I-130 online or paper

[MyThaiWife 1]

I'm gathering documents for filing a I-130 app. and would like to know what is the preferred way, paper or online.

I'm leaning toward online because I don't want anything in the mail sine I'm gone a lot visiting my wife! 

I also have quite a few documents and don't know if the online app will let me upload all of them.

 

Hopefully the system bugs have been worked out by now.

 

Thanks Chris 

[S&J@2020 35]

The thing is, whether paper or online, everything ends up online. So the choice is yours. Hope you've a smooth USCIS process.

[MyThaiWife 1]

Thanks for the reply, I'm a bit apprehensive doing it by myself. Not sure if paying a lawyer 5K is worth it, but if I make a mistake and it costs me months it would be. 

 

[Chancy 6,233]

15 hours ago, MyThaiWife said:

would like to know what is the preferred way, paper or online

 

Up to you.  Each filing method has its own pros/cons.

 

Online filing --

• Get almost-immediate receipt notice
• You have control over how your evidence is digitally recorded
• Web form could be glitchy, confusing, have incomplete instructions

Paper filing --

• No need to deal with the quirks of the web form
• No file size limit for the evidence you want to submit
• Could get lost in the mail or some documents could get lost at USCIS

[MyThaiWife 1]

Thank you Chancy for your pros and cons on filing the I-130.  As long as I can upload 20-40 files of supporting documentation I think I'll choose online filing.

My relationship with my wife is 6 years old and I have many documents gathered. I've also merged some of them into one file to make it easier for the reviewer to chronologically follow our relationship.

 

Hope all is well with you

[Chancy 6,233]

3 minutes ago, MyThaiWife said:

I've also merged some of them into one file to make it easier for the reviewer to chronologically follow our relationship.

 

We also filed online.  All our bona fide marriage evidence were in one PDF file, and we also arranged them in chronological order to better show the timeline of our relationship.

 

[MyThaiWife 1]

Wow that's some feat! I understand that one file can't exceed 10Mbyte which precludes me from filing one file. I have a lot of evidence since this is my 4th marriage and I'm 67 and wife is 46 which people say are red flags. I've visited my wife 7 times and spent considerable time in her country with her. I've got my fingers crossed!

 

Thanks for you response Chancy

[TexasRafael 106]

oh wow...good luck, I am 70 and my spouse 30 and when I applied for K1 visa we were 64 and 24 respectively and the K 1 was approved and we were married in the US in July 2021.  Good luck.

[MyThaiWife 1]

Rafael, I'm so glad you shared your experience with me, that gives me more hope. Good luck sir and thanks