In Person Meeting requirement

[loughrey101 13]

Not neccessarily, different adjudicating officers at CSC as well as other service centers do things differently. Just because it worked for you does not mean it will for someone else. Advice members according to VJ guidelines.

Keep in mind that in some countries frontloading is a must and much more has to be send because it is the only evidence a CO will ever see

at the embassy phase and evidence brought to the interview may be refused and not looked at. Don't over simplify, one size does not fit all.

Again, I'm not really advising, since he already sent in the evidence, I'm simply reassuring him not to worry because I filed with the same center and I had no problems. Stating personal experience with USCIS are facts that can be used to understand how USCIS sometimes work at a pragmatic level and so is very relevant. You're right, high risk countries may be stricter than Visa Waiver countries like Ireland but he still shouldn't worry if he has sent in a boarding pass, and photos. The boarding pass is solid evidence of meeting in person at a stated date since you can't get a boarding pass unless you were physically in the local airport (assuming it's not the print out ones).

[Bugs 455]

Well, there it is. Though it is not written in the VJ Guildlines.... A New Organizer.

Anyone can get a Passport Stamped in a particular Country but that does prove you went to see her./ Writing on the back of a picture a date you guessed. Not Solid Proof of the 2 year Requirement.

OP: You mentioned your going to visit again. This time: Get everything.

No insult meant to the above reply, I just Don't consider it Good Advice for other Members or Anyone.

Your advice won't work either, as going to visit again won't do anything because the evidence must come from any visits that took place prior to filing.

[TBoneTX 45,291]

I wasn't advising him, since he has already sent in his petition and the said evidence. I was simply reassuring him not to worry about what he did send in because I sent the same in and I was approved without a problem, so the California centre aren't super strict on following things word for word.

This is among the worst advice ever posted on VJ.

1. If the above poster's petition got approved with such thin evidence, it was purely luck, or sloppiness on the part of the adjudicator. Primary evidence of having met within the 2 years before filing the petition includes boarding passes, passport stamps, etc. Photographs are secondary evidence at best. This is very well known and is beyond debate.

2. In no way can the above poster's situation be generalized to "the California centre aren't [sic] super strict on following things word for word." No way at all.

3. Poster, again: PLEASE avoid giving advice that could be misconstrued, and offering opinions as fact, when belief in either one could very realistically get people into deep or time-consuming trouble if they followed it. People who haven't yet filed a petition are reading this thread.

Original Poster: Wait for an RFE, if any. Do not (do NOT!) attempt to send anything extra at this time, because the chances approach zero that it would be matched up with your petition. Anything that you wish to send should wait for an RFE. This includes information that satisfies the RFE plus any extra "front-loading"-type material that you might want the consulate to see.

Edited July 13, 2013 by TBoneTX

[Cathi 5,748]

Again, I'm not really advising, since he already sent in the evidence, I'm simply reassuring him not to worry because I filed with the same center and I had no problems. Stating personal experience with USCIS are facts that can be used to understand how USCIS sometimes work at a pragmatic level and so is very relevant. You're right, high risk countries may be stricter than Visa Waiver countries like Ireland but he still shouldn't worry if he has sent in a boarding pass, and photos. The boarding pass is solid evidence of meeting in person at a stated date since you can't get a boarding pass unless you were physically in the local airport (assuming it's not the print out ones).

you are telling the OP and other members of this forum, who may just be beginning their journeys they will be fine with little to no evidence just because it was sent to California. *eyeroll* This is the worst "reassurance" I have yet to see. Please don't advise or reassure, as you call it, when it simply isn't true. If you squeaked by with an approval with scant evidence like this, you were merely VERY lucky. With advise like this you could potentially cost people valuable time, rfe's and potential denials.

This is among the worst advice ever posted on VJ.

1. If the above poster's petition got approved with such thin evidence, it was purely luck, or sloppiness on the part of the adjudicator. Primary evidence of having met within the 2 years before filing the petition includes boarding passes, passport stamps, etc. Photographs are secondary evidence at best. This is very well known and is beyond debate.

2. In no way can the above poster's situation be generalized to "the California centre aren't [sic] super strict on following things word for word." No way at all.

3. Poster, again: PLEASE avoid giving advice that could be misconstrued, and offering opinions as fact, when belief in either one could very realistically get people into deep or time-consuming trouble if they followed it. People who haven't yet filed a petition are reading this thread.

Original Poster: Wait for an RFE, if any. Do not (do NOT!) attempt to send anything extra at this time, because the chances approach zero that it would be matched up with your petition. Anything that you wish to send should wait for an RFE. This includes information that satisfies the RFE plus any extra "front-loading"-type material that you might want the consulate to see.

As Always, TBone is spot on. To the OP, This is exactly what you should do.

[tinman 33]

Geeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....................................just because it "worked for You".......doesn't qualify "it" as a guideline! Please....this is not amature hour. Don't give "advice" that you know nothing about just because "it worked for You"!..... Visajourney has proven, guidelines which should be adhered to, to get the best result. Being a 5 month rookie and giving advice to someone is not really your place. Some bimbo may have just passed "your" application through, but that does not qualify "you" to give an example for others to follow!

People need to use their heads............if you came to Visajourney looking for advice, then at least do "some" homework and read the guidelines.

It's ok to ask questions.....but at least try first to comprehend what you need to do first...there is plenty of "proven" wisdom here. There is also plenty of those who tell you false assumptions of what "WORKED FOR THEM"!. God bless You that you were lucky, but I seriously doubt it had anything to do with getting that stage of approval...............Geeeeeezzz...give me a break! DONT GIVE ADVICE THAT IS NOT PROVEN.....it could ruin someone else's dreams........let others of experience handle this part.

[TBoneTX 45,291]

Geeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....................................just because it "worked for You".......doesn't qualify "it" as a guideline! Please....this is not amature hour. Don't give "advice" that you know nothing about just because "it worked for You"!..... Visajourney has proven, guidelines which should be adhered to, to get the best result. Being a 5 month rookie and giving advice to someone is not really your place. Some bimbo may have just passed "your" application through, but that does not qualify "you" to give an example for others to follow!

People need to use their heads............if you came to Visajourney looking for advice, then at least do "some" homework and read the guidelines.

It's ok to ask questions.....but at least try first to comprehend what you need to do first...there is plenty of "proven" wisdom here. There is also plenty of those who tell you false assumptions of what "WORKED FOR THEM"!. God bless You that you were lucky, but I seriously doubt it had anything to do with getting that stage of approval...............Geeeeeezzz...give me a break! DONT GIVE ADVICE THAT IS NOT PROVEN.....it could ruin someone else's dreams........let others of experience handle this part.

Completely correct, and thank you, si man.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Yes, and please do tell all the people that do not provide a letter of intent that they will be just fine without it because such-and-such service center is obviously not strict about that requirement because so-and-so did not send one and did not get an RFE, so no one else would. WRONG! People have gotten by without certain required supporting documents but others are not as lucky and they most certainly do get an RFE for the very same thing that someone else did not. I have seen this quite a few times with the letter of intent I used as an example. One person did not need it, and the next person gets an RFE for it. The OP might get approved with what they sent, and they also might get an RFE.

No such thing as one of the service centers being more lax about what is required for an approval. It worked for you, so yippee. If it didn't work for the next person, then I guess the center just got more strict all of the sudden? Silliness.

Obviously the adjudicator was okay with your evidence and approved your petition. That doesn't mean if you had gotten a different adjudicator it would have turned out the same. It also does not mean it will be the same for someone else with a petition at the same service center, or any other. It is not that simple.

[QueenOfBlades 224]

You'll likely get an RFE. We sent photos, boarding passes, passport scans w/ entry stamps, flight itineraries, signed letters from both our parents confirming he stayed with me for 4 months, everything bar the kitchen sink really. Which I'm very glad we did, as we were transferred to TSC who don't normally handle I-129Fs, and some have said they've sent out more RFEs than usual. You just never know with this process, and you should always cover all your bases and send off as much as is recommended, not the minimum.

[aws&ndd 103]

I would fully expect an RFE in your case. You did not send any concrete PRIMARY evidence of having met in the last 2 years. Photos and airline tickets are not primary evidence. Airline tickets merely show that you bought and paid for a ticket...not that you actually flew. The actual boarding passes show that you were on that plane and went to see your fiance. Don't do anything now, just wait for the RFE.

[NY_BX 397]

Hello All,

My i-129F petition for my Fiancee is pending. I am April 2013 Filer. As proof of in-person meeting in last two years, I send couple of photographs (with date and place of meeting on back of photo) and airline ticket to travel to her place. Is it sufficient or will I be getting RFE for further proof? I just want to be pro active and get other proofs if need be. Please share your experience. Thanking you in advance.

There's nothing proactive about this. Proactive would've been sending primary proof: passport stamps (if applicable), copies of boarding passess for planes and/or trains. bank transactions showing the city and country, receipts of consuption in the place you met with your beneficiary (restaurants, stores, etc.)

Airline tickets or receipt are not proof. You can buy a ticket and never use it. Boarding passes and passport stamps are irrefutable proof you were in the place (city and country). Then you couple that with SECONDARY evidence, which are the pictures.

All of this is clear in the guidelines. You may get an RFE and I'd start preparing for that.

[pro_star 52]

Well, RFE's are not the end of the world.

Also, how "strict" your case is adjudicated can depend on a whole lot of factors, where the beneficiary is coming from (higher fraud countries will get looked at a bit harder, I'm sure), what kind of mood your adjudicator is in that specific day, and so on. Doesn't have much to do cvc vs vsc.

I'll second the wait until RFE. With how much paper that goes through those offices, it's quite plausible for stuff sent after the fact and not directed properly to go missing. Who knows, maybe you won't need it, maybe you will, and if you do they'll tell you what you need.

Best of luck!

[UK-USA-K1 128]

This is among the worst advice ever posted on VJ.

1. If the above poster's petition got approved with such thin evidence, it was purely luck, or sloppiness on the part of the adjudicator. Primary evidence of having met within the 2 years before filing the petition includes boarding passes, passport stamps, etc. Photographs are secondary evidence at best. This is very well known and is beyond debate.

2. In no way can the above poster's situation be generalized to "the California centre aren't [sic] super strict on following things word for word." No way at all.

3. Poster, again: PLEASE avoid giving advice that could be misconstrued, and offering opinions as fact, when belief in either one could very realistically get people into deep or time-consuming trouble if they followed it. People who haven't yet filed a petition are reading this thread.

Original Poster: Wait for an RFE, if any. Do not (do NOT!) attempt to send anything extra at this time, because the chances approach zero that it would be matched up with your petition. Anything that you wish to send should wait for an RFE. This includes information that satisfies the RFE plus any extra "front-loading"-type material that you might want the consulate to see.

You do realize, and I've seen it done on these boards multiple times, that people type "airline ticket" meaning boarding pass? Not to say that is what either of these people did, but that is a possibility here. If what they sent was a copy of their boarding pass they are definitely within guidelines, if it was just a copy of the ticket, they may well get an RFE and should be prepared, but just because you SHOULD get an RFE doesn't always mean you will.

I sent in a scanned copy of the beneficiary G-325a form before I realized it had to be the original and readied myself for an RFE on this, but they let that go by. Different adjudicators adjudicate differently.

My advice to the OP would be to go ahead and prepare as much evidence (boarding passes, Passport Stamps and such) from the 2 year period previous to your filing as you can. If they send an RFE you wlll be ready for a quick reply and if they don't send an RFE you will still have the information if they ask at the consulate. You can't have too much back up, because you never know from country to country and person to person, what will be asked of you.

Best of Luck

[amy12 1]

Hello, I am an April 2013 filer also, and I send in photos of me and my boyfriend meeting in person, copie of my passport, and airline ticket copy, and I am waiting for my noa2,,,, good luck

Edited July 13, 2013 by amy12

[loughrey101 13]

This is among the worst advice ever posted on VJ.

1. If the above poster's petition got approved with such thin evidence, it was purely luck, or sloppiness on the part of the adjudicator. Primary evidence of having met within the 2 years before filing the petition includes boarding passes, passport stamps, etc. Photographs are secondary evidence at best. This is very well known and is beyond debate.

2. In no way can the above poster's situation be generalized to "the California centre aren't [sic] super strict on following things word for word." No way at all.

3. Poster, again: PLEASE avoid giving advice that could be misconstrued, and offering opinions as fact, when belief in either one could very realistically get people into deep or time-consuming trouble if they followed it. People who haven't yet filed a petition are reading this thread.

Original Poster: Wait for an RFE, if any. Do not (do NOT!) attempt to send anything extra at this time, because the chances approach zero that it would be matched up with your petition. Anything that you wish to send should wait for an RFE. This includes information that satisfies the RFE plus any extra "front-loading"-type material that you might want the consulate to see.

Playing the amateur attorney again I see! I stated my personal experiences with USCIS and the original poster can take from it what he wishes. I'm pretty sure he will have no problem being approved. He has already filed so let us wait and see!

[hnubno 9]

some people have gotten an RFE for sending just that as proof and some others passed without getting RFE. if you do get one you should send a copy of either her's or yours copy of passport (al pages) showing that you've been in her country or she in yours.