the system and what I hoped to show by including them. I pay for the physical service and she pays for the ISP, but without both, we don't have internet. The physical connection account was created when we lived in our first apartment, but was for our rental house, so it actually has both addresses on it. The ISP account was created because Shino wanted to pay with her credit card, but they couldn't charge an account in my name with a card in her name... even though we are married. We had to create a new account and all of this is explained in the the cover letter.


All the Japanese has been translated and is awaiting a check and signed translation certification sheet, which I should get back around next week.

I still need to get passport photos made, but I also have a USPS Money order ready and waiting.

 

 

***SPECIFIC QUESTIONS***

On my English translations of government documents should I still translate her name as FAMILY NAME, First name? as in MAGOSHI Shinobu? She seems convinced that I should translate it Shinobu MAGOSHI, but that doesn't make sense to me, because even though we call each other by first name first, official documents go Family Name, First Name, Middle Name. Any advice?

Since Japanese usually don't have a middle name, am I correct to type "No Middle Name" in the appropriate boxes on the I-130 and I-130a for Japanese people?

For my wife's I-130a, under parents, there is a place for parent one. I assume it's for mother, because it lists Maiden name, but actually... my wife's father took her mother's family name. This is pretty common in Japan. Even my boss' dad took his wife's family name. Since my wife's father switched his name, should I put him in the parent 1 slot?

Also looking for advice on the contents of my package. Is there anything I should get rid of, anything I should add? If I include the passports, do I need to scan every page? 

 

Except where I noted, all of the official documents are original documents with a translation and a copy. Do I need the copy if I'm mailing it in, or was this just an embassy direct filing requirement?

 

If there are typos, I'm sorry, it's almost 3 am here!

 

Thanks so much for the help, I know there will be more questions, but I promise to pay this all forward! 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2019 by Ryan H
Reason for edit: to remove full name

[Roel 7,193]

Too long, didnt read much. 

 

Dont do cr1 Visa. Do DCF while it's still available. 

[USS_Voyager 1,972]

8 minutes ago, Roel said:

Too long, didnt read much. 

 

Dont do cr1 Visa. Do DCF while it's still available. 

Well, it's still a CR1, actually IR1 in this case since they've married for a long time. DCF just means the I-130 can be filed directly at the Consulate and be approved really really fast, like in days or weeks, not the 10 months at USCIS

[Just Paul 4,595]

31 minutes ago, blitz180 said:

I've done a lot of research

but you missed DCF option?

[blitz180 0]

15 minutes ago, Paul & Mary said:

but you missed DCF option?

Didn’t miss, was under the impression that the DCF only applied in exceptional circumstances, and my circumstances aren’t exceptional. 

 

Im not military and my job has not been moved on short notice. 

 

Did if I miss something?

 

Other than I believe I’m actually an IR-1 and not CR-1.

[Just Paul 4,595]

2 minutes ago, blitz180 said:

Didn’t miss, was under the impression that the DCF only applied in exceptional circumstances, and my circumstances aren’t exceptional. 

 

Im not military and my job has not been moved on short notice. 

 

Did if I miss something?

 

Other than I believe I’m actually an IR-1 and not CR-1.

If there is a USCIS field office in county you can apply if you meet the residency requirements.  You have permanent residency in Japan.

 

It is faster, cheaper and easier. . .  3 words hardly ever mentioned in immigration.  The option is going away soon, as I did it, and that is when you would only be able to do it under exceptional circumstances.

 

See our timeline for how quick it was for us.

[blitz180 0]

4 minutes ago, Paul & Mary said:

If there is a USCIS field office in county you can apply if you meet the residency requirements.  You have permanent residency in Japan.

 

I’ll check. I know there was information, and someone posted his information up on his DCF, but he also had a job change and had to have a copy of his company’s request to change locations. As far as I know there is no USCIS office in Japan, only Korea. What I read in the other post is that if it is an exceptional circumstance, they will forward it to Korea and then it comes back to Tokyo. I would also need my affidavit of support at the time, correct? That will have to come from my family. I’m just a poor English teacher, atm. Lol.

 

But I will definitely message the embassy.

[Just Paul 4,595]

Argh,  I'm getting too old.  LOL  Ok there is no USCIS field office in Tokyo.   I go confused with another DHS office there.   

 

You can still apply if based on part of a job transfer.

[ryu55 9]

Hey Dustin,

 

I am in the same situation as you. I am applying from Japan for my wife. I sent all my documents to the Chicago Lockbox. It took 11 months to get the approval, and now waiting for the case number from the National Visa Center. For your wife's documents, I would put the name order as First and Last name. That's how I did it all on my documents. I translated everything by myself and everything went through just fine. Good luck! You can send me a PM if you have any questions.

[carmel34 3,664]

You don't need all of the "official documents" that you listed.  Read the I-130 instructions VERY CAREFULLY and only include what is required, no need to annoy them with unnecessary documents.  For evidence of bona fide marriage, since you have lived together for a long time, select some documents that are proof of living together, that will be the strongest evidence, no need to overdo it and you wife is from a low-fraud country, so you won't have any issues.  Focus on proving US domicile and US-based income and US income tax returns for the interview.  Good luck!

[nativeson 47]

Congrats! I’ve heard a lot of good things about Fukuoka but never visited. It’s famous for its food, chill atmosphere and beautiful women ;) The humidity would kill me though. I think you’re on the right path establishing your career in the states.

 

As @carmel34 mentions just read the instructions and send what’s listed there.

 

- They don’t need your whole life history - just your unexpired passport should be fine.

- There’s no requirement to have a third party certify the translation, you can do that yourself.

- USCIS is aware that Japan doesn’t have shared bank accounts etc and it shouldn't cause any problems as long as you have other evidence of bona fide marriage. Like you I attached a bunch of photos of us with our families in both countries.

- You’ll need to prove intent to reestablish US domicile. For this I used emails with US recruiters plus US bank account info.

- We had to visit a local camera shop to get the photos made in the right size.

 

Also you may want to remove the personally identifying information from your post.

 

Best of luck.

[blitz180 0]

@carmel34 @nativeson

Thanks for the replies. That was the information I was looking for. I'll cut it all down for sure. I am currently working on ways to reestablish domicile and I'm planning to take a trip home this year to set up some stuff, and I'm sending e-mails, etc. now. 

I tried to go back and edit my post, but apparently they don't allow edits after 5 minutes. Strange, but ok, I guess.

 

@nativeson @ryu55 Did either of you have a situation where the Japanese spouse's father took on the mother's family name? I'm in that situation, and on I-130a  Parent 1 questions 10.a.-10.c. concerning the name, Parent 1 says Family Name (Maiden Name). Technically my wife's father took the mother's family name during marriage, so he is the one with a "maiden name," even though the wording has preconceptions of being an unmarried female's name.
 

[nativeson 47]

54 minutes ago, blitz180 said:

 

@nativeson @ryu55 Did either of you have a situation where the Japanese spouse's father took on the mother's family name? I'm in that situation, and on I-130a  Parent 1 questions 10.a.-10.c. concerning the name, Parent 1 says Family Name (Maiden Name). Technically my wife's father took the mother's family name during marriage, so he is the one with a "maiden name," even though the wording has preconceptions of being an unmarried female's name.
 

 

No but I guess that's not uncommon here, particularly when the son in law takes over a family business. A man can't have been a 'maiden' so I understand your concern. Maybe add it underneath in parenthesis and then put a note about it in your cover letter?

 

Just dug up my wife's G-325a and the 'Maiden name' section for her mother is blank...

[blitz180 0]

@nativeson thanks for the quick reply! I think I will do what you suggested.

[HRQX 4,145]

22 hours ago, Roel said:

Do DCF while it's still available. 

Incorrect: https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/international-immigration-offices

South Korea≠Japan