Review of final K1 AOS document packet (485/131/765)

[kwoodruff 4]

Hello all!

 

Thanks for everyone's help that has responded to my other questions I've posted. We gathered all of my husband's documents for his K1 AOS, including the I-485, I-131 and I-765. He's from the UK, so no translations are needed. Can anyone review and let me know if I might be missing anything? Referenced below is me (Katherine, the U.S. citizen) and my husband (Matthew, British citizen on the K1).

 

Feel free to make comments on anything, including the order of the documents. Any help appreciated!

 

-----

 

I-485, Application to Adjust Status (and I-864, Affidavit of Support from U.S. Citizen Spouse):

 

•    2 passport style photos (Matthew)

•    G-1450 Form, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions in the amount of $1,225.00 USD ($1,140 I-485 filing fee + $85 Biometrics fee)
•    G-1145 Form, E-notification of application/petition acceptance

•    I-485 Cover Letter
•    Form I-485: Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
•    Copy of birth certificate (Matthew)
•    Copy of passport biographic page (Matthew)
•    Copy of K1 visa in passport & USA entry stamp (with date) (Matthew)
•    Copy of Form I-797C Notice of Action of I-129F Fiancée Petition (NOA 1 / Receipt Notice)
•    Copy of Form I-797 Notice of Action of I-129F Fiancée Petition (NOA 2 / Approval Notice)
•    Copy of NVC correspondence notifying us they received our I-129F application and were forwarding to the Embassy (dated December 26, 2018)
•    Copy of I-94 Admission Records (Matthew)
•    I-693 Form, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, completed and sealed by approved civil surgeon (for Matthew)
•    Certified copy of marriage certificate
•    Copies of J-1 “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status” for years 2013, 2014 and 2015 with explanation (for Matthew, he held temporary work in the U.S. for three summers)

 

•    I-864 Cover Letter
•    Form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act – signed and dated by Katherine, along with the following evidence:
o    Copies of Federal Income Tax Return for years 2018, 2017 and 2016 (Katherine)
o    Copies of  IRS Tax Return Transcripts for years 2018, 2017 and 2016 (Katherine)
o    Copies of W2s for years 2018, 2017 and 2016 (Katherine)
o    Copies of Form 1099 for years 2018, 2017 and 2016 (Katherine)
o    Signed certificate of employment for Katherine
o    Pay stubs from January 2018 to time of application submission for Katherine
o    Bank immigration letter from Katherine's only bank account
o    Copy of U.S. passport ID page (Katherine)
o    Copy of U.S. birth certificate (Katherine)

 

I-765, Employment Authorization:

 

·        I-765 Cover Letter

·        2 passport style photos (Matthew)

·        G-1145 Form, E-notification of application/petition acceptance

·        Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization

·        Copy of passport biographic page (Matthew)

·        Copy of K1 visa in passport & USA entry stamp (with date) (Matthew)

·        Copy of marriage certificate

·        Copy of Form I-797C, Notice of Approval of Petition I-129F

·        Copy of I-94 Admission Records (Matthew)

 

 

I-131: Travel Document (Advance Parole)

 

•    I-131 Cover Letter

•    2 passport style photos (Matthew)
•    G-1145 Form, E-notification of application/petition acceptance
•    Form I-131, Application for Travel Document (Advance Parole)
•    Copy of passport biographic page (Matthew)
•    Copy of K1 visa in passport & USA entry stamp (with date) (Matthew)
•    Copy of marriage certificate
•    Copy of Form I-797C, Notice of Approval of Petition I-129F
•    Copy of I-94 Admission Records (Matthew)

 

[USS_Voyager 1,971]

Looks good. Are there more documents that have both your names on it that you can throw in the I-485 such as joint lease, credit cards, bank statements, ... and the like. If you don't have it, you don't have it and it's fine. 

[kwoodruff 4]

1 hour ago, USS_Voyager said:

Looks good. Are there more documents that have both your names on it that you can throw in the I-485 such as joint lease, credit cards, bank statements, ... and the like. If you don't have it, you don't have it and it's fine. 

Thanks! I was going to include, but wasn't sure if they preferred only the documents requested. I've read varying opinions. They can be oddly particular and I never know when they will decide to be *sigh* I definitely have that stuff and will include! Do you have a recommendation as to where in the order?

 

Thanks again!

[Wuozopo 4,285]

Cover Letter

G-1450 Form, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions in the amount of $1,225.00 USD ($1,140 I-485 filing fee + $85 Biometrics fee)
G-1145 Form, E-notification of application/petition acceptance

Form I-485: Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

• 2 passport style photos (Matthew)
•  Copy of birth certificate (Matthew)
• Copy of passport biographic page (Matthew)
•  Copy of K1 visa in passport & USA entry stamp (with date) (Matthew)
•  Copy of I-94 Admission Records (Matthew)
• Certified copy of marriage certificate
• Form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act – signed and dated by Katherine, along with the following evidence
•      o    Copies of  IRS Tax Return Transcripts for years 2018, 2017 and 2016 (Katherine)
•      o    Signed certificate of employment stating salary for Katherine
•       o    Pay stubs from January 2018 to time of application submission for Katherine
•  I-693 Form, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, completed and sealed by approved civil surgeon (for Matthew)
• Copies of J-1 “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status” for years 2013, 2014 and 2015 with explanation (for Matthew, he held temporary work in the U.S. for three summers)

 
Form I-765, Employment Authorization

•  2 passport style photos (Matthew)
• Copy of passport biographic page (Matthew)
• Copy of K1 visa in passport & USA entry stamp (with date) (Matthew)
• Copy of I-94 Admission Records (Matthew)

 

Form I-131: Travel Document (Advance Parole)

• 2 passport style photos (Matthew)
• Copy of passport biographic page (Matthew)
• Copy of K1 visa in passport & USA entry stamp (with date) (Matthew)
• Copy of I-94 Admission Records (Matthew)

 

That's one cover letter showing what's in the envelope

One payment

One request to be notified that the envelope arrived

And three applications with evidence separated with paper clips or a bulldog clip.

 

Note on Affidavit of support: It should be 6 months of pay stubs per the form instructions.

 

Take your joint marital proofs to the interview.

 

Edited June 4, 2019 by Wuozopo

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,078]

Either include W-2s and tax returns OR include tax transcripts. Don't send all three, and definitely don't send transcripts and W-2s without 1040s (this just confuses them).

 

I recommend just sending transcripts; it's too easy to accidentally forget a schedule or something with the W-2 + 1040 and all schedules route.

[kwoodruff 4]

1 hour ago, Wuozopo said:

Cover Letter

G-1450 Form, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions in the amount of $1,225.00 USD ($1,140 I-485 filing fee + $85 Biometrics fee)
G-1145 Form, E-notification of application/petition acceptance

Form I-485: Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

• 2 passport style photos (Matthew)
•  Copy of birth certificate (Matthew)
• Copy of passport biographic page (Matthew)
•  Copy of K1 visa in passport & USA entry stamp (with date) (Matthew)
•  Copy of I-94 Admission Records (Matthew)
• Certified copy of marriage certificate
• Form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act – signed and dated by Katherine, along with the following evidence
•      o    Copies of  IRS Tax Return Transcripts for years 2018, 2017 and 2016 (Katherine)
•      o    Signed certificate of employment stating salary for Katherine
•       o    Pay stubs from January 2018 to time of application submission for Katherine
•  I-693 Form, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, completed and sealed by approved civil surgeon (for Matthew)
• Copies of J-1 “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status” for years 2013, 2014 and 2015 with explanation (for Matthew, he held temporary work in the U.S. for three summers)

 
Form I-765, Employment Authorization

•  2 passport style photos (Matthew)
• Copy of passport biographic page (Matthew)
• Copy of K1 visa in passport & USA entry stamp (with date) (Matthew)
• Copy of I-94 Admission Records (Matthew)

 

Form I-131: Travel Document (Advance Parole)

• 2 passport style photos (Matthew)
• Copy of passport biographic page (Matthew)
• Copy of K1 visa in passport & USA entry stamp (with date) (Matthew)
• Copy of I-94 Admission Records (Matthew)

 

That's one cover letter showing what's in the envelope

One payment

One request to be notified that the envelope arrived

And three applications with evidence separated with paper clips or a bulldog clip.

 

Note on Affidavit of support: It should be 6 months of pay stubs per the form instructions.

 

Take your joint marital proofs to the interview.

 

Thank you. I have read that the separate forms (765, 131 and 485/864) get separated once they arrive to the USCIS office, and could potentially go to different people to review/approve, so that's why I included a cover letter on each (as well as the E-notification request). You recommended not doing that - did it work OK that way for you? Just want to get as many opinions as possible.

 

I will add 6 months of pay stubs per the I-864 instructions, good catch! Thanks for reviewing my packet!

[kwoodruff 4]

2 minutes ago, DaveAndAnastasia said:

Either include W-2s and tax returns OR include tax transcripts. Don't send all three, and definitely don't send transcripts and W-2s without 1040s (this just confuses them).

 

I recommend just sending transcripts; it's too easy to accidentally forget a schedule or something with the W-2 + 1040 and all schedules route.

Thank you! So, the Federal Tax Return transcripts are sufficient? Tax stuff confuses me to no end, so I just tried to include everything possible to avoid an RFE.

 

I downloaded my Federal Tax Return transcripts from the IRS online portal, but there was an option for downloading Wage Transcripts and Federal Tex Return transcripts. Which one do you recommend including?

 

Thank you so much!

[Wuozopo 4,285]

2 hours ago, kwoodruff said:

Thank you! So, the Federal Tax Return transcripts are sufficient? Tax stuff confuses me to no end, so I just tried to include everything possible to avoid an RFE.

If you notice, I deleted those extraneous things from the list I revised.

It is a tax return transcript. 

Again per the instructions for the form:

 

You must provide either an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) transcript or a photocopy from your own records of your Federal individual income tax return for the most recent tax year. If you believe additional returns may help you to establish your ability to maintain su FYI cient income, you may submit transcripts or photocopies of your Federal individual income tax returns for the three most recent years. 

 

If you provide a photocopy of your Federal individual income tax returns, you must include a copy of each and every Form W-2 and Form 1099 that relates to your returns. Do not include copies of these forms if you provide an IRS transcript of your Federal individual income tax returns rather than a photocopy unless you filed a joint income tax return with your spouse and are qualifying using only your income. 

 

2 hours ago, kwoodruff said:

Thank you. I have read that the separate forms (765, 131 and 485/864) get separated once they arrive to the USCIS office, and could potentially go to different people to review/approve, so that's why I included a cover letter on each (as well as the E-notification request). You recommended not doing that - did it work OK that way for you? Just want to get as many opinions as possible.

" I have read that the three separate forms...."  Just a point of clarification, it is three separate applications, not forms. The I-864 is just evidence that you will support him. It's not an application for an immigration benefit. It's just part of the evidence like the marriage certificate and other things in the list.

 

My logic says one envelope arrives at the lockbox. The contractors  respond to one G-1145 to let you know everything arrived.  And they look at the one cover letter and say "oh look, she sent 3 application AOS, EAD, AP."  Then they tear it all apart and make 3 folders in their preferred order to pass on to the USCIS departments. My conspiracy theory is that cover letters get thrown out when they put together the standard government file for the departments. I believe that so much so, that I quit doing cover letters completely. And yes it did work out fine for me. Never received one RFE from Fiance petition to US citizenship. Approved on the spot at both interviews. And I didn't over-fill my applications with extraneous stuff for "just in case". 

Edited June 4, 2019 by Wuozopo

[kwoodruff 4]

15 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

If you notice, I deleted those extraneous things from the list I revised.

It is a tax return transcript. 

Again per the instructions for the form:

 

You must provide either an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) transcript or a photocopy from your own records of your Federal individual income tax return for the most recent tax year. If you believe additional returns may help you to establish your ability to maintain su FYI cient income, you may submit transcripts or photocopies of your Federal individual income tax returns for the three most recent years. 

 

If you provide a photocopy of your Federal individual income tax returns, you must include a copy of each and every Form W-2 and Form 1099 that relates to your returns. Do not include copies of these forms if you provide an IRS transcript of your Federal individual income tax returns rather than a photocopy unless you filed a joint income tax return with your spouse and are qualifying using only your income. 

 

" I have read that the three separate forms...."  Just a point of clarification, it is three separate applications, not forms. The I-864 is just evidence that you will support him. It's not an application for an immigration benefit. It's just part of the evidence like the marriage certificate and other things in the list.

 

My logic says one envelope arrives at the lockbox. The contractors  respond to one G-1145 to let you know everything arrived.  And they look at the one cover letter and say "oh look, she sent 3 application AOS, EAD, AP."  Then they tear it all apart and make 3 folders in their preferred order to pass on to the USCIS departments. My conspiracy theory is that cover letters get thrown out when they put together the standard government file for the departments. I believe that so much so, that I quit doing cover letters completely. And yes it did work out fine for me. Never received one RFE from Fiance petition to US citizenship. Approved on the spot at both interviews. And I didn't over-fill my applications with extraneous stuff for "just in case". 

Thank you! It's so hard to know in these cases because it seems people have posted about getting RFE's for the most random things! I guess my approach was include everything so they have no room for doubt. Thank you for your detailed response, this helps me a lot.