I-129F Packet: P. 2, Q. 54 - Circumstances of your in-person meeting

[payxibka 10,044]

1 minute ago, Alex and Nick said:

Planning on it. The visit is coming up in less than a week. We're going to save bag tags, boarding passes, dinner receipts, movie tickets and will also make sure we have plenty of photographs of us in multiple locations and with my family as well. Feels like we're 'staging' our relationship when really we're just doing everything we normally do but more documented.

On that note, would social media posts be considered evidence? For example: Checking in to a location on Facebook then printing off a screenshot of the post and then attaching it with a photograph of ourselves at the location.

Any other proof I guess we can just put in the optional 'Proof of ongoing relationship' section of our I-129F Packet.

Thank you again for all this helpful, we truly appreciate it!

Quality not quantity. 

 

When I said minimalist I meant it.  My evidence of meeting consisted of entry stamp into country and two boarding passes with us sitting in adjacent seats.   No pictures,  no other receipts,  no social media posts,  no chats,  nada

[payxibka 10,044]

3 minutes ago, flfreddy said:

You are proving a bonafide relationship... not just a meeting.  So front end heavy the application if I were you.   I gave them 9 meetings pictures, air - musical - train tickets, table of dates, app screen shots, facetime shots,   NO RFE.

 

Eg:  We take a picture with restaurant X, and included receipt of restaurant X.

        We took pictures with landmarks

       We took pictures with friends and HOLD a newspaper with date

       Our train tickets, air tickets, universal studio tickers have names and dates

 

Remember any RFE = delay 1 mth min.

Please advise where in the petition instructions indicate you are proving a bonafide relationship.   I'd like to read it

[Alex and Nick 8]

3 minutes ago, payxibka said:

Quality not quantity. 

 

When I said minimalist I meant it.  My evidence of meeting consisted of entry stamp into country and two boarding passes with us sitting in adjacent seats.   No pictures,  no other receipts,  no social media posts,  no chats,  nada

Definitely wont be skimping on the quality of anything but it does seem the number one advice around here is to include as much proof/evidence as you possibly can. I understand the minimalist desire as it is something I prefer myself but I'd much rather submit too much proof/evidence than too little and end up with an RFE.

Edited October 30, 2019 by Alex and Nick

[payxibka 10,044]

Just now, Alex and Nick said:

Definitely wont be skimping on the quality of anything but it does seem the number one advice around here is to include as much proof/evidence as you possibly can. I understand the minimalist desire as it is something I prefer myself but I'd much rather submit too much proof/evidence than too little and end up with an REF.

You can't submit less than I did,  Result:  NO RFE.

Pictures are secondary evidence and provide little utilitarian value because while it might prove you met, it is not a definite as to the when.

 

[flfreddy 92]

Just now, payxibka said:

Please advise where in the petition instructions indicate you are proving a bonafide relationship.   I'd like to read it

This came from my attorney.  Yes on paper its 1 meeting in 2 years.   But the whole idea is to cast without a doubt this is genuine fiancee from the start.  Remember that all these paperwork trickle down to CO at embassy.     

 

Well we can technically say prove just 1 meeting, in the end we still need to prove bonafide relationship before visa is issued.    So yes you are correct, it is not in instructions.   The bare minimum allows for easy RFE should they doubt anything else.

[payxibka 10,044]

Just now, flfreddy said:

This came from my attorney.  Yes on paper its 1 meeting in 2 years.   But the whole idea is to cast without a doubt this is genuine fiancee from the start.  Remember that all these paperwork trickle down to CO at embassy.     

 

Well we can technically say prove just 1 meeting, in the end we still need to prove bonafide relationship before visa is issued.    So yes you are correct, it is not in instructions.   The bare minimum allows for easy RFE should they doubt anything else.

You can't get an RFE for not including something not required.   The bare minimum is providing all the required evidence so they can check all the boxes.   There is not much subjectiveness at the petition stage 

[Alex and Nick 8]

1 minute ago, payxibka said:

You can't submit less than I did,  Result:  NO RFE.

Pictures are secondary evidence and provide little utilitarian value because while it might prove you met, it is not a definite as to the when.

 

I'm glad that it worked for you but that is far to minimal for us to be comfortable with. All of our research has shown us that submitting as much as you can will only be in your best interest. Even the K1-Visa Guide here on VJ directs filers to submit as much as they can, including photos.

And yes, pictures are more secondary evidence and don't really prove anything but it is still heavily suggested that you include them in your package and that is the route we're going to take.

[payxibka 10,044]

Just now, Alex and Nick said:

I'm glad that it worked for you but that is far to minimal for us to be comfortable with. All of our research has shown us that submitting as much as you can will only be in your best interest. Even the K1-Visa Guide here on VJ directs filers to submit as much as they can, including photos.

And yes, pictures are more secondary evidence and don't really prove anything but it is still heavily suggested that you include them in your package and that is the route we're going to take.

Your petition but your interviewing in Montreal not Lagos 

[Alex and Nick 8]

4 minutes ago, flfreddy said:

This came from my attorney.  Yes on paper its 1 meeting in 2 years.   But the whole idea is to cast without a doubt this is genuine fiancee from the start.  Remember that all these paperwork trickle down to CO at embassy.     

 

Well we can technically say prove just 1 meeting, in the end we still need to prove bonafide relationship before visa is issued.    So yes you are correct, it is not in instructions.   The bare minimum allows for easy RFE should they doubt anything else.

I'm inclined to agree with you on this, the one immigration lawyer we spoke with even touched on this. While the bare minimum did work in this situation we have to remember that it wasn't always the case for others. When it comes to this entire process as well I don't want to be doing just the bare minimum, I want to be doing everything I can to ensure that I get to have a future with the person I desire to spend my life with.

2 minutes ago, payxibka said:

Your petition but your interviewing in Montreal not Lagos 

Sorry, not sure what you mean here?

[payxibka 10,044]

1 minute ago, Alex and Nick said:

I'm inclined to agree with you on this, the one immigration lawyer we spoke with even touched on this. While the bare minimum did work in this situation we have to remember that it wasn't always the case for others. When it comes to this entire process as well I don't want to be doing just the bare minimum, I want to be doing everything I can to ensure that I get to have a future with the person I desire to spend my life with.

Sorry, not sure what you mean here?

Lagos is a high fraud consulate, Montreal is not.  The level of proof required by the consulate relating to relationship evidence is far apart.  In the end it's a personal choice as to what you do 

[Alex and Nick 8]

Just now, payxibka said:

Lagos is a high fraud consulate, Montreal is not.  The level of proof required by the consulate relating to relationship evidence is far apart.  In the end it's a personal choice as to what you do 

Ah, yes I'm aware that for others in different countries the process may be harder/longer but that doesn't mean to me that I should feel like I can get away with doing just the basics on the requirements of this package. I'm trying to take it as seriously as I can so I will end up choosing to include as much proof/evidence as I can. Thank you again for your help.

[payxibka 10,044]

Just now, Alex and Nick said:

Ah, yes I'm aware that for others in different countries the process may be harder/longer but that doesn't mean to me that I should feel like I can get away with doing just the basics on the requirements of this package. I'm trying to take it as seriously as I can 

I think you just inferred that I didn't take it seriously.  

[Alex and Nick 8]

29 minutes ago, flfreddy said:

You are proving a bonafide relationship... not just a meeting.  So front end heavy the application if I were you.   I gave them 9 meetings pictures, air - musical - train tickets, table of dates, app screen shots, facetime shots,   NO RFE.

 

Eg:  We take a picture with restaurant X, and included receipt of restaurant X.

        We took pictures with landmarks

       We took pictures with friends and HOLD a newspaper with date

       Our train tickets, air tickets, universal studio tickets have names and dates

 

Remember any RFE = delay 1 mth min.

We have plenty of proof/evidence we're going to be using. We'll be doing two sections for it like most people.

Section 1: 'Proof of having met in person in the past two years'
- This section seems to be meant for the meeting we will be describing in Part 2, Question 54 in the I-129F form so we will heavily focus on that.

- We will also include any other proof/evidence we have from our other in-person meetings over the last two years.

Section 2: 'Proof of ongoing relationship'
- This is the optional section but will be great for us since our relationship started prior to 2014.

- We can include all the proof/evidence we have collected over the last 5 years. This will help prove that our relationship is bona fide.

I plan on adding social media posts and private message screenshots like you have mentioned as well but I would imagine they would be best in the 'proof of ongoing relationship' section of the package.

Edited October 31, 2019 by Alex and Nick

[Alex and Nick 8]

2 minutes ago, payxibka said:

I think you just inferred that I didn't take it seriously.  

I did not intend too and if you took it that way than I apologize.

[dxec 31]

Providing a ton of evidence for no reason. They are going to have to weed through all the junk to get to what they want. Make it as easy as possible for them to find whats required. If they wanted all the extra stuff it would say please include this, this, this, and this. Mine was 2 sentences that said "she came in august 2018 we went to universal studios and disney then came home and i worked the rest of the time." My evidence was a couple pictures which I wouldnt have sent any if I had to do it over and some passport stamps/boarding pass. NO RFE.