I-130 Bona Fide Documents List

[Becci391 340]

1 hour ago, zeven1 said:

No problem!  I feel confident about that. Moreover, the U.S. consulate that issues visas is in Naples, Italy. They should be pretty lenient, and the fact that I speak fluent English comes handy! My fiancé will accompany me anyways, we are always going to places together. When arriving at the airport (next year when visa is accepted), no interview will be taken? Just a stamp? and I know that I should get a mailed green card in a few weeks after my arrival.

 

I'm sorry I'm bombarding you with questions, but so far you've been the only one that explained to me pretty much everything. Attorney hasn't so far!

When I arrived at the US-airport I was asked if I still want to marry the US-petitioner and if I was aware of that we have to get married within 90 days and also to file for AOS after we got married. I was also asked how much cash I had with me. I came to the US on a different visa but I think the questions should be similar.

The officer can still send your spouse back for whatever reason (even if your spouse has an approved visa). If everything is okay, then your spouse will get the stamp in the passport. I wouldn't rely on the statement that the Green Card will be in the mail a couple of weeks after arriving in the US. It can take up to 12 months until the GC is in the mail but your spouse is allowed to work and drive in the US. The stamp is usually valid for a year after entering the States.

Edited April 24, 2017 by Becci391

[Caterpillar8 62]

28 minutes ago, Becci391 said:

When I arrived at the US-airport I was asked if I still want to marry the US-petitioner and if I was aware of that we have to get married within 90 days and also to file for AOS after we got married. I was also asked how much cash I had with me. I came to the US on a different visa but I think the questions should be similar.

The officer can still send your spouse back for whatever reason (even if your spouse has an approved visa). If everything is okay, then your spouse will get the stamp in the passport. I wouldn't rely on the statement that the Green Card will be in the mail a couple of weeks after arriving in the US. It can take up to 12 months until the GC is in the mail but your spouse is allowed to work and drive in the US. The stamp is usually valid for a year after entering the States.

 

Interesting! I see you're coming from Germany and you did AOS something I am not planning to do at all, but I believe that for AOS it takes less time compared to Consulate Processing through the NVC. Consulate Processing is much longer.

[A'n'L 735]

2 hours ago, zeven1 said:

No problem!  I feel confident about that. Moreover, the U.S. consulate that issues visas is in Naples, Italy. They should be pretty lenient, and the fact that I speak fluent English comes handy! My fiancé will accompany me anyways, we are always going to places together. When arriving at the airport (next year when visa is accepted), no interview will be taken? Just a stamp? and I know that I should get a mailed green card in a few weeks after my arrival.

 

I'm sorry I'm bombarding you with questions, but so far you've been the only one that explained to me pretty much everything. Attorney hasn't so far!

They'll mostly chit-chat and stamp your passport. Just have your valid visa and visa package and be polite, and there should be no issues. It might take months to get the physical GC, but in the meantime the stamp in your passport will serve the same purpose.

 

Oh, and you will want to check in advance whether the consulate in Naples allow the USC fiance to accompany you. They don't always do.

Edited April 24, 2017 by A'n'L

[Caterpillar8 62]

1 minute ago, A'n'L said:

They'll mostly chit-chat and stamp your passport. Just have your valid visa and visa package and be polite, and there should be no issues. It might take months to get the physical GC, but in the meantime the stamp in your passport will serve the same purpose.

 

Great! Sorry If I may ask, but then, why you said the real deal would be at the U.S. Consulate interview? What trivial questions are they going to ask me? LOL 

[A'n'L 735]

5 minutes ago, zeven1 said:

Great! Sorry If I may ask, but then, why you said the real deal would be at the U.S. Consulate interview? What trivial questions are they going to ask me? LOL 

I was referring to the entry of the US in my latest post.

 

At the consulate you will be asked about your fiance and about your relationship, also about anything that may have caught their eye in your documents.

[Caterpillar8 62]

Just now, A'n'L said:

I was referring to the entry of the US in my latest post.

 

At the consulate you will be asked about your fiance and about your relationship, also about anything that may have caught their eye in your documents.

 

Yeah I know, no problem about that! 

 

Great! I am ready to answer any question, although how are they going to know if I am telling the truth? Such as "On which side of the bed do you sleep in?" How do they know the answer without interviewing my soon-to-be wife as well?

[A'n'L 735]

2 minutes ago, zeven1 said:

Yeah I know, no problem about that! 

 

Great! I am ready to answer any question, although how are they going to know if I am telling the truth? Such as "On which side of the bed do you sleep in?" How do they know the answer without interviewing my soon-to-be wife as well?

It's not really like that. That type of interview is called Stokes, where both are brought in and they compare answers, but it is only used in extreme cases (beneficiary from high-fraud country and they don't believe the relationship is real).

 

They mostly want to chat with you to see if you seem genuine and genuinely love your spouse. They can check certain things (date of birth, parents names), but mostly it will be down to psychology.

[Ryan H 3,903]

**Hijack posts removed.**

[agripa 100]

4 hours ago, zeven1 said:

Great! I am ready to answer any question, although how are they going to know if I am telling the truth? Such as "On which side of the bed do you sleep in?" How do they know the answer without interviewing my soon-to-be wife as well?

If you just Google CR1 interview questions, you'll get many many webpages containing sample questions. The somewhat generally accepted opinion is that the consular officer's mind is usually made up before the interview even happens. They will review everything you send in with the I-130 application as well as the NVC stage and have usually made a decision before they even see you at the embassy! This is why it is very important that you include as much evidence of a bonafide marriage with your I-130 application (people refer to this as "front-loading" your application) or when you get to the NVC stage (called "side-loading"). 

 

Even though the embassy will tell you to bring more evidence in support of your relationship, I have read many many stories here on VisaJourney where the consular officer refuses to look at any new evidence and denies the visa. This is why you should provide a wealth of evidence when you submit your initial application.

[A'n'L 735]

3 hours ago, agripa said:

If you just Google CR1 interview questions, you'll get many many webpages containing sample questions. The somewhat generally accepted opinion is that the consular officer's mind is usually made up before the interview even happens. They will review everything you send in with the I-130 application as well as the NVC stage and have usually made a decision before they even see you at the embassy! This is why it is very important that you include as much evidence of a bonafide marriage with your I-130 application (people refer to this as "front-loading" your application) or when you get to the NVC stage (called "side-loading"). 

 

Even though the embassy will tell you to bring more evidence in support of your relationship, I have read many many stories here on VisaJourney where the consular officer refuses to look at any new evidence and denies the visa. This is why you should provide a wealth of evidence when you submit your initial application.

This is generally true, but front-loading isn't considered necessary for most VWP countries.

[Thesmiths2016 117]

21 hours ago, zeven1 said:

Yes, I forgot to mention the marriage license and wedding pictures, although we are marrying at the courthouse civilly but will be taking a proper symbolic ceremony in May 2018.

have someone take a photo in the courthouse if you're allowed to. They will want physical proof of the marriage. And perhaps affidavits from your witnesses at the courthouse of the authenticity of your relationship, how happy they are you're  getting married, etc.

[Caterpillar8 62]

1 hour ago, Thesmiths2016 said:

have someone take a photo in the courthouse if you're allowed to. They will want physical proof of the marriage. And perhaps affidavits from your witnesses at the courthouse of the authenticity of your relationship, how happy they are you're  getting married, etc.

 

Yes, my father will be coming from Italy and will also have 2 (mandatory) testimonies, most likely family members. So, we will be taking pictures for the wedding at the courthouse. My paralegal did not mention affidavits when listing to me the Bona Fide Documents. Is it really necessary?

 

As stated above, I am already bringing a lot of Bona Fide docs, do you think it's not enough to prove our relationship is real?

[Caterpillar8 62]

10 hours ago, A'n'L said:

This is generally true, but front-loading isn't considered necessary for most VWP countries.

One question, I know that I will have (if approved) bring police certificates at the U.S. Embassy in Italy stating that I have no criminal charges etc... I am sure I have nothing BUT what would happen if something comes out when retrieving these docs from the Italian Police? Would the U.S. Embassy deny the GC? 

[A'n'L 735]

8 minutes ago, zeven1 said:

One question, I know that I will have (if approved) bring police certificates at the U.S. Embassy in Italy stating that I have no criminal charges etc... I am sure I have nothing BUT what would happen if something comes out when retrieving these docs from the Italian Police? Would the U.S. Embassy deny the GC? 

Depends what it is. Some criminal offenses will make you ineligible for a US visa.

[Caterpillar8 62]

Just now, A'n'L said:

Depends what it is. Some criminal offenses will make you ineligible for a US visa.

Most likely nothing, I just had an argument with an Italian Military guy outside the Rome U.S. Embassy btw (haha funny) 2 years ago. But in Italy, you usually get a letter if any charge or anything was written down. I have never received any letter. I am not sure if I should just pay the fees to get the 2 Police certificates now and know or just wait. Most likely I have nothing anyways. Nothing criminal for sure!