Bringing documentation to interview

[shreddoggie 0]

We are close - we are approved for the interview - yay!

Now I am in the process of making sure my fiance has all the required paperwork. I am planning on sending her everything she needs to be prepared for anything the interviewer wants to examine, yet upon looking at the list it does not seem right. Here is the list:

1. The confirmation page showing that you have completed online Form DS-160.
2. The original USCIS Notice of Action numbered I-797 approving the K1 fiancé visa petition.
3. A complete copy of the K1 fiancé visa petition that the U.S. citizen petitioner submitted to USCIS.
4. Originals of all documents submitted in connection with the fiancé visa petition submitted to USCIS, such as the U.S. citizen petitioner’s birth certificate and proof that any prior marriages have ended.
5. The original Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support) signed by the U.S. citizen petitioner in black ink.
6. Documents to accompany Form I-134, such as a copy of the U.S. citizen petitioner’s most recent federal tax return and paycheck stubs. Read the instructions you received from the U.S. consulate carefully, they will tell you exactly what documents must accompany Form I-134 as the requirements amongst Embassies can vary.
7. The results of the fiancé beneficiary’s medical examination, in an unopened envelope, unless the results were sent directly to the consulate.
8. A recent statement of intent to Marry from the U.S. citizen petitioner. It has been several months since USCIS approved the initial petition thus the Consular Officer may want proof that the U.S. citizen petitioner still intends to marry you within 90 days of your arrival into the United States. (See: Sample Statement of Intent to Marry)
9. Documents showing that your relationship is still ongoing. You want documents covering the time period since the fiancé visa petition was submitted up to the K1 visa interview. You should bring documents with you such as recent emails, chat logs, and photos of the two of you together.
10. All documents requested in the instructions the fiancé beneficiary received from the U.S. consulate. Read the instructions carefully and make sure to bring all documents requested by the U.S. consulate with you to the K1 visa interview. Typically, the U.S. consulate will ask you to bring documents such as your birth certificate, passport, police clearance, photographs, etc.

It mentions things like ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE (#4) and copies of recent BANK STATEMENTS and PAYSTUBS. Surely this can't mean what it seems to? It is expected that my fiance will have copies of my financial information complete with account numbers and SSN? My original birth certificate. No matter how much I trust her (I do) it still seems highly irregular to send such sensitive documents and information overseas. No matter how trustworthy she is, the documents could always be lost or stolen. Wouldn't the state department forward my complete application to the consulate in question? They have all these documents as were required for the application in the first place

Could someone who knows what is actually require please help? We are planning our interview soon and I need to make sure she has everything she needs.

Thanks in advance!

[shreddoggie 0]

Another list is very different:

1. Valid passport
2. Birth certificate
3. Divorce or death certificate of any previous spouse
4. Police certificate from all places lived since age 16
5. Medical examination
6. Evidence of support – Form I-134 Affidavit of Support, U.S. Citizen’s most recent tax return, U.S. Citizen’s letter from employer
7. Evidence of valid relationship with the petitioner – pictures together, letters, phone bills
8. Photographs together (date and location written on back)

This list does not say whose birth certificate...

Edited December 12, 2016 by shreddoggie

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

We are close - we are approved for the interview - yay!

Now I am in the process of making sure my fiance has all the required paperwork. I am planning on sending her everything she needs to be prepared for anything the interviewer wants to examine, yet upon looking at the list it does not seem right. Here is the list:

1. The confirmation page showing that you have completed online Form DS-160.
2. The original USCIS Notice of Action numbered I-797 approving the K1 fiancé visa petition.
3. A complete copy of the K1 fiancé visa petition that the U.S. citizen petitioner submitted to USCIS.
4. Originals of all documents submitted in connection with the fiancé visa petition submitted to USCIS, such as the U.S. citizen petitioner’s birth certificate and proof that any prior marriages have ended.
5. The original Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support) signed by the U.S. citizen petitioner in black ink.
6. Documents to accompany Form I-134, such as a copy of the U.S. citizen petitioner’s most recent federal tax return and paycheck stubs. Read the instructions you received from the U.S. consulate carefully, they will tell you exactly what documents must accompany Form I-134 as the requirements amongst Embassies can vary.
7. The results of the fiancé beneficiary’s medical examination, in an unopened envelope, unless the results were sent directly to the consulate.
8. A recent statement of intent to Marry from the U.S. citizen petitioner. It has been several months since USCIS approved the initial petition thus the Consular Officer may want proof that the U.S. citizen petitioner still intends to marry you within 90 days of your arrival into the United States. (See: Sample Statement of Intent to Marry)
9. Documents showing that your relationship is still ongoing. You want documents covering the time period since the fiancé visa petition was submitted up to the K1 visa interview. You should bring documents with you such as recent emails, chat logs, and photos of the two of you together.
10. All documents requested in the instructions the fiancé beneficiary received from the U.S. consulate. Read the instructions carefully and make sure to bring all documents requested by the U.S. consulate with you to the K1 visa interview. Typically, the U.S. consulate will ask you to bring documents such as your birth certificate, passport, police clearance, photographs, etc.

It mentions things like ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE (#4) and copies of recent BANK STATEMENTS and PAYSTUBS. Surely this can't mean what it seems to? It is expected that my fiance will have copies of my financial information complete with account numbers and SSN? My original birth certificate. No matter how much I trust her (I do) it still seems highly irregular to send such sensitive documents and information overseas. No matter how trustworthy she is, the documents could always be lost or stolen. Wouldn't the state department forward my complete application to the consulate in question? They have all these documents as were required for the application in the first place

Could someone who knows what is actually require please help? We are planning our interview soon and I need to make sure she has everything she needs.

Thanks in advance!

Whether copies or originals are requested it will of course contain information that is sensitive to you and the beneficiary. Your complete application is forwarded but for example the supporting documents for the i-134 and the form itself will still need to be sent to her. We have all gone through this part I have yet to hear of stolen documents. The VJ list looks complete to me.

Also you can read this which I recently dug back up for another thread:

https://www.uscis.gov/forms/file-my-application-online-e-filing/how-do-i-know-if-i-need-original-documents

if it's the originals you are mostly worried about.

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

Birth certificate is needed of the beneficiary for the interview, not the petitioners.

And I have heard you can "black out" the account numbers and the SSN number, maybe leave the last 4 digits showing you know.

I send everything original myself, nothing blacked out, but I understand your concerns.

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

oh and btw! congrats on the pending interview and good luck

[shreddoggie 0]

Hahaha - you guys are great - thank you so much!

My concern is mostly about accuracy - if the originals with full account numbers are required so be it. If I can black out parts and provide xeroxes so much the better. I just need to know so my girl is not surprised or disappointed. The visajourney list is a great help. The concern was most focused on validating the lists I found because it is a big deal for my fiance. As Americans we are accustomed to the indignity and protocol required by government offices but she is a country girl and a bit intimidated - it is essential that make it work out smoothly for her.

@ Ben & Zian - are you a same sex couple with an immigration story? This brings a tear to my eye - literally, it is running down my cheek right now... We are a 'traditional' M/F couple and it is plenty of work as it is! Hooray for you, congratulations and thanks so much for your help! You too Suss & Camm!

Edited December 12, 2016 by shreddoggie

[cyanmavi 101]

Honestly it depends on the embassy. My embassy did not even ask for all the things that they had listed in an email sent a week before the interview.

You definitely need original I-34. Other things such as the tax return, tax transcripts, employment letter, recent paystubs and bank statements are supplements to the I-34, and you need to pick two or three of those and they can be copies.

They also definitely need original birth certificate and police record.

My fiance's initial letter containing an original I-34, letter of intent and a passport photo did get lost in the mail. None of those contain the SSN though, so we are not really worried. Probably a nosy customs officer or even a neighbor, my building does not have the most secure mail system, just a table where mail accumulates...

Good luck!

[shreddoggie 0]

Thanks for all the  help everyone!

 

I sent all the forms to my fiance and she is preparing for the interview and she noticed the forms have an expiration date on them. i-134 and i-129

 

Now I am worried - has anyone dealt with this before? It cost quite a bit to send the forms and our time is getting short but I don't want her to attend the interview and get declined because of the forms being out of date. I suppose I downloaded them when the were current but the expired between then and now very unhappy and concerned - any thoughts?

[javadown2 308]

go to the Manila US embassy site and download the list of required items, really it's that easy. Forms out of date? How long did you wait to set up the interview? You are already approved for the interview, the I-129 is already approved at this point, now the I-134, that might be a problem since it's required at the interview...hmm

 

Can you fill out a timeline for everyone so we know how long it's been?

Edited January 8, 2017 by javadown2

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

1 hour ago, shreddoggie said:

Thanks for all the  help everyone!

 

I sent all the forms to my fiance and she is preparing for the interview and she noticed the forms have an expiration date on them. i-134 and i-129

 

Now I am worried - has anyone dealt with this before? It cost quite a bit to send the forms and our time is getting short but I don't want her to attend the interview and get declined because of the forms being out of date. I suppose I downloaded them when the were current but the expired between then and now very unhappy and concerned - any thoughts?

If it's the same date as the current one on the uscis website it doesn't matter if it's expired.

Edited January 8, 2017 by Suss&Camm

[shreddoggie 0]

It hasn't been that long - we met in Sept 2015 and started the application process in Dec 2015 - a year a go. It is just bad luck since the form expired during that time. I checked the website and there is a new one with a new expiration date.

 

I just looked here at the Philippine US embassy (interview preparation instructions): https://ph.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/82/2016/08/K1-and-K2-Applicant-Interview-Preparation-Instructions-08112016-English-336KB.pdf

 

And it says "A completed I-134 Affidavit of Support Form may be useful to

the consular officer to evaluate your petitioner’s ability to be financially responsible for you."

 

Does not say required but rather 'may be useful..."

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

12 minutes ago, shreddoggie said:

It hasn't been that long - we met in Sept 2015 and started the application process in Dec 2015 - a year a go. It is just bad luck since the form expired during that time. I checked the website and there is a new one with a new expiration date.

 

I just looked here at the Philippine US embassy (interview preparation instructions): https://ph.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/82/2016/08/K1-and-K2-Applicant-Interview-Preparation-Instructions-08112016-English-336KB.pdf

 

And it says "A completed I-134 Affidavit of Support Form may be useful to

the consular officer to evaluate your petitioner’s ability to be financially responsible for you."

 

Does not say required but rather 'may be useful..."

It's been said many times by applicants that they didn't need to show it at the interview in Manila. It comes down to evaluating the odds and what kind of gambler you are. I'm not a gambler when it comes to these things at all so my advice will always be do it right and be prepared. Others will tell you differently and the decision is obviously yours alone. Good luck to you and your fiancée I think you know what your options are

 

Edit: Do I think you would be denied for an out of date form if asked for it at the embassy in Manila? No

At another embassy? No, POSSIBLY if a strict embassy, asked to submit the new one... but not denied.

And I'd still do the new one haha

Edited January 8, 2017 by Suss&Camm