filing I-129F from abroad- general questions

[chicurious 0]

I will be filing the I-129F package from Mexico and have some general questions:

Address: On the form it asks for a few addresses that I'm not sure how to answer. It asks for my current address (currently I'm in Mexico!). I could either use my parents' (which would therefore make our case go through the Nebraska Service Center) or my brother's (which is on the East Coast and therefore Vermont). I would prefer to use my brother's address but he lives on an army base and I wonder if that could lead to complications. Any thoughts?

So, should I put my US one (either my parents' or brother's) or my address in Mexico? What sort of things will be sent there? I plan on staying in Mexico with my partner until near the time that we suspect the interview will take place, so I worry that the service center first sending it to my US address and then my family sending it to my address will be difficult. Again, any thoughts?

Finally, it asks for what my partner's address will be when he arrives in the US. I haven't a clue! There again, should I write a guess and use my parents' or brother's? It might be hard to put my brother's since he lives on an Army base and it is obvious that we won't live there.

US Notary: I noticed that I have to have several things notarized and this website specifically says "US Notary." Again, I'll be in Mexico during this entire process. Are there any options in Mexico? Does the US Embassy offer notary services?

Affidavit of Support document: Here is a question that I'm sure I'll get quite a bit "it's your call" answers to, but I just wanted to throw it out there. Since we're trying to avoid having to get a co-sign for the affidavit of support the thought is that I'll head up to the US with (hopefully) a job waiting about a month or so before the suspected interview date (so say about 4-5 months into the process). Anyone have experience with this? I'm just trying to minimize the time we are a part and still try to avoid asking others for co-signing.

Birth certificate or passport: Again, since I won't be home to collect my birth certificate I wondered if the photo copies of my passport is really legit? I read in the guides it is. I'm asking my mother to go through my files in her basement and send me a copy. But worried about the mail.

Fee increase. Finally, we are going to file about a month earlier than we were planning on in order to avoid the fee increase (nearly $300! terrible!). The USCIS says that they accept it post-marked by July 30- would that include FedEx or DHL? Again, the mail is pretty shady here in Mexico, so I want to make sure that will be a safe bet.

This site is really great and I cannot tell you how much this has been the biggest blessing. Thank you in advance.

[ramos96 1]

Several things here, remember this is what I would do if i were you:

I would not use your brother's address on the army base, what if he gets deployed or re-assigned not a good thing for something this important, same deal for where your fiance is going to live once in the us. You got 2 options here:

A. Get to work in the US and setup a place or

B. Use your parents address

You also need to consider how your going to get your mail back and forth deoending on the responses you may get from NVC, USCIS, or Service Center you may be filing at. If you happen to get an RFE, you will want to take care of that ASAP as it can slow you down.

As far as the passport photocopies are fine.

In regards to your income, they are probably going to want to see something more than 4 months of work, unless you have a co-sponsor you will have to prove to them that you are able to provide for you two, you will have to be making more than 125% of the poverty level. I dont have the link but it is on the site do a search.

As for the notary how far are you from the border, is that feasible for you??

If you are worried about the mail getting there yah I would probably do one of those, DHL, UPS, or FedEX

You have some pretty serious things you need to decide and get setup pretty quickly, but have faith all is possible.

AND lastly make 3 complete sets is what I highly suggest, 1 for you to file, 1 for you, and 1 for your fiance(e) this means everything, all original signatures and pictures. Trust me its worth doing it.

Sincerely and Good luck,

Ramos

[YolyPetra 0]

I don't have any answers, but some more things for you to think about. We applied in Jan (also from Mex), and we have a lot in common about our situations. I think we will go to the interview in Aug, and I just got back to the US and I am looking for a job.

About the address. I put our Mexican address on our application and my parents address as where my fiance will live. They've been sending the NOA's to my parent's address and the other correspondence to Mexico. Sharing an address helps prove you have a relationship, but Mexican mail is really slow and unreliable and may slow down the process. However, later on, if you say how you lived together, they may wonder if that's true, who knows? I DEFINITELY wouldn't us your brother's address.

About the financial stuff, it appears to me, if you have a signed letter of intent or contract from a future employer, that can work. Personally, I plan to do both: have my forms filled out to be the sponsor, but also have my folks fill one out, ready to go, in case they refuse me as a sponsor. I haven't had an income for over a year but my last year tax return was 29,000 and if I get a job before Aug, I should have a contract I'll be making at minimum over 40,000 in future years. I think for 2 people 125% of the poverty level is about 17,000 right now. I guess it depends what type of work you think you'll find yourself in.

I am glad I'm in the US right now because I have more access to stuff like internet, copiers, my papers, stuff like that that I need for the application/interview, but I also really wish I could talk directly to my beau about this stuff. It's confusing enough with out having to talk over bad phoe and skype connections and through emails and text messages...

I hope everything works out!

Yoly

[chicurious 0]

THanks for the information. I was thinking I can put my parents' address and have them check it and let me know what the info says or asks for. Is it true that there is no way to get that information online?

I wanted to add that he and I have NOT been living together in Mexico and will not until we get to the US. That shouldn't be a problem with proving we have a relationship? (it is so strange and almost emotionally difficult to have to prove a relationship to someone you want to marry, no? anyhow... just venting)

Yoly, it took you 8 months to get an interview? Isn't that the far end of the spectrum?

Thanks for the info and keep it coming with thoughts and advice!

[YolyPetra 0]

Once again, I'm surprised how similar our cases, questions and problems are. Actually, we still don't have an interview, but it took about 5 months to get an approval, which is much longer than most of the folks on here, even those in Mexico and filing through CSC.

About notary: I think the only thing Vale and I are going to need notarized is the affidavit of support, which I think my folks are going to do anyways, and it sounds like maybe your folks are as well. So they can get it notarized in the US OR you can get it notarized (or something similar) at the consulate.

In Mexico, you will go to the Juarez consulate. I think there is less paperwork than is required for some of the other countries.

About proving you have a relationship: YES! it's really wierd and frustrating! It shouldn't be any harder to prove even tough you don't live together. Letters, even between you and others mentioning the relationship, photos... go to the Juarez consulate page, find the fiance packet info and they have there a list of ideas for proof http://usembassy.state.gov/CiudadJuarez/wwwfcdj430.pdf . For our original app we took fotos infront of movie posters with 2007 to prove we'd seen each other in the last year.

I don't have a birth certificate either, and so far have been using ust my passport.

Since we haven't had our interview yet, I'd still keep asking and looing for answers from members who are more experienced and knowledgable about all this! I would hate to misinfom you.

Yoly

[kitkat1 5]

THanks for the information. I was thinking I can put my parents' address and have them check it and let me know what the info says or asks for. Is it true that there is no way to get that information online?

I wanted to add that he and I have NOT been living together in Mexico and will not until we get to the US. That shouldn't be a problem with proving we have a relationship? (it is so strange and almost emotionally difficult to have to prove a relationship to someone you want to marry, no? anyhow... just venting)

Yoly, it took you 8 months to get an interview? Isn't that the far end of the spectrum?

Thanks for the info and keep it coming with thoughts and advice!

Using your parent's address to receive mail and for the place you plan live is the easiest thing to do. You can get information online by setting up an account on the online case status site.

It doesn't take long for interviews in Ciudad Juarez because K1 applicants don't need them. Once the approved petition has been forwarded to the NVC and to Ciudad Juarez, they send out a fiance packet with an official letter allowing your fiance into to the consulate for his interview. (If your parents receive the offical letter at their address before your fiance receives his in Mexico, they can simply scan the letter and email it to you to print out). So once you have all of the forms ready (you can get everything in advance from the CDJ website and just wait for the official letter), and he has gone for his medical appointment, he can go to the interview. Check out the CDJ thread in the Foreign Embassy forum - you'll find all the information you need on CDJ.

[chicurious 0]

Ok, so I have all of that. I'm putting my parents' address in general and my mom is going to inform me of mailings, etc. Additionally, once I have it going I'll sign up for online updates. Additionally, I will put my parents' place as the place my fiance will live once we get back to the US (transition time).

New questions: On my I-129F I am listing my address as my parents' (which is my permanent address while I'm in Mexico for all other things). However, I am currently living in Mexico with my fiance during this process, so for my G-325a I'm listing my present address of that in Mexico. Will that be a problem? I just don't want them sending things to me in Mexico (bad mail system), nor having problems with the address discrepancy.