Proof of Relationship

[CuteAniagudo 1]

I just got married September 3, 2022. We had been dating for almost 5 years. How many screenshots (ie. per month of the relationship) of text conversations should I compile to submit for evidence with my i130 application? We had only seen each other twice during this time period. I do have photos, travel itinerary and receipts saved from my visits to his country. My husband is not in the US currently and he doesn't have a visa.

Edited September 26, 2022 by CuteAniagudo

[chadonius 41]

When I submitted my evidence, I included my airline tickets to visit my wife, two pages of photos from our wedding, outings, hanging out and nothing else. I would suggest you do something similar, you may include some chats but I don't think its necessary. Some people overdo it, but for i130 you should keep it short and sweet. Once you reach NVC stage then the messages may help you.

[Boiler 45,670]

Focus on the visits, how long were they?

[CuteAniagudo 1]

43 minutes ago, chadonius said:

When I submitted my evidence, I included my airline tickets to visit my wife, two pages of photos from our wedding, outings, hanging out and nothing else. I would suggest you do something similar, you may include some chats but I don't think its necessary. Some people overdo it, but for i130 you should keep it short and sweet. Once you reach NVC stage then the messages may help you.

Ok thanks 

[CuteAniagudo 1]

14 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Focus on the visits, how long were they?

10 days and 19 days

 

[AfroKing 48]

OP, you will run into different opinions on this topic and i assure you, each case is treated in its own uniqueness by an Adjudicator.

 

First, the most important evidence is the time spent together

Then, after that, the only thing i wouldn't throw into the list is the Bathroom sink!!! Every other thing goes there lol. 

Upload as many as relevant documents that you can lay your hands on into the petition. Do not let people tell you what pages of this, or numbers of pictures etc. It's better to do too much than do too little when it comes to the Lagos Embassy. The principle is Quantity goes on top of the list!

 

Since you've been together for 5 years, i will suggest an email from each month or one from every 2 months for the five years

 

some of the things to send are:

Flight Boarding passes-Time stamps on passport

Wedding pictures (You send according to your discretion)

Pictures with each other's families

Financial co-mingling(If there's any)

Insurance policies naming each person as primary beneficiaries

Call logs and chats, emails that span your entire relationship

gift receipts etc

affidavit of supports from close family who can vouch for your relationship

 

Edited September 26, 2022 by AfroKing

[CuteAniagudo 1]

1 hour ago, AfroKing said:

OP, you will run into different opinions on this topic and i assure you, each case is treated in its own uniqueness by an Adjudicator.

 

First, the most important evidence is the time spent together

Then, after that, the only thing i wouldn't throw into the list is the Bathroom sink!!! Every other thing goes there lol. 

Upload as many as relevant documents that you can lay your hands on into the petition. Do not let people tell you what pages of this, or numbers of pictures etc. It's better to do too much than do too little when it comes to the Lagos Embassy. The principle is Quantity goes on top of the list!

 

Since you've been together for 5 years, i will suggest an email from each month or one from every 2 months for the five years

 

some of the things to send are:

Flight Boarding passes-Time stamps on passport

Wedding pictures (You send according to your discretion)

Pictures with each other's families

Financial co-mingling(If there's any)

Insurance policies naming each person as primary beneficiaries

Call logs and chats, emails that span your entire relationship

gift receipts etc

affidavit of supports from close family who can vouch for your relationship

 

This is very helpful thank you. 

[JeanneAdil 6,561]

Affadavits hold little to no value to immigration unless RFE asks for one

marriage certificate

and more quality time spent together works best

[TayTay2022 58]

18 hours ago, CuteAniagudo said:

I just got married September 3, 2022. We had been dating for almost 5 years. How many screenshots (ie. per month of the relationship) of text conversations should I compile to submit for evidence with my i130 application? We had only seen each other twice during this time period. I do have photos, travel itinerary and receipts saved from my visits to his country. My husband is not in the US currently and he doesn't have a visa.

Send all receipts (if you used credit cards, you can download the statements and highlight the charges and explain what they were for (yes, I very thorough)) you have for all trips, expenses (even if you send him money, e.g. MoneyGram, Western Union, etc. (you can log in and download transactions by Year to excel spreadsheet -  make sure it has name, address and amount (reason for sending money not necessary but can be explained in a cover letter)).  Photos of any occasion and label who is in the picture/what occasion was (if family/friends are in there mention who they are).  As for texts, I purchased an app online that converted my conversations to a PDF file.  I had thousands of pages and they were all in Spanish (they must be translated to English).  My lawyer decided to have a few pages from the beginning of courtship, middle and up to the most recent (5-6 pages of each; nothing "racy").  I hope I successfully attached a copy of her wording herewith.  Also you can screenshot the phone log of the last few months as additional proof (mine was a little easier to do because  the only person I communicate with via WhatsApp).  Hope you find this helpful!!!! Good luck.

[TayTay2022 58]

7 hours ago, CuteAniagudo said:

This is very helpful thank you. 

absolutely agree... I'd rather provide too much proof, than not have enough.  You have to be thorough. 

[AfroKing 48]

6 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

Affadavits hold little to no value to immigration unless RFE asks for one

marriage certificate

and more quality time spent together works best

That's the popular opinion which is becoming obsolete in recent times, so it's no more in our place to say affidavits holds little weight. In one of my groups, someone reported that the CO called his family who wrote affidavits asking questions about his relationship with timelines......He was approved the next day after that call. So, i won't call such document that literally decided someone's immigration fate of little value. Things are changing.

 

 

[pushbrk 12,979]

33 minutes ago, TayTay2022 said:

absolutely agree... I'd rather provide too much proof, than not have enough.  You have to be thorough. 

There is such a thing as too much though.  Focus on examples of communication evidence.  Give them too much and they are not going to take the time to read it.  THEN, you can't be sure they'll see the most important things.

[ilikepotatoes 57]

20 hours ago, CuteAniagudo said:

I just got married September 3, 2022. We had been dating for almost 5 years. How many screenshots (ie. per month of the relationship) of text conversations should I compile to submit for evidence with my i130 application? We had only seen each other twice during this time period. I do have photos, travel itinerary and receipts saved from my visits to his country. My husband is not in the US currently and he doesn't have a visa.

Congratulations! 
 

Our lawyer actually said that screenshots of chats aren’t necessary. You can definitely include them if you wish to, but they aren’t as important as other kinds of evidence. All we submitted was proof of time spent together, which included my boarding pass and a photocopy of the passport stamp. Our lawyer also only submitted about five pictures. I then wrote a short letter, explaining our relationship history and also giving an overview of what they could expect to see in the packet. We got approved, no issues! Best of luck to you

[BLC 112]

On 9/26/2022 at 1:03 AM, CuteAniagudo said:

10 days and 19 days

 

I was in almost an identical situation when we married - we knew each other for 4 years and talked and sent each other stuff, but never met up until then. Then we spent about two weeks together, next trip 3 weeks and married. Our decision was to wait to submit so we could have more time spent together and he could make some trips here as my husband—we wanted to try to make it so he had a better chance of visiting once the petition was in, and also wanted to have a better chance of approval with more time spent together. We did this for 1.5 years before submitting our petition. Not that I’m saying that is necessary at all, it was probably overkill on our part!

[JeanneAdil 6,561]

15 hours ago, AfroKing said:

That's the popular opinion which is becoming obsolete in recent times, so it's no more in our place to say affidavits holds little weight. In one of my groups, someone reported that the CO called his family who wrote affidavits asking questions about his relationship with timelines......He was approved the next day after that call. So, i won't call such document that literally decided someone's immigration fate of little value. Things are changing.

 

 

Only if they can prove they do not have primary or secondary evidence

 

3. Affidavits

If an applicant has demonstrated unavailability of both a required primary and secondary document, the applicant must submit at least two affidavits, or sworn written statements, pertaining to the facts at issue. Such affidavits must be given by: 

• Persons who are not parties to the underlying petition; and

• Persons who have direct personal knowledge of the events and circumstances in question. ^[15] 

In order for an applicant to meet his or her burden of proof, the officer must examine the evidence for its probative value and credibility. For these reasons, an affidavit should include:

• The full name, address, and contact information of the affiant (person giving the sworn statement), including his or her own date and place of birth, and relationship (if any) to the applicant;

• A copy of the affiant’s government-issued identification, if available;

• Full information concerning the facts at issue; and

• An explanation of how the affiant has direct personal knowledge of the relevant events and circumstances.

Affidavits that cannot be verified carry no weight in proving the facts at issue.