Two year meeting requirement. Request for additional evidence

[GOOOOOB 4]

Hello!

 

I have been looking through this site for any information I can find on proving to USCIS the myself and my fiancée, who is the petitioner, have meet in the last two years. And instead of just looking through I thought I would create a post. So here goes.

 

Me and my fiancée have been together for over three years, two and a half years of this we were living in Japan, which is where we met, although we weren't living together. 

 

Whilst we were in Japan we took many trips together and spent a lot of time with each other, we have loads of photos of us together from while we where in Japan, but these where all taken on smartphones. These photos according to the letter that my fiancée received requesting more evidence cannot be date verified... 

 

Anyway, I left Japan in May last year, 2018, and she left to return to the US in September. In October I flew over to spend three weeks with her on a road trip from NC to TX. Again we took many photos, again these where taken on smartphones, and visited some of her friends along the way. 

 

Since returning to the UK I have been back to the US over New Year, when we got engaged and the pictures were taken on smartphones again... We got everything we needed, or so we thought, and she sent the petition to USCIS in February 2019. 

 

As evidence of our two year meeting she included my flight itineraries, for October and New Year, my I-94, five pictures of us together from various trips together, in the US and Japan, with the date and location written on the back as per instruction from the USCIS,  and scans of my UK passport showing the entry and departure stamps to/from the US, however she did not include the photo-page. 

 

At the beginning of this month, while she was actually on a visit to the UK to see me and my family, the RFE was mailed out to her. 

 

The request for evidence was about the two year meeting requirement. The request goes as follows:

 

"You provided photographs, itineraries and the beneficiary's I-94, however this is not sufficient evidence for immigration purposes. USCIS cannot verify the dates the photographs were taken, itineraries indicate planned travel not actual travel and although you provided the beneficiary's I-94, it is unclear that you and the beneficiary were co-located in the same place at the same time during the two-year period prior to filing of this petition. Furthermore, you provided what appear to be foreign passport pages with stamps, but you did not provide a copy of the passport bio page which precludes USCIS from identifying who the passport page belongs to..."

 

Then it goes on to list what evidence may include. This evidence is:

 

A statement from my fiancée with date, place and circumstance of our meeting. 

 

Travel documents, boarding passes, hotel accommodations, etc.

 

Letters written to each other after the meetings with references to the specific dates and places of our meetings.

 

Photocopies of our passports, or just mine, with stamps and bio page.

 

Affidavits from friends, neighbours (spelt without the U but I'm English and the U is part of my culture), or other knowledgeable associates.  

 

The evidence she, with a little help from me over email and the phone, is as follows.

 

• A written statement from her stating dates and times of our meetings.
• Bank statements from our road trip in October 2018 showing that we were spending money at the same time and places.
• Email confirmations from American Airlines and United saying that I completed travel on my flights to the US in October 2018 and New Year 2018/19.
• One boarding pass. The rest were on an app on my phone, which has since died.
• Hotel booking confirmation emails from our road trip in October 2018.
• An affidavit from her mother testifying that I have stayed with them on two occasions during the two year period and that me and her daughter are a genuine couple.
• Scans of my passport showing stamps from Japan and the US including the bio page.
• Scans of her passport showing the stamps from Japan. So they can see that there's overlap.
• An affidavit from her father testifying that he has met me and his daughter together. This is also with a picture, taken on a smartphone, of me, my fiancée, her father and his wife out to dinner.
• A statement from a family friend saying that they have met us together and the date where we met. This also comes with a picture, taken on a smartphone, as a little extra proof.

 

My question to the forum is do you think this is acceptable evidence? Me and my fiancée are properly in love and it would be devastating if this were to be denied. Therefore any help from people on this forum would be very appreciated!

 

Thank you! 

 

[Pitaya 2,577]

Affidavits and written statements are of marginal utility when trying to show USCIS that you met in person within the prior two years and have an ongoing relationship. The VJ guides say it best regarding the types of evidence that works best....follow the guide.....

 

From the VJ step-by-step K1 Visa guide:

Quote

Documentary Proof of Having Met in Person in the Past Two Years and an Ongoing Relationship:

Use as many of these items are possible. There is no minimum, but the more you can provide the less likely you are that you will receive an RFE. Additionally, please note that providing proof of your ongoing and genuine relationship in this package may benefit you by allowing the consulate to have access to this information prior to them formally contacting the non US Citizen fiance. Many high risk consulates approach cases with a skeptical eye and providing this information early on in the original I-129F package will help them in their preliminary review of your case. 
 

1. Copies of all airline boarding passes, train passes, itineraries, hotel receipts, passport stamps (make sure you can read the dates on the stamps), and other documentary evidence that you have met within the last two years. You may want to highlight or place post-it notes indicating the dates and locations on the copies (to make the adjudication easier) for the person reviewing your file. 2. Color Photo's of you and your fiance together. Make sure you write your names, date, and location on the back of every photo. Provide two to five photo's. If you only have a single copy of the photo, then make a color copy and send that. If it is a digital photo, have it printed at a local photo store such as Walgreens (if at all possible) or if not on a high quality printer. Place photo's in a plastic bag or photo sheet and label the sheet. Note that you may not receive originals of photo's back. 3. The following items will not typically show proof of having met in the last two years however will show proof of an ongoing relationship: Copies of land line and cell phone bills, appropriate letters and emails, stamps on the letters (to document the date they were sent), and other written documentary proof. Provide a reasonable amount; two to four of each type. Pick a range of dates up to and including the present. You can also include a copy of engagement ring receipt (this is something that is a big optional - do not worry if you do not have a ring yet!)

Ref: https://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide/

Good luck on your immigration journey.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

15 minutes ago, Adam.T said:

My question to the forum is do you think this is acceptable evidence? Me and my fiancée are properly in love and it would be devastating if this were to be denied. Therefore any help from people on this forum would be very appreciated!

 Your evidence looks good. I think the main thing was lack of the photo page of the passport and a boarding pass. You've covered that now. Remember you only need one meeting to meet the qualification.

 

Your "within two years" goes back to 2017 and Japan if I followed the plot. You could have scrounged around for something (dated) showing you both were in Japan at the same time. A lease, bank account, credit card charges...anything that put you in the same city (relatively) at the same time.

Edited May 29, 2019 by Wuozopo

[BiAdam 21]

We made a timeline for our relationship (places we lived together and traveled together) and added in total 22 photos all taken with a smartphone, different seasons and we look different too. some of them were just selfies. all dated, and ordered. plus, we shared all facebook pictures that we were both in as a screen shot including people's likes and comments and dates, and screen shots from our facebook friendship where you can see the date of the friendship and all shared pictures.

 

we also added all passport stamps to prove that we were in the same country at the same time, airbnb receipts including both of our names, car rental contracts, lease contracts, plane tickets, visas

 

from what i read the number of pictures was too less.

[Bayman 65]

12 minutes ago, Pitaya (火龙果) said:

Affidavits and written statements are of marginal utility when trying to show USCIS that you met in person within the prior two years and have an ongoing relationship. The VJ guides say it best regarding the types of evidence that works best....follow the guide.....

 

From the VJ step-by-step K1 Visa guide:

Good luck on your immigration journey.

EXCELLENT !

[GOOOOOB 4]

Quote

Your evidence looks good. I think the main thing was lack of the photo page of the passport and a boarding pass. You've covered that now. Remember you only need one meeting to meet the qualification.

 

Your "within two years" goes back to 2017 and Japan if I followed the plot. You could have scrounged around for something (dated) showing you both were in Japan at the same time. A lease, bank account, anything that put you in the same city (relatively) at the same time.

Thank you for your reply. I was thinking the same thing, about the evidence looking good.

 

All we have from our time in Japan, apart from the passport stamps and our residence cards, is photographs, which USCIS cannot date verify.  

 

Thanks again for your reply. You have eased my mind a little!

[GOOOOOB 4]

4 minutes ago, BiAdam said:

We made a timeline for our relationship (places we lived together and traveled together) and added in total 22 photos all taken with a smartphone, different seasons and we look different too. some of them were just selfies. all dated, and ordered. plus, we shared all facebook pictures that we were both in as a screen shot including people's likes and comments and dates, and screen shots from our facebook friendship where you can see the date of the friendship and all shared pictures.

 

we also added all passport stamps to prove that we were in the same country at the same time, airbnb receipts including both of our names, car rental contracts, lease contracts, plane tickets, visas

 

from what i read the number of pictures was too less.

I thought that five pictures wasn't enough too but everything we read online, including the info from USCIS, stated that around five pictures would be acceptable. 

 

A timeline with screenshots from Facebook/instagram, could be very good though. Did it work for you BiAdam?

[BiAdam 21]

11 minutes ago, Adam.T said:

I thought that five pictures wasn't enough too but everything we read online, including the info from USCIS, stated that around five pictures would be acceptable. 

 

A timeline with screenshots from Facebook/instagram, could be very good though. Did it work for you BiAdam?

yeah thank god it worked! we got our NOA2 and are waiting for our P3. Basically for each trip or each city we had been together we put 1-3 photos, and added all related proof to that folder about the trip. So not only from the last two years, but whole relationship literally. We are together for 3 years, and during first two years we were living together. So I am sure you have as much evidence as we had. 

 

Try to add everything you shared on social media, first messages on whatsapp and facebook. I am sure you can find some boarding pass emails in your inbox, try to look deeper maybe? Or, maybe you can call the airlines and try to retrieve them?

 

I'd also add more pictures with other people, and pictures from different locations and seasons. I believe it helps when they see your hair is different, and it looks snowy, or you are tanned again etc. 

 

No-one has pictures with dates on them anymore. And they don't have to believe the dates we write on back of the photos. But a clear relationship timeline, an index with dates and locations, supporting pictures + tickets + hotel reservations + passport stamps + residence cards + visas + temporary residence permits... anything you can find, put them in the rfe

 

 

I hope this will be the first and the last challenge you'll have in this process. 

[GOOOOOB 4]

42 minutes ago, BiAdam said:

yeah thank god it worked! we got our NOA2 and are waiting for our P3. Basically for each trip or each city we had been together we put 1-3 photos, and added all related proof to that folder about the trip. So not only from the last two years, but whole relationship literally. We are together for 3 years, and during first two years we were living together. So I am sure you have as much evidence as we had. 

 

Try to add everything you shared on social media, first messages on whatsapp and facebook. I am sure you can find some boarding pass emails in your inbox, try to look deeper maybe? Or, maybe you can call the airlines and try to retrieve them?

 

I'd also add more pictures with other people, and pictures from different locations and seasons. I believe it helps when they see your hair is different, and it looks snowy, or you are tanned again etc. 

 

No-one has pictures with dates on them anymore. And they don't have to believe the dates we write on back of the photos. But a clear relationship timeline, an index with dates and locations, supporting pictures + tickets + hotel reservations + passport stamps + residence cards + visas + temporary residence permits... anything you can find, put them in the rfe

 

 

I hope this will be the first and the last challenge you'll have in this process. 

Thanks a lot for your advice! I'll speak with my fiancee and she how she thinks we should proceed. 

[SalishSea 17,836]

1 hour ago, Adam.T said:

I thought that five pictures wasn't enough too but everything we read online, including the info from USCIS, stated that around five pictures would be acceptable. 

 

A timeline with screenshots from Facebook/instagram, could be very good though. Did it work for you BiAdam?

We sent no pictures (except for the required passport style ones) and got approved without any RFEs.  They are not required or even mentioned in the USCIS I-129-f petition checklist.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

3 hours ago, Adam.T said:

I thought that five pictures wasn't enough too but everything we read online, including the info from USCIS, stated that around five pictures would be acceptable. 

 

A timeline with screenshots from Facebook/instagram, could be very good though. Did it work for you BiAdam?

You need to know that if USCIS finds one small thing missing, then their RFE makes it sound like everything you did was rubbish. It's as if because you didn't show the passport photo page to complete that evidence snapshot, they won't look at the rest of your stuff.  Just clear your head and find what puts you and her in the same country together that has a date within the last 2 years.

You've got :

1. Passport stamps with the biographic page of the passport now.
2.  A boarding pass
3. Bank statements from the road trip in October 2018 showing that we were spending money at the same time and places.
4. Email confirmations from American Airlines and United saying that I completed travel on your flights to the US in October 2018 ....
5. and New Year 2018/19.

That alone is five proofs. Forget all that Facebook stuff. Over thinking with silly stuff.

 

Might I suggest how my fiancé/wife handled every piece of evidence from petition to my US citizenship. On all the photocopied evidence, she used a light yellow highlighter to mark what she wanted them to notice, namely the date, our name, or a city. Then she hand noted in red in the bottom margin exactly what she was pointing out.

 

Example bank statement from 2018 road trip time---

Your name highlighted

Date and transaction highlighted

Red note at bottom: Adam's bank statement showing ATM withdrawal in Osaka, Japan on 10/10/2018. See next page for Susie's transaction on same date.

 

Next page shows her bank statement, her name and transaction highlighted.

Red note at bottom: Susie's bank statement showing ATM withdrawal in Osaka, Japan on 10/10/2018. See previous  page for Adam's transaction on same date.

 

 

 

Edited May 29, 2019 by Wuozopo

[GOOOOOB 4]

14 hours ago, Wuozopo said:

You need to know that if USCIS finds one small thing missing, then their RFE makes it sound like everything you did was rubbish. It's as if because you didn't show the passport photo page to complete that evidence snapshot, they won't look at the rest of your stuff.  Just clear your head and find what puts you and her in the same country together that has a date within the last 2 years.

You've got :

1. Passport stamps with the biographic page of the passport now.
2.  A boarding pass
3. Bank statements from the road trip in October 2018 showing that we were spending money at the same time and places.
4. Email confirmations from American Airlines and United saying that I completed travel on your flights to the US in October 2018 ....
5. and New Year 2018/19.

That alone is five proofs. Forget all that Facebook stuff. Over thinking with silly stuff.

 

Might I suggest how my fiancé/wife handled every piece of evidence from petition to my US citizenship. On all the photocopied evidence, she used a light yellow highlighter to mark what she wanted them to notice, namely the date, our name, or a city. Then she hand noted in red in the bottom margin exactly what she was pointing out.

 

Example bank statement from 2018 road trip time---

Your name highlighted

Date and transaction highlighted

Red note at bottom: Adam's bank statement showing ATM withdrawal in Osaka, Japan on 10/10/2018. See next page for Susie's transaction on same date.

 

Next page shows her bank statement, her name and transaction highlighted.

Red note at bottom: Susie's bank statement showing ATM withdrawal in Osaka, Japan on 10/10/2018. See previous  page for Adam's transaction on same date.

 

 

 

Cheers. I reckon we'll be aright with what we've got. Thanks for your help!

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from Progress Reports to Process & Procedures.

[Cirub 10]

She didn't submit anyhitng about your time living in Japan? 

Seems they want to make sure you travel for sure, because the itinerary, it is not the boarding pass, also you need to do a copy of all your passport. I did a copy off all my passport pages. When we were doing the evidences of meeting, we add just the pages with the stamp but they could see first all my passport information. 

 

My case is similar to your case, i was living for 11 months with my fiancé in USA, at that point we didn't recolect papers, tickets, anything, we didn't know about all this proccess. However, so i put my visa, my i94 too, also i add a copy of my driver's licence, that way they can see i was living with him, same home. I hope that it is enought and bug evidence. Once  i left the country, we were aorund 5 months appart. We meet in Toronto for New Years. We add our boarding passes and the airbnb information where they can see our names. We also add tickets, however we pay a lot in cash. Furthemore, in Canada if you pay with credit card the receipt doesn't show your name. But we submit all we buy in our trip. 

 

 

[Plaxerous 10]

That is such a BS reason to deny the photographs because the dates cannot be verified. If that's their reasoning, no photographs can ever be verified in the age of technology and Photoshop...

 

In addition to the missing passport bio page, it seems you're missing ticket stubs, whether by airplane or train, that both you and your fiancee took together.

 

Again, I think this RFE is BS since their reason for writing off missing or inconclusive evidence is weak. This is worrisome especially since the UK is a trusted country. The entry/exit Passport stamp is usually a strong indication of an in-person visit...

Edited June 3, 2019 by Plaxerous