I-129F, G-325A conflicting help

[tab4768 31]

Good evening to everyone

 

Looking for a bit of advice as I already got conflicting answers. On the I-129F and the G-325A when you get to  the last 5 years of work history and places you have lived... if you only fill up two lines for both, and there are 3 additional spaces to put details down, do you leave them blank, or do you fill them up with "none" or "N/A"??? I have had only two jobs and two different places I have lived in the last 5 years.

 

As a bonus questions...

1) I live in Mexico with my foreign finance (from Sweden), and we are curious about mailing FROM the US. The Mexican national mail service (Mexpost - Correos de Mexico) is nothing short of horrible. When the USCIS/NVC/Embassy need to mail things to either him or I, how is it sent... regular mail service or Courier? With he fees they charge, I am going they spring for a more reliable method. 

2) When submitting the I-129F, they DO NOT want to see any proof of the foreign finance (birth certificate, passport)? All they want at this step is his Biometrics/passport size photo and his divorce paper??? That seems odd, but we have everything, and I was going to add it as it makes logical sense too (but on checklists and cover letter examples, I have not seen them listed.

3) We have a mutual bank account. Should I include this as additional evidence in my I-129F packet or with him when he goes to the interview?

 

Your help is GREATLY appreciated

Tori

[ZoeUK1989 35]

I think you story sounds really confusing so i cant answer a lot of your questions. You live in Mexico but do you intend on going back to live in the states. I thought the USC would have to live there to apply but i obviously could be wrong or just completely confused. 

Normally people filing for the K1 don't have a mutual bank account as they are not usually living together so again this just confuses me more

 

When you submit the I-129f you do not need the beneficiary's birth certificate or at least my USC fiance didn't have mine. She just had the G-325a, passport photo and letter of intent from me. Obviously your fiance has been married before so I am not sure when you include this or whether this is something they would normally just take to the interview (I'm sorry I just don't know because I have never been married or nor has my fiance so this didn't come up for us)

 

[USC1961 251]

7 hours ago, tab4768 said:

Good evening to everyone

 

Looking for a bit of advice as I already got conflicting answers. On the I-129F and the G-325A when you get to  the last 5 years of work history and places you have lived... if you only fill up two lines for both, and there are 3 additional spaces to put details down, do you leave them blank, or do you fill them up with "none" or "N/A"??? I have had only two jobs and two different places I have lived in the last 5 years.

 

As a bonus questions...

1) I live in Mexico with my foreign finance (from Sweden), and we are curious about mailing FROM the US. The Mexican national mail service (Mexpost - Correos de Mexico) is nothing short of horrible. When the USCIS/NVC/Embassy need to mail things to either him or I, how is it sent... regular mail service or Courier? With he fees they charge, I am going they spring for a more reliable method. 

Best send it UPS or Fed Ex to the Express mailing address:  

 

For Express mail and courier deliveries:

USCIS
Attn: I-129F
2501 South State Highway 121 Business
Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067

 

https://www.uscis.gov/forms/direct-filing-addresses-form-i-129f-petition-alien-fiancee

 

Quote

 

2) When submitting the I-129F, they DO NOT want to see any proof of the foreign finance (birth certificate, passport)? All they want at this step is his Biometrics/passport size photo and his divorce paper??? That seems odd, but we have everything, and I was going to add it as it makes logical sense too (but on checklists and cover letter examples, I have not seen them listed.

Indeed that is what they are asking for.   Birth certificate and passport are asked to be shown at the interview.  USCIS only wants proof that the foreign fiancee is free to marry and eligible to apply for the K-1 visa. 

 

 

Quote

3) We have a mutual bank account. Should I include this as additional evidence in my I-129F packet or with him when he goes to the interview?

 

Your help is GREATLY appreciated

Tori

As ZoeUK already alluded to best to leave that detail out.  That may raise questions of whether you are already married or not. 

 

To answer your G-325a question, you can leave those lines blank because they are part of the same question.  

 

Best wishes!

 

 

 

Edited January 10, 2017 by Cruise77

[ZoeUK1989 35]

I agree about the bank account, I would not mention it unless it asks you if you have one which I don't think it does.

 

If it does ask you then obviously you should say yes and answer it truthfully but otherwise don't give information that they don't ask for. 

I think the joint account is a really unusual thing for K1 applicants and as Cruise said, this may raise suspicions of your relationship status. 

 

 

[tab4768 31]

ZoeUK1989 and Cruise77

Thank you both for your support and answers.

 

Touching on a couple things... Many unmarried people have mutual bank accounts, and this shows evidence of binding relationship as finances is sensitive commitment. Something I would think they would like to see, vs a chat log. It's easy to prove we are not married, as if we were, we would be filing a different petition. They don't ask for letters form friends or family either, but a couple are good proofs of a relationship. Also, many K1 applicants don't live in the US. We are both foreigners to Mexico, and marrying here when my disabled mother can't be in attendance, and it's neither of our home countries seems silly. I need to move home to be closer to my mother as she ages and gets worse in her disease. 

 

We are shipping the packet Courier by DHL, but my question was geared to them mailing things to me and to him. In the 7 years I have been in Mexico, not 1 piece of mail has made it to my house that was sent from the US. I am curious is USCIS/NSC/Embassy use DHL or Fedex to mail letters TO applicants. 

 

I so wish this process was more streamlined... EVERYTHING done upfront from both parties. A little here.. a little there just seems so inefficient. 

 

17 hours ago, ZoeUK1989 said:

I think you story sounds really confusing so i cant answer a lot of your questions. You live in Mexico but do you intend on going back to live in the states. I thought the USC would have to live there to apply but i obviously could be wrong or just completely confused. 

Normally people filing for the K1 don't have a mutual bank account as they are not usually living together so again this just confuses me more

 

When you submit the I-129f you do not need the beneficiary's birth certificate or at least my USC fiance didn't have mine. She just had the G-325a, passport photo and letter of intent from me. Obviously your fiance has been married before so I am not sure when you include this or whether this is something they would normally just take to the interview (I'm sorry I just don't know because I have never been married or nor has my fiance so this didn't come up for us)

 

 

 

15 hours ago, Cruise77 said:

Best send it UPS or Fed Ex to the Express mailing address:  

 

For Express mail and courier deliveries:

USCIS
Attn: I-129F
2501 South State Highway 121 Business
Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067

 

https://www.uscis.gov/forms/direct-filing-addresses-form-i-129f-petition-alien-fiancee

 

Indeed that is what they are asking for.   Birth certificate and passport are asked to be shown at the interview.  USCIS only wants proof that the foreign fiancee is free to marry and eligible to apply for the K-1 visa. 

 

 

As ZoeUK already alluded to best to leave that detail out.  That may raise questions of whether you are already married or not. 

 

To answer your G-325a question, you can leave those lines blank because they are part of the same question.  

 

Best wishes!

 

 

 

 

[USC1961 251]

1 hour ago, tab4768 said:

ZoeUK1989 and Cruise77

Thank you both for your support and answers.

 

Touching on a couple things... Many unmarried people have mutual bank accounts, and this shows evidence of binding relationship as finances is sensitive commitment. Something I would think they would like to see, vs a chat log. It's easy to prove we are not married, as if we were, we would be filing a different petition. They don't ask for letters form friends or family either, but a couple are good proofs of a relationship. Also, many K1 applicants don't live in the US. We are both foreigners to Mexico, and marrying here when my disabled mother can't be in attendance, and it's neither of our home countries seems silly. I need to move home to be closer to my mother as she ages and gets worse in her disease. 

 

We are shipping the packet Courier by DHL, but my question was geared to them mailing things to me and to him. In the 7 years I have been in Mexico, not 1 piece of mail has made it to my house that was sent from the US. I am curious is USCIS/NSC/Embassy use DHL or Fedex to mail letters TO applicants. 

 

I so wish this process was more streamlined... EVERYTHING done upfront from both parties. A little here.. a little there just seems so inefficient. 

 

 

 

 

Everyone wishes the process was quicker and more efficient for sure.  About what service the USCIS uses, I am not sure, maybe others can answer that question.  If you want to eliminate the craziness south of the border, have you considered filing in Sweden?  Just a thought.  

 

As far as the mutual bank accounts go, it's a double edged sword.   It may be seen as a very unwise thing to do before marriage.  Mingling finances when you are engaged and dating is a whole different ballgame vs. when you are married.  Proof that you have had plenty of face time together living in Mexico should be more than enough to prove a relationship.  When you apply for AOS, that is the time to show mutual bank accounts etc.   I wish you and your mother the best.

[tab4768 31]

15 minutes ago, Cruise77 said:

Everyone wishes the process was quicker and more efficient for sure.  About what service the USCIS uses, I am not sure, maybe others can answer that question.  If you want to eliminate the craziness south of the border, have you considered filing in Sweden?  Just a thought.  

 

As far as the mutual bank accounts go, it's a double edged sword.   It may be seen as a very unwise thing to do before marriage.  Mingling finances when you are engaged and dating is a whole different ballgame vs. when you are married.  Proof that you have had plenty of face time together living in Mexico should be more than enough to prove a relationship.  When you apply for AOS, that is the time to show mutual bank accounts etc.   I wish you and your mother the best.

THANK YOU! I brought up the Sweden thing tonight as Mexico is really testing both of our nerves at the moment, but we both have jobs here and lives. And he has two dogs...so there is no way financially or emotionally he can do this from Sweden. 

 

We shall see what happens.

[khtak716 15]

On 1/9/2017 at 10:06 PM, tab4768 said:

Good evening to everyone

 

Looking for a bit of advice as I already got conflicting answers. On the I-129F and the G-325A when you get to  the last 5 years of work history and places you have lived... if you only fill up two lines for both, and there are 3 additional spaces to put details down, do you leave them blank, or do you fill them up with "none" or "N/A"??? I have had only two jobs and two different places I have lived in the last 5 years.

 

As a bonus questions...

1) I live in Mexico with my foreign finance (from Sweden), and we are curious about mailing FROM the US. The Mexican national mail service (Mexpost - Correos de Mexico) is nothing short of horrible. When the USCIS/NVC/Embassy need to mail things to either him or I, how is it sent... regular mail service or Courier? With he fees they charge, I am going they spring for a more reliable method. 

2) When submitting the I-129F, they DO NOT want to see any proof of the foreign finance (birth certificate, passport)? All they want at this step is his Biometrics/passport size photo and his divorce paper??? That seems odd, but we have everything, and I was going to add it as it makes logical sense too (but on checklists and cover letter examples, I have not seen them listed.

3) We have a mutual bank account. Should I include this as additional evidence in my I-129F packet or with him when he goes to the interview?

 

Your help is GREATLY appreciated

Tori

Hi Tori,

 

For the G-325A, we used N/A for blank lines and NONE if the answer was truly none (such as Current Husband or Wife).  But what I've noticed is everyone fills these details out a bit differently and it's okay.  Where I had to add more info, I would type "SEE ATTACHMENT," as well (in case you need to do that for anything).

 

For the others:

1)  We received physical mail with the NOA1 (which states USCIS received your petition) and the NOA2 (with approval stating the petition will be forwarded to NVC), but also an email notice of the NOA2, because we'd put a G-1145 e-Notification request at the top of our petition.  The NVC mailed us a letter when they sent the packet to the embassy, and when the embassy received the packet, they emailed instructions (to the email I listed on the G-1145 form).  If the USCIS sends a Request for Evidence (RFE) during review of your packet, I'm believe they would send you a letter via mail; but if you fill out the G-1145, this may come as an email; you may want to look into this.

 

The K1 guide on VisaJourney says to provide a copy of the NOA2 you received in the mail to the embassy during your interview; however, they note that the embassy already has a copy, so this is only a backup (and it doesn't appear to be required by the embassy in their instructions on what to bring to the interview).  Just be sure to fill out G-1145 and put it on the top of your I-129F petition, to ensure you get email notifications, and you will have an email copy, at least.  

 

Also, when you send the packet, ensure you request delivery notification (from DHL or the courier you use).  It took 3 days for our NOA1 to be issued, from the date they received it.  So give it a couple of days after you get notification of delivery from the courier and start calling USCIS (800-375-5283; I'm not sure of the number outside the US) to confirm they've got it.  Ask them for your WAC# (receipt#), which you can use on this site https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do to track the approval of your case.  You can register on this site and also use it to request a case inquiry (didn't receive a notice, processing time too long, error on notice, etc.).

 

You may be able to contact USCIS to get copies of the notices sent to you by email (not sure if they will do this).  But once they approve and forward your case to the NVC (NOA2 notice), from then on it is the NVC you would call for status on when the packet goes to the embassy.  When you call (603-334-0700), select the menu number for immigrant visas (even though K1 is technically non-immigrant, K1 cases will be discussed under the immigrant line). It can take some time for them to receive the petition, but keep calling.  You will give them the WAC# to check for status, and once they have your petition they can give you the Case Number, which you can use on this site to track status (although they are very slow to update): https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx. Really, this site will be useful only after the interview to track when your visa is issued.  It doesn't give useful info, from what we've seen, before the interview.

 

2) We 'front loaded' our application with lots of information, because my fiance is from a country with a higher denial rate, we've been solely long-distance with only 2 vacations together, etc. USCIS will look for what is required, and nothing more; however, the embassy will review this packet in full; so it is good to front load in certain cases, such as ours.   Here is what we provided (from our cover letter on the I-129F):

- Payment in the amount of $340.00 (check #XYZ)

- G-1145 (e-Notification of Application/Petition acceptance) – 1 Page

- I-129F (Petition for K-1 Fiancé Visa) – 6 Pages

  o    I-129F Attachment, with explanations on the following questions – 9 Pages:

        §  Part 1: XYZ

        §  Part 2: 34.a Explanation of Meeting in Person

        §  Proof of XYZ

- G-325A and passport-style photo (Petitioner) – 1 Page

- G-325A and passport-style photo (Beneficiary) – 1 Page

- Birth Certificate (Petitioner) – 3 Pages

- U.S. Passport with stamps to/from Vacation/Travel visa (Petitioner) – 8 Pages

- Letters of intent to marry (Petitioner & Beneficiary)

- Proof of having met in person in the past two years

  o    23 vacation photos

  o    Plane boarding passes, vacation receipts with photos, apartment rental (Airbnb) – 14 Pages

  o    Travel itineraries (Petitioner and Beneficiary); Airbnb confirmation receipt – 6 Pages

  o    Passport pages showing visa stamps (Beneficiary) – 4 Page

- Proof of wedding plans – 24 Pages

  o    Evidence of wedding plans: wedding officiant contract/deposit/emails, emails with caterer, rental quotes, reception invitation sample

- Additional proof of relationship (including ongoing relationship)

  o    Confirmed tickets for upcoming vacation together; invitation letter, receipt from visa service, visa stamp for vacation; engagement ring receipt, Proof of Income – 7 Pages

  o    Correspondence samples (email, Skype, Facebook) – 62 Pages

  o    17 Photos taken during Skype sessions, including family & friends

 

3) You have every opportunity to explain any additional documentation you provide, so if you include the bank account info, just explain when you opened it together and why, if you feel it helps your case (the fact that you live together makes it reasonable, in my opinion); in that case, you could provide letters from friends/family that you are both legally able to marry (being an unmarried couple); notarized would be better (some countries require this as proof on non-marriage). I'd also include a copy of his divorce papers as part of the evidence.  Again, any additional 'front loaded' info will help when your packet reaches the embassy, and a well-documented case is better than an under-documented one, I believe. We included extra financial information in a 'continuing proof of relationship' section in the 2nd packet my fiance gave to the embassy for the interview, but I also included proof of income (job verification/salary info) in the original petition.  Your case may be easier to 'prove' considering you living together and where your fiance is from.

 

Good luck to you all and best wishes for your mom.

[ZoeUK1989 35]

Tab4768, I am sorry to hear that your mother is not in the best health I would be doing the exact same thing if it was my parents 

 

Please excuse me as I am dyslexic so please do not read any of what I write on here as a negative because its not intended that way at all. I just struggle for wording sometimes  

 

I totally understand why you are choosing to move back to the USA and its the right decision for you and your family. I think your case is more than likely just slightly different to the majority of K1 applicants. 

By saying this I just mean that K1 applicants I think more often than not are not living together and haven't already started things like joint accounts but obviously your circumstances are different to what I would say is that majority.

 

I had heard of people applying when they were deployed for duty or things like that but I had not heard of someone applying for the K1 that doesn't live in the USA. The only reason this confused me was because I have never read it I guess (learning curve for me ) and how it worked with the financial requirement. If you have a job in Mexico is your job something that will follow you when you move back to America? or are you employed by an American company and been sent to Mexico to work? 

Again the only reason I ask that is because they push into your brain so hard about the financial requirements but I have not seen how this works for someone in your position.

 

I totally get what you mean about a streamline process! I think the K1 is no where near streamline unless you fit perfectly in that little box. If you have something slightly different it makes things extremely difficult. Like the other day I was reading one where the person didn't have a surname (I'm guessing this is their culture but I had never heard of it) and another one where their country did not have addresses, they were like basic descriptions.  I wouldn't want to be a delivery driver there. I think I would struggle to say the least lol.

 

I don't want to give you information I am unsure about so I guess from here I will hope that someone pops up that has done this process with the same situation that can help you. 

 

I wish you the best of luck and you take care of yourselves