bonafide relationship

[Navyk 78]

Called Both these banks - State Farm said they'd be able to add her without a Tax# and SS# but that she'd have to verify her passport documentation by being present in a StateFarm office. No way to do that if she's stuck in Mexico until her CR-1 Spousal Visa is approved.

Checked with BCU (Which I guess is affiliated with various Credit Unions here in my town) and they said she would absolutely have to show up in person, and that she would absolutely need a Social #.

Were you able to get your spouse added because she showed up in person?

I guess my only option (to get her on some form of financial mingle) would be to get her up here on a tourist visa - but that's damn near impossible as she has 0 source of income and lives in a tiny ranch in the middle of nowhere.

Will keep searching....

I could get my wife added as a beneficiary to my 401K. Am in the process of getting her on my lease as joint lessee (waiting for the copy back from the apartment management). Lastly I will try to get her added as the beneficiary to my bank accounts (if, possible) and I think that should do in addition to the email history, telephone call history, & chating hiostory.

[bigtex26 2]

Got her on my life insurance. Let me know how your bank account goes. They keep telling me its impossible without a Social.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

I was able to do it at both without her physical presence.

For State Farm Bank they needed a copy of her passport bio page and the W8-BEN with her original signature. BCU (which is a Credit Union) required the same thing.

They both even issued my wife Debit Cards, BCU even did it before we were married. If the person you're talking to can't do it then ask to speak to their supervisor and explain the situation to them.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Got her on my life insurance. Let me know how your bank account goes. They keep telling me its impossible without a Social.

Don't stop with the first person who says they can't do it. Ask the person saying no if they know what the IRS form W8-BEN is. If they don't then you're talking to the wrong person.

[Done--Really 331]

Every bank is different, and even the same bank in different states can be different. We bank at TD Bank in NJ, and they required her to be here in person, to show her passport and I-94, and fill out a W-7 in their presence, and in a couple of days her debit card showed up and all has been well ever sense.

[dwheels76 5,468]

Here's something I wrote up on a blog over at <a href="http://www.chinafamilyvisa.com/" target="_blank">http://www.chinafamilyvisa.com/</a>

So - you've married your Chinese lass, and you're filing an I-130.

IMO, you need to front-load your initial petition filing with as much

relationship evidence as you can - as the USCIS people will see this evidence, the evidence gets bundled up at NVC and sent to GUZ, and the GUZ personnel SEE this relationship evidence prior to interview day.

Personally, I can't imagine WHY one would not 'front-load' the relationship evidence. If you're using a lawyer and ask about this - and they have NO CLUE - then it's a red flag about that lawyer's 'current knowledge' on the I-130.

I had used the instructions from the I-130 - which contain this:

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->1. Documentation showing joint ownership or property; or

2. A lease showing joint tenancy of a common residence; or

3. Documentation showing co-mingling of financial resources; or

4. Birth certificate(s) of child(ren) born to you, the petitioner, and your spouse together; or

5. Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties having personal knowledge of the bona fides of the marital relationship (Each affidavit must contain the full name and address, date and place of birth of the person making the affidavit, his or her relationship to the petitioner or beneficiary, if any, and complete information and details explaining how the person acquired his or herknowledge of your marriage); or

6. Any other relevant documentation to establish that there is an ongoing marital union.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

So that was my basis of info.

For me, I redid the lease on The Rustic Cracker Farm™ for both of our names, got all the utilities in both of our names. When I tried to get a joint bank account in the USA - I found it d@mned near impossible because of the Patriot Act. Others have been able to do it, though; seems to depend on your personal relationship with your banker OR that bank's ability and willingness to handle a signature card from yer lass.

I got her on my utility bills - both our names are shown on the invoices.

I got her a paypal debit card in her name, tied into my paypal business account.

I had her added in as a beneficiary on any 'Payable On Death' Instructions for various accounts.

I have a photo stack, about 80 photos, in a glassine portfolio (20 sheets, so is 40 viewable sheets, 20 of wedding photos, 60 of us and her family). It's about 1/2 inch thick.

I have all the phone logs going back to day 0, in the form of telephone bills - That stack is about 3 inches thick now.

I printed out a chat log history and the chat logs - I pared it back to 2 inches o chat logs, the history file was about 22 pages. (single line per day)

I had 10 affadavits prepared, 5 by her friends in Wuhan, 5 by my friends in Houston.

I made color scans and color printouts of my passport, then took it in to my bank who notarized each set for free.

Of course, I've kept all the receipts of all money transfers, copies of these were included as well.

Anyway, that's my stuff, feel free to use it as any example.

Sorry never mind you posted in the current thread. Just wish there was a way to get SMS messages off phone.That is our main way to communicate. Thanks

Edited March 10, 2012 by dwheels76

[Darnell 8,478]

some phones can connect to pc, you can download sms to pc. all depends on model of phone.

[sheeshkabelle 153]

It all depends on what state you are in. Some states have the illegal immigration laws that make it impossible to get someone that doesn't have a valid visa on things, some states take the patriot act as the bible.

I live in Tennessee, it was no problem to change the deed of trust to my home to my married name and add him. He was added to the utility bills with a copy of the marriage certificate. I added him to my 401k and life insurance with just a phone call. Geico had no issues putting him on the car insurance policy, they used his Canadian driver's license number (he also raised my premiums because he'd had a wreck in the past five years ) Since none of my cars have liens, I had his name put on the titles with no issues, and we bought a car jointly last summer with both our names.

About the only thing he could not get is a Tennessee driver's license, he has to take his I-94 or green card in to get one.

The joint bank account is problematic. What we ended up doing was opening a joint account in Canada at the Royal Bank. I did have to be there in person and show my passport.

In Alabama a person can not get their foreign spouse on anything until they have the green card in hand.

[squirrelisan 23]

Called Both these banks - State Farm said they'd be able to add her without a Tax# and SS# but that she'd have to verify her passport documentation by being present in a StateFarm office. No way to do that if she's stuck in Mexico until her CR-1 Spousal Visa is approved.

Checked with BCU (Which I guess is affiliated with various Credit Unions here in my town) and they said she would absolutely have to show up in person, and that she would absolutely need a Social #.

Were you able to get your spouse added because she showed up in person?

I guess my only option (to get her on some form of financial mingle) would be to get her up here on a tourist visa - but that's damn near impossible as she has 0 source of income and lives in a tiny ranch in the middle of nowhere.

Will keep searching....

Heh I know these are old threads, but my bank (Citibank) would add her, provided I filled out a W-8BEN, then signed her up.

[richardkorea2010 15]

My wife is a US citizen, and we walked into the bank during our trip to the US for the summer vacation last year. I entered on a B2 visa.They took a copy of my passport, and I filled in that W8BEN form. I was added to her account, and also received a debit card, and my name appears on our statements every month.