It's 2024.. Why are we sending in paper?

[DinaBill 5]

Aloha,

 

Dina and just sent in our I129-F packet. It was an inordinate amount of paper. EVERYTHING we printed was already in digital format residing on Google Drive. Today I read that once a packet is received, it is torn down and scanned. Huh??????  Why did we bust our asses printing everything and making pretty when we could have converted everything to PDFs and submitted everything electronically? So much time wasted. The stupidity of it all astounded me. It also made me a little sad as the packet was a labor of love for Dina and myself. It was our first chance to see how well we worked together.

 

Mahalo,

           Bill and Dina

          

[hplusj 140]

Sorry you think it's stupid

Official documentation for a number of legal reasons, still require paper.

Nice thing is you still have the pdfs so that labor of love isn't completely squandered on a shredder.  Incidentally, you'll be printing originals to that petition as well as amendments, confirmation pages, and providing a medical packet, all on paper, for the interview.

Call it stupid but I'm happy to contribute as much compostable material as is needed, and then some, to marry the person I love.

Edited May 21 by hplusj

[DinaBill 5]

Ok. Replace "stupid" with "inefficient". I work in IT - paper is the enemy. As far as legality, electronic signatures are becoming more commonplace.

 

In the end my friend, we are all in the same queue. Good luck and a happy ending for us all.

 

 

[Crazy Cat 41,983]

4 hours ago, DinaBill said:

Aloha,

 

Dina and just sent in our I129-F packet. It was an inordinate amount of paper. EVERYTHING we printed was already in digital format residing on Google Drive. Today I read that once a packet is received, it is torn down and scanned. Huh??????  Why did we bust our asses printing everything and making pretty when we could have converted everything to PDFs and submitted everything electronically? So much time wasted. The stupidity of it all astounded me. It also made me a little sad as the packet was a labor of love for Dina and myself. It was our first chance to see how well we worked together.

 

Mahalo,

           Bill and Dina

          

Just wait.  The I-751 can't be done online, either....and it will require a great deal more paper......a GREAT deal more.  I have found it is best to just jump through the hoops rather than letting them frustrate you.  Good luck on your journey.  It will be quite a ride. 

[nastra30 2,295]

Op, I definitely understand where you are coming from. It's 2024 and the govt still dealing with paper paper paper. But to the govt credit they have gradually albeit slowly been converting some forms/applications to digital. I think it will take time and many years to get there.  This doesn't apply to K1 but not so long ago NVC was all paper and physical mails. Now NVC is all electronic/digital. USCIS will get there at some point too. In fact for those applications that have both online and paper applications, USCIS has recently deliberately made the paper applications more expensive so to push people to use the online version. I believe the intent is to eventually kill off the paper version once more people go online. And then they can focus on converting more paper forms to online forms. Good luck on your journey.

[Crazy Cat 41,983]

24 minutes ago, nastra30 said:

I believe the intent is to eventually kill off the paper version once more people go online.

I wonder where the money to convert USCIS forms comes from......fees? 

[powerpuff 6,744]

The problem with current online USCIS forms is that there are a lot of glitches, some of which have caused delays of a year or more. Due to seeing this, I’m not so opposed to paper.

[nastra30 2,295]

51 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

I wonder where the money to convert USCIS forms comes from......fees? 

Apparently, there was a 5-year plan from 2021 to make all forms electronic, and we all know how that's working out. All their IT budget will be from fees.

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/SIGNED-Section-4103-FY2021-Report-9-7-21.pdf

[jan22 3,056]

A major reason for requiring paper versions of some of the required documentation — birth, death, divorce, arrest records, etc — especially at the interview, is to ensure they have the proper security features and have not been altered.  It’s become way too easy to create high quality fake documentation.

[mam521 2,111]

46 minutes ago, jan22 said:

A major reason for requiring paper versions of some of the required documentation — birth, death, divorce, arrest records, etc — especially at the interview, is to ensure they have the proper security features and have not been altered.  It’s become way too easy to create high quality fake documentation.

I could buy that if you had to send the originals with the applications.  Typically, you don't.  You bring them to the interview for verification.  

[Loren Y 2,756]

Don't worry, when you get to the N-400 for citizenship, it is all done online with uploading pdf's and everything. I have to say the N-400 was the easiest part of the whole journey, maybe that's why they save it for last, because by the time you get to that point, you need it to be easy.

[Loren Y 2,756]

2 hours ago, nastra30 said:

Apparently, there was a 5-year plan from 2021 to make all forms electronic, and we all know how that's working out. All their IT budget will be from fees.

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/SIGNED-Section-4103-FY2021-Report-9-7-21.pdf

5 year plan means actually 15 in " Government Time" LOL.

[JeanneAdil 6,581]

Some countries have a different size paper Morocco is one of them so just surprised they allow Moroc to do I 130 online

 

Also strange is this statement  "USCIS will not accept a stamped or typewritten name in place of any signature on this petition."

from  https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-129finstr.pdf

 

wonder why it can't be filled out typing on computer,  printed out and signed and mailed in

 

and some embassies allow copies of documents while others say -originals-

i just wish all embassies followed same rules and guidelines

 

 

[MalloryCat 211]

it can 100% be filled out on the computer, printed, and mailed in.

but the actual signature of the person filing the petition has to be hand written. it can't be typed with like a cursive font to pass off as handwritten is what that statement from USCIS is saying

Edited May 21 by MalloryCat

[Bob in Boston 753]

As a 28 year Vet of our great nations Armed Forces I will inform you of our nations slogan. "If it makes sense dont do it, keep them guessing." Dont let it bother you, it is what it is.