Preparing for Our Interview

[samcmac]

Hey folks,

 

We're speeding right along in the CR-1 process. We DCF'd in September and got our i-130 approved in early October, now my wife has made her interview appointment for November 20th (her medical exam is Nov. 10th). We used an agent up until now, at my wife's behest, but the agent wants another 4000 kwai just to "prepare" my wife for the interview, and I'm putting my foot down there. We've done the work, and I think we're ready, but I still would like to go over some things with the board, and make sure.

 

I'm primarily using this link as a reference: http://ustraveldocs.com/cn/IV%20Instruction%20DS-260%2007222014.pdf

 

So...

 

- Confirmation of DS-260 -- got it

- original of Wife's Passport, plus my passport -- got it (I'll be in Guangzhou with my wife for the interview)

- Wife's two 2-inch photos -- got it (don't need my passport photos, right?)

- Certified copy of wife's birth certificate -- got it (doesn't need my birth certificate, right?)

- Certified copy of wife's marriage book -- got it (doesn't need my marriage book, right?)

- Police certificate -- we have this from attempting a tourist visa back in June, so it should still be valid yeah?

- Medical exam sealed report thing -- pending

- Court and Prison records -- none needed

- Military Records -- none needed

- Evidence of Support details:

We have my grandfather as joint sponsor (I have no income), so he filled out an I-864 and USPS'd it to us along with copies (not originals) of his birth certificate, his 2013 tax return, and Social Security Benefit Statement. My grandmother, who he lives with, filled out an i-864A. She's from England and became a U.S. citizen in her teens, after marrying my grandfather. She provided me with her Certificate of Naturalization (dated 1937, wow that's old!), and copies of her 2013 tax return, Social Security Benefit Statement, and 2013 W2.

- Evidence of relationship:

We have a small photo album with pictures of us together and with her family over the course of the last year and a half. At the time of petitioning we submitted a detailed record of Skype, We Chat, Facebook, photos, etc.

- My wife's resume -- got it (doesn't need my resume, right?)

- Visa Extension notice -- none needed

- Records of previous immigration proceedings -- none needed, assuming we don't need records of previous non-immigrant visas that have been denied (there's 1 of those)

- Proof of investment funds -- none needed (we are... so poor)

- Translations -- all done, certified, stamped, blessed with the blood of Mao

- Visa application fee -- not sure, actually?

- also, copy of the email sent to us from the embassy that said we could make an interview appointment, and copy of the interview appointment confirmation page -- got both

 

Thanks, and sorry this is covering ground covered before, but y'know, just wanna get our case specifically right.

 

- Sam

 

[dnoblett]

Hey folks,

 

We're speeding right along in the CR-1 process. We DCF'd in September and got our i-130 approved in early October, now my wife has made her interview appointment for November 20th (her medical exam is Nov. 10th). We used an agent up until now, at my wife's behest, but the agent wants another 4000 kwai just to "prepare" my wife for the interview, and I'm putting my foot down there. We've done the work, and I think we're ready, but I still would like to go over some things with the board, and make sure.

 

So...

 

- Confirmation of DS-260 -- got it

- original of Wife's Passport, plus my passport -- got it (I'll be in Guangzhou with my wife for the interview)

- Wife's two 2-inch photos -- got it (don't need my passport photos, right?)

- Certified copy of wife's birth certificate -- got it (doesn't need my birth certificate, right?)

- Certified copy of wife's marriage book -- got it (doesn't need my marriage book, right?)

- Police certificate -- we have this from attempting a tourist visa back in June, so it should still be valid yeah?

- Medical exam sealed report thing -- pending

- Court and Prison records -- none needed

- Military Records -- none needed

- Evidence of Support details:

We have my grandfather as joint sponsor (I have no income), so he filled out an I-864 and USPS'd it to us along with copies (not originals) of his birth certificate, his 2013 tax return, and Social Security Benefit Statement. My grandmother, who he lives with, filled out an i-864A. She's from England and became a U.S. citizen in her teens, after marrying my grandfather. She provided me with her Certificate of Naturalization (dated 1937, wow that's old!), and copies of her 2013 tax return, Social Security Benefit Statement, and 2013 W2.

- Evidence of relationship:

We have a small photo album with pictures of us together and with her family over the course of the last year and a half. At the time of petitioning we submitted a detailed record of Skype, We Chat, Facebook, photos, etc.

- My wife's resume -- got it (doesn't need my resume, right?)

- Visa Extension notice -- none needed

- Records of previous immigration proceedings -- none needed, assuming we don't need records of previous non-immigrant visas that have been denied (there's 1 of those)

- Proof of investment funds -- none needed (we are... so poor)

- Translations -- all done, certified, stamped, blessed with the blood of Mao

- Visa application fee -- not sure, actually?

- also, copy of the email sent to us from the embassy that said we could make an interview appointment, and copy of the interview appointment confirmation page -- got both

 

Thanks, and sorry this is covering ground covered before, but y'know, just wanna get our case specifically right.

 

- Sam

Gathered evidence per the OF-169 is all about the beneficiary, the only exception is the I-864

• Beneficiary passport, provided to place a visa in.
• Passport photos only of beneficiary. The only on needed of petitioner would be needed when initially filing the I-130.
• Beneficiary birth cert (White book +English Translation). US Citizen's not needed at interview, it would have been attached to I-130 as proof of citizenship, you satisfied USCIS when you filed the petition.
• Copy of marriage cert. (White book + English Translation)
• Police cert + English translation, considered valid 6 -12 months (If it was dated June, it should be accepted) However if you have time to get a newer one I would do so just in case the consulate demands a newer one.
• Yep, no prison record.
• My wife served in the Chinese Army, we noted this, the consulate is well aware that military records are not available.
• Affidavit of support, (I-864) even though you have a joint sponsor, and you have no income, you still are REQUIRED to provide an I-864. If you do not provide an I-864, the consulate cannot issue the visa and USCIS cannot issue a green-card.
• Relationship evidence, yes that is what is typically provided at the interview. You did provide affidavits from friends and family when you filed the I-130? If not I would see about having a couple for the interview.
• Resume, correct, the consulate some times requests one from beneficiary, they don't request one from petitioner.
• Investment funds, not needed
• Translations, as noted above.
• Application fee, This will be paid to the consulate in DCF cases since you did not pay it to NVC. Fee will be $325 or equivalent in RMB Cash or major credit card (VISA, MC, Discover, AMEX) http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-iv-immigrantkvisa.asp and http://www.ustraveldocs.com/cn/cn-iv-immigrantkvisa.asp
• Immigrant fee paid after interview will be $165 to have USCIS generate a green-card http://www.uscis.gov/forms/uscis-immigrant-fee

[samcmac]

After a big hiccup involving back taxes and i-864s I didn't know I needed that nearly caused me to commit seppuku (sorry, wrong country), I think I'm back on track with this. Here's my updated list:

• Copy of Immigrant Visa Instructions email
• Copy of Appointment Confirmation email
• Beneficiary's passport (+ my passport just in case)
• 2x Beneficiary passport photos
• Copy of Beneficiary birth certificate (White Book + English Translation)
• Copy of Beneficiary's marriage certificate (White Book + English Translation)
• I-864 from Sponsor/Petitioner (me), attached to 3 years of tax returns (2011 return statement; 2012 1040 form; 2013 1040 form plus 2555-EZ form)
• I-864 from Joint Sponsor (my grandfather), attached to copy of birth certificate, 2013 tax return, SS Benefit Statement
• i-864A from Grandmother, attached to copy of Certificate of Naturalization, 2013 tax return, SS Benefit Statement, W2
• Small photo album
• Beneficiary's resume in English

My wife will go and get a new version of her police record certificate tomorrow. We will do her medical exam on the 10th of this month. The only thing else would be affidavits from friends/relatives. Does that really just have to be like a signed letter describing their relationship to us, or is there more to it than that?

 

- Sam

Edited November 7, 2014 by samcmac (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

Sworn affidavits can follow this format.

 

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

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

 

Note these are for a later process that will happen for you 2 years after entry to the USA, simply use them as a guideline re-word them to fit your case, (US Consulate instead of Homeland Security.)

[samcmac]

OK, our interview interview is in less than a week. This is a complete list of things we have assembled for it, down to every little item. If anyone has any other last minute suggestions / changes for this package, please let me know, I would be eternally grateful. Not passing this interview, while I'm sure many people feel this way, would be devastating for us. We're broke and need to get back to my family.

 

• 2x passport-sized photos
• Petitioner Passport
• Beneficiary Passport, with free space for visa
• Copy of Beneficiary Passport
• Copy of Appointment email
• ​Copy of email announcing we're eligible to make an appointment
• Copy of Beneficiary's resume
• Birth certificate original book
• Birth certificate English translation + white book
• Police certificate + English translation + white book
• Marriage book English translation + white book
• 2x marriage book originals
• Medical examination sealed
• Petitioner i-864
• Petitioner 2013 tax return: 1040
• Petitioner 2013 tax return: 2444-EZ
• Petitioner 2012 tax return: 1040
• Petitioner 2011 tax return: 1040
• Note explaining income status of petitioner
• Joint sponsor i-864
• Joint sponsor 2013 tax return forms
• Joint sponsor 2013 social security
• Joint sponsor birth certificate
• Joint sponsor's spouse's i-864
• Joint sponsor's spouse's 2013 tax return
• Joint sponsor's spouse's certificate of naturalization
• Small-sized photo album with most photos labeled: place, people, date
• Chronology of relationship typed, inserted in front of photo album
• Collection of tickets bearing petitioner and beneficiary's names/IDs
• Collated paperwork offering evidence of Facebook/WeChat conversations
• Collated paperwork with more photos each meticulously labeled and dated
• 3x signed sworn affidavits from friends

 

One thing I haven't printed yet is ANOTHER copy of the DS-260 confirmation page. We already mailed one to the consulate from a CITIC bank but it states here that one should be brought to the interview:

http://ustraveldocs.com/cn/IV%20Instruction%20DS-260%2007222014.pdf

 

S.

[tsap seui]

Good luck at that interview. I'm not current on things as they change so much but the list looks good.

 

tsap seui

[samcmac]

Update: The wife and I arrived in Guangzhou today. We're staying at the Yangs hotel. Our room is quite nice, though the price is a little steep (320 a night), so we may move tomorrow. I'll try and give a more detailed rundown on our stay later. Anyway, our interview is on Thursday, and we think we have everything ready -- like really ready. At the suggestion of Mr. Yang, I rewrote a statement on my current employment (or lack thereof) and our plan for the future, which is heavy on the concept that my grandparents will be supporting us (they are joint sponsors) until we find employment of our own. This is because first priority for both of us is getting back in school. I didn't want to go into too much detail about how my wife's parents' plan to funding her education Stateside and how I have funds set aside for college as well. I tried to just stick to the party line: We will work and support ourselves, but my grandparents have signed on to take responsibility, and demonstrated the necessary income. Hope that's enough. My family, and us, just so want us to get home, and going home for Xmas would be an especially nice gift. Hope the interviewer is feeling the holiday spirit. Or better yet, hope our case is solid enough that he/she doesn't even have to be.

 

S.

 

EDIT: Oh, also, 2,000 kwai is more than enough to take into the interview in terms of paying whatever fees, yes?

Edited November 18, 2014 by samcmac (see edit history)

[tsap seui]

Again, good luck at the interview. Your list looked good...I don't know what current fees are but Randy or Dan can tell you. We too stayed at the Yangs for both of our interviews. I always felt like part of our rent include having access to two people who have seen thousands of folks go to their interviews.

 

Did the Yangs move close to the new consulate, or are they still in the same building there beside the old consulate?