Tips/Advice on properly filling out I-130A? (PDF). How did you approach some of this stuff?

[TO285 1]

So I'm trying to help my wife fill out the PDF for I-130A that is to be attached to I-130. Most of the fields in the PDF are pretty small, hence why Part 7 exists I'm guessing for additional field space.

 

Here's a link to the empty form for reference https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-130a.pdf

 

Here's 6 issues I've found so far:

 

1. Addresses in the PH aren't quite like they are in the USA, they're more like X apartment complex across from [landmark], [local major street], [barangay], [city], [province], [postal code.. sometimes..]

 

Obviously, the street name & number field for addresses used in the last 5 years cannot hold this under Page 1, Physical Address 1, 2, and  last address. City, Province, and Country are no issue issue, but everything else is.

 

So, should I fill out most of the field information for Physical Address 1, and then in Part 7 list it as the following? Page 1, Part 1, Item Number 4.a.

Then list Blah Apartment Complex on blah street across from blah school, off of x highway, blah barangay? 

 

It always feels very weird to me that they do this but at the same time it seems to be the common way addressing is done in the Philippines and I don't know how else to do it. I can't just put Blah street and no accompanying location information I'm guessing.

 

2. Page 1 mentions Physical Address 1, 2, and then Last Address of more than 1 year. She's lived at 3 major addresses for all of the last five years, two of less than one year, and then one before then of around 10 years..  

 

Should it be listed like this?

#1 Most Current

#2 Second longest

#3 10 year address?

 

 

3. There's no way to put a plus sign or spaces for a country code in the phone number field, should I just put in 63 and they'll make the assumption that it's a country code? If need be I guess I could have her print out that specific page, signature it, get it scanned an remerge it into the PDF. So far every time I've had her get documents printed and scanned by the local shops they always mess something up and I know a signature isn't required for this since she's abroad.

 

4. Since I'm helping her sort out the form and will be the one attaching the form to the online I-130 form, am I required to list myself as a preparer? 

 

5. Since we haven't filed before, and she has never been to the USA, I'm guessing A-Number and USCIS - Number should be blank? I have a USCIS account now for the I-130 draft but I don't think I'm assigned a USCIS number until later? I'll have to double check.

 

6. My wife is an unemployed, recent graduate from a doctoral program, so she doesn't have work history. So for: Part 2 - Employment History, and Employment History Outside of the USA. 

Should we put Employment History 1 - 'Unemployed', Employment History 2 - 'Unemployed'  then leave rest of the fields for those blank.

Then for Part 3 - Put 'See Part 7' and then in part 7 put: Page 3, Part 3, Item Number 1, then have her fill out an explanation that she's been in college for x amount of years, earned x degrees, and has not been employed during that time?

Edited November 15, 2022 by TO285

[Hmoobphajej 13]

1. I ran into a similar problem in Thailand as well for my wife. I ran it through a address verification program as much as I could. Something like https://www.smarty.com/products/single-address. I don't think they are 100% accurate but good enough to help get a idea of what works and what doesn't. At the end of the day I gave it my best guess as well.

 

2. Yes, I provided my wife's address chronologically with the latest as her Physical Address 1. I did it to just satisfy the last 5 years of her residence, so I listed like 6 places in the last 5 years for her. None of it would be 100% accurate as my wife was a terrible records keeper so everything was in ball park numbers. Keep copies of this to make sure you're doing every thing consistently. Didn't want them to think a simple mistake was anything other than that especially because her address changed once again when we got to NVC.

 

3. Yep for Thailand it's 66 and I just placed her number as if I would make a international call.

 

4. I did not list myself as a preparer even though I did all the documentation for my wife.

 

5. Yep, this is for your wife and not you so there is no A-Number or USCIS number. Leave it blank.

 

6. You should be able to just list her as Unemployed from present to 5 years ago. I don't think a explanation is needed but you can add it if you want to disclose that. For part 3 I just put See Previous Part and that was it.

 

 

[marriedtomrg 141]

On 11/14/2022 at 7:54 PM, TO285 said:

So I'm trying to help my wife fill out the PDF for I-130A that is to be attached to I-130. Most of the fields in the PDF are pretty small, hence why Part 7 exists I'm guessing for additional field space.

 

Here's a link to the empty form for reference https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-130a.pdf

 

Here's 6 issues I've found so far:

 

1. Addresses in the PH aren't quite like they are in the USA, they're more like X apartment complex across from [landmark], [local major street], [barangay], [city], [province], [postal code.. sometimes..]

 

Obviously, the street name & number field for addresses used in the last 5 years cannot hold this under Page 1, Physical Address 1, 2, and  last address. City, Province, and Country are no issue issue, but everything else is.

 

So, should I fill out most of the field information for Physical Address 1, and then in Part 7 list it as the following? Page 1, Part 1, Item Number 4.a.

Then list Blah Apartment Complex on blah street across from blah school, off of x highway, blah barangay? 

 

It always feels very weird to me that they do this but at the same time it seems to be the common way addressing is done in the Philippines and I don't know how else to do it. I can't just put Blah street and no accompanying location information I'm guessing.

One thing you could try is to have your wife find out how the apartment complex receives mail and what business address they are using - they need a business address to get their utility bills and such. At the minimum, they should have a street number and street name. 

 

Instead of the PDF - you may want to consider an online application. You can save your work as you go and when you are ready to submit, you can use the account to check the status as well as to submit additional documents if USCIS ever asks. You will also have access to what you submitted - if you needed to correct anything you can upload corrected documents as well.

 

When you are completing the I-130 online, and you are entering a non-US address, only the fields you need to complete will appear. Her apartment number should be one of them (clearly).

 

 

Quote

 

2. Page 1 mentions Physical Address 1, 2, and then Last Address of more than 1 year. She's lived at 3 major addresses for all of the last five years, two of less than one year, and then one before then of around 10 years..  

 

Should it be listed like this?

#1 Most Current

#2 Second longest

#3 10 year address?

 

Yes, start with the most current down to the 10 year address.

 

Quote

3. There's no way to put a plus sign or spaces for a country code in the phone number field, should I just put in 63 and they'll make the assumption that it's a country code? If need be I guess I could have her print out that specific page, signature it, get it scanned an remerge it into the PDF. So far every time I've had her get documents printed and scanned by the local shops they always mess something up and I know a signature isn't required for this since she's abroad.

Yes, 63 for the country code.

 

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4. Since I'm helping her sort out the form and will be the one attaching the form to the online I-130 form, am I required to list myself as a preparer? 

Preparer information typically applies if you are using  3rd party like a lawyer or an agency to fill out the form.

 

I have filled out these forms myself and for my mom's petition but never completed the preparer section. All good.

 

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5. Since we haven't filed before, and she has never been to the USA, I'm guessing A-Number and USCIS - Number should be blank? I have a USCIS account now for the I-130 draft but I don't think I'm assigned a USCIS number until later? I'll have to double check.

Yes once you submit the I-130 you will get the NOA1/receipt and that will contain your wife’s future A number.

 

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6. My wife is an unemployed, recent graduate from a doctoral program, so she doesn't have work history. So for: Part 2 - Employment History, and Employment History Outside of the USA. 

Should we put Employment History 1 - 'Unemployed', Employment History 2 - 'Unemployed'  then leave rest of the fields for those blank.

Then for Part 3 - Put 'See Part 7' and then in part 7 put: Page 3, Part 3, Item Number 1, then have her fill out an explanation that she's been in college for x amount of years, earned x degrees, and has not been employed during that time?

Yes, that is perfectly fine.