Gathering relationship evidence

[SocratesJohnson 6]

I am starting to gather all of my stuff for proof of meeting in the last two years/genuine relationship, and although I shouldn't be, I'm worried that what I have won't be good enough (based on seeing that others on here are getting RFE's.) My fiancé first came to the US in September 2015, and I only have a few pictures of us together. He came back in January of 2016 until February 2016, and I only have one picture of us together, and one of him and my mom, and lots of him and my dog haha. In May 2016, I joined him in Scotland, and stayed between the U.K. and Europe until March 2017 (I've seriously only been home for three weeks.) I do have quite a few pics from us during this time, pretty much all "selfies," because when we were traveling especially, we were by ourselves. I have SO many vacation pictures, but a lot of it is scenery, or solo pics that we snapped of each other. Any advice on what to include? Both the solo and selfie shots to show we were out and about together? 

 

I was smart enough to take a couple photos of his passport stamps showing when he traveled to the US, and I'll submit my stamps of entry to the U.K....I don't have any stamps from Europe, though. France was the first Schengen country we landed in, and the immigration officer didn't even look at me, much less stamp me (this actually caused me some grief when we went back to Scotland a few months later.) I only have two of our boarding passes, and three of our e-ticket receipts with me. Hopefully, he kept the emails of the tickets he paid for us, which was all but two, and our AirBnB emails, because I stupidely erased them from my account. He's going through his emails to find it all. We just didn't think to hang on to all of this. How essential is it to provide every piece of evidence we traveled together? Are a few things enough if we don't have it all. I read that USCIS would prefer actual boarding passes versus itineraries and receipts, but it's all I have. Both of our names are on everything. 

 

Other evidence I have is a few pics of us with his nieces, one of us having dinner with his family, a really lovely card his mother and sister gave me before I left. I also have Workaway letters of recommendation from our hosts saying what a great couple we are, and that our help was appreciated, but I'm unsure whether to submit that, only because it could complicate the "last employment abroad" question on the 325G form, even though it was not official work.  Does anybody have any further suggestions? 

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

Honestly all you have to provide is enough to show you met once. Anything else is just loading the petition. A lot of us have run into the same issues when we try to collect evidence.

 

USCIS only needs proof of having met once within 2 years, and being free and able to marry. 

 

My only question and something perhaps you have considered already is when it comes to time for the interview, can you show financial support for the I-134? Sounds like you have been traveling most of the time.,

 

Really though sounds like you have more than enough evidence honestly.

[Kevin&Kanyanat 168]

Include the photos of you both. I put mine in a photo album format. I went so far as to put the date and location of each one. Probably overkill. If you're on social media print out pictures of your Facebook posts of public messages you sent back and forth and things you've tagged each other in. I would even print out comments if people have made. Such as the cliche "oh you look so cute together". 

Print out all emails and texts you've sent back and forth.  Be that through iMessages, Facebook or any other messaging app. I have over 1,000 pages of texts. Again probably over kill but it shows the contact this is not an all inclusive list and I'm sure others would have suggestions as well. All said I am probably going to make Fed Ex's year when I send all of this. It weighs damn near 4 pounds. I killed some trees

[SocratesJohnson 6]

2 minutes ago, Ben&Zian said:

Honestly all you have to provide is enough to show you met once. Anything else is just loading the petition. A lot of us have run into the same issues when we try to collect evidence.

 

USCIS only needs proof of having met once within 2 years, and being free and able to marry. 

 

My only question and something perhaps you have considered already is when it comes to time for the interview, can you show financial support for the I-134? Sounds like you have been traveling most of the time.,

 

Really though sounds like you have more than enough evidence honestly.

Yes, I was fortunately hired for a position that starts on Monday at $29k a year. I'm so relieved. It was a big concern of mine, too! I'm not sending the I29-F until next month. I hope that by the time he needs my Affidavit, they'll believe I've been working steadily enough to qualify as a sponsor. My family is more than willing to co-sponsor if USCIS doesn't think I've been in the position long enough. I should have decent savings, though, because until he gets here, I'm staying with my family and have very few expenses.

 

For picture proof of meeting within the last two years: USCIS is fine with just labeled pics? 

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

2 minutes ago, SocratesJohnson said:

Yes, I was fortunately hired for a position that starts on Monday at $29k a year. I'm so relieved. It was a big concern of mine, too! I'm not sending the I29-F until next month. I hope that by the time he needs my Affidavit, they'll believe I've been working steadily enough to qualify as a sponsor. My family is more than willing to co-sponsor if USCIS doesn't think I've been in the position long enough. I should have decent savings, though, because until he gets here, I'm staying with my family and have very few expenses.

 

For picture proof of meeting within the last two years: USCIS is fine with just labeled pics? 

 

Sounds like you'll be good on that end of things then.

 

[SocratesJohnson 6]

5 minutes ago, Kevin&Kanyanat said:

Include the photos of you both. I put mine in a photo album format. I went so far as to put the date and location of each one. Probably overkill. If you're on social media print out pictures of your Facebook posts of public messages you sent back and forth and things you've tagged each other in. I would even print out comments if people have made. Such as the cliche "oh you look so cute together". 

Print out all emails and texts you've sent back and forth.  Be that through iMessages, Facebook or any other messaging app. I have over 1,000 pages of texts. Again probably over kill but it shows the contact this is not an all inclusive list and I'm sure others would have suggestions as well. All said I am probably going to make Fed Ex's year when I send all of this. It weighs damn near 4 pounds. I killed some trees

Aw! I thought of doing the Facebook posts thing. We have a few. We're not on social media a lot, like we have pictures of each other up and posts, but we're not really "look at our every day lives" sort of people on there. I will definitely include Skype and Whatsapp logs, including all of the boring stuff we have texted each other while living together (what do you want for dinner, bring home toothpaste, lol.) Thanks for the great advice! 

[SocratesJohnson 6]

Update: he found our itineraries and Airbnb bookings. Phew! Thank you guys for indulging my neuroses! 

[SocratesJohnson 6]

21 minutes ago, Ben&Zian said:

Honestly all you have to provide is enough to show you met once. Anything else is just loading the petition. A lot of us have run into the same issues when we try to collect evidence.

 

USCIS only needs proof of having met once within 2 years, and being free and able to marry. 

 

My only question and something perhaps you have considered already is when it comes to time for the interview, can you show financial support for the I-134? Sounds like you have been traveling most of the time.,

 

Really though sounds like you have more than enough evidence honestly.

For the free and able to marry: neither one of us has ever married. I know we both need to submit statements saying that we are single and intending to marry each other. Is there any additional proof needed? I spoke with a very unhelpful woman at my local immigration office who said that he needed actual proof from the U.K., like an official government form or statement. She also said I would need to send his birth certificate in with mine for the I29F? I thought only mine was needed until his consulate interview. 

[yuna628 9,528]

5 minutes ago, SocratesJohnson said:

For the free and able to marry: neither one of us has ever married. I know we both need to submit statements saying that we are single and intending to marry each other. Is there any additional proof needed? I spoke with a very unhelpful woman at my local immigration office who said that he needed actual proof from the U.K., like an official government form or statement. She also said I would need to send his birth certificate in with mine for the I29F? I thought only mine was needed until his consulate interview. 

Nope and nope. Woman is talking nonsense.

 

Follow the guides on VJ, and it will give you a good overview of what is required to send. If you are both single and have never been married previously, all that is required is a written and signed statement from each of you saying something like "I ___ declare that I am free and willing to marry ___ in the United States within 90 days of entry with a K1 visa". His birth certificate is not required for the I-129F. A photocopy of the original or an official certified copy of the US citizen's long form birth certificate is required. The UK citizen's birth certificate will be needed later on, during the consulate process. Do not send the original, you will never get it back.

 

I see you're talking about a lot of evidence, and it sounds like you have more than enough. Remember quality over quantity. Photos of you two are secondary evidence (make sure to write who/what/when/where/date on the back). Passport stamps, boarding passes, itineraries, atm withdraws, receipts of places you have been together, ticket stubs... anything showing you were at the same place at the same time. For London, chat logs, emails and in-depth stuff like that isn't really needed (it's not like other consulates)... you have the option to send it of course but it's not a requirement. You don't need a lot of photos - maybe pick 7 or so - focusing on quality. Perhaps the two of you against the backdrop of clearly identifiable landmarks? The two of you with family or friends? The two of you going to a place you can back up with a receipt or ticket?

[SocratesJohnson 6]

12 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

Nope and nope. Woman is talking nonsense.

 

Follow the guides on VJ, and it will give you a good overview of what is required to send. If you are both single and have never been married previously, all that is required is a written and signed statement from each of you saying something like "I ___ declare that I am free and willing to marry ___ in the United States within 90 days of entry with a K1 visa". His birth certificate is not required for the I-129F. A photocopy of the original or an official certified copy of the US citizen's long form birth certificate is required. The UK citizen's birth certificate will be needed later on, during the consulate process. Do not send the original, you will never get it back.

 

I see you're talking about a lot of evidence, and it sounds like you have more than enough. Remember quality over quantity. Photos of you two are secondary evidence (make sure to write who/what/when/where/date on the back). Passport stamps, boarding passes, itineraries, atm withdraws, receipts of places you have been together, ticket stubs... anything showing you were at the same place at the same time. For London, chat logs, emails and in-depth stuff like that isn't really needed (it's not like other consulates)... you have the option to send it of course but it's not a requirement. You don't need a lot of photos - maybe pick 7 or so - focusing on quality. Perhaps the two of you against the backdrop of clearly identifiable landmarks? The two of you with family or friends? The two of you going to a place you can back up with a receipt or ticket?

I don't really keep receipts--what I CAN do is print out my bank statements showing purchases I made abroad, though! Is it necessary he do the same, I mean, he's the Scottish one ☺ He just sent me all of our itineraries from flights and a couple Airbnb bookings (those are only in his name, but the dates match.) Everything else has both of our names on it. I also have tickets stubs (well, mine) from a Hibs game with a corresponding picture of us in green and white from a few weeks ago. Other than that, no restaurant stubs or anything. 

 

Our pics are kinda lame together haha, because most are selfies you can't see much as far as background. I have one amazing one that a friend took of us at Greyfriar's cemetery. We look really happy. Other than that, the best I can do to show scenery is include single snaps we took of each other at the same place/cities. We're just not "let's take a million photos together" kind of people. We do take a lot of photos of each other, though, if that makes sense. 

Edited March 24, 2017 by SocratesJohnson

[LionessDeon 2,060]

Photos are secondary evidence.  5-7 photos is plenty.  Photos including landmarks are best. How you look isn't really relevant.  Anyone can put on a smile.

 

Passport stamps, hotel, flight itineraries, board passes, ticket stubs are all good things to send in also.  I sent one of each kind.  You don't have to overkill it.  You don't have to show proof of multiple visits, just one in the past 2 years. 

What you have to be sufficient.

Edited March 24, 2017 by LionessDeon

[USC1961 251]

3 hours ago, Kevin&Kanyanat said:

Include the photos of you both. I put mine in a photo album format. I went so far as to put the date and location of each one. Probably overkill. If you're on social media print out pictures of your Facebook posts of public messages you sent back and forth and things you've tagged each other in. I would even print out comments if people have made. Such as the cliche "oh you look so cute together". 

Print out all emails and texts you've sent back and forth.  Be that through iMessages, Facebook or any other messaging app. I have over 1,000 pages of texts. Again probably over kill but it shows the contact this is not an all inclusive list and I'm sure others would have suggestions as well. All said I am probably going to make Fed Ex's year when I send all of this. It weighs damn near 4 pounds. I killed some trees

Most definitely overkill, as no one is even going to bother to read 20 pages let alone 1,000.  And if your chats are anything like ours, a lot of it sounds like the Howard Stern show.  Not a good idea to submit those conversations. 

[SocratesJohnson 6]

7 minutes ago, Cruise77 said:

Most definitely overkill, as no one is even going to bother to read 20 pages let alone 1,000.  And if your chats are anything like ours, a lot of it sounds like the Howard Stern show.  Not a good idea to submit those conversations. 

Haha! Well, I would only include the cute and boring stuff! 

[KULtoATL 1,551]

5 hours ago, SocratesJohnson said:

For the free and able to marry: neither one of us has ever married. I know we both need to submit statements saying that we are single and intending to marry each other. Is there any additional proof needed? I spoke with a very unhelpful woman at my local immigration office who said that he needed actual proof from the U.K., like an official government form or statement. She also said I would need to send his birth certificate in with mine for the I29F? I thought only mine was needed until his consulate interview. 

Look into single status letter or record of no marriage from local registry or court. It's not difficult to get one if needed. Back home, we get one from our national registration department of birth, marriage and death. As for my US fiance, he got his from his local court. 

[yuna628 9,528]

37 minutes ago, KULtoATL said:

Look into single status letter or record of no marriage from local registry or court. It's not difficult to get one if needed. Back home, we get one from our national registration department of birth, marriage and death. As for my US fiance, he got his from his local court. 

Not needed for London specific cases.