Bulky I-751 Application

[OldUser 6,704]

@Blessyme do you have a table of contents showing what all you're sending? Just curious to see how you got to this thick file.

[Blessyme 0]

4 hours ago, OldUser said:

There's nothing wrong with sending 2 years of banking statements. In fact, I-751 instructions ask for as much evidence as possible. This is relevant quality evidence. Hopefully, OP is not sending local bus schedules. In fact, somebody got RFE the other day for this exact reason - not providing enough bank statements.

 

To OP: why not just send it as a stack of paper in a box? It should work, if laid nicely. This would allow USCIS staff to scan this into the system quickly.

Yes the reason why its so thick is because i send in all every month's bank statements as i've read in other posts here from 2 banks which is almost half of the packet, quarterly statements from 2 utility bills and credit cards, 2 years lease agreement.  

[Blessyme 0]

1 hour ago, top_secret said:

USCIS has posted updated advice for paper submissions and a lengthy list of things NOT to do.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/recommendations-for-paper-filings-to-avoid-scanning-delays

This is were i got confused because even binder clips are not preferred anymore. Although it says here that if you are sending it in a USCIS Service Center but we are sending to a Lockbox. Does that mean we can still use binder clips and punch holes since we're sending to a lockbox and not a service center? Although i know that they will still forward it to a service center after they received it. 
 

Because if no more binder clips and fasteners the bulky packet might got loose along the way if i send it just like that. Or maybe just use a rubber band. 

[Crazy Cat 41,886]

7 minutes ago, Blessyme said:

This is were i got confused because even binder clips are not preferred anymore. Although it says here that if you are sending it in a USCIS Service Center but we are sending to a Lockbox. Does that mean we can still use binder clips and punch holes since we're sending to a lockbox and not a service center? Although i know that they will still forward it to a service center after they received it. 
 

Because if no more binder clips and fasteners the bulky packet might got loose along the way if i send it just like that. Or maybe just use a rubber band. 

Then use a thick rubber band.  Problem solved

[Blessyme 0]

5 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Then use a thick rubber band.  Problem solved

I will try that, im just not sure if that will be enough for my bulky packet. 

[top_secret 2,421]

19 minutes ago, Blessyme said:

This is were i got confused because even binder clips are not preferred anymore. Although it says here that if you are sending it in a USCIS Service Center but we are sending to a Lockbox. Does that mean we can still use binder clips and punch holes since we're sending to a lockbox and not a service center? Although i know that they will still forward it to a service center after they received it. 
 

Because if no more binder clips and fasteners the bulky packet might got loose along the way if i send it just like that. Or maybe just use a rubber band. 

 

 

With almost 100% certainty, virtually ALL I-751's filed after Q1 2023 are scanned, receive IOE numbers and are processed electronically.  So the USCIS advice for simplifying scanning definitely applies to I-751's.

[Blessyme 0]

3 minutes ago, top_secret said:

 

 

With almost 100% certainty, virtually ALL I-751's filed after Q1 2023 are scanned, receive IOE numbers and are processed electronically.  So the USCIS advice for simplifying scanning definitely applies to I-751's.

Got it, that means no more clips and fasteners etc. Just would like to make sure that my bulky packet would not get loose before it arrives to the lockbox. 

[Blessyme 0]

One more question, because in preparing my packet i've read most of the ideas here and i think those that i've seen and about to do has changed already that's why im surprised. Does that mean no more sticky tabs and dividers too? And just send the packet as it is..

[Treasure1 243]

@Blessyme just curious, do you mind sharing a table of content of what you’re sending? 800 pages is kinda scary for me as my packet is nothing closer to that, i send mine in two weeks as well. Please what stuffs do you intend sending as evidence?

[Crazy Cat 41,886]

34 minutes ago, Blessyme said:

I will try that, im just not sure if that will be enough for my bulky packet. 

I would use two thick rubber bands.

[top_secret 2,421]

1 minute ago, Blessyme said:

One more question, because in preparing my packet i've read most of the ideas here and i think those that i've seen and about to do has changed already that's why im surprised. Does that mean no more sticky tabs and dividers too? And just send the packet as it is..

 

I feel there is a significant change of mindset for what is best dealing with electronic processing.  Tabs and dividers are probably incredibly helpful for USCIS to find what they are looking for with giant stacks of paper in a file on someone's desk.  But they aren't much help at all where they have multi-page scanned .tif files on a computer monitor to work with.  Probably the table of contents and description of the evidence in the cover letter would be most helpful for easy reviewing.

 

I would also be in the camp of those who recommended reducing the number of pages too.  Maybe quarterly bank statements rather than every last one? The risk of submitting to much sheer quantity is that no one will sit there and actually go through all 700 pages in giant .tif files one by one.  They would probably chose some random points, look at a page here and there, and formulate their opinion based on what they saw.  It would be better if your other quality evidence was highly likely to be what they looked at too rather than being overwhelmed in a sea of repetitive bank statements. 

[OldUser 6,704]

24 minutes ago, top_secret said:

 

I feel there is a significant change of mindset for what is best dealing with electronic processing.  Tabs and dividers are probably incredibly helpful for USCIS to find what they are looking for with giant stacks of paper in a file on someone's desk.  But they aren't much help at all where they have multi-page scanned .tif files on a computer monitor to work with.  Probably the table of contents and description of the evidence in the cover letter would be most helpful for easy reviewing.

 

I would also be in the camp of those who recommended reducing the number of pages too.  Maybe quarterly bank statements rather than every last one? The risk of submitting to much sheer quantity is that no one will sit there and actually go through all 700 pages in giant .tif files one by one.  They would probably chose some random points, look at a page here and there, and formulate their opinion based on what they saw.  It would be better if your other quality evidence was highly likely to be what they looked at too rather than being overwhelmed in a sea of repetitive bank statements. 

Unless there is suspicion of fraud, no adjudicator is going to go through every file in evidence.

 

During my AOS interview, this exactly happened. I brough a lot of evidence and adjudicator picked some sample statements etc.

 

I do not see much benefit for reducing the packet. The instruction asks for as much documentation as possible from date of marriage until current time. OP is providing as much as they can. I thought everybody was on board on interpreting USCIS questions and instructions literally. I'd give all relevant evidence and let adjudicator decide what's important VS trying to guess what they want. Gaps in bank statements reporting = opportunity for RFE. It's silly, but USCIS can play a fool requesting evidence under this premise if they have other reasons to slow down the adjudication. By leaving no gap, they can't use this excuse anymore.  Also, many lawyers mention phychological effect by presenting hefty stack of evidence. Many advice to flood USCIS with good evidence which will most likely result in approval without further questions.

[Boiler 45,525]

I was interviewed back when it was common, and  yes I took everything and yes he asked for a couple of things, how long would it take to go through 750 pages?

[Scandi 4,166]

7 hours ago, Blessyme said:

Yes the reason why its so thick is because i send in all every month's bank statements as i've read in other posts here from 2 banks which is almost half of the packet, quarterly statements from 2 utility bills and credit cards, 2 years lease agreement.  

Same, I sent every single bank statement from both our regular checking account and our savings accounts. Also statements from our money markets and joint credit cards etc. The financial statements were probably more than half of the entire pile. I was not going to leave anything out, I sent absolutely everything - there is NO penalty in doing so, so don't let other deter you. The only thing I didn't make a big deal of sending was photos and other more secondary stuff, I just sent a few of each. It was the evidence of co-mingling of finances and co-habitation that was very heavy in my i-751 filing.

My package was almost 3" thick as well. I have seen others with A LOT larger packages than mine, I'd say mine was average (YES I'm still talking about a pile of documents, no other packages!! 😂). 

[SalishSea 17,836]

We only sent quarterly bank statements and quarterly joint bills.   It was a slim but comprehensive packet.  Approved without interview or RFE, 18 months at Nebraska.  This was average processing time for that center then.