SoCalMan

I didn't include messages... much too personal. 
I did include call logs. But after all is said and done... I don't think the 24 pages of call logs was exactly necessary... didn't hurt tho 

No it won't.
 
you're right tickets, boarding passes, passport stamps are more important.
try to keep from now on with screenshots from time to time to show ongoing relationship at the interview stage but that's also after the petition so you have time  
 
oh and at the interview stage what's really important is not the start but its continuity. So newer chat logs are better.

Germany is not a High Fraud Country..  You didn't say but I assume this is a K-1 Visa.   Thus you need proof that you have met in person in the last two years.  Passport stamps, etc.  How you met should be documented as well..  You do not need documentation that spans the entirety of your relationship especially since the beneficiary is German.   You should be fine with some evidence showing a comitted relationship when you 'front load' your application but honestly just the proof of having met in person should be fine unless there are red flags in your case. 

Then above 2 answers would help you  
 
good luck! 

You dont necessarily need the beginning of messages, just something that proves you guys keep in constant contact, just a few pages from each month should be fine!

Didn't we cover this?

@SoCalMan Yes photos can be fake and what not, but if you relationship is real, I`m sure you have way more than that.....
Photos  Phone messages Postal cards Emails Gift proofs etc.... Dont be affraid of providing too much evidence, simple gather everything you have, put in order, explain the situation and you will be ok. Good Luck  

Understood. Thank you.

I’m not the one making the rules here but playing devils advocate, you can change a time and date manually on photos. 
On the other hand photos of you and your fiancé’s family are encouraged in order to prove you’ve met the family.

the people from easy countries don't understand what high fraud countries go thru with the wait
try getting denied K1 in  2009 after several visits 
married 2010 and CR1 and 2 more trips as immigration said i needed to have a honeymoom and the marriage part took 2 months alone
denied in 2011 with another 3 month visit and there for interview and embassy would not talk to me as my lawyer said to do
appeal and won case and court said marriage is bona fida ,   reapply
finally getting visa in 2015
 
what i am saying is this takes a lot of patience and a real realationship and if you make this K1 with successful interview, you are very lucky
we all hate the process as our life is on hold
we all hate the process as we have to bare all our personal and financial information to others
we all hate the process because as you see my journey, it can become quite expensive
 
but hang in there and try to keep your chats to an exciting romantic time as you would if you were dating in the US
and be sure your fiancee knows every thing and i mean every thing about you and your family
good luck

Well K1 is for the purposes of going to live in the US so showing immigrant intent wouldn’t be a problem. I know it’s technically called a non immigrant visa but the whole point of it is to get married and adjust status. Immigrant intent is only - potentially- an issue if you are applying for a normal non-immigrant (visitor, student etc) visa where you are supposed to prove that your intent is to return home after your visit, study etc. if you’ve previously shown you actually want to live in the US it becomes a lot harder to convince the visa officer that you’ll keep to the terms of your visit visa.

for USCIS to file as self employed you need at least one year of tax returns showing you make at least 100/125% (depending on which form) of the poverty level for your household size and you wouldnt need a co sponsor.
 
So you dont have to wait 3 years. 

Ok - just remember the IF she wins is a long shot!
depending on her assigned case number, her visa would be issued anywhere between Oct 2018 to Sept 2019 (though in practice most visas are issued by August of the fiscal year). She would have to enter before her visa expires, which would be a maximum of 6 months after issue, but usually slightly less as it's tied to the 6-month expiry of her medical exam which would happen (usually) a couple of weeks before her interview. So she could theoretically land anywhere between October 2018 (if she has a low case number and leaves as soon as she gets her visa) and March 2020 (if she is one of the last visas issued and pushes it to maximum expiry). 
Now suggest you keep any more questions to ask in May IF she wins

Again - if she has a high school education it doesn't matter what her work is. The qualification for DV is EITHER high school OR work experience at the required level. You don't need both. 

If she has a completed high school education then she's qualified for DV - you don't need to worry about her work experience. 
 
A denial because of a DV-specific eligibility wouldn't affect a future immigrant visa application. 

The legislation faces an uphill battle in the Senate, however, where it’s expected to get pushback from Democrats as well as GOP senators who oppose strict limits on legal immigration and want a broader reform effort that would address the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.
If Cotton and Perdue can get GOP leadership to bring the legislation up for a vote, supporters will need to cobble together 60 senators, including at least eight Democrats or independents, to agree to start debate on the legislation.
 
I wouldn't count my chickens before they're hatched with this one, doesn't look to me like it could pass. I also don't think cutting legal immigration by half is a solution. We all know a big part of the problem already and the reason people do it illegally is because lets face it it's not easy or cheap. I think legal immigration needs to be streamlined, and I definitely think it needs reform but not in order to cut it, rather in order to make it cheaper and easier for some...it is in our best interest that if people have an option to do it legally, they would, which would make it easier to vet them and know where they are - instead of being forced to do it illegally and then you have no clue who or where they are.

So far all I've seen is this:
"Dates for the DV-2019 program registration period will be widely publicized in the coming months.  Those interested in entering the DV-2019 program should check the Department of State’s Visa web page in the coming months." - from the July visa bulletin.
 
But the entry period is normally early October - early November. I'd guess that it won't be long now till they publish the actual dates.

They have to pass a law and, given the situation of Congress, I don't see that happening. They cannot agree on anything.

DV lottery is not going to end but it is possible to exclude a country from it. I am not sure what the immigration statistics from Poland are but if a country sends more than 50000 immigrants in the previous five years they are excluded from DV lottery that year. For instance, China, India, Philippines, Dominican Rep., Canada, UK, are not allowed top participate from DV for this reason. That list always changes.

They can't just cancel a DV year in progress. When there is eventually bipartisan agreement on comprehensive immigration reform, it will probably be a casualty of that, but that's unlikely to be anytime soon, and any lottery year in progress at the time will complete.

Well, she can't apply for a work visa. A company has to sponsor her and apply for her. 

Literally tens of millions of people a year enter DV. Just entering the lottery is not seen as immigrant intent, it has no ramifications for any other type of US visa.  Good luck with your process, hope it all happens sooner rather than later!

You don't have to but it's nice to have an explanation for the adjudicator to read. It's always better to have more evidences rather than be issued an RFE. Just my two cents

Yes you should attach them on the I-134 too (which you will be submitting during the interview stage). On the last page of the I-134, you can put there the other names you have used. You can also write there the reasons for the name changes. I don't think it will be an issue though as long as you provide reasons for the name change and that they have been legally changed.
 
It would be better to also attach a document with the I-129F if you have a longer explanation for your name changes.  Good luck!

Natasha, the advice you got about "practicing" is really important.  Your intended should know about your Mom and Dad, your siblings, your education, your religious background, what music you like, where you grew up - the things that most people who know each other well know about.  Do pretend to be an Officer - and help your intended to answer clearly - but succinctly.  That is - he should not volunteer information, but should completely answer the questions.  The more practice, the better!
 
Good luck.  Save everything - letters, emails, travel, receipts - from him, from you, from family, from friends.
 
Sukie in NY