How much proof is too much proof?

[lierre 224]

And furthermore, it is better to have more proof upfront rather than be asked about it later.

 

Like I shared, it seems the process gets "easier" somehow as the years go by.

[JayMar2019 2,741]

4 hours ago, Richard Moss said:

I have been told two opposite answers to the same question…. “When my fiancée goes in for her interview how much evidence should she take?”

 

A woman that went through the process said she took a file folder box  in with thousands of pages and the interviewer looked at the pile and said “congratulations I can see proof of a relationship”

 

A man going through the process at the same point I am at said too much evidence will slow down the process….

 

I would love any insight to the correct answer…. Thanks in advance for your responses!!

 

Richard

IMHO, it's always going to be quality over quantity. My fiancé is coming from Jamaica (high-risk visa fraud country). While I know that USCIS only requires that we meet once at least in 2 years, I did front-load our petition; and I plan to NOT ONLY have quantity AND quality, but I will be attending the interview with him. USCIS rarely denies petitions at their stage, but the way I think (and sometimes, I'm told I overthink things but that's subject to whoever's opinion...lol), I front-loaded our petition because, I know that the whole petition is going to the Jamaica Consulate. Whatever CO gets our petition, they will review and investigate all that I've put in there. From the time we sent in our petition, we were together over a year, so to me, I wanted to give them at least a year or so worth of evidence. Because when we get to the interview, I want the CO to see that what we have IS REAL. I want them to see there's a balance in the amount of time we've been together. The burden on the CO is prove that our relationship is not real; so I made sure to have add A LOT and I'm preparing to come with A LOT.

 

Each case is different and gets reviewed differently by each individual CO. What is good for one is DEFNITELY NOT good for the other. So, just because those experiences you shared each played out differently, that does not mean that you and your fiancé will have the same experience. When it's me and my fiancé's time to go, I will have EVERYTHING and ANYTHING ready for them. Rather have it for them to ask us one question, then not have it then ask us multiple questions asking for us to provide proof.

 

But that's just me!

[geowrian 22,336]

1 hour ago, ivyanddan said:

And furthermore, it is better to have more proof upfront rather than be asked about it later.

 

Like I shared, it seems the process gets "easier" somehow as the years go by.

PH isn't really considered high fraud for family-based immigrant visas. It does have a lot of fraud (lots of applications), but looking at percentages, the refusal rate is fairly low and on par with other non-high fraud countries. It is generally considered high fraud for non-immigrant visas (tourist, student, etc.), though.

 

There's pros and cons to front loading. I personally would disagree that having more upfront is always better. Everything that you submit can also be used against you.

 

11 minutes ago, Trinab80 said:

The burden on the CO is prove that our relationship is not real

Actually, that's incorrect. The burden is on the beneficiary to show that they are eligible for the visa (including having a bona fide relationship). The CO does not have to show any evidence that it is not real to deny the application.

 

Everything else is spot on, though.

Edited June 19, 2017 by geowrian

[JayMar2019 2,741]

6 minutes ago, geowrian said:

PH isn't really considered high fraud for family-based immigrant visas. It does have a lot of fraud (lots of applications), but looking at percentages, the refusal rate is fairly low and on par with other non-high fraud countries. It is generally considered high fraud for non-immigrant visas (tourist, student, etc.), though.

 

There's pros and cons to front loading. I personally would disagree that having more upfront is always better. Everything that you submit can also be used against you.

 

Actually, that's incorrect. The burden is on the beneficiary to show that they are qualified for the visa (including having a bona fide relationship). The CO does not have to show any evidence that it is not real to deny the application.

 

Everything else is spot on, though.

I said that wrong but sometimes it's kinda an adverse effect. It's the burden of the beneficiary/petitioner to prove the real is real, but at times, the position a CO tries to play is proving the relationship is not bonafide. That's how I look at it sometimes. 

[WandY 430]

Anybody that takes a large file box with thousands of pages of documents is wasting a good box. There's a reason why proof and forms are sent in: If you follow the rules and maybe overload the proof a little, that's all you need. If I was a CO, I'd be suspicious of anyone trying to "over-prove" their case by lugging in a ton of papers. They want to approve the visas for the couples that are honest and true. Don't overdo it.

[Redheadguy03 505]

Depends a lot on the embassy. My fiance took all our paperwork and they asked for nothing. 

 

I personally think too much isn't really possible. Just make sure it's organized. 

[ConOfficer 167]

6 hours ago, EandH0904 said:

Usually the mind is already made up before the interview it seems,

Definitely not true, though the predisposition is to approve.

 

The officer may be slightly skeptical based on seeing an extreme age difference or 3-4 divorces. But most officers won't even look at POR or the case file even until they have the applicant in the window. 

[David & Diana R 1,005]

I/we took a brief case full of 500 plus pages.  Of course original copies of everything we had already submitted plus more photos and other stuff.  We had it all there with us.  We did not have to submit any of it but we were ready of asked.  You really cannot take too much stuff with you.  You will only take it out if they ask for something.  I doesn't hurt to be prepared.

 

Good luck and God Bless, david

[useful89 692]

5 hours ago, geowrian said:

PH isn't really considered high fraud for family-based immigrant visas. It does have a lot of fraud (lots of applications), but looking at percentages, the refusal rate is fairly low and on par with other non-high fraud countries. It is generally considered high fraud for non-immigrant visas (tourist, student, etc.), though.

 

There's pros and cons to front loading. I personally would disagree that having more upfront is always better. Everything that you submit can also be used against you.

 

Actually, that's incorrect. The burden is on the beneficiary to show that they are eligible for the visa (including having a bona fide relationship). The CO does not have to show any evidence that it is not real to deny the application.

 

Everything else is spot on, though.

Just wondering, where do you see these percentages? I'd like to see what it shows for my fiancee's country.

[MarcosiMedzi 42]

Just done with the inteview today. We loaded our i129f packet with as much as we can. Pictures and all. In my interview today I bought the copy of i129f packet, scrapbook, pictures, chat logs, and so on. Non of which were checked as I noticed to the CO he browsed our i-129f and ask few questions then thats it

[geowrian 22,336]

56 minutes ago, useful89 said:

Just wondering, where do you see these percentages? I'd like to see what it shows for my fiancee's country.

Visas: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/law-and-policy/statistics.html

Petitions: https://www.uscis.gov/tools/reports-studies/immigration-forms-data

Unfortunately, they don't break down refusals by country for non-tourist visas, so you have to do some number crunching. A good summary is here: http://www.visatutor.com/k-1-visa-statistics-2017/. There's no way to get precise numbers from public data, though.

 

The most commonly relevant NIV reports (FY16) below:

Spoiler

Tourist visa refusal rates: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY16.pdf

NIVs issued by country: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/MonthlyNIVIssuances/MARCH 2017 - NIV Issuances by Nationality and Visa Class.pdf

Worldwide non-immigrant visas issued/refused/overcome by category: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/NIVWorkload/FY2016NIVWorkloadbyVisaCategory.pdf

Ineligibilities: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/AnnualReports/FY2016AnnualReport/FY16AnnualReport-TableXX.pdf

I-129Fs: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Resources/Reports and Studies/Immigration Forms Data/All Form Types/all_forms_performancedata_fy2016_qtr4.pdf

 

 

[verwen 33]

14 hours ago, JFH said:

I think. I wasn't asked for anything from my file except one item which was specific to my husband's felony. 

What did they need for his felony? I'm just wondering because I have three felonies.

[HackyMoto 13]

16 hours ago, O&GForever said:

from lesser countries, like England 

I've been saying this for years 

[useful89 692]

20 hours ago, geowrian said:

Visas: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/law-and-policy/statistics.html

Petitions: https://www.uscis.gov/tools/reports-studies/immigration-forms-data

Unfortunately, they don't break down refusals by country for non-tourist visas, so you have to do some number crunching. A good summary is here: http://www.visatutor.com/k-1-visa-statistics-2017/. There's no way to get precise numbers from public data, though.

 

The most commonly relevant NIV reports (FY16) below:

  Reveal hidden contents

Tourist visa refusal rates: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY16.pdf

NIVs issued by country: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/MonthlyNIVIssuances/MARCH 2017 - NIV Issuances by Nationality and Visa Class.pdf

Worldwide non-immigrant visas issued/refused/overcome by category: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/NIVWorkload/FY2016NIVWorkloadbyVisaCategory.pdf

Ineligibilities: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/AnnualReports/FY2016AnnualReport/FY16AnnualReport-TableXX.pdf

I-129Fs: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Resources/Reports and Studies/Immigration Forms Data/All Form Types/all_forms_performancedata_fy2016_qtr4.pdf

 

 

These reports are a little less than comforting! 80% success rate is lower than I expected...

[TBoneTX 43,194]

*** Thread is moved from the K-1 Process forum to the Embassy/Consulate forum -- topic involves that phase. ***