Proving our marriage is bonafide

[Living In China 0]

I’m going to Beijing soon with my I-130 and other related paperwork to apply for a spouse visa for my wife. I think I have everything in order, but one thing worries me: proof of a bonafide marriage. We are both foreign teachers in China: She is Japanese, and I am America. Our school provides an apartment for us, so we have no lease. We do not have a joint bank account. The I-130 instructions mentioned something about a marriage affidavit to prove that we are bonafide, but that would require us dragging friends to the consulate, etc. I don’t really know where to get such a document or how to create it. Any advice?

[christeen 966]

I’m going to Beijing soon with my I-130 and other related paperwork to apply for a spouse visa for my wife. I think I have everything in order, but one thing worries me: proof of a bonafide marriage. We are both foreign teachers in China: She is Japanese, and I am America. Our school provides an apartment for us, so we have no lease. We do not have a joint bank account. The I-130 instructions mentioned something about a marriage affidavit to prove that we are bonafide, but that would require us dragging friends to the consulate, etc. I don’t really know where to get such a document or how to create it. Any advice?

Photos together, plane tickets, phone calls/logs, affadavits from freinds and family on BOTH sides saying they know you as a couple (there are templates on the VJ for those), credit cards, buy an insurance policy online and put her as the beneficerary... Just some ideas

[Lingladyinred19 13]

I’m going to Beijing soon with my I-130 and other related paperwork to apply for a spouse visa for my wife. I think I have everything in order, but one thing worries me: proof of a bonafide marriage. We are both foreign teachers in China: She is Japanese, and I am America. Our school provides an apartment for us, so we have no lease. We do not have a joint bank account. The I-130 instructions mentioned something about a marriage affidavit to prove that we are bonafide, but that would require us dragging friends to the consulate, etc. I don’t really know where to get such a document or how to create it. Any advice?

proof of a bonafide marriage; ( WE DON'T HAVE JOINT ACCOUNT) BUT WE SENT THIS FF:

1 EMAIL'S

2. CHAT LOGS

3. RECEIPT'S

4. PICTURES ( VERY IMPORTANT) ( WEDDING AND VISIT'S)

5. AFFIDAVIT OF WITNESS ON UR WEDDING ( PARENT OR FRIENDS, PRESENT DURING WEDDING)

6. PHONE CALL'S

[redglasses 1]

I am not familiar with the DCF process in China, but we provided pictures of us together over time and a description of how we met and how the relationship developed.

Other evidence such as emails, letters, phone bills, post cards, greeting cards would work as well.

[Living In China 0]

Thanks for the replies! You all have been very helpful so far.

Well, we'll have e-mails and many photos. No letters or chat logs though. We've lived next door to each other from the time we met until we were married, expect for a few visits of mine to the US.

Also, our wedding was just us getting registered at the Chinese gov't office. We traveled to the US for a few weeks after that, but the laws didn't permit an official marriage there unless she had stayed in the US for several months prior. Her parents never approved of our marriage, so as far as they are concerned, we eloped.

[sachinky 465]

Rent lease? Joint bank accounts? Birthday/anniversary cards? Phone-bills? Affidavits from neighbors/colleagues?

Edited October 26, 2009 by sachinky

[justashooter 430]

Her parents never approved of our marriage, so as far as they are concerned, we eloped.

welcome to the japanese culture. japanese, koreans, and many chinese are quite opposed to their daughters marrying caucasians. AMHIK. with chinese, if you spend enough time with the family, they accept you. good luck with your in-laws.

teaching oral english in beijing? too big of a city for me. i prefer smaller chinese cities, perhaps 5 million or so. living in china was interesting, but moving home is nice.

[Darnell 8,478]

ancillary stuff to do , prior to filing the DCF'd I-130 :

1. postal mail received in both names at that lease-hold. don't have any? make some !

2. affadavits from friends - Suggest you get them in English, not muck about with the Chinese Notarial translation office, unless you really want to try.

3. cellular bills - rework the contracts so it's in BOTH names, even on BOTH phones, even if seperate/different carriers.

4. internet access is free at the lease-hold? if not, redo the contract in BOTH names.

5. photos of the two of you, holding a newspaper showing the date, in front of your apartment door, outside the apartment building.

BIG STUFF:

Yer gonna have to prove up domicile in the USA, at least by the day of the Interview. If you have nothing now, arrange for a lease in the USA, soonish, after you file the I-130. Is ok for YOU to leave for the USA after the I-130 is approved, just be sure to return prior to interview day. You can get the lease documents and utilities in USA set for both names - she doesn't need a SSN to get this done. You don't need to go to USA to get the domicile if you have a friend or agent to handle it all for you, stateside.

Good Luck !

[Darnell 8,478]

PS - you don't need to drag yer friends to the consulate, per se - but - the affadavits USUALLY are stamped in some way. There is NO English Notarial Service in China, except at the various US Consulates and the Embassy in BeiJing (and for that, ya, they do need to show up in person).

So, maybe, it would be easier to get them done in Chinese, then take the letters to a Chinese Notarial Office and get them 'officially translated' into English. There's a format for the affadavits - it requires some biodata on the person signing the affadavit.

If you have friends in the USA that could make the affadavits, have that done also, and soonish - send out via USPS International Priority, with mailing labels in chinese (for yer address), if needed. Send yer friends with their letters to a local bank in the USA, usually notary services are FREE there.

[GabiandVi 34]

I’m going to Beijing soon with my I-130 and other related paperwork to apply for a spouse visa for my wife. I think I have everything in order, but one thing worries me: proof of a bonafide marriage. We are both foreign teachers in China: She is Japanese, and I am America. Our school provides an apartment for us, so we have no lease. We do not have a joint bank account. The I-130 instructions mentioned something about a marriage affidavit to prove that we are bonafide, but that would require us dragging friends to the consulate, etc. I don’t really know where to get such a document or how to create it. Any advice?

Can you get a letter from your school stating that you share an apartment? Is it in your contract, perhaps? Is one of you listed as the spouse of the other on your work visas? I know that the teaching couples at my school were only allowed to list their bank accounts in the husband's name, but there was some sort of visa documentation showing the relationship. Perhaps you can ask the HR person at your school. Perhaps there are other benefits they offer you. My husband was given health insurance as my dependent, and he was also given travel expenses and other benefits. And, after his student visa expired, he got his resident visa as my spouse. All that was in my contract and I had insurance cards in our names.

[Darnell 8,478]

Hey - any news?

I think, by now, you have interview date set, yes?

[Darnell 8,478]

Suggest you refile the I-130 via DCF, again, on Tuesday ..