I filed my I-130 and I-129F packages together and have now received NOA1 for both petitions. Both petitions are already displayed on the USCIS web site. I filed the petitions simultaneously on the advice of a USCIS officer. While I am far from an approval, this would suggest that joint filings are acceptable to USCIS.

Several members have received this advice and a lot has been said about it in the forums. Now we have some evidence that it seems to be an accepted procedure. I sent the packages before the July 30 fee change so I cannot be sure that this will continue to be accepted procedure. I was given this advice by the USCIS officer partly to avoid any problems related to the fee changes. Strangely enough, my NOA1 for the I-129F states that the fee was waived. This is odd since I sent it prior to the official fee change and only paid $170 for my I-130 petition.

I simply wanted to share this information for others considering joint filings. Instead of making recommendations, I will leave it to each person to draw their own conclusions.



For those that are interested in filing simultaneously, here is how I put together my packages.

I created a separate package for each petition based on the K-3 guides and General Assembly instructions. Each package was bound with ACCO fasteners, each important item was tabbed along the bottom and each package was put into a separate envelope. Each package had a separate cover letter. Both packages were put into priority mail envelope along with an additional cover letter explaining that I was filing both petitions simultaneously.


Here are the contents of my packages.


Joint submission cover letter.

I-130 Package

I-130 Cover Letter

1. - Payment in the amount of $190 (Money Order)
2. - Form I-130
3. - Copy of birth certificate for JC (Petitioner)- 4 pages
4. - Copy of notarial Marriage Certificate (Spanish)
5. - Translated copy of notarial Marriage Certificate
6. - Addendum in reference to notarial Marriage Certificate(this explains the discrepancy with regard to wedding date. Per USCIS officer instructions)
7. - Copy of divorce decree for JC (Petitioner)
8. - Form G-325 for JC (Petitioner)
9. - Passport style photo for JC (Petitioner)
10. - Form G-325 for A.L.L. (Beneficiary)- 4 pages
11. - Passport style photo for A.L.L. (Beneficiary)
12. - Evidence of bona fide marriage

A. - Life insurance beneficiary form
B. - Receipts for money transfers from petitioner to beneficiary.
C. - Copies of travel documents from petitioner visits with beneficiary
D. - Photographs of petitioner and beneficiary

I-129F package

I-129F Cover Letter

1. - Payment in the amount of $170 (Money Order)
2. - Form I-129F
3. - Form G-325 for JC (Petitioner) - 4 pages
4. - Passport style photo for JC (Petitioner)
5. - Form G-325 for A.L.L. (Beneficiary)- 4 pages
6. - Passport style photo for A.L.L. (Beneficiary)
7. - Copy of birth certificate for JC (Petitioner)
8. - Copy of notarial Marriage Certificate (Spanish)
9. - Translated copy of notarial Marriage Certificate
10. - Addendum in reference to notarial Marriage Certificate



Let me reiterate that this is simply my experience and you should not count on it as "law". If you are interested in filing simultaneously, you should consider speaking to an officer at the USCIS phone center. You will have to speak to a customer service rep and must ask to speak to an officer.

Good luck,

CG

I also filed both of mine together in April and I have not had any problems, they were both received and I got NOA 1's for both petitions.

Hello to all. my husband is going to send both of the petitions together. He said he will send them tomorrow.
We are so excited. We hope and pray that everything will be fine...
By the way since he is confused as of where to send the petitions, he said he will send them to
California Service Center...hope it will be ok!
Thanks!

Do you think it will be ok if my husband will send both directly to the Chicago Service Center?
We've heard that the Texas Service Center dont accepts I-130 and I-129F petitions anymore, thats why
anyone who send in theirs to Texas SC were being transferred to California Service Center.
pushbrk said to send them to Vermont SC. So which is which? California or Vermont?
Thanks!

If that is what pushbrk told you to do then that's what I would do because pushbrk is very wise and knowledgable about the visa process so I would send the petitions to the Vermont service center.

So which is which? California or Vermont?

That depends on where you live. I was specifically told by a USCIS officer to send mine to TSC with the understanding that it would be immediately transferred to CSC. The new instructions for the I-130 published 7/30/07 still direct filers to send I-130 to their respective service centers. In my case, this was TSC.

I did notice that my I-129F was processed a few days later than the I-130. Both petitions have different received and notice dates. It is almost like they were transferred separately. Who knows?

You will probably be fine sending it to CSC or VSC, but as I mentioned it would not hurt to talk to an officer. I prefer to err on the side of caution and while I knew that I could probably send the petitions directly to CSC, I opted to send them to TSC and let TSC transfer them. Either way, I am glad that I sent them together as this saved at least a month of waiting for an NOA1 for the I-130.

Good luck,
CG

I would not call USCIS on this. You are actually very likely to get an answer that will delay your process. If I told you to send your petition to Vermont, then I must have known where your husband lived when I told you. His state of residence determines whether to send the petitions to California or Vermont.

Has anyone taken the risk of sending Form I-129F AFTER submitting Form I-130 without having first received NOA1 (or had check cashed) for the I-130? If so, what did you include as evidence that you had filed Form I-130? Was your Form 129F accepted?

Thanks,
Brian

Brian...better to way, friend! At least they cashed your money!

so i dont need the reciept for the I-130 NOA1 in I-129F.

Hello to all,

My husband sent both I-130 and I-129F together today to Vermont Service Center!
Hope everything will be fine...Now its the start of the waiting and waiting and waiting!

Hold your horses. The example you quoted was for filing the two petitions together. If you've already filed the I-130 you need to provide proof you did so. The NOA1 is one way to do that. A copy of your cancelled check is another.

When you file them together, the I-130 in the same envelope with the I-129F serves as the proof it was filed.

"Proof" is the operative word.

Has anyone tried filing their I-129F for the K3 after the I-130 was sent in, without the NOA1 or cancelled check?

If so what were your issues or how did you do it?

Thanks

If I send in the I-129f without the NOA1 on the I-130 where do I send it. The instructions say to send it to the same place the I-130 was filed (Nebraska in our case) however I know that Nebraska is not hadnling the I-129f nor the I-130 and am assuming they are forwarding them to California. Anyway know. Thanks

Please be careful when thinking of sending in your I-129F without some sort of proof that you filed an I-130. I never meant to suggest doing that in this thread. I sent my petitions in together. The I-130 itself served as proof of filing.

I would not send in your I-129F without some kind of proof. You should at least send in a copy of a canceled check and a USPS return receipt.