Sent I-129F to Belfast, only process in London

[PrincessButtercup 4]

I did find it a bit annoying that while I live in Belfast I'm an Irish citizen and hold an Irish passport, issued in Dublin but still need to go to London.

It would def be quicker, easier and cheaper to go to Dublin but as long as everything goes smoothly I don't mind.

The red tape of this whole process is shocking especially in 2014.

Update for us, we got our hard copy Rfe, they want proof of intent to marry within 90 days.

I'm sure like a lot of other people, we haven't made a whole lot of definite plans due to the nature of not actually knowing when your likely to be together so at this point:

I've written a letter of intent

Mike has written a letter of intent

Provided emails and wattsapp conversations of wedding plans

Provided my engagement ring receipt

Provided my wedding dress receipt

Provided congrats cards we received after engagement.

We haven't actually booked a venue or officiant yet as we were intending a very small legal ceremony in Florida and an intimate meal with his parents. Nothing fancy.

Any views on whether we should preliminary book a officiant as proof of intent?

So I'm not an expert since we haven't received anything yet, but we did work with a lawyer on this one. My mom and I had attended a bridal show so I included the ticket to that and email correspondances with various vendors. In the letter we both stated that we were waiting on the visa to book a venue as we understand that we cannot predict when everything would be through. I discussed the venue, photographer, and officent I had been in contact with, and we both discussed the bridal party, who was paying for what, etc.... The lawyers seemed to think that was more than enough.

I'm really shocked that was your reason with a ring, a dress, and cards! Did they maybe lose your letter? That sounds crazy....

[Maria and Mike 5]

That's good thinking and planning on your part. I didn't have my dress at the time of application so providing receipts and emails from the bridal shop now as further evidence.

We haven't made any plans or contacted vendors. Do you think if we make a primary booking an officiant and maybe restaurant for a meal it would look bad?

Because we want a small affair,booking long in advance wasn't something we had to do at this stage but planned to finalise immediately following my arrival.

I wish you guys could see me now...I'm OCDing in my bedroom with paperwork everywhere, colour coordinated post-its and paperclipping like a mad woman!

Mike said if I don't calm down he's calling USCIS himself and telling them to scrap the application lol

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Update for us, we got our hard copy Rfe, they want proof of intent to marry within 90 days.

I'm sure like a lot of other people, we haven't made a whole lot of definite plans due to the nature of not actually knowing when your likely to be together so at this point:

I've written a letter of intent

Mike has written a letter of intent

Provided emails and wattsapp conversations of wedding plans

Provided my engagement ring receipt

Provided my wedding dress receipt

Provided congrats cards we received after engagement.

We haven't actually booked a venue or officiant yet as we were intending a very small legal ceremony in Florida and an intimate meal with his parents. Nothing fancy.

Any views on whether we should preliminary book a officiant as proof of intent?

The ONLY thing required in an I-129F packet to meet the intent to marry requirement is a separate signed letter from each partner--

[date]

To the USCIS:

I, Mary Ann Smith, am free to marry and intend to marry Robert Alan Jones within 90 days of his entry to the US on a K1visa.

[signature]

You do not need bridal show brochures, ring or dress receipts, or venues. The petition requirement is you each sign your name to a statement of intent. Positive.

If you didn't include those two statements, then that's why the RFE. If you did include two, did they have the words "free to marry" and "intend" and "90 days" in the text to be thorough?

Edited August 26, 2014 by Nich-Nick

[PrincessButtercup 4]

That's good thinking and planning on your part. I didn't have my dress at the time of application so providing receipts and emails from the bridal shop now as further evidence.

We haven't made any plans or contacted vendors. Do you think if we make a primary booking an officiant and maybe restaurant for a meal it would look bad?

Because we want a small affair,booking long in advance wasn't something we had to do at this stage but planned to finalise immediately following my arrival.

I wish you guys could see me now...I'm OCDing in my bedroom with paperwork everywhere, colour coordinated post-its and paperclipping like a mad woman!

Mike said if I don't calm down he's calling USCIS himself and telling them to scrap the application lol

I'm sorry you just made me laugh, you sound just like the 2 of us! He agreed to let me contact a senator today in only hopes in might calm me down. I'm pretty sure if we get that RFE I'll have to be talked down from the ceiling.

It just seems so weird to look something when you don't know when it could actually happen, but if you book an officiant and make dinner reservations it certainly wouldn't hurt especially if there's flexibility in changing the date. You also could maybe provide a guest list and a maybe a budget?

[Maria and Mike 5]

Yup, that's exactly what we included in our application plus had an immigration lawyer check over this.

We still got an RFE asking for intent to marry evidence.

Perhaps they lost some paperwork

[Maria and Mike 5]

I never thought of the budget thing. Good thinking. I also included a certificate from my parish last year as proof of right to marry and my priest wishing me and future husband best wishes.

Lol glad I'm not the only manic micro manager! Lol Mike said at one point I was talking so fast on the phone and stuttering he couldn't actually keep up

[2ndMessiah 184]

I did find it a bit annoying that while I live in Belfast I'm an Irish citizen and hold an Irish passport, issued in Dublin but still need to go to London.

It comes down to country of residence. If you where Polish and resident in the UK you would be processed through London. It does not matter what nationality you claim.

But again yes from a logistical point Dublin would have been easier.

[PrincessButtercup 4]

Yup, that's exactly what we included in our application plus had an immigration lawyer check over this.

We still got an RFE asking for intent to marry evidence.

Perhaps they lost some paperwork

My bet is they lost your paperwork. There have been quite a few people who waited a very long time and had RFE's for missing forms they knew they submitted. Who knows what your file went through? I have mental images and files getting lost only to be discovered in unrecognizable condition months later. Perhaps a dog or other animal got a hold of it first?

[2ndMessiah 184]

The K1 does not really require much in the line of proof. Just jump through the hoops they ask for in the instructions. It is very doable by yourself,especially as the UK and Ireland are considered low fraud countries.

Unless there is something on the immigrants police record or they fail the medical say due to smoking an illegal substance, there is no real need for a lawyer.

[2ndMessiah 184]

My bet is they lost your paperwork. There have been quite a few people who waited a very long time and had RFE's for missing forms they knew they submitted. Who knows what your file went through? I have mental images and files getting lost only to be discovered in unrecognizable condition months later. Perhaps a dog or other animal got a hold of it first?

Ah! a variation on the "The dog ate my homework" excuse.

"The dog ate your I129F intent to marry letter." Very cunning.

[caiti92 23]

We had made no plans as to time/date/location of our wedding when we submitted our petition because we intend to marry in a courthouse initially. My ring was a family heirloom (so no receipt) and hadn't bought a dress at the time. We only submitted two letters of intent that we downloaded from VJ as our evidence and it was approved just fine. Sounds like your letters were definitely lost along the way. I was paranoid about that so I put a bunch of paper clips in our petition and put all the papers in a binder in clear binder paper holders so they wouldn't fall out.

The one thing they never seem to lose is the check. Hahahaha.

[2ndMessiah 184]

I think having a well organised and clear application is good, but unfortunately once your paperwork is accepted all you good work goes out the window. Every application gets put into a specific format. With documents punched at the top and put into folders/binders. There is a post somewhere on here that explains it. So no doubt paperwork can be lost.