Copy or Original documents

[ibocan 1]

Hey Guys next week i am planing to send K1 documents. i have a questions.

there are 2 documents, g-325a and statement of intent to marry must be orriginal or can i use copy of them? she is out of country and she is planing to scan them send it to me. do you think i can use copy of them?

Thank you

[B&Z 201]

G-325A and Letter of Intent must be ORIGINAL. Copies will not be accepted.

[duckhunter1 18]

G-325A is accepted as a copy from overseas. Original from the U.S. petitioner. That's the way I did it and it worked just fine. In fact, I never submitted any original documents coming from my fiancé, all copies of everything on email.

[emerald24 6]

Hi,

We just sent k1 documents. Your fiancee should send you the original g-325 and intent to marry letter with her signature and date.

Addition to that she have to send also her current 2x2 picture with her full name, date, and signature at the back.

I did the same to my fiancee in california.

Hope that info helps you. Thanks.

[ibocan 1]

So far 2 people told me they used all copies

2 said it has to be original let see :/

[duckhunter1 18]

Originals from the U.S. petitioner, copies from the overseas beneficiary via email. I've done this twice and both K-1s were approved. First relationship didn't work out. They, USCIS, do not expect originals mailed from overseas. They would have to go through customs, take a lot of time, the beneficiary will have to travel to the FEDEX office which would cost money plus money to mail. Much hassle.

[ibocan 1]

Originals from the U.S. petitioner, copies from the overseas beneficiary via email. I've done this twice and both K-1s were approved. First relationship didn't work out. They, USCIS, do not expect originals mailed from overseas. They would have to go through customs, take a lot of time, the beneficiary will have to travel to the FEDEX office which would cost money plus money to mail. Much hassle.

Thank you it is a good news.

[Ischnura 285]

I'd have thought they' require live signatures. Mail doesn't always take forever to get from one country from another and there's a track and trace service with pretty much any postal service I imagine. Doesn't have to be FEDEX, but they do deliver to your door.

[arken 4,197]

Found the followign on https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Laws/Memoranda/Static_Files_Memoranda/Archives%201998-2008/2005/i129f_g325a_110105.pdf

"A properly executed Form G-325A is required for all I-129F petitions. Previously it was standard practice to issue an RFE when the beneficiary failed to sign the G-325A and/or failed to submit photographs. From the date of this memorandum, an RFE should not be issued in instances where the beneficiary failed to sign the G-325A and/or failed to include photographs provided that the beneficiary is residing abroad. The beneficiary will be required to sign the Form G-325A and/or submit photographs at the time of visa issuance abroad. It is also not necessary to RFE for the petitioner’s signature on the G-325A, if the petitioner failed to sign it. The signature of the petitioner on the Form I-129F should be deemed sufficient for purposes of adjudicating the petition. Finally, it is important to note that the petitioner’s photograph is still required for the adjudication of the I-129F, so if it is missing, it must be requested prior to adjudication".

So i guess even though they are not supposed to send the RFE in that matter, it's up to the reviewing officer if he/she is aware of this memorandum.

[ibocan 1]

Found the followign on https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Laws/Memoranda/Static_Files_Memoranda/Archives%201998-2008/2005/i129f_g325a_110105.pdf

"A properly executed Form G-325A is required for all I-129F petitions. Previously it was standard practice to issue an RFE when the beneficiary failed to sign the G-325A and/or failed to submit photographs. From the date of this memorandum, an RFE should not be issued in instances where the beneficiary failed to sign the G-325A and/or failed to include photographs provided that the beneficiary is residing abroad. The beneficiary will be required to sign the Form G-325A and/or submit photographs at the time of visa issuance abroad. It is also not necessary to RFE for the petitioner’s signature on the G-325A, if the petitioner failed to sign it. The signature of the petitioner on the Form I-129F should be deemed sufficient for purposes of adjudicating the petition. Finally, it is important to note that the petitioner’s photograph is still required for the adjudication of the I-129F, so if it is missing, it must be requested prior to adjudication".

So i guess even though they are not supposed to send the RFE in that matter, it's up to the reviewing officer if he/she is aware of this memorandum.

But is is about missing photograph or signature. my package wont have any documents missing signature or passport picture. it will have copy of it. So i believe it wont be problem.

Thank you for the info

[usmsbow 801]

I almost always used copies, never had a problem.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

There is nothing in the I-129F petition instructions that ask for an original signature on the statements of intent. This is something that has been discussed many times. I have not seen RFEs for original signatures on the letters of intent for quite some time now. They used to be handed out fairly frequently, but a few years ago, when the new edition of the I-129F came out, the instructions changed a bit. They removed the wording asking for 'original statements'. All of this was just discussed once again in this thread from a few months ago > http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/575780-letter-of-intent-to-marry-rfe/

Here is a thread about it from 2 years ago> http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/491361-original-signatures-for-letter-of-intent-and-g-325a/page-2#entry6949811

The person that went through the RFE thread and organized it even stated there had not been RFEs for original signatures. >

http://www.visajourn...-2#entry7900406

I can confirm that recent RFE's from the master list were for not including a letter of intent at all. None of the recent RFE's were for not having original signatures. People who recently responded on the master list I typed up sent Wet signatures to be safe, but I can confirm that no RECENT RFE's have been for non original signature.

As for the G-325A, since in the past people have even typed "beneficiary will sign at interview" and have been accepted, I believe scanned versions of signatures for this form will be ok too. I see many people state they sent scanned copied of letter of intent and G-325A and had no RFE. Of course if you want to be completely safe, you can have the foreign fiance(e) sign both and mail them to you through a courier service, along with the US size passport photo.

Edited May 20, 2016 by KayDeeCee

[Rc123rc 528]

Even though not required, copies are fine, and it cost more by my fiancee to send me original signed documents via EMS (4 days and $14.00 from Japan), for peace of mind, I submitted originals in the package and kept 3 copies. I also went as far as to have two versions of the G-325A. One signed with Japanese Signature and the other signed with American Signature.

[Kat&Jon 85]

As the person that KayDeeCee is referrencing if it helps make you all feel better, I can confirm that recent RFE's have all been for packets that have been sent without the form or letter itself. There are no recent RFE for not having a "wet" signature on the document.

If someone did get an RFE for a missing G-325A or forgetting a letter of intent to marry they did usually opt to send a "wet" signature after their initial mistake to ensure it was approved after the original error. I saw this question coming up a lot lately in a couple of different threads so I went back through the list and my longer file with the full descriptions and, as far as what has been reported, an RFE for not having a "wet" signature has not been seen for just under 2 years.

Hope this helps, but also keep in mind that not all RFE's that have been sent, have been fully reported in the thread for me to update. Lately there are not as many RFE's going out which I hope is due to the thread, but I do not work for USCIS so I can't confirm 100%.

[Hank_ 9,174]

G-325A is accepted as a copy from overseas. Original from the U.S. petitioner. That's the way I did it and it worked just fine. In fact, I never submitted any original documents coming from my fiancé, all copies of everything on email.

Not true. YOU dodged an RFE ... that is what you did. G-325A does require original signature

Page 6, Item 8 https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-129finstr.pdf

Edited May 20, 2016 by Hank_