Online I130 application questions

[Angell Beal 4]

Hi everyone, I replied to a thread for online I130 appliers, but also wanted to create my own thread.

 

I would greatly appreciate any insight or advice on any of the below! Thank you so much.

 

 

-how many pictures did everyone upload?

-how did you upload photos in the best way? (I am thinking of pasting pictures on a Word document, typing in captions, and then saving that document as PDF to then upload it onto USCIS) any thoughts?

-On the I130a supplemental document, there is Part I 9a Information About You Beneficiary Spouse that asks "Date from" "Date to" and I am unsure what I need to put here. Is this the time frame that my spouse knew me?

-We are filling out the I130a on a PDF editor and is an electronic signature acceptable? I am aware that if my spouse is overseas, he does not need to sign it, but I'd like to add the signature. 

-We will ask my spouse's aunt to write an affidavit saying that she vouches that we have lived together in Colombia as she is the administrator of the building. Are there any guidelines for such a letter? I am aware it needs your DOB, full name, signature, but does this letter need to be notarized or apostilled? Does it also need a copy of her ID attached or anything?

-We will also ask my friends in the US who are US citizens to write affidavits to support the knowledge the first time we met and when we married. Are there specific guidelines in writing this affidavit and also does it need to be notarized, apostilled, etc? The online petition just asks "Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties having personal knowledge of the bona fides of the marital relationship. Each affidavit must contain the full name and address of the person making the affidavit; date and place of birth of the person making the affidavit; and complete information and details explaining how the person acquired his or her knowledge of your marriage". Anything else?

-How do you know which USCIS office will the beneficiary apply for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident? Is this the same location that one is submitting the I130? (I will be living in Tucson, Arizona and will file my domicile address there for my I130 and have the understanding I will file to the Pheonix, Arizona office so...for this specific question, do I put Phoenix?)

-Our marriage certificate is translated and the translator apostilled and notarized it. This page that proves the apostille and notarization is mostly in Spanish. Does this page need to be translated as well? There is a part in English that says "this has been signed for authenticity" and I feel that would be good enough...

 

 

 

Thank you so much again.

 

--

Angell Kim

 

 

 

 

[SteveInBostonI130 3,459]

Hello,

 

I am assuming you are currently with your spouse in Colombia?  If so, the adjustment of status does not apply to you.  You will be applying for the spouse visa and waiting until it gets approved at the us embassy in Colombia before your spouse enters the US, at which point your spouse will be given LPR status.

 

We included a page of wedding photos, 4 photos on a word doc page with captions and printed to pdf.  We also included 3 pages of ongoing relationship photos, 4 photos per page with captions for each photo.

 

I-130A, Part 1, 9a and 9b refers to the date your spouse has been at the last physical address outside of the united states (Items 8a through 8f)

 

Since you are with your spouse, your spouse should sign the I-130a form.  Fill it in as much as you can electronically, print it, N/A the blank parts that do not apply to you, and have your spouse sign/date part 4, 6a/6b.  Scan it and upload the scan.

 

Not sure about affidavits.  I have heard that those are the weakest evidence to present.  Better to present evidence of cohabitation and shared finances.  

 

Again, your spouse will not be adjusting status.  Your spouse will be a LPR after entering the US on an approved CR1/IR1 visa.  We filed ours on paper and did not have to enter information regarding nearest USCIS field office.

 

As long as the marriage cert is apostiled, it should be fine as-is.

[JFH 12,190]

*~*~*procedural question moved from “progress reports” to “process and procedures”*~*~*

[JFH 12,190]

If you are living together then forget the affidavits. They are not worth the paper they are written on. The only time they might be useful is where couples are very low on other evidence for religious, cultural or financial reasons. 
 

Living together is the “gold medal” of bona fide evidence. Focus on that. Leases, utility bills, mail in joint names, insurances, joint bank accounts, anything that shows you live together. 

[Angell Beal 4]

51 minutes ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

Hello,

 

I am assuming you are currently with your spouse in Colombia?  If so, the adjustment of status does not apply to you.  You will be applying for the spouse visa and waiting until it gets approved at the us embassy in Colombia before your spouse enters the US, at which point your spouse will be given LPR status.

 

We included a page of wedding photos, 4 photos on a word doc page with captions and printed to pdf.  We also included 3 pages of ongoing relationship photos, 4 photos per page with captions for each photo.

 

I-130A, Part 1, 9a and 9b refers to the date your spouse has been at the last physical address outside of the united states (Items 8a through 8f)

 

Since you are with your spouse, your spouse should sign the I-130a form.  Fill it in as much as you can electronically, print it, N/A the blank parts that do not apply to you, and have your spouse sign/date part 4, 6a/6b.  Scan it and upload the scan.

 

Not sure about affidavits.  I have heard that those are the weakest evidence to present.  Better to present evidence of cohabitation and shared finances.  

 

Again, your spouse will not be adjusting status.  Your spouse will be a LPR after entering the US on an approved CR1/IR1 visa.  We filed ours on paper and did not have to enter information regarding nearest USCIS field office.

 

As long as the marriage cert is apostiled, it should be fine as-is.

THANK YOU so much for your insight and the clarification about the adjusting status part. 

 

Yes, I currently live with him now in Colombia but will move to Arizona to study this fall. 

 

Regarding the cohabitation evidence, we want to upload my phone bill that has my name and his phone bill that his name and the internet bill that has my name on it. (all have the same address) Do we have to translate these bills?

 

Or can we put a screenshot of the bill with the name and address information and have  a caption of what the document is?

 

Thank you.

[pushbrk 12,898]

1 hour ago, Angell Beal said:

THANK YOU so much for your insight and the clarification about the adjusting status part. 

 

Yes, I currently live with him now in Colombia but will move to Arizona to study this fall. 

 

Regarding the cohabitation evidence, we want to upload my phone bill that has my name and his phone bill that his name and the internet bill that has my name on it. (all have the same address) Do we have to translate these bills?

 

Or can we put a screenshot of the bill with the name and address information and have  a caption of what the document is?

 

Thank you.

You could screen shot and caption or just copy the page(s) of your passport that show you are there in Colombia.  You'll also be indicating that is your physical address with a start date until present.  That's really enough.  Use a US mailing address if you can though.

[Angell Beal 4]

If I have a notarized affidavit and the affidavit author forgot this declaration: 

 

"I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on "

 

Is it necessary to re-do this affidavit with this declaration? Or is it alright to leave it as is since it has been notarized officially?

 

Thank you!