I-130 Question

[VJB9 0]

I was prior married for about 10 years to someone who was born in another country and we went through the immigration process. We had divorced, and I have since married someone also who also came here from another country. Filing out the I-130 online, it is asking me for when the petition was filing for my prior spouse. I am not entirely sure the exact date, ballpark but not the exact date. Would not having the exact date correct matter? And if so; what would the quickest way to find the exact date without having the papers today. This was done about 15 years ago.

[OldUser 6,645]

Hi @VJB9 did you file yourself or with a lawyer? If with lawyer, contact them to see if they kept records. If you filed yourself and have a good relationship with ex, ask him or her. That's probably the quickest way. Otherwise, you could file a FOIA request (it's free). You may get something in 6-8 weeks.

It's always important to fill the paperwork correctly, so I'd do that not to complicate your future spouse's case. The fact you petitioned for somebody before may draw USCIS' attention to your new I-130.

Edited March 18, 2023 by OldUser

[VJB9 0]

I did everything myself.

 

My ex is not an option, I don't think she has those papers anymore. Plus I spent many years going through a divorce, as the courts were giving me my rights back and more of a 50/50 parenting plan, she went nuts and eventually lost custody of our boys and was only allowed to be around them while professionally supervised. Than we had a long divorce trial, and the judge ordered that she will never be anywhere close to 50/50 and currently is not even allowed to be with the boys over nights. Before the judge even signed the papers, she went around to every police department we have lived and visited alleging all sorts of crimes against me. Pretty sure she also didn't like that I got married again, and had another child.

 

I'm surprised that this would be available through an public request as such. Would there be no other and quicker way? 

Edited March 18, 2023 by VJB9

[SteveInBostonI130 3,434]

Ballpark should be fine, if the year is correct and the month is close.  You can add additional comments about not being precise due to it being long ago and not retaining the paperwork.

 

Otherwise FOIA is the way to go.