Our kitchen sink

[Minister]

We've been diligently working on our "kitchen sink" for the interview. I've been appreciating the chance to read what other couples have put in their "kitchen sink". It has been a real help for us. I want to send my heartfelt thanks to everyone.

Additionally, we will both be in Guangzhou from October 14 through the 21st for our interview. We'll be at Mr. Yang's hotel in the consulate building. If anyone else plans to be there at the same time, please drop me a line. Let's grab a bite to eat and share stories!

Anyway, what we've come up with is a binder. The outside of the binder has her picture, case number, and contact information on it. It seemed like this would be helpful in the event that things get mixed around. This binder has:

1. My passport, travel visas, and divorce documents. I have prepared some contact information for my ex, even though it seems it's not required. The letter from the consulate seems to state that, "If you [Applicant, not petitioner] have been married before, please bring... " But still, I'm giving it a shot. This is a bit of a challenge because I haven't seen or spoken to my ex in.. jeez... more than three years. I had to dig up tax information from 2002 to get what I need. But, better safe than sorry, I guess.

2. Financial statements for me (I-134, bank, W2, last year's notarized taxes, employment letter, pay stubs, etc.)

3. Correspondence - In order to show correspondence, I have elected not to print out 600 pages of emails (I have visions in my head of a Chinese lady taking a wheel-burrow full of emails up to the interview window and a Consular Officer sighing in despair.) I've just pulled about 6 new emails and 6 old emails. I've also printed an email history of the two of us showing daily contact for the past year. I can show pictures of her friends and family meeting me, but I've only got copies of my mother's email announcement of the engagement to show the contact to our friends and family. We've got screen shots of Skype and MSN messenger. I've managed to pull a contact history off of Skype to show daily conversations. I figured that this would also be preferable to reading through endless of pages of idle chat about what we did each day and what happened at work.

4. Proof of meeting - I made a little storybook about our time together in her hometown for our engagement party. Each page says basically what we did, and then shows a picture of us doing whatever it was and a receipt for it if such was available. It has us together, our families together, this kind of thing. I've included some receipts for eating out, shopping (for girl stuff, of course! I am about 6'2" tall and, well, that's not a common size in China), and touristy/sightseeing stuff. To be honest, it was a really great trip and it was a pleasure to make this section.

5. The last section has copies of all of our stuff that was sent to the USCIS. Some of this might be redundant, but it is important to have things available for convenience.

Of course, you never can feel like you have enough. I have a lawyer to help me, but the lawyer seems to have a "less is more" attitude about things. Maybe they're right, though. If I had to do all those interviews every day, I would be happier if the documentary evidence just "cut to the chase".

Did you make a binder? Am I missing something critical?

Thanks for your help and we'll see you in Guangzhou!

[michaelt]

We've been diligently working on our "kitchen sink" for the interview. I've been appreciating the chance to read what other couples have put in their "kitchen sink". It has been a real help for us. I want to send my heartfelt thanks to everyone.

 

Additionally, we will both be in Guangzhou from October 14 through the 21st for our interview. We'll be at Mr. Yang's hotel in the consulate building. If anyone else plans to be there at the same time, please drop me a line. Let's grab a bite to eat and share stories!

 

Anyway, what we've come up with is a binder. The outside of the binder has her picture, case number, and contact information on it. It seemed like this would be helpful in the event that things get mixed around. This binder has:

 

1. My passport, travel visas, and divorce documents. I have prepared some contact information for my ex, even though it seems it's not required. The letter from the consulate seems to state that, "If you [Applicant, not petitioner] have been married before, please bring... " But still, I'm giving it a shot. This is a bit of a challenge because I haven't seen or spoken to my ex in.. jeez... more than three years. I had to dig up tax information from 2002 to get what I need. But, better safe than sorry, I guess.

 

2. Financial statements for me (I-134, bank, W2, last year's notarized taxes, employment letter, pay stubs, etc.)

 

3. Correspondence - In order to show correspondence, I have elected not to print out 600 pages of emails (I have visions in my head of a Chinese lady taking a wheel-burrow full of emails up to the interview window and a Consular Officer sighing in despair.) I've just pulled about 6 new emails and 6 old emails. I've also printed an email history of the two of us showing daily contact for the past year. I can show pictures of her friends and family meeting me, but I've only got copies of my mother's email announcement of the engagement to show the contact to our friends and family. We've got screen shots of Skype and MSN messenger. I've managed to pull a contact history off of Skype to show daily conversations. I figured that this would also be preferable to reading through endless of pages of idle chat about what we did each day and what happened at work.

 

4. Proof of meeting - I made a little storybook about our time together in her hometown for our engagement party. Each page says basically what we did, and then shows a picture of us doing whatever it was and a receipt for it if such was available. It has us together, our families together, this kind of thing. I've included some receipts for eating out, shopping (for girl stuff, of course! I am about 6'2" tall and, well, that's not a common size in China), and touristy/sightseeing stuff. To be honest, it was a really great trip and it was a pleasure to make this section.

 

5. The last section has copies of all of our stuff that was sent to the USCIS. Some of this might be redundant, but it is important to have things available for convenience.

 

Of course, you never can feel like you have enough. I have a lawyer to help me, but the lawyer seems to have a "less is more" attitude about things. Maybe they're right, though. If I had to do all those interviews every day, I would be happier if the documentary evidence just "cut to the chase".

 

Did you make a binder? Am I missing something critical?

 

Thanks for your help and we'll see you in Guangzhou!

I made 3 Acco clasped folders that each have 2 dividers. (Purchased at Office Depot). Each has 3x4 label with contents on cover. I printed side tabs for easy navigation. Each section of data has a cover page with contents (large type). One folder is green for anything financial (how fitting?!), one is red for "relationship evidence" (photo's (stacked in 2 adhered CD holders), e-mails divided: early, middle, recent), webchat conversations, screen captures and 2 CD's, and the other is blue for receipts, boarding passes and I-179/I-129.

Each is about 1/2 thick which will easily pass under glass window (I think is important).

Can you tell me how you printed your e-mail log? I have Outlook Express? Mine would show daily e-mails from October 1st, 2006 (excluding my 10 days in China) which I am sure would make for easier, quicker reading?

Edited September 28, 2007 by michaelt (see edit history)

[Minister]

Sure thing!

 

I used CTL+PRTSCR or FN+PRTSCR and made screen dumps of the summary, page by page. I then loaded them into an excel file and output it as PDF.

 

Good advice and good luck!

[michaelt]

Sure thing!

 

I used CTL+PRTSCR or FN+PRTSCR and made screen dumps of the summary, page by page. I then loaded them into an excel file and output it as PDF.

 

Good advice and good luck!

Thank you and you too. I thought the colored folders (they are durable cardboard too) at Office Depot made for quick response and better organization to questions. All items and cover pages were strategically located and easily identified to answer questions before even being asked.

Can you tell me what FN is? I would have pages and pages of my "In Box" and "Out Box" to show daily writing. That's the best way, huh?

[Minister]

FN is the "Function" key. Some laptops use this to make a screen shot rather than "Control".

[michaelt]

FN is the "Function" key. Some laptops use this to make a screen shot rather than "Control".

Don't suppose there is a way to just print the "in" and "out" folders to show daily correspondance since last October (in listed format)? Using screen captures and pasting in word document would take 40 pages to print in box folder, and 40 pages for out box folder. Ouch.

[Randy W]

I imported my emails into Microsoft Outlook from Outlook Express. Outlook has a feature where you can print multiple emails by selecting them from the folder listing.

[michaelt]

I imported my emails into Microsoft Outlook from Outlook Express. Outlook has a feature where you can print multiple emails by selecting them from the folder listing.

Thank you. Actually am just looking to print all of "in" and "out" folders showing "from", "subject" and "received date" (like as a list or "log")

[Randy W]

I imported my emails into Microsoft Outlook from Outlook Express. Outlook has a feature where you can print multiple emails by selecting them from the folder listing.

Thank you. Actually am just looking to print all of "in" and "out" folders showing "from", "subject" and "received date" (like as a list or "log")

 

Outlook does this, also

[david_dawei]

4. Proof of meeting

This one is irrelevant for DOS... USCIS already approved that you meet this requirement.

 

DOS is more interested in how the relationship has transpired since the initial meeting.. is the relationship bona-fide (ie: absence of fraud).

 

For this reason, we often see GUZ/DOS asking for an evolution of the relationship if they questions some aspect...

 

----

 

It's good to bring your ex's info.. I think this is probably one of their mistakes to not document this since they do ask for it sometimes.

 

You haven't mentioned how many times you visited china? So your pictures you prepare should try to cover each trip...

 

good luck.

[Minister]

DOS is more interested in how the relationship has transpired since the initial meeting.. is the relationship bona-fide (ie: absence of fraud).

 

For this reason, we often see GUZ/DOS asking for an evolution of the relationship if they questions some aspect...

 

This is excellent advice. Thank you very much. I was focusing on our "engagement" meeting in China (Our first two meetings were in Japan). I will add a page of some pictures of us together at Tokyo Disney Land to help show our relationship in a wider spectrum. With this in mind, I am actually going to make a little "time line" for us too. This may be useless, but I suppose it is better to have it and not need it than it is to need it and not have it.

 

Thank you again!