i129f additional documents question (ongoing relationship, wedding plans, travel plans)

[ENL288 0]

I'm in the final stages for compiling our package to send off and now I'm down to all of my oddball questions that I haven't found specific instances asking about.

 

1. For our ongoing relationship proof, I have some call logs of our FaceTime calls, and I can pick through our texts if it's helpful. I also have post cards and letters but the dates aren't legible on them because they were stamped over the stamps in faded ink. Is that an issue? Is this enough to include and are the texts needed? We also have 15 photos we're including spanning our 4 trips together.

2. For proof of travel, I have my passport stamps from my visit. However, the US hasn't stamped her passport the last 3 visits she's been here. We have her I-94 because we started working on this while she was visiting and therefore some documents are dated during her time here and we included her info on the i129f. We also have boarding passes but they're digital. Right now, I've put the digital (expired) boarding passes on a word doc with text stating when they're from underneath. I'm not sure if that's good enough or what more I can do given we don't have paper ones (except one from my return flight that I included copied on the sheet with my passport stamps).

3. For proof we will get married within 90 days -- we have a full wedding planned a year from now, crossing our fingers that we have enough time and won't have to withdraw our petition and start a new one with the CR-1. We originally planned to file the CR-1 so that's why we've booked everything but since the K-1's have sped up in approval, we decided we had nothing to lose to be together sooner. We have vendors booked, venue, and officiant. Do I include these correspondence with the i129f to prove we intend to get married? We both signed letters of intent based on the template on VJ (very simple, just a couple lines) and I have the receipts for her ring, but I have more I can include. I'm just not sure if there's a benefit or if this could somehow hurt us for having so much planned when we don't know exactly when she'll be approved.

 

This is all so stressful and I want to do everything possible to minimize all chances for an RFE, so I'm trying to cover my bases in advance. Thank you!

Edited September 15 by ENL288

[smilingstone 167]

1. Texts and photos are fine as secondary evidence. Include the letters as it won't do any harm. 

 

2. POE passport stamps can be inconsistent. Just include flight itineraries, boarding passes, I-94 and any receipts of accommodation. 

 

3. You don't need to evidence getting married within 90 days. You need statements of intent signed by both petitioner and beneficiary which state you intend to marry within 90 days of beneficiary's arrival. But if you have plans and things booked, include them. 

Edited September 15 by smilingstone

[smilingstone 167]

BTW, you shouldn't include any original versions of documents. You should be scanning any originals and inserting the images into a Word doc. 

[Crazy Cat 41,806]

3 hours ago, smilingstone said:

2. POE passport stamps can be inconsistent. Just include flight itineraries, boarding passes, I-94 and any receipts of accommodation. 

Passport stamps and boarding passes are the best, imo.  Itineraries indicate plans, not what travel was actually done. 

[Boiler 45,442]

And you are interviewing in Frankfurt..

 

You have done way more than I did.

 

 

[smilingstone 167]

5 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

Passport stamps and boarding passes are the best, imo. 

 

Oh yeah, if you have them sure, but for me I didn't include any passport stamp because (for some reason) I didn't even think my passport was being stamped!

 

After filing, I checked and I had one for my most recent trip, but not the one before, so it seems a little hit and miss. My I-94 had way more detail than my passport.

[ENL288 0]

6 hours ago, smilingstone said:

BTW, you shouldn't include any original versions of documents. You should be scanning any originals and inserting the images into a Word doc. 

Definitely! I didn’t scan everything into a Word doc but I did make copies of everything while I have the originals. 

[ENL288 0]

9 hours ago, smilingstone said:

1. Texts and photos are fine as secondary evidence. Include the letters as it won't do any harm. 

 

2. POE passport stamps can be inconsistent. Just include flight itineraries, boarding passes, I-94 and any receipts of accommodation. 

 

3. You don't need to evidence getting married within 90 days. You need statements of intent signed by both petitioner and beneficiary which state you intend to marry within 90 days of beneficiary's arrival. But if you have plans and things booked, include them. 

So, essentially, there’s nothing that can really hurt me to include? We have our statements of intent signed and dated, but I can include our venue contracts and our confirmation with our officiant. 
 

I just wanted to double check our digital boarding passes wouldn’t be an issue since you can’t see the date on them so we’ll have to explain the dates elsewhere on the document. But we have matching accommodation receipts so I’d think it won’t be an issue.

[Crazy Cat 41,806]

13 minutes ago, smilingstone said:

 

Oh yeah, if you have them sure, but for me I didn't include any passport stamp because (for some reason) I didn't even think my passport was being stamped!

 

After filing, I checked and I had one for my most recent trip, but not the one before, so it seems a little hit and miss. My I-94 had way more detail than my passport.

Not everyone meets inside the US before filing.  

Edited September 15 by Crazy Cat

[smilingstone 167]

6 minutes ago, ENL288 said:

So, essentially, there’s nothing that can really hurt me to include? We have our statements of intent signed and dated, but I can include our venue contracts and our confirmation with our officiant. 
 

I just wanted to double check our digital boarding passes wouldn’t be an issue since you can’t see the date on them so we’ll have to explain the dates elsewhere on the document. But we have matching accommodation receipts so I’d think it won’t be an issue.

 

I don't foresee anything you've mentioned hurting your case. The more you have, the better. But for reference, as secondary evidence we included a selection of texts and 1 image together. We were approved in early August.

 

My only concern would be that you have made a solid commitment to a wedding venue and with timeframes going up and down, you may find yourself in a situation where you're due to marry but before the visa is received. This is just me, but I would advise being as flexible as possible on things like that.

[ENL288 0]

1 minute ago, smilingstone said:

 

I don't foresee anything you've mentioned hurting your case. The more you have, the better. But for reference, as secondary evidence we included a selection of texts and 1 image together. We were approved in early August.

 

My only concern would be that you have made a solid commitment to a wedding venue and with timeframes going up and down, you may find yourself in a situation where you're due to marry but before the visa is received. This is just me, but I would advise being as flexible as possible on things like that.

That’s definitely something we have in the back of our minds also about our commitments. Unfortunately we made many of these prior to deciding to file the K-1 so now we are just working with what we have.

[ENL288 0]

8 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Not everyone meets inside the US before filing.  

We have met both inside the U.S. and in her home country. Germany stamped my passport, the U.S. has not stamped hers once but we’ll include all of the digital boarding passes and what we have without them I suppose. 

[Crazy Cat 41,806]

15 minutes ago, ENL288 said:

the U.S. has not stamped hers once

The US has stopped stamping passports for most visitors.  However, passport stamps (when available) are still one of the best pieces of evidence that you were both together in the same country.  Tied with boarding passes , it's good evidence....along with some of the other evidence suggested by @smilingstone.  I think most couples who file an I-129f have never met inside the US, so passport stamps make sense for them.

[smilingstone 167]

1 hour ago, ENL288 said:

That’s definitely something we have in the back of our minds also about our commitments. Unfortunately we made many of these prior to deciding to file the K-1 so now we are just working with what we have.

 

Well I genuinely hope the timing of everything works out for you both!  

[Nous Eb 124]

3 hours ago, ENL288 said:

So, essentially, there’s nothing that can really hurt me to include? We have our statements of intent signed and dated, but I can include our venue contracts and our confirmation with our officiant. 
 

I just wanted to double check our digital boarding passes wouldn’t be an issue since you can’t see the date on them so we’ll have to explain the dates elsewhere on the document. But we have matching accommodation receipts so I’d think it won’t be an issue.

 

No, any type of evidence that shows you have a real relationship is safe to bring. At the embassy they will go through it and pick out that which they need and give you the rest back. I had a 3 inch thick package with me because I rather take too much than too little. The lady just smiled and said I was a bit 'overprepared'. The more you bring and show them, even if they don't keep it all, the more you will convince the officer of your relationship before any questions are even asked. I had so much evidence that the only questions I was asked were "Where do you guys plan to get married" and "What type of business does your fiancé have (as we put in self employed) and asked what my plans were as soon as I could work. So take everything you see is evidence of your relationship. I do have to say that my evidence was that my now husband and I lived in The Netherlands for over 9 years so I realize that is different. But doesn't change the fact that you should bring it all. The only thing I decided not to bring was text messages as I think that is too personal and the rest of the evidence was strong enough.