How we met letter

[Danny999]

I¡¯m wondering the best way to put together my ¡°How We Met¡± letter.

 

I saw where Dan said to go all the way back to your divorce in one comment. That¡¯s not a problem. But I had another GF in China when I met my now Fianc¨¦. On my last trip to see my former GF is the first time my now Fianc¨¦ and I met in person. (Got that?) They were known as # 1 & # 2 in some previous post of mine. The numbers only represent the order in which I met them.

 

So basically last January¡¯s trip was for #1 and me to finalize our paperwork. But I had grown to be good friends with #2 and I didn¡¯t want to travel all the way around the world without at least meeting her. So we arranged to meet at the HK airport when I arrived. I must admit she blew me away and I was very distracted after that.

 

I went ahead and went through the motions with #1. Our relationship had been a rocky one. I never really trusted her. We traveled around and met her family but it just wasn¡¯t there. On top of this the daughter no longer wanted to come. That was the nail in the coffin. So we went our separate ways.

 

So as in my previous post this year I met up with Jing for dinner when I was there. (I only have one picture from this meeting.)

 

I don¡¯t want to write the whole story here, but I guess what I¡¯m asking is, in my letter, how much should I mention #1? I don¡¯t want it to sound like a soap opera. But I want to be honest also. If it wasn¡¯t for 1, I would have never met 2.

 

The only reason I met my Fianc¨¦ is because I was having such a hard time with my GF. My GF was the only person in China that I knew so I had nothing to compare her with. So I joined a social network in SZ much like facebook. There I met Jing and made a lot of friends in June 09.

 

I guess my whole point is the first time Jing & I met face to face; I was there to see someone else and how to incorporate that into my story. Does it sound bad?

 

You know the ironic thing is when I first met Jing; she said that she thought it would be her and I that ultimately got married. And that was when I was engaged to someone else. I could¡¯ve saved a lot of time. Funny how things work out.

 

 

[dnoblett]

Ellis has good advice:

PRACTICE TIP #1 - What the words generally unavailable to DHS at the time of petition approval should mean to skilled immigration practitioners, is that they should inform DHS in advance, at the time of filing the petition, of any potential red flags a consular officer might spot in the case. If DHS approves the petition anyway, a consulate is not supposed to deny a petition for that same reason.

http://www.ilw.com/articles/2006,0323-ellis.shtm

 

What this means is to disclose issue to USCIS "Front Load" the petition, a detailed letter explaining how you met would be a good thing, tell them the whole story.

[Amaro]

I think you should just say you were there in china to meet girl number 1 and you met girl number 2 at that time as well and thats about it on that topic. I say try to expose as little as possible in a good way and still be able to keep the story on track.

Edited November 28, 2010 by Amaro (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Marriages and petition filings are a matter of public record. Girlfriends are not (unless you actually filed for her).

 

Be careful about what you disclose - it can be used against you, regardless of whether it's a legal reason for denial or not.

[chilton747]

Marriages and petition filings are a matter of public record. Girlfriends are not (unless you actually filed for her).

 

Be careful about what you disclose - it can be used against you, regardless of whether it's a legal reason for denial or not.

 

 

He will need to disclose girlfriend number one due to the fact that he went to

China to meet her. The trip is documented as a visa in his passport along with other records the Homeland Security keeps.

[Randy W]

Marriages and petition filings are a matter of public record. Girlfriends are not (unless you actually filed for her).

 

Be careful about what you disclose - it can be used against you, regardless of whether it's a legal reason for denial or not.

 

 

He will need to disclose girlfriend number one due to the fact that he went to

China to meet her. The trip is documented as a visa in his passport along with other records the Homeland Security keeps.

 

It's not a tell-all book - he needs to be careful. Too much information is too much information.

 

We are going WAY overboard in our advice, IMO. Only he can judge.

[chilton747]

Marriages and petition filings are a matter of public record. Girlfriends are not (unless you actually filed for her).

 

Be careful about what you disclose - it can be used against you, regardless of whether it's a legal reason for denial or not.

 

 

He will need to disclose girlfriend number one due to the fact that he went to

China to meet her. The trip is documented as a visa in his passport along with other records the Homeland Security keeps.

 

It's not a tell-all book - he needs to be careful. Too much information is too much information.

 

We are going WAY overboard in our advice, IMO. Only he can judge.

 

I certainly agree with the TMI. Keeping it simple will be good.

[david_dawei]

I agree with Randy... carefully tread since what he does with his personal life does not need full disclosure to GUZ. But I can see the dilemma is how to explain why he went in the first place.

 

My main question to Danny is: Have you visited #2 again and if yes, how many times?

 

I definitely would NOT file if it's based on that one trip but seeing how long ago that was, I'm hoping you've made another trip. That might make the story easier to tell.

[Ryan H]

I agree with Randy... carefully tread since what he does with his personal life does not need full disclosure to GUZ. But I can see the dilemma is how to explain why he went in the first place.

 

I also share this sentiment and frankly I think your relationship with your former fianc¨¦e that you went to see initially is not relevant unless you filed a petition (which I figure you didn't). If you have made subsequent trips to see your current fianc¨¦e since that first meeting, you could say how you signed up on the SZ social network and communicated with one another. As for that first meeting, you could say that you were going to be in China during a certain time (no need to bring up the former fianc¨¦e) and arranged a meeting. You can then go from how your relationship evolved from that meeting.

[b.c]

I agree with Randy... carefully tread since what he does with his personal life does not need full disclosure to GUZ. But I can see the dilemma is how to explain why he went in the first place.

 

I also share this sentiment and frankly I think your relationship with your former fianc¨¦e that you went to see initially is not relevant unless you filed a petition (which I figure you didn't). If you have made subsequent trips to see your current fianc¨¦e since that first meeting, you could say how you signed up on the SZ social network and communicated with one another. As for that first meeting, you could say that you were going to be in China during a certain time (no need to bring up the former fianc¨¦e) and arranged a meeting. You can then go from how your relationship evolved from that meeting.

 

I agree with this. And I also agree with David that you should try to get another trip in if you have only visited her once. 1 visit combined with the potential finding of visiting another gal on that same trip will almost ensure you get a blue in my opinion.

[smokiessky]

I did not say anything about the first girl i met only about the relationahip i have now. Thanks again for everyones help.In a few days it will be one year since she got to the US

[dnoblett]

I too had a GF #1 who I traveled to China to meet, and knew we were not right for each other, and yes I did not mention here later when filing petition for my wife.

 

Hey the extra visa in passport may have helped with our petition I did visit Guilin on my first trip to China which is where my wife lived before I even knew of her, who knows USCIS and/or DOS may have assumed I met my wife on my first trip to China though every thing I sent indicated meeting my wife on line after my first trip.

[Danny999]

Thanks Everyone,

 

To fill in some gaps. I'm going to see her in January. You know the routine. It's an evidence trip, photos, rcts, etc.... Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to see her. We'll spend a week together in HK.

 

We have a pretty good evidence package I think. Hundreds and hundreds of emails and msn logs going back to July 09. Plus she sent me three letters (USPS) back in Aug 09 that's great for estabishing a time line.

 

From everyone's input, I think I will mention #1 as a friend for the purpose of the trip, but leave it vague. Leave it open for assumption. But I'm not going to try and make it out for more than it was.

 

#1s name is on my two previous visa apps. Plus I only have ONE picture of Jing and me for that time period (kicking myself). But I will emphasize that I had to meet her after talking to her for so many months.

 

Once again this forum comes to the rescue. I'm just getting started. I expect to file I-129F by the end of Jaunary as soon as I incorporate all the new evidence into our package. So, I'll have about one thousand more questions. Bear with me

[dnoblett]

Trip over to see #1 can always be explained as a vacation with a friend, on wich you met #2 which developed into a more serious relationship.

[Danny999]

Trip over to see #1 can always be explained as a vacation with a friend, on wich you met #2 which developed into a more serious relationship.

 

That the ticket!