Immigration is the Business of Love

Whether or not you subscribe to the belief that Valentine’s Day is a holiday “invented by Hallmark,” it can be a great opportunity to reflect on all of the loved ones you have in your life. This doesn’t have to mean flowers, cards, and chocolates; it can simply mean making time for the ones you love and appreciating their presence in your life.

One of the most exciting things about the immigration process is its ability to move people closer to the ones they love. Family-based immigration — whether it be an immigrant visas for a spouse, a K1 visa for a fiancé, or simply a visitor visa for a longtime friend — enables people all over the globe to come closer together and spend more of their lives in the same place.

While current immigration policies and laws can make this process difficult and frightening at times, Passage Immigration strives to make it as easy and painless as possible. One of the most important parts of the family immigration process is providing sufficient evidence to the U.S. government and U.S. consular posts abroad that your relationship is genuine and loving. This does not have to be a daunting task if you truly love the person you are petitioning for!

When we assist someone with their petition, we work to guide them through the requirements and help them to create the strongest case possible. When petitioning for a spouse, fiancé, or loved one abroad, we recommend that you collect the following items for your immigration packet:

• Photos of the two of you together, both alone and with family and friends
• Text messages, handwritten letters, emails, and call logs from all of your long distance contact
• Receipts and tickets from trips you’ve taken together or events you’ve attended together
• Money transfer receipts (if you’ve ever had to get each other out of a tough place!)
• Any shared accounts reflecting your intermingled lives or finances
• Letters of support from friends and family who know and love you

By providing a combination of the above-mentioned items, you can put together a strong petition that will make for a smooth interview when you come to the end of the process. U.S. immigration officers simply want to see that you share a life and truly love each other.

If you are considering petitioning for a loved one soon or at some point in the future, we recommend that you start saving photos, receipts, and other documents so that you’ll be well-prepared when you decide to take the leap!