Cover Letter, etc.

[Dogderf]

I'm coming down to the wire, and I am composing the cover letter and table of contents. From whose perspective should that letter be written? Is it me writing it or my SO? Also, the forms that require signatures seem to imply the SO (beneficiary) should be filling them out and signing them, Right?? This would apply to my wife and her daughter, since I am sending info on them both (as separate filings). It seems a little silly that the beneficiary would be filling them out, since my guess is that most would be hard-pressed to do so, considering the language barrier that the majority face.

 

(God, give me strength!) Thanks again.

 

Fred

 

PS: Bless you all for the help and advice you have contributed thus far. It is greatly appreciated.

[jim_julian]

I'm coming down to the wire, and I am composing the cover letter and table of contents.  From whose perspective should that letter be written?  Is it me writing it or my SO?  Also, the forms that require signatures seem to imply the SO (beneficiary) should be filling them out and signing them, Right??  This would apply to my wife and her daughter, since I am sending info on them both (as separate filings).  It seems a little silly that the beneficiary would be filling them out, since my guess is that most would be hard-pressed to do so, considering the language barrier that the majority face.

 

(God, give me strength!)  Thanks again.

 

Fred

 

PS:  Bless you all for the help and advice you have contributed thus far.  It is greatly appreciated.

202171[/snapback]

Why not have everyone sign it? We are at a different point that you are but the last letter we wrote was signed by sponsor, K1, and K2 ... I don't think this approach can hurt.

[david_dawei]

you will note in the I-485 instructions such words as "You may apply if".. "If you are..." . Everything is in reference to the applicant. The applicant signs it. I have seen a reference somewhere (maybe NBC website) which state that the application must be submitted by the applicant. I think a few years ago, people where able to submit cover letters "on behalf of".. but I don't think this is a good idea anymore.

 

You can create and fill out all the forms.. just have her sign everywhere applicable (ie: G-325a, I-485, cover letters, etc); The USC signs the I-864.

Edited March 27, 2006 by DavidZixuan (see edit history)

[NY-Viking]

Every application should be signed by the applicant - except the affidavits of support of course.

 

With that said, if you want to have a cover letter that you write signed by both of you (saying, we're enclosing the following documents in support of my wife's green card application ... blah, blah, blah), that should be fine (after all, she is applying for her green card to be with you, so it is a joint application, in a way ...)

[frank1538]

I signed the cover letter which started out something like "On behalf of my wife, Jingwen XXXXX, I am enclosing..."

 

I thought that my signing the cover letter would reinforce my involvement in the process and couldn't hurt since a bona fide marriage would be what would have to be established as part of the AOS.

[david_dawei]

If there's one thing that this entire process shows us is that there is more than one way to be successful... both the minimalist and sentimentalist succeed; and I think this is good news since each can approach the process with a little of what they feel adds something beneficial...

 

I understand the sentimental angle... as a minimalist, I don't see any reason to have anyone sign the cover letter other than the person for whom the petition from... the one exception would be, as the NBC website recommends, for attorney's to provide a cover letter to summarize and organize the petitions that they file...

 

My feeling is that the person reviewing this is not looking to see if the cover letter signatures proves anything about the relationship being bona fide or not.. it's to assist the reviewer in understanding the organization of the packet.

 

But I've seen frank's sample cover letter and if I were going to fill out 'on behalf', I would do it as he has done..

[tywy_99]

If there's one thing that this entire process shows us is that there is more than one way to be successful... both the minimalist and sentimentalist succeed; and I think this is good news since each can approach the process with a little of what they feel adds something beneficial...

 

I understand the sentimental angle... as a minimalist, I don't see any reason to have anyone sign the cover letter other than the person for whom the petition from... the one exception would be, as the NBC website recommends, for attorney's to provide a cover letter to summarize and organize the petitions that they file...

 

My feeling is that the person reviewing this is not looking to see if the cover letter signatures proves anything about the relationship being bona fide or not.. it's to assist the reviewer in understanding the organization of the packet.

 

But I've seen frank's sample cover letter and if I were going to fill out 'on behalf', I would do it as he has done..

202249[/snapback]

"To Each His Own!"

[Dogderf]

you will note in the I-485 instructions such words as "You may apply if".. "If you are..." . Everything is in reference to the applicant. The applicant signs it.    I have seen a reference somewhere (maybe NBC website) which state that the application must be submitted by the applicant.  I think a few years ago, people where able to submit cover letters "on behalf of".. but I don't think this is a good idea anymore.

 

You can create and fill out all the forms.. just have her sign everywhere applicable (ie: G-325a, I-485, cover letters, etc); The USC signs the I-864.

202208[/snapback]

David:

 

On the G-325A, it asks for her signature in English and her "native alphabet", which would be Chinese. But does she write my last name (which is also her last name, since we are married) in English??? There's no chinese version of my anglo-saxon last name.

 

Fred

[Randy W]

We followed David's approach - as the applicant, Jiaying signed each form and cover letter. For the G325A, each is submitted for a different person and signed by that person in their own alphabet.

 

The I-864 was submitted by me.

Edited March 28, 2006 by Randy W (see edit history)

[NY-Viking]

you will note in the I-485 instructions such words as "You may apply if".. "If you are..." .   Everything is in reference to the applicant.   The applicant signs it.    I have seen a reference somewhere (maybe NBC website) which state that the application must be submitted by the applicant.     I think a few years ago, people where able to submit cover letters "on behalf of".. but I don't think this is a good idea anymore.

 

You can create and fill out all the forms.. just have her sign everywhere applicable (ie: G-325a, I-485, cover letters, etc); The USC signs the I-864.

202208[/snapback]

David:

 

On the G-325A, it asks for her signature in English and her "native alphabet", which would be Chinese. But does she write my last name (which is also her last name, since we are married) in English??? There's no chinese version of my anglo-saxon last name.

 

Fred

202335[/snapback]

My wife kept her name and I have no anecdotal evidence about what others have done, but my suggestions are as follows:

 

If your spouse has NOT changed his/her name:

 

He/she should sign his/her name in Pinyin and in Chinese characters as he/she has always done. This should be the same signature that went on all visa application forms previously.

 

On the other hand, if your spouse HAS changed his/her name:

 

My feeling is that he/she changed the "non-Chinese character version" of his/her name. Now, legally, if your spouse's name was Li Zhangyu, and now he/she has changed it to Chris Smith, his/her name is now legally Chris Smith (in any language). There's no real way to write Chris Smith in Chinese characters, but my guess would be, that when speaking with his/her parents, other relatives and friends in Chinese, they still use the name "Li Zhangyu" (despite the fact that this is no longer "legally" his/her name).

 

So, anyway, my suggestion is to sign the "new" legally changed name in English, but the previous name in Chinese. There's a place on the forms where the spouse will list "previous names used" so this should be clear to the government when reviewing the application.

 

But again, please remember, this is only my thoughts on the matter ... a call to USCIS for this kind of thing isn't such a bad idea to verify what you should do.

[tywy_99]

Here is a copy of the cover letter I used in this format for all the forms I mailed in, ie., I-130, I-129F, I-765, I-485, I-864

========================================

 

 

DATE

 

To: U.S. Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

 

Ref: Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status for name

 

From: name

A-number

 

To Whom it May Concern:,

 

Please find enclosed form I-485 and supporting evidence for adjustment of status for name.

This package includes:

 

1. Completed I-485

 

2. Birth Certificate with English translation

 

3. Copy of passport page with nonimmigrant visa and I-94

 

4. Two (2) photographs of name as requested

 

5. Form G-325A for name

 

6. Completed Form I-864 Affidavit of Support with supporting evidence

 

7. Copy of the approved notice for an immigrant petition (I-130)

 

8. $___ fee and $__ fingerprinting fee in USPS money order

 

Thank you for your attention in processing my application. Should you have any questions, please call me at (xxx) xxx-xxxx.

 

Sincerely,

[david_dawei]

I agree with NYV's well thought through comments...

 

You want to make that name change (if she/he has taken on a change) apparent on this AOS form; use her [now] legal name...

 

In 'previous names' section, put her [formerly used] chinese name.

 

In native alphabet section, I would say you could put N/A since the new name is legally changed to an American name, and they would not see any issue (recall GUZSpeaks said small errrors on G-325a are forgiveable).

 

But, if we had changed my SOs name to my last name, I would have her write in this native alphabet section: [ Formerly: Li Zhangyu = "chinese characters here" ]... This would tie back to all previous forms where her chinese name was asked for in pinyin and chinese characters.