PLEASE HELP ME!!!

[Matt333]

Hey guys, I'm new here so let me tell you my story and see if you guys can help me out:

 

My name is Matt and I'm from Alabama. By fate, I fell in love with a lovely Chinese woman via the internet. It was an instant kind of thing, I knew she was "the one". We chatted online for almost a year sometimes for 12 hours at a time. I knew I had to go be with her. So, I packed up and left to live and teach English in China after I finished college. I met her in the Shanghai airport and she was as beautiful and smart. We married (legally) a few months later. Our BIG CHINESE WEDDING was delayed by SARS. We recently were married in Hangzhou next to the Westlake. It was wonderful and my parents came all the way from 'Bama to see us get married. It was amazing!

 

We just recently filed the I-130 on 10-20, we plan to do a CR1. Here is my problem: when I filed all the papers in Shanghai, I gave them notarized translations of my wife's birth certificate and our marriage certificate. These were examined and returned to me. When I left the consulate, my wife was surprised to see these documents again because these documents had been taken and not returned from her friends who post on 001. I went back inside and tried to give them to the woman who I had just dealt with. She said, "we made copies". Do these documents need to be included in the I-130 pack they send to Beijing? Is this going to cause me trouble or delays down the road? If the originals are necessary can I send them to Beijing? Any numbers I can call to talk to a real live person? My wife is fuming because they didn't take the originals and she thinks everything is ruined. Could someone please tell me about their experience with these notarized translations?

[se_lang]

I know for my packet which was a I-129f copies are just fine as long as you can show them the real thing when they ask for it. I am sure one of the other guys here can go into more detail or correct me if I am wrong. just tell your woman everything is fine, she has you in her arms every night that is what matters.

[Guest Long_strider]

For our K-1 we only sent only copies of all things, such as brith certificate, single status, etc. We brought the originals to the interview in case they wished to see them.

 

Should present no problems submitting only the copiesas long as you have the originals in case they wish to verify the validity of the document.

[Patrick & Li]

In fact, BCIS recommends you only send copies and keep originals for your interviews. I doubt its a problem.

 

Patrick

[Robert S.]

The instructions specifically say not to send originals.

 

Tell your wife to put away the huge Chinese chef's knife and she can make delicacies out of you another time. If she will let you live you may be able to continue to make proper papers for her.

[Mick]

In our case, copies were fine. Where do you live in Alabama? There are several board members from that fair state.

[owenkrout]

The consulate makes copies and stamps them with a notice that they have seen the certified originals. I questioned it immediately when they handed the originals back to me at Shenyang. The staff there is cooperative enough that they took the time to explain it to me.