Keeping letters

[NateD]

OK, a question about keeping letters:

I know that one of the things you need for the visa and interviews and that sort of thing are plenty of letters to help prove your relationship.  So my question: when exactly should I begin keeping those letters?  Obviously I'm going to want to be sure to have plenty of them

Thanks,
NateD

[Ray]

... in response to Keeping letters, posted by NateD on Aug 27, 2003

Nate,

Like Steve said, you should be keeping them all. Your fiancée should also keep them all.

What they would like to see as evidence of a valid relationship is a sampling of letters starting with the first. If you can show them 5 or 6 letters spread over the entire period that you have been corresponding, that should be fine. Keep snail mail letters in their original envelopes to show the postmark dates. Greeting cards are good also and letters can be mushy. They also like to see any correspondence between you and your fiancée’s family and vice-versa.

Without snail mail evidence, e-mail printouts are usually acceptable. When you call her, try to use one of those 10-10-xxx numbers occasionally so you’ll have a record on your phone bills.

Ray

[HaroldC]

... in response to Re: Keeping letters, posted by Ray on Aug 27, 2003

nt

[Ray]

... in response to I assume this does not apply if you've m..., posted by HaroldC on Aug 28, 2003

Harold,

She will still have to present evidence of a valid relationship at her interview but no proof of meeting needed.

Ray

[HaroldC]

... in response to Still applies if married, posted by Ray on Aug 28, 2003

about that distinction.

A relationship could be valid even if you've never met? Ah, never mind that intellectual parsing.

The implication is that proof of marriage is not necessarily proof of a valid relationship. She probably will not have hard copy, letters or phone records- but plenty of wedding pictures, perhaps even a bun in the oven.

I assume the intent is to prove some longevity to the relationship- that it was not a quicky wedding (She once asked "What, are you afraid of a shotgun wedding?"!) or a marriage of convenience.

How about plenty of pictures from a visit 3-4 months prior? We won't be getting married the first trip [I have told her no wedding and no sex first trip, or was that no sex and no wedding, or was it no sex OR no wedding, or- oh, oh.:-)]. I can hold up a newspaper- Oh, crap, that won't work- could be an old newspaper.

I guess the real question is- how long a proven relationship is required?

(Yeow! I would not want to be the interviewer who told her that her relationship with her husband was not valid!- she suffers fools gladly, NOT.)

Thanks for putting up with me, y'all.

[Ray]

... in response to Now I'm confused ..., posted by HaroldC on Aug 28, 2003

[This message has been edited by Ray]

Harold,

Try not to make this stuff too complicated (LOL). Your marriage certificate is proof of meeting.

There is no minimum time requirement for a relationship to be valid.

They are always looking for fraudulent marriages during the interview and sometimes again at the Port of Entry and then again at the AOS interview and then once more at the Removal of Conditions interview. If one of her relatives paid you $10,000 to marry her and bring her to the U.S. to beat the immigration laws, then you probably wouldn’t be corresponding regularly and talking on the phone all the time. You wouldn’t be sending her money or Valentine cards. She wouldn’t know the name of your dog, where you worked, the names of your brothers and sisters, what kind of car you drive, your telephone number, your birthday, etc. She wouldn’t be receiving letters or birthday cards from your mom. Get the idea?

If at all possible, she should have letters and other correspondence for the interview. You should send her copies of your phone bills for the interview. Also, send receipts for money transfers to show you are supporting her. She should present anything that provides evidence that you are a husband and wife. Show some really mushy letters that confirm you are in love with each other.

If you were 70-80 years old or more, they might ask her for a photo of you holding a recent major newspaper just to show that you are still with the living. Make sure your eyes are open and you are smiling... :-)

If she appears genuine and truthful, she will be fine.

Ray

[SteveG]

... in response to Keeping letters, posted by NateD on Aug 27, 2003

Nate,
 You should keep every one you get.   You never know who you may marry, so keep them all.   When Melly and I went to her interview, the lady didn't even look at one, but that's probably because she saw the entire athletic bag bulging with them.   It was obvious we had been writing for a while.    

 The best advice is to to prepared for anything though!   Soooo, does this mean you have been throwing them away?  Oh Nooo!?!?   LOL

               SteveG

[NateD]

... in response to Re: Keeping letters, posted by SteveG on Aug 27, 2003

Steve,

To be honest, I have thrown a few of them away, mainly because I have no idea where I would even begin to store them! LOL  Now that I know this, however, I think I'll look for myself a place to keep them.

Nate

[SteveG]

... in response to Re: Re: Keeping letters, posted by NateD on Aug 28, 2003

Nate,
 Uh ohhhhh!!!  Now you've gone and done it.  Threw them away??!?!   Sure hope your penpal doesn't hear about this.  It could reflect a bad light on you, ya know.   LOL   But you can trust ME not to tell.    

 Also, like Ray said, keep any evidence of comunication such as emails or phone calls.   The interviewer is looking for evidence of a relationship over a significant period of time.

  SteveG

[NateD]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Keeping letters, posted by SteveG on Aug 28, 2003

Don't worry; I'll start keeping them now.  Just got to find space in my room to do it with LOL!

And I can assure you that my throwing the letters away DOES NOT reflect on how I feel about Jane

Nate