List of supporting documents/evidence for I-130

[Rocio0010 5,579]

Ok, after thawing my brain (it’s cold and snowy here today!) I was able to re- read your posts and the wonderful input that VJ members gave you here. I also went back and reviewed instructions for the I-130.

You need to provide with evidence that you’ve entered the marriage in good faith. USCIS and consular offices especially like to see intertwined finances, which can be tricky if you don’t live together yet. But you can still do some things. For example, My understanding is that you can file taxes as “married” even if she doesn’t have a SSN yet. Im not 💯 sure, so I’ll stand corrected. I’m just giving you suggestions as to things you can do.

A ten- year age gap might or might not be a red flag. Usually they look at the totality of circumstances. I don’t think in your case it is, given the rest of your circumstances. Other seasoned VJ members have mentioned that the red flag in terms of age is usually when the woman is older -and even so, there are cases here in VJ where the woman is significantly older and they’ve had no issues whatsoever. 
With regards to the WhatsApp screenshots, I personally think they’re weak evidence because even me (I’m horrible with technology) can make those up using free software. So personally, instead of wasting time taking screenshots, I would spend that time researching on how to highlight the shared finances and time spent together in your relationship. My two cents. Good luck!

[Adil_Nola 2]

Thanks @etrangais. Did USCIS say anything about the translation not being from a sworn translator? 

PS: I saw from your timeline that you got approved at the TSC in a fairly short amount of time, congratulations! Is TSC the fastest in the country? 

I travel for work, and I have the possibility of filing from South Carolina (state under TSC) as I spend there around half the time, with the remote work etc.. do you advise filing in TSC instead of NSC? TIA

 

[Adil_Nola 2]

@Rocio0010 Thank you so much. For the joint filing of taxes without the SSN, it seems like a long shot.. even the EIN requires presence in the US I believe. You are right about WhatsApp, I'll channel that energy into highlighting the shared finances and time spent together instead.  Thanks again, and good luck to you as well.  

[etrangais 947]

10 hours ago, Adil_Nola said:

Thanks @etrangais. Did USCIS say anything about the translation not being from a sworn translator? 

PS: I saw from your timeline that you got approved at the TSC in a fairly short amount of time, congratulations! Is TSC the fastest in the country? 

I travel for work, and I have the possibility of filing from South Carolina (state under TSC) as I spend there around half the time, with the remote work etc.. do you advise filing in TSC instead of NSC? TIA

 

USCIS did not ask any questions and the petition was approved in 70 days.

We filed online and the service centers are assigned randomly I guess for online filing

[JeanneAdil 6,510]

12 hours ago, Adil_Nola said:

@pushbrk Thank You! I feel much better reading this.  As to the consulate, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. One battle at a time..

 

PS: Does it help the I-130 sending a 3 year worth of WhatsApp chats, or is it too much?

 

TIA

yep  too much

just send some of when u met and a few from the continuing relationship

it does not have to be complete chats  / a few lines (here and there)   throughout the 3 years is all u need

chats don't seem to be that important expect in a few cases where the Casa CO suspected the people did not meet as early as they put on their evidence (and the CO asked for early proofs of chats for 2 of our members -the posts are on Morocco portal site about a year ago)

quality time together is the important issue for Casa 

so send copies of boarding passes (hint itinerary does not prove u actually got on a plane and went there)

 

Prepare a cover page for your case including family knows each other and your time together / I did mine in an outline form

 

signed letter from her dad of little use as there is really no way to prove it was written by him  / no affadivits unless NVC and / or embassy asks for one

seems you are both Moroccan?   if so,  that's in your favor 

[pushbrk 12,893]

20 hours ago, Rocio0010 said:

Ok, after thawing my brain (it’s cold and snowy here today!) I was able to re- read your posts and the wonderful input that VJ members gave you here. I also went back and reviewed instructions for the I-130.

You need to provide with evidence that you’ve entered the marriage in good faith. USCIS and consular offices especially like to see intertwined finances, which can be tricky if you don’t live together yet. But you can still do some things. For example, My understanding is that you can file taxes as “married” even if she doesn’t have a SSN yet. Im not 💯 sure, so I’ll stand corrected. I’m just giving you suggestions as to things you can do.

A ten- year age gap might or might not be a red flag. Usually they look at the totality of circumstances. I don’t think in your case it is, given the rest of your circumstances. Other seasoned VJ members have mentioned that the red flag in terms of age is usually when the woman is older -and even so, there are cases here in VJ where the woman is significantly older and they’ve had no issues whatsoever. 
With regards to the WhatsApp screenshots, I personally think they’re weak evidence because even me (I’m horrible with technology) can make those up using free software. So personally, instead of wasting time taking screenshots, I would spend that time researching on how to highlight the shared finances and time spent together in your relationship. My two cents. Good luck!

See bold above.  Comingling of finances is not expected when the couple has never lived in the same country together during their marriage.  Filing as married filing separately, is appropriate, but for Consular Officers not a big deal one way or the other.

[Rocio0010 5,579]

26 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

See bold above.  Comingling of finances is not expected when the couple has never lived in the same country together during their marriage.  Filing as married filing separately, is appropriate, but for Consular Officers not a big deal one way or the other.

Thank you! I stand corrected. And also thank you for being nice about it!

[Adil_Nola 2]

On 10/1/2021 at 7:29 PM, top_secret said:

One thing to consider with paper I-130 applications these days is that no matter how carefully you organize and assemble and hole punch everything and get it all perfect, the first thing they will do when they receive it is hand the packet over to some lackey subcontractor who is assigned to disassemble everything and feed it through an industrial high speed scanner.  Whereby it is hopefully all dumped a big file in a server somewhere and given an IOE number.  Hopefully they don't miss pages, get stuff upside-down, have details cut off.  Then I presume they would need to shred all the papers.

 

Me personally, I felt I did a much more careful job scanning and arranging PDF files in a manner that would be very organized, pleasant and easy for a reviewer to go through.

 @top_secret 

Point well taken for a good presentation of the package.

If you don't mind a quick sanity check please, does the following order look good? if you are to compile certain items in one file, what would they be?  TIA

1. Form I-130

2. Marriage certificate + Translation

3. Presentation letter showing timeline of our journey up until filing I-130, with an explanation that due to COVID travel restrictions we didn’t see each other for the entire year of 2020, and summary of this Itemized list.

4. 2X2 Photo (Beneficiary) FIRST NAME_LAST NAME.pdf (scanned)

5. 2X2 Photo (Petitioner) FIRST NAME_LAST NAME.jpg   (digital)

6. My Naturalization Certificate

7. Copy of my prior divorce decree

8. Boarding passes of honeymoon trip, hotel receipts

9. 20 photos (spanning 3 years up to our wedding and honeymoon)

10. Receipt of wedding ring

11. Proof of benefits beneficiary (life insurance, retirement account) from my company employee’s web portal showing wife as beneficiary.

12. Affidavit from wife's friend attesting to our bona fide marriage (does it have to be notarized?)

13. Excerpts from chats log from beginning of meeting to now (pdf converted from a txt file)

14. passport stamps from both passports showing our honeymoon trip, and 1 visit to France when she lived there, and 1 visit to Morocco (for a weekend) ….

15. Form I-130A signed, scanned, and uploaded.

 

[Adil_Nola 2]

Thank you guys for all your feedbacks. Based on your comments, I revised the list of my I-130 package and it now looks like this. 

PS: I'm filing the I-130 online, and uploading all the documents below.

 

1. Form I-130

2. Marriage certificate + Translation

3. Presentation letter showing timeline of our journey up until filing I-130, with an explanation that due to COVID travel restrictions we didn’t see each    

    other for the entire year of 2020, and a summary of this Itemized list.

4. Upload 2X2 Photo (Beneficiary) FIRST NAME_LAST NAME.pdf (scanned)

5. Upload 2X2 Photo (Petitioner) FIRST NAME_LAST NAME.jpg  

6. Copy of my Naturalization Certificate

7. Copy of my prior divorce decree

8. Boarding passes of honeymoon trip, hotel receipts

9. 20 photos (spanning 3 years up to our wedding and honeymoon)

10. Receipt of wedding ring

11. Proof of benefits beneficiary (life insurance, 401K) from my company employee’s web portal showing wife as beneficiary.

12. Affidavit from wife's friend attesting to our bona fide marriage (does it have to be notarized? and do I really need this? I’m worried they’ll hit me with a RFE if i don't provide it..)

13. Excerpts from chats log from beginning of our relationship up until today (pdf converted from a txt file)

14. passport stamps from both passports showing our honeymoon trip, and 1 visit to France when she lived there, and 1 visit to Morocco (for a weekend) ….

15. Form I-130A signed, scanned, and uploaded.

 

Please let me know if i still have to add/drop something from the list, and if they should compile few items in on file. 

 

TIA

[Ryan H 3,812]

***Hijack post and replies to said post removed; if you have your own question about your own case, you need to start your own thread.***

[bondy88 6]

On 1/11/2022 at 3:12 PM, Adil_Nola said:

12. Affidavit from wife's friend attesting to our bona fide marriage (does it have to be notarized? and do I really need this? I’m worried they’ll hit me with a RFE if i don't provide it..)

 

I guess you probably submitted the i130 already but YES if you have  affidavits attesting the bonafide of marriage, you should submit them. I personally know a couple who were RFE'd for those exact affidavits.  And yes notarized.

Edited January 18, 2022 by bondy88

[Adil_Nola 2]

10 hours ago, bondy88 said:

I guess you probably submitted the i130 already but YES if you have  affidavits attesting the bonafide of marriage, you should submit them. I personally know a couple who were RFE'd for those exact affidavits.  And yes notarized.

@bondy88 I haven't submitted the I-130 yet. Wrapping up the package along with the I-130A. Filing sometime this week though. I have the affidavits btw, one notarized and one hand written. 

Thanks.

Edited January 18, 2022 by Adil_Nola