Do you think this is enough?

[M. 0]

I've never had a problem with immigration/RFE's so far *knock on wood* but I'm very paranoid about having enough information.

The packet has about 60 pages of evidence, including:

• Copy of green card of my husband, David

• Joint tax returns for 2006 & 2007, as well as our joint economic stimulus rebate information

• Photographs from 2006 to present (5 pages, two photocopies of photos per page)

• Joint cell phone account bill

• Joint medical and dental insurance cards

• Evidence of trips taken together from 2006-present (four trips, with plane tickets, hotel receipts, etc.)

• Cards given to each other from 2007-present (7 total, incl. the card from a bouquet of flowers I received for no reason)

• Cards & mail addressed jointly from friends and family (about twelve of these)

• Proof of my name change from my maiden name to my married name (I hadn't changed my name when we filed the AOS)

Is that enough? We still live with my parents, so we don't pay rent or utilities, though we will be moving on December 1st into our own place.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I've never had a problem with immigration/RFE's so far *knock on wood* but I'm very paranoid about having enough information.

The packet has about 60 pages of evidence, including:

• Copy of green card of my husband, David

• Joint tax returns for 2006 & 2007, as well as our joint economic stimulus rebate information

• Photographs from 2006 to present (5 pages, two photocopies of photos per page)

• Joint cell phone account bill

• Joint medical and dental insurance cards

• Evidence of trips taken together from 2006-present (four trips, with plane tickets, hotel receipts, etc.)

• Cards given to each other from 2007-present (7 total, incl. the card from a bouquet of flowers I received for no reason)

• Cards & mail addressed jointly from friends and family (about twelve of these)

• Proof of my name change from my maiden name to my married name (I hadn't changed my name when we filed the AOS)

Is that enough? We still live with my parents, so we don't pay rent or utilities, though we will be moving on December 1st into our own place.

To be honest, it is a little light. What about joint bank accounts? As well, include copies of any joint accounts bills (ie cell phone) that covers the whole length of your marriage from the earliest days to present rather than just one statement. Do you have any medical bills, ie from an annual check up showing that you have also used the joint medical coverage/dental coverage and showing the same address? Driver's licenses or state ID showing the same address? I would also include a letter from your parents stating that you both live with them at such and such address so do not have rent and utility bills in your own name. It adds another level of evidence while addressing the possible 'red flag' of why there are not those particular documents in your package. If you are moving in December to your own place do you have a lease signed by the both of you or an agreement to lease? Include that as well. Good luck.

[M. 0]

I've never had a problem with immigration/RFE's so far *knock on wood* but I'm very paranoid about having enough information.

The packet has about 60 pages of evidence, including:

• Copy of green card of my husband, David

• Joint tax returns for 2006 & 2007, as well as our joint economic stimulus rebate information

• Photographs from 2006 to present (5 pages, two photocopies of photos per page)

• Joint cell phone account bill

• Joint medical and dental insurance cards

• Evidence of trips taken together from 2006-present (four trips, with plane tickets, hotel receipts, etc.)

• Cards given to each other from 2007-present (7 total, incl. the card from a bouquet of flowers I received for no reason)

• Cards & mail addressed jointly from friends and family (about twelve of these)

• Proof of my name change from my maiden name to my married name (I hadn't changed my name when we filed the AOS)

Is that enough? We still live with my parents, so we don't pay rent or utilities, though we will be moving on December 1st into our own place.

To be honest, it is a little light. What about joint bank accounts? As well, include copies of any joint accounts bills (ie cell phone) that covers the whole length of your marriage from the earliest days to present rather than just one statement. Do you have any medical bills, ie from an annual check up showing that you have also used the joint medical coverage/dental coverage and showing the same address? Driver's licenses or state ID showing the same address? I would also include a letter from your parents stating that you both live with them at such and such address so do not have rent and utility bills in your own name. It adds another level of evidence while addressing the possible 'red flag' of why there are not those particular documents in your package. If you are moving in December to your own place do you have a lease signed by the both of you or an agreement to lease? Include that as well. Good luck.

The cell bill is only in my husband's name. What I had, however, is the bill where we renewed our contract -- that had both names on it.

We keep our money separate; keeps the fights down.

Honestly, we have no joint *bills* that cover the entire length of the marriage. We're debt-free kind of people. We have the deck pages of our insurance policies, but those were included with the AOS package two years ago, and I was under the impression that we shouldn't include anything previously submitted.

My husband doesn't have a DL. He never drove in England cause he never really needed too. Public transport is AWESOME there, when the bus shows up of course. Of course, since he doesn't drive, he's not on my insurance either.

Oh, and my parents will not be a help -- after living here for 2+ years, the relationship is strained at best. Not that we've wanted to stay here, but the bad blood has kind of been the reason we hurried up with our moving to another home.

Lets see, what else do I have...I could do the copy of the lease we've just signed, but the utilities and cable/internet we've just signed up for a) only put one name on the bill and B) haven't been sent because they haven't been installed/set up yet.

Other thoughts???? I mean, I can submit more photos. We've got tons! I can submit pay stubs, bank stmts, etc. that show the same address.

Edited November 10, 2008 by M.

[Marilyn. 340]

I would include the insurance polices.... I don't think it matters if you send the same evidence you sent with AOS...

also if you have any bills, memberships etc just in your name and some just in your husband's name I would include those too as they show the same address...

[Andersen 1]

In regards to the life insurance, eventhough you already showed them that at your AOS interview, send it again with proof that it's been paid to-date, they want to see that it's still active (that was noted on my RFE). If you do an automatic withdrawl from your bank to pay it, include at least the last few bank statements where it shows the life insurance payment and highlighted. Or if you have receipts that shows that you're still paying it then include those.

Also send at least 2 sworn affidavits from friends certifiying that they know you and your spouse, in order to testify that is a legit marriage. Do a forum search, there should be a sample of this sworn affidavit. Copies of credit card statements, specially if they're joint. Try to include mail in both of your names. Like Kathryn said, try to get your parent to write a letter stating that you live in their house and help with the expenses, inmigration would like to see something like that since you don't have a lease together. They want to see that your "financially tied", so if you have a joint loan or something send that too.

Another thing, for your joint taxes, send them Transcript from the IRS, don't just send them your personal copies fron H&R or Jackson Hewitt.

Edited November 10, 2008 by Andersen

[Andersen 1]

Ok, your husband doesn't have a Driver's License. Does he have a State ID? It has all the information the DL has except you can't use it to drive. He can apply for one at the DMV.

[M. 0]

In response to a couple of replies, getting my parents to do a letter is a no go. We don't get on. At all. That's why we're moving in the middle of filing to remove conditions -- ideally, we'd stay here till it was approved so that nothing got lost, went to the wrong mailing address, etc. but that's just not possible.

All of our insurance is through my work, so I don't have proof of payments.

Here IS what I've been able to additionally dig up, however:

More vacation itineraries, photos, etc.

Rental applications we put in at a few different places.

Receipt (with both our names on) for various activities through my Alumni Association (with photos)

Beneficiary declaration page for my life insurance (paid through work)

Beneficiary declaration page for DH's life insurance (paid through work)

Pension beneficiary dec sheet (mine)

Pension beneficiary dec sheet (DH's)

Phone plan info showing whose # is whose (so now I can include all two years of bills, once I establish which line is whose)

Lease for apt we're moving into 12/1/08

401k beneficiary dec sheet (mine)

401k beneficiary dec sheet (DH's)

Open Enrollment 2009 health & dental insurance forms (shows we're renewing our joint policy)

Plus all the things listed in the original post.

What else can you think of????????

Ok, your husband doesn't have a Driver's License. Does he have a State ID? It has all the information the DL has except you can't use it to drive. He can apply for one at the DMV.

Yes, he has a state ID. Good idea!

I would include the insurance polices.... I don't think it matters if you send the same evidence you sent with AOS...

also if you have any bills, memberships etc just in your name and some just in your husband's name I would include those too as they show the same address...

How about pay stubs? Like I said above, we don't really do debt.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

The additional material definitely adds to your evidence.

Do you have joint membership cards for anything - Costco? Netflix? something similar? How about a copy of each of your different bank statements showing your individual names and the same mailing addresses so that they show you living together -perhaps 1 from every 6 months for each of you to show you have been at the same address? How about a copy of the change of address form that you may want to file with USPS (if you file one). Have you magazine subscriptions for him delivered to your address or USP packages (maybe from his parents, etc.) addressed to him at your address? Definitely write a cover letter explaining your living circumstances with your parents as well as your reason for not having joint accounts. Definitely include affidavits from friends who verify your marriage. I'm sorry that you are having a tough time with your parents and they won't help you in this matter.

Edited November 10, 2008 by Kathryn41

[M. 0]

The additional material definitely adds to your evidence.

Do you have joint membership cards for anything - Costco? Netflix? something similar? How about a copy of each of your different bank statements showing your individual names and the same mailing addresses so that they show you living together -perhaps 1 from every 6 months for each of you to show you have been at the same address? How about a copy of the change of address form that you may want to file with USPS (if you file one). Have you magazine subscriptions for him delivered to your address or USP packages (maybe from his parents, etc.) addressed to him at your address? Definitely write a cover letter explaining your living circumstances with your parents as well as your reason for not having joint accounts. Definitely include affidavits from friends who verify your marriage. I'm sorry that you are having a tough time with your parents and they won't help you in this matter.

Gah, looks like we'll be making an appointment with the bank to combine our accounts. :|

Netflix is just in my name.

I'm going to put copies of paystubs for the last year to show we live at the same address. We already filed our USPS change of address, and I've got a ton of mail from his parents to me in the packet already -- they send something every Christmas, birthday, and anniversary. And for my Uni graduation last year. And they just sent a card congratulating us on the new apartment. That's all already in there.

I'm really, really, really trying to avoid the affidavit route. We're not keep to ourself types by any stretch, but we're not the type that's close to one or two friends either. We have a large circle of acquaintances we go to parties and events with, but no one that I think either of us would feel comfortable asking for an affidavit from. I mean, we will if we have to, but we're not tight with people like that. We're more "life of the party" types if that makes sense.

It's ashame that so many of the things we do together -- concerts, parties, etc. -- don't have our names on the tickets. I could do photo copies of all the tickets, in pairs, but I doubt that'd help.

Also, I'm printing out our health insurance info re: paid claims, since all our bills show up on the one account.

Edited November 10, 2008 by M.

[Keigwyn 1]

Its the financial life together they are after.

If anyone got an RFE for lack of photos, concert tickets then please shout...they all seem for more joint finances.

I went lighter than you at 40 pages of evidence, but I included mortgage and deed in joint names as well as a joint bank statement for every 6 months.

I avoided avidavits as well. We just don't have joint friends and I work away most of the week.