i-130 Denied Due to Incorrect Signature

[Tom Armstrong 2]

Thank you all so much for your time and effort to help.

I am still thoroughly confused, however.
I have downloaded the electronic version of my completed i-130 which has everything filled out correctly (it seems)--specefically the signature--a digital one--but then on my documents there is a scanned copy with the incorrect signature. It's been so long and I can't remember exactly how it goes--did I submit the i-130 correctly digitally, but then take a picture of the i-130 after it was signed incorrectly then upload that, and that's the one they used and subsequently rejected?
I'm in the middle of resubmitting the entire thing, but it's got be going crazy especially with finding this electronic i-130.

[Tom Armstrong 2]

49 minutes ago, Tom Armstrong said:

Thank you all so much for your time and effort to help.

I am still thoroughly confused, however.
I have downloaded the electronic version of my completed i-130 which has everything filled out correctly (it seems)--specefically the signature--a digital one--but then on my documents there is a scanned copy with the incorrect signature. It's been so long and I can't remember exactly how it goes--did I submit the i-130 correctly digitally, but then take a picture of the i-130 after it was signed incorrectly then upload that, and that's the one they used and subsequently rejected?
I'm in the middle of resubmitting the entire thing, but it's got be going crazy especially with finding this electronic i-130.

 

So, it looks like we filled out the i-130A incorrectly. Sigh.

[S2N 158]

5 hours ago, Tom Armstrong said:

Thank you all so much for your time and effort to help.

I am still thoroughly confused, however.
I have downloaded the electronic version of my completed i-130 which has everything filled out correctly (it seems)--specefically the signature--a digital one--but then on my documents there is a scanned copy with the incorrect signature. It's been so long and I can't remember exactly how it goes--did I submit the i-130 correctly digitally, but then take a picture of the i-130 after it was signed incorrectly then upload that, and that's the one they used and subsequently rejected?
I'm in the middle of resubmitting the entire thing, but it's got be going crazy especially with finding this electronic i-130.

Did you file on paper or via the website? And did the denial mention your I-130 or I-130A? Sorry, but I’m having a hard time following all the moving pieces here. It might be useful if you posted the (sanitized) notice you received from USCIS.

 

Here is the USCIS signature guide: link

 

Electronic signatures are only allowed on forms filed electronically, and word processing signatures are not allowed.

 

Edited Tuesday at 03:11 PM by S2N

[Tom Armstrong 2]

2 hours ago, S2N said:

Did you file on paper or via the website? And did the denial mention your I-130 or I-130A? Sorry, but I’m having a hard time following all the moving pieces here. It might be useful if you posted the (sanitized) notice you received from USCIS.

 

Here is the USCIS signature guide: link

 

Electronic signatures are only allowed on forms filed electronically, and word processing signatures are not allowed.

 

Thanks for responding.

I filed via the website, and interestingly the denial notice mentions the i-130 not the i-130A, which I'm sure was the one that had the incorrect signature. 

I'm about 80% through refiling, per the advice I've received here and elsewhere. It just frustrates me to no end that I 1.made this mistake and 2.There's not an easier way to fix it.
I've attached the denial notice for your inspection.

[S2N 158]

It says your wife signed the I-130 on your behalf.

 

Check box 6a on the form I-130 PDF. Does it say your name or your wife’s name?

[Tom Armstrong 2]

40 minutes ago, S2N said:

It says your wife signed the I-130 on your behalf.

 

Check box 6a on the form I-130 PDF. Does it say your name or your wife’s name?

It says my wife's name. So, it looks like the i-130 was filled out properly but the  mistake happened on the i-130a--I can see on the scanned document where she signed as the preparer, not the beneficiary. 

[S2N 158]

27 minutes ago, Tom Armstrong said:

It says my wife's name. So, it looks like the i-130 was filled out properly but the  mistake happened on the i-130a--I can see on the scanned document where she signed as the preparer, not the beneficiary. 

No: your I-130 was not signed properly.

 

Your wife signed form I-130 for you with her name, which means you didn’t file a petition on her behalf. By signing it in her name it is equivalent to her filing a petition for herself, which isn’t allowed. You have to file and sign as petitioner, not her.
 

That’s why USCIS denied it. Box 6a on the I-130 needs to have the petitioner (the USC or LPR) sign it, not the beneficiary. Your wife couldn’t sign over your pre-existing bank accounts to be joint accounts by signing her name — the bank would require you to sign it. Same principle here — the government requires the petitioner to sign the petition since they are asking the government for the right to sponsor their spouse for a visa.

[Tom Armstrong 2]

3 minutes ago, S2N said:

No: your I-130 was not signed properly.

 

Your wife signed form I-130 for you with her name, which means you didn’t file a petition on her behalf. By signing it in her name it is equivalent to her filing a petition for herself, which isn’t allowed. You have to file and sign as petitioner, not her.
 

That’s why USCIS denied it. Box 6a on the I-130 needs to have the petitioner (the USC or LPR) sign it, not the beneficiary. Your wife couldn’t sign over your pre-existing bank accounts to be joint accounts by signing her name — the bank would require you to sign it. Same principle here — the government requires the petitioner to sign the petition since they are asking the government for the right to sponsor their spouse for a visa.

You're right. Thanks for taking the time to point this out to me. 

[pushbrk 13,523]

11 hours ago, Tom Armstrong said:

Thank you all so much for your time and effort to help.

I am still thoroughly confused, however.
I have downloaded the electronic version of my completed i-130 which has everything filled out correctly (it seems)--specefically the signature--a digital one--but then on my documents there is a scanned copy with the incorrect signature. It's been so long and I can't remember exactly how it goes--did I submit the i-130 correctly digitally, but then take a picture of the i-130 after it was signed incorrectly then upload that, and that's the one they used and subsequently rejected?
I'm in the middle of resubmitting the entire thing, but it's got be going crazy especially with finding this electronic i-130.

Your question confuses me.  It seemed clear you filed by mail using paper forms.  You do not digitally sign those forms.  They are hand signed and mailed.  The USCIS intake facility then scans them into their system to create a digital file they work with.  When you file online, it's an online signature process.  Please clarify.

[Tom Armstrong 2]

6 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

Your question confuses me.  It seemed clear you filed by mail using paper forms.  You do not digitally sign those forms.  They are hand signed and mailed.  The USCIS intake facility then scans them into their system to create a digital file they work with.  When you file online, it's an online signature process.  Please clarify.

I'm sure I filed online, what did I say that makes it seem otherwise. It was close to a year and a half ago, but my recollection is that I printed and my wife signed the i-130a (albeit incorrectly) and then I scanned it and uploaded it. 

[pushbrk 13,523]

5 minutes ago, Tom Armstrong said:

I'm sure I filed online, what did I say that makes it seem otherwise. It was close to a year and a half ago, but my recollection is that I printed and my wife signed the i-130a (albeit incorrectly) and then I scanned it and uploaded it. 

Your first post refers to your wife signing the I-130 as the preparer.  Your wife does not sign the I-130.  You do.  This is true whether you file on paper or file online.  The denial language you posted refers to the petition being improperly signed, not the I-130a.

[Tom Armstrong 2]

4 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

Your first post refers to your wife signing the I-130 as the preparer.  Your wife does not sign the I-130.  You do.  This is true whether you file on paper or file online.  The denial language you posted refers to the petition being improperly signed, not the I-130a.

They were both signed incorrectly, unfortunately. Thank you for the clarification, I'll be much more careful this go around. 

[pushbrk 13,523]

6 minutes ago, Tom Armstrong said:

They were both signed incorrectly, unfortunately. Thank you for the clarification, I'll be much more careful this go around. 

When you "file online" you do not upload a scan of a signed I-130.  You fill it out and sign it online, then upload the scanned I-130a (signed or not as applicable) and and scans of supporting documents.

[S2N 158]

1 minute ago, pushbrk said:

When you "file online" you do not upload a scan of a signed I-130.  You fill it out and sign it online, then upload the scanned I-130a (signed or not as applicable) and and scans of supporting documents.

It looks like the archival PDF copy generated when he filed online shows the wife’s name in box 6a — which means she filled it out and signed as the petitioner or he signed her name as the petitioner after he filled it out.

 

Either way it’s valid grounds for a denial. The beneficiary can’t petition themselves. 

[pushbrk 13,523]

1 minute ago, S2N said:

It looks like the archival PDF copy generated when he filed online shows the wife’s name in box 6a — which means she filled it out and signed as the petitioner or he signed her name as the petitioner after he filled it out.

 

Either way it’s valid grounds for a denial. The beneficiary can’t petition themselves. 

Quite possible. This kind of thing happens when somebody thinks the I-130 is a visa application instead of a petition for alien relative.