love my Nour
Aug 4 2007, 09:54 AM
Ok so I am full of questions and have posted a lot on here, but now I need to know about the letter needed to send so my fiance can have it at the interview.
First, do I mail it to my fiance, or to the Embassy? Do i just need to say I am legally able and willing to marry _______________and intend to do so within 90 days of his arrival into the US or do I put:
A more personal letter of how wonderful and caring and that we have been waiting patiently for our day to become husband wife, etc etc.
Or just the simple letter like the phrase above of within the 90 day period.
I thought maybe they needed something like I send in with my k1 petition. Someone please take time to tell me. Thanks everyone.
YuAndDan
Aug 4 2007, 10:34 AM
I used the letter of intent posted in the example forms here, just changed the address from USCIS to the consulate, and sent it to my fiancee to take to the interview.
reeses16
Aug 4 2007, 10:53 AM
Good morning! I used the example. You could write a more personal letter if you choose, but keep in mind this is part of a process designed to give your SO legal immigration status to the US so you can marry. I would be sure to keep the phrase "I am legally able and willing to marry _______________and intend to do so within 90 days of his arrival into the US."
Luis&Laura
Aug 4 2007, 10:57 AM
Using the example form is just fine, 'cus this one they'll barely look at, really.
pushbrk
Aug 4 2007, 11:38 AM
QUOTE(Luis&Laura @ Aug 4 2007, 08:57 AM)

Using the example form is just fine, 'cus this one they'll barely look at, really.
We don't know what any Consular officer will do at any time on any case. I've seen blue slips requesting a letter from the petitioner including an evolution of the relationship.
Personally, I don't like the example. I think the word "willing" is unsuitable. I would start with the short example except change "am able and willing..." to "remain able and eager...", then add a concise description of the relationship's evolution and why you are so eager to marry. If you've already described the evolution of the relationship in your original petition, you could start the additional evolution using something to the effect of, "Since we became engaged and filed the petition..." I would do more than two or three short paragraphs.
love my Nour
Aug 4 2007, 11:51 AM
QUOTE(pushbrk @ Aug 4 2007, 12:38 PM)

QUOTE(Luis&Laura @ Aug 4 2007, 08:57 AM)

Using the example form is just fine, 'cus this one they'll barely look at, really.
We don't know what any Consular officer will do at any time on any case. I've seen blue slips requesting a letter from the petitioner including an evolution of the relationship.
Personally, I don't like the example. I think the word "willing" is unsuitable. I would start with the short example except change "am able and willing..." to "remain able and eager...", then add a concise description of the relationship's evolution and why you are so eager to marry. If you've already described the evolution of the relationship in your original petition, you could start the additional evolution using something to the effect of, "Since we became engaged and filed the petition..." I would do more than two or three short paragraphs.
Thanks for you input, I am looking at him going the Casablanca maybe month or 2? don't know yet but it takes so long for mail to get to him, that I am writing this now. So I will use the example letter and probably will put something of a personal touch to it. The example just sounds cold and not very convincing to me.
Anyway, any other thing I need to know, please pass my way. As I understood it from looking on here, several people got denied visas August 3rd. I sure don't want that to happen and want to have all our ducks in a row.
Caladan
Aug 4 2007, 12:02 PM
For our interview, I changed the header and the date but left it as a variation on the one-line response. No problems. I'm not sure what a personal letter would accomplish -- it's not a letter to your SO, it's a business letter to the consulate.
pushbrk
Aug 4 2007, 12:15 PM
QUOTE(Caladan @ Aug 4 2007, 10:02 AM)

For our interview, I changed the header and the date but left it as a variation on the one-line response. No problems. I'm not sure what a personal letter would accomplish -- it's not a letter to your SO, it's a business letter to the consulate.
E a c h c a s e i s d i f f e r e n t. You will never know what parts of what you provided or didn't provide are needed until you get a temporary denial asking for something you didn't provide. Many of my China friends were never asked for any financial documentation at interview but my wife certainly was. I'm glad I had that base covered instead of listening to those that said they weren't asked for it.
brnidokiegurl
Aug 4 2007, 12:16 PM
We both made more personal statements and he took them with him, but they were never looked at...
Caladan
Aug 4 2007, 12:26 PM
QUOTE(pushbrk @ Aug 4 2007, 01:15 PM)

QUOTE(Caladan @ Aug 4 2007, 10:02 AM)

For our interview, I changed the header and the date but left it as a variation on the one-line response. No problems. I'm not sure what a personal letter would accomplish -- it's not a letter to your SO, it's a business letter to the consulate.
E a c h c a s e i s d i f f e r e n t. You will never know what parts of what you provided or didn't provide are needed until you get a temporary denial asking for something you didn't provide. Many of my China friends were never asked for any financial documentation at interview but my wife certainly was. I'm glad I had that base covered instead of listening to those that said they weren't asked for it.
The consulate asks for financial documentation. I don't think they ask for a letter showing anything beyond intent. I'd bring the letter along, and I haven't said ignore those instructions asking for a letter (!), but I certainly wouldn't worry that it didn't sound like Shakespeare or terribly romantic. I have not seen a denial for a insufficiently flowery letter of intent.
brnidokiegurl
Aug 4 2007, 12:57 PM
CASA DOESNT ASK FOR THE FINANCIAL PAPER ANYMORE..BUT AGAIN WE HAD OURS READY IN CASE
pushbrk
Aug 4 2007, 02:01 PM
QUOTE(Caladan @ Aug 4 2007, 10:26 AM)

QUOTE(pushbrk @ Aug 4 2007, 01:15 PM)

QUOTE(Caladan @ Aug 4 2007, 10:02 AM)

For our interview, I changed the header and the date but left it as a variation on the one-line response. No problems. I'm not sure what a personal letter would accomplish -- it's not a letter to your SO, it's a business letter to the consulate.
E a c h c a s e i s d i f f e r e n t. You will never know what parts of what you provided or didn't provide are needed until you get a temporary denial asking for something you didn't provide. Many of my China friends were never asked for any financial documentation at interview but my wife certainly was. I'm glad I had that base covered instead of listening to those that said they weren't asked for it.
The consulate asks for financial documentation. I don't think they ask for a letter showing anything beyond intent. I'd bring the letter along, and I haven't said ignore those instructions asking for a letter (!), but I certainly wouldn't worry that it didn't sound like Shakespeare or terribly romantic. I have not seen a denial for a insufficiently flowery letter of intent.
A Consular officer can ask for anything they damn well please. I've never heard of a denial fo insufficient floweryness either and never suggested anything of the kind. I have seen blue slips request an evolution of relationship statement from the petitioner. That's why I suggest a short one (flowery or not) be included with the updated letter of intent.
A fiance visa interview is not simply about meeting requirements. It is about convincing a Consular officer that the required papers are in order and that the relationship is ongoing and bona fide. If they have doubts they are free to request anything they think they need to satisfy the doubt, including proof of a former spouse's current address and their SSN. You can take the kitchen sink approach and have everything ready or just wait for something extra to be asked for. For most, the decision is easy. They would rather have anything that might be requested, rather than risk indefinite delay.
bszoom42
Aug 4 2007, 02:39 PM
I agree with Pushbrk's advice!
Caladan
Aug 4 2007, 03:03 PM
QUOTE(pushbrk @ Aug 4 2007, 03:01 PM)

QUOTE(Caladan @ Aug 4 2007, 10:26 AM)

QUOTE(pushbrk @ Aug 4 2007, 01:15 PM)

QUOTE(Caladan @ Aug 4 2007, 10:02 AM)

For our interview, I changed the header and the date but left it as a variation on the one-line response. No problems. I'm not sure what a personal letter would accomplish -- it's not a letter to your SO, it's a business letter to the consulate.
E a c h c a s e i s d i f f e r e n t. You will never know what parts of what you provided or didn't provide are needed until you get a temporary denial asking for something you didn't provide. Many of my China friends were never asked for any financial documentation at interview but my wife certainly was. I'm glad I had that base covered instead of listening to those that said they weren't asked for it.
The consulate asks for financial documentation. I don't think they ask for a letter showing anything beyond intent. I'd bring the letter along, and I haven't said ignore those instructions asking for a letter (!), but I certainly wouldn't worry that it didn't sound like Shakespeare or terribly romantic. I have not seen a denial for a insufficiently flowery letter of intent.
A Consular officer can ask for anything they damn well please. I've never heard of a denial fo insufficient floweryness either and never suggested anything of the kind. I have seen blue slips request an evolution of relationship statement from the petitioner. That's why I suggest a short one (flowery or not) be included with the updated letter of intent.
A fiance visa interview is not simply about meeting requirements. It is about convincing a Consular officer that the required papers are in order and that the relationship is ongoing and bona fide. If they have doubts they are free to request anything they think they need to satisfy the doubt, including proof of a former spouse's current address and their SSN. You can take the kitchen sink approach and have everything ready or just wait for something extra to be asked for. For most, the decision is easy. They would rather have anything that might be requested, rather than risk indefinite delay.
If you read the OP's post, she was wondering specifically whether the sample letter on VJ was too cold or if it would be better to explain how much they were in love. I was responding to you mostly to clarify that I wasn't saying DON'T send a letter when it's asked for, but that the content of the letter didn't need to prove one's love, just one's intent to marry. Apologies if there was confusion due to the quoting.

The evolution of the relationship might need to be clarified (though question 18 on the I-129F probably should contain that already), but I find a lot of this varies by consulate and the expected fraud level, and it's a fine line between being well-prepared and excessive stress. Plenty of people have succeeded with just the sample letter of intent VJ offer. Some haven't, but there's only so much preparing you can do based on other people's unique experiences at different consulates.
The best source of information is really other people going through the same consulate, because while the kitchen sink approach is certainly one way to go about it, it's not the only way. (E.g., I wouldn't advise a Canadian couple to ensure they had lots of pictures showing them in different clothing and proof of at least three visits, but for some consulates, that's smart.)
pushbrk
Aug 4 2007, 07:40 PM
QUOTE(Caladan @ Aug 4 2007, 01:03 PM)

QUOTE(pushbrk @ Aug 4 2007, 03:01 PM)

QUOTE(Caladan @ Aug 4 2007, 10:26 AM)

QUOTE(pushbrk @ Aug 4 2007, 01:15 PM)

QUOTE(Caladan @ Aug 4 2007, 10:02 AM)

For our interview, I changed the header and the date but left it as a variation on the one-line response. No problems. I'm not sure what a personal letter would accomplish -- it's not a letter to your SO, it's a business letter to the consulate.
E a c h c a s e i s d i f f e r e n t. You will never know what parts of what you provided or didn't provide are needed until you get a temporary denial asking for something you didn't provide. Many of my China friends were never asked for any financial documentation at interview but my wife certainly was. I'm glad I had that base covered instead of listening to those that said they weren't asked for it.
The consulate asks for financial documentation. I don't think they ask for a letter showing anything beyond intent. I'd bring the letter along, and I haven't said ignore those instructions asking for a letter (!), but I certainly wouldn't worry that it didn't sound like Shakespeare or terribly romantic. I have not seen a denial for a insufficiently flowery letter of intent.
A Consular officer can ask for anything they damn well please. I've never heard of a denial fo insufficient floweryness either and never suggested anything of the kind. I have seen blue slips request an evolution of relationship statement from the petitioner. That's why I suggest a short one (flowery or not) be included with the updated letter of intent.
A fiance visa interview is not simply about meeting requirements. It is about convincing a Consular officer that the required papers are in order and that the relationship is ongoing and bona fide. If they have doubts they are free to request anything they think they need to satisfy the doubt, including proof of a former spouse's current address and their SSN. You can take the kitchen sink approach and have everything ready or just wait for something extra to be asked for. For most, the decision is easy. They would rather have anything that might be requested, rather than risk indefinite delay.
If you read the OP's post, she was wondering specifically whether the sample letter on VJ was too cold or if it would be better to explain how much they were in love. I was responding to you mostly to clarify that I wasn't saying DON'T send a letter when it's asked for, but that the content of the letter didn't need to prove one's love, just one's intent to marry. Apologies if there was confusion due to the quoting.

The evolution of the relationship might need to be clarified (though question 18 on the I-129F probably should contain that already), but I find a lot of this varies by consulate and the expected fraud level, and it's a fine line between being well-prepared and excessive stress. Plenty of people have succeeded with just the sample letter of intent VJ offer. Some haven't, but there's only so much preparing you can do based on other people's unique experiences at different consulates.
The best source of information is really other people going through the same consulate, because while the kitchen sink approach is certainly one way to go about it, it's not the only way. (E.g., I wouldn't advise a Canadian couple to ensure they had lots of pictures showing them in different clothing and proof of at least three visits, but for some consulates, that's smart.)
And the reason I took strong exception to your post was that it began with the words "The Consulate asks for..." and continued with "I don't think they ask for...."
The key point is that they CAN ask for anything they damn well please.
I agree with your comment about the pictures and Candadians but the OP's case is for Morroco.
Further, a bona fide relationship continues to "evolve" after the petition is filed. An updated letter would concentrate on continued evolution of relationship.
Caladan
Aug 5 2007, 09:14 AM
They CAN ask for anything, but there's a limit, and this is how I handled my own personal case, to how much of the consulate's odd and unstated requests you can reasonably anticipate, especially when your source is information about another consulate. And it's a judgment call as to how much you include. I tend towards less to the kitchen sink approach on the grounds that if you wanted my phone number and I gave you my number, the phone book, a laptop containing the internet yellow pages and my mother's number just in case you needed it, I would have buried it. Bad noise-to-signal ratio. YMMV, of course.
For example, like I said, the consulate specifically asks for the I-134 going through Vancouver, and the I-134 asks for financial documentation. It would be foolish if we had not included it. Reading through people's experiences, it's also good to have the all the originals of evidence with you, photos, phone records, that sort of thing. Beyond the basics of your own consulate, though, I think it rapidly becomes an area where VJ has one or two examples of a problem that may or may not have more to do with the specifics of an individual case or case officer rather than a problem that generalizes for other people. Especially since people are loathe to disclose problems except piece-by-piece.
And it's a judgment call at some point: should the VJ guides be updated so the example letter is longer and contains more detail about the relationship because of a handful of blue slips? I personally think not because I don't think the letter counts as much evidence on its own. If the consulate can ask for anything, imo, better just to give them the things they do ask for and the things they commonly ask for, and when they come back asking for the USC's Sunday school records and lifeguard credentials, give them that.
pushbrk
Aug 5 2007, 09:34 AM
QUOTE(Caladan @ Aug 5 2007, 07:14 AM)

They CAN ask for anything, but there's a limit, and this is how I handled my own personal case, to how much of the consulate's odd and unstated requests you can reasonably anticipate, especially when your source is information about another consulate. And it's a judgment call as to how much you include. I tend towards less to the kitchen sink approach on the grounds that if you wanted my phone number and I gave you my number, the phone book, a laptop containing the internet yellow pages and my mother's number just in case you needed it, I would have buried it. Bad noise-to-signal ratio. YMMV, of course.
For example, like I said, the consulate specifically asks for the I-134 going through Vancouver, and the I-134 asks for financial documentation. It would be foolish if we had not included it. Reading through people's experiences, it's also good to have the all the originals of evidence with you, photos, phone records, that sort of thing. Beyond the basics of your own consulate, though, I think it rapidly becomes an area where VJ has one or two examples of a problem that may or may not have more to do with the specifics of an individual case or case officer rather than a problem that generalizes for other people. Especially since people are loathe to disclose problems except piece-by-piece.
And it's a judgment call at some point: should the VJ guides be updated so the example letter is longer and contains more detail about the relationship because of a handful of blue slips? I personally think not because I don't think the letter counts as much evidence on its own. If the consulate can ask for anything, imo, better just to give them the things they do ask for and the things they commonly ask for, and when they come back asking for the USC's Sunday school records and lifeguard credentials, give them that.
Your Consulate is not every Consulate. Your first statement above is contradictory. If they can ask for anything, then there is no limit.
Opinions are opinions. I disagree with the VJ guides on this question. Shoot me.
brnidokiegurl
Aug 5 2007, 10:05 AM
And China is not Casa, until you have to go thru there you have no idea..you can take everything required and they wont look at it, they can ask for the outdated forms when you sent the latest, they can turn you away because your form has a line drawn thru instead of the word none, they do what they want when they want and give you no reason, there is no out guessing them. Guides are just that guides, the thing is with casa they forgot to read them.
pushbrk
Aug 5 2007, 10:31 AM
QUOTE(brnidokiegurl @ Aug 5 2007, 08:05 AM)

And China is not Casa, until you have to go thru there you have no idea..you can take everything required and they wont look at it, they can ask for the outdated forms when you sent the latest, they can turn you away because your form has a line drawn thru instead of the word none, they do what they want when they want and give you no reason, there is no out guessing them. Guides are just that guides, the thing is with casa they forgot to read them.
Exactly, and once you've been through a Consulate's visa process, you still don't know what they might in another case. You just do the best you can, as you know it. Many of things we prepare or prepare for are never needed. This is a good thing.
Again this process is not about meeting requirements, even though we must meet the requirements. In the end, it's about convincing one person that our relationship is bona fide.
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