Lots of photos, but none together!!

[Amy&Raul 0]

Ok, I finally got the paper copy of the RFE and it's requesting evidence that we have met in person in the past 2 years. I sent passport stamps, boarding passes and the closest thing I had to photos that put us in the same place... which was a photo of me where you could see his back, and a photo of him where you could see my back... we were on a boat sitting back-to-back. I have found a receipt for a cell phone that I bought down there and I have a ton of photos that show that we were in the same place, but there were no photos of us taken together. I'm completely flipping out. The fact is, I hate getting photographed and have avoided it at all costs, up until our engagement celebration, which was a few weeks after I mailed in the application.

Right now, I'm asking people to look through their old photos to see if they can find anything where we are together, but I can guarantee that none of them have us arm in arm. I have lots of those now, but none from then. We were not trying to flaunt our relationship until we were sure it was serious... and now that we are both ready to make this permanent, I'm scared that I messed everything up by sending in the application before our engagement party in El Salvador.

What can I do???

I would so love some guidance right now........

[Moomin 292]

Does the RFE specifically say it's requesting pictures? Pictures are secondary evidence. Would be neat with a few pictures in there however it's the initial evidence that's crucial. How about your bank transcript/statement(in your name) showing you used your credit card in your fiance's country? That, along with the passport stamps. Personally, I'd scan the entire passport front to back and send a copy of it all.

Regarding pictures; are there any close to landmarks or something where you clearly see it's the same background/surroundings you're in? Write a letter of explanation. I'd stick to pictures taken before submitting the petition. Maybe someone with experience going through El S. has some more info on the subject.

[Amy&Raul 0]

Does the RFE specifically say it's requesting pictures? Pictures are secondary evidence. Would be neat with a few pictures in there however it's the initial evidence that's crucial. How about your bank transcript/statement(in your name) showing you used your credit card in your fiance's country? That, along with the passport stamps. Personally, I'd scan the entire passport front to back and send a copy of it all.

Regarding pictures; are there any close to landmarks or something where you clearly see it's the same background/surroundings you're in? Write a letter of explanation. I'd stick to pictures taken before submitting the petition. Maybe someone with experience going through El S. has some more info on the subject.

I do have some photos that could place us at the same place I think, I've got at least one receipt, passport stamps, and boarding passes. I already submitted the boarding passes. Should I submit them again? I also have my daughter's passport and I may have photos of them together. Does this count??

Here is the exact request from the RFE. I am typing word for word:

REQUIREMENT THAT PETITIONER AND BENEFICIARY HAVE MET IN PERSON: It must be established that the petitioner and beneficiary have met in person and/or have been in each other's physical presence at any time during the two years immediately preceding the filing of this petition.

• Last Personal Meeting -- Submit film-dated photographs of the petitioner and beneficiary together. The following DOES NOT constitute evidence of meeting: disc, videos, emails, letters, phone bills, and greeting cards.
  

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I do have some photos that could place us at the same place I think, I've got at least one receipt, passport stamps, and boarding passes. I already submitted the boarding passes. Should I submit them again? I also have my daughter's passport and I may have photos of them together. Does this count??

Here is the exact request from the RFE. I am typing word for word:

REQUIREMENT THAT PETITIONER AND BENEFICIARY HAVE MET IN PERSON: It must be established that the petitioner and beneficiary have met in person and/or have been in each other's physical presence at any time during the two years immediately preceding the filing of this petition.

• Last Personal Meeting -- Submit film-dated photographs of the petitioner and beneficiary together. The following DOES NOT constitute evidence of meeting: disc, videos, emails, letters, phone bills, and greeting cards.
  

Do everything you can to try to find at least one photo of the both of you together. Anything less will not convince them. You have sufficient evidence you were in the same part of the world at the same time. They want to see that you were actually together, in each other's presence, during that time.

[Amy&Raul 0]

If I can't find that do I withdrawal and start again? I am pretty certain we won't find a photo of us next to each other I really avoided photographs at all costs.

Is a withdrawal and a refile better than a denial? Do I just send what I have and hope for the best?

I'm so confused and it makes me feel a little sick to think about having to wait another 6 months for news about getting an interview...

[C-ma'am 684]

If I can't find that do I withdrawal and start again? I am pretty certain we won't find a photo of us next to each other I really avoided photographs at all costs.

Is a withdrawal and a refile better than a denial? Do I just send what I have and hope for the best?

I'm so confused and it makes me feel a little sick to think about having to wait another 6 months for news about getting an interview...

So, the pictures from the engagement party are POST filing the petition?

[bt1 42]

Ok, I finally got the paper copy of the RFE and it's requesting evidence that we have met in person in the past 2 years. I sent passport stamps, boarding passes and the closest thing I had to photos that put us in the same place... which was a photo of me where you could see his back, and a photo of him where you could see my back... we were on a boat sitting back-to-back. I have found a receipt for a cell phone that I bought down there and I have a ton of photos that show that we were in the same place, but there were no photos of us taken together. I'm completely flipping out. The fact is, I hate getting photographed and have avoided it at all costs, up until our engagement celebration, which was a few weeks after I mailed in the application.

Right now, I'm asking people to look through their old photos to see if they can find anything where we are together, but I can guarantee that none of them have us arm in arm. I have lots of those now, but none from then. We were not trying to flaunt our relationship until we were sure it was serious... and now that we are both ready to make this permanent, I'm scared that I messed everything up by sending in the application before our engagement party in El Salvador.

What can I do???

I would so love some guidance right now........

This may be something you don't want to hear: but, weren't you supposed to be engaged BEFORE you sent in the application? People with more experience may comment on this, but if getting engaged (and I don't necessarily mean having a party, we never had one) is not crucial to the process, then you can probably just send in the engagement pictures after the fact.

[Amy&Raul 0]

We were engaged before the application but didn't get to see each other again until after because I got a job put of state and moved. The intention was to visit in the summer of '11 but having to move 2,100 miles kind of put a damper on things... So, I have passport stamps and airline verifications of trips to El Salvador from Dec 2009/Jan 2010, July 2010, and Dec/Jan 2011 before the filing and some photos that could put us at the same location with digital time stamping; however none are full face/ front shots. This is incredibly frustrating... We didn't know we were going to fall and love and want to get married from the start and so we didn't keep a huge paper trail.

[Amy&Raul 0]

So, the pictures from the engagement party are POST filing the petition?

Exactly. We were not able to celebrate together until after the petition, but the family knew about it before. We just looked at it as a technicality, but perhaps in this context it is much more.......

[C-ma'am 684]

Exactly. We were not able to celebrate together until after the petition, but the family knew about it before. We just looked at it as a technicality, but perhaps in this context it is much more.......

Yeah. The reason I asked was to see if you could use those, not so much about what came first.. that's your life

I really hope your family or friends can come up with pictures of the two of you together. While the engagement pictures will certainly fix this issue, they are post filing; and I don't think you can use them..... I'm not 100% sure about this, I'm sure a veteran member can correct me if I am wrong.

[Amy&Raul 0]

The RFE is pretty specific about needing to send if evidence preceding the petition date. I am going to print a series of fotos from a day we went to the beach and include the time stamps and hopefully that will work.

[C-ma'am 684]

The RFE is pretty specific about needing to send if evidence preceding the petition date. I am going to print a series of fotos from a day we went to the beach and include the time stamps and hopefully that will work.

Oh! I read what the RFE said but I guess I didn't pay attention to that. There's no other way around it, then

Hopefully it'll work out. Best of luck to you

[Amy&Raul 0]

I am wondering if anyone has experience with this or any knowledge about if this is a good option. As background: I met my fiancé through friends of my daughter's family in summer 2009. We became friends, then more, and in 2011 we decided to make our relationship permanent. I have visited on 3 occasions prior to the filing of our K1 on Dec 2, 2011 and have visited 1 time since. I was sent an RFE requesting evidence of an in-person meeting, including photos. I am the photographer in about 99% of the photos I have and have avoided being photographed because of some really silly confidence issues so I do not have any photos with the two of us side by side. All I have is a series of photos that put us (possibly) in a boat together.

My question is this: would it be better for me to withdraw the petition and start again now that I have some photos of us together (taken post-application), or send in all that I have with the chance that they won't approve at this early stage?

Please help!!!!!!

[Peter_Pan 661]

I guess it depends if the RFE was just for photos, or for any type of proof, including photos.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

No, that is silly. Come up with the best you have and send an explanatory note.