Is a lease really necessary?

[APA 44]

I’m all for front loading with quality info to prevent the chance of RFEs or delays. We both have matching passport stamps, air/hotel bookings, and pictures of our travels in 4 countries over the course of 18 months. For 10 of those months, we’ve lived together in an apartment. Because of the way things work (or mostly don’t work) here, we’re having some trouble getting the lease officiated by the town. It’s going to be an expensive hassle to get the lease and residency permits officiated. The way I see it, the passport stamps alone are enough to prove the minimum meeting requirement. The air/hotel bookings support them, and the pics support all of it. Is including a lease really worth it or will it be considered extra and unnecessary information? 

[Hank_ 9,174]

1 hour ago, APA said:

I’m all for front loading with quality info to prevent the chance of RFEs or delays. We both have matching passport stamps, air/hotel bookings, and pictures of our travels in 4 countries over the course of 18 months. For 10 of those months, we’ve lived together in an apartment. Because of the way things work (or mostly don’t work) here, we’re having some trouble getting the lease officiated by the town. It’s going to be an expensive hassle to get the lease and residency permits officiated. The way I see it, the passport stamps alone are enough to prove the minimum meeting requirement. The air/hotel bookings support them, and the pics support all of it. Is including a lease really worth it or will it be considered extra and unnecessary information? 

 

You are K-1, for the I-129F you need evidence of having MET IN PERSON within 2 years of filing the petition.     A lease is not necessary.   Passport stamps, boarding passes ETC are good.

 

Front loading is not necessary for the majority of petitions.   Exceptions mentioned here on VJ would be "difficult embassies"

[APA 44]

51 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

 

You are K-1, for the I-129F you need evidence of having MET IN PERSON within 2 years of filing the petition.     A lease is not necessary.   Passport stamps, boarding passes ETC are good.

 

Front loading is not necessary for the majority of petitions.   Exceptions mentioned here on VJ would be "difficult embassies"

 

From everything I’ve read in the embassy reviews section, Phnom Penh, Cambodia does not seem to be a “difficult embassy” as long as people have their stuff together, which we do. Lots of questionable relationships in this country, we are definitely one of the legit ones. Plus fiance speaks perfect English which will make the interview easier. Thanks for your feedback. 

Edited January 15, 2020 by APA

[Limey 551]

Out of interest, what do you mean by "getting the lease officiated by the town"? Do you mean just getting a paper copy, or is there some legal process there to prove its real? If its the lattter, then you probably don't need this step.

I lived in the UAE years ago and you couldn't just produce a university degree certificate or other document - it had to be notarized, then go to UK govt office (I'm British), then UAE embassy etc ("legalized") before immigration would accept it.

Evidence for US immigration doesn't work like that in most cases. If you have a lease, it would be acceptable evidence for US immigration, even if it hadn't gone through the formalities of being "officiated" that might be required by local law. If you do have such a document, I'd submit it anyway.
 

The other evidence you have seems to be more than enough to prove your case by itself, but any extra evidence is good.

Edited January 15, 2020 by Limey

[APA 44]

9 hours ago, Limey said:

Out of interest, what do you mean by "getting the lease officiated by the town"? Do you mean just getting a paper copy, or is there some legal process there to prove its real? If its the lattter, then you probably don't need this step.

I lived in the UAE years ago and you couldn't just produce a university degree certificate or other document - it had to be notarized, then go to UK govt office (I'm British), then UAE embassy etc ("legalized") before immigration would accept it.

Evidence for US immigration doesn't work like that in most cases. If you have a lease, it would be acceptable evidence for US immigration, even if it hadn't gone through the formalities of being "officiated" that might be required by local law. If you do have such a document, I'd submit it anyway.
 

The other evidence you have seems to be more than enough to prove your case by itself, but any extra evidence is good.

Basically we have to register with the head of the town/village and they will issue us a residency certificate. That certificate proves we live in the village. To get that certificate, we have to present them with our lease, ID, photo, and thumbprints. Then I would have these documents translated into English and use them as proof that we actually lived here together for a year. This is more legit that just submitting a copy of the lease because anyone can just type up a lease and say they lived with someone. There’s a lot of fraud here, I’m trying to do everything as legit as possible to erase any doubt of our legitimacy. 

Edited January 16, 2020 by APA

[Hank_ 9,174]

.. if a lease were even necessary with the K-1, which it isn't.

[SorrowL 138]

Like Hank_ said, the lease isn’t required, that’s more of a I-130 evidence piece to prove marital co-living. Passport scans and previous itineraries can be enough to prove you’ve met within the last 2 years. 

[NikLR 13,232]

A lease is definitely not on the needed or even good to have documents for a K1 so no worries!

[APA 44]

2 hours ago, NikLR said:

A lease is definitely not on the needed or even good to have documents for a K1 so no worries!

I understand it may be overkill but will it hurt to include it?

[Dulce M. 8]

We included our lease, and no problem so far, we are waiting for the interview in 6 weeks.

[NikLR 13,232]

10 hours ago, APA said:

I understand it may be overkill but will it hurt to include it?

No unless it's unusual for unmarried couples to live together in the beneficiary's country. 

[SalishSea 18,118]

99% of K-1 applicants won't have ever lived together.  No lease is expected or necessary.

[Limey 551]

On 1/16/2020 at 9:57 AM, APA said:

I understand it may be overkill but will it hurt to include it?

I'd include it. Its just another proof of meeting/relationship. It certainly won't do any harm.

 

It doesn't matter that the town hasn't "officiated" it. These documents are going to USCIS employees in the USA - they won't have a clue how things work in Cambodia.

But really, you have way way more evidence than many on this forum. You'll be fine.

[APA 44]

12 hours ago, Limey said:

I'd include it. Its just another proof of meeting/relationship. It certainly won't do any harm.

 

It doesn't matter that the town hasn't "officiated" it. These documents are going to USCIS employees in the USA - they won't have a clue how things work in Cambodia.

But really, you have way way more evidence than many on this forum. You'll be fine.

I have plenty of proof that we exceeded the meeting requirement. I’m just trying to erase any doubt of the legitimacy of our actual relationship because of our age gap. I feel like proving that we lived together for a year would be pretty helpful. And I’m not worried about the USA employees, I feel like a lease would be more helpful to prove the relationship for the IO who will be conducting the interview, because he/she does live here and likely understands how things work here.