Utterly confused about the first step for DCF

[mekluger]

Hello all,

Jocelyn of Speaking of China introduced me to this forum, and after exploring for quite some time, I am still utterly confused about a DCF petition.

Let me be specific about what I am confused about. My husband and I got married earlier this year, and we have only recently decided to go to the States. I've been living and working in Xi'an, Shaanxi for four years.

I am aware that the following documents are needed (or somewhat optional) for a I-130 petition:

- I-130 form

- two G-325A forms (one is mine; the other is the husband's)

- copies of my birth certificate or my passport's biodata page

- copies of hubby's birth certificate or his passport's biodata page

- copy of hubby's hukou and notarized English translation

- copies of my residence permits (2010 to present)

- four passport photos (husband's and mine)

- affidavits of our marriage

- photos or other documents to show we have a bona fide marriage

Am I missing anything in my list?

In addition, as far as the filing is concerned, I am confused as to which jurisdiction I fall under. For the eligibility for marriage notary, I went to Beijing. Therefore, I am uncertain whether I should file my petition in Beijing and let them pass it on to Guangzhou, or go directly to Guangzhou. Does anyone have contact information (as in phone numbers) for USCIS or the Beijing embassy? I've already attempted to contact them via email with virtually no luck.

I still have a couple of other questions regarding the I-130 form.

As for my address, do I put my physical US address, where I still receive mail, credit card statements and the like, or should I put my mailing address in China?

As for the affidavits of marriage, do they have to come from US citizens, do they have to be notarized, and who are usually the best options for the affidavits? I ask this because my family, with the exception of my youngest sister, have met my husband.

As for organizing all these documents, is there a preferred mode, as in one envelope or should some of the smaller, more likely to get lost items be separated? As for photos, do they need to have a printed date on them or is it acceptable for you to write names and dates in pen? Will they accept a scrapbook filled with photos and letters written to one another? What are the "other documents" that show a bona fide marriage and perhaps should be included in a petition?

Is there anything else I may have overlooked about the process of DCF? I am fully aware that I am asking a lot of you all, so if you could even just direct me to a particular discussion within the forum that deals with one, or several of the questions I am asking, I will be content.

Thanks in advance,

Marissa in Xi'an

[Randy W]

The Guangzhou Field Office is an overseas component of USCIS. We have jurisdiction over the following regions within China:

Anhui, Chongqing, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shandong, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Tibet (Xizang), Xiamen, Yunnan and Zhejiang.

 

Contact information - http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/cis.html

 

An I-130 petition submitted at either Beijing or Guangzhou is processed and approved by the USCIS field office, and then forwarded to the DOS (Dept. of State) at Guangzhou, where the beneficiary will apply for the visa.

Anything submitted is essentially under penalty of perjury. Notarization is not necessary, although you may wish to do so when convenient. Affidavits showing the approval of family members can be helpful. Affidavits written in Chinese should be translated into English

 

Ultimately, it is up to you to determine the best presentation of your case. Any bindings will be discarded. The file will ultimately be bound with the two-prong ACCO binders, so it's usually best to stick with 8 1/23x11 or A4 format paper.

 

Other topics on the same subjects are listed at the bottom of this page.

[dnoblett]

I believe Xi'an will go to the Beijing Field office to submit the petition.

 

To make an appointment to file an immigrant petition or ask questions related to U.S. green card, please call 010-8531 3111 or send email to dhsbeijing.cis@uscis.dhs.gov with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/as092508.html

 

Not needed in the petition are: copies of hubby's birth certificate or his passport's biodata page and copy of hubby's hukou and notarized English translation. Birth Cert and bio page will be requested for visa interview, hukou only needed for getting a birth cert and translation from a China notary office.

 

Use China address for the petition, latter when supplying affidavit of support for visa interview, use US address on that form.

 

Study other topics tagged "DCF" http://candleforlove.com/forums/tags/forums/DCF/

[Randy W]

I believe Xi'an will go to the Beijing Field office to submit the petition.

 

To make an appointment to file an immigrant petition or ask questions related to U.S. green card, please call 010-8531 3111 or send email to dhsbeijing.cis@uscis.dhs.gov with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/as092508.html

 

Not needed in the petition are: copies of hubby's birth certificate or his passport's biodata page and copy of hubby's hukou and notarized English translation. Birth Cert and bio page will be requested for visa interview, hukou only needed for getting a birth cert and translation from a China notary office.

 

Use China address for the petition, latter when supplying affidavit of support for visa interview, use US address on that form.

 

Study other topics tagged "DCF" http://candleforlove.com/forums/tags/forums/DCF/

 

 

 

http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/i-130-petition-for-alien-relative.html

The jurisdiction of the Beijing Field Office includes: Beijing, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning, Shanghai, Shanxi, Tianjin.

For people residing in other regions of mainland China, please contact the Guangzhou Field Office at CIS.Guangzhou@uscis.dhs.gov for further assistance.

 

 

Xi'an is the capital of Shaanxi province, which is under the jurisdiction of the Guangzhou USCIS office

 

But call to be sure before you go.

Edited December 15, 2013 by Randy W (see edit history)

[danb]

Hello Marissa, Welcome to the our forum. Among your the items that you plan to submit you listed the following things:

 

- four passport photos (husband's and mine)

- affidavits of our marriage

- photos or other documents to show we have a bona fide marriage

Don't forget when you summit your Marriage Certificate that there is an English translation with it. My affidavits of your marriage doesn't have to come from only your family but they could come from people who know you ( friends and work associates in China). If you have any shared account, bills or leases in both of your names submitting may help. Are either one of you listed as beneficiaries on any policies? Good Luck Danb

PS, How is the weather in Xian? We may be on visiting there in January.

[mekluger]

I'm not one hundred percent sure about replying to posts here so I want to thank all of you for answering my questions in such a timely manner.

 

@Randy W: Thanks for clarifying about submitting a photo album/scrapbook.

 

@dnoblett: I've contacted the offices and I do in fact have to go to Guangzhou.

 

@danb: We are not beneficiaries on any policies, nor do we have any substantial evidence of co-mingling of finances. We live together in housing provided by my work unit, but there's no proof of that. The weather in Xi'an, unfortunately, is abysmal. The AQI is off the charts; it's been in the 500-700 range for several days.

 

As I continue to work on the petition, I am still confounded by these affidavits. Does anyone have any advice about format or style? Should it be formatted as a letter? I understand I can ask non-US citizens as long as the affidavit is translated into English. I have several colleagues who are willing to do so. What are they attesting to? The accuracy of the dates of our relationship, engagement, marriage OR their support or awareness of our relationship?

 

Thanks again for all the support!

 

Marissa in Xi'an

[Randy W]

I'm not one hundred percent sure about replying to posts here so I want to thank all of you for answering my questions in such a timely manner.

 

@Randy W: Thanks for clarifying about submitting a photo album/scrapbook.

 

@dnoblett: I've contacted the offices and I do in fact have to go to Guangzhou.

 

@danb: We are not beneficiaries on any policies, nor do we have any substantial evidence of co-mingling of finances. We live together in housing provided by my work unit, but there's no proof of that. The weather in Xi'an, unfortunately, is abysmal. The AQI is off the charts; it's been in the 500-700 range for several days.

 

As I continue to work on the petition, I am still confounded by these affidavits. Does anyone have any advice about format or style? Should it be formatted as a letter? I understand I can ask non-US citizens as long as the affidavit is translated into English. I have several colleagues who are willing to do so. What are they attesting to? The accuracy of the dates of our relationship, engagement, marriage OR their support or awareness of our relationship?

 

Thanks again for all the support!

 

Marissa in Xi'an

 

From the I-130 instructions

 

5. Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties having personal

knowledge of the bona fides of the marital relationship (Each affidavit

must contain the full name and address, date and place of birth of the

person making the affidavit, his or her relationship to the petitioner

or beneficiary, if any, and complete information and details explaining

how the person acquired his or her knowledge of your marriage);

 

 

That being said, it doesn't hurt to wing it a little bit. More simply put, an attestation to their knowledge of the bona fides of your relationship. I'm sure there's a template somewhere, but I'm not seeing it at the moment.

[dnoblett]

For sworn affidavits use the removal of conditions examples only reword them for spouse visa petition.

 

VJ: http://www.visajourney.com/examples/USCIS_I751_Affidavit.doc

http://www.visajourney.com/examples/I-751_support.doc

[mekluger]

@Randy W: Thanks again for this clarification.

 

@dnoblett: These templates and explanation is invaluable. However, do you feel it's necessary to notarize these affidavits? Where would family or friends in the States get these notarized, and if notarization is done, would it be problematic for them to scan and send them to me, or must I present originals? What happens if I submit affidavits without notarizing them? Would it be better then to "wing" the format, rather than follow a notarized format?

 

All thoughts are welcome. Thanks again for your continued patience with me!

 

Marissa

[dnoblett]

@Randy W: Thanks again for this clarification.

 

@dnoblett: These templates and explanation is invaluable. However, do you feel it's necessary to notarize these affidavits? Where would family or friends in the States get these notarized, and if notarization is done, would it be problematic for them to scan and send them to me, or must I present originals? What happens if I submit affidavits without notarizing them? Would it be better then to "wing" the format, rather than follow a notarized format?

 

All thoughts are welcome. Thanks again for your continued patience with me!

 

Marissa

If family and friends are in the states, they can get the affidavits notarized at most banks by a notary public. If they are in China don't bother with the notarization, they are acceptable without notarization.

 

This came up before: http://candleforlove.com/forums/topic/46283-questions-regarding-i-130-packet/?p=606428

[mekluger]

Do affidavits need to have a photocopy of a person's ID attached?

 

As for filling out the G-325A, will it be problematic if our addresses are the same, but that we don't have any proof to establish that we reside together. I live in housing provided by the university and my husband lives with me. Are they going to ask me to get proof from the university? Would it be better for him to put his job's address as they do provide him with housing?

 

Is it best to provide all the information on both the I-130 and G-325A in English or is Pinyin okay? This relates most specifically to addresses because once the petition is approved, info will be sent there. I do not want anything getting lost in the mail.

[Ryan H]

Do affidavits need to have a photocopy of a person's ID attached?

No

 

As for filling out the G-325A, will it be problematic if our addresses are the same, but that we don't have any proof to establish that we reside together. I live in housing provided by the university and my husband lives with me. Are they going to ask me to get proof from the university? Would it be better for him to put his job's address as they do provide him with housing?

As far as the G-325A is concerned, this is not an issue.

 

 

Is it best to provide all the information on both the I-130 and G-325A in English or is Pinyin okay? This relates most specifically to addresses because once the petition is approved, info will be sent there. I do not want anything getting lost in the mail.

Addresses would only be in Pinyin.

[dnoblett]

Photo copy of ID not needed, but would not hurt to be attached. Contact info is helpful.

 

USCIS requires English translations, so anything not in English will need translations, only exception would be communications like emails between petitioner and benificiary showing communication and common language in cases where petitioner lives in the states.

[mekluger]

@RyanH: Thanks for answering my questions so quickly. One last thing about affidavits...must they be handwritten or can they be typed? If they are typed, does the third party need to sign it by hand? If so, would it be problematic if the affidavits were scanned and sent to me via email or must I have originals?

 

@dnoblett: Got it, and therefore I think with affidavits from Chinese friends and family, I will include photocopies of IDs.

 

Final last questions about affidavits: If family from the States is sending scanned versions of the notarized affidavits, will these be accepted? Do I have to submit handwritten or typed affidavits? What about affidavits written more like letters? Any standard procedure for that?

 

And finally, one last I-130 form question. Will it be problematic if we have the same address on this form and can't provide proof of residence? As I explained earlier, we live in housing provided to me by the university I work for. Are they going to ask me to get proof from the university? Would it be better for him to put his job's address as they do provide him with housing?

 

Thanks again!

[dnoblett]

Scanned versions should be fine, according to USCIS they only want photo copies of documents for the initial petition filing, bring the originals to the visa interview for inspection.

 

No they do not require proof of residing at that address, only proof of residing in the district for at least 6 months prior to filing the petition (Residency visa)