proof of bona fide marriage

[supersonic 0]

Hi guys,

I am a little worried here.

I was pretty surprised to get an RFE last month for my AOS application. They wanted my medical examination and vaccine supplement (no problems here apart from the cost...). They also said however that a marriage certificate was not enough to prove a bona fide marriage. The want something more. I was pretty surprised by that and we haven't been really collecting any evidence the last months. We have assembled the following:

- our medical insurance policy showing that I am my wife's dependant and covered by her insurance

- our car insurance showing that we are both covered

- our bank statements from the last year or so, showing common residency of our apartment (we decided not to open a joint account since we are both poor students)

- a card issued by my wife's university for me, listing me as a person married to a graduate student there, and entitling me to use the university facilities, such as the gym, etc.

- my wife's library card from Poland, when we were both studying at the same university

- and perhaps something else i can't think of at the moment

Do you guys think this is going to be enough? Or should we come up with something else. I am also going to write a nice cover letter explaining why there's no co-mingling of funds between us (mostly because there are no funds to speak of:)) and also briefly describing our marriage and the years we spent together before.

I might also add that my case was transferred to CSC back in September, so we probably won't have to go through the interview process (at least i hope so)

Thanks for your input!

[Yodrak 7]

supersonic,

It sounds as if the CSC made a reasonable request and you are making a reasonable response.

If the case officer at the CSC is not satisfied with your response, the case will likely be sent to the appropriate District or Sub office for interview.

Yodrak

Hi guys,

I am a little worried here.

I was pretty surprised to get an RFE last month for my AOS application. They wanted my medical examination and vaccine supplement (no problems here apart from the cost...). They also said however that a marriage certificate was not enough to prove a bona fide marriage. The want something more. I was pretty surprised by that and we haven't been really collecting any evidence the last months. We have assembled the following:

- our medical insurance policy showing that I am my wife's dependant and covered by her insurance

- our car insurance showing that we are both covered

- our bank statements from the last year or so, showing common residency of our apartment (we decided not to open a joint account since we are both poor students)

- a card issued by my wife's university for me, listing me as a person married to a graduate student there, and entitling me to use the university facilities, such as the gym, etc.

- my wife's library card from Poland, when we were both studying at the same university

- and perhaps something else i can't think of at the moment

Do you guys think this is going to be enough? Or should we come up with something else. I am also going to write a nice cover letter explaining why there's no co-mingling of funds between us (mostly because there are no funds to speak of:)) and also briefly describing our marriage and the years we spent together before.

I might also add that my case was transferred to CSC back in September, so we probably won't have to go through the interview process (at least i hope so)

Thanks for your input!

[Kajikit 65]

if you're concerned about providing evidence of a bonafide marriage, don't forget a couple of letters from people who know you as a married couple and who can say that they've seen you together acting married...

[hcj 0]

How about including some photos of the two of you, with family and/or friends;

and if you kept any Christmas cards or other correspondence that was addressed to both of you, send that in too.

[faith 0]

We brought our photo album from the wedding... cards that had been sent to both of us (thank you cards from baby showers etc) hospital bills from my ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage, bank statements, car insurance, we basically just brought anything that we thought might show that we had a life together.

[Cassie 8]

Some excellent suggestions in this thread + your list = well prepared

You also may want to consider sending a copy of wills or life insurance that show that you are each other's beneficiaries.

[damulag 26]

Is the certificate you sent then with your AOS package the nice one you can frame or the one that comes from the county, the certified one. The certificate with the nice wording and such is not a legal document and this might be what you sent.

When we applied for our marriage license we got the application and a nice marriage certificate that we signed and the minister signed, this is just for show. The minister sent in the marriage record form and after a couple of weeks we applied for a certified record of marriage from the county, this is what was sent to the USCIS.

Could you have sent in the wrong one??? I do not think at the application stage you need to send in pictures and such that stuff is for the interview.

Mike and Luvy

[Cassie 8]

Recently, some people applying for AOS in the CSC jurisdiction have been getting their AOS approved without the need of an interview. Apparently the OP may not need one, seeing as CSC are asking for the proof now, and not at a physical interview.

[john_and_marlene 162]

I hope the advocates here for "minimal" application packages read this post.

After reading posts about some getting their cases transferred to CSC and approved without an interview, I chose to add a few things to the AOS package before it was sent in the hopes that it might lead to that same path and they would already have the evidence they wanted. I added wedding pictures, insurance beneficiary notices, copies of Marlene's miliary dependent ID card and a copy of my retired ID card and photos of us at home together and with family members and photos of us and family members during our trip to see my mother in Denver. If I had more before we sent it in, I would have included that too, but we had only been married about 6 weeks.

[Yodrak 7]

Cassie,

The NBC has been sending adjustment cases that appear to be approvable without interview to the CSC for processing. If the CSC agrees, they approve. If they do not agree, they send the case back for an interview.

Given that supersonic has been sent an RFE, it may be that the CSC case officer has not yet determined whether or not they can complete processing without an interview.

Yodrak

Recently, some people applying for AOS in the CSC jurisdiction have been getting their AOS approved without the need of an interview. Apparently the OP may not need one, seeing as CSC are asking for the proof now, and not at a physical interview.

john_and_marlene,

Note that the 'minmal-maximal' discussion has centered around petitions, in particular the I-129f petition for a fiance(e) - not AOS applications.

I haven't seen anyone advocating a skimpy AOS application.

Yodrak

I hope the advocates here for "minimal" application packages read this post.

After reading posts about some getting their cases transferred to CSC and approved without an interview, I chose to add a few things to the AOS package before it was sent in the hopes that it might lead to that same path and they would already have the evidence they wanted. I added wedding pictures, insurance beneficiary notices, copies of Marlene's miliary dependent ID card and a copy of my retired ID card and photos of us at home together and with family members and photos of us and family members during our trip to see my mother in Denver. If I had more before we sent it in, I would have included that too, but we had only been married about 6 weeks.