biggish data

so the medical exam doesnt include the doctor checking your oral health? (not trying to be annoying here, but i work in the medical field and a complete physical should include oral health as well) Thats great if it doesnt apply here though.......guess my fiance was confused....

They don't do a "complete physical". They're looking specifically for something that would make the applicant inadmissible to the United States for medical grounds. That means communicable diseases that are a public health risk, mental illness that makes the applicant a danger to themselves and/or others, or drug or alcohol abuse. Other than coughing up TB infected sputum, there's not much that could be going on in someone's mouth that would make them a public health risk in the US.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-02-28 11:49:00

PLEASE HELP

That is the PROBLEM! When you don't have the official information, and keep spreading it.

The state GOVT website has the most UP-TO-DATE information! that EVERYONE should relate back to, to make sure ONLY ACCURATE information is given.

like I said before the information that IS country dependent is stated on that website.

BTW. About I-134.. if you read the instructions: Tax returns are one of the listed documents. (Like i said before, the I-134 itself is optional in some countries)

EVEN THOUGH i got the information from general K-1 information website, it states when the information is country dependent or not.

FOR EXAMPLE:

Proof of Financial Support and Affidavit of Support Forms
During the visa interview, applicants will be required to present evidence to the Consular Officer that they will not become a public charge in the U.S. You may present evidence that you are able to financially support yourself or that your U.S. citizen fiancé(e) is able to provide support. The Consular Officer may request that a Form I-134, Affidavit of Support be submitted by the U.S. citizen fiancé(e).

The U.S. citizen fiancé(e) will need to submit Form I-864 to USCIS with the application for adjustment of status to that of legal permanent resident following the marriage.

My suggestion to the OP: check your embassy/consulate website for most up-to-date and accurate information.

Actually, if you read the I-134 instructions it says tax returns are only required if you're self-employed. Yet, most consulates require a tax return from everyone, whether they're self-employed or not. The packet 3 instructions my wife got at the consulate in HCMC were very explicit:

The original form I-134 must be accompanied by records of the petitioner’s income for the most recent tax year. The preferred record of income is the Complete Income Tax Return Transcript from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (formerly IRS Form 1722). However, W-2s and a certified copy of a complete federal tax return (Form 1040), including all pertinent schedules, might be acceptable in some cases.

Now, why would the consulate's instructions differ from the instructions that come with the form? Could it be that the form was originally designed by USCIS/INS (hence the "I" prefix), while the consulate is Department of State? :whistle:

Consulates aren't bound by the form instructions. They use the I-134 because it's a convenient way to collect the financial information they want from the sponsor. In reality, the I-134 is little more than a cover letter for that financial evidence.

Also, most consulates do not explicitly say what the minimum income requirement is for a K1 sponsor. Why? Because there IS no minimum requirement! The law doesn't establish a minimum threshold for K visas. Even the Foreign Affairs Manual doesn't provide any guidance to consular officers. It just says they can't require an I-864 because a K1 is a non-immigrant visa, and that an I-134 might be useful, and that they aren't supposed to give it the same weight as an I-864 because it's not legally binding on the sponsor.

There is a long list of VJ members who have been denied after having met the 100% threshold, as indicated on the Department of State website, but they were under the 125% threshold. There is more than sufficient evidence from individual cases on this site alone that consulates apply their own standards, and that those standards usually closely mirror the I-864 standards.

There also the matter of plain common sense. Why would a consulate approve a visa for a beneficiary whose sponsor will not be able to submit a sufficient affidavit of support for adjustment of status? Why send the beneficiary to the US knowing that they'll be stranded and unable to get a green card?

The law gives consular officers discretion over many of the factors they are supposed to consider, including the "public charge" determination. Each consulate has it's own general policies that provide guidance to their consular officers. You won't find those policies published on "official" government websites, nor is there any reason you should expect it. Those policies are often part of their arsenal in combating fraud. However, you can gain a great deal of insight into how consular officers at a particular consulate use their discretion by reading the experiences of others. This is why sites like VJ exist.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-02-25 00:35:00

PLEASE HELP

Thank you all for your replies thus far. Although I am finding I have even further questions.

I am unclear if we will be considered 3 or 5 being that I only claim one on my taxes. If it is 3 we will be fine if not we will need a co-sponsor because I am just below the 125% threshold.

We were unsure of the guidelines before and did not factor that in to our original I-129F packet. Should that have been submitted then or do we only need it when we submit the I134 form ? Will we need an I-134 form from the co-sponsor as well as mine?

What if any legal obligations does a co-sponsor have?

Will this affect our application as of now or will we need to have it for package 3?

Will we get an RFE over this since we did not include this in our original I-129F packet?

Anyone you claim as a dependent on your tax return is considered part of your household, whether or not they're your child or even related to you. They generally consider ALL of your children part of your household, regardless of whether or not you claim them as dependents. This is because you have a legal obligation to support them unless you've relinquished or lost your parental rights. Unless there's something you haven't told us, it sounds like your household size will be five - yourself, three children, and your fiancee.

The I-134 is the affidavit of support used by consulates for K visas. If you submit a joint sponsor then your joint sponsor will also need to submit an I-134. The required supporting evidence for nearly all consulates is a copy of the most recent tax return, or an IRS transcript of that tax return. This applies to the primary sponsor (you) as well as any joint sponsor you submit. A joint sponsor will also need to provide proof of their status as either a US citizen or permanent resident.

They usually consider your income to be the "total income" line on your tax return, which is line 22 on a 1040 form. You can claim a different amount on the I-134 if you can provide proof that your current income is different from the amount shown on your tax return.

A sponsor, whether it's you or a joint sponsor, is considered based on their own household size PLUS the intending immigrant. This means you'll be considered based on your household size plus your fiancee, and your joint sponsor will be considered based on THEIR household size plus your fiancee.

The I-134 and supporting documents are usually submitted at the consulate interview. USCIS doesn't require them with the petition.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-02-24 02:06:00

Why do COs think or suspect you are married?

Many people prefer the K1 over the CR1 because it's usually a bit faster, the up-front costs are lower (i.e., the fees before the visa is issued), and the sort of evidence needed to prove the bonafides of the relationship are different (e.g., having physically spent a few weeks together might be more believable for an engaged couple than a married couple). When you do a side-by-side comparison, the K1 has some advantages over the CR1 that are very appealing to some people.

Many people want to marry before coming to the US because they want their families involved in the wedding, and bringing their families to the US for a wedding is never going to happen.

Some people will try to game the system so that they can have their cake and eat it too. How much suspicion the CO will have depends in part on how often this happens in that particular country. My understanding is that this is or was a significant problem in India, so the CO's there look closely for it.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-01 11:29:00

US Citizen with arrest warrant

You can bet her legal problems got worse by fleeing prosecution. She may have even been convicted in absentia already depending on how long ago this was.

Your best bet would be for her to return to the US and face the music before making any rash decisions.

Courts in the US do not convict people in absentia. It's a violation of the 5th, 6th, and 14th amendments. The accused has a right to be present at their own trial. Rare exceptions are made if the trial has already commenced and the accused either voluntarily chooses to be absent or is removed from the court for cause, or if the charge is a misdemeanor and the accused has waived their right to be present in writing.

I only had to show the airlines proof of identification as being the person named on the ticket.

That's only for domestic travel. Everyone traveling internationally is now required to have a passport. US citizens will have a difficult time getting back into the US without one.

When someone checks in to board an international flight out of or into the United States the airline is required to clear the passenger through a number of databases before issuing a boarding pass. This includes the Terrorist Screening Center's "No Fly" and "Selectee" lists, federal and state Attorney General's lists of suspended passports (e.g., tax and child support absconders), and federal, state, and local police "wanted" lists.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-01 11:48:00

photo album

hi Everyone. this is my first time to post a topic here.

I'm just wondering if I can bring a photo album in the interview and not only pictures of me and my fiance?
thank you very much.

Probably not. Most consulates conduct interviews at a window that resembles a bank tellers window, with a little slot at the bottom you pass documents through. Hard binders will usually not pass through this slot. In addition, they may choose to keep any evidence you submit, and your photo album won't fit into their file folder. Just put your photos in a bag or pouch. If they ask for photos then remove them from the pouch and pass them through the slot to the CO.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-02-27 10:45:00

Unequivocal proof of having met in the last 2 yrs

Got your passport with visa and/or entry stamp? That and a few receipts are usually enough to prove you went there. Boarding passes are good if they have your name on them. Some people have said they didn't seem to accept boarding passes if the date didn't include the year. Some photos together are usually enough to prove you and your fiancee were together at some point during the trip.

I had "unequivocal proof", but I planned ahead to get that proof. :whistle:

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-02 01:02:00

birth certificate or passport from fiance?

I agree with Hank. The only thing a lawyer is going to do is give you a questionnaire to fill out asking for all of the information they'll need to prepare the forms, and then hand your questionnaire to a secretary or paralegal to transcribe your information to the forms. If you don't carefully proofread the forms before they send them then there's a very good chance the forms will contain mistakes. They won't notice if they get your birthday or address wrong, but if you were filling out the forms it would stick out to you like a sore thumb. I've also heard of lawyers asking for ridiculous documents that aren't required, and NOT asking for essential supporting evidence that IS required.

Before you start stuffing all of those affidavits into your petition package, why don't you spend some time in the MENA forum and see what other people have frontloaded with their petitions and have been successful. When it comes to credible evidence, sworn affidavits from family members tend to go at the bottom of the list. USCIS doesn't need those affidavits to approve your petition, so they're not even going to look at them. A consular officer would have no problem believing that your family would happily lie on your behalf.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-02 01:12:00

Scarys?

oh some where i read it was 60% approval.. hmm

thanks everyone for your 2bits. congrats and good luck to you all in your processes so far!

Everyone who has answered you so far about how reasonably easy it is, or how high the approval rate is, is either from or has a fiancee in a first world country. If your fiancee is from a third world country then the approval rate goes down dramatically.

So, what country are we talking about here?

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-02 01:17:00

Married is married. If you marry in South Korea then she's not eligible for a K1 visa. If the consular officer even suspects you've already married then the visa will be denied. If USCIS finds out you married before she came to the US then they'll deny adjustment of status based on the K1 petition. In fact, if this is discovered at any point when dealing with US immigration in the next few years then it will cause problems. It's a can of worms. Don't open it.

Entering the US using the VWP or most other non-immigrant entry passes comes with the condition that you do not intend to become an immigrant before leaving the US. Entering with the preconceived intent to immigrate is illegal. I know some lawyers will recommend you do this because it's possible, and many people get away with it, but that doesn't make it legal, and it also increases the odds the green card application will be denied. Even worse, someone who uses the VWP waives their rights to appeal any decision by an immigration officer. If her adjustment of status were denied then she'd have no option other than to leave the US, potentially with a ban for misrepresentation.

K3 visas are still occasionally issued. The K3 requires the filing of two petitions - an I-130 and an I-129F. If both petitions are approved and sent to the National Visa Center at the same time (and they usually are) then NVC will administratively close the I-129F, and forward only the I-130 to the US consulate. This means that the beneficiary would be applying for an IR1/CR1 visa, regardless if their desire was originally for a K3. The K3 is effectively obsolete.

Get married in Korea. Have a great time. When you return to the US then file an I-130 so your wife can get a CR1 visa.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-01 11:04:00

Help....pleeeease

I put "I intend to support my fiance, Anastasia Zagoskina, by providing a home for her, and anything else she may need as my wife."

Someone please advise if this is incorrect?

If I have to change this to "N/A ( K1 visa process for permanent residence )", then I'll have to fill out and send a new original copy.

There's anecdotal evidence that a few consulates are picky about what you write in this box, but I think it's a safe bet that most of them don't care. The I-134 isn't legally binding (in spite of what it says on the form itself), and consulates are well aware of this. The chapter on "public charge" in the Foreign Affairs Manual emphasizes this point. Most consulates view the I-134 as little more than a cover letter for the financial evidence they want you to submit.

I would be stunned if the consulate rejected your I-134 because of what you wrote in section 11. I think you'll be fine.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-03 21:05:00

passport picture size question..

My wife's photos were taken in Vietnam at a local photo shop. They were 1.5" x 2.5" on a pale blue background - not at all according to US passport standards. They were accepted by USCIS.

My photos were taken at a UPS store. They used an ancient Polaroid double-lens camera specifically made for taking passport photos. The UPS store employee cut them out by hand with a pair of scissors. They were accepted by USCIS.

You're not applying for a passport here. USCIS just wants a photo they can scan into their computer system for the electronic file, and something the adjudicator can use as a reference when looking at your photo evidence.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-03 21:35:00

Good verses Bad Immigration Attorneys

Thanks Inky and Darnell for the info and names.

I appreciate it very much.

I don't know if I could handle dealing with a Government bureaucrat and all the bullsh*t and cr*p that I expect they would toss into my face every week or so. I would probably lose it. So I would rather delegate that to an attorney.

Take care,

notmuch88tosay

It's going to be the exact opposite. You will receive infrequent contact from them, by mail (or email) only. When I filed my I-129F petition I received only two pieces of correspondence from USCIS - the initial receipt notice and the final approval notice. I got another notice when NVC received the petition. I never heard from the US government again until we sent the green card application. I exchanged a few emails with the consulate, and my wife received two "packets" from them, both of which can be downloaded from their website.

Beyond the above, any contact you have with government bureaucrats is going to be contact you initiate. They rarely contact you unless they need something from you, or the status of your case has changed. Typically, months will go by without you hearing anything from them.

If you're hoping that hiring an attorney is going to allow you to be relatively uninvolved and lower your stress level, better think again. There isn't a single bit of information that attorney is going to be able to write on any of those forms without getting that information from you first. The chances of an attorney making a mistake on one of those forms and not noticing it is comparatively large. I suggest you insist on reviewing any forms or documents the lawyer prepares before he submits them. Relatively minor mistakes can result in failure. Because you have to submit information to the attorney, and then confirm they got the information right when filling out the forms, you can expect it to take longer than it would have if you had done it yourself.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2011-01-19 13:31:00

RFE .. freaking out

ok thanks very much . i do have a lot of tickets like 10 and pictures so i hope that will be good for them i also photo copy of the stamp on the passport.

That sounds good. Make sure you also include a copy of the passport bio page - the page with your picture and other biographic information. In fact, it wouldn't hurt if you sent a copy of every page of the passport, including the covers. This will help convince them that the page with the stamps came from the same passport as the bio page. Unlike some foreign passports, US passports don't have the passport number on every page. There have been some cases where petitioners tried to use copies of pages from someone elses passport.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-03 21:41:00

RFE .. freaking out

they did ask about the letters that we send from each other but what i have is emails so that why im sending them

They ask about letters sent to each other where you specifically talk about meeting each other on a specific date in a specific place. Frankly, that sort of evidence is pretty much useless unless you have both primary and secondary evidence to back it up. Even then, it's evidence that's easily manufactured. They might give letters such as that a little credence if you could prove they were sent before the petition was submitted (post mark dates). You can't prove anything with an email.

I'm not saying you'll be rejected if you include the emails. I'm saying it won't make any difference one way or the other. They won't be swayed to approve based on some emails that make a reference to meeting at a particular date and time, so there's not really much point in including them. Focus on the primary and secondary evidence.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-03 21:29:00

RFE .. freaking out

yes i do have all that .. the emails are the one that im not sure if i have to traslate ( they are so many ) i guess i will call them .
about the passport stamps - Cuba does not stamp passports so all i have is the fligth ticket that are like 10 ( i went to all the agency and ask for copy hard time) i photocpy the stamp that they put here just in case.
i also add the phone records
I HOPE THIS TIME EVERYTHING IS FINE
THANKS VERY

Forget the emails and phone records. They're not asking for you to prove you have a relationship. They're asking for you to prove that you've physically met each other, face-to-face, sometime in the past two years. People who are in the same place together do not send emails to each other, and do not call each other on the phone. Unless you're trying to frontload your petition with relationship evidence for the consulate, stick to what they're asking for in the RFE.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-03 21:11:00

Can i use her drivers licence

she sd she misplaced her birth certificate all along she thought she had it. there's nothing i can do about that. i have done some researched and this problem is considered solved. i will say make sure you have full knowledge when responding to a question.

Could you explain how this is considered "solved"? Most consulates will require proof of a joint sponsor's status (US citizen or permanent resident) and evidence of domicile. If you've found a way to get around the proof of status then please share it with everyone else.

JimVaPhuong

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-04 13:12:00

Package 3 sent for k1 visa, Affidavit of support?

I'm a little rusty here, but for the interview, provided a co-sponsor is acceptable at this particular embassy, a form I-134 for both your petitioner and co-sponsor will be needed. Tax transcripts for both people should also be brought along as well. I always wanted to play it safe so I brought everything, bank statements for 6 months, paystubs for 6 months and this would be for both petitioner and co sponsor. Hope this helps. Best of luck.

I+H

Female

United Arab Emirates

2012-02-26 17:57:00

Oh God, now I am so worried. Our letters of intend are also typed dated and plus the date on my fiance's letter of intend is over 30 days old since it took longer to send and to receive it. I didn't include my fiance's passport. Oh my God, I don't know what to do now. I am so worried guys. Someone please tell me if I am screwed.

Don't worry, you'll be fine. I didn't send some things and now I can send them. I have gone over the packet and their request and think I know why the info is being requested. I did not send receipts of plane trips...only boarding passes, passes only have month, day but not year. I sent pages of my passport stamps but perhaps they were too hard to see. I will send again using color copies. My fiance is a citizen of Haiti, resides in DR. His passport will prove to them that we were in the country at the same time and the photos that have handwritten dates, persons, places, etc. can then be used as secondary evidence(I hope). Really not sure about Letters of Intent, but this time will send signatures with written dates.

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-12 04:53:00

We also got an RFE requesting copies of all pages of both petitioner's and beneficiary's passports. At the time I was really pissed off that this wasn't included in their list of documents to be submitted with the I-129f in the first place...

I know, right? It was never mentioned, so it really surprised me. The RFE requested only the bio page and stamps(which I sent) from mine, but it requested ALL pages of my fiance's passport w/translation. Did they ever explain why you needed the passports? Did you have to have your beneficiary's passport translated? And if so, did you have all pages with text translated or just the bio and intro pages?

Edited by mad1nola, 11 February 2012 - 12:38 PM.

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-11 12:36:00

Thanks, everybody! All of you advice was helpful. My fiance is sending the another letter of intent and copies of his passport express today, should receive by Mon or Tues. :thumbs:

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-11 12:22:00

Did you BOTH sign a letter of intent? It has to be 2 separate letters one signed and date by you, the other signed and dated by your fiance.

Just double checking because you haven't referred to the Letter of Intent as being plural.

Yes, we both had signed copies...he sent his to me UPS express in January. And they were definitely in the packet! I am not so much bothered by that as I am them wanting his passport. The only thing that I can surmise is that because he is a Haitian citizen and a legal resident of Dominican Republic. They must want to see that he was physically in DR during my visits.

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-11 06:13:00

The form letters on here are perfectly fine. That is not the problem. Everybody uses those including me and I was approved. You made a mistake somewhere or the person reviewing your petittion made a mistake. We signed in black ink too (a mistake, you should use blue) but it went through just fine.

Everybody is new to this process and I have seen people claim they got denied or got an RFE for one reason or the other and it turns out to be something completely different. If you got an RFE, just take your time and return everything they are asking for but I can assure you the typed written letter like the one on VisaJourney has been used one thousand times and works just fine.

The Dominican Republic is a high fraud country and I think they really make sure you visit your fiancee a lot since it is so close to the US. I wish my fiancee was closer, I would visit her once every few months.

I understand what you're saying. I wasn't dissing the form letter, just questioning why I would need another. I didn't know I had to use blue ink. :bonk:

Now that I know we should have used blue ink for signature and date, no problem!

We knew we would have challenges due to the fact that it is a high fraud country. But since we are dealing in love, truth, faith and facts we will overcome this hurdle.

As far as visiting more often, I wish I could. What's a lot? I think 3 visits in one year should suffice because work/costs don't allow for more frequent visits.

I will take your advice and take my time and return everything as requested.

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-11 00:32:00

Stuffs like this make me really worried. It seems she has sent most of the stuff required in the first place.

Letter of intent, how original could it be?!? We also typed the date but signed with blue ink. Also wrote a few sentence just like the VJ template. I xxx intend to marry yyy as soon as he/she arrives to the USA on the K-1 visa.
Isn't that good enough?
I think they lost your documents, period.

It is not a requirement to send the beneficiary's passport all pages. Only if you have stamps in there that you want to use as evidence of having met.
It seems like the OP already sent the passport pages with stamps, that's primary evidence. So why do they ask for more evidences?!!?

Seriously, it seems like someone at USCIS service center is just trying to be pain in the a....

EDITED. just checked your timeline OP, did you request an expedition for your case?

No, I didn't request an expedition. Was shocked as heck to hear from them this quickly!

I think I get why they want his(beneficiary) passport. He is a Haitian citizen but a resident of DR. To them I have to prove that we were together in DR at the same time(in the last 2 years, of course) since his citizenship is in Haiti. I just assumed since I gave them his DR address on the petition that would be enough.

Anyway, will send what they ask for ASAP! and start the waiting all over again

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-10 23:55:00

Hi guys,

Today I got RFE for three items(2 of which I already sent them):

-Letters of Intent to marry(I used the form letter from the vj guide). The only thing that they could have a problem with is that the date is typed vs. written underneath signatures.

-Requirement that we met: boarding passes(sent,but don't have year on them, just month and day), film-dated photographs of us together(sent photos but aren't film-dated photographs and can't get them), passport with stamps(sent), don't have anything else

-Copies of beneficiary's paassport, all pages(with or without stamps) including identification page.

Except for my fiance's passport, I sent all of this in original packet and yet they are asking for it again!!!!!!!!!!!!

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-10 22:25:00

Hi Guys,

Think I may have found answer. Did a google search and found this from several attorneys(yeah, I know how most feel about them) but there is an exception for document translations:

1. For any documents that are not in English, you must provide an English translation.

EXCEPTION: You do not need to translate your passport if the passport is written predominately in a language other than English.

But I will send the translated bio/Identification page just in case.

Thanks for your help.

Edited by mad1nola, 17 February 2012 - 07:20 AM.

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-17 07:15:00

And yes, Passports are printed in Native language AND English!

Well, I hate to burst your bubble but ALL passports aren't printed in Native language AND English! Haitian passport is written in Creole and French...absolutely no English. I have the documents in hand and there isn't any. If it had English I wouldn't be here trying to get help!!!!

But thanks for trying...

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-16 19:32:00

Yea - I also have never heard of a passport translation request. That's strange .... what did the RFE say?

Hi,

The passport is in re: Requirement petitioner and beneficiary have met in person.

They didn't ask for passport translation, but at the top of RFE it indicates that all foreign language documents MUST be translated. The passport is in Haitian Kreole and French. Some of the Stamps are in Spanish.

I just got off phone with customer service rep and basically she read the RFE canned answer. I asked to speak with someone who was more familiar with the process. But no doing.

No way in the world can we afford to have the all those pages translated from Kreole, French, and with stamps(French and Spanish) included.

Just my luck...they started on our petition right away...now, don't know what to do! Will have to get an infopass because I DO NOT want another RFE or God forbid a denial!

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-16 19:25:00

Aren't most passports in english and the official language of the country issuing the passport? I know Chinese passports are.

What did the RFE say exactly?

Hi,

The English language is NOWHERE on the passport!!!

Word for word the RFE states: "Please submit copies of the beneficiary's (his name) passport, all pages(with or without stamps) including identification page."

I believe it is being used as evidence that we have met in person. He is a Haitian citizen who is a legal resident of Dominican Republic. The passport is to prove that he was in DR when we met as I stated in Question 18 on I-129F.

It is a Haitian passport in french/haitian creole. Some stamps are in spanish and some in french.

But at the top of RFE it states "All foreign documents must be submitted with complete word-for-word English translations. The translator must certify that the translation is complete and accurate, and that he or she is competent to translate. Do not submit the English translation without the foreign language document."

So I'm lost as to whether they want just the the first page and identification pages translated or should stamps be translated as well since they are in spanish and french(not english).?????

Edited by mad1nola, 16 February 2012 - 04:36 PM.

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-16 16:33:00

Hi guys,

I have received papers from fiance that were requested but am wondering what do I get translated. I have copies of his passport but am not sure what needs to be translated. Do I have to have the first pages and last page with text on them plus the identification page? How about the stamps, do they have to be translated as well? really confused, need help, quick!!! :help:

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-16 15:54:00

Sending RFE reply

Personally I have never heard anyone doing that.

Thanks! Sending back as I have it...Got the stamps in my passport blown up 150%, in color, so they can see each and every one(one was so faint) this time!!! Also sending receipts, bank statements, and every shred of paper I got in DR during my visits. Only thing is I don't have boarding passes from trip in Jan or July 2010 but I do have passport stamps, receipts/itineraries for flights, credit card and bank statements with cash withdrawals in Bavaro, copies of all the pages of his Haitian passport(got bio/picture page translated), two more letters of intent to marry signed and dated. I sent 10 photos(not film-dated) with the original submission but will send a few more. I don't know what else they could possibly want to prove we met in person in the last 2 years.

Since they only want proof of one visit, I think my last two have all the required evidence needed this time.

So with fingers crossed and prayers to God, I am sending it, today!

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-21 15:36:00

Sending RFE reply

Hi Guys,

Took a weekend off of this visa journey...needed a break!!! I went back and forth over whether or not to have passport stamps translated. I think they are self explanatory. Has anyone sent in passport pages with stamps in another language without having them translated? This is the only thing that is getting me worried.

Edited by mad1nola, 21 February 2012 - 01:55 PM.

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-21 13:53:00

RFE

Thank you so much! Wow, you guys are adorable! I believe in your words regarding the website. As we got both text and update notice when our status changed to RFE, now worried that it didn't change after we replied though! But time wise, they should have receive it! So, what do you think now? They may update the website later? By the way when was your NOA1?

Thank you for your post & which you luck!

Here's my timeline:

01/23/2012-Express Mailed I-129F
01/24/2012-Received @ Dallas Lockbox
01/28/2012-Received E-mail/Text for NOA1
01/29/2012-Touched(file updated)
01/30/2012-Touched(file updated)
02/02/2012-Received NOA1 Hardcopy
02/08/2012-Received E-mail/Text RFE :bonk:

02/10/2012-Received Hardcopy of RFE
02/22/2012-Mailed RFE response B-)

02/24/2012-Touched(file updated), RFE Response Review :thumbs:

Edited by mad1nola, 29 February 2012 - 11:41 AM.

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-29 11:40:00

RFE

Dear All,

As we all know here is the only place that everyone understands you and your STRESSFUL situation as we are in the same boat! So, as my timeline shows, we replied what they asked in the RFE on Feb 25, but we never heard from them back, not even in the USCIS website!
What do you think? When are they going to inform us that they received AND more importantly how long does it take to be approved!
Our RFE was asking for more evidence that we met in person, hence we sent more pictures and our passport stamps and boarding passes.

Can't wait to read your positive comments on my post.

Hi,

You aren't kidding this is stressful and not too many understand what you're going through. Thank goodness for VJ and its members.

I received an RFE and sent the response on 02.22.2012 and received an email/text that my case was in RFE response review on 02.24.2012 and was updated on the USCIS website on same day. So it's not unreasonable to expect to hear something by now. My petition has been touched 3 or 4 times and each time showed up on website. Some posters say it doesn't matter because some have never been notified or updated on the site but still get NOA2.

So I guess it depends on who is working your case as to whether you get a response or not. I'm just hoping that I have fulfilled their requests and will hear something soon.

But like the poster before me said, start preparing for your fiance's move here. There is lots to do to keep you otherwise occupied...lol

Good luck with your journey!

Edited by mad1nola, 29 February 2012 - 10:56 AM.

mad1nola

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-02-29 10:55:00

RFE Question

Yes i was sent the same envelope with mine. They just give you that so you can send your RFE reply back in it. However, all of my papers wouldnt fit in that envelope, so on the advice of some other vjers, i sent my RFE reply in a much larger envelope and taped that to the front.

JamieandJamie

Female

New Zealand

2012-02-08 16:21:00

Unexpected NOA2 and flight ticket on hand

Wow congrats!! It took mine almost 6 months to get approved. you shouldnt feel bad about getting approved so fast, just be happy!!

No rhyme or reason for the processing times for the i129f lol

JamieandJamie

Female

New Zealand

2012-02-28 17:41:00

Yup I can see it now...........................

- sorry the devil made me do it!!

I knew someone would be mean about this.... some people just dont have access to the same dental care we in the US can get, which isnt really funny to me. but im glad you can make yourself laugh.

JamieandJamie

Female

New Zealand

2012-02-28 15:44:00

Ok thanks! appreciate the help

JamieandJamie

Female

New Zealand

2012-02-28 01:38:00

so the medical exam doesnt include the doctor checking your oral health? (not trying to be annoying here, but i work in the medical field and a complete physical should include oral health as well) Thats great if it doesnt apply here though.......guess my fiance was confused....

Edited by JamieandJamie, 28 February 2012 - 01:37 AM.

JamieandJamie

Female

New Zealand

2012-02-28 01:34:00