Requesting a copy of submitted I-129F packet

[jiggy_jarjar 20]

Hi everyone.  My fiancée and I submitted an I-129F last August with an NOA1 date of 8/11/20.  Prior to sending, I scanned a copy of the I-129F packet at work and saved it as a pdf file on a work computer.  I stupidly paid no attention to it and it was deleted as a part of the company's document retention policy.  I know that my fiancée will need to bring a copy of the packet with her to her interview when that is scheduled.  My question is:  is there any way that I can request a copy of the packet filed with USCIS?  If not, is it my best bet to try to reverse engineer the packet?

[NoMansLand2020 298]

4 minutes ago, jiggy_jarjar said:

Hi everyone.  My fiancée and I submitted an I-129F last August with an NOA1 date of 8/11/20.  Prior to sending, I scanned a copy of the I-129F packet at work and saved it as a pdf file on a work computer.  I stupidly paid no attention to it and it was deleted as a part of the company's document retention policy.  I know that my fiancée will need to bring a copy of the packet with her to her interview when that is scheduled.  My question is:  is there any way that I can request a copy of the packet filed with USCIS?  If not, is it my best bet to try to reverse engineer the packet?

No, they won't provide you with a copy. 

[HRQX 4,145]

7 minutes ago, jiggy_jarjar said:

My question is:  is there any way that I can request a copy of the packet filed with USCIS?

You could try a FOIA request: https://www.uscis.gov/records/request-records-through-the-freedom-of-information-act-or-privacy-act The form would ask for fiance's A-number which may be on the I-129F approval notice.

8 minutes ago, jiggy_jarjar said:

I know that my fiancée will need to bring a copy of the packet with her to her interview when that is scheduled.

Are there official instructions that say that? IMO a copy of packet isn't needed.

[jiggy_jarjar 20]

3 minutes ago, NoMansLand2020 said:

No, they won't provide you with a copy. 

Go figure.  Thank you for the quick response.  I  have originals of all documents submitted so I think that I shouldn't have too much of an issue reconstructing the packet.  The only concern that I have is that I included some excerpts of chat logs that are going to be a pain to sift through again.

[jiggy_jarjar 20]

1 minute ago, HRQX said:

You could try a FOIA request: https://www.uscis.gov/records/request-records-through-the-freedom-of-information-act-or-privacy-act The form would ask for fiance's A-number which may be on the I-129F approval notice.

Are there official instructions that say that? IMO a copy of packet isn't needed.

Thanks.  I think I'll just avoid rocking the boat for now and try to reconstruct the packet as best as I can.  I think I can get it 99% of the way there and the remaining 1% is going to be stuff like chat logs that I'm not sure I included in the original petition.

 

No official instructions as far as I know.  I think VJ recommends it as a matter of good practice.  I have also seen anecdotal reports that USCIS occasionally asks for original documents during the interview. My hunch is that this probably happens when they lose parts of the file.

 

[payxibka 10,047]

4 hours ago, jiggy_jarjar said:

  I have also seen anecdotal reports that USCIS occasionally asks for original documents during the interview. My hunch is that this probably happens when they lose parts of the file.

 

Anecdotally wrong since the USCIS doesn't perform the interview.  

[jiggy_jarjar 20]

6 hours ago, payxibka said:

Anecdotally wrong since the USCIS doesn't perform the interview.  

That's an important clarification, thanks.  

[hedgemaze 49]

18 hours ago, jiggy_jarjar said:

Hi everyone.  My fiancée and I submitted an I-129F last August with an NOA1 date of 8/11/20.  Prior to sending, I scanned a copy of the I-129F packet at work and saved it as a pdf file on a work computer.  I stupidly paid no attention to it and it was deleted as a part of the company's document retention policy.  I know that my fiancée will need to bring a copy of the packet with her to her interview when that is scheduled.  My question is:  is there any way that I can request a copy of the packet filed with USCIS?  If not, is it my best bet to try to reverse engineer the packet?

Your fiancée doesn't need to bring the I-129F packet; they just need to be familiar with what's in it, so when asked questions about your relationship, they won't say something contradictory to what you included.

 

Don't worry about reverse-engineering the actual packet. Your fiancée just needs the knowledge-- and, of course, whatever documents the consulate requests at the time of the interview.

[AnnaLee24 16]

20 hours ago, HRQX said:

You could try a FOIA request: https://www.uscis.gov/records/request-records-through-the-freedom-of-information-act-or-privacy-act The form would ask for fiance's A-number which may be on the I-129F approval notice.

Are there official instructions that say that? IMO a copy of packet isn't needed.

Wouldn’t they need to file the FOIA with the DOS if they want a copy of their visa form? 
https://foia.state.gov/Request/Visa.aspx

 

Edited February 26, 2021 by AnnaLee24

[HRQX 4,145]

2 minutes ago, AnnaLee24 said:

Wouldn’t they need to file the FOIA with the DOS if they want a copy of their visa form? 
https://foia.state.gov/Request/Visa.aspx

OP said "I-129F." The petition was processed and approved by USCIS.

[Sinead91 250]

I’d be more focused on your fiancé(e) having copies of the evidence you guys already submitted.
Officers who conduct the interview already have a full copy of your petition in front of them. They’re not going to ask you for page 6 of your i129f, so don’t worry.

 

”

Required Documentation

 

You, the foreign-citizen fiancé(e), (and eligible children applying for K-2 visas) will be required to bring the following forms and documents to the visa interview:

• Completed Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application. You (and any eligible children applying for K-2 visas) must: (1) complete Form DS-160 and (2) print the DS-160 confirmation page to bring to your interview. 
• A passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the U.S. (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions).
• Birth certificate.
• Divorce or death certificate(s) of any previous spouse(s) for both you and the U.S. citizen sponsor
• Police certificates from your present country of residence and all countries where you have lived for six months or more since age 16 (Police certificates are also required for accompanying children age 16 or older)
• Medical examination (vaccinations are optional, see below)
• Evidence of financial support (Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, may be requested)
• Two (2) 2x2 photographs. See the required photo format explained in Photograph Requirements
• Evidence of relationship with your U.S. citizen fiancé(e)
• Payment of fees, as explained below”

Do exactly what it says in the interview notice that you receive as it can alter between embassies .  don’t panic. 

[AnnaLee24 16]

4 minutes ago, HRQX said:

OP said "I-129F." The petition was processed and approved by USCIS.

But the DOS is the owner of that record. That is their information they are tasked with holding and archiving in the future. 
 

if someone got a speeding ticket and went to court and needed a copy of the police report a year later they wouldn’t go to the court for the police report, they would go to the police department. J

[HRQX 4,145]

27 minutes ago, AnnaLee24 said:

But the DOS is the owner of that record.

Per OP's timeline the petition still being processed by USCIS. DOS doesn't currently have a copy of it. https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=383486

36 minutes ago, HRQX said:

OP said "I-129F." The petition

(correction) "... is still being processed."

[SteveInBostonI130 3,483]

When my fiance received her "Packet 3" email from the embassy, they also attached a scanned pdf copy of the I-129F, complete with entries and notes made by USCIS.  I am not sure if it's normal policy or even all that common, but for Ukraine it was.

 

Like others stated, you do not need a copy for the interview.  Your fiance will need to bring originals of the required documents, like birth certificates, passport and police clearance cert, but not the I-129F itself.  Also, your fiance should bring relationship evidence that was not in the I-129F, like photos and travel receipts after you guys submitted the petition, or even chat records.  Phones are not permitted inside the embassy, so printouts of photos and chats will be needed.

[TBoneTX 46,116]

33 minutes ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

Your fiance will need to bring originals of the required documents, like birth certificates, passport and police clearance cert, but not the I-129F itself.  Also, your fiance should bring relationship evidence that was not in the I-129F, like photos and travel receipts after you guys submitted the petition, or even chat records.

Yes, do this.  This is an excellent explanation, incidentally.