? Front loading I-129F, Philippines-Yes or Not Recommended?

[RK_and_Inday 10]

Greetings to All:

My fiancee and I have used info on VisaJourney site to see many past opinions of whether front loading I-129F is good idea or not. Those opinions for various countries/embassies brought up a question or two which we would like to ask experienced and current VisaJourney members:

(1) In your opinions and experiences is front-loading a good idea or not in context of Philippines/Manila embassy?

(2) If you do believe front loading is recommended, what items do you suggest to include (in addition to correspondences, phone bills, photos, and boarding passes which were often mentioned previously)?

We thank you for input on these questions while we are assembling material to include with I-129F.

RK and Inday

[Penny Lane 8,159]

From what I understand, the Philippines is a high fraud country, so front loading is a good idea. Hopefully some people who have been through it can give you some good advice as to what to provide. The things you listed are a good start. It seems that proving the relationship is legitimate seems to be where people get denied.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

While the Philippines is considered a High Fraud Country there really isn't much need for front loading of the petitions.

What you do need to do is make sure you have all of your official documents (NSO, NBI) done properly (include all previous names etc) and follow the requirements to the tee. As long as you do that and your relationship is real then you won't experience problems at the interview.

If you want specific things to look out for visit the PI regional forum.

[YuAndDan 153]

This is also an recommendation for China to.

Is best to expose anything the consulate may use for a reason to deny, up front with USCIS, the reasoning is if Immigrations see this and approves the petition, the consulate would be less likely to use it to deny.

[Mariye & Ky 172]

Hi and congrats on your engagement!

To Show the Relationship is Bonafide using both Primary and Secondary Evidence, I submitted the following:

Our primary evidence of Meeting in the past 2 years:

• Colour copy of my Visa (all 24 pages for proof of being USC), For evidence of meeting: Only the page with the Turkish Visa & date of entry/ departure
• Registration of US HOMELAND SECURITY TRAVEL RECEIPT with ID#. Included copy of my documentation submitted with full explantion of who and why I was going to Turkey with names & addresses of people I would stay with on my Registration. **Note** on the website, you can type these things out, but when you print the screen it does not show the explanation information. So I wrote it out again on an attached separate page, and signed & dated it to be true and correct.
• Travel Itinerary confirmation from Airlines ** (this is actually secondary because it only says I travelled there. But it supports the US Homeland Travel Registration)
• Boarding Pass for Airlines R/T **(this is actually secondary because it only says I travelled there. But it supports the US Homeland Travel Registration)
• Bus Passes with both our names and adjoining seat numbers (Means we sat next to each other = MET Each other).
• Hotel Receipt with both our name registration.
• Business card (front and back info of shop) of his cousin & a colour picture of both of us together with him in front of that address. Included on same page a signed statement we stayed at his house which is over his store.
• Engagement Rings Receipts with colour copy of picture of our rings and Jewler on same page. DATE of PURCHASE is same as our Engagement Date.
• Copy of our Engagement Picture wearing those rings after ceremony. Picture is Dated with both our names on back (petitioner= me and beneficiary= him)
• Pictures of our Engagement Ceremony with parents and his family in their home. *note* all pictures had date, petitioner & beneficiary name, and names of family members & relationship to him
• Pictures of us together, with several members of his family, and during our travels in Turkey. *see above note*

Our Secondary Evidence Copies of :

• Identification of Screen names with Web Cam pics( 2 each) using these chat identities in real time. I matched these with our 2x2 Passport photos on same colour copy. ** ( Please note our chat ID different from our legal names).
• Archive of Chat Dates for past year from our Server. ** See Above** I keep this updated and its a Print Screen of every month since we met** I just add this to my current documents for his interview.
• Love Letters with Envelopes US Postal Stamp and Turkish Republic Postal Stamp.
• Pictures we sent to each other in our letters.
• Phone Records
• Int'l Calling Card Receipts for Turkey (Incl: copy of my speed dialing list for his cell phone, his landline, and his family).
• Gift Receipts in Turkey
• Receipts from money exchanges in Turkey, restaurants, and gas receipts for car travel.
• Receipts Fed-Ex, Priority Mail from me to him at his home in Turkey.

That was a lot of documentation I know. However, neither he or I will be standing there when the USCIS or NVC is reviewing our file and all documentation should be "on its face and factual in black and white", so as to argue its proof on its own merit.

This post took me a long time lol, so I hope it might be helpful for you both!

Best to you,

Mari and Kadir.

PS: I am continuing to keep records of our relationship even after our application was submitted. (always keep your records of proof!)

[lee&jeniebee 23]

"Front loading" your I-129F seems like a bad idea to me, provide what they require and nothing more. Just think if you are the person to open and process the packet, looking for the required information but you have to keep together a bunch of "mumbo jumbo" as you look for what is required. Keep it simple, organized and as easy to get through as possible. Take this with a grain of salt, I am waiting for NOA#2 hahahahaha

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

This is also an recommendation for China to.

But there really is no need in the Philippines, any issues will be addressed at the interview. For example the pre-screener seemed to take issue with Anna having a child but no previous marriage. The CO mentioned getting Anna's CEMAR (Certificate of Marriage(s)) to address the concern, Anna had it on-hand and the issue was resolved.

To Show the Relationship is Bonafide using both Primary and Secondary Evidence, I submitted the following:

...

Our Secondary Evidence Copies of :

...

This post took me a long time lol, so I hope it might be helpful for you both!

PS: I am continuing to keep records of our relationship even after our application was submitted. (always keep your records of proof!)[/b]

Again, not needed for the Philippines for the I-129f Petition but that is a great list of items to bring to the interview in Manila. Also your recommendation to continue documenting the relationship between Petition & interview is spot-on for every consulate.

[Mariye & Ky 172]

"Front loading" your I-129F seems like a bad idea to me, provide what they require and nothing more. Just think if you are the person to open and process the packet, looking for the required information but you have to keep together a bunch of "mumbo jumbo" as you look for what is required. Keep it simple, organized and as easy to get through as possible. Take this with a grain of salt, I am waiting for NOA#2 hahahahaha

Aside from my cousins coming over last Nov. and not on I-129f. I am not familiar with Manila Consulate. I know they are known for scutinizing every case because of high level of fraud. Would it be better for the OP to bring more evidence at their interview then? I agree with the organization to make things easy for the CO to find required documents. However, Primary evidence and not be confused with secondary, is not "mumbo jumbo"... lol. In fact, the instructions on I-129f asks for such (proof you met the fiance in the past 2 yrs). Curious what did you send in?

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Aside from my cousins coming over last Nov. and not on I-129f. I am not familiar with Manila Consulate. I know they are known for scutinizing every case because of high level of fraud. Would it be better for the OP to bring more evidence at their interview then? I agree with the organization to make things easy for the CO to find required documents. However, Primary evidence and not be confused with secondary, is not "mumbo jumbo"... lol. In fact, the instructions on I-129f asks for such (proof you met the fiance in the past 2 yrs). Curious what did you send in?

For some consulates (HCMC Vietnam, GUZ China, for example) they like to deny on Red Flags such as timeline issues. The front loading is helpful because if a Red Flag is specifically addressed in the evidence of the I-129f and the petition was approved at USCIS it makes it harder for the Consulate to deny a Visa.

Manila isn't like that. For Manila the big two issues seem to be:

1) Financial Sponsorship, they don't really like Co-Sponsors. Note they are loosening up on that but generally are more lax on college students & recent grads.

2) Anything wrong with your NSO/NBI Documents. These include Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Certificate of No Marriage, Police Clearance. The reason for this is that such documents can easily be forged in the Philippines. If there are any signs of having received the document through a "fixxor" then the Visa is denied.

If the pre-screener or CO have any doubts they will be given a chance to address them at the interview so all Manila Beneficiaries should bring a heap load of evidence to their interview just in case but most are never asked for more than an item or two.

For all of the hype about Manila being a High Fraud Embassy it's a cake walk if you do it right.

[Mariye & Ky 172]

But there really is no need in the Philippines, any issues will be addressed at the interview. For example the pre-screener seemed to take issue with Anna having a child but no previous marriage. The CO mentioned getting Anna's CEMAR (Certificate of Marriage(s)) to address the concern, Anna had it on-hand and the issue was resolved.

Again, not needed for the Philippines for the I-129f Petition but that is a great list of items to bring to the interview in Manila. Also your recommendation to continue documenting the relationship between Petition & interview is spot-on for every consulate.

Bob, this question is off topic, but would you happen to know which Affidavit of Support I am suppose to file for I-129F? I thought it was I-864 so I drafted one out for practice of getting familiar with it. But I'm thinking that is for later at AOS and I fill out the I-134 (draft only) for the interview?

Thanks, Mari.

PS: Sorry, didn't mean to hijack this thread...

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Bob, this question is off topic, but would you happen to know which Affidavit of Support I am suppose to file for I-129F? I thought it was I-864 so I drafted one out for practice of getting familiar with it. But I'm thinking that is for later at AOS and I fill out the I-134 (draft only) for the interview?

Usually it's the I-134 for K-1 Visa but some consulates prefer the I-864. Your Consulate's website should tell you which one to use. If in doubt file them both out, they use the same evidence and are presented at the interview so you can just present the one requested with the evidence.

[RK_and_Inday 10]

To Coconuts and all who replied:

We thank you very much for the comments and suggestions which have been very helpful!

RK and Inday

[RK_and_Inday 10]

Mari/Kadir,

Inday and I thank you very, very much for the obvious time and consideration you have taken to reply to our inquiry. We appreciate you sharing the detail and attention you have paid to your own "visa journey." Your reply has given us a number of very good ideas for both the I-129F petition and, when it arrives, the interview. Again, thank you for sharing so much...it is truly appreciated.

RK and Inday

[RK_and_Inday 10]

While the Philippines is considered a High Fraud Country there really isn't much need for front loading of the petitions.

What you do need to do is make sure you have all of your official documents (NSO, NBI) done properly (include all previous names etc) and follow the requirements to the tee. As long as you do that and your relationship is real then you won't experience problems at the interview.

If you want specific things to look out for visit the PI regional forum.

Bob and Anna,

Thank you very much for your encouraging replies in this post and your subsequent responses this thread. It is nice and additionally encouraging to hear from those who have already--and successfully--been through the process, especially in regards to the Philippines. All you have written, especially importance to "follow requirements to the tee" is duly noted! We have indeed explored the PI regional forum a little bit but will make sure to continue availing ourselves of the additional information to be found there. Thank you!!!

RK and Inday

[Mariye & Ky 172]

Mari/Kadir,

Inday and I thank you very, very much for the obvious time and consideration you have taken to reply to our inquiry. We appreciate you sharing the detail and attention you have paid to your own "visa journey." Your reply has given us a number of very good ideas for both the I-129F petition and, when it arrives, the interview. Again, thank you for sharing so much...it is truly appreciated.

RK and Inday

You're very welcome and happy to help any way I can. Bob and Anna have a better understanding of Manila consulate so their experience and knowledge is really good!! *(Kadir will interview in Ankara, Turkey --- for us, front loading is best & much easier as he cannot prep much because he's on the USAF base Iraq and away from home).

Take your time with your VJ and like so many others say, be serious about it and I would add, "... but have fun putting together your packets!"

Mari