<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Hancock Life Insurance Company
John Hancock Place
P.O. Box 111
Boston, Massachusetts 02117
Law Sector [LOGO OF JOHN HANCOCK]
May 4, 2000
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Attention: Filing Room
JOHN HANCOCK VARIABLE SERIES TRUST I
REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM N-1A #33-02081
Dear Sir/Madam:
Pursuant to Rule 497(j) and in lieu of filing final printed prospectuses, we
hereby certify respecting the above-captioned registration statements on Form
N-1A that:
(1) the form of prospectus and Statement of Additional Information that would
have been filed under Rule 497 would not have differed from that contained in
the most recent amendment to the registration statement, and
(2) the text of the most recent amendment to the registration statement has been
filed electronically.
Sincerely,
/s/ Ronald J. Bocage
- --------------------
Ronald J. Bocage