Engagement Timing

[gcox457 0]

Again receipt of a engagement ring does not prove you have met in person, dont worry about it, there is no requirement for buying a ring

Jeezzzz, this is not hard guys, you need to provide evidence of having met in the last 2 years.

You answer how you met with the supplemental sheet, there is where you paint the picture of your relationship and when you met, then the evidence, passport stamps, receipts, ticket stubs, boarding passes, pictures etc, back up what you said in answering the question.

I am not here to pick fights either, so if I have said anything out of line, accept my apology.

Only last comment that I want to make,

I never said dont include it, the point I was making is that it is not proof of having met in last 2 years, nor is it proof that you intend to marry (possible evidence for intent but that is all). As I said earlier, if that is all they have, then they need to get more evidence and not to get hung up on the ring thing.

Lets just agree to disagree on this one, what I am trying to get people to realize is that they need to build their case in their answer to question 18, and back it up with evidence that proves what they said in the answer. If they do that, they should be home free.

As a consession to the fact that I respect your advice, i will make the point about the intent to marry thing in further answers so that OPS get all the info available.

And peace was restored throughout the galaxy

[dwar49 0]

Again receipt of a engagement ring does not prove you have met in person, dont worry about it, there is no requirement for buying a ring

Jeezzzz, this is not hard guys, you need to provide evidence of having met in the last 2 years.

You answer how you met with the supplemental sheet, there is where you paint the picture of your relationship and when you met, then the evidence, passport stamps, receipts, ticket stubs, boarding passes, pictures etc, back up what you said in answering the question.

I am not here to pick fights either, so if I have said anything out of line, accept my apology.

Only last comment that I want to make,

I never said dont include it, the point I was making is that it is not proof of having met in last 2 years, nor is it proof that you intend to marry (possible evidence for intent but that is all). As I said earlier, if that is all they have, then they need to get more evidence and not to get hung up on the ring thing.

Lets just agree to disagree on this one, what I am trying to get people to realize is that they need to build their case in their answer to question 18, and back it up with evidence that proves what they said in the answer. If they do that, they should be home free.

As a consession to the fact that I respect your advice, i will make the point about the intent to marry thing in further answers so that OPS get all the info available.

And peace was restored throughout the galaxy

Let the force be with us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MN&UK 0]

YES! Airline Boarding passes, Apartment rentals, ticket stubs from Ekaterinburg Ballet with photos of us there, etc. I hope I covered it but who knows for certain when the evil RFE may creep up

You should be fine. You can photocopy phone bills and print out emails too, but you looked like you are covered.

I don't have bling on my finger and am not sweating it.

[JenT 0]

I didn't want an engagement ring therefore, no receipt. Still got approved.

Jen

[gcox457 0]

I didn't want an engagement ring therefore, no receipt. Still got approved.

Jen

For the record, I didn't have a receipt either....though if I *did* you can be sure I would have sent it in along with everything else

[JenT 0]

I sent a copy of a Wal-Mart receipt from one of my grocery shopping trips while I was in Germany...

That counts...

[Yodrak 7]

gcox,

If you look even more closely you'll notice the words "you wish". The anecdotal evidence is that many people 'wish' to provide nothing more than the required statements and they do just fine with that.

Yodrak

.... if you'll look closely, there is also a concrete requirement to establish intent to marry within 2 years. From the I-129F:

Provide original statements from you and yourfiancé(e) whom you plan to marry within 90 days of his or her admission, and copies of any evidence you wish to submit to establish your mutual intent;

Copies of a receipt for an engagement ring certainly falls within the realm of establishing mutual intent. While it's probable that the original statements carry far more weight than other evidence to that end...you certainly shouldn't DIScourage people from sending such things as it further strengthens the case for a requirement spelled out in the I-129F.

[gcox457 0]

gcox,

If you look even more closely you'll notice the words "you wish". The anecdotal evidence is that many people 'wish' to provide nothing more than the required statements and they do just fine with that.

Yodrak

.... if you'll look closely, there is also a concrete requirement to establish intent to marry within 2 years. From the I-129F:

Provide original statements from you and yourfiancé(e) whom you plan to marry within 90 days of his or her admission, and copies of any evidence you wish to submit to establish your mutual intent;

Copies of a receipt for an engagement ring certainly falls within the realm of establishing mutual intent. While it's probable that the original statements carry far more weight than other evidence to that end...you certainly shouldn't DIScourage people from sending such things as it further strengthens the case for a requirement spelled out in the I-129F.

Oh, without a doubt I noticed that. That was my point...if one has it on-hand already...why in the world would one not "wish" to use it to strengthen the case? Why eliminate a potential source of making one's case of intent to a perfect stranger who happens to have the power to change your life? As the saying goes: "If you got it, flaunt it". And that goes for every aspect of this confusing and complicated process...one shouldn't hamstring one's own case by purposely omitting valid evidence (even if by a miniscule amount due to the minor impact that particular piece might have) just because it might not be "critical" to the case. On the same note....it's not necessary to get neurotic about not possessing something like a ring receipt to send.

I believe in being thorough...and, as you know, I've always encouraged others to be the same. And I believe that actively encouraging people to not use valid tools at their disposal is irresponsible...no matter how trivial the tool might be. If sending nothing is worth zero points, a written statment is worth 100 points, and a ring receipt is 0.00000001 point....I'll tell that person to include the receipt every time because 100.00000001 > 100 and it doesn't take any more appreciable effort to include it. It's one thing to say "the ring receipt doesn't carry much weight so it's not strictly necessary" and quite another to say "no, don't send it in".

At the same time, if you don't have something, you don't have it....no sense in freaking out about something you can't change. Especially if its impact is minor to begin with.

As a parallel...if one has boarding passes, hotel receipts, and passport stamps as proof of meeting...and there is anecdotal evidence that only the boarding passes and passport stamps are strictly necessary...would you recommend that person omit the hotel receipts? I know I wouldn't....the more evidence that points in the same direction the better. However, if one ONLY has boarding passes and passport stamps....I'd tell that person that everything's fine and there should be no reason to be rejected based on that. No sense in worrying about something they can't change especially since the proof that IS available is almost certainly sufficient.

It's all how you word things and the message you send.

[JenT 0]

Of course. But at this stage, all you're looking to prove is that you have met within the last 2 years. Mutual intent can be established thru letters of intent, written by each of you.

Save the bulk of the evidence, insofar as providing evidence of RELATIONSHIP for the interview.

Jen