Got REF, need some help...

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

hi, we have the same situation. we also received RFE and it's because we lack the letter of intent to marry and requirement that petitioner and beneficiary met in person. i already sent the documents we lack to my fiance(petitioner) in hawaii. another similarity we have is that my fiance became american citizen only last march 2011.

now my question is( to those who can answer): do you think the USCIS might question my fiance(the petitioner) because he is planning to pass his original philippine passport(he has to send it to USCIS coz the passport stamps are in it and it's an evidence that he really went to visit me last february 2011 which is a proof that we met in person within the last 2 years before filing K1 visa.)? by the way he has a new passport when he became an american citizen that's why he is thinking it's ok for him to pass his original philippine passport(instead of a photocopy of it) since the USCIS will also return it afterwards? do you think it's the right thing to do? thanks in advance..

Don't send in any original evidence unless specifically requested. Sent only photocopies. Anything you send them may not be returned, unless you make a specific request, and they grant the request.

[itsmekmia 0]

Don't send in any original evidence unless specifically requested. Sent only photocopies. Anything you send them may not be returned, unless you make a specific request, and they grant the request.

thank you, will convince my fiance to just send the photocopy of it. thanks again.

[pushbrk 12,152]

Looks like you're going to have to draw them a map and provide a clear explanation of your primary evidence. Explain why you traveled on a Chinese passport and that the stamps are for YOUR travel to China. Support this with the boarding pass you have, and flight itineraries. The itineraries are only supporting evidence to the passport stamps. If you have some in country receipts, bank or credit card statements showing you used a card or ATM in China, that will help too.

[Casprd 167]

I have several questions:

1. I did submit the copies of passport pages which show the identification page and admission stamps. However, I got my citizenship on February 2011 and I used my Chinese passport for traveling. Do I need to do notary for it?

For your chinese passport you will probably need to do a notary for the ID page and all the visa stamp pages.

2. I did not keep the airline tickets stubs and all my tickets were booked by travel agents. They sent me the receipts and e-tickets via emails. Can those receipts and e-tickets be counted as evidence?

If you have a frequent flier account with that airline, sometimes you can go online and re-print the boarding passes

3. My fiancée and I did not take many photos together. In some of the pictures(took when we visited SHANGHAI EXPO last year), she was wearing sunglasses. Can those photos be counted as evidence?

Sun glasses on either of you won't be an issue as long as you can see that it is the two of you. The only requirement is that you both be in the photo. Seperate pictures of each of you that are obviously in the same place at the same time don't count.

4. Last question... During the time I visited my fiancée, She and I had a 3-day trip in China. I saved the hotel and the airline ticket receipts. I did not do translation for those receipts and I am going to do word-for-word English translations. Do I need to do notary for the translations?

You don't need a notary, but you will need an apostile certificate that basically says the translation is what it says it is. You can find translation apostile document templates online.

[DanNNina 5]

When I submitted my documents I also printed out a copy of my Frequent Flier information. If you are a member of a Frequent Flier Program, points are given for the flights actually flown, and for the most part can be used as evidence that the flights were actually taken. Especially if your passport has the same dates stamped in them.

[pushbrk 12,152]

When I submitted my documents I also printed out a copy of my Frequent Flier information. If you are a member of a Frequent Flier Program, points are given for the flights actually flown, and for the most part can be used as evidence that the flights were actually taken. Especially if your passport has the same dates stamped in them.

Yes, frequent flyer printouts can serve as supporting evidence but not as primary evidence.

[brian and aileen 14]

So that means u visited him last year while you are not a US citizen yet? Maybe that is why they are asking for more evidence. Maybe they wanted to see stamps from passport (your US passport).

[pushbrk 12,152]

So that means u visited him last year while you are not a US citizen yet? Maybe that is why they are asking for more evidence. Maybe they wanted to see stamps from passport (your US passport).

They may have WANTED to see that but it is not necessary if they can clearly see the petitioner was in the beneficiary's country. I expect they were simply confused or something was overlooked or lost.

[bigtailbear 0]

Thank you guys. I am going to find a place to do notary for my Chinese passport first. and try to do more explanation for the evidence I have. Thank you for your advice. =)

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Thank you guys. I am going to find a place to do notary for my Chinese passport first. and try to do more explanation for the evidence I have. Thank you for your advice. =)

What do you expect a notary's certification to say? They can't certify that a copy is authentic because they have no way of knowing if the original document is authentic. They can't certify that a translation is accurate because it's likely they don't speak both languages. Notaries in the US have very limited authority. In most states, they can only act as a legal witness to a signature or oath.

[bigtailbear 0]

What do you expect a notary's certification to say? They can't certify that a copy is authentic because they have no way of knowing if the original document is authentic. They can't certify that a translation is accurate because it's likely they don't speak both languages. Notaries in the US have very limited authority. In most states, they can only act as a legal witness to a signature or oath.

I just read some articles about that...you are right, they cannot certify that...Maybe it is better to provide them a timeline of events.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I just read some articles about that...you are right, they cannot certify that...Maybe it is better to provide them a timeline of events.

Tell the story in the cover letter, and point to the evidence that supports that story.

[pushbrk 12,152]

What do you expect a notary's certification to say? They can't certify that a copy is authentic because they have no way of knowing if the original document is authentic. They can't certify that a translation is accurate because it's likely they don't speak both languages. Notaries in the US have very limited authority. In most states, they can only act as a legal witness to a signature or oath.

This varies by State but in Washington, a Notary can certify that a copy is a copy of the original. That's what you would do with a passport. Take it to the Notary's office and have them make and certify the copies. I did it with my passport in my wife's process. I now consider it overkill but not in this particular situation, if available in the OP's State.