Hi folks,

I'm in the process of assembly everything to send to TSC. I have the following:

- Personal check in the amount of $170
- Cover letter
- I-129F
- I-129F supplement, question 18, describe how you met (1 full page, written, signed and dated by me... doesn't have my fiancee's signature)
- Letter of intent to marry (me, signed, dated)
- Letter of intent to marry (my fiancee, signed, dated)
- G-325A (me, 4 pages + 4 identical additional sheet completing my employment list in the past 5 years)
- One (1) passport photo of me.
- G-325A (fiancee, 4 pages, signed, dated)
- One (1) passport photo of my fiancee
- Copy of ALL pages of my passport

Proof of meeting:
- Copies of my boarding passes/tickets to VN last year. Email receipt that shows my booking of the trip.
- Copy of my VN tourist visa last year.
- A few random things from my trip to VN: lottery tickets, eyeglass prescription, money exchange receipts (generic receipts with no dates/location of stores)
- Some kind of stamp on my passport, ink blurred out, nothing legible, can't read date, not sure if it was entry/exit, US or VN? Hmm, was anybody on the same boat?
- Copies of her boarding passes VN-US
- Copies of my boarding passes to visit her 2 times in the US.
- Online printouts of credit card and bank transactions showing I spent money in her city while visiting her in the US.
- Hotel receipts at her city in the US, showing only my name.
- Car rental receipts at her city in the US.
- Baggage check barcode of her trip to visit me 1 time in the US (for some reason the airline kept her boarding pass).
- Copies of her boarding passes US back to VN.
- Copies of her I-94, showing legal entry to the US.
- Copies of her exit and re-entry stamps showing she departed VN and came back on such and such dates.
- Copy of the front page of her passport (debating, anyone care to advise?)
- Copy of her J1 visa showing it is not subject to 2-year home residence requirement (debating, anyone?)
- One or two photos from each of our meetings (haven't picked out which ones yet).

Proof of ongoing relationship:
- One email from each year: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
- One chat log from each year.
- Online receipts of my purchase of phone cards I used to call VN.
- Cell phone call details showing I made and received calls to/from the same number (her prepaid phone), several times a day, everyday for the entire period she was in the US. The cell phone doesn't bear my name, though (it's a family plan). Her cell phone doesn't bear any name, either.
- A few copies of envelopes of letters she sent me.

I read the guides. Just to confirm, are hole punching of documents really ACCEPTABLE? I plan to use ACCO fasteners and 2-hole punching on top, as suggested in the guides. Any first-hand experience?

Thank y'all. Things are really tough to organize. I'm sure after I send it in, I'm going to say "oh, I wish I would have included that." I'm trying my best, and I want to do it right. I'm extremely anxious, and will be for the next 8-10 months until she gets her visa.

I appreciate your help.

Best,
sealedkiss.

Looks like you are covered... I also two-hole punched.....

Hi sealedkiss,

It looks like to have everything you could think off. I would include a few more photos with dates if possible. I would also try to document the cell phone bill situation clearly.

I would also point out the dates that you were both in the same city in the U.S. and provide any proof of her stay there as well if possible. Does her ticket receipt show the city she flew into.

In looking back and taking into consideration that a visa decision is usually made before the interview, I would include more chat logs, emails, or letters to strengthen a genuine relationship. In other words, enough evidence for them to decide if you have a genuine relationship. At the interview, I think they just want to reconfirm their decision with additional proofs.

I did not hole punch. Instead, I use clear plastic pockets with pre-punched holes so I can just insert documents, boarding passes, receipts, small items, photos, etc... into them. It is really easy to organize and move them around without glue, tape, nor holes in documents. Just an idea to think about!

Tony

Maybe I'm missing it, but the most important piece of all- How about pictures of you two together?

Hi Dalegg,

I'm going to have pictures. The question is, just how much really is enough.

sealedkiss.

I see it down there at the bottom of the first paragraph now! I'm only on my first cup of coffee. Actually, one or two non-studio type pictures from each of your meetings is probably good enough for the I-129F submission- it doesn't hurt to send dozens if you have them (which is what I did). Remember you cannot send them too much evidence. During the interview stage you'll definitely want to flood them though.

Hi Tony,



The cell phone bill does have my address, it's just not in my name. Worthwhile to have it transferred into my name? In any event, past phone bills will never show my name.



Yes it does.



I agree. But it's really tough to decide how much is enough. I could have hundreds of email and chat logs, but I'm afraid I'll bore the adjudicator.



I know these plastic pockets you're talking about. I have a bunch at home. What does everyone else use?

Thanks,
sealedkiss.

Hi Sealedkiss,

I would transfer the bill into your name. You just need one proof to show that the phone number is yours. I think that would be sufficient.

At the time of sending my I-129F, I had the same question regarding how much evidence. So I sent in all of my 38 emails from the beginning which only covered about 1.5 months, and all chat logs for the same period which turned out to be quite a bit, 128 sheets of front and back in 7 point fonts. I know it was an overkill, but now I feel glad that I did knowing that they usually determine whether it is genuine or fraud ahead of time.

In my case, I would rather give them more than enough versus not enough and causes doubts. I think if anyone was to read 10% of my chat logs and emails they would decide that we have a genuine relationship. I held nothing back at all. So I gave them what I got at the time. Now I have even much more in preparation for the interview.

Maybe it would not matter at the end of the process, but I know I have one shot to get it right for the shortest duration of 6-9 months. The alternative is 1 year or longer. It's like a paratrooper jumping out of a plane, that parachute had better work or else...

Tony

The phone bill is not good evidence for I-129f original submission. They want to see that you met, not that you talked on the phone a lot.

Sealedkiss,

You may want to include a translated copy of your fiancee's Birth Certificate. I'd include copy of the original BC and the notarized copy of the translated one.

Regards.

- Beneficiary's certified copy of Birth Certificate
- Beneficiary's Single Status Certificate (you have one? throw it in)
- Make sure you SIGN your G325A

I would skip the plastic pockets, as some poor schmoe is going to have to remove all of the evidence from those pockets and pitch the pockets anyway.

When I sent mine I got fed up trying to find the ACCO fasteners at the store and just binder-clipped the whole thing together.

Make sure you sign and date the check properly. Otherwise you look like you're pretty good. The amount of relationship evidence that people will recommend to you will vary, but for the initial petition, the main thing you want to do is prove that you've met in person. Check with others who have gone through your consulate, but this isn't the stage where you need to prove that you have a relationship. (Lots of e-mails wouldn't prove that you've met.)

too much is not necessary & may slow things down.

Proof of meeting:
- Copies of my boarding passes/tickets to VN last year. Email receipt that shows my booking of the trip.
- Copy of my VN tourist visa last year.
- A few random things from my trip to VN: lottery tickets, eyeglass prescription, money exchange receipts (generic receipts with no dates/location of stores)
- Some kind of stamp on my passport, ink blurred out, nothing legible, can't read date, not sure if it was entry/exit, US or VN? Hmm, was anybody on the same boat?
- Copies of her boarding passes VN-US
- Copies of my boarding passes to visit her 2 times in the US.
- Online printouts of credit card and bank transactions showing I spent money in her city while visiting her in the US.
- Hotel receipts at her city in the US, showing only my name.
- Car rental receipts at her city in the US.
- Baggage check barcode of her trip to visit me 1 time in the US (for some reason the airline kept her boarding pass).
- Copies of her boarding passes US back to VN.
- Copies of her I-94, showing legal entry to the US.
- Copies of her exit and re-entry stamps showing she departed VN and came back on such and such dates.
- Copy of the front page of her passport (debating, anyone care to advise?) I would do an entire copy of her passport. One page means nothing uless it has a US entry stamp.
- Copy of her J1 visa showing it is not subject to 2-year home residence requirement (debating, anyone?)- Two photos from each of our meetings. VERY IMPORTANT!

- One email from each year: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
- One chat log from each year - only 2004-present.
- Online receipts of my purchase of phone cards I used to call VN.
- Cell phone call details showing I made and received calls to/from the same number (her prepaid phone), several times a day, everyday for the entire period she was in the US. The cell phone doesn't bear my name, though (it's a family plan). Her cell phone doesn't bear any name, either.
- A few copies of envelopes of letters she sent me.


proof of ongoing relationship (NOT NEEDED UNTIL INTERVIEW)

You are trying to prove you've met in the last 2 years now, that's it!

phone records are not important at this point. i didn't include any in my petition. you will use those for the interview where you need proof of ongoing relationship.