RFE letter of intent needs to be bilingual?

[npinedo 0]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum and I am impressed on how much you help each other. I am hoping you can help me clarify something. I submitted my package in October and received RFE for a letter of intent of marriage from my fiancé. I am the petitioner. He does not speak English so I am wondering if I need to create a letter in his native language and then have it translated? or can I just create one in English following the sample on this site and that will suffice? The person that is helping me with my case is not very familiar with the K1 process so I honestly don't think I will continue using her services. Plus she is always busy and it takes her days to get back to me. I think I can do this on my own with the guidance of this awesome site.

All you input is highly appreciated!

[Stressed Out 81]

Stuff submitted to USCIS needs to be translated, but doesn't have to be done professionally. Later at the consulate stage it can be in their native language since it's going through the embassy, but I think court records need to be translated and, at that stage, professionally.

[Caryh 5,206]

If he doesn't understand what is written in the letter of intent, then how can he honestly sign it? I think you've got it the right that is needs to be written and signed in his language, then a translated copy would be required.

[msbau764 245]

If he doesn't understand what is written in the letter of intent, then how can he honestly sign it? I think you've got it the right that is needs to be written and signed in his language, then a translated copy would be required.

Translating a signed letter of intent is a waste of time. As long as the document is signed by the beneficiary, that is all that matters. At the embassy stage, if the consulate officer has any doubts about the relationship, he or she will ask the beneficary. Regardless, it seems like many consular officers remind you that you need to get married upon entering the US. If what you are saying were the case, information such as the G-325 A would have to be in his language and then later translated for the benefiicary to "understand".

To the OP. Write it an English and have your SO sign it.

[Caryh 5,206]

Translating a signed letter of intent is a waste of time. As long as the document is signed by the beneficiary, that is all that matters. At the embassy stage, if the consulate officer has any doubts about the relationship, he or she will ask the beneficary. Regardless, it seems like many consular officers remind you that you need to get married upon entering the US. If what you are saying were the case, information such as the G-325 A would have to be in his language and then later translated for the benefiicary to "understand".

To the OP. Write it an English and have your SO sign it.

There's a big difference between getting assistance filling out a form, and a signed statement. The letter of intent is not a form, its the statement of the person who signs it. If he doesn't speak the language it is written in, how can he be making the statement?

[baron555 934]

He does not speak English so I am wondering if I need to create a letter in his native language and then have it translated?

No, you can send him a letter in English and just have him sign it.

or can I just create one in English following the sample on this site and that will suffice?

Yes

The person that is helping me with my case is not very familiar with the K1 process so I honestly don't think I will continue using her services. Plus she is always busy and it takes her days to get back to me. I think I can do this on my own with the guidance of this awesome site.

Yep, sounds familiar.

All you input is highly appreciated!

[Pheebs1201 269]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum and I am impressed on how much you help each other. I am hoping you can help me clarify something. I submitted my package in October and received RFE for a letter of intent of marriage from my fiancé. I am the petitioner. He does not speak English so I am wondering if I need to create a letter in his native language and then have it translated? or can I just create one in English following the sample on this site and that will suffice? The person that is helping me with my case is not very familiar with the K1 process so I honestly don't think I will continue using her services. Plus she is always busy and it takes her days to get back to me. I think I can do this on my own with the guidance of this awesome site.

All you input is highly appreciated!

There are so many great resources and helpful people on VJ, I would say that a lawyer is not necessary unless your case is a complicated one!

I also agree just have him sign one in English.

Good luck!

[YamenWaad 45]

they have to add the major languages like French, Dutch, Arabic, ... etc

they have only the choice of Spanish

[msbau764 245]

There's a big difference between getting assistance filling out a form, and a signed statement. The letter of intent is not a form, its the statement of the person who signs it. If he doesn't speak the language it is written in, how can he be making the statement?

He is making a statement because he is signing a document which is required to demonstrate his intention to marry the petitioner. This document must be in English. I am sure the USCIS is aware that many documents provided to them are written by a 3rd party, whether it be legal counsel or a friend. Whether or not the beneficary is engaging in fradulent behavior is decided at the embassy stage. If there are doubts as to the sincerity of the petitioner, it will be addressed then. Otherwise, as I mentioned earlier, signing a fundamental document such as the G-325A, which in my opinion is more important than the LOI considering it is biographical information about the identity of the alien intending to immigrate, would need to be written in the petitioner's language and then later duplicated in English. Obviously this is not the case.

[npinedo 0]

I've thought about all of the things mentioned above. That's why I was hesitant. It makes sense that if they have to sign the G325A form in English, that they understand, somehow, what they're signing. Although my fiancé was a bit suspicious lol j/k. I didn't go to a lawyer, the lady that helps me is a CPA/Public Notary/ USCIS advisor. She has helped my family with other cases and we've never had a problem. She was honest with me in telling me she hasn't done a K1 petition in a couple of years, thus the RFE. I honestly don't think translation is needed, that's only for official documents such as birth certificates, court papers, etc.

Thank you all for your help. You all rock!!

[KayDeeCee 4,891]

Do it in English. Tell them what it says and have them sign it.

[Rudy & Keren 7]

Welcome to the VJ forum.

This is the best place I have found online to communicate with people in the process of getting visas!

One thing you should understand is that everyone will have an opinion and as I have read in the replies to your post. Many opinions contradict each other.

What it comes down to is you still are the one that has to sift through the ideas and opioions expressed and decide what evidence and how through you will be at many stages of this process.

Also consider that at the different stages of the visa process your paperwork or evidence supplied will be looked at and considered by different people.

Further often govt officers are looking at the whole of your case so if your weaker than they feel comfortable in, they may want to see more in another area possibly beyond the minimums stated.

On the topic of the letter of intent,

Yes me and my fiancee supplied one that went into my I-129F Petition to the USCIS.

I believe I read that they required an "orginal" not a copy so I had her sign letter and mail to me in the US.

My fiancee speaks and writes in English & Spanish so wasn't an issue and her letter was in English.

As you are now learning that each or any RFE adds on time to the process ranging from weeks to potentially months!

I created our petition with the idea I would not cut any corners because it would slow down the process.

If my fiancee only read spanish I would have had the letter of intent she signed and mailed to me in spanish and supplied a translation.

For me and my fiancee the only question in my head would have been why take the risk of a delay or RFE?

If you look at the USCIS website where they list requirements for an I 129F visa they do talk about the intent to marry.

IF for any reason the govt officer reading your petition doenst feel your intent for the fiancce to marry once entering the US. They can ask for more evidence or simply deney the petition.

To further show out intent to marry upon her arrival in the US I submitted a wedding invatation and guest list.

Cost me $40 maybe to have a handful of invataions made

due to different factors we will end up having the wedding on a different date, but that doesn't matter at the initial I 129F petition to the USCIS stage.

I included 6-8 pictures from my the meeting in person I had with my fiancee but rather than JUST use pictures I also submitted 5 different (notorized) affidavits by people who saw us together.

You will see people in the forum that say oh no this and that is overkill and all you need is the minimum.

Well I did read a lot of posts by people that were getting the RFE and I didn't want that for us so I created a very complete petition with easy to navigate dividing tabs so the USCIS or other government officer could easily look at as much or as little as they wanted.

So how through do you want to be is the question you have to ask yourself.

Good Luck in your VISA journey

Rudy

US citizen

So why take the risk?

[msbau764 245]

Welcome to the VJ forum.

This is the best place I have found online to communicate with people in the process of getting visas!

One thing you should understand is that everyone will have an opinion and as I have read in the replies to your post. Many opinions contradict each other.

What it comes down to is you still are the one that has to sift through the ideas and opioions expressed and decide what evidence and how through you will be at many stages of this process.

Also consider that at the different stages of the visa process your paperwork or evidence supplied will be looked at and considered by different people.

Further often govt officers are looking at the whole of your case so if your weaker than they feel comfortable in, they may want to see more in another area possibly beyond the minimums stated.

On the topic of the letter of intent,

Yes me and my fiancee supplied one that went into my I-129F Petition to the USCIS.

I believe I read that they required an "orginal" not a copy so I had her sign letter and mail to me in the US.

My fiancee speaks and writes in English & Spanish so wasn't an issue and her letter was in English.

As you are now learning that each or any RFE adds on time to the process ranging from weeks to potentially months!

I created our petition with the idea I would not cut any corners because it would slow down the process.

If my fiancee only read spanish I would have had the letter of intent she signed and mailed to me in spanish and supplied a translation.

For me and my fiancee the only question in my head would have been why take the risk of a delay or RFE?

If you look at the USCIS website where they list requirements for an I 129F visa they do talk about the intent to marry.

IF for any reason the govt officer reading your petition doenst feel your intent for the fiancce to marry once entering the US. They can ask for more evidence or simply deney the petition.

To further show out intent to marry upon her arrival in the US I submitted a wedding invatation and guest list.

Cost me $40 maybe to have a handful of invataions made

due to different factors we will end up having the wedding on a different date, but that doesn't matter at the initial I 129F petition to the USCIS stage.

I included 6-8 pictures from my the meeting in person I had with my fiancee but rather than JUST use pictures I also submitted 5 different (notorized) affidavits by people who saw us together.

You will see people in the forum that say oh no this and that is overkill and all you need is the minimum.

Well I did read a lot of posts by people that were getting the RFE and I didn't want that for us so I created a very complete petition with easy to navigate dividing tabs so the USCIS or other government officer could easily look at as much or as little as they wanted.

So how through do you want to be is the question you have to ask yourself.

Good Luck in your VISA journey

Rudy

US citizen

So why take the risk?

he is not taking a risk by providing a letter of intent in English. He is completing the requirements. In fact, a wedding preparation as you stated could be misconstrued as "forcing" the hand of the consulate (i.e buying an airline ticket before approval) and you could be doubly scrutinized for doing so. The consulate took apart everything you prepared in tabs and rearranged it how they saw fit. Some people are approved after sending 1 photo, passport stamps and one chat log.

[Rudy & Keren 7]

One of the key points that is looked at by USCIS or CO is whether they are convinced that the person appling for the VISA intends to enter the US to marry.

To highlight that point they require not only a letter of intent when filing with the I 129F but also a signed orginal from both persons.

Other documents copies are fine but the USCIS wants that orginal signed letter of intent not a copy.

So this is an important one to the USCIS.

The USCIS website stated exactly the points they are looking to verify. What evidence the couple wants to submit is up to them.

Actually I have read numerous times that people have stated or shown with wedding invations or other wedding preperations the "Intent to marry"

I was submitting my I 129F in early June 2014 and the wedding invations were for early Dec 2014. I do not believe a USCIS or CO would be "pressured" in any way seeing someone has indicated that they have scheduled a wedding "too soon" for the normol visa process.

If the Govt discovered that the person appling for the visa was submitting a document that they don't understand. Is likely they would then start to look ant many other things closer to see if the person requesting the visa is understanding all of the process.

Creating an orginal in the applicant's language and a translated version for the applicant to sign is very easy and can be done free by a local friend that reads/writes both languages.

The USCIS or CO are looking over a huge volume of peple passing by them asking for entry. Anything that stands out in the wrong way only leads them to look closer.

It is a simple thing to get a friend to type up a document in two languages and certify the translation.

When the actual consulate interview takes place, best that the applicant is not sitting there nervious about being asked about signing something they cannot read.

Yes many people do pass with the "minimums" but is easy to see in the forums of VJ that sometimes the govt does look deeper and ask for more.

So the cleaner you make your documentation or evidence submitted the faster they can review the evidence and approve you.

I 129F petitions are not restricted in how many pages or what amount of evidence is submitted.

The key is that the petition whether 50 pages or 500 needs to be orderly so that they can quickly find the specific type of evidence they seek.

Yes they take apart the petition but that is no reason to not have it orderly so they can take it apart easier.

Now my viewpoint was and still is to try and assit the various persons that may follow this case in the govt.

I am not resisting their examination thinking they ask too many questions or I am only going to put the minimums because they have no right to ask this or that.

I want my fiancee here with me as soon as possible.

So I just wanted to supply all the evidence and not risk (somehow) leaving out the one thing that would generate a RFE.

So yes I waited for my fiancee to send me the orginal letter of intent she signed rather than take a chance.

Hope your visa jouney goes well.

Rudy

US citizen

[KayDeeCee 4,891]

The I-129F requires proof of your intent to marry, which can be a simple statement of such. They can be in English, even if someone is not fluent in English. As long as they know what they are signing, it works for the I-129F petition requirements. It has been done many times over successfully. No need to re-invent the wheel.

Yes, they should have original signatures, but people do get approved with just copies, just so you know. Since people have received RFEs in the past for original signatures, it is advised here on VJ to use originally signed letters of intent just to be on the safe side and avoid any delays.