Heading for Notarized letters?

[MARM 7]

I am planning on including some letters from family and friends to present as evidence at the time of K-1 interview.

What should the heading look like for these letters?

The K-1 interview will be held at the London Embassy.

Also,

What should the heading read for letter from employer for I-134? Should it be "To Whom It may Concern" or "Before the Embassy of the United States in London"?

Thanks!

-MARM

[Dakine 26]

Affidavits of a bona fide relationship?

[MARM 7]

Affidavits of a bona fide relationship?

Yes, affidavits of a bona-fide relationship, I know they are not required for the K-1 interview, but I would like to include them with the rest of the evidence I have.

[C&P 0]

All my letters were addressed To Whom it may concern. Although all my hard work and stress went unnoticed! My fiance had to ask the lady if she wanted to see pictures of us, her reply... "oh sure"

[Cham 3]

All my letters were addressed To Whom it may concern. Although all my hard work and stress went unnoticed! My fiance had to ask the lady if she wanted to see pictures of us, her reply... "oh sure"

ROFL!!!! That is how it normally how it goes to i hear...BUT I would do it JUST IN CASE...we are doing the same thing!

[MARM 7]

So I think this is how I will put the heading:

Before the Embassy of the United States in London

To Whom It May Concern:

And I think I will put the address/contact info of person who is writing the letter within the affidavit itself instead of a separate heading.

[Anh map 2,098]

Have the employment letter addressed to the embassy/consulate. It should include your position, salary, and term of employment.

The letters/statements from friends should be addressed the same way. I am curious as to what this will prove? Along the lines of a work reference, who would offer up a bad reference?

Photos of you and your fiance interacting with these folks would be more impactful than letters.

[MARM 7]

Have the employment letter addressed to the embassy/consulate. It should include your position, salary, and term of employment.

The letters/statements from friends should be addressed the same way. I am curious as to what this will prove? Along the lines of a work reference, who would offer up a bad reference?

Photos of you and your fiance interacting with these folks would be more impactful than letters.

The statements from friends and family will prove that they know about the engagement although they were not officially there for the engagement ceremony (we had a cultural engagement ceremony...engagement ceremonies are the usual custom for where I originate). I have plenty (more than 50) photos of my fiance and I with friends and family, but these letters are from those very close family members that could not make it to the engagement ceremony but are still our well-wishers, for example, my two sisters that could not attend because of university semester classes, etc. Nothing is a work reference, just letters from close friends/family that were either there but not pictured or either not able to attend the engagement ceremony but still are a part of our lives and still matter.

[Anh map 2,098]

The letters won't hurt anything. I just don't know if they will add anything to your petition. Anyone can write a letter. They (USCIS, embassy) won't do any research to verify what is written. My referring to a work reference was an illustration. Who would ask someone to give a reference that would not be favorable?

Look at it from a skeptical point of view: if this engagement ceremony is a big moment, why would those closest to you not attend? Would their not being there raise more questions than it answers? Now I may be jaded because my wife came through a high fraud consulate (HCMC Vietnam), but better safe than sorry was my approach.

What you need to prove is the validity of your relationship, your "love story." Show them what's going on between the two of you. Show evidence from time spent together, emails, chats, postal mail. Communication between your family/friends and your fiance. And vice versa if that's the case (you -> finace's family/friends) That will show that you are a couple and seen that way by those around you. If you received congratulatory notes and letters at the time of your engagement those would have some weight.

It seems that you are doing a good thorough job and will be succesful in the K-1 process. Don't get discouraged, because it is all worth it in the end when you are together.

[MARM 7]

The letters won't hurt anything. I just don't know if they will add anything to your petition. Anyone can write a letter. They (USCIS, embassy) won't do any research to verify what is written. My referring to a work reference was an illustration. Who would ask someone to give a reference that would not be favorable?

Look at it from a skeptical point of view: if this engagement ceremony is a big moment, why would those closest to you not attend? Would their not being there raise more questions than it answers? Now I may be jaded because my wife came through a high fraud consulate (HCMC Vietnam), but better safe than sorry was my approach.

What you need to prove is the validity of your relationship, your "love story." Show them what's going on between the two of you. Show evidence from time spent together, emails, chats, postal mail. Communication between your family/friends and your fiance. And vice versa if that's the case (you -> finace's family/friends) That will show that you are a couple and seen that way by those around you. If you received congratulatory notes and letters at the time of your engagement those would have some weight.

It seems that you are doing a good thorough job and will be succesful in the K-1 process. Don't get discouraged, because it is all worth it in the end when you are together.

I appreciate your point of view...now I am thinking whether I should be including these letters from friends/family at all. My fiance will be interviewing through the London embassy. I was just thinking that too much evidence could not hurt, but now that you mention it, I see that there can be a skeptical point of view...what is the need to make things more complicated...Because in addition to the many pictures we have (about 100), we have emails/phone evidence/postal mail, boarding passes, flight tickets, itineraries, passport stamps. I think including congratulations cards from friends/family are a better addition (and less work!) as compared to the letters I was thinking of including.

Thank so much, I really appreciate your input Anh map. Made things much easier for me...

Edited November 30, 2008 by MARM

[TBoneTX 48,364]

London is reportedly a VERY easy consulate; others can comment with first-hand authority. My consulate (Guayaquil) was the mirror opposite, and don't get me started about it. Letters (to validate the relationship) were an integral part of what finally turned the tide and gained the visa.

It may not be necessary to provide letters if your fiance(e) will ultimately interview at a low-fraud consulate, but it can be worth its weight in gold otherwise. In hindsight, I wish to high heaven that I had included such letters in my I-129F filing.

The definition of "high-fraud" (from one of my attorneys, who had consular experience) is "any poor country."

Edit: There's no need to have such letters notarized, but include the complete contact information of each writer, within the letter. One-page letters are fine.

Edited December 1, 2008 by TBoneTX

[MARM 7]

London is reportedly a VERY easy consulate; others can comment with first-hand authority. My consulate (Guayaquil) was the mirror opposite, and don't get me started about it. Letters (to validate the relationship) were an integral part of what finally turned the tide and gained the visa.

It may not be necessary to provide letters if your fiance(e) will ultimately interview at a low-fraud consulate, but it can be worth its weight in gold otherwise. In hindsight, I wish to high heaven that I had included such letters in my I-129F filing.

The definition of "high-fraud" (from one of my attorneys, who had consular experience) is "any poor country."

Edit: There's no need to have such letters notarized, but include the complete contact information of each writer, within the letter. One-page letters are fine.

Yes, thank you, if I do choose to include letters on second thought...I will take your advice. And yes, London is reportedly a very easy consulate (easiest after Canada), but still...my fiance is a Pakistani citizen on UK student visa, so that is why he will be interviewing in London, the letters may prove to be worth their weight in gold...haven't decided either to include letters or just congrats engagement cards from the same people (which I already have)...or both. I have lots of primary evidence, so that should be fine...you never know what the interviewer may ask for...