Send or not send additional evidence

[floridadave 195]

I am the USC and we are about to email the DS-230 package to NVC. We would like to include some additional evidence. Photos of us and my boarding passes from my most recent visit with her. My police certificate to show I lived with her during my stay in China. Printouts of chats we've had since I filed the I-130 back in June.

The problem of course is whether to send or not send. I have read that if you include additional information not required for the DS-230, that this can delay the processing. But others say to send because this is the last chance to include information that the VO can have in their hands to review.

So my question is: When is the best time to give this additional evidence, in the DS-230 email to NVC, during document intake day at GUZ IV or not at all?

Has anybody experienced any delay because they included additional evidence with their DS-230 package?

The basic DS-230 package (without any additional evidence) that will be emailed to NVC will include:

1. IV bar coded Document Cover Sheet

2. DS-230 signed

3. Wife's birth certificate

4. Our marriage Certificate

5. Wife's divorce certificate from previous marriage

6. Photocopy of wife's passport biographic data page

7. *Although not required, 2 scanned passport size photos

8. Wife's police certificate

Any input will be appreciated. Thank you.

*Note: for those of you wondering why I said the scanned passport size photos are not required is because the photo instructions say to provide the photos at the interview. DS-230 photos. You have to scroll down a bit to get to the DS-230 DS-260 part.

[Hope15 1]

Well I was wondering about the same question but I still took the shot and send some evidence of relationship.

I think the best time to send the evidence is at the submission of I-130 but at that time I really didn't have much, so I submitted with DS-230. I thought it might slow down the processing time but actually my case was completed after 2 days of NVC receiving my docs.

[Darnell 8,480]

Unca Darnell say yes, send all

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China GUZ IV NVC EP

[floridadave 195]

I thought it might slow down the processing time but actually my case was completed after 2 days of NVC receiving my docs.

That's encouraging, thank you!

[bigdog 377]

I would send all.

[StephanieM 60]

You are welcome to, but why not just take all this evidence to the interview?

[TimeTravel 78]

Just send necessary required doc with DS-230. For my case, whatever they mentioned on their website, that was what I sent to them, and case was completed in few days.

[Ryan H 3,932]

The problem of course is whether to send or not send. I have read that if you include additional information not required for the DS-230, that this can delay the processing. But others say to send because this is the last chance to include information that the VO can have in their hands to review.

If it will help your own piece of mind, you can include that information when you send the DS-230 package.

[floridadave 195]

You are welcome to, but why not just take all this evidence to the interview?

One reason I would not like her to take the docs to the interview is that I understand the VO's at the interview are not required to accept additional evididence. On the other hand, giving them at document intake (1 day prior to interview) is an option. But here again, I don't know if they'll accept additional evidence at that time.

[anum 1]

I am the USC and we are about to email the DS-230 package to NVC. We would like to include some additional evidence. Photos of us and my boarding passes from my most recent visit with her. My police certificate to show I lived with her during my stay in China. Printouts of chats we've had since I filed the I-130 back in June.

The problem of course is whether to send or not send. I have read that if you include additional information not required for the DS-230, that this can delay the processing. But others say to send because this is the last chance to include information that the VO can have in their hands to review.

So my question is: When is the best time to give this additional evidence, in the DS-230 email to NVC, during document intake day at GUZ IV or not at all?

Has anybody experienced any delay because they included additional evidence with their DS-230 package?

The basic DS-230 package (without any additional evidence) that will be emailed to NVC will include:

1. IV bar coded Document Cover Sheet

2. DS-230 signed

3. Wife's birth certificate

4. Our marriage Certificate

5. Wife's divorce certificate from previous marriage

6. Photocopy of wife's passport biographic data page

7. *Although not required, 2 scanned passport size photos

8. Wife's police certificate

Any input will be appreciated. Thank you.

*Note: for those of you wondering why I said the scanned passport size photos are not required is because the photo instructions say to provide the photos at the interview. DS-230 photos. You have to scroll down a bit to get to the DS-230 DS-260 part.

You may include the additional doc but it might delay the case complete so it will be better if you carry these and more proofs at the time of interview

[Darnell 8,480]

coupla caveats:

1. floridadave is using EP, so this 'conduit' at NVC is different , not available to most other filers (Canada, Mexico, some exception)

2. delay at NVC? So what? if not China or Mexico, this is some big issue for a paper-filed set o docs to NVC, as everyone is trying to 'get in' for the 2nd week of scheduling. China and Mexico never schedule during that 2nd week, for an EP casefile type. NEVER. NEVER

3. Additional evidence, to hand over during the interview, is mostly not done at GUZ IV. There is no time; usually the beneficiary has 5 minutes or less at the window. Is tedious for any VO to accept anything on Interview day, tedious for the VO.

[BocaChicaBabe 6]

I sent additional evidence with the DS-230 package and my case was not delayed, but was completed within the average time. My husband's country is high in fraud and I wanted to remove any possible doubts and make our case as strong as possible before the interview. Of that evidence I submitted, they kept only the copies of my passport stamps showing my visits after the I-130 submission and numerous photos of us with family. The rest they handed back to me during the interview. So they did review the additional evidence that was sent from NVC with my file and kept only what they wanted. The consul never asked to see any of the evidence I brought with me for the interview.

There's always a possibility for a delay whether you submit additional evidence or not. I was willing to deal with a slight delay early on, rather than in the end deal with a possible denial. It's better to have to wait a few more days or weeks now at the NVC stage, as opposed to having to wait the months/years it could take to resolve any issues that may arise if the VO doesn't have time (or just doesn't care to take time) to review evidence during the interview.

Do what makes you feel the most comfortable and positive about the end result. Good luck!!

[Palladin 18]

If you are doing an NVC electronic processing and the consulate is Guangzhou, I say by all means send all the additioal evidence documents to NVC electronically. It does NOT cause extra delay. Even if it causes delay it is a good thing: This means at least they looked at the additional evidence documents and processed it. The benefits of having these documents and making the case stronger for an easy interview, far out-weight the additional delay. What if she didn't pass and got a white slip of denial that could mean two years of USCIS appeal process, that I would call a delay, not the few extra days at NVC.

With that said, I have not seen any one confirming that any electronic evidences emailed to NVC, beyond what is required by them, are indeed forwarded to Guangzhou. No one has such confirmation. The documents are NOT automatically deposited into your case files. They were looked at by agents who decide what goes in and what does not, and whether anything is missing or they need anything else. So I am not sure how they deal with these extra documents. There is no guarantee they take and forward these additional electronic documents.

After the NVC, and before the interview day, there is a small window of opportunity that the files are at the Guangzhou Consulate, you may send none-critical, but helpful paper documents in by EMS express mail. This is not requested or invited by them so I don't know what they do if they get the package: throw in the trash, or put in the case file. I hope it is put in the case file. Do NOT send the critical and mandatory paper documents, though, as those are required to be handed in personally, on the day prior to interview. Especially the originals. Only send copies you can afford to lose. Be prepared that they get thrown away or be lost.

The next opportunity for you to bring in extra evidence documents, is at the document intake. Again it is tough, the lady handing the document intake is harsh and pretty often reject everything else and would only take the mandatory documents, like notary documents and the I-864.

The final opportunity, of course, is at interview time. You bring everything in and hope the visa official would spend a bit time look at them. Again this really depends on the skill of the visa applicant, to promptly mention the relevant document at precisely the right moment, and have it readily at hand to hand it in. The window of opportunity is extremely narrow: You have to judge what mode the VO is at or whether he/she is interested. If you could not find the document in 2 seconds you have lost the opportunity and the interview just moves on.

Getting them to look at anything, is tough, very tough. You have to consider that they can really dedicate maybe 10 minutes total in each case, including backend processing time. It's a matter of luck. In hindsight of my wife's visa denial, despite of a mountain of evidence files I submitted at every opportunity, I would say that you really have to count on your beneficiary to properly present your case at the interview, instead of relying on documents only.

[floridadave 195]

Our decision is to send in a bit more evidence that we believe to be helpful. Everything that is in the DS-230 email will be taken, in original form, to document intake day and she will go from there. Thanks to all for the useful advice which is much appreciated.