Does anyone know for sure whether or not we can "black out" personal information in the emails, chat logs, etc. we provide for proof of fiance relationship for the actual interview at the Embassy in Lagos? I have heard both yes and no today and I want to make sure I am doing the right thing. I am just printing out all of our emails, chat logs, etc. and I have over 4000 sheets of paper here to sift through! Does anyone know if it is overkill to print out every single piece of communication? I don't want to have my fiance submit like 10 notebooks of proof if we really don't need to. I also would hate to black stuff out and then get "in trouble" for doing so. If anyone has any experience or information regarding the above I would greatly appreciate hearing from you. I mean it has almost been a year and we communicate every single day so that is a lot of proof. We also are trying to send letters to each other but because of the mail system we rarely get each others mail - will that hurt us or do you think they will take the mail system into consideration? I can't wait for all of this to be over and have my man home with me.
Full Version: Providing proof of fiance relationship
there was a vj member last year ( nitaebase) who blacked out stuff and her SO got a hard time for that. they had to come back the following week with the same documents without the blacked out parts. They were also going through lagos. The officer found it suspicious. I say let it be. don't put it in if you feel like you need to black it out. luckily that couple had another chance at second interview and they were granted the visa.
Firstly, and you may consider this to be a disclaimer of sorts, my timeline depicts a pending interview.
Next i would simply pick e-mails, spanning over the time you have corresponded with your S.O, that are free of very personal details. It is my belief (again yet to be proven) that having 300e-mails does not win the day. I believe a combination of different modes of established communication between the couple would suffice. Personally i have combined proof of phone conversations, e-mails, cards with US postage, handwritten letters (even though some have no US stamps) as my own particular way of proving a relationship.
I believe they will suffice. Time will tell. Afterall it is not all couples that can interact by e-mails....so are they all going to be denied because they did not show 100s of e-mails? I think not! E-mail is simply one form of communication.
I guess my hypothesis on this will be put to the test shortly.
I`d end by asking you to consider more seriously the advise of the tested VJ members who have been through the process successfully. Me? Just a fella with strong opinions who do not regard C.Os as demi-gods who must read my most private conversations with my fiancee. Since a lot of my e-mails do have really intimate details, i chose to keep those away even though it diminishes the number of e-mails...
Next i would simply pick e-mails, spanning over the time you have corresponded with your S.O, that are free of very personal details. It is my belief (again yet to be proven) that having 300e-mails does not win the day. I believe a combination of different modes of established communication between the couple would suffice. Personally i have combined proof of phone conversations, e-mails, cards with US postage, handwritten letters (even though some have no US stamps) as my own particular way of proving a relationship.
I believe they will suffice. Time will tell. Afterall it is not all couples that can interact by e-mails....so are they all going to be denied because they did not show 100s of e-mails? I think not! E-mail is simply one form of communication.
I guess my hypothesis on this will be put to the test shortly.
I`d end by asking you to consider more seriously the advise of the tested VJ members who have been through the process successfully. Me? Just a fella with strong opinions who do not regard C.Os as demi-gods who must read my most private conversations with my fiancee. Since a lot of my e-mails do have really intimate details, i chose to keep those away even though it diminishes the number of e-mails...
I agree with masterpiece...and I too am untested...one alternative I did was to print the the folder that I store our emails in. It show a date time stamp for all emails. I then selected about 60 emails. As far as chats I made sure each has a date time stamp (F2 on Yahoo messenger) and then printed only the first page before it gets...umm too personal. Good luck...
I don't think anyone is going to sift through 4000 sheets of anything! That's overkill if you ask me. In my opinion a VARIETY of proof of a relationship is what's best.
Yes, emails (I think I printed about 60-70 over a period of 10 months).
I also included 15 pics of us together with the dates on the back
I sent him greeting cards via postal mail
He sent me via post family pics, letters & cards which I photocopied along with the envelope he sent them in. I sent him the copies so he'd have evidence of his sending things to me too.
I provided my phone bills for 10 months on my cell and home.
I also printed my other friends and family emails to him
There were some friends that sent him greeting cards wishing him well for the interview.
Even my coworkers (who are probably really tired of hearing about David) plan to send him interviews wishing him well before his interview.
So really, I think it's a combination of things that will help.
Yes, emails (I think I printed about 60-70 over a period of 10 months).
I also included 15 pics of us together with the dates on the back
I sent him greeting cards via postal mail
He sent me via post family pics, letters & cards which I photocopied along with the envelope he sent them in. I sent him the copies so he'd have evidence of his sending things to me too.
I provided my phone bills for 10 months on my cell and home.
I also printed my other friends and family emails to him
There were some friends that sent him greeting cards wishing him well for the interview.
Even my coworkers (who are probably really tired of hearing about David) plan to send him interviews wishing him well before his interview.
So really, I think it's a combination of things that will help.
unfortunately, a lot of our lagos folks who have been through the interviews no longer frequent the site as often to give you advice, so i am speaking based on what they have reported in the past and also based on the fact that i have been through the interview process myself. 4,000 e-mails is quite a lot so you could reduce that however, from past experiences, when they see how much you have they usually are pretty convinced and don't bother to look through all. Another problem that nitaebase ( vj member) ran into was that they only had 27 pics which the CO didn't feel was enough and she had to contact family members to gather more pics. When we went for our K-3, we had most of our e-mails which were about 200s, pics in the 100s, text messages, etc our evidence was so much that when the CO saw it, she said i don't need to look through all, you've proven your relationship, they also found it quite amusing and called other COs to look at it. You never really know what CO you are going to get so don't underprepare. you want to stand out and be organized, they love that. Some COs want to see phone records regardless of the other forms that you have, these are not phone cards ( these are bills/records that show both your numbers). This is a list that I've collected from others used to show a variety so it may give you some ideas of a variety of ways to show proof
Phone records, text message log, chat logs, correspondence between couple and family, western union transfers( some COs don't accept this), e-mails, pics ( lots), insurance ( if applicable), letters/packages, proof of travel( copy of stamp in passport, boardpass copy, copy of tickets).
Most of the time, they won't look through everything, they just want to know that you have them, but they will read a couple e-mails and look at the pictures
Phone records, text message log, chat logs, correspondence between couple and family, western union transfers( some COs don't accept this), e-mails, pics ( lots), insurance ( if applicable), letters/packages, proof of travel( copy of stamp in passport, boardpass copy, copy of tickets).
Most of the time, they won't look through everything, they just want to know that you have them, but they will read a couple e-mails and look at the pictures
QUOTE(S&S @ Oct 8 2006, 10:49 AM) 
unfortunately, a lot of our lagos folks who have been through the interviews no longer frequent the site as often to give you advice, so i am speaking based on what they have reported in the past and also based on the fact that i have been through the interview process myself. 4,000 e-mails is quite a lot so you could reduce that however, from past experiences, when they see how much you have they usually are pretty convinced and don't bother to look through all. Another problem that nitaebase ( vj member) ran into was that they only had 27 pics which the CO didn't feel was enough and she had to contact family members to gather more pics. When we went for our K-3, we had most of our e-mails which were about 200s, pics in the 100s, text messages, etc our evidence was so much that when the CO saw it, she said i don't need to look through all, you've proven your relationship, they also found it quite amusing and called other COs to look at it. You never really know what CO you are going to get so don't underprepare. you want to stand out and be organized, they love that. Some COs want to see phone records regardless of the other forms that you have, these are not phone cards ( these are bills/records that show both your numbers). This is a list that I've collected from others used to show a variety so it may give you some ideas of a variety of ways to show proof
Phone records, text message log, chat logs, correspondence between couple and family, western union transfers( some COs don't accept this), e-mails, pics ( lots), insurance ( if applicable), letters/packages, proof of travel( copy of stamp in passport, boardpass copy, copy of tickets).
Most of the time, they won't look through everything, they just want to know that you have them, but they will read a couple e-mails and look at the pictures
Thank you very much for the info. I have been working on preparing for my fiance's interview for months now and we haven't even received the interview date because I want to be very prepared. Thank you again.
At our interview they specifically asked for original letters in their original envelopes - both from me to him and from him to me. Granted, ours was in Ghana, but that's what they asked for.
I also wouldn't black anything out. If it is something that you don't want them to know, then don't inclulde it in the pile. With all their forms they know just about everything about you anyway. I would be suspicious if anything was blacked out.
I also wouldn't black anything out. If it is something that you don't want them to know, then don't inclulde it in the pile. With all their forms they know just about everything about you anyway. I would be suspicious if anything was blacked out.
Hello Friends, you dont need to go with thousands of e-mails and dont ever blackout anything if you dont want to go back to the consulate for the second time. during my interview, although the guy asked of my emails correspondence, but he did not look at it, all he went thru. was the posted mails. we'll the CO might asked how do you communicate, so you tell him thru emails and phone. During my case, i told him emails, mails, phones and he asked i should provide the evidence of the emails and i gave him the posted mails and while looking at it, he said, am still waiting for your emails and while bringing it out, he said , ok..i see you have enough evidence and that was it. i wish you all the best and gods favor.
All i will say is just be compose and organize and confident..with that you will overcome. I hope to talk with you and charles later.
All i will say is just be compose and organize and confident..with that you will overcome. I hope to talk with you and charles later.
QUOTE(gideon @ Oct 11 2006, 03:20 AM)
Hello Friends, you dont need to go with thousands of e-mails and dont ever blackout anything if you dont want to go back to the consulate for the second time. during my interview, although the guy asked of my emails correspondence, but he did not look at it, all he went thru. was the posted mails. we'll the CO might asked how do you communicate, so you tell him thru emails and phone. During my case, i told him emails, mails, phones and he asked i should provide the evidence of the emails and i gave him the posted mails and while looking at it, he said, am still waiting for your emails and while bringing it out, he said , ok..i see you have enough evidence and that was it. i wish you all the best and gods favor.
All i will say is just be compose and organize and confident..with that you will overcome. I hope to talk with you and charles later.
Hey there - thanks for the 411. Look forward to hookin' up with you and your wifey! I can't wait til this is all done and over with. Take care.
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