Some basic questions from a new member

You mean he needs to earn minimum $19,387? Or does he need 125% above &19,387?

Edit: I just now saw your reply. Thank you very much, I'm so relieved. So, the only question I have left is, do I go personally to the field office to file my papers or do I mail them? And if I have to mail them... which address to?
 
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All the forms and supporting documentation need to mailed to the following address:
USCIS
P.O. Box 805887
Chicago, IL 60680-4120

It is highly advised that you send it via a tracking service such as Post Office Priority Mail.

You may also want to include a G-1145 http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/g-1145.pdf
G-1145 ask the lockbox to send you a text message and/or email when the forms are accepted by the lockbox for processing. G-1145 only ask for your name and cell phone number (for text message) and/or email address. If you do include it, put it as the first thing in the pile behind the check.

I would recommend organizing your package as follows: check, G-1145, I-130, I-130 supporting documents, I-485, I-485 supporting documents, I-765, I-765 supporting documents. I can't recall, but I think we used big binder clips for each form and the supporting documents to keep them together. So, the I-130 and everything that went with that had one clip and so on.
 
My words cannot express my gratitude for all the help that I've been given by this site, more specifically by Jackolantern and dhlunar. Thank you a million times both of you, and I will organize the mail as dhlunar advised me.

What can I expect after mailing them? As far as I've read, the invitation from the FBI to give the fingerprints and background check... And that's it? Then only the date of the interview, right?
 
Hello,

I just came from a meeting with a lawyer, I contacted him and payed a small fee to check if I filled up my forms correctly.

Anyway, he told me something that I don't recall reading online at all. He told me that it is advisable to include photos when I send the applications and also bring them to the interview. He said that it rarely happens but based on those, there is a very small chance the interview might not even be necessary. But I'm not worried about the interview because he asked us some questions and basically if the marriage is real, a couple shouldn't worry about anything since all the questions asked are the things the couple ought to know about.

Anyway, I came here to ask if I should send our photos with the forms or not? Did any of you did that? Also, he told me that it is advisable to write a notarised letter describing our relationship, how we met, etc. and also some friends that we hang with can do the same for us, describing us and how they know us. He said that without those, the application can be rejected. Is that true? Did any of you guys did that?
 
BillTheButcher said:
Anyway, he told me something that I don't recall reading online at all. He told me that it is advisable to include photos when I send the applications and also bring them to the interview.
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The instructions (the related PDF instruction documents, not the web pages) for some of the forms mention providing photographs. Read them carefully, because failing to include photographs could result in delays.

He said that it rarely happens but based on those, there is a very small chance the interview might not even be necessary.
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The interview is mandatory for marriage-based I-485s.
 
Jackolantern said:
The instructions (the related PDF instruction documents, not the web pages) for some of the forms mention providing photographs. Read them carefully, because failing to include photographs could result in delays.
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Yes, I read about the passport size photographs but he was talking about photographs that you show at the interview to prove your marriage, photos that include the couple in various places, etc... So, do I have to include them? Or just save them and present them at an interview?
 
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BillTheButcher said:
Yes, I read about the passport size photographs but he was talking about photographs that you show at the interview to prove your marriage, photos that include the couple in various places, etc... So, do I have to include them? Or just save them and present them at an interview?
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We included the required passport size photos in our I-130/I-485 package, but didn't send in any additional photos.

We did have photos at our interview for the officer to review. She asked if we would like to leave any to be placed in the file. We left some pictures that had me, my wife, my parents and her parents in them.
 
Thank you for your answer. I guess we'll include around 10-15 photos of us and then bring an album with more photos to the interview.

And the notirised letters from me and friends describing our relationship? Did you do that? I don't recall reading in this forum anyone doing that, that's why the lawyer surprised me when he told me to do that because supposedy applications could be rejected without including photos and these cover letters from me and my friends... and I don't know whether to write my feelings down or technical details (dates)...
 
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BillTheButcher said:
Thank you for your answer. I guess we'll include around 10-15 photos of us and then bring an album with more photos to the interview.
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Don't bother sending the additional photos with the application; they might get buried in all the other stuff or lost. Pick about 5-10 and bring those to the interview.

And the notirised letters from me and friends describing our relationship? Did you do that? I don't recall reading in this forum anyone doing that, that's why the lawyer surprised me when he told me to do that because supposedy applications could be rejected without including photos and these cover letters from me and my friends... and I don't know whether to write my feelings down or technical details (dates)...
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Those notarized letters are unnecessary if your other evidence is good. It's not a bad idea to have them just in case the interviewer specifically asks for them, but usually they're not needed or requested.
 
Jackolantern said:
Those notarized letters are unnecessary if your other evidence is good. It's not a bad idea to have them just in case the interviewer specifically asks for them, but usually they're not needed or requested.
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Just to be sure, you're talking about the interview, right? As in, it's a good idea to have them with you on the interview if the interviewer asks for them, thus I don't have to mail them with my I-485, and other forms?
 
BillTheButcher said:
Just to be sure, you're talking about the interview, right? As in, it's a good idea to have them with you on the interview if the interviewer asks for them, thus I don't have to mail them with my I-485, and other forms?
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Correct. Save the letters and additional photos for the interview.
 
It's me again. Does my wife has to fill the affidavit of support even if she's unemployed and she's not the one sponsoring me?

If she has to, I hope someone can answer me this:

- Does my friend (who is sponsoring me) check "I am the only joint sponsor" or "I am the 2nd of two joint sponsors"
- Me and my wife are both still students so if she has to fill the affidavit, under "unemployed since" do I just leave it blank? And what do I write as her income since she has none? Just leave it blank?

Also btw, I just read the instructions for I-130 and it says under the supporting documents:
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 of beneficiary, if any, and complete information and details explaining how the person acquired his or her knowledge of your marriage);
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... Should I still just bring this on the interview or send it now with the forms?
 
BillTheButcher said:
It's me again. Does my wife has to fill the affidavit of support even if she's unemployed and she's not the one sponsoring me?
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The citizen or permanent resident who files the I-130 must file an Affidavit of Support no matter what, even if unemployed. Then the joint sponsor files another one.

- Does my friend (who is sponsoring me) check "I am the only joint sponsor" or "I am the 2nd of two joint sponsors"
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Only joint sponsor.

- Me and my wife are both still students so if she has to fill the affidavit, under "unemployed since" do I just leave it blank? And what do I write as her income since she has none? Just leave it blank?
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If she's never had a job or looked for a job, unemployed since can be left blank. Write zero for her income.

Also btw, I just read the instructions for I-130 and it says under the supporting documents: ... Should I still just bring this on the interview or send it now with the forms?
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Those affidavits are for people whose other evidence is weak. They are not usually needed or requested. So don't send them with the application; bring them to the interview and show them only if requested or you otherwise get the impression during the interview that you might need to show them to help your case.

Those affidavits should stick to the facts as much as possible -- instead of giving a vague and unverifiable subjective impression of your relationship, they should say things like they have personally known both of you since month/year, they've been to specific places with both of you, they've visited both of you at your home, they were present at your wedding, etc.
 
Thank you for a very quick answer. She did work in the past, so I included a date, and put zero on her income.

Now my lawyer said my wife not to put 0 on part 3 line 7 (enter the total number of immigrants you are sponsoring) but 1, so I did.

But I don't know what to put on part 3 line 1 that says "I am sponsoring the principal immigrant named in part 2". Since she is not sponsoring me but my friend, do I put YES or NO ("applicable only in cases with two joint sponsors")?
 
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Thank you for a very quick answer. She did work in the past, so I included a date, and put zero on her income.

Now my lawyer said my wife not to put 0 on part 3 line 7 (enter the total number of immigrants you are sponsoring) but 1, so I did.

But I don't know what to put on part 3 line 1 that says "I am sponsoring the principal immigrant named in part 2". Since she is not sponsoring me but my friend, do I put YES or NO ("applicable only in cases with two joint sponsors")?
 
BillTheButcher said:
But I don't know what to put on part 3 line 1 that says "I am sponsoring the principal immigrant named in part 2". Since she is not sponsoring me but my friend, do I put YES or NO ("applicable only in cases with two joint sponsors")?
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Whose I-864 are you asking about? The one filed by your wife, or the one filed by your friend?

Remember your wife is the primary sponsor, even if she has no income.
 
I'm asking for my wife.

My friend checked YES and he also checked in part 1 that he is the only joint sponsor where in the same field my wife checked that she is the petitioner.
 
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BillTheButcher said:
But I don't know what to put on part 3 line 1 that says "I am sponsoring the principal immigrant named in part 2". Since she is not sponsoring me but my friend, do I put YES or NO ("applicable only in cases with two joint sponsors")?
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Technically your wife is sponsoring you (even though she has no income), so the answer to that is YES.
 
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