Help on some I-129F questions

[Tiger320]

I need help in regards to question #7. Can I put her English (not pinyin), but her full English name there? Like for ex. "Jessica Chen"? Thanks.

[Guest pushbrk]

I need help in regards to question #7. Can I put her English (not pinyin), but her full English name there? Like for ex. "Jessica Chen"? Thanks.

236564[/snapback]

You can but the only reason to do so is if there are official records in that name.

[Tiger320]

I need help in regards to question #7. Can I put her English (not pinyin), but her full English name there? Like for ex. "Jessica Chen"? Thanks.

236564[/snapback]

You can but the only reason to do so is if there are official records in that name.

236565[/snapback]

Oh, I see. I guess I'll just put "None" then. Thanks!

[Rickmt57]

Question 7 asks for other names used? So unless this is a different name then her given name I would put none.

[LeeFisher3]

If she is using Jessica as her "American" name, you should include that name in Question B-7 and on all other forms where it ask the same question.

 

This builds the public record in the US for her to use that name with the USCIS and for identification.

[Guest pushbrk]

If she is using Jessica as her "American" name, you should include that name in Question B-7 and on all other forms where it ask the same question.

 

This builds the public record in the US for her to use that name with the USCIS and for identification.

236591[/snapback]

I like this idea in general, Lee but just what do you mean by "using this name"? This could mean anything from "She has selected this name intends to begin using it in the USA and her SO calls her that in emails and by phone." to "This name appears on other official documents that refer to her."

 

My concern with your idea is that by indicating "Jessica Chan" as another name used, there will be name checks initiated on that name, that will delay the process. If there is no record of such a person by that name, birthdate and residence the delay could potentially be substantial. Perhaps you know this is not a concern. If so, please elaborate. People need to weigh any potential benefits against the potential down side.

[LeeFisher3]

If she is using Jessica as her "American" name, you should include that name in Question B-7 and on all other forms where it ask the same question.

 

This builds the public record in the US for her to use that name with the USCIS and for identification.

236591[/snapback]

I like this idea in general, Lee but just what do you mean by "using this name"? This could mean anything from "She has selected this name intends to begin using it in the USA and her SO calls her that in emails and by phone." to "This name appears on other official documents that refer to her."

 

My concern with your idea is that by indicating "Jessica Chan" as another name used, there will be name checks initiated on that name, that will delay the process. If there is no record of such a person by that name, birthdate and residence the delay could potentially be substantial. Perhaps you know this is not a concern. If so, please elaborate. People need to weigh any potential benefits against the potential down side.

236594[/snapback]

She has obviously begun using Jessica as her name in one form or another and needs to make this known.

 

While I understand your concern about an additional name check I believe this is minor if you consider that probably all emails have been written to Jessica and if that name does not appear on the record the VO could very easily question who this Jessica person is at the interview and why didn't you bring the letters the petitioner wrote to you and then deny wholly based on the emails not being written to her.

 

Avoiding answering a question because of the potential issues can create more issues that are much more difficult to overcome than a name check.

 

The first rule in dealing with the USCIS is to NEVER EVER lie to them in even the slightest detail. Omitting the name she uses could easily be considered a lie and misrepresentation.

[Guest pushbrk]

If she is using Jessica as her "American" name, you should include that name in Question B-7 and on all other forms where it ask the same question.

 

This builds the public record in the US for her to use that name with the USCIS and for identification.

236591[/snapback]

I like this idea in general, Lee but just what do you mean by "using this name"? This could mean anything from "She has selected this name intends to begin using it in the USA and her SO calls her that in emails and by phone." to "This name appears on other official documents that refer to her."

 

My concern with your idea is that by indicating "Jessica Chan" as another name used, there will be name checks initiated on that name, that will delay the process. If there is no record of such a person by that name, birthdate and residence the delay could potentially be substantial. Perhaps you know this is not a concern. If so, please elaborate. People need to weigh any potential benefits against the potential down side.

236594[/snapback]

She has obviously begun using Jessica as her name in one form or another and needs to make this known.

 

While I understand your concern about an additional name check I believe this is minor if you consider that probably all emails have been written to Jessica and if that name does not appear on the record the VO could very easily question who this Jessica person is at the interview and why didn't you bring the letters the petitioner wrote to you and then deny wholly based on the emails not being written to her.

 

Avoiding answering a question because of the potential issues can create more issues that are much more difficult to overcome than a name check.

 

The first rule in dealing with the USCIS is to NEVER EVER lie to them in even the slightest detail. Omitting the name she uses could easily be considered a lie and misrepresentation.

236597[/snapback]

I guess each will need to make their own judgment based on their circumstances on this.

 

In our communication proof, my wife had a "profile name" on the website. This same profile name has been used by three different women during the time I've known my wife. Each of them used a different "English Name" chosen for them by the "consultant" who uploaded their profile.

 

So, our communication proof shows that I communicated with somebody I called Sherry (in the beginning) who used the profile name "Linyan" for internal dating site email username. My wife's Yahoo username includes the word Sherry but also shows her real names correctly spelled but with given name first.

 

I dealt with this by putting a brief explanation in a cover sheet over the email printouts that included a printout of her original dating site profile and picture. I put no other name used for her on the I-129.

 

For myself, however, I have always been called by my middle name and my drivers license and domicile proof show my name as, first initial, middle name, last name. I indicated this in number 7 for myself. Many official documents including tax returns, read J. Michael XXXXXXX. Almost none read James M. XXXXXXX so I thought this might be both important and self explanatory.

 

It is unclear at this point whether any of our communication proof was seen by the VO but the financial documents were.

 

I should add that we have no intention of effecting a name change or using any name other than her current records show, so there is not a need, in our case, to establish anything differently.

 

I could see listing "Jessica Chan (informal)" on the form if one thinks it would be of use. I wouldn't worry about such an omission being a lie as long as it's use is purely informal like Sherry or Linyan was for us. Mostly my wife calls me "Naughty Laogong" or "My Prince". I sure can't see a reason to list those as other names used.

Edited August 9, 2006 by pushbrk (see edit history)

[Rickmt57]

My wife goes by "Sweetheart" I am not going to put that down.

Unless the name has been used on some kind of formal document I wouldnt use it. Just my opinion

[LeeFisher3]

It concerns me that we advise people on how to dance around questions and yet neglect to take into account the possible pitfalls. It's better to give an explanation as to why someone might answer a question one way or another and allow the OP to determine how it applies in their own situation.

 

The OP did not ask about a screen name, but her ENGLISH NAME which gives the impression she has adopted that name for herself. In the US that is considered an Alias, which is very common for people to do as you might see on a copy of your own credit report. It is not a pet name or anything else, accept it for what the OP says. She uses this as her ENGLISH NAME.

 

The concept still holds true, NEVER EVER LIE to the USCIS, that is one thing that they do not forgive, no matter how you care to justify it.

[Guest pushbrk]

It concerns me that we advise people on how to dance around questions and yet neglect to take into account the possible pitfalls. It's better to give an explanation as to why someone might answer a question one way or another and allow the OP to determine how it applies in their own situation.

 

The OP did not ask about a screen name, but her ENGLISH NAME which gives the impression she has adopted that name for herself. In the US that is considered an Alias, which is very common for people to do as you might see on a copy of your own credit report. It is not a pet name or anything else, accept it for what the OP says. She uses this as her ENGLISH NAME.

 

The concept still holds true, NEVER EVER LIE to the USCIS, that is one thing that they do not forgive, no matter how you care to justify it.

236620[/snapback]

Of course one should never lie. I'm simply not willing to firmly conclude that by using the term "English Name" the OP is indicating the name is used for anything more than personal communication with her SO and perhaps his family. If she has actually "adopted the name", then, of course it is an alias and should be indicated as such.

 

I saw a friend two nights ago who spent two years in Hong Kong. She mentioned her "Chinese Name". She doesn't have an alias. It's just a name her friends in Hong Kong used to address her during that two years.

 

I wonder if Mick listed a Chinese name on his side of his petition or any of our DCF members have.

 

I'm sure the OP has enough information to categorize any "English Name" his SO might have ever used.

Edited August 9, 2006 by pushbrk (see edit history)

[Randy W]

I think there are no remaining issues here, and no need for a pissing contest.

[GaryandSherry]

My 2 cents. My fiancee's last name is LI. She also goes by an English name Sherry, so her email/chat name is Sherry. I submitted an awful lot of email with my I129-F forms with the name Sherry on them, but I doubt a background check was ever done on the name Sherry. I think USCIS is smart enough to know by now to disregard all English names for Chinese women. I agree with LeeFisher, however when I filled out this form I never mentioned the name Sherry. In question 7 I simply put none. It worked for us. When we apply for the marriage license, I will change her name to Sherry.

[david_dawei]

My 2 cents. My fiancee's last name is LI. She also goes by an English name Sherry, so her email/chat name is Sherry. I submitted an awful lot of email with my I129-F forms with the name Sherry on them, but I doubt a background check was ever done on the name Sherry. I think USCIS is smart enough to know by now to disregard all English names for Chinese women. I agree with LeeFisher, however when I filled out this form I never mentioned the name Sherry. In question 7 I simply put none. It worked for us. When we apply for the marriage license, I will change her name to Sherry.

236687[/snapback]

your situation raises a lot of interest issues that could be debated.. but I don't want to get off topic or get in a debate here...

 

I'll only say that to change her first name is not necessarily the easiest thing to do and will require waiting to after she gets the greencard (I think) and putting out money, etc.

 

See Carl's comments here, and the AOS FAQ has a question on "name changes" (first or last) and a few links to read...

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...indpost&p=94526

 

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To get back on topic, my situation was that my wife had a 'childhood' name, "Xiao Li" ... But my approach was that since this was not a legal name, we did not put it on "other names used". We never had any problem. I learned later that this was actually her birth name , but she had it offically removed from everything as part of a legal name change to her current name.