Filing I-130 Japan

[Bakura]

Hello,

I am an American citizen. My wife is a Japanese citizen. We are legally married in Japan and we are both currently living here. I am trying to file a I-130 so that we can start the application for my wife's visa, and I am a bit confused on what we actually need. I found several checklists, but they differ in contents, and they're starkly different from what's listed on the I-130 instructions. Could someone please give me some advice?

1. Payment as required by USCIS.
2. Cover Letter.
3. Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative
4. Copy of the Full Birth certificate (front and back) for the US Citizen or a copy of ALL pages of the US Citizen's passport. (Not both)
5. A copy of the intending immigrant's birth certificate and/or passport along with English translation. (If in any language other than English) (Do we need this?? It's not listed in the I-130 instructions.
6. A certified copy of your certified marriage certificate (again, translated if not in English)
7. G-325A filled out by the US Citizen, signed and dated.
8. One passport-type photo (see specification) of the US Citizen. Write the full name on the back. Place in a plastic bag and label the bag "Photo of <Insert Name>". Attach the bag to a sheet of paper and place behind the corresponding G-325a.
9. G-325A filled out by the foreign spouse signed and dated.
10. One passport-type photo (see specification) of the foreign spouse. Write the full name of the beneficiary on the back. Place in a plastic bag and label the bag "Photo of (insert name) ". Attach the bag to a sheet of paper and place behind the corresponding G-325a.
11. Evidence of a bonafide marriage (see note below for what to include)

Again, the I-130 instructions don't make any mention of the intending immigrant's birth certificate/passport pages. It's very expensive and a lengthy process to get a birth certificate in Japan, so I just want to make sure. Please tell me what you think.

Thank you so much for any response,

[rayb]

USCIS reviewers expect a birth record, with professional translation, of the spousal immigrant. Since proof of identity is the real issue, you might include a passport ID page copy, but the birth record will be a requirement, with a certified document, after the petition is approved and goes to the National Visa Center, so you will need it anyway.

--Ray B

Hello,

I am an American citizen. My wife is a Japanese citizen. We are legally married in Japan and we are both currently living here. I am trying to file a I-130 so that we can start the application for my wife's visa, and I am a bit confused on what we actually need. I found several checklists, but they differ in contents, and they're starkly different from what's listed on the I-130 instructions. Could someone please give me some advice?

1. Payment as required by USCIS.
2. Cover Letter.
3. Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative
4. Copy of the Full Birth certificate (front and back) for the US Citizen or a copy of ALL pages of the US Citizen's passport. (Not both)
5. A copy of the intending immigrant's birth certificate and/or passport along with English translation. (If in any language other than English) (Do we need this?? It's not listed in the I-130 instructions.
6. A certified copy of your certified marriage certificate (again, translated if not in English)
7. G-325A filled out by the US Citizen, signed and dated.
8. One passport-type photo (see specification) of the US Citizen. Write the full name on the back. Place in a plastic bag and label the bag "Photo of <Insert Name>". Attach the bag to a sheet of paper and place behind the corresponding G-325a.
9. G-325A filled out by the foreign spouse signed and dated.
10. One passport-type photo (see specification) of the foreign spouse. Write the full name of the beneficiary on the back. Place in a plastic bag and label the bag "Photo of (insert name) ". Attach the bag to a sheet of paper and place behind the corresponding G-325a.
11. Evidence of a bonafide marriage (see note below for what to include)

Again, the I-130 instructions don't make any mention of the intending immigrant's birth certificate/passport pages. It's very expensive and a lengthy process to get a birth certificate in Japan, so I just want to make sure. Please tell me what you think.

Thank you so much for any response,

[albertoavena]

I'm in the same boat but I have a specific question about paying for the I-130 Fee.

I`m living in Japan with my wife and we want to move to America.
I have most of the documents ready to go and have made a checklist like the original poster but, I want to ask about the actual payment for the fee.

There is no USCIS office in Japan and have to send my documents to Chicago but, how would be go about in making the payment?
Can we transfer money from our bank account to theirs or pay by credit card? Do we pay at the US embassy in Osaka (where I`m currently living)?
Do we send the payment after or before we send the documents to Chicago?

I understand that if we don't pay by the time they get the documents, it might not be processed at all.

Can anyone please help me in this situation?

[rayb]

Your $420 payment must be included with the submitted I-130 documents, using a US check or money order. My advice would be to send your package by FedEx to a U.S.-based family member, who would add a check or money order for $420, then forward your package by Priority Mail (standard $5.75 service) to the Chicago Dropbox address. The check would have to be made out to "U.S. Department of Homeland Security."

If an acceptable fee instrument (check or money order from U.S. bank) is not included with your package, the package will be rejected at intake and sent back to the originating address.

--Ray B



QUOTE=albertoavena;387306]I'm in the same boat but I have a specific question about paying for the I-130 Fee.

I`m living in Japan with my wife and we want to move to America.
I have most of the documents ready to go and have made a checklist like the original poster but, I want to ask about the actual payment for the fee.

There is no USCIS office in Japan and have to send my documents to Chicago but, how would be go about in making the payment?
Can we transfer money from our bank account to theirs or pay by credit card? Do we pay at the US embassy in Osaka (where I`m currently living)?
Do we send the payment after or before we send the documents to Chicago?

I understand that if we don't pay by the time they get the documents, it might not be processed at all.

Can anyone please help me in this situation?[/QUOTE]

[Bakura]

Thank you very much for the answer Rayb.

I have some other questions if I may:

1) can I type AND print information into the I-130, G-325A and I-864 documents? I can type nearly everything, but there are a few boxes where the information won't fit, so I have to write it in by hand. Is it OK to do both?

2) I thought it was strange, and I'm sure I'm just being paranoid, but on the I-130 they specifically ask for your family name in CAPS, and yet on the G-325A they don't. Is it OK to write the family name in regular formatting on the G-325A, or should I put caps there too?

2) For i-130, section B (Information about you), #2, address - should I list my permanent address back in the states, or should I list where I'm currently living now (Japan.) I read that some people listed their address back home, even when living abroad, because it looks better for establishing domicile status, while others disagreed. Could I have some more opinions on this please?

Thank you for any response!

[rayb]

Bakura,

See my responses in CAPS after each question:

Thank you very much for the answer Rayb.

I have some other questions if I may:

1) can I type AND print information into the I-130, G-325A and I-864 documents? I can type nearly everything, but there are a few boxes where the information won't fit, so I have to write it in by hand. Is it OK to do both?

MIXING TYPED RESPONSES AND HANDWITTEN IS OKAY. BUT MAKE IT NEAT.

2) I thought it was strange, and I'm sure I'm just being paranoid, but on the I-130 they specifically ask for your family name in CAPS, and yet on the G-325A they don't. Is it OK to write the family name in regular formatting on the G-325A, or should I put caps there too?

YOU ARE BEING PARANOID. THERE IS NO REASON FOR CAPITALIZING LAST NAME ON THE G-325A, BUT I PREFER THAT FORMAT, BY CHOICE.

2) For i-130, section B (Information about you), #2, address - should I list my permanent address back in the states, or should I list where I'm currently living now (Japan.) I read that some people listed their address back home, even when living abroad, because it looks better for establishing domicile status, while others disagreed. Could I have some more opinions on this please?

LIST AN ADDRESS WHERE YOU CAN RECEIVE MAIL. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE A U.S. ADDRESS.

Thank you for any response!

[Bakura]

Thank you very much Rayb.

Just one more quick question about #2 please - If I listed my U.S. address in #2, and then in #21 (last address of where you lived together with your spouse) if I listed my current Japanese address (while indicating "from xx to present,") would that be strange and raise some eyebrows?

Thanks again!

[rayb]

Your U.S. address on page 1 of the I-130 is being reported as your legal address in the U.S., i.e., your domiicle, where you can receive mail.

Use of two addresses can be interpreted differently by various reviewers along the way, but it makes logical sense for you to claim a U.S. domicle, since you are a U.S. citizen.

--Ray B

Thank you very much Rayb.

Just one more quick question about #2 please - If I listed my U.S. address in #2, and then in #21 (last address of where you lived together with your spouse) if I listed my current Japanese address (while indicating "from xx to present,") would that be strange and raise some eyebrows?

Thanks again!

[Bakura]

Your U.S. address on page 1 of the I-130 is being reported as your legal address in the U.S., i.e., your domiicle, where you can receive mail.

Use of two addresses can be interpreted differently by various reviewers along the way, but it makes logical sense for you to claim a U.S. domicle, since you are a U.S. citizen.

--Ray B

Thanks Rayb, I think I understand now.

May I ask you two more questions please?

1) For #22 on the I-130 form: "Complete the information below if your relative is staying in the United States..." since we are both living in Japan, I think we should we write N/A here, but my question is, for the part next to that box: "If your relative is not eligible for adjustment of status, he or she will apply for visa abroad at the American consolute post in..." should we write Tokyo, Japan? Sorry if that's confusing but I hope that it makes sense.



2) Regarding the G325A - employment for last 5 years. My wife's contract with the public school she's employed with expires at the end of March and her next school starts the first of April. We want to finish assembling the package and send off everything probably about March 20th or so.... Would it be better to just go ahead and list her next school as "Present?" She's already had her interview and been accepted after all. Perhaps by the time the form gets to America it will have already gone past the 1st too. Please let me know what you think.



Thank you very much in advance for any response.

[rayb]

Bakura,

For #22, just put "N/A" and move on down the form.

For G-325A employment, I agree with you. The next school is appropriately shown as ending in "present."

--Ray B

Thanks Rayb, I think I understand now.

May I ask you two more questions please?

1) For #22 on the I-130 form: "Complete the information below if your relative is staying in the United States..." since we are both living in Japan, I think we should we write N/A here, but my question is, for the part next to that box: "If your relative is not eligible for adjustment of status, he or she will apply for visa abroad at the American consolute post in..." should we write Tokyo, Japan? Sorry if that's confusing but I hope that it makes sense.



2) Regarding the G325A - employment for last 5 years. My wife's contract with the public school she's employed with expires at the end of March and her next school starts the first of April. We want to finish assembling the package and send off everything probably about March 20th or so.... Would it be better to just go ahead and list her next school as "Present?" She's already had her interview and been accepted after all. Perhaps by the time the form gets to America it will have already gone past the 1st too. Please let me know what you think.



Thank you very much in advance for any response.