Please help I-129F questions!!!! (merged/edited title)

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

No it won't be showing different identities when writing last name first on the photos. You must follow the exact format on the forms it will say Last Name, First Name and Middle name and so on so you can't just put the last name in the first name column of the forms. Affidavits don't have to be notarized, you can if it is not too much trouble. 36 photos is not enough for Lagos, add lots of pics with family and hopefully you made several trips and can divide the photos into several trips.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Front load the petition and be careful adding WU receipts, they can sometimes be misconstrued in Lagos and look like you are a sugar momma or if he sends you money it can be interpreted as him paying you for the immigration benefit. You can send a few for a birthday gift or so.

[MarinaSummers 0]

I have some questions

1. How many photographs are needed to proof a continued relationship, right now I have 36 pix, hope that will do?

2. I have issues with how the Americans system write their information they start with the first name, but Nigerians start with last name, for my fiance in.Nigeria, is everything pertaining to him be written as NIGERIA style or American style, since everything will be handled by consulates will they understand it or not? e.g Last name : Lee, first name :Tony,middle name :Dave so it will be written as Tony Lee Dave as opposed to Nigeria as Lee Tony Dave, won't this look like different identities? Because I don't want any RFE

[Khenniebabs 4]

Tnx Ebunoluwa, I have added more pix, but I can't make any trip again for now cos I go to.schl n it's full time. The last one I went was because I wasn't taking summer classes. But we took couple of.pix.with his family, and mine.

[afrocraft 313]

36 photos are not enough for Lagos? I disagree. It's not the number of photos that counts per se; it's their relevance to the overall application that matters more.

The best selection of photos describe the arc of your relationship -- how you met, how you dated and shared the key events in each others lives, where you are now, and the other people that participate in the relationship (family, friends). The better strategy is to first describe in writing (about two pages) your relationship, separating the story in three or so phases (meeting, dating, planning for marriage/future), then pick 3-4 vivid pictures (with a short description of each) that describe the major milestones/events in each phase.

12 well chosen pictures (roughly the number I used for our 10+ year relationship) that support the flow of your story are more effective than 36 needlessly repetitive ones that say very little. Quality over quantity.

Good luck!

No it won't be showing different identities when writing last name first on the photos. You must follow the exact format on the forms it will say Last Name, First Name and Middle name and so on so you can't just put the last name in the first name column of the forms. Affidavits don't have to be notarized, you can if it is not too much trouble. 36 photos is not enough for Lagos, add lots of pics with family and hopefully you made several trips and can divide the photos into several trips.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

36 photos are not enough for Lagos? I disagree. It's not the number of photos that counts per se; it's their relevance to the overall application that matters more.

The best selection of photos describe the arc of your relationship -- how you met, how you dated and shared the key events in each others lives, where you are now, and the other people that participate in the relationship (family, friends). The better strategy is to first describe in writing (about two pages) your relationship, separating the story in three or so phases (meeting, dating, planning for marriage/future), then pick 3-4 vivid pictures (with a short description of each) that describe the major milestones/events in each phase.

12 well chosen pictures (roughly the number I used for our 10+ year relationship) that support the flow of your story are more effective than 36 needlessly repetitive ones that say very little. Quality over quantity.

Good luck!

Obviously yes, you mentioned to tie in a relationship letter and then add pics to reflect the milestones, which can be also sorted and categorized

by trips. That's great and should be done.

I strongly disagree with your suggestion of only 3-4 pics and if you get by with 12 pics total then more power to you but if someone going

through Lagos takes this to heart it can be detrimental to their outcome.

Lagos likes photos, lots of them and with family. That is a fact. Of course photos are just one part of a well rounded quality package

depicting the flow of the relationship BUT most people here do not have a 10 year relationship like you with lots of evidence to proof it

and unfortunately many visit only one time and marry the first time they meet which are red flags for this embassy.

More photos are therefore advisable including varies items of evidence. To say 12 is enough for Lagos is misleading.

[Khenniebabs 4]

Tnx so much @ Ebunoluwa and @ afrocraft. Pls don't cause any fight with this. It's just an enquiry which I think everybody's case is different. But I have enough proof, though we dated for 4months before I left Nigeria for the US, and I have those pictures, with his friends and family members, pictures with my twin sister and his friends, my mom and him together, my grandma and him, and we took pix with his family members too and their children. It"s just that I'm so nervous

Edited July 11, 2015 by Khenniebabs

[afrocraft 313]

No fight. We disagree, that's all, even though Ebunoluwa does so in more 'colorful' language.

On forums like this, take the best of what you read from different parties. Ebunoluwa thinks volume counts, and recommends you attach lots and lots of pictures just for the sake of volume (because Lagos likes it). I think being strategic is more important, and carefully selecting pictures that describe the full arc of your relationship and confirm the major milestones in your written story is the better way. There's no reason you can't do both.

Tnx so much @ Ebunoluwa and @ afrocraft. Pls don't cause any fight with this. It's just an enquiry which I think everybody's case is different. But I have enough proof, though we dated for 4months before I left Nigeria for the US, and I have those pictures, with his friends and family members, pictures with my twin sister and his friends, my mom and him together, my grandma and him, and we took pix with his family members too and their children. It"s just that I'm so nervous

Edited July 11, 2015 by afrocraft

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

No fight. We disagree, that's all, even though Ebunoluwa does so in more 'colorful' language.

When you read forums like this, take the best of what you hear from different parties. Ebunoluwa thinks volume counts, and recommends you attach lots and lots of pictures just for the sake of volume (because Lagos likes it). I think being strategic is more important, and carefully selecting pictures that describe the full arc of your relationship and confirm the major milestones in your written story is the better way. There's no reason you can't do both.

You may see rainbows in my 'language' but hang out a few years on the boards and you will see what I am talking about.

In no way shape or form have I ever insinuated that photos should be attached for the sheer sake of volume and have stressed the importance of

a well rounded quality package time and time again. It's wise to submit what Lagos "likes" rather than what you think is sufficient.

Please don't do the twist with my comment, others may trip and fall flat on their face.

Volume can be a fraud indicator with too many senseless fillers, however 12 pics is a skeleton for most CO's in Lagos and that needs to be

clarified here.

OP, there is no fight, just different viewpoints that need to be added for the sake of those who come here and read and get the wrong idea

about Lagos having scarce evidence.

Glad that you have enough photos and it's understandable that you are being nervous going through this

tough embassy. Best wishes to you !

[afrocraft 313]

So for the sake of others: If 12 photos are "a skeleton" and 36 are insufficient, about how many photos would you recommend?

You may see rainbows in my 'language' but hang out a few years on the boards and you will see what I am talking about.

In no way shape or form have I ever insinuated that photos should be attached for the sheer sake of volume and have stressed the importance of

a well rounded quality package time and time again. It's wise to submit what Lagos "likes" rather than what you think is sufficient.

Please don't do the twist with my comment, others may trip and fall flat on their face.

Volume can be a fraud indicator with too many senseless fillers, however 12 pics is a skeleton for most CO's in Lagos and that needs to be

clarified here.

OP, there is no fight, just different viewpoints that need to be added for the sake of those who come here and read and get the wrong idea

about Lagos having scarce evidence.

Glad that you have enough photos and it's understandable that you are being nervous going through this

tough embassy. Best wishes to you !

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

So for the sake of others: If 12 photos are "a skeleton" and 36 are insufficient, about how many photos would you recommend?

150-200 depending on how many trips and other evidence.

30-50 per category for example.

Family, in front of land marks, low key engagement parties (not to be mistaken with traditional wedding).

I front loaded them in our petition and the CO said he could see our love for each other through the photos and that we looked genuine.

He got the vibes from our photos and it helped him in addition to lots of other things to approve us.

I made 5 trips. We met in 2009.

First K1 was returned for lack of evidence (which was BS, we had a boat load full).

Second time on the re file we buried them so they couldn't use that excuse again.

My advice is do it with a generous amount to begin with that tells your story from day one to current and let them 'feel' something

through the photos and relationship letter if you get a CO that is capable of feeling anything.

[afrocraft 313]

Gotcha. I now see why we really differ.

You think you have to make them "feel" the love through lots of pics; I think you should convince them by proving eligibility through carefully chosen, corroborating evidence.

You think we should tug at the heart of the consular officer and hope to find a bleeding heart in there somewhere. I think consular officers are like judges who generally follow the law, not their hearts, in adjudicating immigration applications; the better approach is to be dispassionate and lawyerly in making one's case. I think this is where many people fail in Lagos.

Immigration law requires you, the applicant, to prove that it is more likely than not that your claims are true. Say you claim to have met your significant other in college three years ago, while you lived in the same apartment block. The optimist in you can show 30-50 pictures of the two of you and hope it flies. Or the lawyer in you can show the following corroborating exhibits:

• Exhibit A: Transcripts that show you were both in the same college three years ago
• Exhibit B: Leases that show you both rented in the same apartment building at the same time
• Exhibit C: 3 pictures with both of you in the same frame a) standing in front of the college gate, b) cheering at a football game, wearing your college jersey, and c) celebrating in graduation robes.

Of course, you may not always have evidence as clean as the above but that should be your aim, not just to "bury" COs in pics. Think like a lawyer; your COs mostly do.

150-200 depending on how many trips and other evidence.

30-50 per category for example.

Family, in front of land marks, low key engagement parties (not to be mistaken with traditional wedding).

I front loaded them in our petition and the CO said he could see our love for each other through the photos and that we looked genuine.

He got the vibes from our photos and it helped him in addition to lots of other things to approve us.

I made 5 trips. We met in 2009.

First K1 was returned for lack of evidence (which was BS, we had a boat load full).

Second time on the re file we buried them so they couldn't use that excuse again.

My advice is do it with a generous amount to begin with that tells your story from day one to current and let them 'feel' something

through the photos and relationship letter if you get a CO that is capable of feeling anything.

Edited July 12, 2015 by afrocraft

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

No you don't get it yet. Your pendulum is swinging to one side in your understanding of what I am saying. You must do both. Be balanced ! You can prove your eligibility until the cows come home and have solid evidence from A-Z and still be denied in some consulates. By showing the CO BOTH, factual evidence and lots of photos I was successful. If it didn't matter to him he wouldn't have made his remarks about the photos. You can't argue with my experience. You are still twisting my words. It's not tugging at the heart strings nor dry lawyer approach, it is balanced between both. It is about being authentic and yes letting feelings into the factual evidence, why ? Because of real love. That is being real and authentic not playing a lawyer in a dry matter of fact manner. Good luck with that though.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Many Co's aren't thinking like lawyers. Our previous one refused to issue the visa on her "gut feeling." Her words not mine when I asked what is the problem. Had she processed our case with a lawyers mind she would have approved based on all our sound and solid quality evidence but she was stuck on a negative " feeling." Don't tell me they don't go by negative and positive vibes and feelings because my experience has shown that both times. Nigeria and Ghana are 2 of the most difficult consulates and many get refused with quality evidence. You can listen to experience or continue to ride on your 12 pics but I am here to show you a side you aren't yet aware of. Take it or leave it.

[afrocraft 313]

Problem is, you're probably judging from one experience -- yours -- with all the bias that that (understandably) involves.

Consider this: Even in "difficult" consulates like Lagos and Accra, married applicants have a much higher success rate than do unmarried ones, at least from the experience of most people who report here. Why? If the decisions were based on "gut feeling" the way you suggest, there should be no meaningful difference between the approval rates of the two types of relationships. But married people tend to more successful, I believe, because they tend to offer better evidence -- kids/DNA tests, documentation of co-mingled finances, a marriage certificate, longer shared trips/events, etc. -- than do unmarried ones, and even those mean, heartless COs respond accordingly.

What K-1 applicants need to do, then, is present better evidence, not just snap hundreds of pics. Better to spend more time crafting the key elements of your story -- how you met, how you relate despite the long distance, and what steps you're taking to plan for the future -- and then assemble convincing corroborating evidence to support each of your claims, including, but not exclusively, photos.

My main message isn't to use 12 pics, however much you choose to repeat that line. It is that applicants especially in Lagos think more carefully about their cases, much like a lawyer would, and not just resort to a picture dump. The lawyer who wants to convict a murder suspect doesn't just show pictures of the dead victim; he presents other incriminating evidence of motive (e.g., previous threats) and opportunity (the murder weapon, witness testimony, cell phone location tracking) as well. But I promise to let you know how far my 12 pics go!

Many Co's aren't thinking like lawyers. Our previous one refused to issue the visa on her "gut feeling." Her words not mine when I asked what is the problem. Had she processed our case with a lawyers mind she would have approved based on all our sound and solid quality evidence but she was stuck on a negative " feeling." Don't tell me they don't go by negative and positive vibes and feelings because my experience has shown that both times. Nigeria and Ghana are 2 of the most difficult consulates and many get refused with quality evidence. You can listen to experience or continue to ride on your 12 pics but I am here to show you a side you aren't yet aware of. Take it or leave it.

Edited July 12, 2015 by afrocraft