i failed the us citizenship interview today

[Kathryn41 3,205]

What bank account is used to pay household bills? Are they all on yours or all on your husband's? If you pay some and he pays others, then get copies of those bank statements and highlight where the bills come out of. As well, you should both be receiving bank statements from separate accounts but they would both come to the same address - highlight the addresses on the separate accounts.

Have you written wills? (A good idea always when a child is involved) Write your wills listing each other as spouse and indicating each other as executor of estates or heirs. School records are a great idea.

Think creatively! Do you have joint memberships in a video club, a gym or Costco or anything like that? Membership numbers would be the same. What about car insurance? Car registration? Do you have a family AAA plan? Again, things that you own and are responsible for will have your address. Things that he owns and is responsible for will have the same address. Provide examples of things like this that show you both living at the same address.

Ask your mailman or the Post Office if they would provide proof or a document that states they deliver mail for both of you to the same address. What about credit card statements? Again, if they are not the same membership, they should still have the same addresses. Look for things on the accounts that show purchases that are home related - ie paying a cell phone bill, etc. And what about a phone bill - do you have a family cell phone plan? It would have both phone numbers or names.

Are either of you listed as emergency contacts for each other's work/employment records? Your son's medical records/school records? If you don't work, have you purchased an IRA for you listing him as your beneficiary? What about either of you being listed as beneficiary on each other's work benefits - ie. insurance, health plan, retirement benefits, etc. Find copies of the documentation he submitted to enroll you and your son on these plans - or you to enroll your son. Find things like this that show the same address.

I am sure there are always things that you can find. Even though she asked for the mortgage - and the refinancing should have your name on it and therefore counts - and banks statements, there are ways you can make what you do have work for you.

Edited February 9, 2010 by Kathryn41

[Sand 5]

Hi, I am so sorry to hear about that, but what do u mean about ....

she made a big deal of my middle name too.

Thanks,

Edited February 9, 2010 by Sand

[Sand 5]

Oh yes collect evidence as much as u can, go to ur neighbors ask them to write u letters that they know u and ur husband since... and let them sign it .. and go to friends and do the same. and if they want bank account go open new account in both names u and ur husband.. Plus.. when u recieved the letter from the interviewer .. it said there u passed ur test but decision cant be made, i wander if u need to apply for Hearing or maybe enough to send the evidence to them .. i hope this because applying for hearing u have to pay the whole price again. and this is to much.. and by the way why ur interview it took so long?? u said about an hour? wow that interviwere had nothing to do expect u .. Oh

Edited February 9, 2010 by Sand

[v333k 59]

Ok - you haven't failed yet! They are requesting more evidence to show that you two are in a bonafide marriage and when they get that evidence they will make a decision. Here is your opportunity to provide them with copies of the mortgage, the refinancing, any joint bills or accounts that you have together, any utilities that you pay together - or that you share with one of you paying some and the other paying some. Include copies of Driver's licenses showing both of you at the same address; health insurance plans covering both of you, a joint bank statement showing the mortgage and household expenses being paid from the account, things like that. You can do this - don't defeat yourself now by giving up. You didn't submit enough evidence to show you and your husband have a life together sharing expenses, a home, friends and family. Give them what they want and they will see you do qualify for citizenship based upon a valid marriage. Good luck.

That's correct. You have not yet failed.

[angelnoah 0]

Hi,

I would like to think that you did NOT fail! Your oath is just pending, because they need more documents from you.

I had my interview last Feb. 2 (Baltimore, MD) and they said they can't give any decision yet on my case even though I passed the test because my fingerprints are not readable. They are requesting me to submit a police clearance.

Gather as much documents as you can. I guess, you need more proofs of union and and proofs of same home address with your husband.

Good luck sa atin!

i had my test and interview at the uscis in houston, tx today. i passed the test but failed the interview. the interview took about an hour, more or less. the interviewer scanned each page from top to bottom starting from the recent application to k1 visa papers. i knew then that i failed. she is looking at the tiniest detail on my papers. one wrong word or date/number and you are doomed. our wedding date is 2005 and i really overlooked that i put 2006 -w/c is our son's birth year. she made a big deal of my middle name too.

well, whatever mistakes i made i knew then from the start that i was doomed. so make sure when you are submitting evidences to include all documents that will help establish that you are living together. i wish i did not stop doing my research that instead of listening to people, i should have "played safe."

i guess, its my fault for not including the mortgage (w/c is under my husband's name only), car insurance, and bank account (i chose not to be with the same account as his because i was spending too much two years ago). But the neighbors, co-workers, everybody knew we are married and are living under one roof.

i don't know what to say

[jakson 0]

but let me ask u somthng if they stell not belive u and ur wife thats mean can u lose ur green card??? or ur green card stell save???

[Kathryn41 3,205]

It shouldn't, Jackson. If they don't believe you are living together then they may not allow you to become a citizen in 3 years based upon marriage to a US citizen. In 5 years as a PR, though, you can apply on your own. The only way your green card would be at risk is if you committed a serious crime or you committed immigration fraud (getting married for a green card, etc.). Marriages entered into in good faith do break down but that does not disqualify the applicant from becoming a citizen - just changes when they are eligible to become a citizen.

[nigel 7]

OMG! So did they keep your Green Card? Can you re-apply? I hope you won't have to pay another $675? Sorry that this happened to you. My name is not in our mortgage either and I already explained it in a letter when I filed I-751 and had no problem and was approved. I am getting ready to submit my application for Citizenship should I explain it again this time??

The uscis can not take your Green card from you...The only person who can is a I/J....and even him will have a hard job, being you have been married for 5 yrs....unless there is something really fishy your not telling us..

Not having the deed of the house in your name, is not a problem IMHO as there is many married couples in the same situation....After all have you checked out how much it cost to have that deed changed?..i have and was told $500...

Stuff that....im married makes no difference to me..

I can't recall my wedding vows that i must have all bank statements ect in our names...unless they changed the law over night..

I Don't see a problem here TBH get whatever documents you can with both your names on, you be fine..

You have not Failed....just RFE That's all..

[venusfire503 54]

If you were included in the refinance then your name is on those documents. Was it not the mortgage to your home that was refinanced? If it was then yes you are now on the mortgage.

I wonder if the OP really meant "deed". It's possible to be on the mortgage (responsible for the loan) without being on the deed (owning the property). If they wanted to see if her name is on the deed, and she thought it was, but it's not, then that would look suspicious to them (giving the wrong answer to the question). Maybe the actual question she was asked was "Is your name on the house?", and since she signed those papers, answered "yes". Maybe she even thought (which it sounds like) that her name was on the deed, but it turns out it's just on the loan papers.

venusfire503

[venusfire503 54]

Not having the deed of the house in your name, is not a problem IMHO as there is many married couples in the same situation....After all have you checked out how much it cost to have that deed changed?..i have and was told $500...

Stuff that....im married makes no difference to me..

Not to sound paranoid, but it COULD be a problem if the person who is not on the deed is on the loan documents. Imagine if the marriage ends - then you could owe money on a property you do not own. My ex tried to get me to sign over the deeds to him (house and business property) without taking my name off the loans first. I refused to do it until there were papers signed (with lawyers involved) saying that my name would come off the loans as well.

If your name is not on either deed or loan, you might not have any claims in the case of divorce. In the case of death of the person on those documents, I imagine it depends on state laws. Not an expert there, though.

Hate to be a pessimist, but always protect yourself.

venusfire

[-B&T- 1]

Not having the deed of the house in your name, is not a problem IMHO as there is many married couples in the same situation....After all have you checked out how much it cost to have that deed changed?..i have and was told $500...

Stuff that....im married makes no difference to me..

I can't recall my wedding vows that i must have all bank statements ect in our names...unless they changed the law over night..

I Don't see a problem here TBH get whatever documents you can with both your names on, you be fine..

$500 Dollars? Pretty expensive huh? Anyway, everything was pretty much set-up before I arrived here in the US so we didn't really bother to add my name on the property and we're living in a Community property state if that makes sense to the IO that I will have to face with soon...lol.We have joint bank accounts/taxes/Car Insurance/Health/Utilities and 1 year old boy. I hope that will be enough evidence.

Edited February 11, 2010 by I-10 West

[nigel 7]

Not to sound paranoid, but it COULD be a problem if the person who is not on the deed is on the loan documents. Imagine if the marriage ends - then you could owe money on a property you do not own. My ex tried to get me to sign over the deeds to him (house and business property) without taking my name off the loans first. I refused to do it until there were papers signed (with lawyers involved) saying that my name would come off the loans as well.

If your name is not on either deed or loan, you might not have any claims in the case of divorce. In the case of death of the person on those documents, I imagine it depends on state laws. Not an expert there, though.

Hate to be a pessimist, but always protect yourself.

venusfire

Well Yes/No....

This will depend on several things when it comes to Family Law.....

Also it's down to the state you file for divorce...different states different laws..

Yes..Important to get your name off the deeds to the home loan when you file for divorce.....but if you don't then yep, the bank could take you to the cleaners to get there money back....as your name is still on the loan/deeds...even after that, they still could hastle you for there money, but if your name is away from there, you be fine..

[NickD 203]

i had my test and interview at the uscis in houston, tx today. i passed the test but failed the interview. the interview took about an hour, more or less. the interviewer scanned each page from top to bottom starting from the recent application to k1 visa papers. i knew then that i failed. she is looking at the tiniest detail on my papers. one wrong word or date/number and you are doomed. our wedding date is 2005 and i really overlooked that i put 2006 -w/c is our son's birth year. she made a big deal of my middle name too.

well, whatever mistakes i made i knew then from the start that i was doomed. so make sure when you are submitting evidences to include all documents that will help establish that you are living together. i wish i did not stop doing my research that instead of listening to people, i should have "played safe."

i guess, its my fault for not including the mortgage (w/c is under my husband's name only), car insurance, and bank account (i chose not to be with the same account as his because i was spending too much two years ago). But the neighbors, co-workers, everybody knew we are married and are living under one roof.

i don't know what to say

Reading your post is exactly what happened to my wife's friend in Milwaukee. She did not pass her interview due to lack of evidence she and her husband were sharing the same dwelling. And in your case, the husband had a mortgage on his home. The did go in together on an infopass, he brought in a letter from his bank showing he would have to pay a refinancing charge plus a deed change to add her name to his deed. I have no idea what bank he is dealing with. He also brought in copies of Wisconsin state statues showing that his wife's property is automatically half hers. That was enough for his wife's IO to grant her USC.

I don't believe my savings and loan association would be that tough to deal with, nice neighborly people. And they would love to add my wife's name to my mortgage, hey, that is one more person to collect from. But my loan was long paid off, attorneys around here wanted 550 bucks to aid my wife's name to my cleared deed, that is outrageous. I am just filing a quit claim deed selling my home from me to me and my wife. Took me awhile, just had to find the form, I found it. Typed it out exactly like my deed with me as the seller, and me and my wife as the buyer. Since I was selling my home to me, did not have to pay taxes, but have to say that Wisconsin tax form was a brain twister, but figured that out. Took my old deed, need deed and ten bucks to our country registered of deeds. She went over it line by line, letter by letter and said it was legal, put her stamped on it, and put it in the states' database. I knew it was done correctly when we got our first property tax bill, was Nick & Connie.

All you have to do is to provide that proof, ironically if you got your ten year card, the evidence for the N-400 is just about the same. You should be able to provide more evidence then get your oath letter and US certificate. That is what happened to my wife's friend.

[M.O 6]

Good luck...

[ziia 9]

I am sorry to hear you failed the interview. Don't worry, you can try again. Can you and your husband go to add you on the deed of the house?

I don't understand why the immigration officer made a big deal out of that though. Many many people opt not to add their spouses as half owners of a property such as a house for multiple personal reasons. IMHO, I don't think the interviewer had a problem with that as much as she had a problem with not providing enough evidence to show you live together in the same house. Some bank account with both of your names on it would have been good and you can do that. Also, did you take with you your husband's Drivers License and Passport? That should show the exact place of residence and also match yours.

What proof did you bring with you? Did you bring the tax forms for the past 3-5 years? Did you file those together? The taxes are some of the most important papers you bring with you at the interview!

Why did she make a big deal out of your middle name? I have 3 names( my first name and then 2 middle names and then my last name) so I though that that was confusing for some but the officer i had at the interview made no mention of any my 4 names lol.

Perhaps the interviewer had a problem with finding the wrong data on the forms you submitted and some inconsistencies in the statements you gave her or perhaps you submitted no evidence what's so ever to show you and your husband live together. Is both of your names on any household bills?

In this case, you have two options: you ask hubby to add you on the mortgage(a deed can be prepared right away), open up some bank accounts together and then submit that and go again to the interview OR if you and hubby decide not to, you can opt to wait 2 more years and then apply for the interview based on 5 years since you received the GC. Then, your most important papers will be the taxes, your residence in US and all the rest won't matter that much.

Good luck!

Edited February 23, 2010 by ziia