Final checks before sending off our package

[shoesoff 6]

Hey guys,

 

We are ready to send off our package today, thanks in a large part to the good people here at Visa Journey.

I just wanted to very quickly list what we have included and get your thoughts on whether we really are, as we think, good to go!

 

We have the following in a turquoise 3-ring binder, all separated into separate sheet protectors (with paper clips to secure groups of documents together):

 

• Cover letter
• Check for $535
• I-129F
• I-129F - Continuation Sheet for 34.a (brief but including dates and locations of each time we have visited each other)
• Petitioner and beneficiary's G325a with passport photos taken two days ago.
• Continuation sheets for both of our employment history questions for the G325a
• Both of our G-1145 forms
• Copy of USC's birth certificate (both sides)
• Copies of all pages of her US passport
• Copy of both sides of Social Security card
• Petitioner and beneficiary's intent to marry letters
• Screenshots of both of our engagement announcements on Facebook (showing the number of likes and comments)
• Copy of the valuation of the engagement ring that I had made in the UK (showing the ring's value at a few thousand dollars)
• 3 conversation excerpts between petitioner and friends/family about wedding planning
• 2 conversation excerpts between beneficiary and friends about wedding planning
• 23 photos of us together printed 3 to a page with the date, location and brief description - beginning with our engagement and dating back to February 2016 - in various locations around the world - 7 of them showing us with family and friends
• Copies of all pages of my UK passport
• 15 boarding pass / travel documents showing me flying to America, to Portland to see her, her coming to England, us travelling around Europe and me coming back in November to see her
• 4 different months' bank statements for her and me showing us spending money in the same places at the same time
• 20 pages of excerpts from our WhatsApp conversation - beginning with the first messages we ever sent to each other (after talking on Tinder) - then several screenshots of snippets from each month up to now

 

And that's about it!
We know there's always more we could include but we feel there would be no reason for USCIS to question the validity of our relationship (and therefore the application) based on what we have supplied.
Would you guys agree? Or is there some glaring piece of evidence we're missing?
We're very excited (and relieved) to be getting this underway and being able to enjoy our next week together before I head back to England.

Thank you so so much, everyone. You've been fantastic at easing our minds and clearing up issues during this process.
We will definitely be sticking around on here to help out others when we can.

Peter (& Alexa)

 

[Cryssiekins 976]

When my now husband filed the K1 petition last March, we had significantly less items in our package and we had a very smooth K1 process :-)

 

Based on my career, I'm accustom to providing precisely what is asked for: nothing more and nothing less.

 

You'll be fine with all that for sure!!

 

Best wishes and I hope you have an easy experience with all of it :-) 

[Ashley214 3]

My fiancé is also from the U.K. and I also sent a few less items. As of today we received our NOA2 so I think you should be fine! Good luck in your journey!

[Ashley Scott 180]

10 minutes ago, Ashley214 said:

My fiancé is also from the U.K. and I also sent a few less items. As of today we received our NOA2 so I think you should be fine! Good luck in your journey!

Yay for your NOA2!  That's exciting!  On to the fun stuff now   haha

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

We have the following in a turquoise 3-ring binder I would not use a ring binder, it's advised to use a large clip to hold everything together, one point is the extra postage, all separated into separate sheet protectors (with paper clips to secure groups of documents together):

 

• Cover letter
• Check for $535
• I-129F
• I-129F - Continuation Sheet for 34.a (brief but including dates and locations of each time we have visited each other)
• Petitioner and beneficiary's G325a with passport photos taken two days ago. Printed name on back of photos and put them in bags?
• Continuation sheets for both of our employment history questions for the G325a
• Both of our G-1145 forms
• Copy of USC's birth certificate (both sides)
• Copies of all pages of her US passport
• Copy of both sides of Social Security card
• Petitioner and beneficiary's intent to marry letters
• Screenshots of both of our engagement announcements on Facebook (showing the number of likes and comments)
• Copy of the valuation of the engagement ring that I had made in the UK (showing the ring's value at a few thousand dollars)
• 3 conversation excerpts between petitioner and friends/family about wedding planning
• 2 conversation excerpts between beneficiary and friends about wedding planning
• 23 photos of us together printed 3 to a page with the date, location and brief description - beginning with our engagement and dating back to February 2016 - in various locations around the world - 7 of them showing us with family and friends
• Copies of all pages of my UK passport
• 15 boarding pass / travel documents showing me flying to America, to Portland to see her, her coming to England, us travelling around Europe and me coming back in November to see her
• 4 different months' bank statements for her and me showing us spending money in the same places at the same time
• 20 pages of excerpts from our WhatsApp conversation - beginning with the first messages we ever sent to each other (after talking on Tinder) - then several screenshots of snippets from each month up to now

 

 

You are all good! lol lot's of evidence, like the others I believe more than needed

I'm assuming none of you have ever had another name or been married before since there is no such documents included

Happy filing!

[Ashley Scott 180]

41 minutes ago, shoesoff said:

Hey guys,

 

We are ready to send off our package today, thanks in a large part to the good people here at Visa Journey.

I just wanted to very quickly list what we have included and get your thoughts on whether we really are, as we think, good to go!

 

We have the following in a turquoise 3-ring binder, all separated into separate sheet protectors (with paper clips to secure groups of documents together):

 

• Cover letter
• Check for $535
• I-129F
• I-129F - Continuation Sheet for 34.a (brief but including dates and locations of each time we have visited each other)
• Petitioner and beneficiary's G325a with passport photos taken two days ago.
• Continuation sheets for both of our employment history questions for the G325a
• Both of our G-1145 forms
• Copy of USC's birth certificate (both sides)
• Copies of all pages of her US passport
• Copy of both sides of Social Security card
• Petitioner and beneficiary's intent to marry letters
• Screenshots of both of our engagement announcements on Facebook (showing the number of likes and comments)
• Copy of the valuation of the engagement ring that I had made in the UK (showing the ring's value at a few thousand dollars)
• 3 conversation excerpts between petitioner and friends/family about wedding planning
• 2 conversation excerpts between beneficiary and friends about wedding planning
• 23 photos of us together printed 3 to a page with the date, location and brief description - beginning with our engagement and dating back to February 2016 - in various locations around the world - 7 of them showing us with family and friends
• Copies of all pages of my UK passport
• 15 boarding pass / travel documents showing me flying to America, to Portland to see her, her coming to England, us travelling around Europe and me coming back in November to see her
• 4 different months' bank statements for her and me showing us spending money in the same places at the same time
• 20 pages of excerpts from our WhatsApp conversation - beginning with the first messages we ever sent to each other (after talking on Tinder) - then several screenshots of snippets from each month up to now

 

And that's about it!
We know there's always more we could include but we feel there would be no reason for USCIS to question the validity of our relationship (and therefore the application) based on what we have supplied.
Would you guys agree? Or is there some glaring piece of evidence we're missing?
We're very excited (and relieved) to be getting this underway and being able to enjoy our next week together before I head back to England.

Thank you so so much, everyone. You've been fantastic at easing our minds and clearing up issues during this process.
We will definitely be sticking around on here to help out others when we can.

Peter (& Alexa)

 

Sounds like you went above and beyond.  Never hurts to be prepared.   Good luck to you guys and congrats on getting the ball rolling!

[Cee & Ed 4]

I think you will be fine with what you are providing.

You may want to reconsider the 3-ring binder and sheets, as they disassemble it and reorder how they like to scan into their system. I had also compiled a binder (which I was extremely proud of!) but ended up using binder and paper clips to group things together, one large clip for the entire packet, then slid that into an envelope. It makes it easier for the person processing your application.
Best of luck to you guys! 

[LionessDeon 2,060]

Overkill on the photos.....4-5 are plenty.  They are secondary evidence.

 

I would keep the binder and protector sheets.  They are just going to take everything out of them and throw them in the garbage.  You should save them to use for another project.....AOS interview documents maybe?  Just stack the documents neatly one on top of the other in order of your cover letter and slide into the mailing envelope.  Use paperclips if you want to group certain items together.  This is what I did for our K1 petition and AOS filings.

 

Good Luck!

Edited February 2, 2017 by LionessDeon

[shoesoff 6]

Thanks for all of the replies guys! We're really happy to be finished with getting the package together. We'll be heading down to USPS after work today!

With regards to the binder folder, we're not so worried about them just throwing it away (a shame but not devastating) - as long as them having to take everything apart isn't going to affect our application.

Having seen sooooo many others being sent in the same way, I think we're going to be OK. The folder is set up so that there's absolutely no confusion as to what all the evidence is (all separated by coloured and labelled separators) - so hopefully USCIS will consider the binder helpful rather than a hindrance... right?

Thanks again.
I'm really quite excited to start listing our progress on the timeline here!

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

28 minutes ago, shoesoff said:

Thanks for all of the replies guys! We're really happy to be finished with getting the package together. We'll be heading down to USPS after work today!

With regards to the binder folder, we're not so worried about them just throwing it away (a shame but not devastating) - as long as them having to take everything apart isn't going to affect our application.

Having seen sooooo many others being sent in the same way, I think we're going to be OK. The folder is set up so that there's absolutely no confusion as to what all the evidence is (all separated by coloured and labelled separators) - so hopefully USCIS will consider the binder helpful rather than a hindrance... right?

Thanks again.
I'm really quite excited to start listing our progress on the timeline here!

Sure, it is giving them extra work though and they will have to take out each sheet of paper in the protector things before being able to scan them, which could just as well mean a higher risk of them messing up..

 

on USCIS tips websites it says:

"In preparing your packet, please take note of the following:

• Do not use binders or folders that cannot be easily disassembled

https://www.uscis.gov/forms/forms-and-fees/general-tips-assembling-applications-mailing

 

still up to you ofc..

Edited February 2, 2017 by Suss&Camm

[yuna628 9,528]

Hi there,

 

Firstly, you don't need any binder. They don't want it and they don't need it. In fact they nearly beg you not to do it on their own instructions. Simply stack everything in order (you can use post-it notes if there's something you want to draw attention to) with paperclips and ACCO clamp it all together.

 

Now, with regard to evidence, I see you have provided *ALOT*, and that's fine to do if you want... remember it should be quality over quantity. But there is one item that stands out to me that I would take out straight away. A photocopy of a social security card is not only NOT NEEDED but I would strongly advise against ever sending such a document. It's not recommended or needed for you to do so. The birth certificate is enough proof of citizenship. Make sure that the G-1145 is put somewhere on top as the instructions state.

 

 

Edited February 2, 2017 by yuna628

[MapleLeaf29 247]

6 hours ago, shoesoff said:

Hey guys,

 

We are ready to send off our package today, thanks in a large part to the good people here at Visa Journey.

I just wanted to very quickly list what we have included and get your thoughts on whether we really are, as we think, good to go!

 

We have the following in a turquoise 3-ring binder, all separated into separate sheet protectors (with paper clips to secure groups of documents together):

 

• Cover letter
• Check for $535
• I-129F
• I-129F - Continuation Sheet for 34.a (brief but including dates and locations of each time we have visited each other)
• Petitioner and beneficiary's G325a with passport photos taken two days ago.
• Continuation sheets for both of our employment history questions for the G325a
• Both of our G-1145 forms
• Copy of USC's birth certificate (both sides)
• Copies of all pages of her US passport
• Copy of both sides of Social Security card
• Petitioner and beneficiary's intent to marry letters
• Screenshots of both of our engagement announcements on Facebook (showing the number of likes and comments)
• Copy of the valuation of the engagement ring that I had made in the UK (showing the ring's value at a few thousand dollars)
• 3 conversation excerpts between petitioner and friends/family about wedding planning
• 2 conversation excerpts between beneficiary and friends about wedding planning
• 23 photos of us together printed 3 to a page with the date, location and brief description - beginning with our engagement and dating back to February 2016 - in various locations around the world - 7 of them showing us with family and friends
• Copies of all pages of my UK passport
• 15 boarding pass / travel documents showing me flying to America, to Portland to see her, her coming to England, us travelling around Europe and me coming back in November to see her
• 4 different months' bank statements for her and me showing us spending money in the same places at the same time
• 20 pages of excerpts from our WhatsApp conversation - beginning with the first messages we ever sent to each other (after talking on Tinder) - then several screenshots of snippets from each month up to now

 

And that's about it!
We know there's always more we could include but we feel there would be no reason for USCIS to question the validity of our relationship (and therefore the application) based on what we have supplied.
Would you guys agree? Or is there some glaring piece of evidence we're missing?
We're very excited (and relieved) to be getting this underway and being able to enjoy our next week together before I head back to England.

Thank you so so much, everyone. You've been fantastic at easing our minds and clearing up issues during this process.
We will definitely be sticking around on here to help out others when we can.

Peter (& Alexa)

 

Did you include the terms of use of the Tinder website showing that they're not an International Marriage Broker?  I kind of wish we had done that when we sent in our application because I've heard of a few people getting an RFE lately because they met online didn't provide any proof that the website wasn't an IMB.  If I were to send my application over again, I would add the terms of use just in case.  (I think we'll probably be fine, but that's the only thing I wish I had added.)

[MapleLeaf29 247]

4 hours ago, LionessDeon said:

Overkill on the photos.....4-5 are plenty.  They are secondary evidence.

 

I would keep the binder and protector sheets.  They are just going to take everything out of them and throw them in the garbage.  You should save them to use for another project.....AOS interview documents maybe?  Just stack the documents neatly one on top of the other in order of your cover letter and slide into the mailing envelope.  Use paperclips if you want to group certain items together.  This is what I did for our K1 petition and AOS filings.

 

Good Luck!

I started out with everything SO organized in neat little plastic sheets, and then I read that this causes a lot of extra work for the people who process the applications.  I ended up disassembling my entire binder and starting over.  I used the binder and the plastic page protectors for my fiancé's copy of the petition.

[shoesoff 6]

9 minutes ago, MapleLeaf29 said:

Did you include the terms of use of the Tinder website showing that they're not an International Marriage Broker?  I kind of wish we had done that when we sent in our application because I've heard of a few people getting an RFE lately because they met online didn't provide any proof that the website wasn't an IMB.  If I were to send my application over again, I would add the terms of use just in case.  (I think we'll probably be fine, but that's the only thing I wish I had added.)

We didn't... I never read anything about it being an issue. I think the rest of the evidence proves that it wasn't Tinder that really 'set us up' anyhow. I moved us onto WhatsApp pretty quickly after messaging on there and have included the first ever messages I sent (with a little context) to explain.

 

2 minutes ago, MapleLeaf29 said:

I started out with everything SO organized in neat little plastic sheets, and then I read that this causes a lot of extra work for the people who process the applications.  I ended up disassembling my entire binder and starting over.  I used the binder and the plastic page protectors for my fiancé's copy of the petition.

Same. We have ended up scrapping the folder. I popped down to Target to get some big bulldog clips and I dismantled everything and just put it all in as sheets.

We left the dividers in there to point them to specific information (and because aesthetically it looked nice - which was important to us having spent two weeks putting it all together!) and then included sheet protectors to enclose the check and our g325a forms with the passport photos (they looked like they'd slide around). It's done though.

 

Done.

 

Sent.

 

Gone.

 

I'm praying for an easy process.

 

Thanks again for all your comments and the continued support of everyone on here.

A few people have messaged me already asking for help - if you'd like to ask anything, please don't hesitate.

[A'n'L 735]

Looks like you're more than good to go, especially after getting rid of the binder etc (simple is key). You should however put the g1145 in front (after the check). Also, make sure both your sets of passport pictures are US style. You could also get rid of the SS card, as it's not necessary and not something you want to be flying around.