Let's face it, immigration involves endless paperwork and requires a lot of patience. As you dig through piles of documents, it is only necessary to be organize and clutter-free. I would like to share some useful tips as to how I kept my sanity through proper filing and arrangement of important documents.
1. Always keep a file of all the forms you submitted, and the email notifications from NVC and/or USCIS. I print out 3 copies every time and arrange them neatly on separate folders. (One copy for me, one for my husband and a back-up copy). I also created a personal timeline in order to track down our case's progress.
2. Before my visa interview, I neatly arranged my documents using color-coded folders and clear plastic separates. I also placed labels on every folder and printed a cover page for each.
Folder A - Affidavit of Support Packet contains husband's employment certificate, tax records and W2's
Folder B - Proof of Relationship Packet contains billing statements, receipts, email correspondence, money transfers, housing arrangements, contract of lease etc.
Folder C - Wedding photos, proof of travels, family celebrations etc
Plastic Separate 1 - Appointment Letter
Plastic Separate 2 - Ds-230 & I-864 (original and photo copies)
Plastic Separate 3 - NSo Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Police Clearance
Please note that in most US Embassies where interviews are held, the applicant and the consul are separated by a glass window with a narrow, 2-inch sloped slot - this is where you slip the documents they request to view. It is advisable to use FLEXIBLE folders instead of hard or spiral binds because they wouldn't fit.
3. If you are married to an expat whose been working outside the States, you also need to produce Proof of Domicile.
[Domicile. Place where a person has his or her principal residence. The person must intend to keep that residence for the foreseeable future. The sponsor of an immigrant must have domicile in the U.S. before the visa can be issued. This generally means that the sponsor must be living in the U.S. In certain circumstances, however one can be considered to have a domicile while temporarily living overseas.]
We requested my husband's company to issue him with an employment certificate explaining the projects he's handling in Asia and the length of his assignment. On top of my husband's Income Tax Forms and W2s, I also included Form 2555 - Foreign Earned Income. All these documents I inserted in the Affidavit of Support Folder.
4. On the day of your interview, it's always better to come in prepared and memorize important details mentioned in your forms. It's ridiculous if you would have to dig thru your documents every time you need to answer simple questions such as:
- Petitioner's full name (emphasis on the middle name)
- Place of residence in the States
- Your petitioner's employment background
- Wedding date, or the day you and your spouse first met
- If you are constantly travelling, dates when you left and arrived in diff. country, and length of stay.
It creates a positive impression if you remember these things by heart.
5. You have to remember that NOT every consul would like to view ALL your documents. In our case, the consul just asked for the wedding photos but she complimented us for coming in "extra-prepared." So yeah, it's a major plus to carry excessive amount of proof, documents and forms - than lacking.
To everyone who's scheduled for an interview, keep smiling and be charming! I hope you find this post useful and best of luck!
E-A got a reaction from indhiraastacio in NVC Help
E-A reacted to SJG in How to Organize Your Documents
E-A got a reaction from Nabby1 in September 2012 I-130 filers